Inside The Pylon: A Midwest College Football Podcast

Week 12 of the CFB season is upon us and we have a special Monday preview episode for you, as the guys are hitting the road this weekend to check out Autzen Stadium for the Oregon vs. Minnesota contest. The Ducks -- fresh off a thrilling win against No. 20 Iowa -- return home to take on a 6-3 Gophers squad coming off a bye. Can Dante Moore and Oregon stay on track and set up a likely top-15 showdown in week 13 against USC? Or will Drake Lindsey and the Gophers play spoiler?Elsewhere, College Gameday heads to Pittsburg for a contest between Pitt and Notre Dame which, despite Pat Narduzzi's objections, is a big game with significant playoff implications.In the Big Ten, USC hosts Iowa -- while Michigan travels to Chicago to take on Northwester -- with the former teams looking to keep its playoff hopes alive. Indiana (-30.5 vs Wisconsin) and Ohio State (-31.5 vs UCLA) are heavy home favorites as they both look to continue marching to Indianapolis undefeated. Maryland takes on Illinois, while Penn State and Michigan State battle to remain bowl-hopeful, and Washington looks to get back on track vs. Purdue.The guys also break out the MAC Minute.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

Week 11 featured games with high stakes, and the matchups sure did not disappoint, highlighted by two top-1o teams getting taken down to the wire.In Happy Valley, Fernando Mendoza led a last-minute game-winning drive to power No. 2 Indiana past Penn State, 27-24. The win moved the Hoosiers to 10-0 and, barring a massive letdown against either Wisconsin or Purdue, ensures they will be heading to the Big Ten Title game in their home state. However, does this game raise questions about their ceiling.In Iowa City, Dante Moore led a game-winning drive of his own in an 18-16 win for Oregon against hosts Iowa. Oregon's go-ahead field goal came minutes after Iowa's Mark Gronowski piloted a masterful 12-play, 93 yard TD drive that took 6:45 off the clock and gave the Hawkeyes a short-lived 16-15 lead. The loss all but ends Iowa's playoff hopes, and gives Oregon a ranked win for its resume.Elsewhere in the Midwest, Wisconsin won its first Big Ten game in 13 months but ending Washington's playoff hopes with a 13-10 win. Ohio State handled Purdue and Rutgers ran over Maryland. Notre Dame dispatched Navy in a snowy South Bend, while on Friday night in LA, USC took down Northwestern.Nebraska and UCLA played late Saturday during recording.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

Week 11 is upon us and we are firmly into the nitty gritty of the CFB season. The first CFP poll is out and playoff contenders and dark horses are now fully into focus.This will be played out in Iowa City on Saturday, with No. 20 Iowa playing host to No.9 Oregon. Can the Hawkeyes put a dent in Oregon's playoff resume while bolstering their own?Elsewhere, contenders Ohio State (-29.5 @ Purdue), Indiana (-14.5 @ Penn State), USC (-14.5 vs Northwestern), Washington (-11.5 @ Wisconsin) and Notre Dame (-25.5 vs Navy) are all multi-score favorites while they look to avoid upsets that could hamper their own playoff aspirations.In a drive for bowl eligibility, Maryland travels to Rutgers, with each team needing two wins to hit six for the season. Out west, Nebraska looks to get back on track without QB Dylan Raiola vs UCLA.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

The first CFP committee rankings are out and the Midwest reigns, with Ohio State and Indiana the top two in the country. What did the guys think of the first set of rankings.The guys also debate who the best player in the country is. Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

Halloween weekend featured some truly terrifying performances, ranging from teams annihilating the competition, to awful clock management, to just truly slept-walking performances.In Lincoln, USC's offense came alive in the second half, in a 21-17 win and Nebraska sputtered with Dylan Raiola injured in the second half.In what looked in the preseason to be the marquee matchup of the weekend, Ohio State played around with Penn State for a half before pulling away in a 38-14 win. The Buckeyes passing attack was humming, with both Jeremiah Smith and Carnell take surpassing 100 yards.Illinois easily handled Rutgers, while Indiana demolish Maryland. Minnesota came back to stun Michigan State in overtime. Notre Dame and Michigan both ached their ways to victory in less-than stellar performances.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

November is here and the homestretch of the regular season is officially upon us. We have developed a general idea of who the playoff/Big Ten contenders are, but who actually advances to the meaningful postseason competition will begin coming into focus starting this week.In prime time, USC and Nebraska squad off in a true-to-form "winner advances, loser is out" game. Fresh off a thorough smacking at the hands of Notre Dame, can Lincoln Riley right the ship on the road two time zones away from LA to keep the Trojans' playoff hopes alive? On the other sideline, Nebraska has been living dangerously -- 3-2 their last five games with a pair of one score wins. Can Matt Rhule, fresh off his contract extension, keep the Huskers alive in the playoff race?Elsewhere, one of the most anticipated games of the regular season has been reduced to an afterthought with a meek Penn State squad heading to Columbus to take on No. 1 Ohio State. Is there any magic for the Nittany Lions, or will the Buckeyes continue their unabated march to Indianapolis?Minnesota hosts Michigan State in a contest between a squad coming off its second 35+ point loss in four games, and another that's lost five straight after a 3-0 start. Can the Gophers get to bowl-eligibility with a sixth win, or will the Spartans stop a skid and keep their own bowl hopes alive?Much of the rest of the midwest slate features wide spreads. Illinois (-13.5) hosts a Rutgers squad in desperate need of a victory to push toward bowl eligibility. Indiana (-21.5) travels to College Park to take on a Maryland team that has been spunky but has lost its last three games each by four points or less. Michigan (-21.5) hosts a Purdue team seeking its first Big Ten win in 24 months, while Notre Dame (-28.5) travels to Boston College looking to continue to rack up style points for a playoff resume.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

It's the last week of October, which means we are seven glorious days away from getting midweek MACtion back in our lives. In the time being, there are many happenings in the college football world to discuss.Reports have emerged that there is growing support for an expansion to 24 teams for the next playoff format. Ryan and Clinton discuss, and wonder, "what's the point of even having a regular season, then?"Clinton unveils his Rollin' POTW, and the guy discuss some "dudes" from the first half of the season. Ryan also dances on Brian Kelly's grave.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

