Big Ten Football Talk

Lots of smoke around Notre Dame potentially being wooed by the Big Ten.  However, let's get one thing straight: The Big Ten doesn't NEED Notre Dame.  They want them.   The same might not be true for Notre Dame, for the sole reason that the sport might be unrecognizable in the coming years.  

As the title says, this pod is all about the MAJOR implications of USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten Conference.  Not only does it change the landscape of the conference, but it will trigger some major shifts in the entire college football landscape.

The NFL Draft should be a national holiday, but it's not.  I didn't get to watch much, if any of it, live.  But I got to see the aftermath, and it was glorious.  Who won?  Who lost?  Why do the Chicago Bears hate Justin Fields!?  Also, I start by talking about Dwayne Haskins and his heart-breaking death, and we finish the episode talking about Pitt Receiver Jordan Add...

Reaction  to Ohio State lineman Harry Miller’s medical retirement, and the  reality that as we cheer as fans, we have no clue what is going on with  student-athletes behind the scenes.  Thank you H arry Miller for your bravery and courage to share so honestly.  Listen in, and make sure you go and watch Harry’s interview on the Today Show.  Sobering stuff.

The NFL Combine was last week, which means the NFL Draft is almost upon us.  The Big Ten was well represented, including players from several teams who are in 1st round consideration.  But what do we know about the players in this draft?   Are there any sure-fire superstars?  Or will we look back in five years and be underwhelmed?  

Don Casteline joins us from WGRC, a local Christian radio station here in Central Pennsylvania, where he has covered local high school football for 19 years.  Before that, he covered pro and college sports in the Philly area, including the Philadelphia Eagles and the Temple Owls Women's Basketball Team.  He's got plenty of experience when covering playoff sports, and he had plenty of ins...

Name, Image, and Likeness has taken college athletics by storm.  Between volleyball stars making seven figures for their IG followers, to mediocre QB's showing up in national Dr. Pepper ads, NIL has dramatically impacted the landscape of "amateur" athletics.  Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban and Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith started addressing the need for regulation for this. &nb...

Michigan lost both it's coordinators, and Jim Harbaugh flirted with several NFL teams before returning to his alma mater.  Is Michigan in turmoil after reaching their highest peak in 17 years?   Also, some thoughts on the Super Bowl, Recruiting shows why a Big Ten West Team has yet to win a Big Ten Title since the East/West split, and of course Caleb Williams went to USC.  

When Urban Meyer took over the Jacksonville Jaguars, many thought it would be a big time hire that would propel one of the worst franchises into a competent one.  Instead, he was fired before coaching a full season.  Between poor results on the field, and controversy off the field, he had one of the worst years ever as an NFL head coach.  How do we process it, considering how he hel...

Caleb Williams is probably a top 5 QB prospect in all of major college football.  So imagine the shock when we start seeing all the smoke that he may commit to the power-running offense of the Wisconsin Badgers!  Still, could he be Russell Wilson 2.0?  If he comes in, what does that mean for Wisconsin and the rest of the Big Ten?   Also, some major rumors that the Big Ten may b...

Welcome to another post-season edition of the Big Ten Football Talk Podcast, we'll discuss the Big Ten Power Rankings post bowl games, we react to ESPN's way too early top 25, and is Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan for the Las Vegas Raiders?  Would it be better for him to stay, or move on?  Would it be better for the Big Ten if he stayed, or left?  

Georgia finally beats Alabama to win their first national championship in 40+ years, Stetson Bennett shuts up all the doubters (including me), and how one complementary tweet about Brian Hartline has me ranting for 15 minutes about how Alabama losing Jameson Williams in the NC game is further evidence that Hartline is absolutely the best WR coach in the country.  

This episode is later than I wanted due to a run in with Covid-19, but we cover all the Big Ten bowl games, including what it means for each team going forward.  Also, we talk about the semi-finals, and who will ultimately win the National Championship.  

Cincinnati vs Alabama, Georgia vs Michigan.  Who gets to the National Championship Game?  Will there even be a National Championship Game?  Let's talk all about that and more, on the Big Ten Football Talk Podcast!

We're doing some bowl picks, with all the games from 12/17 to Christmas Day.  Also, Jim Harbaugh was the AP Coach of the Year, but I'm still adamant that Mel Tucker deserves that award.  Plus, why Signing Day and NIL may be the start of a conference-wide downturn.  

Bryce Young won the heisman... also, water is wet.  Nobody should be shocked that the Alabama QB won the award, but what about how people voted?  Should we feel upset that Will Anderson wasn't invited to New York?  Is it weird that Aiden Hutchinson was ahead of another defensive player who had way better stats (Spoiler Alert: No).  Also, why Marcus Freeman will make Notre Dame...

I was on vacation last week.  Just so happens that when I go on vacation, the college football world just implodes.  Also, Michigan beat a good Ohio State team for the first time in 18 years, and dominated Iowa to win a their first Big Ten Championship in 17 years, and they also get their first playoff appearance.  

This is probably my favorite episode that I've ever done.  I share why the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry matters so much to me, and I break down this game and what I think will happen (and also what could happen.)  Also, an apology to Andrel Anthony... I kept calling him Andrel Anderson.  But he's a stud, and someone to watch out for the Wolverines.  

It's Rivalry Week!  Check out the picks for the greatest week of all in college football.  (Note: The Ohio State/Michigan Pick will be on the Friday Podcast). Also, we breakdown the playoff rankings, which I surprisingly liked this week.   All that and more, on the Big Ten Football Talk Podcast!

Week 12 recap, including power rankings, top 10, run down of all the games from the Big Ten (plus a few others… I’m done picking against Cincinnati!). Also, why are people devaluing CJ Stroud’s heisman case?

Week 12 picks, featuring Spartans vs. Buckeyes, Cornhuskers vs. Badgers, and several key out of conference match-ups to boot!  Join us for all the action on the Big Ten Football Talk Podcast!

So, I rant a bit more in this, and I may not be the most clear or well reasoned on this episode.  Also, my rankings are probably just as bad as the CFP's, which to me proves that we need a different playoff system, because I DISAGREE WITH MY OWN RANKINGS!  But, I promise, there's worthwhile content in the midst of my own absurdity.  The Big Ten's round robin quickly approaches, as O...

Week 11 Picks, including Penn State hosting #6 Michigan, #4 Ohio State hosting #19 Purdue, Minnesota visiting the #20 Iowa Hawkeyes, and all the other Big Ten games.  Plus, bonus picks with Georgia/Tennessee, Oklahoma/Baylor, and Notre Dame/UVA.   Also, we talk about the wild inconsistencies with the CFP rankings, how the committee is in an impossible situation, and why this current form...

We recap week 10, including the big upset by Purdue over Michigan State, Why Wisconsin may be the most dangerous team in the Big Ten, and we discuss the dilemma that the CFP committee is in, as everyone in the top ten either struggled with lesser competition, or lost.  (Excluding Georgia.  Georgia's awesome).  Join us for the week 10 recap!

Week 10 Picks, including why Ohio State and Michigan State might be on upset alert.  Plus, we react to the first release of the playoff rankings, and boy... does it seem like they are cherry picking to get Alabama into the playoff.  Join us for all that and more on the Big Ten Football Talk Podcast!