Reports: No CFP expansion decision with Friday deadline looming

With the deadline for College Football Playoff expansion next season approaching on Friday, there is still no resolution after a Sunday meeting of CFP’s leadership in Miami, according to reports.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey hold much of the power over CFP expansion because of a memorandum of understanding signed by all 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua, who make up the CFP management committee.

Petitti reportedly wants to expand to a 24-team field, while Sankey and the SEC prefer adding four more teams to create a 16-team format. Although there is reportedly support within the committee for a move to a 16-team field, Petitti will not agree to this starting in 2026 unless Sankey agrees to move to a 24-team field starting in 2029, according to an ESPN report.

If the two sides cannot agree on a new format by Friday, the 2026 College Football Playoff will stay with 12 teams.

“Still more work to do,” Petitti told reporters as he left Sunday’s meeting.

A 24-team College Football Playoff would eliminate the need for conference championship games, which is reportedly a sticking point for Sankey and the SEC.

–Field Level Media

Big Ten title, No. 1 playoff spot on line for Indiana, Ohio State

INDIANAPOLIS — Never before in the 15-year history of the Big Ten Championship Game has there been more at stake than when No. 1 Ohio State plays No. 2 Indiana on Saturday.

This is the first time since its inception in 2011 that both teams enter the championship game undefeated with 12-0 overall marks and 9-0 conference records.

The closest comparison would be last season when top-ranked Oregon puts its perfect record against No. 3 and once-beaten Penn State. The Ducks won 45-37.

While the winner on Saturday will get the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, Ohio State coach Ryan Day feels the loser should still be ranked among the top four.

“I think both deserve a first-round bye,” he said. “(But) I think it’s important to win this game and be the No. 1 seed. Everything matters.”

Counterpart Curt Cignetti is not so sure. He doesn’t feel the loser is guaranteed a top-four spot.

“I don’t expect any handouts,” he said. “We’ve earned everything up until this point and we’ve got to earn it on Saturday.”

That’s all from the team standpoint. On the personal level, the winner of the Heisman Trophy may be decided between quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza of Indiana and the Buckeyes’ Julian Sayin.

Mendoza has passed for 2,758 yards with 32 touchdowns and five interceptions. He will go against the best scoring defense (7.8 points per game) and total defense (203.0 yards) in the nation under first-year defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and led by All-American safety Caleb Downs.

“My job is to stick to the process against a fantastically-led defense by Coach Patricia and Caleb Downs,” Mendoza said. “We just need to stick to the process and stick to what’s gotten us to this point.”

Downs sees a leader in Mendoza, who has guided the Hoosiers to the second-best scoring offense (44.3) and No. 5 total offense (483.8).

“He can see the field well, which puts them in the right position,” Downs said. “Their running backs are running hard and their receivers are making plays.”

Sayin showed his mettle against Michigan last Saturday in the California native’s first game played in snow. After an incompletion and interception on his first two throws, he completed 19 of his final 24 for 233 yards and three touchdowns in the 27-9 victory.

It helped that receivers Carnell Tate (five catches, 82 yards, touchdown) and Jeremiah Smith (3-30-1) returned from injuries just in time and will be available again Saturday.

Sayin has passed for 3,065 yards and 30 touchdowns against five interceptions while having the top completion percentage nationally (78.9%).

“I really respect Julian. He is so effective and he fits the offense perfectly,” Mendoza said. “Every QB prides himself on completion percentage and his completion percentage is out of this world.”

Ohio State has not won a Big Ten title since the COVID season of 2020. Indiana’s last championship came in 1967.

Day credits Cignetti in his second season at Indiana for the program’s rise to prominence.

“Look at what he’s done,” Day said. “I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s put on the field. I mean, this is a really good team and it’s going to be a great atmosphere.

“I know our guys are looking forward to going to Indy. It’s been a long time. So, we’re going there to win the game against a great opponent.”

–By Craig Merz, Field Level Media

Matt Rhule brings Nebraska ‘home’ to face pupil, Penn State

TJ Lateef and Ethan Grunkemeyer have been thrust into important roles and found some good fortune last week.

