Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Big 10 SQUAD - What the Iowa Hawkeyes Will do in Week Five

Episode Date: September 25, 2025

Week 5 will be major for the Big 10! The top game in the country is the Oregon Ducks taking on the Penn State Nittany Lions. The USC Trojans are traveling to the Illinois Fighting Illini, the Ohio State Buckeyes are visiting the Washington Huskies and more!Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/talkbig10 Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-big-10/ Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege📢 Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!#big10 #BIGTEN #CollegeFootball #CollegeBasketball #NCAA

It is time for the Big Ten to do what is right. And Indiana gets to brag this week. We're all excited for that. You're talking ball with the Big Ten Squad, sponsored by Game Time. From USC to Ohio State, from Michigan to Oregon, from Nebraska to Washington, it's the local experts of the Locked-on Podcast Network, bringing you scoops, breakdowns, and the most comprehensive preview of the upcoming Big Ten weekend. Know her feelings and thin skin allowed.

squad. Squad up. You're part of the Big Ten Squad. Yes, I did forget to mention that Oregon plays Penn State this week. That's going to be fun. We'll pick that game on the Big Ten Squad and much more. So sit back, relax and get ready. Zach Anderson, Yoxheimer, freshly shaven of locked on UCLA is here. Ryan Herings, locked on Badgers, Zach Seiko, locked on nitty lines, Jacob Goans, locked on Hoosiers. I'm Spencer McLaughlin, neutral arbiter of all things, college football. Of course, we're starting with what feels like an offseason topic. But, after watching the season play out to this point, guys, it is absolutely relevant and needs to be brought up, that the Big Ten is now the only Power Four conference that doesn't mandate a Power Four non-conference game. Everybody's up to nine games, including the SEC and the ACC. I guess bullying works in the public space.

Is that our takeaway? That's kind of how it looks. But, Zach, I think the Big Ten needs to hunker down. And apparently there haven't even been talks about this. I think that's horrible for the sport. I think the Big Ten needs to make a change. Yeah, I mean, it's Michigan's fault that UCLA had to play an FCS game in the first place because they pulled out of that series.

It was too late. UCLA had to go play a couple of SCS games. So it's all the Big Ten's fault. They all want to do a couple of cupcakes. They worked into a couple of national championships from a Michigan. And then all of a sudden you mix it in with Ohio State's done. You're like, it's a tried and true formula. And it's like, no, let's have, I like your form.

with Spencer, have a big game, a group of five game. Maybe you get your cupcake, maybe you're a real team and you want to play more than one tough opponent in a non-conference schedule. That's what should happen. Yeah, I agree. Roman Tomashoff, locked on Huskies has entered the chat. Speaking of weak non-conference slates, Roman. Okay. Yeah, that's what we're talking. I don't feel like we should do that after, you know, the last time we had this discussion, and I'm just going to leave it at that. Well, some strategic maneuvering could lead us to stay on the train tracks here, but your timing is most opportune. Do you think the Big Ten should mandate every team play a powerful non-conference opponent? I do. I'd certainly like to see it.

I don't think that that's necessarily, you know, in terms of the grand scheme of college football. I don't know if that's the most important thing right now. It's nice to see, you know, the playoffs staying at 12 teams. I think that that's something that is a little more important, in my opinion, at least right now. Is that something that should be mandated? Yeah, for sure. but I don't know if that should necessarily be everyone's priority one right now. Ryan, for Wisconsin, should they mandate in Madison that you never play Alabama again? Yeah, I was going to say, like, for the teams that have been playing tough out of conference games, can we bang a few like FCS?

Yeah, can you stash them and cash them in? Can we maybe in a couple years mandate this? So a couple programs can get back on the horse and ride a little bit here. No, listen, I think it's better for college football if you're playing tough out of conference games. You're playing a real powerful team. I think that's good for the sport. And all I've ever said, and I've said this consistently, is I want consistency in scheduling across the major conferences.

That's all I've wanted. I picked on Indiana a little bit for their non-conference, but not because they're doing anything that isn't smart. I actually think it's smart until teams start to consistently schedule the same way. So as long as it's consistent, other conferences have gone to this. I love it. So next year, Wisconsin plays Notre Dame. They play Pitt.

