Big Ten Conference Deep Dive

Pat and Keeton do their preseason deep dive for the Big Ten Conference for the upcoming 2026 football season. 

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SPEAKER_03 0:02

The Big Ten enters 2026 with the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers, two preseason national title favorites, and a new era at Michigan, as well as one of the deepest quarterback groups in college football.

SPEAKER_00 0:17

Indiana is back in the saddle trying to prove its perfect season was the start of something sustainable. Ohio State has Julian Sand and Jeremiah Smith. Oregon may have the deepest roster in the country, and Michigan is turning to Kyle Whittingham to unlock Bryce Underwood.

SPEAKER_03 0:34

And then, you know, you got USC trying to finally become physical enough to win this league. Washington is building around Damon Williams Jr. Penn State is beginning the Matt Campbell era, and programs like Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Michigan State are entering seasons that could potentially change the direction of those programs.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

Yes, sir. Today on the Campus Report, we're going to be breaking down all 18 Big Ten programs: the championship favorites, the playoff contenders, the breakthrough candidates, and the pressure teams and the players who will define this season.

SPEAKER_03 1:12

Welcome back to the Campus Report, presented by Campus Sports Network. I'm Pat alongside Keaton. And always remember that if it's on campus, it's on CSN.

SPEAKER_00 1:23

This is our 2026 Big Ten football deep dive. We're going team by team through the conference. But first, we need to establish the stories that will shape this race.

SPEAKER_03 1:35

And because as we know, the Big Ten does have clear favorites at the top of the conference, but almost every tier of this conference is being reshaped by a quarterback change, a coaching change, or a complete roster overhaul. So let's get into it with let's just talk Indiana. They're going to be defending a national championship without Heisman winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza. As we know now, they're no longer a surprise story in college football. They enter as the defending national champion after a perfect 16-0 season. And every opponent on their schedule this year is going to treat them like they're the biggest game on that schedule.

SPEAKER_00 2:17

Yes, they are, as they should. Coach Signetti, he's still going to have his veteran offensive line and championship caliber defensive core. But I think the biggest hurdle for them is going to be replacing a Heisman Trophy winner as well as the number one overall draft pick in the NFL. And I think that kind of may change the entire conversation. That defense is going to be led by Isaiah Jones and Tyreek Tucker, which is going to give Indiana a high floor. The offensive line, led by Carter Smith, is going to have to protect that new quarterback, which I forgot his name, Pat, if you don't mind throw that in there.

SPEAKER_03 2:56

That's going to be TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover.

SPEAKER_00 3:00

Josh Hoover at Indiana. Okay, so Josh Hoover taking over in Indiana. Carter Smith and the front five are going to have to protect him as well as sustain that that run game. But for me, that the main question, the central question I have is whether Signetti and the Hoosiers have built an elite program, or if they just had one of those strokes of luck and completed, you know, one perfect season. So with that being said, my question to you, do they remain like do they remain a playoff lock? Or does this quarterback transition pull them back, you know, towards the pack and get them closer and kind of alleviate that separation that we saw last season?

SPEAKER_03 3:46

I don't know if I would go as far as to say absolute lock, but I do think that this is going, this team is going to be at the top of this conference. Now, whether or not they win it, that's definitely up for debate. We'll see how Josh Hoover transitions into that system. If you spent any time watching him at TCU, he has a really good arm, he has good escape ability in the pocket, he can run the football when necessary, but he's really trigger happy when he throws the ball. So he he kind of throws it into some questionable situations, turns it over sometimes. So we'll see if uh uh Signetti and the boys there in Bloomington can rein that aspect in and uh really give him a higher rate of success uh in terms of not turning the football over. But with that defense, with uh Cignetti at the helm, I still would definitely say that Indiana's gonna be competing for a spot in the Big Ten championship game. And I I wouldn't be surprised if they're back in that game. But I don't know. Can you say playoff lock? I mean, we know the Big Ten's gonna get at least what, four teams, four or five teams in, so like I I I don't know. I might honestly say that they're a playoff lock, regardless of whether they get to the title, because I still think that this is a 10 or 11 win team.

SPEAKER_00 5:20

Yeah, I I mean it's a really strong conference, and arguably, I know we touched on it during that SEC deep dive. This may be the toughest conference, maybe. Or at least I seem to think.

SPEAKER_03 5:34

I think it is at the top, like especially at the top. Now, the Big Ten might have worse teams at the bottom than, say, the SEC's worst teams, except maybe Kentucky, shout out Wildcats. Uh but at the top of this conference, in my opinion, it's no question until somebody in the SEC can actually get to a national championship game and beat one of these teams, or even gets a playoff win over one of these teams. Like, no question, they're the top of this league is is better than the SEC.

SPEAKER_00 6:11

Oh, it's stout. I I I'm gonna say yes, they're a lock, but I'm gonna say that with the the slightest bit of hesitation, I think a lot of it's gonna come down to quarterback play. And we can get into this more later if you want when we touch on Indiana. But I've got some thoughts on just how good they were with Fernando at the helm and why they were so good. So we should probably, or I can tell you now, it's up to you, but go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 6:40

It's gonna stop your dome. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 6:42

Yeah, I think Fernando just, and I don't know, I'm gonna speak freely here. He reminds me a lot of like a Tom Brady player, you know, not overly, overly athletic, extremely athletic, no doubt, but compared to a Baker Mayfield, a Patrick Mahomes, he's not he doesn't have that sort of athleticism, but the dude plays almost flawless football. His decision-making skills were spot on throughout the season. His awareness was top tier. To me, that's like a generational quarterback. That's that comes once every blue moon, and again, he's you know, first year in the NFL, we'll see if that transitions, but I really think he was a driving force.

SPEAKER_03 7:35

I'm not, I mean, he definitely was a driving force, but but man, I watched Fernando Mendoza get taken apart by Texas Tech's defense in the what bowl game was that? Two years ago he was the quarterback at Cal, and I watched him absolutely get torn apart by Tex defense, and that was prior to Tech's change and them spending a lot of money, and and tech beat them handily. So I'm not trying to knock Fernando Mendoza. He like you said, he has great awareness, he's not the most overly athletic person, he does make the right decisions, but I think it really helps a quarter, like a quarterback when you have the kind of talent around him that Indiana had this past season, especially at receiver and running back. I mean, goodness gracious, man.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

Well, and and absolutely, I'm definitely not trying to take away from any of those position players, but it ultimately he is the one making the decisions. And going back to your comment about him at Cal and Tech picking him apart, uh, again, as I've touched on, and I will until this podcast is no longer, or I'm six feet in the grave, it's all about the system you fit in that you fit into. And to me, he really fit he fit very well into Kurt Signetti's system. And yeah, like you said, you get the right defensive or offensive lineman to give you the time, and you have outstanding talent, you know, running downfield, running your routes, and you can put the ball in the air, and there's a great chance they're gonna catch it, or you can hand the ball off and have a stellar running game, you look pretty damn good.

SPEAKER_03 9:27

I mean, this is gonna be maybe uh the wrong comparison for me to make since we've brought this conversation up surrounding Mendoza, because I think he's head and shoulders a better player, but I almost look at that situation last year at Indiana like kind of a Stetson Bennett at Georgia situation, like that team could have plugged anybody, anybody competent in at quarterback and possibly won a national championship.

SPEAKER_00 9:56

And it very well might have been. That was just one of those seasons where everybody was everything went right for the Hoosiers. And yes. So that's why I want to say they're a lock, but I'm my hesitation comes from a transfer quarterback from TCU, who whom you mentioned was a bit trigger happy. But but nonetheless, they're gonna have talent there. And Kurt Signetis, he's gonna get them, you know. If he doesn't feel like what'd you say, Hoover was his name?

SPEAKER_03 10:26

Yeah, I mean, well, with Hoover, they're definitely gonna be entertaining at the quarterback position. I have no doubt, because I mean he's he was fun to watch at TCU. So I'm excited to see how he fits with some even better caliber skill players around him. Sure.

SPEAKER_00 10:43

Well, the thing is, Kurt wouldn't put him in. He wouldn't have him as a starting QB if he wasn't if he wasn't deemed the right fit. So Kurt's gonna have him getting right. Yeah, he is. But uh we'll move on. We can touch more on that. Let's move on to Ohio State and Oregon, setting the championship standard. So the simplest Big Ten title conversation typically always starts with Ohio State and maybe even Oregon, because both programs enter with national championship expectations as well as elite quarterback continuity.

SPEAKER_03 11:19

Well, Ohio State does have the Julian Sayan and Jeremiah Smith combination, and they do have the conference's highest weekly offensive ceiling. Oregon does return quarterback Dante Moore, a dominant defensive front, and possibly the deepest roster in the country. Now, Ohio State is replacing NFL caliber defenders across their entire depth chart. Oregon's gonna have to convert roster continuity and its depth into the program's first national championship. Both teams have very high ceilings and some pretty high floors if you really look at it. But so I guess my question to you, Keaton, is which team is more trustworthy in a championship game scenario? Ohio State and their explosive offense or Oregon's depth and more complete roster. That's a tough question.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

I think we may have the same answer here, but I'm looking forward to seeing if there's if I take it to a personal level, I want to say Oregon, because I'm a bigger Dan Lanning fan than I am Ryan Day fan. But I also but I I think Ohio State. That that's what I'm gonna go with.

SPEAKER_03 12:42

I I would tend to agree with you, and like I like I do like Dan Lanning. Oregon is a very good football team. I got to see them in person at the Orange Bowl absolutely dismantle my Red Raiders this year. That defense is no joke. But I mean with the Ducks, when are you gonna do it? You know?

SPEAKER_00 13:12

Well, that's a great question.

SPEAKER_03 13:14

When are you like, because you have a better roster? I mean, you had arguably just as much talent as Indiana last year, if not more talented at several positions, and you got absolutely waxed in that game. So, like if if you're Oregon, even as an Oregon fan, I don't even think it matters about coaching. It's just gonna be like, okay, has our program hit a ceiling, and that ceiling is make it to the playoff quarterfinal, semifinal, but a national championship shouldn't be an expectation because they can't seem to find a way to win in those situations.

SPEAKER_00 13:55

That's if I was an Oregon fan, as a casual Oregon fan, I suppose you could call me. Yeah, I would say that's exactly the that's the read I get off of them. Get to the playoffs, you have a deep playoff run, but to expect a national championship seems a bit out of reach. Versus Ohio State, it's very much in the question.

SPEAKER_03 14:17

Well, I mean, for an uh for an Ohio State, let's be real, it's the expectation.

SPEAKER_00 14:21

You're right, right. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 14:24

So yeah, I I like Ohio State uh as a as a unless unless you're like the psycho Ohio State fans who genuinely think like that are still not happy winning a national championship solely because they lost to Michigan. Like, call me crazy. But if I as a tech fan, I would gladly bend over and let Texas and AM or AM just beat the living dog shit out of us once a year, as long as it meant that we would win a national championship. Like, like, I'm sorry. I I cannot get behind that. Well, we need to really reconsider our coaching here because he didn't beat Michigan. Yeah, but if you beat the national championship the same year.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

If you look at if you look at it that way, then what fun are rob rivalries, really? Because no, then it takes the fun out of them.

SPEAKER_03 15:17

That's still, in my opinion, that's still a psychotic outlook. Like, I get rivalries, and yeah, I I do, but man, as a fan of a team that has never won a national championship, like that's probably why I would be like, yeah, I don't care. Well, I would let my rival beat me once a year if it meant that we could win a national championship.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

Well, I can promise you, OU making the playoff appearance last year against Alabama. Nobody really talked about it, but you know what they did talk about? Losing to Texas. That's all you heard around Norman. Losing to Texas. That's all you hear going into this year. Really don't care what happens as long as we beat Texas. If you walked around and asked 100 people, I guarantee you get 85 answers exactly the same. Could care less what happens as long as we beat Texas. That's fair. And I love that. I love that rivalry, but I mean, you're probably right. Ohio State, there's there's some extremists on every team, every fan base.

