After a breakout 2025-26 campaign, Trevor Zegras is staying put in Philadelphia.
The RFA centre and the Flyers agreed to a four-year deal on Wednesday, holding an average annual value of $9.125 million, the team announced.
“We’re thrilled to have Trevor committed to our organization for the next four years,” said general manager Daniel Briere in a statement. “The growth he showed this past season, proving that he is the skilled player he entered the league as, reinforced our belief that he will be an impact player for the Flyers for the years to come. He’s the type of player who can help take our team to the next level, and we’re excited to continue building alongside him.”
The new deal comes after Zegras potted career highs in goals (26) and points (67) in 81 games with the Flyers.
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The 25-year-old spent the previous five seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, but injuries limited Zegras in his final two seasons in Southern California, playing just 86 games over that time and falling down the pecking order on a Ducks team looking to take the next step.
That led to his trade to Philadelphia in the 2025 off-season as the Flyers sent Ryan Poehling and two picks to Anaheim in exchange.
Selected ninth overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2019 NHL draft, the six-foot, 185-pound Boston University product has played in 349 career NHL games, and has 93 goals and 160 assists for 253 points. He has 60-plus point seasons in three of his six seasons in the league.
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Zegras has also represented the United States on five occasions, most recently at the 2024 World Championships where he had a goal and an assist in eight games. He also played in back-to-back World Junior Championships in 2020 and 2021. In 2021, he helped the U.S. win gold and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player with seven goals and 18 points in seven games.
England might have gone out of the World Cup with the kind of performance that would cause deep introspection in other countries, but there was none of it from the Football Association.
After a bland public statement about how “the players and Thomas gave it everything”, there were strong private indications that no consideration was being given to change – or much else.
The deeper arguments about the future are for another day but, even in this moment, there is actually a real danger in Tuchel’s spell being broken with the players.
He was specifically appointed because of his reputation as a tactical genius who is a “winner”, well versed in getting teams over the line. And yet here were the most rudimentary tactics possible, that have cost the players a chance at history, amid inferred criticism about their “belief”.
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Thomas Tuchel has been heavily criticised since England’s semi-final defeat (PA Wire)
Will Thomas Tuchel retain the faith of his England players? (PA)
It isn’t exactly hard to see how this could go wrong.
For now, those around the England camp are left to lament what happened at this World Cup. Some are even feeling a sense of cosmic injustice, that it will simply never be them, that it’s somehow going to go at least 62 years without a major trophy.
That failure represents almost a reverse alchemy, especially when the FA invested so much money. And yet that is precisely why there is actually a football justice to this outcome.
This will be hard for many England fans to hear but some – especially in the FA – arguably need to.
England were stunned late on by Argentina (Reuters)
England splashed the cash to appoint Thomas Tuchel and appear to have made little progress (Getty)
It is probably a good thing for international football that one of the wealthiest countries – already blessed with so many advantages – do not win just because they can afford to appoint the most expensive coach available.
What, after all, would the message be? What would the lesson be? That wealth is enough? That you can just bolt on a “winner” if you have enough money?
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There’s already too much of that in the club game. It is a good thing that it doesn’t infect international level in the same way, that deeper ideas are needed, and it would actually be a better thing for the FA if they were forced to properly think about this.
But will they?
The response so far suggests not.
The greater frustration is that they’ve done most of the work.
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English football has used its immense wealth to create a talent production system that is the envy of most of the world. There is a conveyor belt of players, especially in certain positions. The Elite Player Performance Plan has worked.
It is still a plan, however, that is not really within a bigger idea.
This is where the very appointment of Tuchel is central to a wider debate, and why it is arguably just that the FA fail – for now.
Mark Bullingham (left) has given his backing to Thomas Tuchel – but should he consider a change? (John Walton/PA Wire)
What they should actually be thinking about is what they want the English team to look like; about what the identity of the national team should be.
What are the cultural football qualities they want to enhance and build on, within a coaching framework that fits with the modern game?