Week nine lacked a marque matchup in the Big Ten, but we learned plenty and a secondary contender tier has established itself.In Seattle, Washington bottled up Luke Altmyer and Illinois's offense en route to a 42-25 victory. Demond Williams, Jr. was once again excellent, as was star WR Denzel Boston, while the Washington defense stepped up well in the second half. Now at 6-2, the Huskies have a trio of winnable games prior to a season-ending showdown with Oregon. Is it time to talk about playoff sleeper Washington?In Iowa City, the Hawkeyes jumped all over Minnesota early and coasted to a monster 41-3 victory. The Hawkeyes held Drake Lindsey and Minnesota to 133 total yards, and they scored TDs on offense, defense and special teams. Their 5-2 is a step behind Washington, but with shots against Oregon, Nebraska and USC looming, do we also need to consider Iowa's darkhorse status?Speaking of Nebraska, the Huskers survived a scare from Northwestern with a 28-21 victory. Emmett Johnson was excellent, and the Huskers defense forced two interceptions to support a sub-par game from Dylan Raiola.Elsewhere in the Big Ten, Rutgers defeated Purdue in one of the most painful ways possible, and were bolstered by a near-historic day from WR KJ Duff. Indiana knocked the UCLA train off its tracks. Oregon actually allowed Wisconsin to score, and Michigan handled Michigan State in East Lansing. Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

Week nine in the Big Ten may lack a marque big-game matchup, but it does offer an opportunity to see if teams can separate themselves into a secondary contender tier. Six of the seven teams tied for third in the league at 3-1 are in action, with varying degrees of difficulty to those matchups.Perhaps, however, the most intriguing matchup of the weekend features two of the three 2-2 teams in league play. Illinois heads west to take on Washington in a contest between 5-2 teams, with the winner keeping its chances for a playoff at-large playoff berth alive. Will Washington's drastic home/road splits continue to come into play? Or can Luke Altmyer and the Illini snag a signature win for their season?In America's heartland, Minnesota is fresh off an upset of Nebraska and has a chance to secure bowl eligibility at an Iowa team who continues to struggle throwing the back, but has been adept at most everything else. Can the Gophers score a second consecutive upset and insert themselves into a potential playoff discussion?In the noon windown, UCLA puts its three-game win streak on the line on the road against the Indiana juggernaut. Rutgers heads to West Lafayette still without a defense, though Purdue may be without its QB. And Northwestern also looks to achieve bowl eligibility against a Nebraska team fresh off a loss.In the evening slot, Wisconsin heads to Eugene, looking to avoid being shut out for the third consecutive game. And Michigan and Michigan State renew rivalry unpleasantries. Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

More than half of the college football season has passed us by, and storylines are abound both on the field and off of it. Conference title races are taking shape, but so is the coaching silly season, with numerous sitting head coaches already given their pink slip this season. Who else might be working their way onto the hot seat? Who might be working their way off of it? And who might find themselves in the crosshairs of a currently open head coaching position? The guys also talk the Heisman race, and discuss the AP Top 25 poll.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

Week eight is in the books, and more dominos continue to fall across the CFB landscape. Conference races are starting to take shape and contenders are firmly starting to establish their placehold. And on the other side of the standings, seats continue to get hotter. In South Bend, in what could be the last annual rendition of the Notre Dame/USC rivalry, the Irish brow beat USC on the ground en route to a 34-24 victory. The win keeps playoff hope for the Irish alive. For USC, while hope remains, they once again show that they have not outgrown poor performances on the road against teams decidedly more physical than them. On Friday night in Minneapolis, Minnesota delivered a blow to Nebraska's playoff hopes with a 24-6 victory. The Huskers could not protect QB Dylan Raiola, nor could they shut down Gophers RB Darius Taylor. Now at 5-2, could Minnesota begin to make some noise in the Big Ten playoff hunt?Back to Saturday, big favorites Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State handled business, which Michigan rebounded from last week's loss. UCLA continued its roll, Northwestern took a step toward bowl eligibility, and Iowa furthered Penn State's suffering.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

Week eight of the CFB season is upon us and not only are conference races beginning to heat up, but the playoff contenders are beginning to come into focus during a weekend when we will learn more about who is for real and who will be on the outside looking in.Notre Dame has defeated USC six consecutive games in South Bend, including in a 48-20 shellacking of then a 6-0 and top-5 Trojans team in 2023. In a game featuring two of the most prolific offenses in college football, can either defense manufacture enough stops to gain an advantage? The game serves a playoff eliminator with a loss for ND, but what about for the Trojans?Elsewhere, Washington, Oregon and Maryland all cross multiple time zones for road conference games. Ohio State and Indiana could both potentially further hasten the demise of their opponent's head coach. Nebraska looks to maintain its contender status in a rivalry game. And Penn State finds itself as a road underdog at Kinnick.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

Ryan and Clinton reconvene to build off of Sunday's conversation, discussing the Penn State head coaching opening. Who are the early names to know? Is AD Pat Kraft's alleged swinging for the fences going to yield an unexpected name? Can the Lions lure another Big Ten coach away?Later in the show, the guys discuss what could be the last annual rendition of the storied Notre Dame/USC rivalry. What are keys to the game? What's on the line for each team?Clinton also reveals his Rollin' Player of the Week. Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

Another monster week and another slate of games that more than lived up to the hype. Halfway through the college football season, and we are beginning to see teams separate themselves into different tiers.Despite the massive slate of games, the major story of the weekend was once again Penn State -- both for what happened during the day Saturday and what has come since. The Nittany Lions lost as 20+ point favorites for the second consecutive weekend, this time to Northwestern, to fall to 3-3 on the season. They are still winless in Big Ten play. And this latest failure was the straw the broke the camel's back, as the school announced Sunday morning that they have fired head coach James Franklin. Lost in the game was also starting QB Drew Allar -- who sustained a lower leg injury late in the game, and whom Franklin announced post-game would miss the rest of the season. How did we get here and where to the Lions go next?On the field, after a season of beating bad teams and getting beat badly by good ones, Indiana took pot shots throughout the offseason yet gave it back 10-fold with a massive statement win, 30-20, at Oregon. The Hoosiers dominated both lines of scrimmage, and their defense kept Dante Moore in check almost the entire game. They are for real, but can the Hoosiers challenge Ohio State -- who handily dispatched Illinois, 34-16 -- for the Big Ten title? Also out west, USC made its own statement with a throttling of Michigan. Was this a flash in the pan, or can the Trojans parlay this style into next weekend in South Bend, against an improving Notre Dame team that handled NC State, 36-7?Elsewhere in the league, Nebraska engineered another come-from-behind victory, this time against Maryland. UCLA might be a wagon. and Luke Fickell and Jonathan Smith appear to be in a competition to see whose seat can get the hottest.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

