We tackle the Big Ten with the first of our three-part conference preview and break all 18 teams into tiers, discuss the biggest storylines and use protein metaphors to capture just how overwhelming this massive conference has become. From Ohio State's run at another national championship to Penn State's lofty expectations and the intriguing battle for fourth place, we unpack what makes this conference both excellent and exhausting. In this college football podcast episode, we debate our contender tier with Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon and... Michigan (?), analyze the fascinating second tier among six quality teams, wonder which "weird little stinkers" might surprise us. Plus, we examine why this might be the most difficult conference to rank from top to bottom. We explore Ty's bold Nebraska optimism versus Dan's skepticism, debate whether USC can finally finish games in the fourth quarter, wonder if Iowa's Mark Gronowski will bring his FCS magic to Iowa City, and talk through what the transfer of Nico Iamaleava means for UCLA. Plus, is Illinois fool's gold? Can Indiana make another improbable playoff run? Should we start a support group for Minnesota football fans? Will Northwestern finally get something from a transfer quarterback? Can Rutgers make a bowl? How far can the combo of Aiden Chiles and Nick Marsh take Michigan State? And what will Purdue look like with 69 new players?! Consider this your starter pack for navigating the beautiful bulk that is Big Ten football in 2025. Timestamps:0:00 - Opening Thoughts11:31 - Sleepers15:58 - The Contenders27:30 - The Battle for Fourth49:31 - Weird Little Stinkers59:14 - Drive for Six1:08:32 - The Bottom1:13:17 - Big Ten Predictions Support the show and get perks like ad-free episodes, early releases, bonus content, Discord access and much more: https://www.verballers.com _____ A fan of our college football podcast? Leave us a rating and review, and don't forget to subscribe or follow so you don't miss any of our podcast episodes: Apple Podcasts: https://play.solidverbal.com/apple-podcasts Spotify: https://play.solidverbal.com/spotify Amazon Music: https://play.solidverbal.com/amazon-music Overcast: https://play.solidverbal.com/overcast Pocket Casts: https://play.solidverbal.com/pocketcasts Podcast Addict: https://play.solidverbal.com/podcast-addict CastBox: https://play.solidverbal.com/castbox Our college football show is also available on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@solidverbal Learn more about the show on our website: https://www.solidverbal.com/about Want to get in touch? Give us a holler on Twitter: @solidverbal, @tyhildenbrandt, @danrubenstein, on Instagram, or on Facebook. You can also find our college football podcast out on TikTok and Threads. Stay up to date with our free weekly college football newsletter: https://quickslants.solidverbal.com/subscribe. College football has been our passion since we started The Solid Verbal College Football Podcast back in 2008. We don't just love college football, we live it!Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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