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The only person that actually seemed to be thinking about that, for his part, was Tuchel. He at least talked a good game about wanting England to play with “a Premier League style”. In other words, the kind of intensity that does actually fit with some of the more positive attributes of the English game.
The reality was just completely different, something that does happen with Tuchel a bit. He may have talked a good game but, outside 15 minutes against Croatia, he didn’t play one.
England failed to deliver on Thomas Tuchel’s promises (Getty)
Rather than performing with a Premier League style, his very appointment just reflected another model of Premier League thinking.
If you have an issue, just buy your way out of it. Don’t think it through.
It is damning, if possibly inevitable, that the FA have pursued that same approach in the same era when they have institutional freedom from the Premier League.
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And, to also make some allowances for Tuchel, it’s impossible not to link at least some of his performances to these wider issues.
England still don’t produce that key type of midfield controller, which may well be connected to this argument that the team still didn’t have the belief; that there’s something tactically shallow about the game intelligence of English teams.
It really is incredible how we’re back here again, as if it was 2016 or 2010 or 1998: England unable to control a game and losing to the first proper team they play.
England were outthought by Argentina (Getty)
That may sound harsh when they were on the brink of a second successive major tournament final and third in four, but that’s exactly where the line lies between success and failure.
English football is so wealthy that it can of course produce the critical mass of quality players that get you so far. But to go the distance? That rightly requires something deeper.
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By the same token, this came very close to being the fourth successive year where Spain met England in major tournament finals – a women’s World Cup, a men’s Euros, a women’s Euros and now not, ultimately, a men’s World Cup.
And for all that some will bristle at the idea of including the women’s game with the men’s, it is acutely relevant here because of how they speak to the football cultures.
England did win one under Sarina Wiegman, but that was largely down to her in-game acumen, a lot of luck and the strength in depth that came from substitutes.
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Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses have managed to overcome some structural limitations (PA Wire)
Again, it doesn’t exactly say much for England as an idea of play.
By contrast, consider the two managers to now have knocked England out of the most recent men’s competitions, who also happen to be those in the final. They are two classic national federation men: Lionel Scaloni and Luis de la Fuente.
In other words, the kind of coaches that the FA wouldn’t dream of looking at. Where is their Champions League, after all?
The FA are actually correct not to look at them, but only because their actual value comes from knowing their own football cultures so well. De la Fuente has worked with the majority of the Spanish players as kids.
There is an argument that Lee Carsley would be a better fit for international football than Thomas Tuchel (Getty)
He fits an idea that England don’t have.
And while it is also correct that the English system isn’t producing coaches in the same way it is producing players, there is talent coming through. England arguably even have their own De la Fuente in Lee Carsley. His six matches ended up producing a better idea of football more frequently than Tuchel.
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And for all that it may seem preposterous for England to appoint such a lowly name, this was exactly the reaction others had when Scaloni and De la Fuente were appointed, respectively.
There is one final point worth repeating in all of this.
This is absolutely nothing to do with Tuchel being a German, or any other nationality.
It is about the national game’s authorities not having a proper idea about what it is to be an English team.
Bayelsa United have officially unveiled Abdul Maikaba as their new head coach ahead of the 2026/27 Nigeria National League (NNL) season.
The unveiling ceremony took place on Thursday, with club officials, stakeholders, supporters and members of the media in attendance as the Prosperity Boys began preparations for life in the second tier following their relegation from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Maikaba arrives with a wealth of coaching experience, having previously managed Akwa United, Rangers International, Wikki Tourists and Kano Pillars. He also recently took charge of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles as the team prepares for the WAFU B U-20 Championship.
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The experienced coach has been handed the responsibility of rebuilding the squad and leading Bayelsa United back to the NPFL.
He will work alongside assistant coach Ngozi Elechi, who recently left Rivers United to join the Yenagoa-based club.
Speaking during the unveiling, Bayelsa United expressed confidence that the new technical crew has the experience and quality needed to restore the club’s top-flight status.
