Big Ten rankings · National FBS rankings · All teams
| Date | H/A | Opponent | Tier:Conf | Result | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/1 | H | N Illinois (8-5) | [G5:MAC] | W | 33-7 | |
| 9/8 | H | Iowa State (8-4) | [P4:Big 12] | W | 13-3 | |
| 9/15 | H | Northern Iowa (6-5) | [FCS:MVFC] | W | 38-14 | |
| 9/22 | H | Wisconsin (7-5) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 17-28 | |
| 10/6 | A | Minnesota (6-6) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 48-31 | |
| 10/13 | A | Indiana (5-7) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 42-16 | |
| 10/20 | H | Maryland (5-7) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 23-0 | |
| 10/27 | A | Penn State (9-3) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 24-30 | |
| 11/3 | A | Purdue (6-6) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 36-38 | |
| 11/10 | H | Northwestern (8-5) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 10-14 | |
| 11/17 | A | Illinois (4-8) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 63-0 | |
| 11/23 | H | Nebraska (4-8) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 31-28 | |
| 1/1 | N | Mississippi St (8-4) | [P4:SEC] | W | 27-22 | OUTBACK BOWL * |
* game does not count in Harbin ratings