The quarterbacks at the center of the Big Ten matchup between Nebraska and Penn State on Saturday in University Park, Pa., look for more of the same with the regular season winding down.

Lateef made his first career start on Nov. 8 — prior to the bye week for Nebraska (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) — with starting QB Dylan Raiola out for the season with a broken leg. A true freshman, Lateef went 13-of-15 for 205 yards and three touchdowns in the 28-21 win over UCLA.

“I want him to go there and let it rip,” said Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule, a former linebacker at Penn State. “Sometimes the second game you start to — no, don’t overthink too much. Just go out there and play.”

Grunkemeyer prepares for his fifth start for Penn State (4-6, 1-6) under similar circumstances. Starter Drew Allar was lost for the season with a knee injury before Penn State fired head coach James Franklin.

The redshirt freshman threw two touchdown passes in last week’s 28-10 win over Michigan State that snapped a six-game losing streak.

There is less drama simmering around Rhule’s return to Happy Valley. The Nebraska coach was immediately connected to the vacancy at Penn State because of his connection with current Nittany Lions AD Patrick Kraft, who hired him as head coach at Temple.

Rhule knows Penn State interim coach Terry Smith pretty well, too.

“I hired him out of Gateway High School, and he was on my first staff at Temple. I have a lot of respect for him,” Rhule said.

But Rhule isn’t leaving Nebraska for Penn State, not after signing a contract extension to stay in Lincoln. He said he “doesn’t have very many” emotions about his trip “home” on Saturday.

“It’s just different for me because I’ve been back so many times,” Rhule said. “The only things I feel is my grandfather had season tickets at Penn State and he’s no longer living. My grandmother’s no longer living. Just the people who poured into me and meant a lot to me in my life, they won’t be there for this.”

Grunkemeyer was only asked to throw the ball 13 times against the Spartans, as the Nittany Lions leaned on their rushing game. Kaytron Allen ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns, while Nicholas Singleton chipped in with 56 yards on the ground.

“We do know in our keys to victory every week is for Kaytron and Nick to touch the ball,” Smith said, “and if they’re touching the ball, that means we’re going to get closer to that goal.”

Nebraska has a dynamic backfield threat of its own in Emmett Johnson, who posted 129 yards rushing and 103 receiving against UCLA. Johnson, who accounted for three touchdowns in that win, is aiming for his fourth straight 100-yard rushing game and his seventh overall this season.

The Cornhuskers are 4-1 against the Nittany Lions since joining the Big Ten, including a 30-23 triumph in the last meeting in 2020.

–Field Level Media

Northwestern prowling for bowl bid, welcomes Minnesota to Wrigley

Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck holds a special place in his heart for Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

Fleck, who grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago, will revisit the historic landmark when Minnesota (6-4) visits Northwestern (5-5) on Saturday afternoon.
The game will take place at the Cubs’ 111-year-old stadium, where Northwestern also played last week as its new stadium is constructed about 15 miles north in Evanston, Ill.

The Golden Gophers secured bowl eligibility and are attempting to improve their postseason standing with two games to go. Meanwhile, the Wildcats need one more win to become bowl eligible for the second time in the past three seasons.

Both teams hope to bounce back from disappointing losses.

Minnesota is coming off a 42-13 loss on the road against No. 8 Oregon. The Golden Gophers fell behind 28-6 at the half and never threatened to make a comeback.

Fleck pointed to the return of running back Darius Taylor as a bright spot in the loss. Taylor finished with 57 yards on 10 carries, and he will look to take another step forward this weekend as he prepares to face Northwestern.

“You want to make sure you give him enough, but you also want to make sure you continue to have him the rest of the year,” Fleck said. “… He just adds a different dynamic to our offense.”

Meanwhile, the Wildcats will try to regroup after a heartbreaking 24-22 loss against No. 18 Michigan at Wrigley Field last weekend. Northwestern lost on a 31-yard field goal as time expired, spoiling what had been a mostly impressive performance by the team.