These are fun matchups, and these are good for the sport. The fans like them. I'm all for it. as long as other conferences are as well, which they are now 100% engaged. Ryan, I don't think you're picking on Indiana enough. I think the answer is always pick on Indiana more. Show of hands, who thinks we should pick on Indiana more? How did it go for you last week, Spencer?

That is, oh, that was only three and three. Seiko, you let me down there, buddy. It goes on my thought. They won 63 to 10. Well, yeah, we're going to talk. They have every right to the non-conference. schedule and I'm going to be the exact same way if Penn State pulls off the same thing here if they beat Oregon after a cup a true cupcake non-conference schedule but that's not as much fun it's not

as good for the sport I don't think it's as good for the conference either had a ton of fun last week winning is a lot of fun I yeah and you were snoozing through the first three weeks who cares we're here now maybe I didn't like it either but Indiana proved they could be a good team regardless so I don't know I'm in this conversation though I'm with you I think mandating that extra P4 game is important. Roman mentioned the playoff being at 12 teams. I think that's clearly going to change. I think we've all just accepted that in the back of our heads,

that it's going to expand at some point. And as crazy as it sounds, that might be necessary, right? If you're demanding a conference play nine games in conference plus another game against a tough opponent, that's a lot to ask to go undefeated, only one loss, two, if it's in the right way, if you still want to be a playoff. team. So I can see the playoff expanding for that reason alone. Yeah, I think, unfortunately, I have to admit that Goans just made a bunch of reasonable points. You know how much I hate doing that. Seco, do you want to weigh in on what Penn State got away with this year and might continue

to get away with in the future? I mean, they play Syracuse in a couple of years. And, and Okay. See, that's all I want. That's all I want. Yeah, they, they want. I didn't mean to laugh, my bad. And COVID actually messed a lot of things up. So Penn State is catching a lot of flack. They're not pulling the, they're not going the Indiana route where we, they are to intentionally canceling major out of conference matchups. They were supposed to play Virginia Tech. And then COVID and everything else reshuffled that in Virginia Tech didn't want to reciprocate or reschedule or anything. The Nevada game was planned in 2018. So is Penn State supposed to? to just not honor certain commitments. Indiana says, heck no, we don't have to do that. But Penn State is honoring the commitments for games that they made seven, eight years ago. So they're just kind of caught in the middle of that debate. Here's what I do want to say because I could

echo everybody else and say, yeah, non-conference power forward game is important. The reason a lot of teams do these cupcake games is because it's a way to bankroll the other programs that are going to get left behind as college football continues to move forward, right, as it consolidates. So these are large sums of money that fund athletic departments for these smaller schools. I don't mean to be that guy, but that's who this hurts at the end of the day. You are going to see more programs in general get cut because, oh, we need to have more non-conference power for games. Okay, yes, that's true because it's entertaining.

But just so you know, it's going to come at the cost of scholarships, and someone's ability to play division one sports at a smaller school. I'm not, I would never advocate for the total and complete elimination of buy games for the reasons that you talk about. I just think that it's pretty easy to have two of them, one to a group of five, one for an FCS, and have a power four opponent in there. And I think there's still enough money to make the world go around. By the way, Yoxheimer, I'd just like to point out in this conversation that for UCLA going forward,

New Mexico does not count as a power for non-conference opponent. Can we agree on that? Hey, let me say they had two SEC games, UCLA on the schedule, got rid of them to bring on Utah and Cal. So I think Utah is a much tougher addition than what, getting rid of Auburn on the schedule. But, you know, playing New Mexico and getting beat down annual Nalvi, and that's where you're 0 and 3, that's embarrassing as it gets.

So we'll see if they're relegated to the Pac-12. How's the coaching search? It's been entertaining for me so far. We'll see what actually. What they should do, what actually happens might be two different things. That sounds like the story of UCLA football. What's going on with this segment of keeping up with the E. I would say maybe you'll hear a linking towards Miami and Texas Tech potentially next year.

Miami, I tell you what, I'm selfishly rooting for that now. I might make a lot of money if that, if that even, if that rumor begin. Just began. Yeah. There we go. I do have one thing to add on here because I come in here and I'm viciously attacked for a non-conference late when, you know, it's certainly not the worst one. And in this squad by far, Washington actually was supposed to play Ohio State this year in a non-conference game. And then after conference realignment, the home and home from last year and this year, obviously shifted and became conference play.