SPEAKER_03 16:25

Anyway, since we've been talking big rivalries, let's talk Ohio State's big rivalry. Michigan, they're starting a new era there in the big house. Kyle Whittingham comes over from Utah. They're not going to be entering a traditional rebuild. The Wolverines are trying to restore their identity identity as being a more physical team, but maximize the ceiling of their sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood.

SPEAKER_00 16:54

Heavily paid for, I might add. Yeah, very, very. But as you mentioned, it's not a complete real rebuild. Kyle Whittingham brought Jason Beck and Jay Hill with him from Utah, which is going to give Michigan a proven system reset. However, the roster does seem to be talented enough to reach the playoff. But again, Underwood's second year growth, it's going to decide how quickly that transition is going to work out. But there and again, the question is: is Michigan a true championship contender in year one? Or one season away from reaching its full sea ceiling?

SPEAKER_03 17:38

I'm going to go ahead and say probably a season away from reaching the full ceiling. But then again, I haven't seen their schedule. I wasn't really high on Bryce Underwood last year. I thought that he he didn't wow me at all. I mean I don't I don't really know what else to say. I'm I'm not a Michigan fan, so I'll give you a way, shape, or form, hate on them, but I I don't I wouldn't say that they're a championship contender, but uh if the chips fall where they they could, like we mentioned before, you know, probably four or five teams from this conference are going to get in, so they could slip in there and make the playoffs.

SPEAKER_00 18:25

Do you believe that Kyle Whittingham is the coach that kind of brings them back? I don't want to say brings them back, but kind of revamps them and puts them back at a top-tier Michigan program. I mean, was he that guy at Utah?

SPEAKER_03 18:45

Well, I mean, he built Utah into a very steady top-tier college football program.

SPEAKER_00 18:53

He took over after Urban Meyer and just kind of in the Pac-12, when the Pac-12 was around. Right, but arguably.

SPEAKER_03 19:02

I mean, I get that, but arguably when they won the Pac-12, if I'm not mistaken, they won the Pac-12 in their last year of existence, and that was like the best iteration of the Pac-12 that we had gotten in a decade. Plus, that that that year the Pac-12 had by far and away the best quarterback situation out of any conference there. I I like Kyle Whittingham. He's built on physical identity, strong offensive line play, strong front seven defensively. I I like Kyle Whittingham because he's kind of like the CEO type coach. Like he lets his coordinators go to work. And I don't know. I I like I like Whittingham. Always have. May not have been a fan of Utah, but I like Kyle Whittingham. I don't know if I would say that he's like the guy to bring him all the way back to peak, because I mean, how many years does Whittingham have left? He's in his 60s. Like, how long is how long until he retires? But he does bring over, I believe, his offensive coordinator in Jason Beck. So that'll be good for them. He was at New Mexico with Devin Dampier, and they were extremely entertaining on offense. He brought that offense to Utah last year, and they were close to making an appearance in the Big 12 title game. Really fun to watch. I do think that that offensive system definitely unlocks some more dynamic play for Michigan that they haven't seen in a in a while. I mean, uh, even under Harbaugh, as you know, is very pro-style, heavy run first. You know, I think this time you're gonna see a lot of a lot of option plays, a lot of moving around, throwing the ball a little bit more. So, I mean, it could be it'll be fun, but uh I'm getting off on a tangent. I I don't know if Kyle Whittingham's gonna be that guy to bring him all the way back to the top because I don't know how long he's gonna be there, I guess is my short and sweet answer.

SPEAKER_00 21:18

Well, that's a fair that's fair. But while we're on the topic, we may as well may as well talk about you know the conference rock conference-wide coaching reset that we're right, we've seen in in the Big Ten. And I've got a couple points here and then a question for you. So obviously, as we know, the Big Ten has several new eras beginning at programs with extremely different expectations. We'll start with Penn State. Matt Campbell brings Rocco Beck and a large, large Iowa State Transfer Corps to Penn State. Pat Fitzgerald takes over Michigan State and is charged with restoring toughness. And bowl eligibility. Bob Chesney arrives at UCLA after leading James Madison to the CFP. And Chip Kelly becomes Northwestern's offensive coordinator as the Wildcats return to the new Ryan Fields. So my question for you is which new coaching situation, in your opinion, is going to produce the fastest and most meaningful results for their program.

SPEAKER_03 22:31

Out of those four, or can we bring in the one that we just talked about in Kyle Whittingham?

SPEAKER_00 22:36

Yeah, no, I think it's fair to bring in Whittingham.

SPEAKER_03 22:40

But I also just based on that specific question, I'm s I'm gonna have to lean towards Whittingham because while I like and very much respect Matt Campbell, yes, he is bringing a large portion of his team from Iowa State over. They weren't really let's just say they f they failed to meet expectations multiple times in the Big 12, which as we all know is a is a weaker uh conference. So I don't know if he'll have that meaningful result turnaround as quickly as people think he might. I think it may take him some time there in Happy Valley. I don't know much about Pat Fitzgerald. I know that Michigan State's been searching for a new coach ever since uh Dantonio left retired, whichever it was. I mean he made the playoff with them over a decade ago, got stomped by Alabama, of course, but I mean East Lansing, and I can tell you as a secondary Michigan State fan desperate for a bowl bowl appearance. Gotta get some of that back. Now I don't know how quickly, like I said, I don't know much about Pat Fitzgerald, so I can't I can't just say oh Michigan State because they brought in a new coach because they did that two years ago and they've already fired the guy. So quick turnovers. Yeah. Bob Chesney is another guy I'm not a hundred percent, like I don't know a lot about on UCLA, they were awful last year. They were really awful. And I'm not I'm not big what's their Nico. I I was never impressed with Nico Imaliava at quarterback. I don't really think a new coach is gonna really change that particular player position unless the new offensive coordinator just finds something to unlock. Like I'm happy to be proven wrong there, but I'm not an Imaliava fan. I I don't think UCLA is gonna be particularly great again this season, and that's that's probably gonna take a good rebuild there. Because I mean, how long has it been since UCLA played meaningful football? I even Pac-12, like I don't recall a time where anyone talking UCLA football. But and then Chip Kelly, interesting, interesting hire at Northwestern offensive coordinator position. Northwestern is definitely one of those teams that has not been good at all over well, really ever that I can recall. Part of me questions whether or not Chip Kelly's offense has he really adapted to how things have how the game has changed offensively with his offensive system, or has he outdated, and that's kind of why he's at Northwestern to begin with. So on your on your question, uh Whittingham is going to be producing the fastest meaningful results, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_00 26:07

Yeah, I like I like that take on all four of those points. I I am interested, though, to see Matt Campbell and his performance at Penn State. Like you said, Penn State at Iowa State, he was he was a dang good coach. Absolutely. But they were a little lackluster this past year. But that was a very surprising hire for Penn State to pick him, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_03 26:33

But well, let's let's be honest here. Matt Campbell was not their first choice.

SPEAKER_00 26:37

Well, no.

SPEAKER_03 26:38

They they really wanted Kalani Sataki, and he said no. I also heard they wanted, was it Kurt Signetti? I was that a rumor that I had heard. Oh I I mean, I'm sure, but I mean, you're just coming off winning a national championship. Like, come on, man. You're not even very very fair. Why would you? You have no reason to you just won a national championship at Indiana. Like, you just proved every hater that literally the impossible is possible.

SPEAKER_00 27:05

So now, do you think I know this is a bit off topic, but well, it's really not. Do you think Kalani Sataki made the right decision by staying at BYU, or do you think him moving to Penn State would have been just as successful?

SPEAKER_03 27:22

I mean, I I like Kalani Sataki as a coach. I I think he would have brought some success to Penn State. I do, but man, he just fits BYU. He's a BYU alum. He gets he gets the culture. He like he's built that program for years. I mean, when somebody brings up BYU, Kalani Sataki is who I think of. Like, I don't even know how who half their players are. Like somebody just says BYU athletics, and I immediately think Kalani Sataki. So like for me, I I I genuinely I think he made the right call, staying there in Provo.

SPEAKER_00 28:03

Yeah, I I've I've been curious your take on that, but I think those are those are good points.

SPEAKER_03 28:11

But uh let's move on to the our next storyline here. Quarterback depth in this conference is gonna be its defining advantage. Give you some names here, Keaton. Julian Saiyan at Ohio State, Dante Moore at Oregon, Bryce Underwood there at Michigan, Jaden Mavia, or yeah, Maiava is at USC, Damon Williams Jr. at Washington, Rocco Becht has moved over from Iowa State to Penn State, and well, I'm not a fan of Nico, but it's in my notes here. They do give the Big Ten remarkable collection of proven or high upside quarterbacks. So what are you thinking here?

SPEAKER_00 28:57

Well, I think that next tier is just as important. Malik Washington, Caton Hauser, Drake Lindsey, Anthony Callandria, and Ryan Brown, I think they can determine whether their teams break through or remain the middle of the league. But I I do have another question for you. I'm full of them tonight. Hit me. Who's the best Big Ten quarterback entering this season? And then on top of that, to follow that up, which one do you think will improve the most?

SPEAKER_03 29:33

Oh boy, best Big Ten quarterback this season. I'm really torn between three guys here. I really like Julian Sayan, Dante Moore, and Jaden Maiava there at USC. But I'm probably going to say my my opinion, best Big Ten quarterback is probably gonna be Dante Moore. He's been in the system at Oregon for a long time. Proven playmaker. I'm not saying that these other guys aren't, but I I like Dante Moore for that one. And which quarterback do I think will improve the most? I'm leaning towards either even more improvement from Jaden Maiava or Damon Williams Jr. there at Washington.

SPEAKER_00 30:30

See, I I agree with Dante Moore is possibly the best quarterback entering the season, but I do think the one that I'm hoping will show the most improvement is going to be Bryce Underwood for what he's getting paid. I want to see a stand out of the season. I mean, I really want to see something big out of him, but we shall see. So we we shall. The pressure class could reshape the middle of the league. Okay, so several established programs interseasons that could redefine expectations for their coaches and their rebuilds. Matt Rule enters year four at Nebraska. Big fan of him. With heightened expectations and a demanding schedule. Haven't looked at their schedule yet, but I'm sure it's gonna be tough. Luke Fickle's fourth season at Wisconsin as a referendum after an abysmal four and eight finish and had more than 30 transfers, so big rebuild there. Iowa returns only six starters and faces one of Phil Parker's largest defensive resets. So which pressure program is most likely to break through and which one is closest to a major reset?

SPEAKER_03 31:56

For me, this is easy. USC, I think, is most likely to break through. I think that this is gonna be Lincoln Riley's like maker, not necessarily a maker-break year. I don't necessarily if they don't, you know, make the playoff or whatever this year. He's got an unbelievable offense. They changed up the defensive side of the ball there, and I do think that there's gonna be some major improvement there. So USC is gonna be my uh pressure program to break through in this league. And then closest to the major reset is absolutely Wisconsin. Luke Fickle has not had the success that uh they wanted in Madison, and I this is another one of those coaches that may be looking for a new job before the end of the season, kind of like old Mike Norvell down there in Tallahassee.

SPEAKER_00 32:56

Yeah, four and eight, that's tough.

SPEAKER_03 32:59

Wisconsin has been rough over the past four seasons, and I do not foresee it really getting any better there. So I'm gonna say that they're gonna be my team for a major reset in this conference.

SPEAKER_00 33:17

I like it. Well, you ready to take a deeper dive into all 18 of these teams?

