Seattle’s Big Ten Playmakers

Seattle leans heavily on Big Ten firepower. Jaxon Smith‑Njigba (Ohio State) enters as one of the league’s most dynamic receivers and a legitimate MVP candidate. Kenneth Walker III (Michigan State) has powered the Seahawks’ postseason run, while Michigan and Minnesota alumni bolster both lines. Add in emerging contributors like AJ Barner (Michigan) and Boye Mafe (Minnesota), and Seattle’s Big Ten core looks ready for the moment.

New England’s Big Ten Backbone

The Patriots counter with a roster built on Big Ten toughness. Mike Onwenu (Michigan) anchors the offensive line, and Christian Gonzalez — who spent Oregon’s transition year in the Big Ten footprint — headlines a young, aggressive secondary. Ohio State and Penn State products populate the trenches, while TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State) adds juice to the offense. And let’s not forget that Mike Vrabel, New England’s head coach, was a former Ohio State defensive standout in the 1990s.

A Conference That Shapes the Game

This matchup doubles as a showcase of the Big Ten’s identity: physical, disciplined, and increasingly explosive. Smith‑Njigba vs. Gonzalez is a Big Ten‑bred duel with real game‑tilting potential, and the conference’s linemen on both sides will dictate the rhythm of the night.

Super Bowl LX may be Seahawks vs. Patriots, but it’s also a reminder of how deeply the Big Ten runs through the modern NFL.

The post Big Ten Talent Takes Center Stage in Super Bowl LX appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Fleck — the head football coach of the Golden Gophers — signed a contract extension with Minnesota that will keep him with the program through the 2030 season, the school announced Wednesday.

Since he was named head coach in 2017, PJ Fleck has compiled a 58-39 record, including 6-0 in bowl games. His 58 career wins are the fifth-most by a coach in program history.

In eight seasons at Minnesota, Fleck has led the Golden Gophers to four eight-win seasons, including an 11-2 campaign in 2019. The 11-win season was the most wins for a Minnesota team in over 100 years.

Most recently, the Golden Gophers went 8-5 in 2024 with a 5-4 record in the Big Ten. Minnesota ended its season with a win over Virginia Tech in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

Before becoming the head coach at Minnesota, PJ Fleck — a Sugar Grove, Illinois, native — played wide receiver at Northern Illinois University. As a senior, Fleck earned First-team All-MAC honors.

Upon graduation, Fleck signed an undrafted free agent deal with the San Francisco 49ers, where injuries limited his two-year NFL career.

Fleck then began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2006, before he was hired by Northern Illinois to be the program’s wide receivers coach.

Fleck spent two seasons in the same role at Rutgers before he became the wide receivers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012. In 2013, he was hired as the head coach at Western Michigan before taking over the Minnesota program four years later.

The post Gophers coach PJ Fleck agrees to contract extension with Minnesota appeared first on Saturday Glory.

According to Daniel Libit of Sportico, tax reports show the Big Ten took in the $880 million figure between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023.

The Big Ten distributed “about $60.5 million” to the 12 longest-tenured members in the conference, according to Steve Berkowitz of USA TODAY. Maryland and Rutgers received “about $2 million less” than the other 12 members of the Big Ten.

READ: Penn State Board of Trustees approves Beaver Stadium renovation before 2027 season

The Big Ten’s revenue earnings allow it to pass the Southeastern Conference for most revenue among college conferences, and the SEC had $853 million in revenue in fiscal year 2023, according to Sportico. The SEC distributed “an average of about $51.3 million” to each of its 14 members.

The Big Ten spent, including its distributions to member programs, “just over $897 million” in 2023 and “operated at a deficit of just over $17.5 million for the year, but still had net assets totaling $247 million,” according to USA TODAY.

Despite retirement in 2020, former commissioner Jim Delaney was the Big Ten’s “highest-paid employee” having received $5.8 million from retirement or deferred compensation and bonus or incentive compensation, according to Sportico. Delaney remains on the conference’s payroll as an outside consultant.

READ: Colorado announces season-ticket sellout for 2nd-straight season

The Big Ten entered a new media rights deal it signed in 2022 worth nearly $7 billion. It reached agreements with CBS, FOX, NBC, NBCUniversal’s Peacock, Big Ten Network and FS1 and will continue through the 2029-30 season.

Now over a year into its new media agreement, the Big Ten will likely see the beginnings of its impact financially. For comparison on revenue between fiscal years 2023 and 2022, the $880 million last year “represent about a 4% increase in total revenue and a nearly 3% increase in per-school payouts” according to USA TODAY.

The Big Ten also saw Tony Petitti take over after Kevin Warren as conference commissioner in May 2023, and Petitti’s pay was not reported because the report only covered the 2022 calendar year, according to USA TODAY.

ALSO WATCH

The post Reports: Big Ten Conference made $880 million in revenue during 2023 appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Which games should be protected? Which ones shouldn’t? Are there games that aren’t protected that should be?

That’s the topic of today’s edition of The Daily Huddle.

The post Which Big Ten Rivalries Should and Shouldn’t Be Protected? appeared first on Saturday Glory.