So we just hate Michigan, Ohio State. We just hate them because they ruin our schedules. Forget them. Yeah. Let's get them out of the Big Ten. dragging everybody down. I mean, are they even real Big Ten members? UCLA is trying to bring the league up, and it's just being dragged down with these cinder

blocks on their feet. Yeah, if they're not here to represent, they don't get to be in the Big Ten. That's how I can, I could not agree more. Jacob Goans is going to enjoy our next segment very much. Indiana, oh boy, some of us were mildly incorrect on, on the Hoosiers. first this episode brought to you by our friends at door dash time to look back and crown this week's MVP on who delivered powered by door dash just like you can win every saturday with door dash streaks saving more every time you order these players delivered when it mattered most let's break it down

i i have to start with fernando mendoza got to give the guy credit i i would say i wasn't that high on him coming into the year and he's currently the betting favorite to win the heisman trophy And I don't think he knows what an incomplete pass is. The Illinois defense certainly doesn't. And he threw five touchdowns in Illinois was defeated 63 to 10. So he delivered for Indiana in a big way, just like DoorDash delivers your Saturdays. With DoorDash streaks, you save every Saturday that you order, stack it up all season. You could save up to $250, including $100 in DoorDash credits.

Order this Saturday. Keep the streak alive. Fuel your game day only with DoorDash. Terms apply promo period through November 18th. This episode also brought to you by our friends over at Fandle. All the games we talk about every week on the show. We're going to get to Oregon, Penn State. We're going to talk about Indiana's next game against Iowa.

There are a seven and a half point favorite if you wanted to bet that because you think you know what's going to happen even more than some of us, which for me personally, that's actually not that hard. It turns out you can go bet it over at Fandwell because the point spreads are there. You've got the point totals. You have got the money lines. You've got prop bets, everything that you can want for college football. Fan Dwell's got it and the NFL too.

And you can bet just $5 right now and new customers, if your bet wins, you'll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Pretty sweet deal. So if you're ready to play, download the Fandul app now by visiting fandul.com to get started. That's fandle.com to place your first $5 bet. Check them out at fandle.com. Rolling along here in the Big Ten squad. All right, Jacob.

You can go ahead. I've been waiting all week for this. And the fact that Trent's not here. Johnny's not here. I mean, what, this should have been like a company-wide requirement for everybody to be here on this week's locked-on victim line. I mean, I need everybody who was wrong about Indiana to just politely apologize. I need it. For the soul, I need it, but really just for my ego, I needed to. So, Spencer, I would love to start with you, my friends. I'm sorry. No, that's not very good. No, no, that was not.

I'm sorry, I doubted you against Illinois. Hey, you did next. Zach, were you on my side? I wasn't here, but I can definitely say I probably would have doubted. So I'm going to apologize for something I didn't do. I appreciate the honesty. Zach has used to different sorts of apologies. It comes in the form of I have to talk about this UCLA football team,

and I'm sorry for me. Yeah, that's fair. I took a weekend off of college football. I don't blame you. I take a month off. I were UCLA. Look, I'm not going to make everybody apologize. I do think it is fascinating. Oh, so it was just me.

And me, I think I picked Indiana I picked Indiana last week. I got to make sure that that's out there. You did, Roman. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. You believed, because I believe in Washington and you believe in Indiana, and that's how this whole connection works. And Herrings believes it's basketball season.

Oh, baby. I have, I was wrong. It was the name of a show I love it. Thank you. What I love about Indiana fans is just how classy they all are, right? Just how classic they all are winning. You want me to show you a DM? I got some evidence to the contrary, man. Leak the DMs. I just love the classiness of winners expecting to win. They're very very standards in that sense, right? They get to the touchdown, hand the ball to the ref. Like Indiana knows they've done here before. They act like it. You know, it's really my favorite part about the Hoosier fans. thank you no i do want to propose this and spencer and i talked about this earlier on a crossover were people wrong about illinois and maybe not or them not being that good or was it wrong about indiana in the inevitable step back that was bound to happen right i think that's a legitimate question to propose here yeah i think let's throw it around i think it's more about indiana being good and they they had a great day but let's uh let's go around the horn style yox hammer you start us off

I would say that Indiana is probably better than expected, right? You think last year, all right, that was a fluke. Well, Indiana proved it's not a fluke. Regardless of Illinois's top 10 good, Indiana proved that if you beat somebody by 50 points in a big 10 game, yeah, that's legit. Right. Yeah, that's well said. Here's the thing. There was a point in that game, the Indiana, Illinois game, where in the second quarter, Indiana had an ESPN win probability of 98.4% in the second quarter.

