June 13, 2025

Who Was the Best Big Ten Team Each Decade? | Big Jeff's Football Insights

1 hour 3 minutes

In this episode of the Big Ten Huddle, JR is joined by Jeff from Big Jeff's Insights to dive deep into the historical performance of Big Ten football teams, focusing on in-conference winning percentages since the 1970s. Jeff presents detailed data tables, available at BigJeffsFootball.com, that break down team records by decade, color-coded to show elite (70-100%), good (55-69%), mediocre (46-54%), poor (31-45%), and bad (0-30%) performances.

Key Topics Discussed

Historical Overview: Jeff explains why he chose the 1970s as the starting point, marking it as the modern era of college football, and discusses how past success indicates potential for future improvement (00:03:30).

2020s Analysis: The episode highlights the top-heavy nature of the Big Ten in the 2020s, with only Michigan, Ohio State, and Oregon achieving elite status (00:07:20). Iowa and Penn State are noted as "good" performers, with Iowa’s consistency under Kirk Ferentz surprising many (00:09:31).

Team Evolutions: Jeff and JR discuss teams like Minnesota, boosted by P.J. Fleck’s leadership (00:48:12), and Northwestern’s turnaround from the 1980s doormat to a competitive program (00:49:09). Indiana and Rutgers, in the "bad" category, show recent promise (00:52:36).

Recruiting Insights: Jeff shares his experience attending a 7-on-7 tournament at Kennesaw State, noting the presence of Michigan and UCLA recruiters in Georgia, a talent hotbed (00:00:50).

Future Outlook: The addition of Pac-12 teams like Oregon and USC is seen as a boost for the Big Ten’s competitiveness, with discussions on how teams like Indiana could leverage deep-pocketed alumni (00:53:47).

Useful Timestamps

00:00:01 - Introduction to Big Jeff's Insights and episode premise

00:03:30 - Jeff explains the data tables and historical context

00:07:20 - Breakdown of 2020s Big Ten records

00:09:31 - Discussion on Iowa’s surprising fourth-place ranking

00:48:12 - Minnesota’s improvement under P.J. Fleck

00:49:09 - Northwestern’s historical turnaround

00:52:36 - Indiana and Rutgers’ historical struggles and recent hope

00:59:44 - Predictions for Indiana’s 2025 preseason ranking

Additional Notes

Jeff emphasizes the importance of objective data to cut through biases, offering a candid look at the Big Ten’s strengths and weaknesses. The episode sets the stage for future discussions on team goals and aspirations over the next two weeks. For more detailed data, visit BigJeffsFootball.com. Follow Jeff on X at @BigJeffFTBall for updates and insights.

Connect with Us

Twitter/X: https://x.com/TheBigTenHuddle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigtenhuddle/

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-college-huddle-podcast/id1703305789

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tMaraKvafFzjUrXGq2c4w

Contact: [email protected]

YouTube: Subscribe to our channel for live episodes every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 9 PM EDT, and catch daily podcasts Monday through Friday by 9 AM EDT.

Podcast: Give us a 5-star rating on your favorite podcast platform to support the show!

Thanks for joining us for this deep dive into Big Ten football history. Stay tuned for part one of our team aspirations discussion next week!