The Big Ten Huddle Podcast

Big Ten football news from the Spring Meetings! Tony Petitti confirms the Big Ten’s deep commitment to a 24 team playoff and draws a hard line — no compromise on 16 teams. JR breaks down the unanimous coach support, Ryan Day & Brett Bielema comments, the potential NCAA breakaway, Jamie Pollard’s fiery quote, and fact-checks Stuart Mandel’s misleading financial article. In this episode of The Big Ten Huddle, we cover why the Big Ten is pushing hard for 24 teams, how the bracket and play-in games would actually work, the economics behind the move, and what it means for parity, access, and the future of college football. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro & Tony Petitti Confirms Big Ten’s Deep Commitment to 24 Teams 2:45 – All Big Ten Coaches United on 24-Team Playoff Expansion 4:25 – Brett Bielema’s “As Many Teams As Humanly Possible” Comment 6:40 – Ryan Day on What’s Best for Ohio State vs the Conference 8:50 – Why the Big Ten Wants 24 Teams: Access, Parity & Meaningful Games 11:40 – NIL, Transfer Portal & How 2026 College Football Has Changed 13:50 – Breaking Down the 24-Team Bracket: Byes & Play-In Games Explained 16:40 – Why Playoff Games Are Better Than Traditional Bowl Games 17:50 – The NCAA Breakaway Discussion Begins 19:10 – Jamie Pollard’s Fiery Quote on Big Ten & SEC Leaving the NCAA 22:30 – Big Ten & SEC Revenue Dominance & Potential Breakaway from NCAA 25:40 – Tampering, Revenue Sharing Caps & CSC Power Issues 27:20 – Fact-Checking Stuart Mandel’s Article on the 24-Team Playoff 30:10 – Myth #1: No One Will Pay for the Extra Playoff Games 33:40 – Myth #2: Losing Conference Title Games Would Be a Financial Disaster 37:20 – Fox Sports Strongly Supports 24 Teams (Aaron Shanks Comments) 40:50 – ESPN’s Concerns About Regular Season Ratings & Viewership 44:20 – Non-Conference Scheduling & Strength of Schedule Debate 48:10 – Fox’s Long-Term Strategy & NFL Positioning 51:30 – March Madness Comparison & Why 24 Teams Makes Sense 55:40 – Final Thoughts & What’s Next Welcome to The Big Ten Huddle — your home for honest, in-depth Big Ten football news, analysis, and debate. Like, subscribe, and drop a 5-star review on Apple/Spotify if you enjoy the show. Let us know in the comments who you want on the show next! #BigTenFootball #TonyPetitti #24TeamPlayoff #BigTenSpringMeetings #CollegeFootballPlayoff #BigTen #CFPExpansion ️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5102755454124032 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Big Ten football news, Big Ten QBs, Julian Sayin, Dante Moore, Jayden Maiava, Josh Hoover, SEC QBs. JR and Doug Lesmerises break down why the Big Ten has the BEST group of quarterbacks in college football heading into 2026. Julian Sayin’s insane stats, national media sleeping on him vs. Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Jayden Maiava, Josh Hoover, Drake Lindsey, Bryce Underwood and more give the Big Ten a massive QB advantage. In this episode of The Big Ten Huddle, Doug (Bill & Doug Show) joins JR to discuss Sayin’s Heisman-level production, the top Big Ten QB situations, why the conference’s depth will silence SEC talk, and key 2026 Big Ten vs SEC matchup implications. Timestamps: 0:00 – Welcome & Doug Lesmerises Intro 2:32 – Julian Sayin: Most Underrated QB in America? 9:40 – Big Ten QB Draft & National Comparisons (Dante Moore, CJ Carr, Arch Manning) 13:18 – Josh Hoover, Jayden Maiava, Drake Lindsey, Bryce Underwood & Big Ten Depth 18:45 – Big Ten vs SEC Games That Matter in 2026 21:00 – Ohio State vs Texas Breakdown 27:25 – Michigan vs Oklahoma 33:02 – Minnesota vs Mississippi State & the Depth Argument 42:54 – Final Thoughts & Where to Find Doug Presented by FanDuel. Subscribe to The Big Ten Huddle for daily Big Ten football analysis, recruiting, game previews, and more! New episodes drop multiple times a week. Check out Doug’s content: The Bill & Doug Show on YouTube + billanddougosu.substack.com #BigTenFootball #BigTenQBs #CollegeFootball2026 #JulianSayin #DanteMoore #JoshHoover #BigTenVsSEC Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

