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Biggest Big Ten Surprises So Far This Season

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Kaleb Kraus | Last updated Dec 11, 2025 10:00 AM ET

When teams play in one of the best conferences in the country, plenty of surprises can happen. That’s exactly what the 18-team Big Ten conference provides. At the same time, three teams have clearly started to separate themselves. It’s hit the point in the season where we can start talking about surprises thus far, whether it be the team itself or some of the key contributors for each of the 18 teams.

Let’s take a closer look at the Biggest Big Ten surprises so far in 2025-26 in college basketball.

Biggest Big Ten Surprises So Far This Season

Where to begin? How about the top of the conference, as Dusty May’s Michigan Wolverines have quickly become the talk of the Big Ten as the only remaining unbeaten team. The Wolverines have won each of their last six games by a combined 179 points. It was very clear that Michigan built a formidable roster in the offseason. Now they look like they could run the table.

Michigan is playing at an unreal level

The trio of Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson Jr is certainly paying off. Not to mention, Elliot Cadeau has started to become the floor leader for a very confident group. They haven’t backed down to anyone to this point. After a couple of early scares against Wake Forest and TCU, Michigan hasn’t looked back. Honestly, with their remaining schedule this month and the first several weeks of January, it’s really hard to see a loss at this rate. The Wolverines mean business, and the level and continuity they possess right now have been a massive Big Ten surprise.

Michigan has been handing out belt this season.. ridiculous pic.twitter.com/T373NmIlB2

— College Basketball Content (@CBBcontent) December 10, 2025

The “best point guard” race in the Big Ten is going to be fun

It wasn’t going to be surprising that Purdue’s Braden Smith had a major goal to accomplish in 2025-26. He’s already moved past Mateen Cleaves for second on the All-Time Big Ten assist list, and currently sits 41 away from tying Cassius Winston for the all-time mark. It’s certainly going to be a historic night when he does. But for how great Smith has proven to be each night, setting up his teammates.

It’s time to start taking Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr for real as the best point guard in the Big Ten. Smith is dropping nearly nine assists a night, which is phenomenal, but Fears is right there with him, and in some cases has been setting up his teammates more. He’s leading the country with 9.8 assists per game, and has already had two games with 13 assists, which is one shy of tying elite company at Michigan State alongside Cleaves and Magic Johnson.

One thing is for sure: the Big Ten is lucky to see so many great floor leaders.

Hello Cornhuskers, Goodbye Buckeyes

In a season where Ohio State and its coach, Jake Diebler, needed to prove themselves, they have once again fallen off after a hot start. After first going 6-0, the Buckeyes have lost two of their last three. The worst was a buzzer-beater loss against a subpar Pittsburgh team. They have since blown a game against #13 Illinois, further driving home the fact that Diebler appears to be in over his head. It’s not a lack of talent, with Bruce Thornton sitting top three in the Big Ten in scoring, no surprise there.

While the Buckeyes are faltering, the biggest surprise team of the conference has to be Nebraska. The Cornhuskers picked up their 10th win with a decisive 90-60 thrashing of Wisconsin on Wednesday night. That is a tough Badgers team, but Coach Fred Hoiberg’s group, led by experienced players in Rienk Mast and Pryce Sandfort, continues to win games.

With Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue looking like the top three to this point, Nebraska might be the real dark horse in the Big Ten. It’s a long season, and the conference could easily turn brutal down the stretch. But these are just some of the biggest surprises thus far. Knowing how hard the Big Ten can be, it’s far from being decided.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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