The Big Ten Conference Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) announced today that Tony Petitti has been named the seventh commissioner of the Big Ten Conference. He will begin his tenure on May 15. He replaces Commissioner Kevin Warren, whose final day with the Big Ten Conference is Friday, April 14. Warren was named president and chief executive officer of the Chicago Bears.
The Big Ten has a new commissioner. And college athletics has its newest power player. Tony Petitti takes over for Kevin Warren in what many would describe as one of the most powerful positions in all of college sports. Petitti will preside over one of the country’s richest and most successful college conferences.
While most view Warren’s tenure as a roller coaster ride—the lows of the COVID cancellation to the highs of a multi-billion dollar TV deal—Petitti walks into a stable and lucrative gig. The league recently agreed to that aforementioned television contract with Fox, NBC and CBS for more than $1 billion a year and secured the addition of expansion members USC and UCLA.
Bio
Petitti is from Queens, New York. He earned an economics degree from Haverford College, a private liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, before earning a law degree at Harvard. He played on the Haverford baseball team as a catcher, and he’s a lifelong college football fan, according to a 2005 interview with his alma mater.
The Big Ten Conference announced they will no longer use the divisional format for football starting in the 2024 season. The Big Ten will use a "Flex Protect Plus model," which means each school will play one particular divisional opponent every year, a "guaranteed protected matchup," and rotate two other divisional opponents every two years, called "two-play."
The Huskers' guaranteed protected matchup every year will be against Iowa. Their two-play opponents for 2024 and 2025 are Minnesota and UCLA. Each Big Ten team will play a total of nine conference games per season. The season will end with the Big Ten Championship game featuring the top two teams in the conference.
The Big Ten Conference announced they will no longer use the divisional format for football starting in the 2024 season. The Big Ten will use a "Flex Protect Plus model," which means each school will play one particular divisional opponent every year, a "guaranteed protected matchup," and rotate two other divisional opponents every two years, called "two-play."
The Huskers' guaranteed protected matchup every year will be against Iowa.Their two-play opponents for 2024 and 2025 are Minnesota and UCLA. Each Big Ten team will play a total of nine conference games per season. The season will end with the Big Ten Championship game featuring the top two teams in the conference.
Big Ten Releases New Football Scheduling Format: No More Divisions, Protected Match-Ups, & More
0:00 - Eliminating Divisions and Discussing Protected Match-Ups
3:34 - USC & UCLA's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
5:37 - Michigan's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
6:52 - Ohio State's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
8:46 - Wisconsin's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
9:45 - Minnesota's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
10:44 - Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti Discusses New Football Scheduling Format
17:10 - Penn State's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
18:14 - Michigan State's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
19:39 - Iowa's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
20:42 - Nebraska's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
21:45 - Ohio State AD Gene Smith Discusses the New Scheduling Format
25:38 - Illinois' 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
26:48 - Northwestern's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
28:16 - Maryland's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
29:18 - Rutgers' 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
30:25 - Big Ten COO Kerry Kenny Discusses New Football Scheduling Format
37:11 - Indiana's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
38:14 - Purdue's 2024 Big Ten Football Opponents
39:30 - Nicole Auerbach on the Flex Protect Plus Schedule Model
43:00 - Final 2024& 2025 Schedule Notes and Thoughts
In this episode of the Big 10 Show, Adam Carriker and Jeff Thurn hung out with former Indiana/LSU/Vanderbilt head football coach and current Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo. They discussed a possible move by Notre Dame to the Big Ten, the conference's new head coaches and who will have the best Year 1 (Rhule, Fickell or Walters), and Gerry's pick for the Big Ten's football winner.
Don't know why this popped in my head unprompted, but I'm glad the Big Ten is doing away with divisions, and the conference championship will be the two best teams.
Granted that'll make it even harder for the Huskers to make it, but it's the way it should be. Michigan and Ohio State run the conference and their game on the final Saturday of the season usually decided who, between the two, would be in the championship vs whatever scrub came from the other division. Until something changes, I see a bunch of Michigan-Ohio State championship games. But still a 12-0 vs 11-1 matchup is better than a 12-0 vs 8-4.