You don't just go in the top 50 points. on a good like Illinois solid that's a team that won 10 games last year as a veteran quarterback belemma knows the big 10 he's iconoclastic and be able to kind of compete in these type of games and they just mop them up so listen there's a chance Indiana's a wagon and I don't know if the country is ready for that but I think it's about Indiana what was that word you said oh yeah no no not I wasn't making fun of the accent that's expected no the other one iconoclastic that means like he really understands

Big Ten football someone check him for the sports center PEDs that is a thesaurus I was going to say did you not know what that word was I was about to have like a whole other string of questions directed at you

are me? Yeah because when you were like what was that word I thought he legitimately did not know what that meant for it. I thought you were talking bad about the wagon accent I thought you was like wow that's pretty bad that's pretty low in response we play tag you go get the shopping bag it's a wagon um i thought that's where you're going with it as well no no it's not i i wasn't i wasn't going to go down that particular

rabbit hole that can too easily lead to a suspension and discussion from hr which apparently we have here at the network that's the compliance training or so yeah that's the yeah then i'd actually go to mandatory training uh about that but uh roman you you may uh you may now opine on the matter you can it can we both because i think we can at the same time both underestimate indiana and maybe overrate illinois a little bit we have we've spent a lot of this offseason talking about oh illinois got all these returning guys it's going to translate to this this and that you still do have to go out there and prove it on the field to a certain extent and i've i've been one of the lower guys on on this show on illinois throughout the summer i also admit i was the low man on

fernando mendoza and i said that kurt signetti would you know really have to prove himself to make sure that he would show that he could be one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten. And for that, Jacob, I'm sorry. And I was wrong. But I feel like this can say a little bit about both teams. Seiko, is Illinois bad or is Indiana really good? Well, I do think that Indiana got really amped up for this game. That's one. And they had a lot of, you know, they had a lot of steam to blow off from playing a cupcake non-conference schedule. I do believe that that kind of fact, like that helped them. Yeah, in some sort of sense. Illinois is also, every time I would peek into social media or Sunny would pop up on my feet and everything and I'd see injury key player missing guy and

then you're watching the game guys ejected for targeting I wanted to take I'm what I agree with Roman actually that Illinois overrated Indiana contending for a Big Ten title like I would put Indiana in the group with Ohio State Oregon Penn State it's going to be two of those four teams making it to the Big Ten championship but I think Illinois just got kind of got caught in a bad spot there but at some point, you know, hey, it is Brett Bilema, you did return as much talent as you did. Should it have really have been 63 to 10? You're missing some key players. Okay, maybe that's, you know, the spread gets covered, another touchdown or something, you know,

and it's a decisive victory. Not 63 to 10. So if I have to side with one definitively, I'm going to say Illinois extremely overrated. Goans, you know what I'm going to ask you, is Malik Washington, just the best quarterback in the Big Ten? He has looked pretty good. I will give him credit. I'm sorry, Ryan. I am mean.

Yeah, Ryan, do you want to answer that? Because I was actually really happy internally, literally two seconds ago, because I'm like, they're just going to talk about Illinois. I can escape here. Yeah. Hey, Malik deserves his credit. Now, he'll get humbled very quickly, but, you know, he looked fine. But Spencer, you said it earlier, and I do want to repeat.