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The Prosperity Boys are expected to begin preparations for the new NNL campaign immediately under the guidance of Maikaba and his coaching team.
GIO Stadium will play host to Saturday’s
Round 20 NRL game between Canberra Raiders and
South Sydney Rabbitohs. The game kicks off at 3:00 pm with Canberra Raiders heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Canberra Raiders vs.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
game and give you our free tips and bets.
Canberra Raiders vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Preview
Canberra showed encouraging signs before the bye, with young half Ethan Sanders impressing behind a dominant forward pack. The Raiders continue to develop an inexperienced spine and will again look to establish themselves through the middle before allowing their playmakers to control territory.
South Sydney welcomes back Cody Walker, whose creativity could prove decisive if the Rabbitohs generate enough ruck speed. The visitors possess the experience to absorb Canberra’s early intensity before applying pressure of their own. With both sides still chasing finals positions, this shapes as one of the more evenly matched contests of the weekend.
Canberra Raiders vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Teams
Raiders team: 1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Jed Stuart 3. Simi Sasagi 4. Matthew Timoko 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Ethan Sanders 8. Corey Horsburgh 9. Owen Pattie 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Noah Martin 13. Zac Hosking 14. Tom Starling 15. Ata Mariota 16. Josh Papali’i 17. Daine Laurie 18. Savelio Tamale 19. Morgan Smithies 20. Coby Black 21. Joseph Roddy 22. Sione Finau
Rabbitohs team: 1. Matthew Dufty 2. Alex Johnston 3. Tallis Duncan 4. Jack Wighton 5. Campbell Graham 6. Cody Walker 7. Ashton Ward 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Brandon Smith 10. Keaon Koloamatangi 11. David Fifita 12. Euan Aitken 13. Cameron Murray 14. Jye Gray 15. Lachlan Hubner 16. Liam Le Blanc 17. Jamie Humphreys 18. Latrell Siegwalt 19. Bronson Garlick 20. John Radel 21. Thomas Fletcher 22. Edward Kosi
For Livvy Dunne, watching her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, is not easy.
Dunne, 23, said watching Skenes pitch is harder than competing as a gymnast at LSU and that she goes through a whirlwind of emotions during his starts.
“Obviously, I think I got put on blast a few times while watching him,” Dunne said during an appearance on MLB Network with Skenes. “I get nervous because I obviously want him to do his best. I love him. He usually pops out, does his thing, does amazing. But I feel every emotion while he’s out there doing his thing.”
Paul Skenes poses for a photo with Olivia Dunne during the red carpet photoshoot at Loews Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pa., on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.(Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
“It’s completely out of my control, which is really hard because while I was competing, I mean, I was in control of my own destiny. Now I just need to sit back, relax and trust him.”
Dunne went viral earlier this season when she was seen mouthing “F—” after Skenes gave up a home run to Toronto Blue Jays star George Springer. The former LSU star attends many of the games Skenes pitches and is an ardent supporter of her boyfriend and the Pirates.
Dunne has gotten a firsthand look at Skenes’ stuff as she stepped into the batter’s box before the Pirates ace left for spring training.
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes and Livvy Dunne walk the red carpet for the MLB All-Star Game on July 14, 2026, in Philadelphia.(Chris Szagola/AP Photo)
“I think all offseason Paul wanted me to stand in while he was pitching. I’ve been procrastinating all offseason because it’s scary and everybody told me it would be very scary,” Dunne said.
“It was the last day of the offseason before he went to spring training and he was like, ‘Nope, come. You’re going to stand there.’ And I thought he was joking, and I stood and I was frozen.”
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes walks to the dugout after handing the ball to manager Don Kelly during the sixth inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Pittsburgh on Sunday, July 12, 2026.(Gene J. Puskar/AP)
Skenes said he buzzed her tower, meaning he threw high and inside to his girlfriend.
“She had been asking me, too. She wanted to see it, or she said she wanted to see it, and then time comes, we got to see if you’re about it,” Skenes said.
