Big Ten Basketball News: Illinois could have a TOP 5 starting lineup with John Blackwell from Wisconsin + retention. Plus 5 players in the transfer portal trending toward Big Ten teams (Rob Wright to Ohio State?, Andrew McKeever to Iowa/Purdue, Tyrone Riley, Riley Allenspach, Marcus Burton to Indiana). Michigan football & basketball get a TRIPLE DOSE of good news (Kamden Lopati flip?, LJ Cason redshirt, Juke Harris & Flory Bidunga interest). More developments inch the Big Ten and SEC toward breaking away from the NCAA.

JR breaks down why Illinois basketball could be a preseason top 3 (or even #1) team with the right portal moves, the latest Big Ten transfer portal buzz, huge Michigan updates on the football recruiting trail and basketball roster, and why the proposed 5-and-5 eligibility model could push the Big Ten/SEC alliance even closer to leaving the NCAA behind.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Illinois' Portal Save
07:50 - 5 Players Trending Big Ten
22:16 - Michigan's Good Recruiting and Portal News
34:00 - Breakaway Incoming

Big Ten basketball news, Big Ten football, John Blackwell, Illinois roster, Illinois Fighting Illini, transfer portal, Rob Wright, Andrew McKeever, Tyrone Riley, Riley Allenspach, Marcus Burton, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan football, Michigan basketball, LJ Cason, Kamden Lopati, Juke Harris (Duke Harris), Flory Bidunga, Big Ten SEC Alliance, Big Ten vs NCAA, SEC vs NCAA, NCAA Stinks, Brad Underwood, Dusty May, Ohio State basketball, Iowa basketball, Purdue basketball, Indiana basketball, college basketball 2026-27.

Thanks for watching The Big Ten Huddle! If you love Big Ten football and basketball content, hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and drop a comment with your thoughts on Illinois' potential, Michigan's momentum, or the future of the NCAA. New episodes drop regularly—turn on notifications so you never miss the latest Big Ten news, transfer portal updates, recruiting breakdowns, and conference realignment talk.

Presented by FanDuel. We appreciate every view, like, and 5-star review on your favorite podcast app—they help us bring more deep-dive Big Ten coverage your way.
For more: Follow on X @TheBigTenHuddle for real-time updates. What team are you most excited about for 2026-27? Let us know below!

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

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

JR and Zach break down 10 potential Big Ten football upsets for the 2026 season on The Big Ten Huddle. From UCLA over Cal and Ohio State upsetting Texas to Oregon beating Ohio State, Minnesota over Michigan, Maryland at Nebraska, Iowa shocking Washington, Wisconsin over Penn State, Northwestern over Minnesota, Rutgers over Maryland, and Illinois upsetting Iowa—this is your Big Ten 2026 upset watch with the most likely upsets. Big Ten football news and bold predictions.

JR and Zach Guggenheim dive into predicting 10 Big Ten upsets for the 2026 football season. They discuss coaching edges (Bob Chesney vs. new Cal coach), returning talent, home/road factors, and why some "favorites" could fall.

Key games covered:
UCLA at Cal
Ohio State at Texas
Oregon at Ohio State
Michigan at Minnesota
Maryland at Nebraska
Iowa at Washington
Wisconsin at Penn State
Northwestern at Minnesota
Rutgers at Maryland
Iowa at Illinois

They also touch on Easter vibes, Michigan basketball success, and Big Ten dominance across sports.

Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro & Welcome
00:00:48 Most Obvious Upset? (Kent State over Ohio State joke) + Easter Talk
00:07:00 Upset #1: UCLA over Cal
00:11:35 Upset #2: Ohio State over Texas
00:13:35 Upset #3: Oregon over Ohio State
00:18:42 Upset #4: Minnesota over Michigan
00:22:15 Upset #5: Maryland over Nebraska (at Nebraska)
00:28:06 Upset #6: Iowa over Washington
00:31:53 Upset #7: Wisconsin over Penn State
00:38:47 Upset #8: Northwestern over Minnesota
00:43:08 Upset #9: Rutgers over Maryland
00:45:33 Upset #10: Illinois over Iowa
00:49:05 Recap + Final Thoughts

Subscribe to The Big Ten Huddle for more Big Ten football news, schedule breakdowns, transfer portal updates, and weekly predictions. New episodes drop regularly—hit the bell!
Follow for Illinois-focused content on Talk a Lion Eye too. What’s your boldest 2026 Big Ten upset prediction? Drop it in the comments!

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

Big Ten basketball news explodes on transfer portal opening day! Nebraska basketball intel: Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager trending to STAY for next season after their best year in program history. Plus, 10 players drawing Big Ten interest including Ben Gott Dok, Jalen Harrelson, JT Rock, Rowan Brumbaugh, and more. Ben McCollum SHUTS DOWN North Carolina job rumors and stays loyal at Iowa. Michigan basketball CRUSHES UConn 69-63 to win the 2026 national championship, capping a historic Big Ten sweep of national titles across football, women’s basketball, and now men’s hoops! Big Ten dominance on full display.

Big Ten basketball news explodes on transfer portal opening day! Nebraska basketball intel: Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager trending heavily to return to Lincoln after Nebraska’s best season in program history. JR breaks down why NIL and role make staying the smart move for both stars.

Portal Day 1 buzz: 10 players getting serious Big Ten interest, including Colorado’s Ben Gott Dok (Nebraska hometown pull), Notre Dame’s Jalen Harrelson, New Mexico’s JT Rock (Purdue target), Tulane’s Rowan Brumbaugh (Iowa & Indiana), Texas Tech’s LaJuan Watts, Wisconsin’s John Blackwell (Illinois & Michigan links), and more. Who fits where and why?

Iowa basketball stays strong as Ben McCollum firmly turns down a North Carolina interview, telling the Tar Heels “no thanks” and committing to the Hawkeyes. Plus, Michigan Wolverines win the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball national championship with a gritty 69-63 victory over UConn—ending a long Big Ten title drought and completing a historic sweep (Indiana football, UCLA women’s hoops, now Michigan men’s).

0:00 – Nebraska stars Pryce Sandfort & Braden Frager staying
3:45 – Transfer portal Day 1: 10 Big Ten targets breakdown
15:20 – Ben McCollum shuts down UNC job offer
22:10 – Michigan vs UConn national championship reaction & Big Ten dominance

What do you think about Nebraska keeping their core? Which portal target excites you most for your team? Drop your thoughts below!

If you love Big Ten basketball, football recruiting, transfer portal intel, and championship reactions, hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode of The Big Ten Huddle.

Presented by FanDuel. New episodes daily during the offseason—recruiting, portal, and more coming soon with Zach too!

For business inquiries: jrsrankings at gmail.com
Follow on X: @TheBigTenHuddle

#BigTenBasketball #NebraskaBasketball #TransferPortal #BenMcCollum #MichiganBasketball #NationalChampionship

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

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