repeated. As of this moment, Fernando Mendoza is the betting favorite to win the Heisman trophy. Indiana has the 15th best odds to win the national title and the fourth best odds out of the Big Ten to make it to the college football playoff. And there's a lot of games to be played. I'm not denying that at all, including this week against Iowa, which I know we're going to pick in a moment and I'm sure everybody will pick Indiana because that's how that'll work. You have a game against Iowa. You still got to go to Penn State. You still got to go to Oregon and you still have to handle those teams like Wisconsin and UCLA and Maryland that are on your schedule. You still got to beat those teams no matter how good

or bad you think they are. But Indiana is legit. And you're ready for it. Let it be known. Jacob Goans of Locked on Hoosiers does not deny facts here on the show. You made it like a big statement of not denying. There's still a lot of football to be played. Like, well, it's true. You still got to win your games. Yep. Yeah. But Indiana bought themselves a lot of breathing room, maybe not a lot, but some breathing room by beating Illinois, meaning you could split, split Penn State or Oregon, and you're absolutely in the college football playoff. Yeah, you could probably lose both of those games and still get into the college football playoff. All right, Ryan, we're going to wrap this segment and then get to our

week five game picks. What in the world happened on Saturday? I don't know. I was there. Dude, we had two blocks. I put you and Luke Fickle in the same camp. There's a lot of injuries on offense, but you had two block kicks in the first half. Maryland went into Madison and just kicked the crap out of us. And it was a late garbage touchdown from Wisconsin that made it 2710. The score was not as close as that. Maryland went into Madison and called off the dogs. This was a Wisconsin team that was a 10-point favorite that really, quite frankly,

needed this game because now the gauntlet starts, the stretch of Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa, Oregon is next for Wisconsin, and they just got throttled by Maryland. So I don't have a good answer. I know people are very frustrated. People are very upset. And I did think we could talk basketball schedule at least today. I think that was part of the reason I came here. So I'm not sure what we're still doing talking pig skin. But yeah, it's not a fun time in Madison. I'll say that. You're going to have to endure. Welcome to misery. Welcome to misery. Yeah, you're going to, you're going to, you're going to have to endure because we've got to make our picks for week five in the big 10 who wins

penn state and Oregon and more still to come on this week's big 10 squad first this episode brought see by our friends at mazda mazda's moving the game forward for those who believe it's not just about playing the game it's about redefining their moments that do more than put points on the board they move crowds move culture and keep moving the game forward and the moment that moved the game forward is that beautiful long rainbow from Malik Washington against Wisconsin. It was a, well, I'd say it was a crowd silencer, except the crowd was already pretty quiet at that point because they realized what was unfolding in front of them. Badger's just taking a bunch of strays on today's show. But if the shoe fits, and unfortunately for Luke Fickle's team, it does, no matter

what Barry Alvarez says, Malik Washington delivered a big time win for Maryland this week. They're undefeated. Just get used to that. Maryland is undefeated right now. I don't know how long that's going to last but he looks pretty darn good and he moved maryland forward literally and metaphorically this week and when you follow what moves you the unexpected is only the beginning just like there's more to every highlight there's more to a mazda vehicle mazda move and be moved all right guys let's get to week five picks here in the big ten we'll get the biggest one last that's oregon and penn state but team we were talking about in the second segment u sc illinois Zach, rapid-fire thoughts, who are you taking?

Ooh, this is the first, I think, true test for USC on the road. I think after the letdown for Illinois, we're going to see what they're made up as a team. I'm going to lean USC, but I could be completely wrong on that one. Ryan. Yeah, give me Illinois at home, actually. Early game, it's going to be like a 9 a.m. start body-wise for USC. It's a big trip.

I think Illinois bounces back. Yeah, I'm with you on that one, Roman. Yeah, I'm in the same boat here where, Yeah, we had, we at Washington had to see several of those 9 a.m. start times last year. They certainly are easy for the West Coast teams, but yeah, Illinois to bounce back. Seco. Illinois, if they coach this game to a T can pull it off. I do think, I don't think people, enough people are giving USC credit as a dark horse, you know, playoff contender.

They could sneak in as a top, at one of those at large spots. So I will go with USC because I think they've improved the coaching staff enough and have a accumulated enough talent to overcome a situation like this. Goens, you take the Trojans or the Illini at home? I like the Illini to keep it close, but I'm going to take USC to win, but I don't like a six and a half point spread. Illinois is going to give them everything they want, but I'll take USC to get it done.