The reigning NL Cy Young winner has an 8-8 record and a 3.57 ERA this season, and has been an anchor for a Pirates team that is in the thick of the National League Wild Card race at 50-47.
Build a Soccer Squad codes provide rewards that can help you build a better soccer team. When redeemed, they grant you Rerolls and Refreshes, both of which can help you get better soccer players for your team. These codes are particularly helpful for beginners, as they can provide them with the resources necessary to make the best possible team composition.
This article includes every active code for Build a Soccer Squad, along with a short guide on how to redeem them.
Bookmark this article to access the latest Roblox game codes in Build a Soccer Squad. We’ll keep updating the page whenever new codes for Build a Soccer Squad are issued.
Active Build a Soccer Squad codes
Active codes for Build a Soccer Squad (Image via Roblox)
The table below includes all active codes for Build a Soccer Squad.
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List of active Build a Soccer Squad codes
Code
Rewards
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CONSOLE
25x Rerolls, 15x Refreshes (Latest)
LIMITBREAKER
25x Rerolls, 25x Refreshes
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DOUBLE
20x Rerolls, 20x Refreshes
How to redeem active Build a Soccer Squad codes
How to redeem codes in Build a Soccer Squad (Image via Roblox || Sportskeeda)
The steps below outline how to redeem codes in Build a Soccer Squad:
Launch Build a Soccer Squad on the Roblox Player app.
Use the Codes button on the right to access the code box.
Type in an active code in the code box and hit the Enter button to redeem the associated prizes.
Repeat for all active codes.
Build a Soccer Squad code rewards importance
Importance of Build a Soccer Squad code rewards (Image via Roblox)
Upon redeeming codes in Build a Soccer Squad, you will receive Rerolls and Refreshes. Rerolls can be used while building a team to reroll the selection of players you receive upon first hitting the Roll button. This is particularly important if you’re looking to get players for a specific position on the field.
If you’re looking for players from a specific country, then that’s where you can use Refreshes. For example, if your regular rolls give you a selection of players from Argentina, you can use a Refresh to see if you can get Messi in the rerolled pool.
Both of these resources can be used strategically to make a team with a high median score, which will allow you to earn more money.
Currently, there are no inactive codes for Build a Soccer Squad. Since all Roblox codes eventually expire, there’s a chance the currently active ones will become unusable in the future. When that happens, we will update this section accordingly.
Where to find new Build a Soccer Squad codes
New codes are revealed in-game via an on-screen notification, which you can then enter in the Codes menu for rewards. You can also find new codes on the game’s official Roblox page. Additionally, you can keep a close eye on this page for updates to the title’s code list.
FAQs on Build a Soccer Squad codes
What are the latest codes for Build a Soccer Squad?
The latest code for Build a Soccer Squad is “CONSOLE”.
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What are the rewards for redeeming codes in Build a Soccer Squad?
Upon redeeming codes in this title, you can get Refreshes and Rerolls as rewards.
Are the codes in Build a Soccer Squad case-sensitive?
No, the codes in this experience are not case-sensitive, so you don’t have to keep the letter case in mind while redeeming them.
Lionel Messi played an instrumental role in Argentina’s 2-1 comeback victory over England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final at Atlanta on Wednesday. The superstar didn’t score a goal, but his brilliant assists decided the fate of La Albiceleste. Messi provided a pass to Enzo Fernandez, who scored the equaliser. After that, the 39-year-old football icon delivered a sensational cross to Lautaro Martinez for Argentina’s winning goal in stoppage time. While the England players kept Messi heavily marked, with players surrounding him, the veteran still showed his brilliance on the ground multiple times.
In one of the standout moments from the game, Messi beat five players in England’s half with his dribbling skills. Such great was the run from Messi that Elliot Anderson had to commit a deliberate foul to stop him.
Watch it here:
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No exagero, probablemente mi jugada favorita de Messi. Sencillamente perfecta pic.twitter.com/FQuVMEydsw
With one more win, he’ll be delivering another World Cup trophy to Argentina. Messi didn’t add to his tournament-leading goal total, but the 39-year-old assisted on two late strikes that carried La Albiceleste to another stunning comeback.