The weeks keep passing and the stakes keep rising. After a sleepy weekend saw one contender have its playoff hopes crushed, week 7 offers a juicy slate with plenty on the line.In Eugene, Oregon takes on an Indiana squad dying to prove it can do more than just beat up on overmatched teams. The Ducks' signature win lost some shine a week ago, can they add another to their resume, or will the Hoosiers earn their most notable win of the Curt Cignetti era?In LA, Michigan and USC are both alive for a Big Ten title but need a win this weekend to keep it that way, and to keep playoff hopes alive. Will the Trojans' defense find a remedy for the potent Michigan rushing attack? Or will the Wolverines continue their march to Thanksgiving weekend unabated?In Champaign, Illinois hosts Ohio State needing to wash away the odor of their most recent top-10 beatdown. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes look like the best team in the nation. Will the title defense continue without a loss, or will Illinois announce its arrival on the national stage?Elsewhere, Rutgers (Washington), UCLA (MSU), and Nebraska (Maryland) all engage in long road trips. Penn State looks to put back together the pieces of its season against Northwestern. Notre Dame looks to avoid a trap hosting NC State, Iowa faces what is left of Wisconsin, and Purdue and Minnesota appear primed for a shootout.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

It's week 7 and we are nearly at the halfway point (gag) of the college football season. With much shifting and jockeying already occurring in the college football landscape, this feels like a great opportunity to dust off and update our preseason power rankings amongst Big Ten teams.Through six weeks of the season, many questions have been answered, yet some still remain. Yet a clear contender tier has emerged in this conference, while some programs have already signaled that they will not be meeting preseason expectations. Where does your favorite team fall in our updated ranks?Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

What is it that they say about the quiet ones? A weekend that was lacking for marquee matchups featured chaos and unpredictability throughout the country. And the Midwest was not spared.After a week of takes on "James Franklin wins what he should but cannot win the big game" ,,, the Penn State head coach decided to pull a "hold my beer." Penn State was shocked by previously winless and hapless UCLA in a 42-37 defeat. Less than two weeks after firing their head coach and DC, and four days after firing their OC, the Bruins moved the ball up and down the field on a lethargic Lions defense, and the Penn State offense took too long to get in the game. At 3-2, and starting down needing to win out to keep it's all-in season alive, is this the beginning of the end for James Franklin in State College?Our game of the week lived up to the hype for three quarters, but Nebraska was able to clamp down in the fourth and pull away from Michigan State in a 38-27 victory. After an opening drive TD and a blocked punt TD made it 14-0, the Huskers' offense was stuck in first gear until late in the third quarter. But their defense held Michigan State to 242 yards of total offense. Did this game cement their status as a contender in the Big Ten?A week after getting stifled by Ohio State, Washington was mired in another sloggy road trip, trailing Maryland 20-0 late in the third quarter. But three fourth-quarter TD drives later, the Huskies escaped College Park with a 24-20 win. What is the team capable of now that it has proven it can win on the road? And after a September to remember, can Maryland buck past October/November stumbles and find two more wins to reach bowl eligiblity?In West Lafayette, Purdue and Illinois traded touchdowns but the Illini pulled ahead late in a 43-27 win. Further north on Lake Michigan, Northwestern exploded on offense and shut down UL-Monroe's potent rush attack in a 42-7 win. At Big Noon, Wisconsin started strong early, sputtered otherwise, and Luke Fickell appeared to wave the white flag late in a 24-10 Michigan victory.Notre Dame took another step forward on defense, intercepting Maddux Madsen 3 times in a 28-7 win. And Ohio State cruising against Minnesota, 42-3, and further establishes itself as the team to beat nationally.In the MAC, Ball State stunned defending champ Ohio, while Akron shocked Central Michigan. Miami's defense continued its excellence in a win against NIU, while Western Michigan outlasted UMass, and Buffalo survived an upset-minded Eastern Michigan in OT.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

A week after a monster slate of games, week 6 features a set of games that -- on the surface -- leave a lot to be desired. Many massive spreads and no ranked Midwest matchups are present to wet the whistle. But what do they say about the quiet ones?In Lincoln, Nebraska looks to get back on track after a crushing defeat against Michigan, with Michigan State coming to town. Can the Huskers take revenge on the Mitten state, or will Jonathan Smith's Spartans come up with the upset?At Big Noon in Ann Arbor, can Luke Fickell's Badgers find signs of life or will Michigan grate them into the turn? Purdue hosts Illinois in a game that might not feature many stops. Also in Indiana, Notre Dame hosts 2024 playoff team (and 2025 playoff hopeful) Boise State in a game you should also take the over.Penn State and Washington look to bounce back with long road trips, to UCLA and Maryland respectively. Northwestern has the lone nonconference game of the weekend with UL-Monroe. And Ohio State fans get the night game against Minnesota.The guys also debut their "MAC Minute" segment.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

We are a third of the way into the season, which offers a perfect time to revisit our preseason tiers of the Big Ten, and assess certain teams standings within those tiers.Unlike our previous rendition of this game, we are not talking solely "contenders" for a national title. Clinton has compiled a list of 10 teams from our varying preseason tiers of the Big Ten -- from national title contender to bowl game contender. The guys discuss whether the given team is a contender within that tier (IE: will make a bowl game), or a pretender.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

