JR and Zack kick off with fun banter about Minnesota running out of fireworks after scoring big, then roast the AP poll for biases like underranking teams such as USC, Nebraska, and Minnesota while overhyping SEC squads. They critique voters like Pete Yannity and Reese Davis for odd rankings, including Notre Dame too high and Illinois inconsistently placed. Transitioning to the main topic, they share one lesson per Big Ten team: Illinois' Luke Altmyer emerges as a top QB needing to carry a middling run game; Iowa's Cade McNamara hasn't upgraded the passing attack despite NIL spending; Purdue looks powerful and well-coached under Barry Odom, poised for upsets; Washington's Jonah Coleman runs like the nation's best back so far; Rutgers' success hinges on QB Athan Kaliakmanis and explosive receivers like Ian Strong; Maryland's young QB Malik Washington needs more support to avoid freshman mistakes; Indiana's offense under Curt Cignetti shows promise but must prove consistency; Michigan's defense is elite but offense struggles with QB issues; Michigan State's Aidan Chiles has star potential if he cuts turnovers; Minnesota's Brosmer leads a potent attack but defense needs work; Nebraska's Raiola impresses as a true freshman leader; Northwestern's run game shines but passing lags; Ohio State's talent overwhelms, with a dominant defense; Oregon's Dillon Gabriel adapts well despite line concerns; Penn State's explosive offense could contend if defense steps up; UCLA battles injuries but shows grit; USC's Miller Moss and revamped defense signal a turnaround; Wisconsin's QB woes persist under Phil Longo. They touch on power rankings, Heisman chatter, and preview upcoming games like USC-Purdue. The episode wraps with appreciation for listeners and teases future content.

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

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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

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!

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