Eight days after an improbable rally against Egypt in the round of 16, Messi returned to Atlanta to produce another stellar moment in a career that might already be the best of anyone to play the sport.
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England were surely envisioning their first World Cup title since their only triumph six decades ago after a 55th-minute goal from Anthony Gordon.
But Messi and his blue-clad teammates, as they have shown over and over again, are never done. Now it’s on to face Spain in the final on Sunday, with a chance of becoming the first repeat champion since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
In the 85th minute, with England hanging on for dear life, Messi played a short corner, immediately received the return pass and spotted Enzo Fernandez lurking in the middle of the field, 25 yards from goal. Fernandez ripped a curling shot past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to level the score.
At that point, it seemed inevitable that Argentina would pull out the victory.
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And that’s just what happened, with Messi again the orchestrator. Two minutes into stoppage time, he suddenly turned on the speed as he raced towards the byline, gaining enough space to send a pinpoint cross into the area at the back post. The ball cleared six English players, setting up Lautaro Fernandez to effortlessly head home the winning goal after slipping between two defenders.
From there, it was just a matter of protecting the lead, which Argentina did comfortably.
When the final whistle blew, Messi dropped to his knees in the middle of the field, pumping his fists.
(With AP Inputs)
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Once again, the Argentines came from behind, this time against England, to win 2-1 in the World Cup semifinal and keep the dream of repeating as champions alive. Argentina was held off the scoresheet for 85 minutes, and finally broke through when Lionel Messi set up Enzo Fernandez just outside of the penalty box, and the 25-year-old hooked a shot around England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford into the back of the net to knot it at 1-1.
Lautaro Martinez then played the hero as he came off the bench and into Argentine soccer lore by scoring the winning goal in stoppage. In the 92nd minute, Messi recorded his second assist after he gathered a loose ball and played a beautiful pass into the penalty area, where Martinez was waiting unmarked. Martinez headed the ball past Pickford to send the Argentine fans into a frenzy as they completed the comeback.
Lautaro Martinez of Argentina scores his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.(Alex Livesey/Danehouse/Getty Images)
England tried to tie it with the remaining stoppage time, but they were unable to muster up a quality chance.
The first half was largely uneventful, as it was the first game since 1966 in which neither team recorded a shot in the first half, according to the FOX broadcast.
Anthony Gordon got the scoring started when he buried a cross from Morgan Rogers to put England on the board first in the 55th minute with an acrobatic finish. Harry Kane sparked the counter with a long pass that left the Argentina defense flummoxed for the first time all game.
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However, that would end up being the lone true scoring opportunity of the game for the Three Lions. After England got on the board, Argentina’s pressure was relentless, but England was able to stave off the Argentine attack for about 30 minutes.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez scores past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford during the World Cup semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.(Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)
England defender Djed Spence made a fantastic tackle in the 58th minute to help keep Argentina off the board after a breakaway from Giuliano Simeone.
Argentina goalie Emilio Martinez came up big in the 66th minute by making his first save of the game on Declan Rice to keep the score 1-0 and avoid putting Argentina in a multi-goal hole. After the save, Argentina quickly countered and went back on the attack.
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Pickford, England’s all-time leader in games played at the World Cup, made a remarkable save on the goal line with a header from Nicolás González just before the hydration break to preserve England’s 1-0 lead.
Alexis Mac Allister kept the pressure on for Argentina when his header in the 76th minute rang off the post. Pickford made his fourth save of the game when he clipped Fernandez’s shot in the 86th minute, but the Argentine broke through later in the minute.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez reacts after Argentina’s win over England in the World Cup semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.(Jacob Kupferman/AP)
Off a corner kick, Messi set up Fernandez just outside of the box, and the 25-year-old hooked a shot around Pickford into the back of the net.
