Big Ten rankings · National FBS rankings · All teams
| Date | H/A | Opponent | Tier:Conf | Result | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/31 | H | Illinois St (9-3) | [FCS:MVFC] | W | 40-0 | |
| 9/7 | H | Iowa State (10-3) | [P4:Big 12] | L | 19-20 | |
| 9/14 | H | Troy (4-8) | [G5:Sun Belt] | W | 38-21 | |
| 9/21 | A | Minnesota (7-5) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 31-14 | |
| 10/5 | A | Ohio State (10-2) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 7-35 | |
| 10/12 | H | Washington (6-6) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 40-16 | |
| 10/19 | A | Michigan St (5-7) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 20-32 | |
| 10/26 | H | Northwestern (4-8) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 40-14 | |
| 11/2 | H | Wisconsin (5-7) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 42-10 | |
| 11/8 | A | UCLA (5-7) | [P4:Big Ten] | L | 17-20 | |
| 11/23 | A | Maryland (4-8) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 29-13 | |
| 11/29 | H | Nebraska (6-6) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 13-10 | |
| 12/30 | N | Missouri (9-3) | [P4:SEC] | L | 24-27 | TransPerfect Music City Bowl * |
* game does not count in Harbin ratings