A mammoth week five is in the books and the whole weekend live up to the hype, from the undercards to the headliners. Many things were learned and narratives are beginning to take shape.In the nightcap, Oregon finished a thrilled 2OT affair with a walk-off interception of Drew Allar. After 13 combined points in the first three quarters, the two squads scored 41 in the 4th and OT, including a rally from a 17-3 deficit by Penn State. However, same as it ever was, the Lions fell short against a top-10 foe. The season's goals are still in front of the Lions, but where does this team go after falling short again in a top matchup? On the other side, has Oregon cemented its status as the team-to-beat in the Big Ten?In the early slate, Illinois and USC traded barbs, including a pair of lead changes in the final two minutes, in a thrilling 34-32 Illini win. Illinois rebounded well from last week's utter destruction at the hands of Indiana, and kept their title hopes alive. Meanwhile, USC showed that it still has not grown past last season's fourth quarter collapses.Elsewhere, Ohio State neutralized Washington's powerful offense and firmly looks to be the best team in the country. Indiana survived a scare at Kinnick against Iowa -- which will ensure a top-10 matchup in Eugene against Oregon in two weeks. Notre Dame might have found a defense, Minnesota might have found a cornerstone QB against Rutgers, and UCLA might have blown its best chance to avoid 0-12 against Northwestern.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

The best weekend of the season, to date, is here. There are a large number of high-quality games across the nation, and Midwest teams will certainly be partaking in the fun, in what could be a massive statement weekend for a number of teams.In State College, has a golden opportunity to show its offseason investment in talent retention and acquisition was worthwhile, hosting No. 6 Oregon in its annual White Out game. James Franklin's record against Top-10 foes has been much discussed. Can he, and QB Drew Allar, come of age and establish themselves as the team-to-beat in the Big Ten, or will Oregon formally launch its Big Ten title defense with a statement road win?Out west, Oregon's former Pac-12 rival Washington hosts Ohio State with their own opportunity to make a statement. Will the Huskies extend a home winning streak that is now in its fourth straight season?In a ranked matchup -- though one that is perhaps lacking the same juice, Illinois needs to scoop itself off the mat a week after betting demoralized by Indiana, with the high-flying USC offense coming to town. Will the Trojans improve to 5-0 for (unbelievably) the third time in four seasons under Lincoln Riley, or can the Illini rebound and remain in Big Ten title contention?On the other end of the Indiana destruction from a week ago, the Hoosiers look to avoid a letdown at Kinnick Stadium against Iowa. Athan Kaliakmanis looks to exact further revenge on former team Minnesota (a year after piloting Rutgers to an upset of the Gophers), while UCLA and Northwestern face off in a game between perhaps the two worst teams in the Big Ten.Down south, Notre Dame and Arkansas appear primed to score a million points in a game between two of the best passing offenses in the country, and two of the worst defenses in the country.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp

It's the week we have all been waiting for: week 5 of the college football season features a number of Certified Bangers, headlined by a Big Ten Title rematch, White Out matchup Saturday night at Happy Valley between Penn State and Oregon. To break down the game, Ryan and Clinton welcome Matt Flip (Roar Lions Roar podcast) and Dale Bliss (Autzen Zoo) back to the show.In the 2025 season neither team has faced a remotely notable test, and how early season performances carry over to a sharp uptick in competition will be the storyline of the night. Which team is inspiring more confidence at this point in the season.Oregon has mowed through its first four games, and the last time the Ducks faced a worthy challenger they were blown off the field in the Rose Bowl. With new weapons on offense, how with Dante Moore and Co. response against Penn State's stifling defense? Will they continue a by-committee approach to their WR/RB rotations, or will they begin to focus on a player or two as a key target?On the Penn State sideline, the "Big Game James" moniker will live on in national circles until proven otherwise. Is there more pressure on the Lions to get a W in this game? Much like Oregon, the last time Penn State faced a team capable of punching back they took a loss, with Drew Allar throwing what amounted to a game-cliniching interception in the dying minutes of the Orange Bowl. Can he take is game to the next level and help elevate this Penn State offenseJoin us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Week four is (nearly) in the books and we had our first truly jaw-dropping result of the Big Ten season in the nightcap.Indiana -- setting out to prove last year was no fluke -- murdered Illinois and then threw them through the wood chipper, en route to a 63-10 (as of episode recording) advantage. Fernando Mendoza tossed 5 TD passes, and the IU defense had Illinois QB Luke Altmyer running for his life most of the evening. Does this result say more about IU in their pursuit for a repeat playoff berth, or more about Illinois?Elsewhere in Big Ten play, Michigan scored a passive conference-opening win against Nebraska by rushing for nearly 300 yards while stiffling Nebraska's rushing attack and sacking Dylan Raiola seven times. Is Michigan for real or was this an exposure of Nebraska?On Friday night, Iowa showed some offensive pop but Athan Kaliakmanis was excellent in a loss. Notre Dame could have scored 90 against Purdue but also still cannot cover receivers. Washington followed a similar "all O no D" plan. Oregon played with its food. And Luke Fickell might be cooked.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

It's week four and conference play is now in full force. Ryan and Clinton begin the show discussing the ranked showdown in Bloomington between Indiana and Illinois. What will the keys be to this massive matchup, and which program needs the big win more?Elsewhere in Big Ten play, Nebraska and Michigan both look to validate conference contender status with a massive matchup in Lincoln. Which young QB will steal the show, and is the winner a legit threat to challenge for a Big Ten title game appearance?In a sneaky good Friday matchup, Iowa heads east to take on a Rutgers team that is 3-0 and (despite a lower level of competition) has been throwing the ball well so far. Will Athan Kaliakmanis and co. continue their early season heater or will the Phil Parker defense be too much to handle?In games that are somehow conference matchups, Maryland looks to extend Wisconsin's early-season misery and move to 4-0, while Michigan State heads west to take on USC in a game that will likely still be in the first quarter when it becomes Sunday in East Lansing.In nonconference play, Oregon (Oregon State), Washington (Washington State) and Purdue (Notre Dame) all take on traditional rivals. Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Week three is officially in the books, and the guys have questions. En lieu of a mailbag episode, the guys have their own questions they want answered, and bring them to the floor for discussion tonight.But first, Sunny Verma from Locked on Illini, Talk Illini and On3 sports rejoins the show to briefly discuss the MASSIVE showdown in Bloomington this weekend between Illinois and Indiana. Is this the most anticipated game in this rivalry in the modern era? Is the rest of the CFB world ready for what the smack talking will look like between these two fanbases?Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Week three is in the books and Ryan never may be happy again.Notre Dame ... botched ... a golden opportunity to get win number one of the season with a 41-40 loss to Texas A&M. A defense that never gave up 40 points in three seasons under Al Golden is in shambles; where do the Irish go next and is the season even salvageable? In Big Ten play, Oregon handled Northwestern but the Duck may have some defensive questions that need answered prior to their contest against Penn State in two weeks. In West Lafayette, USC moved to 3-0 with a 33-17 win in a game that started three hours late and was closer than expected; does this say more about the Trojans or the Boilermakers?Friday night, Indiana finally found its fourth gear against Indiana State. Meanwhile, UCLA might have cemented its status as the worst team in the Power 4 with a 35-10 loss to New Mexico; is this the beginning of the end of the Deshaun Foster era?The remainder of the Big Ten took care of business against a garden variety of MAC and FCS teams. What were our notable takeaways from those game? Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