In the latest round of conference realignment, both Oregon and Washington have been rumored to want to leave the Pac-12. The main conference that the pair are rumored to want to go to is the Big Ten. The question is then what do these schools add to the Big Ten? In the past, the Big Ten looked to add media markets, with schools like Rutgers filling in for New York. During an appearance on The Marchand and Ourand podcast, Paul Finebaum explained that adding those schools was a mistake but Washington and Oregon have their own appeal.
“You’re going to force me to admit that the Big Ten made a mistake with Maryland and Rutgers to get to this point,” Finebaum said while Ourand joked about Rutgers not deserving to be in the Big Ten. “A couple years ago I landed blurry-eyed at 11:45 at LaGuardia, and the first thing I saw was ‘Welcome to Big Ten country,’ and I swear I don’t know how many drinks I’d had on the plane, but I could not come up with the Big Ten school that was connected to New York.” Finebaum explained that he doesn’t think that the Big Ten needs to add any new schools. However, in the rush to expand, Oregon and Washington offer valuable viewers who care about what happens to those programs.
Breaking: Northwestern fires Coach Pat Fitzgerald amid hazing allegations
Pat Fitzgerald out at Northwestern: How the end of his tenure unfolded
On this episode of Football Night in Chicago, David Haugh is joined by the reporter who broke the news that Northwestern fired head coach Pat Fitzgerald, Matt Fortuna. Fortuna and Haugh break down the timeline of the alleged hazing incident and the investigation that lead to Fitzgerald being fired. They also discuss the way the university handled the allegations and investigation and talk about if it will have an impact on President Michael Schill's job.
LINCOLN, Neb. -- For the first time since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, the Huskers will not be playing a Pat Fitzgerald-coached team. According to multiple sources, Northwestern has parted ways with Fitzgerald, who coached the Wildcats for 17 seasons. He was also an assistant for four years and played as a linebacker for Northwestern. Fitzgerald was suspended two weeks this offseason after an investigation into hazing in the Wildcats' program. The suspension started this month, before the team begins practices. After a former player spoke out against Fitzgerald in an ESPN article this weekend, however, the school said Sunday it would consider harsher punishment.
The player said Fitzgerald allowed sexualized hazing and that he "failed the program." A group of current players vocally backed Fitzgerald after the report. Northwestern plays at Nebraska on Oct. 21.
LINCOLN, Neb. -- For the first time since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, the Huskers will not be playing a Pat Fitzgerald-coached team. According to multiple sources, Northwestern has parted ways with Fitzgerald, who coached the Wildcats for 17 seasons. He was also an assistant for four years and played as a linebacker for Northwestern. Fitzgerald was suspended two weeks this offseason after an investigation into hazing in the Wildcats' program. The suspension started this month, before the team begins practices. After a former player spoke out against Fitzgerald in an ESPN article this weekend, however, the school said Sunday it would consider harsher punishment.
The player said Fitzgerald allowed sexualized hazing and that he "failed the program." A group of current players vocally backed Fitzgerald after the report. Northwestern plays at Nebraska on Oct. 21.
He had a long run and was fairly successful. To bad he had to leave under such ugly circumstances. He seemed like a good guy. Coaches have to be extremely careful these days. Both coaches from last years Big10 Ireland game are now gone. Will be interesting to see if he lands another coaching position after this mess. His only win last year was against Nebraska, a game we should have won.
Northwestern is an absolute dumpster fire right now. As near as I can tell their AD and President have both been silent during this mess.
They have so much money. They spent $270 million on their new athletic facilities. Preparing to build $800 million football stadium. But they absolutely have to get this turned around. Will be interesting if both President and AD get fired.
Greg S wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2023 11:35 am
Northwestern is an absolute dumpster fire right now. As near as I can tell their AD and President have both been silent during this mess.
They have so much money. They spent $270 million on their new athletic facilities. Preparing to build $800 million football stadium. But they absolutely have to get this turned around. Will be interesting if both President and AD get fired.
I would be almost cerian that the AD will be gone. Don't have a feel for the Prez.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
Greg S wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2023 11:35 am
Northwestern is an absolute dumpster fire right now. As near as I can tell their AD and President have both been silent during this mess.
They have so much money. They spent $270 million on their new athletic facilities. Preparing to build $800 million football stadium. But they absolutely have to get this turned around. Will be interesting if both President and AD get fired.
I would be almost cerian that the AD will be gone. Don't have a feel for the Prez.
Yeah I agree on the AD. This thing is so bad that I could see the President getting canned if he knew anything or he hired the AD. Unless he acts very decisively now. So far it has not been impressive.
