Big Ten rankings · National FBS rankings · All teams
| Date | H/A | Opponent | Tier:Conf | Result | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/5 | N | Alabama (12-1) | [P4:SEC] | L | 17-35 | |
| 9/12 | H | Miami OH (3-9) | [G5:MAC] | W | 58-0 | |
| 9/19 | H | Troy (4-8) | [G5:Sun Belt] | W | 28-3 | |
| 9/26 | H | Hawai'i (3-10) | [G5:MWC] | W | 28-0 | |
| 10/3 | H | Iowa (12-1) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 6-10 | |
| 10/10 | A | Nebraska (5-7) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 23-21 | |
| 10/17 | H | Purdue (2-10) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 24-7 | |
| 10/24 | A | Illinois (5-7) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 24-13 | |
| 10/31 | H | Rutgers (4-8) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 48-10 | |
| 11/7 | A | Maryland (3-9) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 31-24 | |
| 11/21 | H | Northwestern (10-2) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 7-13 | |
| 11/28 | A | Minnesota (5-7) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 31-21 | |
| 12/30 | N | USC (8-5) | [P4:Pac-12] | W | 23-21 | NATIONAL FUNDING HOLIDAY BOWL * |
* game does not count in Harbin ratings