Arcane makes her way into the playable roster of Arknights: Endfield, and comes with quite possibly the most unique kit till date. She deals Nature damage, wields Arts Unit as weapon, and can switch between two combat modes based on her stat distribution. Being the first Nature DPS unit in the game, and having the ability to support other Cryo and Nature characters, she has a lot of viability in the current sandbox.
Arcane is most definitely a character that new, veterans, and returning players should consider getting. However, let us break down everything related to her so you can decide for yourself.
Should you pull for Arcane in Arknights: Endfield?
Arcane in Arknights: Endfield has a very high pull value, and possibly the most out of any other characters that came out recently. As mentioned earlier, she has two combat modes, one being DPS, and the other being support. The way you can switch between these two is to have either Intellect stat higher than Will, or vice versa, respectively.
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Arcane’s ultimate with Will greater than Intellect in Arknights: Endfield (Image via Gryphline)
Hence, you have two characters in one unit, granting you tons of damage output on one hand, alongside supporting your allies with Corrosion status and grouping on the other.
Arcane’s kit easily sets her up as meta for multiple years down the line, as her support playstyle cannot even be fully utilized with her release, due to the game’s lack of Nature DPS characters. So when one or multiple Nature DPS units get released in the future, Arcane will surely have a part to play.
However, her combo skill deals Cryo Susceptibility, which is great for current Cryo teams.
Here’s what she offers in terms of pros and cons for your account:
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Pros:
Consists of two main forms, DPS and Support, effectively providing two character kits as one unit.
First Nature DPS in the game that scales easily off F2P characters.
Nature Support kit can be viable with more Nature DPS characters that releases later on, making her relevant for long-term.
Arcane can clear every endgame content without her dupes.
She has a lot of versatility in both her modes, from nuking enemies in DPS mode, to inflicting status and grouping enemies in support mode.
Cons:
Due to her two combat modes, you might need to farm double gear sets if you want to build both versions.
Arcane’s stat distribution can often lead to some annoyances when crafting gear pieces, or equipping weapons.
Arcane’s support mode needs Last Rite or Yvonne in all scenarios, be it her best or F2P team. If you do not own either of those two characters, you have no choice but to build her as a DPS unit.
Arcane’s best team as support in Arknights: Endfield (Image via Gryphline)
Overall, Arcane’s Pros far outweighs the Cons, and you should definitely get her in the current 1.4 patch.
Check out our other articles on the game:
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Goalkeeper Craig Gordon has announced his retirement from football, bringing an end to a 25-year playing career.
Gordon, 43, ended his second spell at first club Heart of Midlothian this summer and was part of Scotland’s World Cup squad.
He first left Tynecastle for Sunderland in 2007, with the Black Cats paying a then £9m British record fee for a goalkeeper. Gordon made one of the most famous saves in Premier League history when he denied Bolton Wanderers’ Zat Knight from close range in 2010.
However, a serious knee injury affected his time at the Stadium of Light and, at the end of his five-year spell, he entered a two-year spell out of the game rehabilitating and coaching.
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Gordon joined Celtic in 2014 and won his first league title, adding four more during a medal-laden six-year spell before returning to Hearts. A double leg break in 2022 resulted in another lay-off but the veteran keeper again recovered to return to playing.
The Big Ten is the best football conference in the nation. The league has won each of the last three national championships.
And the reason why it is such a strong conference is the strength of the coaches leading each program.
So how do all 18 of those head coaches stack up against one another?
Well, for that, we bring you our rankings of the 2026 Big Ten Football Coaches.
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1. Curt Cignetti, Indiana
Robert Goddin/Imagn Images
When Curt Cignetti arrived in Bloomington, the Hoosiers had the most losses in NCAA history.
In just two years at IU, the Hoosiers have gone 27-2 and won a national championship with a 16-0 season a year ago. Quite possibly the best coaching job in history, turning the program around.
Cignetti may be the best in the country at the moment and is certainly the top coach in the Big Ten.
