The episode kicks off with JR welcoming co-hosts Zach Guggenheim and Big Jeff, setting the stage for in-depth Big Ten football predictions while poking fun at SEC bias. They dive straight into week-by-week breakdowns, starting with non-conference games like Rutgers vs. Ohio (Rutgers win) and Ohio State vs. Texas (Buckeyes edge it out despite Jeff's Texas pick). Early weeks feature quick consensus on blowouts, such as Michigan over New Mexico and Oregon over Montana State, but debates heat up on trickier matchups like Northwestern vs. Tulane (Tulane majority) and UCLA vs. Utah (Utah sweep).

As they progress to conference play in week four, discussions intensify with games like Iowa at Rutgers (Iowa) and Illinois at Indiana (Indiana mild upset via home-field edge). Key rivalries spark banter: Oregon over Oregon State, USC over Michigan State, and Michigan at Nebraska (Nebraska upset with young QB concerns for Michigan). They highlight potential traps, like Ohio State's tough mid-season road stretch (Illinois, Wisconsin, Washington), where upsets could lurk.

Mid-episode, they tackle big clashes: Penn State at Michigan (Penn State), Ohio State at Oregon (Buckeyes in a close one), and USC at Michigan (USC). Fun moments include Zach's Northwestern loyalty clashing with picks, Jeff's Godfather references, and JR's vow not to pick Ohio State over Michigan until it happens again (leading to a tiebreaker favoring Buckeyes). Later weeks cover revenge games like Iowa over Michigan State and rivalry week fireworks: Nebraska over Iowa, Indiana over Purdue, and Oregon over Washington (despite Zach's Husky upset call).

The trio resolves splits by majority vote or chat input, emphasizing Big Ten depth and young QBs' impact. They wrap with projected standings: Ohio State 12-0 (though all doubt perfection), Penn State 11-1, Oregon 10-2, Michigan 10-2, Nebraska 10-2 (playoff bubble with USC/Michigan wins but UCLA loss). Thoughts on playoff chances, like Nebraska needing help at 10-2, and optimism for mid-tier teams like Illinois (9-3) close out. Banter flows with anti-SEC jabs, family mentions (Jeff attending Indiana game), and calls for subscriptions. A lively, insightful session blending analysis, laughs, and bold forecasts for Big Ten fans.

More from JR: Personal Twitter: https://x.com/jrs_rankings Big Ten Twitter: https://x.com/TheBigTenHuddle Read JR's Ohio State coverage: https://scarletandgame.com/author/jrhoades1 Read JR's Illinois coverage: https://writingillini.com/author/jrhoades1

SPONSORS
Coach's Film Room - Sign up for the Menace Army: Colonel tier at https://menace2sports.com/channels/coachs-film-room
Bleav - https://bleav.com/
Homefield - https://www.homefieldapparel.com/?rfsn=7872586.e3e1d25 | Coupon Code: TBTH

Catch The Big Ten Huddle Football Episodes 3 times a week. Here is when to catch our live or premiere episodes that are about an hour long (eastern time):

• Sunday at 9 PM w/ Zack
• Tuesday at 9 PM w/ Zack
• Thursday at 9 PM w/ Jeff

You can also expect videos by JR throughout the week covering news and interesting topics.

*All times are Eastern time

AUDIO ONLY PLATFORMS
The Big Ten Huddle is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon.
LISTEN: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/TheBigTenHuddle
LEAVE a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-college-huddle-podcast/id1703305789
STREAM on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tMaraKvafFzjUrXGq2c4w

The Big Ten Huddle is a podcast dedicated to providing honest, humorous, and insightful analysis of Big Ten football and basketball. With a focus on challenging the national bias, especially against the SEC, hosts JR and Zack offer unfiltered discussions that engage fans of all Big Ten teams. Though critical at times, they always aim to defend the conference and give credit where it’s due, bringing humor and deep analysis together for a unique listening experience.

Rooted in values of integrity, passion, and community, The Big Ten Huddle strives to become the go-to voice for Big Ten sports fans.

There is no show out there like The Big Ten Huddle!