SPEAKER_03 33:24

Sure, let's get it. Let's start with obviously the the favorite to win this conference, Ohio State. Julian Sayan, as we've repeatedly talked about, there's returning. He's gonna be, he was a Heisman finalist last year. Jeremiah Smith remains the nation's top receiver. They have a deep wide receiver room as always, veteran offensive line. So they're gonna have the ingredients for one of the country's just best offenses overall. Their uncertainty is definitely defensive turnover. They had a lot of draft picks, they're gonna be replacing NFL talent across the depth chart and some offensive line depth there, or and replacing some offensive line play there. Can they protect Saiyan against some of the best pass rushes in this conference? I I do think that if the new defense gels early for Ohio State, this they're definitely capable of carrying Ohio State to a Big Ten championship. Taking a look at uh let me see where their schedule is, how to find them here Maryland. Here we go. Looking at their schedule.

SPEAKER_00 34:47

I mean, it's pretty favorable early. Minus Texas.

SPEAKER_03 34:53

Yeah, I am intrigued about that game. What what do you think on that one early? Go buckeyes. I mean, absolutely go buckeyes. I think it's a I think it's a good early test. Refuse to root for Texas in anything.

SPEAKER_00 35:09

I think it's a really good early test for them. You're you're following the next two weeks after that game, maybe a little bit of recovery, because it's gonna be a physical game. It's there in Austin. So it's gonna be physical.

SPEAKER_03 35:26

Arguably could be a matchup of the nation of two top five rosters in the country.

SPEAKER_00 35:34

Yeah, I think I think if you're Ohio State and you can come out of Austin with that victory there, really, I mean you gotta travel to Iowa City and play the Hawkeyes, which you know, maybe maybe maybe they sneak one over on Ohio State, but I don't you don't face they do not play offense at Kennick Stadium.

SPEAKER_03 36:02

They they do not. Iowa? Yeah, they do not play offense there. They punt. They play good defense, but they punt a lot.

SPEAKER_00 36:11

But you don't see another strong opponent until four games, five games later, and that's when you're gonna be.

SPEAKER_03 36:20

Listen to this stretch, though. At Indiana, at USC, and then Oregon. Yeah, games. Like, honestly, if they're gonna trip up here, like say they get out of Austin with a win, I could honestly see them tripping up at USC. If they were to win on the road against Indiana, I could see them tripping up at USC because that is a significant travel distance. But then again, it looks like they do get a bye week in between there. And then Oregon comes. Yeah, but they they do get Oregon at home, so you know, good on them for that. But I mean, other than that, I mean, I genuinely think this is a 12-th this team could go 12-0, this team could go 9-3. Not in not an extremely low, low floor. In my opinion, this is a playoff team.

SPEAKER_00 37:15

Yeah, I don't love a 12-0 ceiling, though. I'm liking more of a 10-2. I do think you're gonna lose to Indiana. And I don't know, something's telling me Oregon may get a get one over on them.

SPEAKER_03 37:29

I mean, I'm gonna be rooting for it for sure.

SPEAKER_00 37:32

Well, sure, but I like 10-2. I think their floor is not far off. I think their floor is nine and three.

SPEAKER_03 37:38

And that's we agree on the floor, disagree on the ceiling.

SPEAKER_00 37:42

Yeah, I just, man, I don't think you're gonna walk away 12-0. I mean, that's a really tough, latter part of the schedule. It is, it is. And then to close it out with your your biggest rivalry, even though it is at home. You also get it at home. Yes, you do. You absolutely do. I I I will go as far as saying I believe Ohio State's the safest championship pick, but that's all gonna depend on if that defense becomes as reliable, obviously, early in the season before the schedule reaches its highest, you know, pressure games, which is gonna be basically October 17th on. Minus Northwestern.

SPEAKER_03 38:25

You're facing three arguable contenders in a row.

SPEAKER_00 38:29

That's yeah, that's that's rough. That's a that's a tough schedule, very tough schedule.

SPEAKER_03 38:35

But I mean, I do I do think that Ohio State could find a way to go 12-0. I think they have the talent. Now, like I said, that that's what I think their ceiling is. I don't necessarily know if they will go 12-0. I'm personally leading towards 11-1. Now, which which of these teams gets them, I don't know. I'm split, I'm honestly split between Texas and Oregon. I I I think Indiana's still a great football team, but I think they're gonna have a little bit of regression. I think Indiana's still gonna be a playoff team, as I previously discussed, but I do think Ohio State's a little bit better this season.

SPEAKER_00 39:21

We shall see. It will be interesting to see how they respond if they do slip up and drop one to Texas early. It'll be interesting to see kind of how that changes the course of their season or just their mentality.

SPEAKER_02 39:35

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 39:37

Moving on to the Ducks over here at Oregon, arguably the most complete roster in the country. A ton of depth. Definitely national championship expectations in Eugene. They have Dante Moore. Continuity at quarterback is is a very good thing when contending for a national title. They have an absolute dominant defensive line. That arguably the best defensive line in the country. And they're not having to replace their core identity. So the big question for Oregon is whether this team can manage the expectations and can they win in can they win in big environments in close games and then convert that depth into a possible national championship. This is another team looking at their schedule that I think is very favorable. You do have to go on the road there to Ohio State. They get but they get Michigan at home. They gotta go to USC, but that's obviously not a huge travel distance, but they they avoid Indiana. They avoid Penn State. Now, I don't know how good Penn State's actually gonna be. We can dive in a little bit more when we get to them. I think that this they do have a chance to go undefeated. And if if I'm being genuine here, Oregon, in my opinion, has a stronger chance to hit that 12-0 ceiling than Ohio State does solely because of the way that the schedule lined itself out.

SPEAKER_00 41:28

Yeah, their schedule's looking pretty favorable. I mean, your toughest games come back to back in Ohio State and Michigan.

SPEAKER_03 41:37

But they're at the end of the season, so you have weeks to refine yourself before.

SPEAKER_00 41:41

Absolutely. Absolutely. But but I agree, they do have the utmost potential to hit that 12-0 ceiling. I don't think it's I don't think it's realistically out of reach. I don't think it's unreasonable to, if I'm an Oregon fan, to have those expectations. But again, it falls back to what we touched on earlier. Like, can they show up in those big moments and perform? Right.

SPEAKER_03 42:13

But yeah, not not a ton more to dive in on Oregon here. This is, I know we'll probably touch more on this. I'll go ahead and spoil it. This is my favorite team in the conference this year. I just I genuinely think they're that good. And if any team of Oregon's is going to win a national championship, it's gonna be this one. And so anything short of a very deep playoff run is gonna feel like a massive missed opportunity if you're an Oregon fan.

SPEAKER_00 42:47

Agreed wholeheartedly. Well, let's move on. What do you think? We talk about the Hoosiers for a minute, Kurt Signez. Okay, so as we know, the Hoosiers of the defending national champions uh in 2020, what would that be, 5, 2026? Technically, they're trying to prove that historic 16-0 season created a sustainable elite program rather than a one-off. As we know, Cignetis got a tall task in replacing Fernando Mendoza, but Indiana is going to return a deep defense anchored by Isaiah Jones, Tyreek Tucker, and an experienced secondary. And I believe that unit's gonna give the Hoosiers a strong weekly floor. The offensive line, led by Carter Smith, as previously mentioned, is going to become a stabilizing force for the Hoosiers. They've got to protect the new quarterback, they've got to sustain the run game, and they've got to recreate late down confidence that Mendoza supplied during last year's title run, which is what we talked about last earlier in the segment. Just those intangibles that he brought, I think, are going to be really difficult to try to recreate if you're Kurt Signetti. But then again, you may not need to recreate them. You may need to go a different direction and just flow with what you've got.

unknown 44:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:08

And that's I mean, again, looking on their schedule, I mean, they're they do get Ohio State at home. That's in my opinion, that's gonna be their toughest game on on this on this schedule. They do have to go to the big house and play Michigan, but I'm not 100% sold that Michigan's a better team. Like, I do know that Michigan's gonna have talent. Like, there's no doubt about that.

SPEAKER_00 44:37

And there's no doubt that I like Whittingham, but I I think Indiana's better. Let me throw something in here real quick, and this is hats off to you, Big Ten. So far in the three teams we've covered, there have been no garbage games late in the season. And that is the way it should be. Now maybe we've spoken too soon.

SPEAKER_03 45:02

Well, everybody does pick on Indiana saying that they're playing nothing but cupcakes for their for their non-conference, which that's it is what it is. Like everybody does that.

SPEAKER_00 45:14

Well, you don't get rewarded for there's no reward for playing stronger opponents.

SPEAKER_03 45:19

And there's not. And and until the playoff committee or yeah, whoever's in charge, however long it this playoff system goes, like I think it should be a requirement to have to play somebody in another conference on the path to power level in your in your non-conference. But I mean, until they actually reward you for playing and winning those games, like why do it?

SPEAKER_00 45:47

Well, I mean, the the the committee is so ruthless when it comes down to picking who gets into the playoffs. If you have one slip up in a non-conference game, it could potentially derail your whole season.

SPEAKER_03 46:02

Well, especially especially if you're a Big 12 or an ACC team.

SPEAKER_00 46:06

Yeah, so why really?

SPEAKER_03 46:07

But on the flip side of that, if you're a Big 12 and an ACC team, you want to play a power four game because they only deem your conference worthy of your conference champion, is the only team that's worthy of getting in to the committee. So, like if you're a Big 12 ACC team, you want to play the power four non-conference because if you get that win, then the playoff committee is going to have to take that into consideration. Whereas SEC Big Ten teams, they're already considered the best of the best. So them playing a team like saying, say Indiana plays Alabama and loses, like, why risk a loss when you know that you're gonna have to play Ohio State, Michigan, or Oregon down the road?

SPEAKER_00 47:00

My opinion is Indiana is not doing anything that any other smart program wouldn't do in setting themselves up the best way possible. And it's just so frustrating to me to hear people bitch and moan about their non-conference schedule. Well, I mean, be you know, be smarter.

SPEAKER_03 47:24

At least they're not playing Howard in November.

SPEAKER_00 47:29

Exactly. Exactly. And and like you mentioned, if if the NCAA or the playoff committee isn't gonna make that a standardized rule of having to play tougher non-conference games, then you're not doing yourself any favors by scheduling a hard non-conference schedule. So exactly. I have no beef with it. Nope.

SPEAKER_03 47:53

But uh I mean I just this team ceiling before we go off on a massive tangent. We got a lot of teams to get through here. Yeah, I know, I know. We can we can go over our hot takes, like, but maybe that'll be our next episode, you know, just straight up hot takes and where we can just rant about all the stupid shit that goes on in college sports as a whole. But Indiana, no longer a Cinderella story, as we know. Uh, this team should remain nationally relevant with Signetti, and I think they will as long as he is there this season. Obviously, the quarterback transition is going to determine whether or not they stay elite. But looking at their schedule, I'm seeing 11-1 and back to the Big Ten Championship as their ceiling, and their floor, their floor, if the if Hoover doesn't pan out like people think, maybe eight and four, nine and three, and even nine and three, you could possibly well uh you know what I take that back. Not eight and four. This team's too good for that. 9-3 is probably this team's absolute floor.

SPEAKER_00 49:05

Yeah, their schedule's not strong enough to introduce a fourth loss. I don't see anybody beyond Ohio State, Michigan, and USC that's gonna hand them a legitimate competition.

SPEAKER_03 49:16

Washington is gonna be my it's Washington is one of my like keep an eye on them. Sneaky sneaky yeah, like sneaky middle of the road teams. They got like a like we touched on, Damon Williams Jr. there at quarterback. They're gonna be like that team that like, yeah, no, they're not gonna they're not gonna be competing for the Big Ten title, but they could sneak in and beat somebody that they shouldn't, you know. That's Washington's my Big Ten team that's in that category. So fair point. But yeah, but yeah, 11-1 is gonna be my ceiling for this team. Now, which one of those teams hands them the loss? Not 100% sure. But I'm gonna be Ohio State would bro, yeah. That's my best. As I said, yeah, Ohio State will probably beat them this season, gonna be looking for a little bit of vengeance for that big 1210 title.

