Big Bear Nolan's Blog

As a big CFB fan, over the offseason I love to watch the videos of people predicting where each network’s flagship pregame show and big game will be. So I want to try to predict where I think FOX will have their Big Noon Saturday game at every week

(Unfortunately FOX ruined the fun for me and revealed the first three matchups 😦 )

Week 1: North Texas at Indiana (already confirmed)

To begin the 2026 season, FOX will head to Bloomington to welcome back the defending champs in their first game back since winning the national championship back in January.

Week 2: Oklahoma at Michigan (already confirmed)

Michigan will take on OU in the second half of a home and home series for both teams. OU won the first game last year at Oklahoma with a 24-13 score.

Week 3: Kent State at Ohio State (already confirmed)

Big noons first game at the horseshoe this season

Week 4: Iowa at Michigan

It will be Michigan’s first Big ten game with head coach Kyle Wittingham. And for Mr. Wittingham, his first experience in the Big Ten gets to be against Kirk Ferentz and his Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa last season went a respectable 8-4 and despite losing some key players, they usually always are sleepers in the Big Ten so this is my pick.

Honorable mentions: Wisconsin at Penn State, K-State at Cincinnati, Illinois at Ohio State

Week 5: Texas Tech at Colorado

Despite a really tough season last year, coach Deion Sanders and QB Julian Lewis welcome in coach Joey McGuire and the defending Big 12 champs to Folsom Field. Should be a nice little test for both teams early in the wide open Big 12. Plus Big Noon has loved Deion in the past so this is my pick.

Honorable mentions: BYU at TCU, Michigan at Minnesota,

Week 6: Indiana at Nebraska

This is a really interesting game, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule who needs a signature win potentially gets his first shot at one of the season as Cignetti’s Hoosiers go to Lincoln. If Indiana is at least keeping up where they left off from last year and Nebraska who has an easy schedule before this can be 4-0 heading into this game. There is a good chance this could be two undefeated teams playing. Plus a unique matchup like this is why I think FOX will chose this one.

Honorable mentions: Maryland at Ohio State, USC at Penn State

Week 7: Ohio State at Indiana

I was thinking first this would be NBC’s Saturday Night game, but then I remembered FOX has first dibs at Big Ten games. So what better than picking the rematch of last years B10 championship and the two teams favored to be back there this season. Major Implications for Big Ten AND College Football Playoff are on the line here.

Honorable Mentions: Notre Dame at BYU, Penn State at Michigan, TCU at Baylor

Week 8: USC at Wisconsin

I would have picked Oregon at Illinois, but that one has the feel of the Saturday Night game so I’m taking a risk here and going to Camp Randall Stadium. Luke Fickell is under pressure heading into year No. 4 under the helm for Wisconsin. However, he did finally get his first two wins over top 25 opponents last season and gets a decent schedule with this being one of his tests this year. Lincoln Riley and his USC Trojans travel to Madison after just missing the CFP last year and will hope to make it this year.

Honorable Mentions: Oregon at Illinois, Indiana at Michigan

Week 9: Arizona State at BYU

In the wide open Big 12, this one is between two of its best teams and could be for a trip to the Championship game in December. ASU won the title in 2024 and BYU fell to Texas Tech last season so both know how to get there. The only other good matchup that FOX could take is Ohio State at USC but that will be a at LA and they won’t do a 9 am local time kickoff.

Honorable Mention: Ohio State at USC

Week 10: Oregon at Ohio State

I think this one is easily FOX’s. NBC had the rights to when both teams were at Autzen Stadium in 2024 and now that they’re at Columbus Ohio I think FOX wants it. Plus a lot to advertise here, Big 10 contenders, Natty Contenders AND potential heisman contenders between QB’s Dante Moore and Julian Sayin.

Honorable Mentions: Lol really no one else

Week 11: Minnesota at Penn State

This season, PSU doesn’t see either one of Ohio State, Michigan or Indiana come to Beaver Stadium. And this would be Big Noon’s opportunity at going there. I think that PSU who ended last season hot and hired former Iowa State’s head coach Matt Campbell going against Minnesota and Coach PJ Fleck is one of those sleeper matchups they like to do. PSU is trying to get back to the Playoff and Minnesota who has had a lot of what ifs is trying to potentially sneak their way into a spot this season.

Honorable mention: USC at Indiana

Week 12: either Ohio State at Nebraska or UCLA at Michigan

Im just going to go on a limb and pick one of these two games. The week before THE GAME for both Ohio State and Michigan has been known to be a trap week for both teams and both of these games are trap material. While UCLA is going to the cold of Ann Arbor, they have enough talent to trip up the Wolverines if they’re not careful. Ohio State on the other hand, going to Lincoln is a huge trap, but maybe if Nebraska is actually playing for something decently meaningful they would know it’s a big game. But either way FOX will go to one of these games

Week 13: Michigan at Ohio State (Confirmed)

I wish I could call myself a genius because it was obviously going to be THE GAME as FOX has done this game every year since 2019. But it was already confirmed with the three non-conference matchups earlier before I wrote this.

(If you want to full the full College Football schedule, I got it from here at ESPN.com)