Big Ten Football 2026: The Big Questions

Big Ten Football 2026: The Big Questions

On our first Big Questions podcast of the season, we tackle the conference that has won three national titles on the trot. 🏆 Can the Big Ten place four (or more) teams in the College Football Playoff—and can Indiana repeat as conference champion? Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka launch Football Weather’s 2026 Big Questions series with a wide-ranging look at the Big Ten’s contenders, pressure points and potential surprise teams. They examine why the conference may be deeper than it has been in years, how SEC-versus-Big Ten perception continues to shape the playoff conversation, and which coaches have the most to prove this season.The discussion includes Pat Fitzgerald’s return at Michigan State, Jedd Fisch’s opportunity to elevate Washington, Lincoln Riley’s pivotal season at USC, Ryan Day’s difficult Ohio State schedule and the championship expectations surrounding Dan Lanning and Oregon. The episode closes with Northwestern and Wisconsin as potential surprise teams, followed by Big Ten championship picks, projected CFP representation and bold predictions involving Penn State, Dante Moore, Illinois and Kirk Ferentz. Subscribe to Football Weather for more 2026 college football conference previews, analysis and predictions.

🚨 Sorsby Pulls His Lawsuit, Texas Tech Backs Down, NCAA Enforcement & the Future of Eligibility

College football may have just hit a major crossroads.This week on Football Weather, Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down the resolution of the Brendan Sorsby eligibility and gambling controversy, what the outcome means for NCAA enforcement, and why this case could have ramifications far beyond a single player or program.The guys talk through the Big 12's response to Texas Tech and the state of Texas, the surprise news that Sorsby has now put his name in for the NFL Supplemental Draft, and the aftermath of the the saga that has gripped the college sports landscape for the last few weeks. We also answer listener questions about the dormant commerce clause, the troubling implications of readily available sports wagering, and the question of whether the resolution of this situation would apply to other NCAA rules situations.🎙️ Presented by Homefield Apparel — use code HOME23 for 15% off your first order.👉 Subscribe for weekly national college football analysis, playoff discussion, and offseason coverage.

Brendan Sorsby Ruling: Texas Tech, the NCAA's Inability to Enforce Rules, and What Happens Next

Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s injunction against the NCAA has turned a gambling suspension into one of the biggest college football governance stories of 2026.Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka break down the ruling, why Sorsby’s gambling history has created such an intense backlash, and what it says about the NCAA’s inability to enforce its own rulebook. They also discuss Texas Tech’s self-interest, possible Big Ten, SEC and Big 12 reactions, the limits of congressional fixes, and why college football may keep running into these problems without a real collective bargaining structure. Subscribe and follow Football Weather on the Back Home Network for smart national college football talk with an Indiana point of view.

College Football 27 Gives Indiana the Spotlight, Plus the 2026 Games We’re Already Circling

Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka open with Indiana’s surreal role in the College Football 27 reveal, including Curt Cignetti’s national spotlight and what it says about the Hoosiers’ rise. Then it’s a full 2026 college football preview built around the games that may matter more than people realize right now. USC’s brutal Big Ten stretch, Penn State’s schedule, Miami-Clemson, BYU-TCU, Alabama-Tennessee, Texas A&M’s SEC gauntlet, Ohio State’s road traps, Notre Dame’s path, and the early national title picture all get time as Football Weather starts mapping out the season ahead.

Protect College Sports Act & NIL Chaos: SEC Breakaway Threats in College Football

Galen Clavio and Matt Blaszka dive into one of the most consequential weeks yet for the future of college football. The new Protect College Sports Act has brought NIL regulation, transfer limits, media-rights pooling, athlete compensation, and the future power of the SEC and Big Ten into one messy national debate. This episode breaks down what the bill is trying to do, why so many major players already have concerns, how the College Sports Commission is affecting promised NIL payments, and why the biggest conferences may be looking for a way to govern themselves. It’s a Football Weather / CrimsonCast crossover for anyone trying to understand where college football might be headed next.