SPEAKER_00 50:15

Do you think there's a chance they go 12-0 again? I mean, honestly, if they if they beat Ohio State, yes. You think they beat Michigan at in Michigan at Michigan? I guess it's gonna depend on Kyle Whittingham.

SPEAKER_03 50:35

Yeah, but again, like I like I touched on, like I think Michigan's going to have success, but I I I don't I do not think that Michigan is just they're just not as good as these other three teams. And hell, just really diving into it, they may not be as good as USC. So Well, since we're gonna talk about them, let's move on to them real quick.

SPEAKER_00 51:02

We'll just piggyback right into them.

SPEAKER_03 51:04

Yeah, yeah, well, before we do that, yeah, not before. So Bryce Underwood is going to be their key, in my opinion. Like we mentioned before, Jason Beck's offense is gonna be designed to develop his timing accuracy and offensive command. Jordan Marshall at running back and more players in that backfield is gonna keep the offense grounded in Michigan's traditional strengths. But their cons the concern is creating a reliable passing game. They didn't have that last year with Underwood. I I didn't like, yes, he he could make plays with his legs and whatnot, but he was not consistent. Pass me passing the ball. And they're replacing their top three edge rushers on defense from last year. So now defensive coordinator Jay Hill does provide a proven system, but how quickly are their young stars going to develop? In my opinion, they do have like talent-wise, yes, they have a championship level ceiling. 10 and 2, maybe 11-1, if everything clicks right, and an appearance in the Big Ten championship game and making the Big Ten or making a playoff appearance, but I could also see them having a lower floor, you know, as in terms of like an maybe eight and four, seven and five floor.

SPEAKER_00 52:36

Well, let's circle back to that comment that you were diving into about you know, when you really get down to it, is Michigan better than USC? I'm interested in your take there.

SPEAKER_03 52:50

See offensively, I think USC is clearly better. I like their quarterback better, I like their skill players better, I like their offensive system better. USC's question is gonna be whether or not they can get the defense right. Now, do I do I think Michigan's defense is a little bit better? Yes. But and like while Michigan does avoid USC on their regular schedule here, I mean, I don't know. I just I think I'm I'm I'm a little bit higher on the Trojans this year. I don't know what it is exactly. I like that Lincoln Riley finally got rid of Alex Grinch and said, like, hey, I want to be successful. I know you're my friend, but you are absolute ass at the defensive coordinator position. He was absolute ass at the defensive coordinator position at OU too. Exactly. Which is why Oklahoma never won a playoff game.

SPEAKER_00 53:51

It was bad.

SPEAKER_03 53:53

I mean uh so I I do I I think that that like Lincoln Riley taking that step and getting really focusing on building a better defense uh this season there, I think that they're just gonna be a better team.

SPEAKER_00 54:14

And that's why. Well, looking at their schedule, I mean it's a favorable schedule. Well, your second game is against OU. It is at home. Last year, OU handled business the right way.

SPEAKER_03 54:30

No, I will say OU's defense is is much better than than Michigan's. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 54:37

In my um, it's much better. Um but they've got a nice balanced schedule. I like I like their schedule in terms of you got some you got a stronger opponent early in Oklahoma. Then about in the middle of the season, you got Penn State at home. Then you've got Indiana at home. And then at the end of the season, you've got on the road at Oregon and on the road at Ohio State.

SPEAKER_03 55:04

So a balanced, a very balanced schedule. But like for me, at first glance, at just at first glance, if I'm if I'm picking it right now, I think they go 9-3. I think nine and three is fair. I I think they lose to both Ohio State and Oregon. One because they're on the road, and two, because I just genuinely think both of those teams are significantly better, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Saiyan and Dante Moore are both much better than Bryce Underwood, in my opinion. Again, Bryce, if you ever do listen to this, I'm happy to be proven wrong. Please. We're actually begging you to prove us wrong, considering the amount of money that you got.

SPEAKER_00 55:54

So if they were only to lose if you're saying nine and three, that leaves the other two opponents would be OU or Indiana.

SPEAKER_03 56:02

Yeah, I I would and looking at it, I think that this one, like nine and nine and three is doable, but eight and four is realistic for me. And I don't think, like, like, yes, we did touch, they have the roster. They could win all of these games and shut me up. But I just I don't know, man. I'm a hater. I I don't like Michigan. Never have. I'm not gonna root for them to be successful. Well, I think the reality of how winning has I'm trying to be unbiased here, but yes, it's a it's a brand new season. You've got all the controversies surrounding your entire athletic department. I mean, good God, your like multiple coaching scandals within your football program over the past four years. Your AD is getting looked at and investigated like it's just a gigantic shit show right now. Yeah, it's rough to be a Wolverine inside the athletic department. So it's like how much of external distractions are gonna play a factor in this. So, like, yes, if everything goes perfect and and you get the luck factor in, yes, this team could absolutely have the talent to win a Big Ten championship. I just don't think that that's reality.

SPEAKER_00 57:35

Yeah, I like my ceiling at more of a nine and three. That's my ceiling. My floor is seven and five. Eight and four. I I think it's a real close ceiling and a real close floor.

SPEAKER_03 57:49

But see where where I I do this is where in the Big Ten, I think that we're gonna be able to we're definitely gonna be able to distinguish, okay, this is a good team, this is a middle team, and guys look forward to basketball season. Like there's not there is not as much like way area between the tiers in this conference as there is in others. You know? But anyway, yeah, that that's Michigan, but a lot of it is gonna depend on Underwood making a massive leap uh at the quarterback position and them uh uh replacing the edge rushers on defense, getting them to jail quickly. So let's moving on to USC. I know we did I did a little bit of a deep dive there. This is a critical season for Lincoln Riley. I'm not ready to say that now, if they absolutely, if the wheels absolutely fall off and this team somehow goes four and eight, absolutely Lincoln Riley's toast. He's out. But I don't see that happening as long as Lincoln Riley gets to a I think if Lincoln Riley wins seven or eight games, gets to a bowl game, and wins it, he keeps his job. But they do have a playoff ceiling. Jaden Maiava at quarterback, they got a veteran offensive line, they got Jordan King uh Miller uh backfield, they've got multiple ways to create explosive plays on offense. They're gonna be one of the best offenses that teams are gonna face, like maybe the best one besides Ohio State. But I mean, they brought in Gary Patterson to be the defensive coordinator, and if Gary did anything at TCU, he made play an offense against him absolute hell. So and they're gonna have more size and depth than previous defensive units, but they're gonna have to be better at stopping the run and just maintain some discipline in high road games. Now, I don't think that they have to have an absolute over-the-top elite defense. They don't need to be Oklahoma, they don't need to be what Indiana's defense was last year to contend for the conference, but have a defense that no longer that teams no longer look at and go, I can do whatever I want because you can't stop it. You know?

SPEAKER_00 1:00:46

Yeah, I think that was their weakest point. Their defense has given away every advantage that their offense had had created for themselves.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:57

I mean, they lost a lot of games that they that like they shouldn't, they just genuinely shouldn't have lost just because their defense was not good. Yeah. And at some point, like sometimes, as good as your offense is, they will make mistakes.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:12

Which makes you wonder why Lincoln held on to Alex Grinch so long, knowing that he was their weakest link.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:21

I agree.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:25

But I I mean, I don't love the way Lincoln Riley did OU when he bailed on OU. I I think it was a sorry way to do it.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:35

But remember, um, he absolutely, unequivocally was not taking the LSU job.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:42

That is correct. That is correct. But one thing that man knows how to do that's put together an explosive offense. So, you know that the Trojans are gonna, they're gonna score points. It's gonna be really neat and interesting to see if Gary Patterson can figure out a way to lock down things on the opposite side of the ball. Uh, and if they can, uh they may become, you know, top-tier championship contending team year after year. Sometimes all you need is one or two stops. I'm telling you, they can become scary, man. They could be they could be a legitimate contender year in and year out. So I'm excited to see what Gary Patterson does there. I do hope that the Trojans have a little bit more leash for Lincoln Riley.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:32

Now that he's finally made that change at the coordinator.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:36

Yeah, give him a chance to to get somebody with a little bit better resume in there and see what see what you can do there.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:47

I absolutely agree. And just like the only downfall here that I see for USC is they do play, in my opinion, they've got the top three teams in this conference on their schedule. But they do get two of them at home. They play Oregon at home, they play Ohio State at home. Uh they do got to go to Indiana. But pretty favorable. It looks like they should be 4-0 going into the Oregon game. They could trip up, like I said, they could trip up at Washington or against Washington, excuse me. They have that game at home too. But this is I I do. I like I like USC this season. I think they're they're gonna be the surprise. Now they may not, like they may not make the Big Ten title game, but I do think that this is very well one of those teams from this conference, whether that be the third, whether they end up being the third or the fourth place team, could could definitely sneak themselves into the college football playoff.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:55

Yep, I agree. I think their schedule's relatively favorable for a successful season. It's balanced, like you said, you like balanced. I do like balance. I like to see early. I mean, I don't know. Their first four games are pretty easy. Yeah, I mean they're they're real middle heavy, in my opinion. But but I don't mind.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:21

Their first three, they should absolutely dominate without any questions. I mean, San Jose State, Fresno State, and Louisiana. Like, I'm not sure. What about Rutgers? You don't think Rutgers should be playing those the entire second half of your first three games. But I mean, at Ructors, Rutters is one of those teams that like I don't know, man. Like, they have competed hard lately, but haven't won those major games. I I like that they're not just they're not that team that just rolls over and dies. But I that they're still, I mean, it's still Ructors. Like they're gonna compete, they're gonna give you a fight, but at the end of the day, if you're better than them, you will probably beat them. So that's a game that I could see maybe a little bit of a first half struggle, but you know, pull away in the second half.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:18

Well, you hit the nail on the head when you said if you're better than them, you're gonna beat them. I would bet any amount of money in the world that the USC Trojans are better. Are better than Rutgers. What are they, the Rutgers Knights or something like that? Scarlet Knights. Prove me wrong, Rutgers, but my god, the the Vegas would be losing their mind.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:43

But I will I will say I like Rutgers more than I like some other teams in this conference. So stay tuned for that one.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:52

Fair. Well said.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:54

But yeah, that that's that's I like USC. I do think that this team uh could definitely. sneak into the college football playoff with a 9-3, 10-2 season here. And they like like we mentioned, they don't have to have an over-the-top elite defense. They just don't give away free advantages to other teams. And we'll see what happens. Now let's move on to my Big Ten wild card. That's the Washington Huskies. Jed Fish is, I think this is his third year there. They're trying to break through and be at the top of this conference this year. They have the most productive dual threat quarterback in Damon Williams Jr. He led the conference last year in total offense. He's going to be the face of their team their center Landon Hatchet and their linebacker Jacob Manu provide veteran leadership on both sides of the football. But the Huskies are replacing Denzel Boston and they got to become more consistent against the more physical defensive fronts. But they have a deeper defense all around and they have improved roster continuity. So sneaking in there and making a playoff is a little bit more realistic if Williams really takes it to another level at the quarterback position. And like we mentioned before way back in the beginning I do think that this is one of those he he might be the quarterback that makes the most improvement going into this season. So like him at quarterback is going to give them a chance to win any game that they're in but they've got to have this dependability at wide receiver. We'll see looking at their schedule pretty favorable early. I agree they could I mean they're real bottom heavy honestly okay until they are really bottom heavy to me the game that is going to define the season honestly for two teams and we'll go back to USC with this take is that game right there at USC on October 3rd. Whoever wins that one I think is going to at the end of the day come a like find themselves higher in the conference standings at the end of the year.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:28