We are into week three which was technically marks the beginning Big Ten conference play. It also ofters a spicy weekend of nonconference matchups with another dose of games that look to be laughers. The headliner of the weekend if a rematch of last year's season-opening barnburner, with Texas A&M making a return trip to South Bend to take on Notre Dame. The Aggies desperately seek a validating win under second-year coach Mike Elko to catapult them firmly into the playoff discussion prior to SEC play. On the other sideline, Marcus Freeman's squad needs a win to avoid an 0-2 start for the second time in four years. Elsewhere in nonconference action, Wisconsin makes a return trip south to Alabama. Billy Edwards appears to be OUT for this contest; can backup Danny O'Neil continue to spark the Badgers's offense against a much tougher opponent? Out west (and late at night) Minnesota takes on Cal in a contest between exciting young QBs in Drake Lindsey and Jaron-Keawe Sagapulotele. Can the Gophers ascend to 3-0 for the first time since 2022?In Big Ten play, Oregon gets a 9 am body clock kickoff with a Big Noon contest at Northwestern's temp-stadium. USC makes its first eastward trip of the season against Purdue. Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State and Iowa dip their toes into MAC play; UCLA provides New Mexico a second foray into Big Ten play; while Indiana, Nebraska, Maryland, Penn State, Rutgers and Michigan State host laughably overmatched FCS opponents.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Week two is in the books and the guys have scorching thoughts on what they have seen through the first few weeks of action in the Big Ten. Are their thoughts and feelings appropriate reactions, overreactions, or are they not reacting strongly enough? They debate and discuss. The guys also discuss their now partnership with Battle Bets.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaIBattle Bets league: https://www.battlebets.app/itp#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Week two is in the books, and Ryan and Clinton return to discuss what we saw in a weekend that lacked the headliners of week one, but still witnessed two top-15 teams lose to unranked squads.In the Big Ten, Michigan struggled to consistently run the ball, and had issues slowing John Mateer in a 24-13 loss to Oklahoma. Michigan's playoff hopes remain intact but is that a realistic outcome given what seems to be still ailing this team?In Durham, Illinois emphatically announced itself to the country and seemingly validated the preseason hype with a 45-19 against Duke. Luke Altmyer was sensational and has clearly identified a go-to target, with Hank Beatty once again exceeding 100 yards receiving. With Western Michigan on the docket next week, the Illini appear poised to hold of their end of the bargain in setting up an undefeated showdown in Bloomington in two weeks.In Ames, Iowa, Iowa State defeated Iowa at home for the first time in seven tries, a CyHawk 16-13 classic. With Iowa continuing to struggle with the forward pass, where are we at with Kirk Ferentz and his squad?Elsewhere, Oregon beat Oklahoma State to a pulp. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Indiana and Ohio State all cruised against overmatched opponents. Penn State struggled early with FIU before pulling away late.The guys also touch on the Big Ten's evening games (featuring Purdue, USC, Nebraska, Michigan State, Washington and UCLA) while briefly recapping Maryland and Northwestern's Friday victories.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

After a wildly notable week 1 that featured two top-10 matchups among midwest teams, week 2 lacks similar star power. But plenty of interesting matchups abound, including a trio of games that can begin to shape the playoff cases for several teams inside (and outside) the Big Ten.The headliner of the weekend features a coach in need of a signature win to validate his vision for his program, vs a coach in need of a signature win to cool down his hot seat. Sherrone Moore and Michigan head to Norman, Oklahoma to take on Brent Venables's Sooners. Ryan and Clinton break down key for the game, including matchups they're looking to that could decide the contest. Elsewhere, the red-hot Iowa State Cyclones host Iowa, fresh off a lackluster debut for new QB Mark Gronowski. Iowa has won seven of the previous 10 CyHawk contests, and their three losses in that timespan have been by a combined seven points. In fact, since 2005, six of Iowa State's seven wins in this game have been by three points or fewer. Will the Hawkeyes avenge last year's defeat, or will Rocco Becht and co. hit 3-0 for the second consecutive season.In Durham, North Carolina, Illinois looks to validate its contender status against a Duke team that exceeded expectations in 2024, and is led by talented QB Darian Mensah. Can the Illini keep a tally out of the loss column as it continues early-season nonconference play?The guys also pick the remainder of the Big Ten slate, which outside of Oregon and Michigan State, is rife with G5/FCS contests.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Week one is now officially in the box and the guys put a pretty bow on the weekend's final contests. Notre Dame got behind Miami early and was resoundingly defeated in the "middle eight" that it feasted on last season, en route to a 27-24 defeat at the hands of Miami on Sunday night. Ryan has thoughts and despite his poor in-game temperament does not think the sky is falling for the Irish ... yet. The guys also touch on Saturday night's late results, with Washington pulling away late against Colorado State, and UCLA getting trounced by Utah. Later in the show, Clinton unveils his ROLLIN player of the week; and now with a weekend of data, the guys discuss three things from the weekend that they learned that may or may not have surprised them, and how this newly gleaned information could start shaping the 2025 college football season. Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