2. Ryan Day, Ohio State
Getty Images
Ryan Day brought the Buckeyes to the top of the college football world in 2024, and despite falling to Indiana in the Big Ten title game and an exit in the playoffs at the hands of Miami, Day still has OSU rolling.
He inherited a good situation in Columbus, obviously, but has only enhanced the Buckeyes’ profile in his seven years.
Day has turned OSU into an NFL factory while compiling an 87-12 record.
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3. Dan Lanning, Oregon
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard
Since taking over in Eugene, Dan Lanning has gone 48-8, leading the Ducks to a 26-3 mark over the last two seasons.
The only Big Ten loss during his tenure came at the hands of Indiana last October, as UO is 17-1 in regular-season conference games since joining the league.
He may not truly get his deserved due until he wins a national title, but the Ducks have been oh-so-close during his tenure.
4. Kyle Whittingham, Michigan
MLive.com
It certainly appears that the Wolverines fell on their feet this offseason with their coaching change. Things certainly could not have worked better for UM after a sudden vacancy.
Kyle Whittingham won a lot at Utah and should step right in and lead Michigan to success.
The Maize and Blue may have a ways to go to match the likes of Oregon, Ohio State, and Indiana, but with Whittingham at the helm, they look like they have the head man to guide them back to the top of the Big Ten.
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5. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen
The consistency of Kirk Ferentz’s run at Iowa cannot be denied. He took over in Iowa City in 1999 and has had success for the bulk of it.
In his 27 seasons, there have been only three sub .500 seasons and only one such campaign since 2000—and that lone losing season was all the way back in 2012.
The 70-year-old head coach may not have many seasons left on the sideline, but for now, the Hawkeyes once again look poised for a strong season.
6. Bret Bielema, Illinois
Illinois Athletics
Bret Bielema is enjoying the same kind of success he had at Wisconsin in his first go-around in the league.
Consecutive top-25 finishes with the Illini have proven that his struggles at Arkansas are the outlier in an otherwise highly successful career. And let’s be real, three of his five seasons in Fayetteville ended in bowl games.
With a 19-7 mark over the last two seasons in Champaign, it appears the Illini will be staying near the top of the Big Ten. And Bielema is getting it done without the talent level on the roster that some of his brethren have.
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7. Lincoln Riley, USC
Harry How/Getty Images
This is probably a make-or-break season at USC for Lincoln Riley, but as recently as 2020 the head man was being hailed as one of the best coaches in the nation.
He has posted a 35-18 mark since arriving in LA, but the Trojans have gone just 24-15 in the last three seasons. Riley can still get it done, though, and a promising end to last season could springboard things in 2026.
He has the talent to succeed and needs to find that pre-2020 magic again.
8. Jedd Fisch, Washington
Lindsey Wasson/AP
Jedd Fisch had a ton of success at Arizona, turning around that program before coming to Seattle.
His first season with Washington was a bit of a struggle with a roster that had a ton of turnover. Last season, the Huskies were much improved and appear to be set for a breakout season in 2026.
Fisch has done a great job of developing talent, especially at the QB position. This season, we could see a big jump in the play of Demond Williams Jr., and that should bring a jump in the win column as well.
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9. Pat Fitzgerald, Michigan State
Nick King/Lansing State Journal
Pat Fitzgerald was about as successful as possible at Northwestern. He led the Cats to a pair of Big Ten Championship games and guided Chicago’s Big Ten team to 10 bowl games.
Finding success in East Lansing would seem to be less daunting of a task, but it certainly will not come overnight as he is inheriting a bit of a mess.
The landscape of college football certainly has changed since he was last on the sidelines, but “Fitz” should be able to navigate the new game without any trouble.
10. PJ Fleck, Minnesota
PJ Fleck | Getty Images
It is easy to hate on PJ Fleck. The quirky sayings, the sprinting between quarters…Sure, it is not for everyone. But Fleck gets a ton of production out of his players.
If you take out the 2020-COVID season, he has led the Gophers to a bowl game in every year since, except for his debut campaign. And Minnesota is a perfect 7-0 in those bowl games under Fleck.