Greg S wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2023 11:35 am
Northwestern is an absolute dumpster fire right now. As near as I can tell their AD and President have both been silent during this mess.
They have so much money. They spent $270 million on their new athletic facilities. Preparing to build $800 million football stadium. But they absolutely have to get this turned around. Will be interesting if both President and AD get fired.
I would be almost cerian that the AD will be gone. Don't have a feel for the Prez.
Yeah I agree on the AD. This thing is so bad that I could see the President getting canned if he knew anything or he hired the AD. Unless he acts very decisively now. So far it has not been impressive.
This scandal is still growing, now Softball team being scrutinized for hazing. AD definitely needs to get canned and probably the President. They are both damaged goods.
Good luck winning the Big Ten this season if you're not named Michigan, Ohio State or Penn State. Three of college football's most talented teams all headline a conference that flexes multiple playoff candidates ahead of the league's goal to unseat the SEC at the top of the mountain. Glancing at our preseason Big Ten power rankings ahead of media days, there's clearly a pecking order that's established here.
The Big Ten put two teams in last season's final four and has a chance to equal the SEC's all-time this season by doing it again, just ahead of playoff expansion 2024. This year also marks the final year the Big Ten has divisions with USC and UCLA entering the league next summer.
14. NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS
13. INDIANA HOOSIERS
12. RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS
11. PURDUE BOILERMAKERS
10. NEBRASKA HUSKERS
9. MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
8. MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS
7. ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
6. MARYLAND TERRAPINS
5. IOWA HAWKEYES
4. WISCONSIN BADGERS
3. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
2. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
1. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
Honestly, I will take 10th. Until the Huskers actually win on the football field, I can't really have any issues with being picked at or near the bottom.
Greg S wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2023 4:04 pm
I am really surprised that we haven't heard of Northwestern bowing out of this.
They would be fielding some very difficult questions.
Exactly. Not sure it’s a good environment for an interim head coach who’s been there less than a year, and a few players. They shouldn’t have to face this.
Greg S wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2023 4:04 pm
I am really surprised that we haven't heard of Northwestern bowing out of this.
They would be fielding some very difficult questions.
Exactly. Not sure it’s a good environment for an interim head coach who’s been there less than a year, and a few players. They shouldn’t have to face this.
Not sure if these were the only players going but they won’t be there. I feel the head coach whether interim or not should be adult enough to handle the press conference. After all, he was the one selected to get them through this.
Breakdown of the Huskers as three new faces represent the team at Big Ten Media Days
The Huskers sent three new faces to the Big Ten Conference Media Days to represent the team alongside University of Nebraska Lincoln Athletic Director Trev Alberts and head coach Matt Rhule.
Greg S wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2023 4:04 pm
I am really surprised that we haven't heard of Northwestern bowing out of this.
I bet there are B1G rules where they can't. Probably have some flexibility on who they send but to completely side step it is not an option IMO
That's definitely possible.
Here's a brief rundown of NW today:
Pending litigation caused the three hand-picked players to skip Wednesday interviews, forcing interim coach David Braun to fend off questions about what happened and possible solutions all by himself.
"I won't speak to current allegations; I fully believe our university is going through a process and can speak to the facts," he said, making his first public comments since Pat Fitzgerald’s firing on July 10. "What I can speak to is how proud I am of the way our team has come together with all this stuff swirling around, and there's absolute resolve and confidence from the leadership within our team."
Greg S wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2023 4:04 pm
I am really surprised that we haven't heard of Northwestern bowing out of this.
I bet there are B1G rules where they can't. Probably have some flexibility on who they send but to completely side step it is not an option IMO
That's definitely possible.
Here's a brief rundown of NW today:
Pending litigation caused the three hand-picked players to skip Wednesday interviews, forcing interim coach David Braun to fend off questions about what happened and possible solutions all by himself.
"I won't speak to current allegations; I fully believe our university is going through a process and can speak to the facts," he said, making his first public comments since Pat Fitzgerald’s firing on July 10. "What I can speak to is how proud I am of the way our team has come together with all this stuff swirling around, and there's absolute resolve and confidence from the leadership within our team."
He, the AD or the Pres Should be the ones addressing this. Not the players. This story/statement comes off to me like the players should be there to lend a hand.
I am glad they did not send players.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
