Big Ten Preview Part 2: Teams 7-12

Big Ten Preview Part 2: Teams 7-12

Jake and Will continue their 2026 Big Ten season preview series with teams 7 through 12 — and this group might have the most fascinating storylines in the entire conference. Iowa opens Big Ten play with three straight games against Michigan, Ohio State, and Washington — one of the hardest stretches any team faces all season. Illinois is coming off back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time in program history but has 57 new faces on the roster. Wisconsin finally has a stable quarterback in Colton Joseph but Luke Fickell needs this season to save his job. Matt Campbell arrives at Penn State with 55 new players and an entire offense transplanted from Iowa State. Drake Lindsey enters year two at Minnesota with legitimate star potential. And Nebraska needs to prove it can win in November under Matt Rhule. Six teams. Six burning questions. No easy answers. Part 3 coming soon.

The Bottom Six: Big Ten Preview Part 1

Jake and Will kick off their 2026 Big Ten season preview series with the bottom six teams in the conference — and there are more compelling storylines here than you might expect. The guys break down teams 13 through 18 with projected records, conference records, and the one burning question defining each program heading into the fall. Rutgers needs a defensive identity under new coordinator Travis Johansen after finishing dead last in the Big Ten giving up 36 points per conference game. Northwestern brings in Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator and opens a brand new $850 million stadium — but faces the hardest schedule stretch in FBS football. UCLA's Bob Chesney makes the same jump Curt Cignetti made from JMU to the Big Ten, with Nico Iamaleava getting his best shot yet to show his first-round talent. Maryland's Mike Locksley is coaching for his job with sophomore quarterback Malik Washington as his best and only argument. Pat Fitzgerald brings credibility to a Michigan State program that hasn't been to a bowl since 2021. And Purdue enters the season with an 18-game Big Ten losing streak — the most remarkable stat in college football right now. Part 2 coming soon.

Before the Storm

Spring is over. The storm is coming. Before the conference previews kick off, Jake and Will break down everything that happened this offseason — coaching carousels, coordinator shuffles, the new single-window transfer portal, NIL battles headed to Congress, CFP expansion rumors, a super league gaining momentum, and a loophole that may have just broken the portal wide open. It was a busy offseason. We cover all of it. The Walk-On Redshirts — college football the way it should be talked about.

No Fly Zone: Ranking the best Defensive Backs

No Fly Zone. We're ranking the best defensive backs in college football heading into the 2026 season — and Will and I couldn't agree on anything. Who's the most unthrowable corner in the country? Which safety is the most complete player in the secondary? And which freshmen already played like they've been doing this for years? We're going deeper than the box score — completion percentages, pick-sixes, coverage grades — to figure out who the most dangerous defensive backs in the country really are entering 2026. Ten players. One honorable mention. Zero agreements. The Walk-On Redshirts drops new episodes every week. Follow the show so you never miss a ranking.

The Linebacker Debate

Who is the best linebacker in college football heading into 2026? We built our Top 10 lists independently and compared them — and we couldn't be more different. Xavier Atkins or Sammy Brown at No. 1? Is Anthony Hill Jr. a top 5 linebacker or does he not even crack the list? Where do Rolijah Hardy, Rasheem Biles and Whit Weeks land? We break it all down with the stats and reasoning to back it up. The Linebacker Debate is on — and we're not backing down. Find us at thewalkonredshirts.com and follow us on Twitter at @walkonredshirts and Instagram at @thewalkonredshirts. Drop your linebacker rankings in the comments — who is your No. 1?