I think that's a pretty good take between these two teams.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:33

I like Washington I do like I said I think that this is going to be a team that could sneak in there especially with the like that's their talent at quarterback. Damon Williams incredible but I mean at USC and they got to play at Oregon but they get Indiana and Oregon at the very end of the season so they have what are we looking at 10 weeks here to like really like know who they are going into both of those games and they could potentially pull off a massive upset in either one of those scenarios. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:11

Well and the last time the the huskies their way in the last time the Huskies faced the Trojans they snuck by him with a five point victory that was in 2024 so they didn't see him last year. Right.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:26

But again different defense for the USC so it'll be interesting to see like like I said like that that's my take the October 3rd game between Washington and USC is going to play a more key in the overall standings of this conference than what people might think. Yeah it's a tone setter for both programs. Killer right yep yep I like that and I don't I don't hate looking at their 10 and 2 I think 11 1 maybe the stretch I think their ceiling is 10 and 2 and if things they their ceiling is 10-2 and a playoff at large berth now I I don't think that they'll they'll get into the Big Ten title game unless you know the wheels fall off an Oregon or Ohio State and like 10-2 is the best record across the tops of this the top teams in this conference and then they're you know basically getting the placement in the conference title game is basically getting determined by tiebreakers. So but anyway you ready to move on yep let's go visit Matt Campbell at Penn State.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:53

Let's do it go ahead Penn State is all yours my man. Penn State so as we know Matt Campbell begins a major transition with the Nittany Lions with Rocco Beck and a familiar transfer core from Iowa State Beck's command of Campbell's offense can shorten the transition while Tony Rojas remains the defense's highest impact returning player. The quarterback coach partnership gives Penn State an immediate source of stability. The challenge for Penn State is going to be an offensive line that's learning to redesign learning a redesign system and a roster blending established Penn State players with six potential Iowa State transfer starters. The resources remain elite but the culture reset is substantial. So looking at their schedule for this year I think there's going to be a lot of question marks with Penn State it's going to be interesting to see the middle of the road you think they're going to be in the middle of the road this year huh?

SPEAKER_03 1:12:03

I do I I do um I think it's going to take some time for Matt Campbell to to build that culture because like yes he has a bunch of players coming in from Iowa State that that know him and know his system but I mean we're talking about a team that was a favorite like was probably the highest that they've been to be the favorite to win the Big Ten and they absolutely just the wheels fell off after they lost that overtime game to Oregon at home fired James Franklin in the middle of the season and just never never recovered going forward. So like I just I like Matt Campbell but I think it's going to take him some time this is not going to be like a oh my gosh they're going to turn around after last season and win 10-11 games and make the playoff like I just like again I'm again happy to be proven wrong but I just I don't see it.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:08

Well looking at their schedule I think it may be a deceptive end of the season record. I mean it's a pretty favorable schedule for Penn State.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:17

I don't barring USC Michigan and Washington I don't I mean Penn State does avoid the three the three top teams.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:31

So I think if I'm a Penn State fan and let's say they end the season at let's see they let's say they win one surprisingly over those three teams aforementioned Washington Michigan or USC and they end up nine and three ten and two something like that.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:51

I don't know that you ride that high too hard because your schedule's pretty weak yeah your schedule is weak but like again we're talking we're we're saying that this is like best case scenario that they find like if you're looking at their schedule first glance you're really you automatically look at it and be like oh okay nine and three but this team like we said like I just mentioned had the wheels completely fall off after a double after an overtime loss last year that never recovered this is a team that I honestly like with Matt Campbell at the helm like I like him as I mentioned I could see him winning a game against USC Michigan or Washington but then again I could turn around and see him lose to Minnesota or God help him Purdue I mean we watched Iowa State almost lose on the road to Ohio not Ohio State Ohio Maction like I'm not shitting on the Maction buttion but like but we have seen some like in the Big 12 we have seen some good highs with Matt Campbell but we've also seen some really really low points so I just I I am not sold that this team is going to contend for a playoff spot or a Big Ten title.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:30

I think the feeling is nine and three if everything falls right but this is also a six and six floor I think things in Happy Valley are very much in a rebuild mode and probably will be for a while I think when you look at the amount of transfers that he's brought with them just getting the two cultures of existing players and new players to gel with his system I think there's going to be too much going on there and I'm leaning more towards realistically golly my ceiling for them truthfully is probably eight and four seven and five that's my ceiling and and okay and that's and that's fine I I respect it.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:30

Penn State fans do not put overly high expectations on this team this season that's all I'm saying. They could absolutely surprise us they really could but do not place those expectations on them.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:50

No no now give Matt Campbell a couple years to get his footing you know a year or two then then maybe when we re when we revisit this conversation next year or the year after then maybe we're coming at it. Yeah we're coming at it at a different angle but I think this year it's going to be a very like you mentioned your very first comment middle of the road they're a middle tier team and I believe that's where they stay all right well let's move on Iowa always a physical team happy to punt we love the punters there in Iowa Supertoe yeah supertoe the Wonder Punter man Iowa's favorite player this season's definitely going to test whether their program can reload one of its least experienced defenses in a long time they're going to have a strong run foundation with Kamari Moulton and Lyndon Phillips Jr.

SPEAKER_03 1:17:58

Good at tight end with Addison Ostringer he's going to be dependable there's gonna there's a quarterback competition right now between Jeremy Hecklinsky and Hank Brown so there's not a set quarterback there they've got to be able to produce some type of competent passing offense because I don't know if I've seen that at Iowa like ever I I'm I could I'm being an asshole right now but just I don't know if I've seen a competent offense at Iowa it's in a in a not something you see a lot no but think about this this team in 2026 has six starters returning total yeah it's going to be three of those and just three of those are on the defensive side of the ball. So Jaden Montgomery and Zach Luttmer are they have to become leaders and Phil Parker at the defensive coordinator is completely rebuilding the defense around in a much younger group than he's used to their formula's probably going to be the same run the football trust your defense try to win field position can you execute can you find a way to win some games that you probably shouldn't because you're just not as talented I don't I mean I'm not big on them I do think that you'll win the Cyhawk game this year. And that's coming from a Big 12 fan I just with the departure of Matt Campbell I don't think Iowa State's going to give you much trouble there at home but you got to play at Michigan you got to play Ohio State I mean if things go well like their defense they've got to they have one of the weaker schedules in this conference. They have to play Michigan and Ohio State in back to back weeks but that's very early in their conference slate. That's like their first two conference games and they got to play at Washington but after that Minnesota Wisconsin northwestern Purdue Illinois and Nebraska arguably all teams that could fit the definition of middle of the road to bottom tier so looking at this realistically my ceiling for Iowa is an 8-4 9-3 team but this is team if the offense doesn't click and their defense is worse than usual they could miss a bowl game well with six returning starters three on the defensive side I think there's a chance you don't you don't go bowling this year. I mean that's a lot that's a lot of new new blood to come in it is but I will say with Iowa they do have continuity in terms of the program culture and coaching staff so like in terms of one of those teams that's quote unquote reloading everywhere this is this is the team that I'm kind of like I'll buy it if they find a way to do it because of the coaching continuity and right program culture. Right and and Iowa regardless of and I I don't know what it is but they're always a tough out even though they can't consistently score the football it's absolutely wild to me.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:25

Well they're just a physical team you can always guarantee that the game's going to be physical it's going to be low scoring for the most part like you might win on the scoreboard but your ass is definitely going to get kicked in the trenches while you're doing it.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:38

Absolutely and they don't make it easy and and for that they've they've gained my respect for sure I commend them but yeah I'm looking forward to the punts though.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:49

Yeah just figure out how to score the rock I mean a hundred yards that's all you got to go figure it out.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:57

But yeah not not a lot more to say about Iowa I think they're yet again going to be middle of the road maybe win a game or two that they shouldn't probably lose a game or two that they shouldn't and you know another bowl another bowl appearance for the Big Ten. So yeah I like that take a I don't know that I agree with the bowl but I like that take all right moving on to Illinois Brett Bielama I do not like you didn't like you when you were at Arkansas don't like you now but uh they're entering a significant retooling season but they've got a proven secondary and they're they've got a new offensive identity Matthew Bailey Juice Clark Xavier Scott are leading the defensive backfield they can limit explosive plays and create turnovers. The secondary is going to give Illinois a chance to keep games tight while the offense is is adapting Caden Hauser replaces Luke Altmeyer at quarterback and becomes the season's defiding addition for the Alliance I Illinois has also rebuilt offensive line combination and refreshed their wide receiver room so it's going to make Hauser's experience and downfield aggression essential to production on offense I this is not a team that I think is going to be competing for a spot in the Big Ten title game nor a playoff spot. I do think that this is a bowl team even though I don't like Brett Bielima never have never will you're a douche but yeah that this is gonna their offensive play is going to determine how far this team can go their defense is going to be solid just like they were last season not a ton on them they've got to play at Ohio State which I think that they would lose handily but they avoid they avoid everybody they avoid everybody except Ohio State and Oregon. They don't have to play USC they don't have to play Washington they don't have to play Penn State they don't have to they don't got to play Michigan they do play Duke though that's interesting that's going to be a telling game again that's another one of those telling games for both programs going throughout the rest of the season I do like Illinois a little bit better in that game Duke is having to replace their quarterback and they weren't really prepared for it since Minsa was a late transfer out to Miami. So we'll see if Duke has their quarterback situation figured out by week two but I mean this is middle of the road team this is another middle of the road team yeah looking at their schedule you know you'd like to say it's a fairly favorable schedule for them but then when you take into consideration their caliber and where they are being middle of the road they're it makes it hard to to to pick these it makes it hard to say that it's a favorable schedule when all the other teams that they're facing minus ohio state and Oregon are middle of the road in the in the same boat with the exception of of Purdue and Northwestern right like I'm sorry boilermakers and Northwestern fans lace them up hit the hard wood you guys suck. Lay up lines lay up lines I don't think that Chip Kelly is your answer. I know that we haven't touched Northwestern yet but spoiler alert he is not the answer to all of your problems and Purdue I just there's not a lot of works you guys are just terrible some schools are meant to be basketball schools and that is okay sure it is okay but yeah I I could see you beating Maryland but I could also see you losing to them Maryland is probably my team in this conference that like I I don't really have a read on they've they've they've had some good skill over the last couple years at the at skill position players but they've also been really bad at defense and offensive line play so like they have some really cool helmets yeah I'll give them that I will give them that they've got some really neat helmets but I mean helmets don't win games chrome don't bring you home so no it does not I like that you should write that down that's a tweet yeah that's an old trucker saying anyway Illinois ceiling 9-3 8-4 for me and finish in the top 25 bowl game but if I could see him also missing a bowl if their quarterback situation just does not work out the way that they're hoping. Yeah yeah will it go in on Nebraska since you like Matt Rule I don't know that I'd say I like him a ton.

SPEAKER_00 1:27:11

I I think he's one of the better coaches in the in the Big Ten.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:16

I'm not a huge Ryan Day fan just because he has his nipples pierced but that's irrelevant all right oh my goodness shout out Brian whenever you're into your business he did say last podcast he likes living in left field and that comment was definitely from left field.

SPEAKER_00 1:27:38

You'll catch me out in left field all the time so Nebraska Cornhuskers all right Matt Rule enters his fourth year with heightened expectations and a roster that must finally turn improvement into a Big Ten breakthrough. So some of their main talking points Nebraska invested heavily in a larger, more experienced offensive line built around Justin Evans and reinforced by Brendan Black and Paul Mubinka. That group's got to protect the new quarterback, Anthony Calandria. I apologize if I'm butchering that. But they're going to have to do a phenomenal job of protecting him this year. The transition from Dylan Riola, Patrick Mahomes wannabe. Questions at linebacker and a difficult schedule are going to create real volatility for the Cornhuskers. Excuse me. Cornerback Andrew Marshall and tight end Luke Lindenmeyer are also going to have to provide stability while some of the other other units undergo major change. So pulling up their schedule is.