The first weekend of the college football season is (mostly) in the books, and on a day that featured many contests featuring contenders against overmatched teams, there were still plenty of storylines and narratives abound.In Columbus, the defending national champions defeated Texas for the second time in three games in a defensive slug fest that was equal parts impressive and enlightening. Does this game say more about Ohio State and their title defense, or Texas?On Thursday night, Nebraska excised their one score demons by hanging on against Cincinnati; was this performance encouraging or concerning for the Huskers?Elsewhere in the conference, Preston Stone does not appear to be the immediate answer at QB for Northwestern, with a 4 int game against Tulane. Other projected Big Ten doormats Maryland and Purdue had impressive debuts. Oregon and Penn St rolled as big favorites, while Indiana appeared a bit hungover from last season's finish.The guys briefly discuss the other Thursday/Friday games, and discuss the Big Ten games that are in progress late Saturday night during recording.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

It is the FIRST official pick 'em of the 2025 college football season, and the guys get you prepped for a pair of top 10 showdowns featuring the midwest. while reacting live to the late Thursday night games. The big one of the weekend is a rematch of the 2024 college football semifinal between Ohio State and Texas. Turnover is abound for both squads, but this matchup is highlights by a pair of former five-star QB prospects on Arch Manning for Texas and Julian Sayin for Ohio State. Which signal caller will step up, and which defense will carry the day? In South Florida, the other team from last year's national title game head on the road to take on a Miami squad that is once again high on hype for 2025 with new QB Carson Beck and a revamped defense through the portal. Can the Irish's own highly ranked QB in CJ Carr kick off their season on a high note?Elsewhere, the guys discuss a plethora of teams facing games with large point spreads (Michigan St., Illinois, Penn St., Maryland, Purdue, Indiana, Oregon, Iowa, Michigan, USC, Washington). Should any be on upset alert?Additionally, Northwestern and UCLA are faced with big early-season nonconference games. Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

It is finally game week, and to kick off the season Ryan and Clinton unveil their expertly thought-out and sure to be correct playoff bracket predictions for the 2025 season. How much Midwest flavor is present? Any surprises? Any unhinged predictions for the back end of the bracket?Later in the show, the guys pick the Thursday Big Ten slate, and Ryan unveils his weekly Sharps Picks.Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Preview season has concluded and we are officially on the eve of the college football season! Ryan and Clinton and joined by two esteemed guests -- Jeffrey the Greek from The Eyes on Big Ten Podcast and Dale Bliss from AutzenZoo.com to break down the Big Ten season as a whole.The guys each bring five things they are most looking forward to seeing this season. Later in the show, each uncorks three bold predictions for the upcoming season. Who is the most unhinged? Tune in to find out!Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan and Clinton officially wrap up TWENTY fall previews, covering all your midwest college football needs, talking USC. To help break the Trojans down, Ryan Abraham from USCFootball.com joins the show.Lincoln Riley arrived in Southern California to much fanfare, and immediately backed that up with an exceptional first season and a near-playoff berth with Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams. Since that 2023 season, his squad is 15-11 overall, including a 4-5 mark in their first season of Big Ten play in 2024. What is the tenor of the fanbase around its head coach heading into 2025? Has a monster 2026 recruiting class bought him some goodwill? Or is his seat starting to get warm?Riley has made his name with offense, particularly with QB development. Last season he pivoted from Miller Moss to Jayden Maiava after nine games. He moved the ball well but did not offer much better protection of it -- throwing six interceptions in his four starts. Will Maiava have a longer leash than Moss had in 2024? Out wide, the Trojans are bolstered by WRs Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane, but must replace six of their next seven leading receivers in WR transfers Duce Robinson, Zach Branch and Kyron Hudson; RB transfer Quentin Joyner; and the graduations of WR Kyle Ford and RB Woody Marks ... who are a few skill position players we can expect to hear from stepping up in 2025?On the defensive side of the ball, USC's defense improved from 119th in total defense and 121st in scoring defense in 2023, to 77th and 56th, respectively, in 2024 (an improvement of nearly 60 fewer yards and 10 fewer points per game allowed). Can we expect another improvement in 2025 under second-year DC D'Anton Lynn? Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan and Clinton hit the home stretch of preview season, talking Wisconsin. To help break them down, Rajeev Chhabra from The Bucky Report podcast and Locked on Badgers joins the show.It's been two years of struggles under Luke Fickell for Wisconsin, and an unrelenting schedule in 2025 does not exactly help. Is this a make-or-break year for Fickell's tenure, or will the difficulty of the schedule -- which features six preseason AP Top-25 teams -- afford some grace.After two years of flirting with Phil Longo's air raid, Fickell turns to Jeff Grimes to return Wisconsin to more of a run-oriented attack. Will there be any ill affects with the scheme change? Regardless of scheme, Wisconsin has been snakebitten under Fickell with QB health -- losing Tyler Van Dkye in game three last season, after losing Tanner Moredecai for a month in the middle of what, to that point, was a strong season. Can Maryland transfer Billy Edwards help steady the ship?Wisconsin was poor against the run a season ago, and went heavy on defensive line acquisitions in the portal to remedy this. How will the line rotation shake up, and can we expect any of the newcomers -- or players already on the roster -- to ascend to impact players in 2025?Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan and Clinton hit the home stretch of preview season, talking Rutgers. To help break them down, Richie O'Leary from the Rutgers On3 joins the show.Last year's Scarlet Knights were billed as a team to watch, with a veteran defense, an all-conference running back, a QB with Big Ten starting experience and a favorable schedule, many postulated they could reach 9 wins (us included). Injuries on defense ended up limiting that ceiling and Greg Schiano's squad once again ended at 7-6. Now in his sixth season of his second Rutgers stint, he has yet to elevate the program beyond a 7-win mark -- which he did five times in six seasons from 2006-11. Where is the fanbase at with their longtime coach heading into a season with a difficult schedule and plenty of talent to replace?QB Athan Kaliakmanis and WR Ian Strong return, but they must replace the program's No. 2 all-time leading rusher in Kyle Monangai. What can we expect this Rutgers offense to look like in 2025?On the defensive side of the ball, after an injury riddled 2025 season in which they finished 70th nationally in scoring defense and 95th in total defense, they project to have upwards of seven starters coming via the portal. What aspects of this defense inspire the most confidence for 2025, and what areas remain the biggest question marks?Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan and Clinton hit the home stretch of preview season, starting the final full week of previews with Michigan State. To help break them down, Carter Landis from the Spartans on SI joins the show.The first year of Jonathan Smith had an up and down feel to it, with three consecutive wins to open the season followed by losing six of the next seven to ultimately miss bowl eligibility. Following similarly bowl-less 2022 (5-7) and 2023 (4-8) campaigns, how are fans viewing year 1 -- necessary learning curve, or more of the same?The Spartans fortunes for 2025 hinge on the arm and legs of talented QB Aidan Chiles, who finished 2024 with nearly as many INTs thrown (11) as TD passes (13); however, only three of those picks came after September. What kind of growth has he made in the offseason and what can we expect from this Spartans attack in 2025? What can we expect from an offensive line that allowed 36 sacks a season ago, and struggled making lanes for a rushing game that finished 110th nationally in yards per game?The Spartans defense a year ago finished 77th in scoring defense but 34th in total D. Where can we expect improvement in 2025, and what unit still has questions to answer?Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan and Clinton return to the Big Ten to hit the home stretch of fall previews, tonight talking the Iowa Hawkeyes. To help break them down, Tyler Tachman from the Des Moines Register joins the show.The Hawkeyes took a notable step forward on offense last season under first year OC Tim Lester, on the back of now-departed RB Kaleb Johnson but still a motley crew cast of characters at the QB position. They import Mark Gronowski, who had high-level success with FCS program South Dakota State. What does he bring to the offense in 2025? What can we expect from the skill position group?On defense, the Hawkeyes took a hit with LBs moving to the NFL. Who is next up at this position group. Even with the losses, has Phil Parker's crew earned the benefit of the doubt?Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