After going out and catching two passes for 18 yards in the season-opener at Indiana, Harrison upped his totals on his first reception alone Saturday against Youngstown State. 

The junior wide receiver caught a pass from quarterback Kyle McCord and ran 71 yards to the end zone for a touchdown 6 seconds into the game. Harrison found space on the left side away from his defender and took advantage. 

Harrison later added catches of 39 and 21 yards in the first half as he tallied 160 receiving yards across seven receptions through the first two quarters. He caught his second touchdown on the 39-yarder McCord dropped back and found Harrison on the right side of the end zone. 

It appeared as though McCord settled in well after a sluggish first start a week ago. The junior gunslinger went 13-of-18 in the first half and had 253 yards. 

McCord and his high school teammate saw success on Saturday. McCord finished the game completing 70% of his passes along with three touchdowns. 

Harrison didn’t have a catch in the second half although he was targeted twice as the No. 5 Buckeyes separated from the Penguins. Saturday’s game against Youngstown State allowed Harrison to open up and produce, and it could be a sign of more to come. 

The post Harrison breaks out for 160 yards in 1st half as No. 5 Ohio State beats Youngstown State  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The No. 3 Buckeyes pulled away from Indiana and won 23-3 on Saturday, compiling 380 yards of offense which would’ve been third-fewest a season ago. Quarterbacks Kyle McCord and Devin Brown saw playing time, and the former garnered the lion’s share of snaps while throwing for 239 yards. 

The Buckeyes scored a 7-yard rushing touchdown from the legs of Miyan Williams to get on the board after their first drive. They settled for a field goal for the remainder of the first half, and were held to four three-and-outs over the course of the game. 

“I was worried that we weren’t going to be able to get in a rhythm. We already felt a little clunky early on,” head coach Ryan Day said. “Missed some short-yardage situations, didn’t convert on some third downs, and so I didn’t want to run the risk of putting ourselves in a bad spot by continuing moving those guys in and out.” 

McCord went 3-for-4 on Ohio State’s first offensive drive while the Buckeyes leaned on a balanced approach with the run game. 

He and the Buckeye offense were then held to two yards and forced to their first three-and-out of the game on their second drive. On the third, McCord threw his first interception of the year on a 4^th and 2 situation. 

Day pulled McCord after the interception and put Brown into the starting offense. Ohio State ran the ball all three plays during which Brown saw action, and Day reinserted McCord back into the offense for most of the game thereafter. 

“But going in, (I) really wanted to play Devin some more, would like to do that moving forward,” Day said. “But like I said from the beginning, we got to make sure we’re doing what’s right for the team, what’s right for Ohio State, and I felt like that was the right call at the time.” 

Ohio State only mustered more than 95 yards in a quarter once, coming in a 156-yard third quarter performance. The Buckeyes were a meager 2-for-12 on third down conversions. 

Day said he anticipated the game playing out the way it did in some areas, and he expects to see a more balanced and familiar approach in the form of around 300 passing yards, 250 rushing yards and “score 50 points.” 

“I saw it going a little the way it did but I thought we would get more points,” Day said. “I thought we would convert some of those, and we’re used to doing that here.” 

Defensively Ohio State did more than enough to get the win. The Buckeyes held a Big Ten opponent without a touchdown for the first time since 2019. 

Concerns, though, remain with Ohio State’s offense and whether it can get going to resemble its explosiveness from seasons past. Day said there are “bigger challenges ahead” but he is enjoying being able to go back and look at film to refine areas that need attention. 

“Probably could have been a little bit more aggressive at times today but the No. 1 goal is to get the win and then move forward,” Day said. “There’s going to have to be times we’re going to have to be more aggressive for sure. But I’m talking offense. I mean, I love the defense. I mean, I’m allowed to talk about the defense, so I want to smile, and I mean, if we play defense like this we’re going to have a chance.” 

The post Day says ‘clunky’ Ohio State offense stands to improve in Week 2  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

On its first offensive snap of the season, No. 2 Michigan lined up in a single file, “train” line formation behind center Drake Nugent. It was reminiscent of when Harbaugh and the Wolverines rolled out a similar strategy against Wisconsin in 2016. 

All 11 Wolverines raised their hands in a No. 4, which is the jersey number that Harbaugh wore during his playing days.

Some Wolverines also wore shirts that said “Free Harbaugh” on them during pregame, including quarterback J.J. McCarthy. 

Harbaugh is currently serving a self-imposed, three-game suspension to start the season. He had been facing a four-game suspension after alleged Level II NCAA violations that Harbaugh and his staff met with recruits during a “so-called dead period,” according to multiple reports. 

Michigan took a 23-0 halftime lead over the Pirates. McCarthy threw 181 passing yards alongside two touchdowns after the first two quarters. 

The post Michigan offense pays homage to suspended Harbaugh in season-opener  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

After it was announced head coach Jim Harbaugh will serve a self-imposed, three-game suspension to start the year, the Wolverines have named the coaches who will take over duties during their nonconference schedule. 

Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Sherrone Moore, special teams coordinator/safeties coach Jay Harbaugh and run game coordinator/running backs coach Mike Hart will all see increased responsibilities during the first three games. 

“I’m certain that all will be impressed with the four coaches’ ability to direct and manage the game,” Jim Harbaugh stated in a release. “It’s been well documented that we have a very talented coaching staff and I believe that all 10 assistant coaches will be head coaches in the near future. They are all capable of leading a team at an elite level.”

Coach Harbaugh Announces Coaching Duties for First Three Games of 2023.#GoBlue | https://t.co/MefGblhxXO pic.twitter.com/QlRDnaynxs

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) August 24, 2023

Minter was appointed by Harbaugh to serve “as the game day coach” in the season-opener against East Carolina Sept. 2, and Moore will handle head coaching duties against Bowling Green on Sept. 16, according to a release. 

Moore will split head coaching duties Sept. 9 against UNLV with Jay Harbaugh in the first half and Hart in the second, according to a release. 

The post Harbaugh, Michigan announce coaching duties for first 3 games of season  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Carter is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the Navy Fighter Weapons School, and he is currently the president of the University of Nebraska System. 

“I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to serve as president of Ohio State, an institution founded upon and well known across the globe for research, teaching and an enduring commitment to service,” Carter stated in a release. “The work being done across Ohio and beyond to shape the future of research and innovation, workforce development, the arts, health care, college affordability and college athletics is remarkable. These are areas of great passion for me, and I can’t wait to begin my journey as a Buckeye.” 

Before his tenure as president at Nebraska, Carter led the U.S. Naval Academy as “its longest continuously serving superintendent since the Civil War,” according to a release. 

Carter is a retired vice admiral with 38 years of service and he has “logged more than 6,300 flying hours,” including combat missions in “Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Bosnia and Kosovo,” according to a release. 

Carter also played ice hockey for the U.S. Naval Academy for four years, serving as team captain, and earned a degree in physics and oceanography. 

“We were absolutely determined to find the next great leader for Ohio State in today’s highly complex and competitive higher-education environment,” Ohio State board chair Hiroyuki Fujita, PhD stated in a release. “With input from our university community and the highest recommendations from those who have worked with President Carter during his extraordinary career, I believe we have done just that.” 

At Nebraska, Carter launched “the Nebraska Promise, a financial aid program guaranteeing full tuition coverage for low- and middle-income students,” and “saw system-wide growth in enrollment, including record-setting gains among underrepresented students,” according to a release. 

Carter will take over for former Ohio State University President Kristina M. Johnson. His selection ended a near six-month search process following Johnson’s resignation. 

The Ohio State University Board of Trustees also announced “that Peter Mohler will serve as acting president, coordinating closely with Carter, through the end of the calendar year,” according to a release. 

Carter will begin his tenure as Ohio State university president Jan. 1, 2024, according to a release. 

The post Ohio State Board of Trustees appoint Nebraska’s Carter as next university president  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Harbaugh will begin the year on a self-imposed suspension lasting the entirety of Michigan’s nonconference schedule, multiple sources confirm to Josh Henschke of Maize&BlueReview. 

The suspension comes eight days after “hurdles arose” in the agreement between the NCAA and Harbaugh over consequences of Harbaugh’s false statements to investigators. 

Harbaugh initially received a four-game suspension after alleged Level II NCAA violations that Harbaugh and his staff met with recruits during a “so-called dead period,” according to multiple reports. 

The NCAA case was slated to move toward the 2024 season in regards to Harbaugh’s original suspension. He will now miss the first three games of the 2023 season after all.

The post Reports: Michigan, Harbaugh self-imposing a 3-game suspension  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

According to Miller & Condon on 106.3 KXnO on Thursday, the Big Ten title game “will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in the near future.” 

However, a Big Ten spokesperson denied the report according to Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic. 

Contested in Indianapolis during each of the past 12 years, the Big Ten Championship Game being held in Las Vegas would signal one of the biggest changes in a new era of the conference. 

UCLA and USC alongside Oregon and Washington will join the Big Ten in 2024, bringing the conference to 18 teams which will be the most in the country. 

Moving the site of the title game would give the West region of the United States a chance to host the Big Ten’s championship gridiron contest in a coast-to-coast version of the conference. 

It would also be among the latest steps under new commissioner Tony Petitti’s tutelage. He’s been authorized to explore expansion, landing Oregon and Washington in early August, and preparing for the changes to come in less than one year will be among his biggest priorities.

The post Reports: Could Big Ten Championship Game be played in Las Vegas?  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The Big Ten is in its final year as a 14-team league with USC and UCLA already slated to join the league but so much attention is being paid to what the B1G could look like as expansion talks have ramped back up.

There will be plenty of time to talk about that, we want to know about the here and now and that means the 2023 season, the last with divisions.

Michigan comes in with back-to-back conference crowns and there are a lot of teams looking to overcome the Wolverines and end this current configuration of the league with a trip to Indy and the College Football Playoff.

Join our Marc Givler and Tyler Shoemaker as they preview the Big Ten.

The post B1G Preview: Who wears the crown in final year of divisions? appeared first on Saturday Glory.