SPEAKER_03 1:30:03

Michigan State's in a total program rebuild. They've been absolute bottom tier for the past three or four seasons. I will not classify. And this is some kind of coming from somebody that likes Michigan State. They are not a middle tier program right now. Do you believe they're lower tier? I believe that they are closer to the bottom than they are in the middle.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:27

Okay. So so with that in consideration, a pretty easy start of the first five, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:30:38

You you should have a decent, you have a good chance to be five and oh if you're Nebraska going into an Indiana game. On the flip, you gotta play Indiana, Oregon, and Washington back to back to back.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:50

Good luck. And Illinois. I mean, we talked about Illinois just now. It within a five-week span, you go from being five and oh to five and five. And then you you play the rut you play rutgers, which you're pretty high on rutgers.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:06

So then you I'm not overly high on them. I just think that they like they compete well. Like I'm not saying that I think that they'll be better than a bunch of these teams, and they're still probably a bottom-tier team in this conference, but they're not Purdue, they're not Northwestern.

SPEAKER_00 1:31:24

But let's say you drop to Rutgers. I mean, which and then you you're more than likely you're gonna drop to Ohio State. The next question mark for me is against Iowa at Iowa. But uh to answer your question long form, yeah. I think if if Nebraska doesn't figure out how to win some ball games with a pretty difficult schedule, to be honest, I do think you start the conversation of a coaching change. And looking at this schedule, I think a realistic sorry, go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 1:32:05

Call me crazy here. But has is a on the flip side of this whole coaching change question, is that the is that really the problem at Nebraska?

SPEAKER_00 1:32:18

I would venture to say no.

SPEAKER_03 1:32:20

How many coaching changes has this program been through and they're still middle of the road? Maybe, and just maybe, hear me out on this Cornhuskers fan. Your biggest mistake for your entire program was going to the Big Ten in the first place.

SPEAKER_00 1:32:37

That's a good take. Where what I mean, do you think they'd be a better one?

SPEAKER_03 1:32:41

You lost out. Yes. You like all of your all of your old Big Eight rivals, with the exception of what? Oklahoma and Missouri are now are still in the Big 12. I mean, yes, you have a rivalry with Iowa, but you could still schedule that as a non-con game. So like and when you're in the Big 12, think about it. You have more if the Big Ten is the only Power 4 conference that has no recruiting access to the state of Texas. Like, yes, some Texas kids will go to those top-tier programs like Ohio State, Michigan, even at Indiana now, Oregon. Why? Because they're proven brands. Nebraska hasn't done anything significant since they won a national championship back in the 90s.

SPEAKER_00 1:33:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:33:44

Like, yeah, they they competed for Big 12 titles, like, and they were still getting good solid talent when they were in the Big 12. You go to the Big Ten, and now we're having this discussion of changing coaches every four and five years, and they're not getting any better. At what point do you look at yourself and go, maybe the conference shift didn't work out the way that we thought it would? And Arkansas is in the same boat. When they left the Southwest Conference for the SEC, they were a pretty stable, solid football program. And now who looks at Arkansas saying, yeah, you guys are gonna contend? Nobody.

SPEAKER_00 1:34:25

Well, we definitely didn't in our deep dive.

SPEAKER_03 1:34:28

No. Well, nobody with a with a brain thinks that Arkansas is gonna compete for the top of that conference. Like, I'm sorry. I know the Razorbacks fans, you guys live in hell, but accept reality. I think I think a realistic seal. Call me crazy. I know I went nuts there with Nebraska on the whole coaching change thing, but like really consider that, Huskers fans. Like, really think I don't know if a coach can actually fix your problem.

SPEAKER_00 1:35:04

I I don't think you're you're not in left field with me by any means on that on that point. I I think you're you're hit the nail on the head. I don't think Nebraska going to the Big Ten was probably their best idea. Like you mentioned, it definitely it definitely has not panned out the way they were hoping. I would love to see him rejoin the Big 12. I would be more than welcome and more or more than happy to see him regain the Big 12. And I think if you regain the Big 12, you start to see a little bit more success again. But I'm gonna I'm gonna say their ceiling, based off of looking at last year's performances against some of the same opponents. I think you're if you walk away seven and five, you're happy, but on the your floor is the inverse of that. I think you're you very well could go five and seven. I mean, Iowa last year walked the dog with your ass and beat you 40 to 16.

SPEAKER_03 1:36:09

Right, right. I mean, so and records like I I yeah, I don't I don't I I'm not I'm not high on Nebraska, but then again, they're also like, you know, they could win one of these games that they shouldn't. It's probably not going to be against Oregon or Ohio State. Let's be genuine here. But they could upset, possibly upset Indiana. I'm not calling it. They could maybe upset Washington. Again, I'm not calling it, but that's more realistic than beating Ohio State or Oregon.

SPEAKER_00 1:36:46

I mean, you you look at some of their games last year, and they lose by three to Michigan at home. It's a pretty tight game.

SPEAKER_03 1:36:58

You lose by four to USC at home. But I think Michigan, let's be, I do think Michigan's gonna be a little bit better than they were. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely, with the coaching change and all that.

SPEAKER_00 1:37:11

But then you get beat by you get beat 24 to 6 by Minnesota. And you barely sneak by Maryland last year, so you just kind of seem to be all over the board. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:37:27

My ceiling here, my absolute ceiling is eight and four if things go right. I just I think that there's teams that are just better than you, and all of them happen to be on your schedule. Um with the exception of USC, who I also think is better than you, and Michigan, who is better than you, but everybody else in this conference who is definitely better than you, you have on your schedule. So, but I I agree with your floor that it could be definitely a five-and-seven floor and missing a bowl game, and then you know, they're they're probably having another conversation about finding a new coach.

SPEAKER_00 1:38:08

Yep, and then this perpetual cycle will restart.

SPEAKER_03 1:38:11

Yeah, yep. Like, sorry. Uh again, it's just really something to think about, Cornhuskers fans. Like, is it really the coach or is it your situation as a whole?

SPEAKER_00 1:38:26

Unless conference realignment conversations are back in the mix and they they decide, which they probably won't ever, because I'm sure the Big Ten makes more money as a conference than the Big 12. And that's what it's all about anymore.

SPEAKER_02 1:38:46

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 1:38:47

But unfortunately, and I hate to say this for all the rest of these teams, but I think we're kind of getting into the lower tier teams.

SPEAKER_03 1:38:58

Yeah, the low low the the lower the lower mid-tier to the very, very low tier here.

SPEAKER_00 1:39:07

Which we'll start with Minnesota.

SPEAKER_03 1:39:09

Which they Minnesota. They did win eight games last year, even though their offense was awful. But they're gonna have to have Drake Lindsay to create a real balance there. They're gonna have a sturdy defense behind Anthony Smith and Maverick. Wow, how do you say that? Baronowkowski. Baronowski.

SPEAKER_00 1:39:30

Baronowitz. Baronowski? Baronowski.

SPEAKER_03 1:39:34

Sorry, guys, we're white. I don't, I mean, I'm sure that this is a white guy too, but I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 1:39:39

I I can't pronounce that. I'd bank them Baronowski.

SPEAKER_03 1:39:44

But I like the name Maverick, so more power, more points to you for the name, for the first name. Negative points for the last name, but bonus points for the first name there. Anyway, Drake Lindsay's gonna return with a full season of experience at quarterback, and PJ Fleck, who some argue might be the best dressed coach on the sidelines, always in that vest and tie, uh, has reshaped the receiving room with additions like Perry Thompson. Their concern is gonna be a rushing attack. They it kind of slipped last year from their typical standard, and they had a receiving core that lacked a 500-yard producer. So Minnesota cannot continuously keep asking the defense and special teams to carry them in every single close game that they have. If they have a functional offense, Minnesota could make some noise. Am I betting that they're gonna have a functional offense? No. Um I'm sorry. Again, as always, I'm happy to be proven wrong, but Minnesota, middle of the road. I think you're a 7-5, 8-4 team. You might win a game here or there that people don't think you would, but you'll probably lose to a team like, I don't know, looking at your schedule, you might lose to Northwestern somehow, and everybody's looking at PJ going, what is going on? So I don't I don't have a lot on Minnesota. I don't know a ton about them. All I know is that if they have a competent offense, we might be looking at some fireworks. If they don't, eh.

SPEAKER_00 1:41:28

Yeah, I think I like their schedule. It seems pretty balanced, which in my opinion always helps with my floor and my ceiling.

SPEAKER_01 1:41:37

I like man, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say nine and three ceiling. Six and six floor?

SPEAKER_00 1:41:52

Like you said, you're gonna figure out a way to do it.

SPEAKER_03 1:41:56

Do you really? I think that like I think that their floor is probably five and seven. Okay. I mean that's fair. The offensive inconsistency is gonna like from last year. We'll see if they can turn that around, but they're gonna have to have a major step up at quarterback, they don't have the traditional running backs that they've had there, and they're gonna have to have a receiver really step up and be a leader in that group.

SPEAKER_00 1:42:28

So so do you think the Golden Gophers are let's say one functional offense away from becoming an upper tier program in the conference?

SPEAKER_03 1:42:44

Yes, because their defense is always consistent and they're good. Like, and their special teams is pretty phenomenal. So special teams, function players. Exactly. People always forget special teams, but man, they can't.

SPEAKER_00 1:43:01

In the wise words of Coach Hodge, special teams wins games. Yes, it does. Yet to see it, but that's what he said.

SPEAKER_03 1:43:10

What do you mean, yet to see it? Do you not remember 20? I want to say it was 2013. Michigan State blocked the punt and returned it for a touchdown to beat Michigan at the big house. So special teams does in fact winning.

SPEAKER_00 1:43:23

You know what? I I eat crow because Auburn also did the same against uh that's exactly right. The kick six for like a hundred.

SPEAKER_03 1:43:35

It doesn't happen often, but it does happen on the occasion, and those occasions just happen to be so memorable.

SPEAKER_00 1:43:45

Well, because no one's expecting it. Because they happen so inconsistently and so infrequently. When it does happen, it's like, wow.

SPEAKER_03 1:43:56

Yeah, they matter special when big things happen, it's really special. Anyway, moving on, yeah. I I do think that they could be a top-tier team if they can get a consistent offense uh to go along with their good defense there in Minnesota. So we'll see how long of a leash they give PJ Fleck to get the offense right. Moving on to my uh one of my least favorite teams in this league, Northwestern. Guys hit the hardwood. You might be better than Purdue, though. So, you know, good on you for that. I don't think Chip Kelly's gonna solve your problems, as previously mentioned. Now they do have some returning production in Griffin Wilde and uh Caleb Comalafe. Can somebody have just a regular name for it, please? Anyway, but their new scheme should create a little bit more up tempo and spacing. And they have a disciplined defense in place there. But they're gonna have to have quarterback clarity and offensive line adaptation to the new system. Pretty fast to see if their whole Chip Kelly experiment is gonna work at all. It won't. The defense also must replace meaningful production at every level after a 7-6 season and a bowl victory. I'm just I'm not big on Northwestern. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 1:45:41

Well, their bowl victory was also against Central Michigan, so yeah, yeah, you beat the Chippewas. Good on you. Yeah, let's not. But I say this. They did give Michigan, again, we talked about Michigan. This team's gonna be better than they were last year. But they gave them a run for their money last year.