It's officially college football month and Ryan and Clinton start to wind down fall previews, tonight tacking the Mid-American Conference as a whole. To help break them down, Alex Scheer from the MAC Sports Connection Podcast joins the show.Six MAC programs break in new coaches in 2025 (Kent State, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, UMass, Ohio and Ball State). Which of these six programs is best set up for success for this season? The top tier of the conference seems well outlined, with 2024 championship game participants Ohio and Miami primed to contend once again, with Toledo and Buffalo also in the mix. Who are we looking as favorites in the league? Who among that next tier of teams could ascend and shake up the race for the title game?The league as a whole has been hit hard by the portal, with seemingly no program spared. However there are still plenty of impact players who will become household names in 2025. Who are five impact players fans should be aware of on offense/defense in 2025.Finally, the expanded playoff gave fans of G5 programs hope to one day see their school crashing the playoff. Is 2025 the year a MAC program earns the G5 playoff bid? In the same thought process, are there any MAC vs P4 upset opportunities we should be keeping our eyes on?Join us on our Youtube channel live Saturday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, while we will go live for instant reactions Saturday night following the games. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan and Clinton end the July portion of preseason programming talking defending national champions Ohio State. To help break them down, Tony Gerdeman from Buckeye Huddle joins the show.The Buckeyes won the ultimate prize in 2024. But with success at the college level comes inevitable change gone are both coordinators -- OC Chip Kelly to the NFL, and DC Jim Knowles to conference rival Penn State. Ryan Day tapped former Lions HC and Patriots DC Matt Patricia to lead his defense -- what can we expect from the scheme and how has he been adapting to the college game? On the offensive side of the ball, Brian Hartline finally gets his promotion to playcaller; will Day trust him to work through any growing pains?With the personnel, gone is most of what was one of the best defenses in the country in 2024. But the Buckeyes do return talented experience at linebacker, and have one of the best players in the country in safety Caleb Downs. They've also done well stacking talent through recruiting. Who can we expect to ascend on the defense in 2025?Offensively, whether its Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz at QB, he'll throw to the best receiver in college football in Jeremiah Smith, and will have a plethora of other weapons out wide. But how will a re-tooled offensive line and running backs room help support the passing attack?Join us on our Youtube channel live Sunday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, with Sunday time varying based on Clinton and Ryan's schedules. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Clinton returns to the show for some west-coast Midwest action, as the guys talk UCLA. To help break them down, Mike Regalado from Bruin Report on the 247 Sports Network joins the show.The big offseason storyline was the return of Nico Iamaleava to Southern California during the spring portal window. What are fair expectations for him, given the hype surrounding the player but also given he spent the spring with Tennessee? How can he help bolster year two of the DeShaun Foster era, which nearly saw a surprise bowl game in year one?The defense has been good the last two seasons, but must replace several key players at all levels of the defense. Who are some breakout candidates for second year DC Ikaika Malloe?Join us on our Youtube channel live Sunday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, with Sunday time varying based on Clinton and Ryan's schedules. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan flies solo while Clinton is on vacation, and continues wading through the Midwest for summer/fall previews, tonight tackling Notre Dame. To help break them down, Jack Soble from Blue and Gold Illustrated joins the show.ND made a national title game for the second time in 12 years in 2024, but did so with one of the toughest runs in school history. Was this path more sustainable than the 2012 run?On offense the QB battle gets the headlines, but whoever ends up throwing the ball will be doing so to a much-improved receiver room, and will be supported by one of the best RB rooms in the nation. The OL will once again be a strength, but must cope with the preseason injury to RG Charles Jagusah.On defense, new coordinator Chris Ash has large shoes to fill in the departed Broyles Award winner Al Golden. What can we expect from this unit in 2025?Join us on our Youtube channel live Sunday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, with Sunday time varying based on Clinton and Ryan's schedules. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan flies solo while Clinton is on vacation, and continues wading through the Midwest for summer/fall previews, tonight tackling the Washington Huskies. To help break them down, Roman Tomashoff from Locked on Huskies and USA Today joins the show.Jedd Fisch did well reconstructing this program in 2024 following the max exodus of coaches and players from 2023's run to the national title game. However discipline and self-inflicted wounds bit this team several times last season and cost them en route to a 6-7 overall record -- their nearly 6 penalties and 52 penalty yards conceded per game were among the worst in the Big Ten. How can Washington fix that problem in 2025?Offensively, QB Demond Williams ascended from packaged player to full-on starter by the end of the season -- what is his ceiling in 2025? He is assisted by the return of star players at RB (Jonah Coleman) and WR (Denzel Boston), but the team will need to replace first- and third-leading receivers Giles Jackson and Jeremiah Hunter in 2025.Washington's defense was good in 2024, but DC Steve Belichick leaves to join his father at North Carolina. Ryan Walters enters after a disastrous run as Purdue head coach, but he is only a few years removed from guiding an excellent Illinois defense. What scheme changes can we expect, and who are some rising names to know on that side of the ball?Join us on our Youtube channel live Sunday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, with Sunday time varying based on Clinton and Ryan's schedules. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan flies solo while Clinton is on vacation, and continues wading through the Midwest for summer/fall previews, tonight tackling the Indiana Hoosiers. To help break them down, Jordan Jones from Boilers and Beyond joins the show.Ryan Walters was given the hook after two seasons as head coach, following a 1-11 2024 season. In comes Barry Odom, following a 19-8 two-year run at UNLV, which saw the Runnin' Rebels finish in the top-25 in 2024. He brings OC Josh Henson from USC to help turn around an offense that was near the bottom of FBS in scoring offense and total offense in 2024. What can we expect from this side of the ball.Odom made his chops an as SEC defensive coordinator, and he brings DC Mike Scherer from UNLV with him to West Lafayette. What can we expect from the scheme in 2024?Purdue was a team that was once again hit hard by portal defections following the season, and to help stabilize the roster Odom hit the portal hard to the tune of 54 incoming transfers. Who are some key names to know for this squad in 2025?Join us on our Youtube channel live Sunday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, with Sunday time varying based on Clinton and Ryan's schedules. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan flies solo while Clinton is on vacation, and continues wading through the Midwest for summer/fall previews, tonight tackling the Indiana Hoosiers. To help break them down, Sammy Jacobs from HoosierHuddle.com joins the show.Year one under Curt Cignetti was a a smashing success with a playoff berth and a third-place Big Ten finish capping an 11-2 season. With several key returnees and another strong portal class, have expectations shifted for this program?Offensively Fernando Mendoza appears poised to carry the mantel from Kurtis Rourke at QB a season ago, and he should have plenty of weapons out wide -- headlined by WR Elijah Sarratt. With a skillset that has seemingly caught NFL draft evaluators' collective attention (and, likely two intact ACLs), what will this offensive look like in 2025 with Mendoza at the helm?Defensively the Hoosiers retained star DC Bryant Haines, and have returning playmakers at all three levels of the defense. However they must replace several key components of what was one of the best rush defenses in America in 2024. Who are names to know of guys expected to step up, and will there be any schematic adjustments to keep opponents guessing in 2025?Similarly on defense, to help turn around a unit that was at the bottom of the Big Ten in most statistical categories in 2024, Locksley went the NFL route for DC with Ted Monachino. What can we expect this scheme to look like and who are some names to know on that side of the ball?LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan flies solo while Clinton is on vacation, and continues wading through the Midwest for summer/fall previews, tonight tackling the Maryland Terrapins. To help break them down, Jeff Ermann from InsideMDSports.com joins the show.The 2024 season proved to be a somewhat unexpected downward trend for the Terps, following three preceding bowl seasons from 2021-2023. What is the tenor of the fanbase heading into 2025? Was last season an anomaly or the start of a downward trend?Head coach Mike Locksley went the NFL route at OC in Pep Hamilton. With the departure of Billy Edwards, and a QB battle between Justyn Martin and Malik Washington, what can we expect from this offense in 2025? Who is expected to step up in place of the departed Tai Felton, Kaden Prather and Roman Hemby?Similarly on defense, to help turn around a unit that was at the bottom of the Big Ten in most statistical categories in 2024, Locksley went the NFL route for DC with Ted Monachino. What can we expect this scheme to look like and who are some names to know on that side of the ball?LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan and Clinton continue wading through the Midwest for summer/fall previews, tonight tackling the Oregon Ducks. To help break them down, Dale Bliss from Autzen Zoo joins the show.Dante Moore appears poised to be the next in the line of succession of great Oregon QBs, following Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. The former 5-star had a difficult time as a true freshman in a difficulty situation at UCLA, with with a year under Gabriel and in Will Stein's offense, what cane we expected from him? And what can we expect from his weapons following the draft departures from Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden, Terrance Ferguson and Jordan James, plus the likely season-ending injury to Evan Stewart?On defense the Ducks also must replace significant front-seven talent, but return one of the best pass rushers in the sport in Mateo Uiagalelei. They hit the portal hard to help bolster a secondary that was torched in the Rose Bowl against Ohio State. What can we expect from the defense in 2025?Join us on our Youtube channel live Sunday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, with Sunday time varying based on Clinton and Ryan's schedules. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference

