Kirkwood and Dunn

Nick Saban goes on Pat McAfee and rattles off Big Ten teams worth watching — Ohio State, Oregon — and stops there. Trent says it's jealousy. Tim says he was just wrong about Cignetti like everyone else was. They debate the full backstory: the story from The Athletic where Cignetti raised his hand for a MAC job and Saban didn't advocate, why every other Alabama assistant got promoted or placed while Cignetti went to Division II, and whether it's irresponsible for someone with Saban's platform to keep omitting the defending national champions.

Then the Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt eligibility ruling got stayed on appeal — Trent and Tim break down why it's probably fine for the non-conference stretch. Brownsburg beat Lawrence North with Monshun Sales playing both ways and a three-star named Branden Sharpe torching the Wildcats for two touchdowns. Full Big Ten preview: Wisconsin as Trent's sleeper, Minnesota as Tim's, Wisconsin over USC as the upset of the year, Iowa over Washington as Tim's pick, Mike Locksley as the first Big Ten coach fired, and both hosts have Indiana meeting Oregon in the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis. John Fanta and Stanford Steve both break from the national media pack to give Indiana real respect. And the annual fall wedding debate: Trent won't go, Tim says just book a Thursday.

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Trent is in Los Angeles and spots a massive Fox Studios Big Ten billboard with Charlie Becker front and center — Ohio State nowhere to be found. Has Indiana replaced Ohio State as the Big Ten's biggest brand? Trent and Tim debate, then go rapid fire with one thing per Big Ten team: Iowa's inevitable 13-11 scoreboard meme, Ryan Day moving Ohio State's senior day to the Ball State opener, Tim waiting for Oregon's oopsie daisy playoff collapse, Purdue trying not to get fired in a snowy Bloomington, and Wisconsin being told to sit down.

Then NFL scouts visit fall camp and call Indiana's defensive line "like an NFL room" — Josh Hoover's arm being compared to Fernando Mendoza's. Paul Finebaum argues Indiana finishes third while simultaneously saying the middle of the Big Ten is bad AND Indiana will lose to those same teams — Tim delivers the full takedown. Alberto Mendoza says Indiana didn't want him (Trent isn't mad). Scott Dolson signs a middle-of-the-pack extension on purpose so money goes toward Cignetti's staff. And Trent sat next to a Canadian French man in short shorts on the flight who would not stop grabbing himself.

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Everyone says Indiana's staff continuity is their biggest advantage — but Trent went back to 1998 and found that national champions who retained all three coordinators actually have a slightly lower winning percentage the next year than those who lost one. He breaks down what's really driving that number (Alabama), why the blue chip ratio is still a better predictor, and why continuity raises your floor without guaranteeing your ceiling.

Then it's Indiana's 2026 schedule broken into tiers — Trent and Tim disagree on Northwestern, North Texas, and almost everything in between — a full breakdown of the Big Ten Network tailgate show (Bryant Haines says he needs to "hit more quarterbacks," Jake Butt calls Indiana's defensive line one of the deepest he's ever seen, Josh Hoover gives a press conference answer so polished Trent declares him a starting quarterback), and the real story behind the Indiana-Notre Dame series cancellation. No buyout. No money changed hands. Trent's reporting: USC made the demand, Notre Dame called Indiana to move the game, Indiana said no, and Notre Dame's media machine got to the narrative first.

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Trent and Tim do a full SWOT analysis of the Indiana Hoosiers — no PowerPoint, no circle graphic, just two guys arguing about what stands between Indiana and a back-to-back national championship. Strengths: coaching staff continuity with Cignetti, Brian Haynes, and Mike Shanahan all returning for the fifth straight year, a pass rush that just got Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley back, and the ability to make offenses completely one-dimensional. Weaknesses: offensive line depth, turnover risk from Josh Hoover in a new system, and an offense that could stall without the run game. Opportunities: beating Ohio State at home to take the Big Ten stranglehold, becoming the top transfer portal destination in college football, and permanently converting Indiana into a football-first fanbase. Threats: blue chip talent gaps against Ohio State, Oregon, and Texas — and Tim argues Julian Sayin has the capacity on October 17th to be the elite quarterback Indiana has never faced.

Then it's Cignetti's perfectly deadpan non-response to the Purdue AD, Fernando Mendoza's Raiders preseason debut preview, a top five NFL wide receivers of all time debate, and Football Weather tagging the show in a best foods at every FBS school segment — Indiana gets breaded tenderloin, Purdue gets something worse.

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Fall camp is in full swing and Kirkwood and Dunn has questions. Tim finally reacts to Purdue's new Athletic Director saying "if you don't want to win championships, go to Indiana" — and then having to go on an apology tour the next day. Kellan Wyatt is officially back, putting Indiana's defensive depth at 19 linemen and what could be the scariest pass rush in the Big Ten. Trent and Tim break down who the second cornerback is alongside Jamari Sharpe, whether Ajani or Joe Brunner wins the right tackle battle, and what the linebacker and tight end rooms actually look like with almost no proven contributors behind Ro Hardy and Bones Jones.