SPEAKER_03 1:46:03

And maybe, you know what, Northwestern, I'm absolutely happy to eat crow if you guys are somehow an entertaining sleeper in this conference. You know, I'm all for it. I like teams that are not expected to do anything when they come out of nowhere and win games. We love Cinderella stories here on the CSN, the Campus Report podcast, but I'm not gonna bet on it.

SPEAKER_00 1:46:29

I wouldn't. Their schedule's pretty tough.

SPEAKER_03 1:46:34

I've just uh yeah, sorry. You gotta play Indiana, you gotta play Penn State, you gotta play Oregon and Ohio State, you gotta play Iowa and Illinois, who are all better than you, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_00 1:46:50

And Minnesota, PJ Fleck can figure out offense.

SPEAKER_03 1:46:53

Yeah, I mean, defensively, Minnesota's gonna be there, but like offensively, I mean, that's an intriguing game between these two teams. But I mean, yeah, I don't I don't have a lot to say. I mean, guys, okay, we'll put it this way. Wildcats fans, you're gonna know in week two how good you are. If Colorado dog walks you, like, strap in. It's gonna be a long year.

SPEAKER_00 1:47:25

Yeah. Enjoy your new stadium, but that's all you have to look for.

SPEAKER_03 1:47:29

Yeah, that's about it. Like, hope they lower the beer prices because that might be the only way to get people in there after that. So that's all I've got on Northwestern. I think their ceiling is probably seven and five, maybe eight and four, and a bowl win, but I would not be surprised if this team misses a bowl game due to quarterback uncertainty and the overall defensive turnover from last year.

SPEAKER_00 1:47:53

Yeah. I'll go seven and five. I think they'll they'll find a bowl, but it's gonna be against somebody equivalent to the Chippewa's, and they'll probably win the bowl game, and everybody there will be happy and they will move on.

SPEAKER_03 1:48:09

But you know what? As a Northwestern fan, nobody's expecting you to go win a Big Ten title. No, like I don't think so.

SPEAKER_00 1:48:16

Be happy with what you can get.

SPEAKER_03 1:48:19

Yeah, absolutely. Moving on. UCLA. New quarterback, or not a new quarterback, new head coach, Bob Chesney comes over from James Madison. He's gonna have Nico at quarterback. Ooh. I'm sorry. I am a hater. I don't like Nico Amaliba. I don't think he's that great. Like, yeah, he's dual threat. He can escape the pocket, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Get the talking points out of the way. Like, yeah, he's gonna have he's been there. He knows the culture. It gives them a little bit of a centerpiece on offense. But so now Bob Chestney does come with a strong record of maximizing quarterback potential and building winning cultures. Obviously, he's done that at James Madison, but they don't have a lot of depth at the line of scrimmage. He's gonna have to install a new system, and they have a very heavy, a travel-heavy schedule this season. They have enough veteran talent across the board to try to improve quickly, but the offense and defensive fronts have to uh have to match uh their new aggressive identity with their new coaching staff. I'm gonna go go back here where where's your schedule at? Sorry, they're all over the place here for me. Yeah, pretty travel heavy, as previously mentioned, and far travel as I might. Yeah, Maryland. At Maryland, at Minnesota, at Michigan. So s significant travel dis distances for those. Now UCLA as much of a hater of NECO as I am, you are probably better than Wisconsin. You're definitely better than Purdue. But you gotta play USC. You're not better than them. Spoiler alert. You're not better than Michigan. I don't necessarily think you're overly better than Illinois. Oh, oh, we were we were so good. They missed November by a day. But again, UCLA, what are we doing? Nevada at the end of October?

SPEAKER_00 1:50:49

Yeah. What are we doing? We spoke too soon. We spoke too soon.

SPEAKER_03 1:50:55

What are we doing here?

SPEAKER_00 1:50:56

But it could be worse. It could be Merrimack.

SPEAKER_03 1:50:59

It could be worse. Yeah, at least you're playing a good, uh, a somewhat decent, you're playing Mountain West teams in your non-con slate there with San Diego State and Nevada. It could be worse. You could be playing the Citadel like Alabama likes to in in November. So, you know, we'll cut you some slack on that, but maybe move that game up to you know September next year.

SPEAKER_00 1:51:20

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_03 1:51:23

We're not knocking you for the opponent. We're knocking you for the time slot.

SPEAKER_00 1:51:27

Time slot, exactly.

SPEAKER_03 1:51:31

Anyway, UCLA, they could be a sleeper. They're not my sleeper. Obviously, my my big my big sleeper is is Washington to sneak in there and possibly get to a Big Ten title. But talent, I like the coach from James Madison that they've got. I mean, they could make a pretty quick jump from being bottom tier to upper mid-tier. I'm thinking possibly with this schedule.

SPEAKER_00 1:52:06

Yeah, I just worry. I worry that, I mean, I get it. James Madison made it to the comp the CFP. But when you look at their entire schedule, I mean, now you're you're coaching a Big Ten team. It's a different, it's got to be a different speed. It's got to be a different type of ball.

SPEAKER_03 1:52:32

Much different than the Sunbelt.

SPEAKER_00 1:52:34

Yeah. And so I think it's a step up for him, which is good for him for getting that opportunity. But I do think it's heavy rebuild for the maybe not for the team, but for the coach. I think it I think they do have the possibility to make that that jump, you know, to a middle tier or maybe even lower upper tier, but I think it's going to be several years in the making. I don't think it's anything quick.

SPEAKER_03 1:53:06

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, and I can get behind that. So yeah, not a lot more on UCLA. Ceiling 7-5 for me. Yeah, I like that ceiling. And another missed bowl game is the floor.

SPEAKER_00 1:53:24

Yeah. I I like 7-5, do the inverse 5-7.

SPEAKER_03 1:53:29

It's the depth, dude. They they don't have a lot of depth.

SPEAKER_00 1:53:32

Well, you're also you're also recruiting against a far superior U USC team right down the road. So I mean, if I'm if I'm a player out in LA or California, I'm probably going to go to USC before I go to UCLA.

SPEAKER_03 1:53:51

Right. But anyway, moving on. Let's go to Maryland.

SPEAKER_00 1:53:55

Maryland.

SPEAKER_03 1:53:56

You and your cool helmets over there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:53:58

That's about all you got.

SPEAKER_03 1:53:59

Now, they do have a good dual threat quarterback in Malik Washington. This is going to be his second season as the starting quarterback there. He's got an experienced left side of the offensive line. They only allowed nine sacks last year, and they returned three starters. That's a good sign for them up front. But they got to replace their top three wide receivers, and they have to develop a defense that's capable of finishing close games. So linebacker Daniel Wingate is returning after 102 tackles last year and becomes the organizing organizer and leader of a younger unit. The supporting cast has to has to prove that it can compete. This is definitely a, in my opinion, a lower mid-tier to lower tier team this year.

SPEAKER_00 1:55:00

With a very tough schedule.

SPEAKER_03 1:55:03

Very tough schedule for the Terrapins. I'd be pumped if you win five games. Yeah. You might have one of the tougher. I mean, you definitely have one of the tougher. I might go out on a limb and say maybe the toughest in terms of road games. In the Big Ten, you've got to go to USC, two Ohio State, and to Nebraska.

SPEAKER_00 1:55:38

Well, and watch out for my boy James Franklin coming in hot in week three. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:55:47

You do love James Franklin.

SPEAKER_00 1:55:50

I love the fact that that man took off on a dead sprint across the football field to break up a fight. Mad, mad respect.

unknown 1:55:59

Fair enough.

SPEAKER_03 1:56:02

Yeah, I I think you'll beat Wisconsin. Again, Wisconsin, oh how the mighty have fallen. You guys are going to be looking for a new coach mid-season, in my opinion. Yeah, not a lot more. Like, I'm sorry. When your program has fallen beneath Northwestern, it's time for a change. Yeah. But yeah, not a lot on Maryland. They like maybe seven and five is their ceiling, six and six. But they could also go four and eight.

SPEAKER_00 1:56:38

I I do think I think you you you win five games, you're definitely not bowling. And you're not high on the terapins at all, huh? No, no, I'm not. I'm not even gonna pretend.

SPEAKER_03 1:56:56

That is that is totally fair. Moving on to Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights, which you know we must thank because we wouldn't have college football without them, which is wild considering the state of your program. But they have restored some bowl level credibility, but they gotta have a more complete roster to take the to take a next step to get more towards the upper middle tier of the Big Ten. KJ Duff and Antoine Raymond are gonna give the Scarlet Knights some explosive high-volume options on on offense, and Raymond's workload can protect can protect the quarterback and preserve their physical identity that they want there. They have good defensive line depth, so they're gonna have to execute in the red zone, and they're gonna have to have a good new quarterback, whoever that might be. But they did add some add some good defensive transfers to create some more competition and consistency and depth on that side of the ball. Like I've mentioned, they can be dangerous every week, but they gotta finish games and they gotta hold up against the more physical teams in this league. So they could have really good goal placement. My ceiling for them is probably eight and four. But this is another team that like if they don't do well in the trenches, they could find themselves at four and eight and scratching their head going WTF.

SPEAKER_00 1:58:36

Yeah, they're they've got a pretty difficult schedule. Indiana, Michigan, Penn State, USC.

SPEAKER_03 1:58:48

They got Nebraska. Nebraska's gonna be fighting to keep their coach's job.

SPEAKER_00 1:58:53

I'm not sure if I like seven and five ceiling, floor. Again, I like five and seven. I I'm big on these inverse numbers tonight.

SPEAKER_03 1:59:08

And that that and that's fine. But I mean, I'm looking at it, I think they beat UMass. I think they're better than Boston College, because Boston College is just abysmal. You should beat Howard, please, for the love of God. You should beat Howard. I think you're a little bit better than Maryland as a whole. I think you're better than Northwestern. I've been wrong before. I think you're a little bit better than Northwestern. I do think you're better than Wisconsin, and I think you're better than Michigan State. Like I I think Rutgers could win eight games and have strong bowl placement. That's my ceiling. But they could be four and eight or five and seven, and miss the bowl game because they just don't have what it takes in the trenches.

SPEAKER_00 2:00:02

Time will tell. Very shortly we will find out.

SPEAKER_03 2:00:06

We will. Football's coming up soon. Fall camp started everywhere. That means the season is getting close. Only a few more weeks to week zero. Michigan State. Michigan State. Michigan State. Pat Fitzgerald, new head coach there in East Lansing. He's gonna have to take over a developmental type reboot. They do have enough defensive experience to try to be competitive quickly this season, but I'm not gonna count on it. Uh Jordan Hall is gonna lead them in the linebacker room. They got Nikai Martinez and multiple other transfer additions to strengthen their secondary. The defense is gonna give something to work with for Coach Fitzgerald there. But man, their offense lost three, their three leading receivers, and they got to blend transfers along the offensive line. So the quarterback development with Milovoch. I'm so sorry. I I cannot read that. Michigan State, your quarterback, is gonna be a big key to your team. Because I'm sorry, I'm not gonna butcher your name again by saying it. But yeah, their defense can can make it competitive, but they're gonna have to have an offensive stabilization factor. Because that side of the ball is gonna uh undergrow major change this season. I don't I'm not high on them. I like them because they're they're my second favorite team. I have family that that are all Spartan fans that live up there in Michigan, so you know, shout out to them. But yeah, I don't I don't think that they're gonna be very good this year. It's a rebuild. You gotta play, you gotta play Notre Dame this year. You gotta play at Michigan, obviously. You got Oregon on the schedule. But other than that, you've got some favorable games. So, you know, maybe you could surprise me and win seven games somewhere in there. But this could be a seven and five with a strong year turnaround for me, or this could be just they might beat Toledo and Eastern Michigan, and it could be a long road.

