This weekend, 14\u00a0Big Ten teams take the field for more action, whether a\u00a0featured\u00a0matchup or\u00a0an early-season tune-up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Badgers\u2019 Big Statement\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Wisconsin\u00a0women’s soccer team pulled off an impressive upset Wednesday night, knocking off No. 9 BYU 1-0 at McClimon Soccer Complex. The Badgers weathered a competitive first half before turning up the pressure in the second. The decisive moment came in the 80th minute \u2014 a penalty kick rebounded\u00a0to Hailey Baumann, who buried it in the bottom-right corner. Goalkeeper Drew Stover sealed the shutout with four saves, as Wisconsin’s defense held firm down the stretch to earn the program’s first win of the 2026 season.\u00a0 Buckeyes\u2019 Ranked Win\u00a0<\/p>\n No. 19\u00a0Ohio State\u00a0recorded\u00a0its\u00a0second shutout in as many games this season with a 1-0 victory over No. 12 Kansas. Captain Amanda Schlueter, who led the Buckeyes with a career-high 11 goals last season,\u00a0scored her first of the 2026 season to provide the difference.\u00a0In the 40th\u00a0minute, Schlueter forced a turnover deep in Jayhawk territory and buried a right-footed shot into the back of the net.\u00a0Peighton Northrup made six saves to notch the clean sheet.\u00a0 Weekend Matches to Watch (Aug 22\u201323):\u00a0<\/p>\n Headlining the slate is a blockbuster non-conference showdown in Chapel Hill, as\u00a0No. 5\u00a0Michigan State\u00a0\u2014 the\u00a0Big Ten\u2019s highest-ranked team\u00a0\u2014 travels\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0face national powerhouse\u00a0in No. 7\u00a0North Carolina at Dorrance Field (Aug. 23, 1:00\u00a0p.m.\u00a0ET). Coming off back-to-back strong seasons,\u00a0Jeff Hosler\u2019s Spartans get an elite-level litmus test on the road\u00a0against the 23-time national champions.\u00a0<\/p>\n Michigan State will lean on key offensive playmakers like\u00a0senior\u00a0forward\u00a0Kennedy Bell\u00a0and senior midfielder Emerson Sargeant to spark the attack, along with Kayla Briggs, who has\u00a0scored in each game so far.\u00a0They\u2019ll\u00a0be tested by a reloaded Tar Heels squad featuring dynamic U.S. Youth National Team talent in defender Aven Alvarez, defender Hope Munson, and forward Sealey Strawn. Facing UNC in Chapel\u00a0Hill\u00a0means the Spartans will have to be disciplined along the back line as they look to pull off a major early-season statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n From high-stakes\u00a0top-25\u00a0tests to vital regional road trips, here\u00a0are some of the\u00a0other\u00a0key\u00a0matchups\u00a0across the Big Ten this weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n Following back-to-back road draws to start the campaign, Dave DiIanni seeks his first victory as\u00a0Michigan\u00a0head coach in\u00a0the\u00a0Wolverines\u2019\u00a0home opener against Xavier, who comes in at 1-1 after a 3-0 shutout win over Miami (OH).\u00a0After\u00a0earning a tough\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
\n Read more from Wisconsin
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\n More from Ohio State
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\n 1-1 draw against No. 8 Notre Dame
\n <\/a>,\u00a0Nebraska\u00a0welcomes in\u00a0the No. 18 Alabama Crimson Tide for a marquee non-conference matchup on Sunday for the\u00a0second\u00a0of two ranked matchups in Lincoln.\u00a0\u00a0USC\u00a0heads East to Provo to face No. 9 BYU on Saturday night.\u00a0The Trojans will look to hand the Cougars\u00a0\u2014\u00a0coming off their loss to Wisconsin\u00a0\u2014\u00a0their\u00a0second\u00a0loss of the season.\u00a0Lying just outside of the top 25,\u00a0Iowa\u00a0travels to North Carolina to face off against UNC Greensboro. The Hawkeyes started the season at a blistering pace\u00a0with 7-0 and 5-0 wins over Milwaukee and Loyola Chicago, before falling 2-0 to Wake Forest.\u00a0Maryland\u00a0opened the season with two wins in College Park, and this weekend, the Terrapins go to Blacksburg to face ACC opponent Virginia Tech.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n Check out the full schedule\u00a0
\n <\/a>for all the upcoming action.\u00a0<\/p>\n