The Big Ten Huddle Podcast

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


Listen Later

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

    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!

    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

    SPONSORS

    Coach's Film Room - Sign up for the Menace Army: Colonel tier at https://menace2sports.com/channels/coachs-film-room
    Bleav - https://bleav.com/
    Homefield - https://www.homefieldapparel.com/?rfsn=7872586.e3e1d25 | Coupon Code: TBTH

    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

      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!

      🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5102755454124032


      Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      The Big Ten Huddle PodcastBy JR, Bleav

      • 4.4
      • 4.4
      • 4.4
      • 4.4
      • 4.4

      4.4

      34 ratings


      More shows like The Big Ten Huddle Podcast

      View all
      The Solid Verbal College Football by iHeartPodcasts

      The Solid Verbal College Football

      3,456 Listeners

      The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast by FOX Sports

      The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast

      2,259 Listeners

      HuskerOnline Podcast by HuskerOnline

      HuskerOnline Podcast

      310 Listeners

      CrimsonCast by CrimsonCast

      CrimsonCast

      123 Listeners

      The Pick Six Podcast - Husker sports news and analysis by Omaha World-Herald

      The Pick Six Podcast - Husker sports news and analysis

      177 Listeners

      Husker247: A Nebraska athletics podcast by 247Sports, Nebraska, Nebraska Football, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Nebraska Athletics, College Football

      Husker247: A Nebraska athletics podcast

      268 Listeners

      Early Break w/ Sip and Jake | 93.7 The Ticket | Lincoln's Real Sports Talk | Lincoln, NE by

      Early Break w/ Sip and Jake | 93.7 The Ticket | Lincoln's Real Sports Talk | Lincoln, NE

      207 Listeners

      Cover 3 College Football by CBS Sports, College Football, Football, CFB, College Football Picks

      Cover 3 College Football

      4,143 Listeners

      Locked On Big 10 – Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast by Craig Shemon, Locked On Podcast Network

      Locked On Big 10 – Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast

      175 Listeners

      Josh Pate's College Football Show by iHeartPodcasts

      Josh Pate's College Football Show

      3,638 Listeners

      Locked On Nebraska - Daily Podcast on the Nebraska Cornhuskers by Locked On Podcast Network, Mitch Sherman, Connor Happer

      Locked On Nebraska - Daily Podcast on the Nebraska Cornhuskers

      46 Listeners

      Bigger Ten by Steve Deace

      Bigger Ten

      278 Listeners

      Always College Football with Greg McElroy by Omaha Productions, ESPN, Greg McElroy

      Always College Football with Greg McElroy

      1,793 Listeners

      Andy & Ari On3 by On3

      Andy & Ari On3

      482 Listeners

      Hurrdat Sports Live by Hurrdat Sports Network

      Hurrdat Sports Live

      76 Listeners