Host Austin Burklund and Robby Nardini are joined by special guest Joe Jackson of Feed the Post for a deep dive into the 2025-2026 college basketball season.

The Big Ten hasn’t won a national championship since 2000. Is this the year the drought finally ends? Joe breaks down the conference’s top contenders, including Purdue , his surprise pick Michigan , and of course, the Fighting Illini.

In this episode, we cover:

Initial impressions of the Illini after Game 1.

The stats and metrics Joe uses to predict the Big Ten .

All-American potential for Tomislav Ivisic??

Big Ten teams Joe is higher on (Wisconsin, Nebraska) and lower on (Ohio State) .

Breaking down non-conference foes: Texas Tech , UConn , and Mizzou.

Final predictions for the Illini’s season.

Find Joe Jackson:

Twitter: @joejacksonCBB

Substack: Feed the Post

Find Armchair Illini:

Website: ArmchairIllini.com

Socials: Follow us on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram

Thank you to our sponsors:

Hamilton Walker’s: The best dining experience in Champaign-Urbana. Follow us and Hamilton Walker’s on social media to enter the $100 gift card giveaway.

Campus Ink: Use code ARMCHAIRILLINI for 15% off official Illini NIL gear from your favorite athletes.

🔑 Keywords

Illinois Basketball, Illini Basketball, Fighting Illini, Armchair Illini, College Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Big 10, Joe Jackson, Feed the Post, Austin Burklund, Robby Nardini, Illinois Podcast, Big Ten Preview, Purdue Basketball, Michigan Basketball, Wisconsin Basketball, Ohio State Basketball, UConn Basketball, Mizzou Basketball, Texas Tech Basketball, JT Toppin, Tomislav Ivisic, National Championship

⏰ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

00:45 – Sponsor: Hamilton Walker’s

01:09 – Guest Intro: Joe Jackson of Feed the Post

01:43 – Joe’s Initial Impressions of Illini Basketball

02:41 – What Stats & Metrics Predict a Good Team?

04:53 – Non-Conference Preview: Texas Tech & JT Toppen

06:44 – Is Thomas Loves-V-Sitch an All-American?

08:21 – Underrated Big Ten Players to Watch

09:47 – Who Can Win a National Title (Besides Purdue)?

10:24 – Why Joe Picks Michigan as a Final Four Contender

11:55 – Sponsor: Campus Ink

12:28 – Can the Big Ten End the National Title Drought?

16:26 – Big Ten Teams: Who is Overrated/Underrated?

16:54 – High On: Wisconsin & Nebraska

17:42 – Low On: Ohio State

18:39 – Non-Conference Preview: UConn (MSG Game)

20:08 – Non-Conference Preview: Mizzou

21:23 – Illinois Season Predictions (Non-Con & Big Ten)

23:20 – What Would Keep Illinois From Hitting Its Ceiling?

24:33 – Where to Find Joe Jackson (Feed the Post)

25:00 – What’s Next on ArmchairIllini.com?

26:07 – Outro & Final Sponsor Plugs