Northwestern coach David Braun wants his team to focus on the remaining challenges instead of lamenting one that got away against a nationally ranked rival.

“None of us want to hear, ‘Hey, good effort, guys. You gave Michigan a run for their money,’” Braun said.

Preston Stone has passed for 1,706 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season for Northwestern.

Minnesota’s starting quarterback is Drake Lindsey. He has thrown for 1,881 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions in his first season as a starter.

–Field Level Media

DC Ryan Walters, Washington primed to welcome Purdue

For Washington defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, Saturday’s Big Ten game against visiting Purdue will be all business.

Walters will face the Boilermakers in a reunion of sorts. He was fired as their head coach last season following a 66-0 loss to Indiana in the game for the Old Oaken Bucket.

“I’ve already had these reflection periods as far as my time there,” said Walters, who went 5-19 over two seasons in West Lafayette, Ind. “For me personally, it’s another Big Ten game that we need to play well, especially coming off of last week. The focus has been now to improve and give our guys a chance to win a ball game at home and right the wrongs of a week ago.”

Walters was referring to an ugly 13-10 defeat at Wisconsin last Saturday that knocked the Huskies (6-3, 3-3) out of the College Football Playoff conversation just after they had entered it.

Walters’ defense kept the Huskies in the game against Wisconsin, which hadn’t won a conference game all season, but they couldn’t overcome injuries to running back Jonah Coleman, wide receiver Denzel Boston and a pair of starting offensive linemen in right tackle Drew Azzopardi and center Landen Hatchett. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was pressured a season-high 21 times by the Badgers and sacked on four occasions.

“Protection,” said Huskies coach Jedd Fisch, “wasn’t as good as we wanted it.”

The Boilermakers (2-8, 0-7) have lost eight in a row, including a 34-10 defeat to No. 1 Ohio State last weekend.

Purdue has had some success against dual-threat quarterbacks like Williams, who ranks fifth in the Big Ten in passing yards per game (250.1) and has nearly 500 yards rushing.

“He’s most talented when he’s been able to move and run,” Purdue defensive coordinator Mike Scherer said. “His arm talent when he’s on the run is extremely good, too.”

The Boilermakers will be without leader rusher Devin Mockobee, who recently underwent season-ending ankle surgery.

–Field Level Media

No. 18 Michigan on playoff outfield, digs in for Northwestern at Wrigley Field

Big Ten rivals redefine “play ball” at Wrigley Field on Saturday when Northwestern and No. 18 Michigan battle at the “Friendly Confines” in Chicago.

Michigan (7-2, 5-1 Big Ten), which moved up in the College Football Rankings from a debut at No. 21, was idle last week after holding off Purdue 21-16 two weeks ago for its third consecutive victory. The Wolverines are among 10 two-loss teams ranked outside the 12 playoff spots.

The Wolverines likely would have to run the table for playoff consideration. Michigan follows Northwestern on the schedule with a road game at Maryland and then close at home against top-ranked Ohio State.

Six days after temperatures fell below freezing and winds howled at 25-30 mph at Soldier Field for the Bears’ sixth win of the 2025 season, sun-soaked Wrigley is expected to see unseasonably warm 60-degree weather for what is officially a “home” game on Northwestern’s schedule.

The Wildcats (5-4,3-3 Big Ten) lost at USC 38-17 last Friday. Northwestern has dropped two straight after a four-game winning streak.

“The urgency with me, with the coaches, with the players is at an all-time high to make sure that we’re prepared and because when opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare, right?” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. “So, you’ve got to you got to go attack it right now. And I feel like our guys are doing that.”

Sophomore Jordan Marshall ran for a career-high 185 yards and all three Michigan touchdowns in the win over Purdue. The Wolverines outgained the Boilermakers 398 yards to 276, holding Purdue to a season-low 138 passing yards.

The Wolverines average 28.1 points and 409.4 yards per game, yielding 17.2 points and 304 yards.

Freshman Bryce Underwood throws for 185.7 yards per game with seven touchdowns and three picks. Donavan McCulley has 26 catches for 383 yards and Andrew Marsh 25 for 376 yards.