JR reveals the real reason so many national media voices (especially ESPN personalities) are against the 24-team college football playoff. It’s not just TV rights — they don’t want to have to deeply know and cover 40+ teams every season instead of the usual 5-10 blue-blood programs. College football playoff news, national media, 24 team playoff, SEC bias, Big Ten football, ESPN vs Fox, Bud Elliott Cover 3. Plus: 5-star WR Manchon Sales snaps back at Indiana prediction, top Big Ten basketball NBA draft decisions (Jeremy Fears Jr., Andre Stojakovic, Merez Johnson Jr., Tunde Yesufu & more), and Big Ten Bible Study on Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:28-30). Timestamps 0:00 – National Media vs 24-Team Playoff (the secret reason) 4:00 – Bud Elliott Cover 3 clip that broke it open 12:18 – Manchon Sales reacts to Indiana prediction 23:52 – Big Ten Basketball: Top 5 NBA Draft Decisions 34:52 – Big Ten Bible Study (Matthew 14:28-30) Big Ten Huddle with JR brings you honest, off-the-cuff Big Ten football, recruiting, basketball, and faith-based content every week. Presented by FanDuel. New episodes drop Tuesdays at 7 PM ET. Subscribe, turn on notifications, and drop your thoughts in the comments — do you agree the media just doesn’t want to learn the rest of college football? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

JR and Greg Flugar break down Big Ten football news and the 24-team playoff impact on Big Ten winners and losers. Big Ten football news: how the 24-team CFP turns Iowa into a January fixture at 8-4, gives huge opportunities to Minnesota football, Illinois, and Michigan State, while Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, Michigan, Penn State, and USC could secretly give up advantages. Regular season gets more important for more Big Ten teams with new storylines and incentives. JR sits down with Greg Flugar (Gopher Godfather, host of College Football’s Peak Around the Corner) for a full Big Ten analysis on the 24-team college football playoff. They cover which Big Ten programs have the most to gain or lose, why expanded access creates more valuable games, comparisons to SEC teams like South Carolina, and broader implications for the sport. Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro: 24-Team CFP & Big Ten Impact 0:35 – Greg Flugar Joins the Show 5:10 – Oregon Discussion & Minnesota Gophers 2025 Outlook 14:55 – Why the 24-Team Playoff Makes Regular Season Better 23:45 – Big Ten Teams with the MOST to GAIN (Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan State) 37:10 – Big Ten Teams with the MOST to LOSE (Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, Michigan) 48:10 – SEC Comparisons, Rivalries & Broader Implications 58:20 – Iowa QB Talk, Wisconsin, Final Thoughts with Greg 1:02:10 – Big Ten Bible Study Subscribe to The Big Ten Huddle for more Big Ten football news, winners & losers breakdowns, previews, and analysis! Find Greg Flugar: YouTube – College Football’s Peak Around the Corner | X – @FlugEmpire #BigTenFootball #24TeamPlayoff #IowaHawkeyes #OhioStateFootball #MinnesotaFootball #BigTenWinnersAndLosers #CFP #IllinoisFootball #OregonDucks ️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5102755454124032 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

JR breaks down why ESPN is holding college football back by keeping the College Football Playoff at 12 teams, manipulating their SEC relationship, and blocking expansion. Big Ten football news, ESPN Playoffs, College football playoffs, Fox, CFP, Jim Phillips quote, 24-team playoff push, SEC bias exposed. In this episode of The Big Ten Huddle, JR explains ESPN’s monopoly on CFP licensing, how it favors the SEC, why the Big Ten (and Fox/NBC/CBS) want 24 teams, and what it means for TV rights and NFL negotiations. Plus Kirk Cignetti’s Josh Pate interview takeaways on Indiana football, huge 2026 recruiting prediction for consensus 5-star WR Monshawn Sales to the Hoosiers, other official visitors, and a short Big Ten Bible Study on Paul’s courage in prison. Chapters: 00:00 ESPN Is Actively Holding College Football Back (12-Team CFP) 15:42 Kirk Cignetti Josh Pate Interview Takeaways (Indiana QB, Team Mindset) 26:42 Indiana Lands Huge 5-Star WR Prediction: Monshawn Sales + Recruiting Visitors 37:07 Big Ten Huddle Bible Study: Paul in Herod’s Palace (Acts 24-26) Big Ten football fans — if you’re tired of national media bias and want honest Big Ten perspective with a side of recruiting intel and faith talk, hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and turn on notifications. New episodes drop regularly! The Big Ten Huddle is your home for unfiltered Big Ten football news, Indiana Hoosiers updates, CFP analysis, recruiting, and more. Presented by FanDuel. Questions or Bible topics? Email [email protected]. Thanks for watching — Go Big Ten! ️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5102755454124032 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.