The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk

Episode: Around the Big Ten — Playoff teams, coaching hires, dark horses & most important players

Recorded: February 18, 2026
Host: Doug Lesmerises
Co-hosts: Bill Landis
Guests: Audrey Snyder (Inside the Lions), Matt Fortuna (Inside Zone)

Overview

In this wide-ranging, lively "Around the Big Ten" episode, Doug, Bill, Audrey, and Matt dig deep into the state of Big Ten football ahead of the 2026 season. They debate the impact of recent high-profile coaching hires, break down which teams are true playoff contenders, discuss which programs could be this year's Indiana, and spotlight the most crucial players for the upcoming season. The show delivers sharp analysis, some spirited banter, and plenty of insight for fans of Ohio State and the conference at large.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Grading Major Big Ten Coaching Hires (04:28–15:20)

Hires discussed:

• Matt Campbell (Penn State)
• Kyle Whittingham (Michigan)
• Pat Fitzgerald (Michigan State)
• Bob Chesney (UCLA)

Audrey Snyder's Grade:

• B+ overall.
  • Particularly likes Matt Campbell for Penn State after a rocky search process, calling him the obvious hire.
  • “Penn State was perhaps, well, definitely a signature, perhaps a couple hours away from Kalani Sitake being their guy. They thought he was their guy, which would have been a wild fit. But I think ultimately they got someone who they should have pursued right away: Matt Campbell.” (04:45)
  • Slightly lower on Whittingham due to timing/circumstances.

Matt Fortuna's Grade:

• B+ as well, especially with Chesney in the mix.
  • “I genuinely think… UCLA could end up being the best hire maybe in the country of the cycle”—on Bob Chesney. (07:35)
  • Raises questions if Campbell will outdo James Franklin's record, but sees it as a needed change.
  • “Pat Fitzgerald… it’s a complete 180 from the yes sir, no sir that he dealt with for 17 years at Northwestern. So I’m curious to see how that one plays out.” (09:45)

Bill Landis's Grade:

• B- overall.
  • Likes Campbell and Chesney, some concerns about Whittingham’s longevity and Fitzgerald’s fit at MSU.
  • “I have many questions about the fit of Pat Fitzgerald at Michigan State… I need to see it before I just kind of assume that he's built to handle everything that comes with being a head coach now in college football.” (11:10)

Memorable Moment:

• Matt pokes fun at the “Inside Zone MF.com” domain:
  • “Is that what the MF is for?”—Doug (03:37);
  • “You know what? I'll leave it open to interpretation.” —Matt

2. Experience vs. Youth in Coaching Strategy (15:20–19:53)

• Big Ten opted for experienced coaches with proven power conference records.
• SEC is taking more chances with first-time head coaches.
• Matt makes the case that Big Ten’s “can't-miss” job openings (like PSU after Franklin) called for safe, experienced hires, not risky up-and-comers.
• “I've yet to see a guy who's won big at the Division 2 or FCS level, who hasn't then gone on to win big at the Power 4 level.” —Matt (17:00)
• Audrey notes that region and cultural fit play a role: “There was no way in hell Lane Kiffin was ever coming to central Pennsylvania.” (22:16)

3. Assessing Big Ten Playoff Contenders (23:15–34:08)

Who’s "legit"?

• Matt: 3 clear playoff contenders (Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon); could see up to 7 that have a path if things break right: Penn State, Washington, Michigan, USC.
• Points to schedule quirks: “Penn State can go 10–2 at worst and get in.”
• Bill: Only 3 “feel good” picks: OSU, Oregon, Indiana.
• Audrey: Consensus top 3, but Penn State as a legit dark horse due to soft schedule and not playing the consensus top 3; says, “I can absolutely see a 10–2 Penn State team getting in.” (30:56)

Rant Segment (Doug, 26:56–29:18):

• Bemoans the overrating of SEC “middle-class” teams in national title odds vs. the competitive top of the Big Ten.
• “Why is it that six SEC teams are higher than the next Big Ten team after the top three?”