Leading rusher Justice Haynes — who averages 122.4 yards per game and scored 10 touchdowns — suffered a foot injury last month and is week-to-week, Moore said. Haynes’ status is questionable for the rest of the regular season. Marshall has 729 rushing yards and eight scores.

Michigan leads the FBS with seven rushing plays of 50 yards or more, including six for touchdowns.

“Michigan is a really good football team, 7-2,” Northwestern coach David Braun said. “Coach Moore has done a great job of running the football at a high level. Young, talented quarterback starting to settle in. He is playing at a really high level.”

Northwestern was tied 14-all against USC until the Trojans scored a touchdown late in the first half. USC then scored on its first possession of the third quarter for a two-touchdown lead.

The Wildcats were outgained by USC 482-280 and allowed the Trojans to score on all six trips to the red zone.

“Ultimately, you know, we didn’t get the job done,” Braun said. “I have to do a better job coaching this team. We need to do a better job of performing on game day and I am really excited to bounce back and get back to our winning ways.”

Northwestern averages 21.9 points and 351.3 yards per game, allowing 19.1 points and 324.0 yards.

Quarterback Preston Stone averages 169.1 passing yards per game with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Griffin Wilde is the top target with 43 receptions for 593 yards and five scores.

Leading rusher Caleb Komolafe averages 80.7 yards per game with eight touchdowns.

Michigan has dominated the series, winning 13 of the last 14 meetings. Northwestern’s only win in that span was 21-14 at Michigan in 2008. The Wolverines have won 35 of the last 39 matchups.

–Field Level Media

Still No. 1, Ohio State ready for roller coaster UCLA

UCLA’s roller coaster season is on the downswing again and the Bruins picked quite the time and place to try ending another losing streak.

No. 1 Ohio State (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) has been relentless in pursuit of back-to-back national championships and hits the home stretch of the regular season mindful of its form against the erratic Bruins (3-6, 3-3 Big Ten) in Columbus on Saturday.

The Buckeyes maintained their hold of the Big Ten and the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday. Ohio State’s resume is even better this season than it was at this time last year.

They lead the nation in scoring defense (7.2 points game), total defense (211.6 yards per game) and red-zone defending, allowing nine scores (five touchdowns and four field goals) in 16 attempts for 56.2%.

Junior linebacker Arvell Reese, a first-year starter who is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, has emerged as one of the stalwarts.

“There’s talk about him with awards, or maybe there’s talk about him in the draft. That doesn’t affect Arvell,” Ohio State coach Ryad Day said. “Arvell just focuses on what matters. It starts with a mindset but I think early in his career he could have very easily been discouraged because maybe he didn’t play as much.”

Reese leads the Buckeyes with 55 tackles and has 6 ½ sacks, second on the team.

“They have a lot of big time players and the most impressive thing is they’re playing complimentary football, playing as a team,” UCLA interim head coach Tim Skipper said. “It’s good to see that can still happen. Their offense, defense, special teams, is all tied into each other; the offensive ball control and getting the defense off the field, and the defense getting the ball back for the offense and the special teams getting out there making a difference.”

The Ohio State offense is led by Heisman Trophy contenders Julian Sayin and receiver Jeremiah Smith. Sayin threw for 303 yards and a 35-yard TD to Smith in the 34-10 win at Purdue on Saturday.

Smith had a career-high 10 catches for 137 yards despite extra attention because receiver Carnell Tate did not play as a precaution due to an undisclosed injury. He is expected to be available against the Bruins.

It’s been a strange season for UCLA. An 0-3 start cost DeShaun Foster his job. Skipper lost his first game then reeled of three straight wins, including Penn State, before losing to No. 2 Indiana, 56-6, and Nebraska, 28-21.

Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava may have flashbacks when he steps onto the Ohio Stadium field for a second time. Eleven months ago, he was playing for Tennessee on a 25-degree night for a CFP first-round matchup.

It didn’t go well. The Buckeyes routed the Vols 42-17 and he was 14 of 31 for 104 yards, sacked four times for 35 yards and had 20 rushes for 47 yards.

