Clinton flies solo for a change, holding down the fort with Tony Gerdeman from BuckeyeInsiders.com, who joins the show to break down the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Ohio State finished the regular season 12-0 in 2025, but dropped both the Big Ten Title game to Indiana, and its CFP quarterfinal game against Miami to finish without a postseason win. In the first 12 games of the season, the Buckeyes OL allowed only six sacks. However, in those two postseason games, they allowed 10 combined. With four of five starters back, how confident should the Buckeyes be that their OL can hold up against the elite competition in the sport?

Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith and Bo Jackson are a formidable trio atop this offense. Who are other names, both at receiver and back, we should expect to step up?

On defense, the elite corp from 2025 loses a ton of production to the NFL, but the Buckeyes have recruited well, retained Matt Patricia, and still bring plenty of talent back. The Buckeyes will have to replace both key linebackers from 2025's team, with Arvell Reese being among the three of last season's four leading sack-getters whom Ohio State will have to replace. Who are some names to know in the front seven?

Join us on our Youtube channel live for shows. We are back into fall preview season. Episodes will be live on Youtube throughout the week as schedule permits, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date on our fall preview episode schedule, to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show. Subscribe on your preferred podcast platform to get notified as soon as a new episode drops so you never miss a show.

LINKS:

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI

Ryan and Clinton welcome Sammy Jacobs from Hoosier Huddle back to the show, to help them break down the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers.

Where to begin. From despondent and hoping for a bowl game two years ago, to 25-2, Big Ten champions and champions of the college football world, the Hoosiers have undergone a storybook turnaround under Curt Cignetti. Even a year ago, coming off a playoff appearance but viewed by many as a potential one-time flash-in-the-pan, the Hoosiers have now since cemented themselves atop the college football world.

What will this team do as an encore? The offense must replace a Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick at QB, two 1000-yard rushers and their top-two leading receivers. However, Cignetti went hard in the portal again for replacements, highlighted by QB Josh Hoover from TCU and Nick Marsh from Michigan St. How will these pieces fit together in 2026?

Defensively, a number of key players leave but the Hoosiers do retain several all-conference-level performers, namely Tyrique Tucker on the interior of the DL. They also retain star defensive coordinator Bryant Haines. Should anyone expect this defense to take even a modicum of a step back in 2026? Or will this unit once again be amongst the elite in the sport?

Join us on our Youtube channel live for shows. We are back into fall preview season. Episodes will be live on Youtube throughout the week as schedule permits, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date on our fall preview episode schedule, to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show. Subscribe on your preferred podcast platform to get notified as soon as a new episode drops so you never miss a show.

LINKS:

Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFB

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI

Ryan and Clinton welcome Redcast Rob back to the show, to help them break down the Nebraska Cornhuskers in year four of the Matt Rhule era.

Year three was supposed to be the breakthrough year, the "year-three Matt Rhule jump." Instead, a 5-1 start saw another 7-6 finish. Ballyhooed QB and favorite son Dylan Raiola got hurt, and subsequently transferred to back up Dante Moore at Oregon, and Rhule ended up with a sizable contract extension to ward off interest, real or perceived, from Penn State. With the flux surrounding the program, where are fans's heads at heading into 2026?

Change does bring excitement, however. Anthony Colandrea transfers in from UNLV at QB, having rehabilitated his career under Dan Mullen. He battles pseudo-incumbent TJ Lateef, who showed flashes of promise replacing the injured Raiola a season ago. However, start running back Emmett Johnson departs of the NFL, and his 1,451 rush yards out the door with him. Who can step up in the backfield to compensate for that lost production?

On defense, Rob Aurich enters the program at defensive coordinator following an exceptional season calling San Diego State's defense in 2025. This Nebraska unit was great defending the pass a season ago, but often struggled against the run. What can we expect from this Aurich-led unit?

Join us on our Youtube channel live for shows. We are back into fall preview season. Episodes will be live on Youtube throughout the week as schedule permits, with the episode dropping in your podcast feed the following morning. Follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date on our fall preview episode schedule, to get notified when we are going live and to interact with the show. Subscribe on your preferred podcast platform to get notified as soon as a new episode drops so you never miss a show.

LINKS:

Twitter: https://x.com/ITPCFB

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ITPCFB/

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-pylon-a-midwest-college-football-podcast/id1729819040

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0duY5MWU52VLBGm8sO7eaI