Speaking of six and a half point spread, Yoxheimer, you know where I'm going with this? Did you guys know that UCLA is a six and a half point dog to Northwestern this week? It should be. Might be one of my favorite bets of the week. Northwestern minus six and a half. Please and thank you, Zach, go ahead and tell me I'm wrong. I think you might have me sending a clip of dumping a bucket of cold water on my head

because I said in the summer I'd do that when we went over win totals, and I think that might be the case. If UCLA is to get a win, this is a golden opportunity. Otherwise, you might see a big goose egg to that number this year. So this is the one they have to get. Bruins or the Wildcats, Ryan. It just reminds me of a classic Big Ten West battle. Like Wisconsin, Iowa, 17-9, take the under.

I don't know. Give me Northwestern home, take the under. It feels like one of those old Big Ten West games that nobody's going to watch, but a lot of people will bet. Roman. I don't care enough to talk about this game. Look at Mark Colkin is here, everybody,

live and in person. Wow. We have reincarnated him. He's right there. Right there. Seiko, go ahead and pick the game. I said it. I threw it in there.

I can't believe this isn't a double-digit spread. Northwestern is one of those feisty teams where they just want to go in there and scrap. They want to fight. It doesn't matter if it's Oregon. It doesn't matter if it's UCLA that is just struggling to get through to basketball season. They want to get into a fist fight, northwestern by at least two touchdowns. We'll do a hand raise here before we pick our final two big games.

Ruckers at Minnesota. How many are on, I know Ryan's not going to be, but how many on the gophers here? I might have to. This is really great audio. Whoa. Two out of six. Whoa. Four of us like Rutgers to beat Minnesota on the road.

How about the, I mean, Ryan's biased, of course. But game one of the big showdown in the Big Ten this week, Ohio State going to Washington. Really fun matchup in Seattle. Zach, who gets it done? I don't know. Roman was making me mad,

but I'm spicy enough to take Washington at home in Husky Stadium in this. Wow. Oh, going for it. Ryan. Yeah, give me Ohio State to travel and take care of business. I do think they're just too talented. The seven and a half is interesting. I could see Ohio State by seven, maybe Washington covers, but I do have Ohio State winning that game. Roman, are you gutsy? I know you're not. No, you're not. You're not. You're not gutsy enough to call Washington upsetting Ohio State here, are you? I mean, you know, I feel like I can't win here because on locked on college football yesterday. I had 28, 20, 20. for Ohio State. So if I flip flop, then I'm a flip flopper. And if I don't, then I have no guts.

So, you know, this, this sucks. I'm going to stick with my prediction, mainly because I'm a huge jinx. But this is going to be a closer game than some people think, even as this spread continues to drop day by day. And I think it's a lot of fun. One thing to watch out for, Takario Davis, Washington Star quarterback is questioned for this game,

from everything I've been told. It sounds like he's going to play that matchup with Jeremiah Smith is something I've been looking forward to all summer. And then DeMond Williams versus this Ohio State defense. It's going to be a really tough test, but I think the country is going to finally learn what kind of elite quarterback, DeMond Williams is. Ohio State wins. DeMond Williams.

Yes, they'll learn that it's DeMond, not Desmond, or Deemond, or anything else like that. Demon, demon, is good. Demon is fine. Desmond, let's come back. Yeah, Demon's kind of cool. Like, Demon Williams. That might have a negative connotation, but I don't think it sounds good. Dei goes from DeMond to Deemon Williams when he puts it.

Yeah, he turns into Demon Williams in the fourth quarter. Yeah, this is cool. I think Ohio State wins. I think Washington covers Saco, what say you? I'm not going to fall for this again. All off season was all Matt Patricia doesn't know how to coach ball or anything. This is easy for him. Are you kidding me? He gets to go up against a 19-year-old quarterback that has limited starting experience. If he was able to put, if he was able to put Arch Manning and Texas system into a box, I'm expecting the exact same thing against Washington. The only thing they have to worry about is the jet lag in playing a full four quarters. So I think Ohio State should win. uncomfortably. Goans? I just want to make sure that I get my Northwestern pick in because I was skipped for that game. Oh, crap. And also, I don't know the last time Northwestern was favored by almost a touchdown against a P4 team. Somebody do some research and get back to me on that one.

But I think Washington keeps it close. I think Ohio State's obviously really talented. Give me the Buckeyes to score late and break the hearts of Washington, but the Huskies are going to make a push for the playoffs. That sounds like a Desmond Howard pick, you know? that sounded like something you come up with the qualifier. They get it done late and get the win. Okay.