Last week, Nebraska sacked him three times and Iamaleava took a beating while rushing for a team-high 86 yards.

“Obviously, starting quarterback, you don’t want to take big hits and things like that, but if they’re going to give him running lanes, you might as well take them,” Skipper said. “I kid with him all the time, every now and then you might want to slide a little bit. But when you have a natural runner like he is, you kind of just let them go do their thing.”

–Field Level Media

No. 2 Indiana braces for Badgers after close call at Penn State

Indiana realized that remaining at No. 2 in the College Football Playoff ranking was likely after rallying to win at Penn State last week while Ohio State rolled to keep wraps on the No. 1 spot.

That hasn’t kept the Hoosiers from aspiring to keep climbing in other areas as they prepare for Saturday’s home finale against Wisconsin.

“The team has always, like I said, been about pushing one another,” Hoosiers linebacker Rolijah Hardy said. “I could definitely feel it. We try not to let it get into our heads too much, because of course we’ve got to go ahead and finish the year, which is the target to the national championship. But we definitely feel that, and we appreciate it.”

Indiana (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) solidified its hold on a first-round CFP bye with a 27-24 win at Penn State, highlighted by Omar Cooper Jr.’s acrobatic touchdown catch in the back of the end zone on a pass from Fernando Mendoza.

The Hoosiers, who appear on a collision course with Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, have won just two games by single digits this season.

To Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, that goes with the territory of being a power for the second straight season.

“We’re not sneaking up on anyone anymore,” Cignetti said. “We got Iowa’s best shot at Iowa. We got Penn State’s best shot at Penn State. Oregon was obviously a big game on the road, and we’ll get Wisconsin’s best shot. So, we’ve got to have a good week of preparation.”

Wisconsin (3-6, 1-5) stopped a 10-game conference losing streak dating to last season with last week’s narrow home victory against then-No. 23 Washington.

Freshmen linebackers Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa were on the spot for the Badgers, continuing a recent trend. Catalano (27) and Posa (24) have collected the most total tackles for the team over the past two games since entering the starting lineup.

Badgers coach Luke Fickell especially lauded Posa’s “competitive spirit” and its impact on a 13-10 win against Washington, including a forced and recovered fumble that put Wisconsin in position for its lone touchdown.

“There’s guys that work hard and those guys, when the ball goes down, just have this competitive nature to them that continue to rise to what they do,” Fickell said. “And I think that’s just where he is. … He’s just a guy that has a lot of confidence in what he does.”

Wisconsin also may rely on a freshman to lead a fledgling attack. Punter Sean West finished as the Badgers’ leading passer against Washington, as freshman Carter Smith went 3-for-12 for eight yards in relief of injured starting quarterback Danny O’Neil.

Smith or Hunter Simmons appears likely to get the start under center.

“Either way, we know we got to be able to throw the ball down the field,” Fickell said. “We know we’ve got to be able to do the things that whether Carter or Hunter can do, but the things that we need to do to make sure that we’re not just completely one-dimensional. So we got a lot of work to do.”

Indiana has won two straight in the series on the heels of Wisconsin’s 10-game winning streak from 2005-17.

–Field Level Media

No. 8 Oregon minding own business with Minnesota in sights

The top of the College Football Playoff standings feature Big Ten teams at No. 1 and No. 2, and one-loss Oregon might not have enough time to close the gap.

Ranked No. 8 in this week’s CFP rankings released Tuesday, Oregon gained one spot from last week and carries visions of a return to the Big Ten title game into Friday night when the Ducks host Minnesota in Eugene, Ore.

The Ducks (8-1 overall, 5-1 in Big Ten) scored a gritty 18-16 win at now-No. 21 Iowa last week. Ohio State is No. 1 in the rankings with Indiana, the only team to beat Oregon this season, ranked second.

Oregon received a lot of praise across the nation for being able to go into Iowa, deal with poor weather and put together a game-winning drive inside of two minutes to play that resulted in a field goal to retake the lead with three seconds left. The Ducks were without wide receiver Dakorien Moore and tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and turned to their running back depth on offense.

