Big Ten rankings · National FBS rankings · All teams
| Date | H/A | Opponent | Tier:Conf | Result | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/3 | H | S Dakota St (10-1) | [FCS:MVFC] | W | 7-3 | |
| 9/10 | H | Iowa State (4-8) | [P4:Big 12] | L | 7-10 | |
| 9/17 | H | Nevada (2-10) | [G5:MWC] | W | 27-0 | |
| 9/24 | A | Rutgers (4-8) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 27-10 | |
| 10/1 | H | Michigan (13-0) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 14-27 | |
| 10/8 | A | Illinois (8-4) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 6-9 | |
| 10/22 | A | Ohio State (11-1) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 10-54 | |
| 10/29 | H | Northwestern (1-11) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 33-13 | |
| 11/5 | A | Purdue (8-5) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 24-3 | |
| 11/12 | H | Wisconsin (6-6) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 24-10 | |
| 11/19 | A | Minnesota (8-4) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 13-10 | |
| 11/25 | H | Nebraska (4-8) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 17-24 | |
| 12/31 | N | Kentucky (7-5) | [P4:SEC] | W | 21-0 | TransPerfect Music City Bowl * |
* game does not count in Harbin ratings