SPEAKER_00 2:02:42

Yeah, I'm sitting here trying to trying to visualize your wins and losses. You beat Toledo, you beat Eastern Michigan. I think you're gonna beat Wisconsin. Nebraska's gonna be up in the air. I don't think you beat Illinois.

SPEAKER_03 2:02:58

I you have absolutely no chance against Notre Dame.

SPEAKER_00 2:03:02

Yeah, I do think you're gonna beat Northwestern. So there's your four. Well, there's one, two. Yeah, that's four. That's yeah, there's four.

SPEAKER_03 2:03:13

I but again, Northwestern, Northwestern might be a toss-up because they they've got the defensive continuity that we talked about. So does Michigan State, but Northwestern may have a slightly better offense. We shall see. Again, big on Chip Kelly.

SPEAKER_00 2:03:29

I think you beat UCLA. I mean, I do think you beat UCLA, but I don't, you're not gonna beat Michigan, you're not beating Washington, you're not beating Oregon. And Rutgers.

SPEAKER_03 2:03:40

I don't know that you'll beat Rutgers.

SPEAKER_00 2:03:41

Yeah, that's gonna be a toss-up.

SPEAKER_03 2:03:43

So like again, if you if you make a bowl game this year, Spartans, you should be happy. Six and six? Yeah, I mean, my ceiling is if they sneak in there and win a seventh game against a team that they maybe shouldn't, that might be, and the one that I'm looking at there, it might be Nebraska or Illinois. But yeah, I mean, be happy if you get to a bowl game there.

SPEAKER_00 2:04:09

Yep, I agree.

SPEAKER_03 2:04:12

Now, the worst of the worst, guys. These are my two worst teams in the conference. There's not a lot to talk about here. Wisconsin and and Purdue. Luke Fickle is going, in my opinion, is going to be fired before the end of the season, and they'll be searching for another new coach there in Madison pretty early. They've got a good defense, they're veteran there, but they just they've got to show some type of progress on on offense, and they haven't. But they've added 30 transfers. I mean, they overhauled the offensive line this year. I I don't know if that's gonna gel. I I just sorry. Wisconsin lace them up, layup lines, Luke Fickle, check out indeed, my friend.

SPEAKER_00 2:05:17

Update the resume. Well, you start your season off against Notre Dame on the road. Not a great way to start. Uh you may get an eat you get an easy win in western Illinois, you would assume, and eastern Michigan. You would assume then you got Penn State. And then it doesn't have any better.

SPEAKER_03 2:05:43

No, no. Now you do avoid Michigan, you avoid Indiana, you avoid Oregon and Ohio State, but like, and yes, like looking at your schedule, you play a bunch of the more lower tier or middle of the road teams, but I just don't think you're that good. I'm sorry. Again, Luke Fickle, upgrade the resume, hit up indeed. Wisconsin fans look forward to basketball season, along with Kentucky. And that is all I have to say on the Badgers.

SPEAKER_00 2:06:20

Six and six, four and eight. That's what I'm giving them. And that's being generous. Yeah, yeah. That's being very generous. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:06:31

Not much else to say on Wisconsin. Not a lot more to say on Purdue. Barry Odom, it's his second year there. They're gonna have another rebuild. Now they do have some continuity at quarterback, but they have more than 50 newcomers to this team. 54 to be exact. That's like literally your entire roster. Yeah. Like. Yeah, they were more competitive last year, but the boys. Again, look forward to basketball season.

SPEAKER_00 2:07:03

Yeah, their schedule's tough. Yeah, this is gonna be if you win four games, great.

SPEAKER_03 2:07:10

Be good on you. Good on you.

SPEAKER_00 2:07:12

Be happy. That's all I've got. I mean, yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_03 2:07:16

Four and eight else on ceiling in Wisconsin. Yeah, I mean, good luck, guys. And you may get luck.

SPEAKER_00 2:07:25

You may be two and ten with a win over Indiana State and maybe Wake Forest.

SPEAKER_03 2:07:30

Maybe. Well, if Wake Forest dog walks you again, you might be looking at it at a one and eleven year.

SPEAKER_00 2:07:37

Yeah, this this could be rough.

SPEAKER_03 2:07:39

This is rough. This is rough, guys. So yeah, sorry, Purdue and Wisconsin. You guys are the bottom of the barrel here for us on the campus report and CSN network. But hey, if you're interested in any, you know, if you athletes are interested in some individual deals, we will get you taken care of with some content creation. Hit us up. Absolutely. All right. We've covered all the 18 teams. Now let's make some decisions here. Keaton, for the Big Ten championship game, who is your picks? I go explain why. Who is going to be in the game to start with? I should clarify.

SPEAKER_00 2:08:29

I think it's going to be Ohio State and Oregon. I do not believe Indiana is going to make an appearance again. I think Fernando Mendoza played too big of a part. And I don't think that Hoover is going to be able to fill those shoes. Dante Moore, as we talked previously, is a solid quarterback. Julian Sand is also a solid quarterback. I think Dan Lanning and Ryan Day, both phenomenal coaches. I'd like to see Oregon win that game because I'm not a huge Buckeye fan. Right. And I think Dan Lanning's do.

SPEAKER_03 2:09:11

So that's my pick. I would I'm going to have to agree. My pick is Ohio State and Oregon will play in this game. I do think that they're they're a tier above the next two teams, which in my opinion are going to be Indiana and probably USC Washington. Like we mentioned, that USC and Washington game is going to be very telling early in the season. But yeah, Ohio State and Oregon, I would I would like to see Oregon win this game. It's going to be a rematch of a regular season game.

SPEAKER_00 2:09:52

I'd like to see Oregon win it, but I would I would be you know what?

SPEAKER_03 2:09:56

I'm gonna pick Oregon to win this conference. I think that this is gonna be Dan Lenning's breakthrough year and finally get it done because of the depth and the completeness of his roster. He has he's he's got reliability at every position, proven reliability at every position. I should like I should clarify, I like Oregon.

SPEAKER_00 2:10:18

I'm gonna I'm I'm gonna pick Ohio State solely, again, I I want it to be Oregon. But going back to what we talked on, I think Oregon can't seem to close the door when they need to. And I think it's gonna come down to experience in those moments, and I think Ohio State has the edge of experience in those in those big moments where they need you they need to close out those games. So unfortunately, fortunately, however you want to look at it, I think Ohio State probably wins that championship game. But again, I would like to see Oregon.

SPEAKER_03 2:10:58

Your pick is Ohio State for the Big Ten championship, and mine is Oregon for the offensive player of the year. I believe Dante Moore will win that award. My defensive player of the year is going to be Mateo Uyungalay at Oregon, and my breakout player of the year is I'm gonna surprise people. I'm gonna take Drake Lindsay at Minnesota.

SPEAKER_00 2:11:27

Okay. I like Julian Sand from Ohio State for my offensive player, my defensive player. I like Isaiah Jones there at the Hoosiers, and then I think my breakout player, I think, I think he's gonna put his money where his mouth is, and that's gonna be Bryce Underwood at Michigan.

SPEAKER_03 2:11:47

I think Kyle Whittingham is gonna get him in most likely surprise team here. I'm gonna go with I'm gonna go with Nebraska just because I think that they've got a little bit more talent than the other like middle of the road teams like UCLA, Illinois, Maryland, Northwestern. Uh and and Nebraska, I think they're really gonna be fighting for rule to keep his job there. I think they could they can make some noise, possibly. And the most most likely oh, sorry, go ahead. No, no, no, no. You go on. My most likely to disappoint is gonna be Penn State. I think that that they're gonna they're gonna expect Campbell to do something rather quickly, and it's not gonna go as fast as people predict.

SPEAKER_00 2:12:40

Yeah, I I concur with Penn State. However, on the likely to surprise, I'm gonna say USC, even though I I think they're a little bit higher tier. Yeah, I think getting a better Gary Patterson in at DC is gonna be could be game-changing form. So I think they come out this year and and and maybe screw some things up in the Big Ten for real. I know that wasn't one of the options, but that's my pick.

SPEAKER_03 2:13:14

Well, though, I mean though those are just those are just our notes. I mean, we've talked a lot in this podcast all over two hours here.

SPEAKER_01 2:13:24

Our coach facing the most pressure.

SPEAKER_03 2:13:32

I have in my notes Luke Fickle, Matt Rule, and Lincoln Riley. We know that there's heavy pressure and there's always gonna be heavy pressure at Nebraska and USC because of the nature of and history of those programs. But in my opinion, I'm gonna have to pick Luke Fickle here because I think he's the only one in massive jeopardy of losing his job at the end of this season, unless Matt Rule absolutely like they absolutely shit the bet at Nebraska. Like I think if Nebraska makes a bowl game, Rule's gonna keep his job for another year. I I don't like I don't see a scenario in which Luke Fickle keeps his job.

SPEAKER_00 2:14:14

I don't. Which which to me makes for me the obvious answer would be Matt Rule because you've got to make a bowl game to keep your job. I think Luke Fickle already knows his, I think he's already got his boxes packed under his desk, just waiting for them to call him and say, all right, you're done. So for me, I think Matt Rule's got that pressure because he knows he has to make a bowl game to stay employed.

SPEAKER_03 2:14:45

That's that I mean that that's fair. I think the lead the Lincoln Riley's not like his seat's warming up, but it's not scorching. No, I think I think it cooled down once he got rid of Alex, the defensive coordinator. So uh just to recap on our conference prediction. I have Oregon winning the conference title game against Ohio State. My surprise team is Nebraska or Washington. Washington more so in the upper tier that could possibly make the Big Ten title. And then the biggest pressure program is still gonna be Wisconsin for me.

SPEAKER_00 2:15:29

Yep. I've got Ohio's, I mean, yes, I've got Ohio State winning the title. I really like your the the more we talk about Washington, the more I like them. As that surprise team, I don't really think there's any other program with that surprise factor. And then for me, I'm gonna go Nebraska for the pressure program.

SPEAKER_03 2:15:52

All right. So as we've all we've spent these last two hours covering, the Big Ten is gonna enter 2026 with the defending national champion, two teams that are built to win the national title right now, and a middle class filled with programs capable of making some noise.

SPEAKER_00 2:16:14

Ohio State has the conference's most explosive passing combination. Oregon may have the deepest roster in the country. Indiana is defending a perfect season, and Michigan is beginning a new era built around Bryce Underwood.

SPEAKER_03 2:16:29

While USC and Washington have playoff level quarterbacks, Penn State is gonna try to accelerate a major transition roster and coaching overhaul. Iowa and Illinois are gonna be difficult physical opponents, and Nebraska, Northwestern, UCLA, and Maryland have paths to break through into the Big Ten race.

SPEAKER_00 2:16:52

Then there's the pressure programs we've discussed. Wisconsin obviously needs its massive roster overhaul to work. Michigan State rebuilding under Pat Fitzgerald. Rutgers are searching for the next step, and Purdue is trying to turn turn competitiveness into we into wins.

SPEAKER_03 2:17:12

So the Big Ten may ultimately be decided by quarterback play, the depth on the line of scrimmage, and which team is going to handle the league's travel and weekly physical demands most consistently.

SPEAKER_00 2:17:25

So now it's you guys' turn, as the listeners, we want to hear from you. Who wins the Big Ten? Which team is being overlooked, and which program is headed for the biggest disappointment this season.

SPEAKER_03 2:17:37

Follow Campus Sports Network across all social media. Our handle is at CSN Media underscore. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify to the Campus Report Podcast. Share this episode with the college football fan who's preparing their in-office arguments for the upcoming season.

SPEAKER_00 2:17:58

For Keaton and everyone at Campus Sports Network, I'm sorry. For Pat and everyone at Campus Sports Network, I'm Keaton.

SPEAKER_03 2:18:07

And remember, if it's on campus, it's on CSN, and we will see you on the next edition of the campus report.