It’s not clear if Moore, Sadiq, starting offensive tackle Alex Harkey or linebacker Devon Jackson will be able to play on Friday as they work their way back from injuries. Oregon could also be without wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr., who was injured during the Iowa game.

That could mean another week of relying on a corps of running backs led by veteran Noah Whittington, who rushed for 117 yards at Iowa, plus Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr., who’ve combined for 14 touchdowns this season.

“Every year is different and unique. You try to play to your team’s strengths and what they do well,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said. “We’ve also had some games that the environment dictated that we’re going to run the ball a little bit more. But really proud of our offensive staff and their creativity in the run game and what they’ve done.”

Since a 30-20 loss to Indiana last month, Oregon has three victories in a row. The Ducks gave up a combined 32 points in wins over Iowa, Wisconsin and Rutgers.

Minnesota faces Oregon for the first time since the Ducks jumped to the Big Ten. The Golden Gophers (6-3, 4-2) are coming off a bye, and before that, a 23-20 come-from-behind win over Michigan State at home in overtime.

Minnesota’s defense has 32 sacks in nine games, which leads the Big Ten. But the Gophers are 0-3 on the road this season, outplayed at Cal and dominated by Ohio State and Iowa.

On offense, redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey is in his first season as the starting quarterback, and isn’t a major threat to run with the ball. Lindsey, however, has a 62 percent completion rate with 10 touchdown passes and six thrown interceptions.

Minnesota doesn’t have the scoring potential that the Ducks have shown, but its defense could keep the game close. The Gophers will be making their second trip out to the West Coast this season.

“Whether it’s here (in Minneapolis) or whether it’s in Eugene, Oregon, you’ve got to find a way in November to play your best football,” head coach P.J. Fleck said.

“They (the Ducks) don’t have many flaws, that’s for sure.”

–Field Level Media

Apr 26, 2025; Iowa City, IA, USA; A detail view of a logo for the Big Ten Conference is seen during a spring NCAA football open practice at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Cress/For the Register

Big Ten reportedly nearing vote on $2B capital deal

Big Ten member schools are nearing a vote on whether to accept an investment agreement that could put more than $2 billion into the conference, multiple media outlets reported Friday.

However, the deal is still yet from certain, reportedly because of the uniqueness of the scenario and the complexities of putting it all together.

The agreement being considered is with a private investment company that manages the pension portfolio of the University of California system. According to Yahoo Sports, the company — UC Investments — is valued at $190 billion and manages the endowment and retirement savings of the 10 schools in the UC system. The fund is independent from the UC schools, whose biggest football programs are UCLA and Cal.

But Front Office Sports reported Friday that some Big Ten schools did not know which pension fund is being considered in the agreement.

Reports stated that a vote could occur early next week.

The main structure of the deal reportedly would include UC Investments giving the 18 Big Ten schools a total of $2.4 billion in exchange for a 10% ownership stake of Big Ten Enterprises — a Big Ten subsidiary that would be created to handle marketable assets such as media rights and sponsorship deals.

According to Yahoo, each school would receive at least $100 million in one up-front payment with future payments based on performance and marketing metrics for each school. The conference and UC Investments would also extend an agreement over the schools’ media-rights deals through 2046.

The conference’s media rights would not be part of the deal, though. The Big Ten’s deal that shares TV rights with Fox, NBC and CBS expires in 2030 while a separate deal with Fox only expires in 2036. Yahoo reported that the deal with UC Investments would include eight-figure bonuses to schools in fiscal year 2037, indicating a big increase in media-rights fees is anticipated after the current Fox deal is up.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) wrote a letter to Big Ten presidents cautioning them about entering into agreements with private firms.

Cantwell’s letter stated in part that such an agreement “may be counter to your university’s academic goals, may require the sale of university assets to a private investor, and may affect the tax-exempt purpose of those assets.”

Echoing FOS’ reporting that not all Big Ten institutions knew the details of the fund involved in the agreement, Cantwell wrote that she heard from conference regents and trustees who “have not been fully briefed on the deal under consideration.”

–Field Level Media