PSU 2024 calendar set
The Big Ten announced its football schedule for the 2024 season on Thursday. Opponents had already been confirmed, but Thursday brought the full schedule with dates. Home games are in bold. The schedule is highlighted by a trip to USC on Oct. 12 and back-to-back home dates with Ohio State (Nov. 2) and Washington (Nov. 9).
August 31 in West Virginia
September 7 vs. Bowling Green
September 14 Goodbye
September 21 vs. Kent State
September 28 vs. Illinois
October 5 vs. UCLA
October 12 at USC
October 19 Goodbye
October 26 in Wisconsin
November 2 vs. Ohio State
November 9 against Washington
November 16 at Purdue
November 23 in Minnesota
November 30 vs. Maryland
By Ralph D. Russo
The Associated Press
There is growing pressure on Big Ten Conference commissioner Tony Petitti from football coaches to discipline Michigan and coach Jim Harbaugh for an alleged sign-stealing scheme that has cast a cloud over the Second-place Wolverines heading into playoffs.
Coaches were angry and expressed frustration during a call with Petitti regarding the conference’s lack of action as more evidence supports allegations that a Michigan staffer sent people at games to conduct advanced and prohibited surveillance of opponents, according to two people with knowledge of Wednesday’s meeting. one who listened to the call and another who participated.
The people spoke to The Associated Press Thursday on condition of anonymity because the conference does not make its internal discussions public.
The initial rankings for this week’s College Football Playoff, where Michigan was ranked third, fueled coaches’ outrage over inaction.
“They said it was an NCAA problem and not a CFP problem. It’s about football,” the person on the call said.
During a regular video call with Big Ten athletic directors last week, Petitti heard for the first time complaints within the conference and calls for the league to issue sanctions. The call with coaches Wednesday was also regularly scheduled, but it was dominated by discussion of the current allegations against Michigan.
An unscheduled meeting with Pettiti and Big Ten athletic directors was scheduled for later Thursday, one of the people said. Both people said Petitti suggested a possible follow-up call with coaches on Sunday.
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, appearing Thursday on On3’s Andy Staples, said the meeting was the first opportunity for all the coaches and the commissioner to talk about Michigan’s case.
“I think it was an opportunity for everyone to talk about how they felt, how they were affected,” said Rhule, who called Petitti “a wonderful commissioner.”
“I think a lot of people’s lives, their livelihoods, their jobs, their seasons, their players, their health, all kinds of things, have been affected by this,” Rhule said.
NCAA rules do not prohibit sign stealing, but the statutes prohibit in-person scouting during the season and the use of electronic equipment to record opponents’ signals. The allegations against Michigan are elaborate.
Michigan and the Big Ten have acknowledged that the NCAA is investigating the Wolverines’ football program. Michigan suspended a junior staff member, Connor Stalions.
Several Big Ten schools found tickets purchased on behalf of the Stalions for their games over the past three seasons. A person with knowledge of the situation told AP that tickets to the final two Southeastern Conference championship games were also purchased on behalf of the Stallions.
The NCAA’s investigation process is moving slowly and is expected to extend well beyond the Jan. 8 CFP national championship game.
Even if NCAA law enforcement were able to expedite the case and provide Michigan with official notice of the allegations soon, the school would still have 90 days to respond. A hearing would then take place.
It’s unclear what type of sanctions the Big Ten could impose. The Big Ten bylaws give the commissioner more latitude to act quickly on issues of sportsmanship and competitive integrity.
Petitti would act with limited information. The NCAA hasn’t shared much of its evidence with the Big Ten, said one of the people with knowledge of the situation. Big Ten schools provided records of ticket purchases on behalf of the Stallions and even video surveillance footage of people sitting in those seats, holding cell phones pointed at the field, presumably for video recording.
Harbaugh already served a three-game suspension imposed by the school at the start of the season for an unrelated NCAA violation case.
Michigan (8-0) hosts Purdue this week before finishing its regular season with road games against No. 11 Penn State and Maryland and the traditional season finale at home against No. 3 Ohio State ( n°1 CFP).