All right. And you wanted to make the Northwestern pick? You're taking the Wildcats there? Yeah, absolutely. They're a good team. Thanks for sharing. We're on the edge of our seat. We didn't get a skip

and still didn't make his pick. That's what I was confused about. I want to make sure I get this pick and then you stop talking after talking about one game. All right. The game of the week in the Big Ten is the game of the week in all of college football. Oregon travels.

to Penn State. I'm calling the game, so no pick. Zach, go ahead. I'm going Penn State at home. Ryan. Before the year, the one quick point I made was I thought Oregon this actually set up well for them because they would actually play some real teams and be tested. And then it turns out Oklahoma State is not a real team.

And it turns out you. The Penn State's not conference schedule. Who knows? I actually thought that they would be really kind of battle tested coming into this. And it turns out they've also played the equivalent of like, FCS schools and those coaches have now been fired. Only one of them's been fired and another one's on the hot seat. It's fair.

I still kind of think Oregon's going to take care of business, so I'm not going to flip off my preseason pick, but it's going to be a great game. I can't wait to see it. Give me Oregon, close game. I do think they go into Happy Valley and win the game. Herrings is just brimming with confidence in the ducks in that spot. Roman, you know what? I won't even qualify anything that I feel like you're about sick.

Go ahead. Go ahead. You know, I was thinking about saying it. I don't have to. I have Penn State winning this game. I feel like this is going to be one of those just real tough road trips for, or it's not just a tough trip for Oregon. It's a tough trip for any team. This can be a really fun matchup, though. You know it from personal experience or something?

Yeah, yeah, a little bit. Anybody. Yeah. Say, go, oh, you go ahead. Oh, no, I was going to say, I don't know what the point spread is in this game, but I think it's three and a half. Three and a half. Okay, yeah. Okay.

Goans, and then we'll let Seiko go last. Look, I think Dante Moore has been really good. He has, what, 11 touchdowns, one interception on the year so far. I think he will have two in this game. I think Penn State gets after him, and I think Penn State handles it. All right, it's one thing to pick Penn State. But to slander, Dante Moore is not something that I will stand for on this particular program. In two weeks, that was then.

He is a new man. He is a new man. Zach, you got him. Just because he takes down the guy who's deep. doesn't have a mullet like the coach you know I don't know like okay um Seiko you get to go top left the floor is yours Penn State Oregon your pick good sir oh oh wow the solo shot and everything but I I will keep it brief here I could monologue for 10 15 minutes I'm going to do that anyway on my channel so I like Penn State in this one and I'll give an exact score

prediction I think it's 31 to 27 and the difference is Jim Nolz it's the Jim Nolz factor the reason Oregon beat Penn State the last time it's like oh well you're playing Penn State again. You're not playing the same Penn State again for Oregon fans that are saying that. Tom Allen was the reason they lost that game, 45 points. Penn State's offense was there. They were in it. They were just playing from behind the whole time. So now that you have that equalizer and that advantage with Jim Knowles, it's enough to, I don't know about turnovers, forcing turnovers is, but field position, getting pressure on Dante Moore with denied Dennis Sutton or I. Fisher against Oregon's offensive tackles, that's going to be key. And there are some good

that AJ Harris and Zach Hewitley are going to be able to have win some of their matchups, their play-by-play matchups against Kenyon Sadiq, against Decorian Moore, Malik Ben and Benson. Those are some exciting battles. It's enough. And Penn State has all the scheduling advantages, right? The cross-country trip, the whiteout, getting two weeks, getting a bi-week and everything. What else do I need to say? Yeah, we were about to pull out the violin there at the, at the Oscars. But hey, it's all right. That's okay. score prediction of that one is 3429. Zach Anderson Yoxheimer

locked on UCLA, Ryan Herring's, locked on Badgers, Roman Tomashoff, locked on Husky, Zach Seiko, locked on Nittany Lines. Ryan was wrong. He's got it, he's got it on the screen right over there. Seiko, great as always loves Penn State. Jacob Goans, locked on Hoosiers. That's it for this week's Lockdown Big Ten Squad.

I'm Spencer McLaughlin from Lockdown all over the place. We'll see you next time. And until then, hope you all have a wonderful rest of your day. Thank you.