Ryan and Clinton continue wading through the Midwest for summer/fall previews, tonight tackling the Penn State Nittany Lions. To help break them down, Matt Flip from the Roar Lions Roar podcast joins the show.By any reasonable measure Penn State had a successful 2024 season. However that has not stopped the James Franklin detractors from perpetuating the "Big Game James" trope in light of the Lions' semifinal loss last season. Where are Lions fans at with their head coach head coach going into a pivotal 2025 season?The story on offense is the return of QB Drew Allar, and RBs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. However, a receiver room that left much to be desired in 2024 turns over, with three key additions in Kyron Hudson (USC), Devonte Ross (Troy) and Trebor Pena (Syracuse). Can these additions help Allar with the loss of All-American tight end Tyler Warren and talk the Penn State passing attack to the next level?On defense, a plethora of starters return, and the Lions poached national championship winning defensive coordinator Jim Knowles from Ohio State. Will the defense maintain its elite level of play in 2025?Join us on our Youtube channel live Sunday/Monday/Thursday for shows, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Live time for Monday/Thursday shows will remain 9 pm, with Sunday time varying based on Clinton and Ryan's schedules. Follow us on Twitter to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show.LINKS:Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI#BigTenFootball #CollegeFootball #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CollegeFootballNationalTitle #NationalChampionship #BigTenConference