In this exciting episode of The Big Ten Huddle, hosts JR and Zach Guggenheim tackle the latest developments in Big Ten football, focusing on the ongoing quarterback battles and the players under the most pressure to perform in the 2025 season. The episode kicks off with a lively discussion about the competitive landscape of Big Ten football, blending humor, fan engagement, and in-depth analysis.

Topics Discussed
Big Ten Quarterback Battles (00:04:46 - 00:13:24)
The hosts dive into the quarterback competitions, starting with Maryland’s battle between UCLA transfer Justin Martin, redshirt freshman Christian Martin, and true freshman Malik Washington, who’s been sidelined by a minor injury (00:04:46 - 00:08:41).
Purdue’s chaotic six-man quarterback race is dissected, featuring Ryan Browning, Malachi Singleton, Evans Chubba, EJ Colson, Garrett Odom, and Bennett Meredith, with no clear frontrunner (00:09:06 - 00:13:24).
The discussion highlights the importance of continuity and the challenges of having multiple quarterbacks vying for the starting role.
Top 25 Big Ten Players with the Most to Prove (00:29:19 - 00:44:16)
JR presents his list of 25 players who need to step up in 2025, including stars like Ricardo Hallman, Rod Moore, Giovanni El-Hadi, Drew Aller, Aiden Childs, Jaden Maiava, and Luke Altmyer (00:30:20 - 00:40:39).
Zach suggests Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola should rank higher due to his five-star pedigree and the pressure to turn around the program (00:37:33 - 00:39:58).
The hosts debate the expectations for veterans versus young talents and how players like Fernando Mendoza and Malik Benson could shape their teams’ seasons (00:36:21 - 00:37:01).
Honorable mentions include players like Anto Saka, Jaden Ballard, and Iowa’s receivers, with a focus on their potential to break out (00:34:46 - 00:35:57).
Fan Engagement and Shenanigans (00:01:09 - 00:04:01)
The episode features humorous banter about gas station rivalries (Wawa vs. Sheetz vs. Buc-ee’s) and a playful nod to Philly fans’ reputation (00:01:34 - 00:03:18).
JR and Zach engage with the live chat, responding to comments from fans like Max and Alibaba Mike, adding a fun, interactive element (00:03:34 - 00:04:34).

Useful Timestamps
00:00:01 - 00:01:09: Introduction and welcome to The Big Ten Huddle.
00:01:34 - 00:03:18: Fun banter about gas stations and Philly fans.
00:04:46 - 00:08:41: Maryland QB battle discussion.
00:09:06 - 00:13:24: Purdue QB battle analysis.
00:29:19 - 00:44:16: Top 25 players with the most to prove.
00:43:33 - 00:44:16: Closing remarks and preview of the next episode.

Additional The Big Ten Huddle Channels:
@TheBigTenHuddleBasketball
@TheOhioStateHuddle

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

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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

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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!