Welcome to the Big Ten Huddle with hosts Jeff and JR for "Big Jeff's Insights" - Part 1 of our deep dive into what makes Big Ten teams thrive. In this episode, we explore the historical and recent performance of nine Big Ten programs—Ohio State, Michigan, USC, Nebraska, Penn State, Washington, Oregon, UCLA, and Iowa—focusing on key metrics that define their success: conference win percentages since the 1970s, recent 5-year (2020-2024) conference win percentages, 5-year average national recruiting rankings, and 5-year average national rankings in NFL draft picks.

Big Jeff's Article: https://bigjeffsfootball.com/what-big-ten-teams-should-strive-to-be/

Topics Discussed
Historical Context (Since the 1970s): We examine conference win percentages to identify which teams have consistently dominated the Big Ten over decades. Ohio State and Michigan stand out, but how do newer members like USC and Oregon stack up?

Recent Performance (2020-2024): A look at the last five years of conference win percentages reveals which teams are trending upward or struggling to maintain their legacy.

Recruiting Power: Using 5-year average national recruiting rankings from sources like Rivals and 247Sports, we discuss how teams like Ohio State and Penn State attract top talent, and whether teams like Nebraska and Iowa are keeping pace.

NFL Draft Impact: We analyze 5-year average national rankings in NFL draft picks to see which programs are producing professional talent. Ohio State leads, but surprises like Iowa shine here.

Program Comparisons: Jeff and JR compare these metrics to other top programs outside the Big Ten, offering insights into what Big Ten teams should strive for to compete nationally.

Additional Notes
This episode draws on data from ESPN, 247Sports, and Rivals for recruiting and draft rankings, with historical win percentages sourced from official Big Ten records.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we cover the remaining Big Ten teams and dive deeper into strategies for sustained success.

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your favorite Big Ten team or insights using #BigTenHuddle.

Links and Contact Information
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Email us: jrsrankings@gmail.com
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Data sources: ESPN College Football, 247Sports, Rivals

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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

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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