The Gophers have not taken that next step into the upper echelon of the league with just the one 11-2 season and a share of the Big Ten West in 2019. Nonetheless, Fleck gets the job done and wins games for Minnesota.
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11. David Braun, Northwestern
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Northwestern is not the easiest place to find success, but David Braun has done a pretty good job in his first three seasons.
A 4-8 campaign in 2024 has been sandwiched between two winning seasons at 8-5 and 7-6 with a bowl win in each. The Wildcats are about to get a massive facility upgrade, and that should make the job a bit easier.
Either way, it is hard to argue with the track record so far, especially considering the situation he took over.
12. Matt Campbell, Penn State
Blue White Illustrated
Matt Campbell had a ton of success at Iowa State. There is little to suggest there will be a drop-off with Penn State.
In Ames, Campbell went 72-55, and ISU had some of its best seasons in school history, including a program-record 11 wins in 2024.
In theory, it should be easier for him to win in Happy Valley, and if he can knock off some top-five opponents, he will be more successful than his predecessor.
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13. Bob Chesney, UCLA
Allen J. Schaban/Los Angeles Times
Bob Chesney is the only coach in the Big Ten without any prior Power-4 experience. The new UCLA coach will begin just his third season as an FBS head coach this season, but the success has been there.
In two seasons with James Madison, he led the Dukes to a 21-6 record, including a spot in the CFB Playoffs last season. It is easy to see why there is a lot of excitement around the UCLA program at the moment.
The Bruin faithful are energized, and the idea of them being Big Ten pushovers may not continue much longer.
14. Barry Odom, Purdue
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Sometimes things are better than they seem. Odom is a pretty good coach and did a great job getting things rolling at UNLV.
Perhaps he should have stayed in the desert. It was a struggle in his debut season with Purdue. A 2-10 record and winless conference season proves how tough the job of rebuilding the Boilermakers will be.
It will be a long rebuild and we will see how much patience they have in West Lafayette.
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15. Matt Rhule, Nebraska
Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports
Matt Rhule worked wonders at Temple. Then, at Baylor, following a 1-11 season, he turned it around, going 18-9 over the last two years, posting an 11-3 mark in his final season in Waco.
The three seasons at Nebraska have not yielded the same kind of success. Season Three was again supposed to be the turning point, but an injury to Dylan Raiola, among other issues, derailed the Huskers’ campaign.
Rhule has posted a pedestrian 19-19 mark in Lincoln, and while I am not ready to write him off yet, this season will be a big one.
16. Greg Schiano, Rutgers
Chris Faytok/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The time for Greg Schiano to find success in his second stint at Rutgers might be running out. The track record of success is there for the head coach, but it is getting more difficult, and his days in Piscataway might be numbered.
The Knights simply have not done enough in the NIL era to keep pace with the elites, or even moderates, of the Big Ten. Schiano led Rutgers to bowl games following both the 2023 and 2024 seasons before missing out at 5-7 last season.
If RU can find success on the gridiron this season, it will be a testament to Schiano’s coaching ability.
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17. Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
Luke Fickell | Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
Luke Fickell had a lot of success at Cincinnati, but his tenure with Wisconsin has been nothing short of a disaster.
It started off bad with the fans when he changed the offensive schematics and went away from the power run attack the Badgers had so much success with. It got a lot worse with some hires that were complete misses and rosters that were not constructed well.
Last season things culminated with a 4-8 record and the inability to keep a QB upright and healthy. It is now or never in Madison.
18. Mike Locksley, Maryland
Mike Locksley | ESPN
Mike Locksley is about to start Season Eight of his current stint at Maryland. And for the second straight season, he enters firmly on a very hot seat.
The last two seasons have yielded a pair of 4-8 seasons, and just a single conference win each season.
For Locksley to have a ninth season in College Park, he will need to find a way to win more than just the non-conference games.
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writes about various topics for SuperWest sports, including stats and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and runs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).
And the reason why it is such a strong conference is the strength of the coaches leading each program.
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