Then it's Kris Drew's co-host arguing Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt returning is bad for college football — Tim delivers a full takedown. Josh Hoover vs. Fernando Mendoza: does Hoover have to be Fernando to win a title, or did the defense and run game win that championship? Jeffrey the Greek ranks Indiana's running back room 7th and Indiana fans are not okay — Trent and Tim defend the ranking. And Indiana football alumni in the NFL: Omar Cooper Jr. at the Jets, Lou Moore being called the best steal of Dolphins camp, Khalil Benson potentially starting at right tackle for Kansas City, and Fernando Mendoza grasping the Raiders offense faster than expected.

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Bookstore Brew is now on its own Spotify and Apple feed — search Bookstore Brew and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. This is the last episode on the Kirkwood and Dunn Spotify feed.

Today's mug: the Purdue cup, brought out of retirement because Purdue's new Athletic Director — arriving from Rice University — opened his tenure by saying "if you don't want to win championships, go to Indiana." In 2026. Trent breaks down every angle of the fumble. Then Kellan Wyatt is officially back, Trent had the scoop from a second source before the announcement dropped, and Indiana's defensive depth chart now has 19 linemen and two of the best linebackers in the country. Kirk Herbstreit calls Trinidad Chambliss the face of college football — Trent makes the case it's always been the coach, not the player. And Michigan hides first semester grades to help with the mental health crisis — Trent thinks they're really helping faculty survive helicopter parents and post-COVID grade inflation.

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Fall camp is open in Bloomington and Kirkwood and Dunn celebrates with one of their best interviews yet — Coach Jermaine Wilson, wide receiver and strength coach at Lawrence North, the high school factory that has sent Omar Cooper Jr., Davion Chandler, Donovan McCulley, and Monshun Sales to Indiana. Coach Wilson talks about spotting Omar Cooper on day one of spring practice when coaches wanted to put him at free safety, why blocking is non-negotiable for his guys, what Coach Shanahan did on Monshun Sales' official visit that sealed the deal, and why he thinks Lawrence North wins a state championship this year. His Indiana prediction: 11-1 and playoff bound.

Then it's fall camp Day 1: Stephen Daley in a helmet and jersey firing off the line on Day 1 (Trent gets full credit for calling it first), Cignetti's press conference breakdown, the patellar tendon injury confirmed, why Trent is skeptical Kellan Wyatt and Holden Staes follow, the Jamari Sharp corner debate, Indiana's program valuation jumping from $386M to $696M in one year per the New York Times, the student ticket controversy, and Akron's brilliant "call a play" season ticket promotion.

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Trent called it on Episode 1 — Stephen Daley is officially running it back. Trent breaks down his full story from Kent State to Indiana, leading the Big Ten in tackles for loss, injuring himself celebrating after the Ohio State Big Ten Championship game, and now getting one more year. Then it's the preseason coaches poll reaction (Indiana at #6 — Trent makes peace with it, barely), why Kellan Wyatt's return is still up in the air, what the linebacker room needs, and a listener question about Indiana's best non-conference rivalry option. Trent's answer: bring back the Bourbon Barrel against Kentucky.

Plus Bookstore Brew now has its own Spotify feed — and Trent admits on record that he drinks flavored coffee.

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Welcome to Bookstore Brew — a new solo morning show from Trent McGee on the Kirkwood and Dunn channel, dropping Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Episode 1 covers the Indiana-Notre Dame series cancellation (Trent partially walks back calling Notre Dame cowards, then makes the case Indiana was fine letting it go), Cignetti's non-conference scheduling philosophy and when it becomes a liability, and a breaking take: Trent fully expects Stephen Daley back on Indiana's roster following the court injunction on the five-and-five eligibility rule. Plus a partial mea culpa on Josh Pate after his debut on the Brandon Walker College Football Show, and the story behind why the show is called Bookstore Brew.

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Cignetti walked into Big Ten Media Days and threw bars — and Ohio State fans are publicly declaring Indiana their new rival. Trent and Tim break down his pointed closing remarks taking shots at the SEC's scheduling complaints, a Cignetti clip that has everyone reading between the lines about Ajani's conditioning, Bert Bielema calling Indiana the most impressive thing he's seen in his coaching career, and Paul Finebaum actually breaking ranks on First Take to give Indiana real respect.

Then it's the Big Ten preseason media poll putting Indiana third behind Ohio State and Oregon (Trent and Tim disagree loudly), the jersey sponsorship arms race kicking off with Ohio State's Chase deal and Notre Dame's $20 million agreement, the Big Ten and SEC jointly backing the Save College Sports Act, Mikail Kamara's knee injury at 49ers camp, and Fernando Mendoza revealing Indiana was his fifth choice and his NIL wasn't even close to the highest offer he received.

Plus — Trent announces a new solo morning show launching this week called Bookstore Brew, and merch is finally coming.

Follow Tim @tbhoosiers and Trent @STMcGee. Find us everywhere @KirkwoodandDunn.

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