4. Playoff Dark Horses: Who's This Year's Indiana? (34:56–44:54)

• Bill:
  • “My answer is Penn State, because I don't think anybody's thinking about Penn State as a playoff contender right now, but ... 10–2 in the Big Ten is going to get you in.” (36:42)
  • Freak speculation pick: UCLA (a la 2024 Indiana, due to new coach Bob Chesney and manageable schedule).
• Audrey:
  • Echoes Penn State as her dark horse (“the schedule is super soft,” 39:41).
• Matt:
  • “UCLA is the dark horse answer... They've got a great quarterback in Nico Iamaleava... 41 transfers, 10 from JMU. That schedule is very manageable.” (41:41)
  • Quick shoutout to USC for talent, less so for schedule.
• Doug:
  • Pitches Wisconsin due to new QB Colton Joseph and soft schedule after ND early: “If Wisconsin can steal one of these, I don't know...” (42:44)

5. Is Indiana Here to Stay as a Yearly Playoff Contender? (48:12–54:33)

• Doug: “I might say 100 [percent]. I just think it's there... As long as Kurt Signetti is there.” (48:12)
• Audrey: 73%. Cites football’s inherent unpredictability via injuries as only true threat: “This sport is cruel... You do need some luck for things to go right.” (49:25)
• Matt: 98–99%. “As long as Kirk's [Signetti] there, there's no argument in my mind of how they can't be viewed as a contender for a Top 12 team every single year.” (50:40)
• Bill: 90%. Wonders how program handles future coordinator turnover, but “they're gonna be there… nearly impossible… to write any of that off” (51:11)
• Discussion about Indiana's culture shift and legitimacy as a new power.
  • Matt observes: “I think now that they've won it all, we'll finally see them get that national bump, if you will, in profile and in benefit of the doubt.” (52:39)

6. Most Important Big Ten Players in 2026 (55:40–63:15)

Audrey:

• Nico Iamaleava (UCLA QB)
  • “This guy’s really good...I think when we look at this conference… don't forget about this guy because I think Nico is a special talent.” (55:40)

Matt:

• Coy Parish (Minnesota transfer Safety now at Oregon)
  • “I think he’s a guy who can change the game in all sorts of different ways... I’d be surprised if he doesn’t play a big role in at least one of Oregon’s big games.” (56:33)

Bill:

• Bryce Underwood (Michigan QB)
  • “You’re talking about a player with all the talent in the world … to very quickly put himself in the conversation with top five quarterbacks in the sport.” (57:45)
  • Shares Urban Meyer anecdote about Whittingham and Underwood’s potential leap with a real QB coach at Michigan.

Doug:

• Jayden Maeve (USC QB), Julian Sayin (Ohio State QB)
  • “If Jayden Maeve and USC knocks off one of the Big Three … this guy could be in the Heisman race.” (59:13)
  • “If Julian Sayin is just like, no, I'm the best quarterback in the country, that could happen and that would matter a lot to the Big Ten.” (61:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Matt Fortuna on the Big Ten’s approach:

  • “It's pretty much impossible to not have head coaching experience and walk into a program blindly and take it over in the Big Ten... For whatever reason, it's worked in the SEC, has not worked in the Big Ten.” (18:11)

• Audrey Snyder on Penn State’s search:

  • “Maybe they should have put me on the search committee. Perhaps I could have got like, a 12th job on Penn State search committee.” (05:21)

• Doug Lesmerises on Indiana's rise:

  • “I just don't know... what would knock Indiana out of this tier. As long as Kurt Signetti is there.” (48:12)

• Bill Landis on coordinator departures:

  • “That’ll be a real test for Kurt Signetti... But they’re so good at player evaluation, Sig has such a great handle on how to manage a season.” (51:11)

• Audrey Snyder on program luck:

  • “You do need some luck for things to go right... you get an injury at a weird time of the year, and all of a sudden you're going into the playoff without your quarterback.” (49:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Coaching hires discussion: 04:28–15:20
• Big Ten goes for experience: 15:20–19:53
• Playoff contenders debate: 23:15–34:08
• Playoff dark horses: 34:56–44:54
• Indiana Dynasty?: 48:12–54:33
• Most important players: 55:40–63:15

Episode Tone & Style

• Knowledgeable, collegial, occasionally irreverent and open to playful ribbing, but always packed with deep CFB knowledge.
• Frequent jokes about age, credentialing, and the oddities of Big Ten and national college football culture.

Summary Takeaways

• The Big Ten's coaching carousel leaned heavily on established names; Penn State, Michigan, MSU, and UCLA are betting on (mostly) proven veterans.
• Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana are the consensus top tier, but Penn State, Washington, and even UCLA or Wisconsin have plausible (if unlikely) playoff paths.
• Indiana’s rise is viewed as sustainable for as long as Signetti is on the sideline—barring catastrophic injury or staff departures.
• The new era of Big Ten football is marked by veteran quarterbacks, talented transfers, and an open race beneath a dominant top three.
• Player-wise, rising stars at QB and key transfers at major programs will define the 2026 narrative.

For fans seeking a big-picture, well-informed, but fun conversation about the Big Ten’s power shifts, this episode offers sharp takes, inside info, and plenty of angles to watch as the 2026 season unfolds.