Big Ten schedule: USC to open at Michigan in ’24
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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
USC will visit Michigan in its first Big Ten conference game, while UCLA will make two cross-country trips and Oregon–Washington will be featured during rivalry weekend of the Big Ten’s 2024 football schedule, which the league unveiled Thursday.
The league’s first schedule with 18 members, each playing nine conference games, was shaped using the Flex Protect XVIII model, which includes 12 annual protected rivalries and a robust rotation to avoid the long gaps between pairings present in other conferences. The Big Ten also ensured that any team from the Eastern or Central time zone traveling to the West Coast, and any of the four West Coast additions — USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington — traveling east would have either a home game or an open week following the lengthy trips. Both the 2024 and 2025 seasons contain two open weeks per team, which made the scheduling process easier, Big Ten chief operating officer Kerry Kenny told ESPN.
“The two main components that we were asked to hit were the geographic and travel balance and then also the competitive balance,” Kenny said. “Obviously, in a schedule with teams that are this competitive and this deep there’s always going to be pockets of tough stretches and something that, on paper right now, based on the way teams look, it’s always going to make it seem a little bit more difficult or maybe a little easier than it may play out.
“But our job as schedulers are to put as much of the principles into the schedule that we’re asked to really manage, and I think we did that, especially on the travel side.”
Eight teams in the Eastern or Central time zones have open weeks after their only West Coast trips, and the other six have home games. The four West Coast teams will not play consecutive road games in 2024. UCLA, which opens its season Aug. 31 at Hawai’i, will travel to Penn State on Oct. 5 and to Rutgers on Oct. 19, but will host Minnesota on Oct. 12 and have an open week after the Rutgers game.
Two Pac-12 rivalry games fall into the protected category — Oregon-Washington and UCLA-USC — and USC and Washington also will meet Nov. 2 in Seattle. Oregon and USC will not play each other in 2024, a decision Kenny said was based on creating a rotation where new members would play existing members “more frequently and sooner.”
“We’ve really found that playing each other more, not less, and doing it as soon as you can, to get these new institutions to play in our historic venues and our current members to play in these new places, that’s what helps make a conference become a more cohesive conference right off the bat,” Kenny said.
USC will open Big Ten play with Michigan (road), Wisconsin (home), Minnesota (road) and Penn State (home), while Oregon will face both Ohio State (Oct. 12 at home) and Michigan (Nov. 2 on the road) in a four-week stretch. Washington’s first November schedule in the Big Ten includes each of three other West Coast additions plus a Nov. 9 trip to Penn State.
The USC-UCLA game will take place Nov. 23 so that USC can finish its regular season by hosting rival Notre Dame. Kenny said, “in a perfect world,” the Big Ten would love to have USC-UCLA on rivalry weekend, alongside Ohio State-Michigan, Purdue-Indiana, Wisconsin-Minnesota, Iowa-Nebraska and now Oregon-Washington. UCLA, which traditionally plays a Pac-12 opponent in years where USC finishes with Notre Dame, moved a nonleague game with Fresno State to Nov. 30, and will open Big Ten play in Week 3 when it hosts Indiana.
The 2024 schedule does not include a conference game during opening weekend and only one in Week 2 (Michigan State at Maryland) and Week 3 (Indiana at UCLA). Kenny said working around existing nonleague games was a challenge in crafting the schedule, along with sequencing games against projected Top 25 teams.
“We’re making assumptions based on teams on paper right now and brands, but that’s always a consideration,” Kenny said. “But that’s always a consideration, trying to spread the inventory throughout the season in a way that works for each individual program, but also for the conference as a whole.”
The Big Ten schedule includes only one confirmed Friday game in Iowa-Nebraska, which has traditionally taken place the day after Thanksgiving and will occur Nov. 29, 2024. But the Big Ten will fill additional Friday slots, despite some opposition from its coaches because of traditional high school games.
“Technically we can go to a game a week on Fridays,” Kenny said. “Whether or not that actually gets activated is all dependent on some of the conversations between us, and primarily Fox is our Friday partner. But the ability to have a game each week on a Friday would be there with this new schedule.”
Kenny said the Big Ten likely would announce its 2025 schedule during the 2024 season.
Mike Sullivan, who led the Pittsburgh Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, is out as the team’s head coach, it was announced Monday.
Sullivan was the longest-tenured coach in Penguins history after just completing his 10th season. The 57-year-old, who also coached Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off, was under contract in Pittsburgh through 2026-27.
In a statement, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said the decision was “the best course forward for all involved” as Pittsburgh navigates a transitional period.
“On behalf of Fenway Sports Group and the Penguins organization, I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade,” Dubas said. “Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization. This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved.”
The Penguins have missed the playoffs for three straight seasons as Dubas works to retool the team into a contender while Crosby is still competing at a high level. Crosby just completed his 20th straight season in which he posted a point-per-game scoring pace, and he was voted by his peers in the NHLPA as the league’s most complete player. The captain is under contract through next season on a two-year extension he signed prior to the 2024-25 season.
Sullivan was elevated to Penguins head coach in 2015 after leading the organization’s AHL team in Wilkes-Barre. With 409 wins in Pittsburgh, he leaves as the Penguins’ all-time wins leader.
With Sullivan’s departure, there are now seven head-coaching vacancies in the NHL. The Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken and New York Rangers are also searching for new coaches right now. According to sources, Sullivan has been atop the Rangers’ wish list.
Sources also said Sullivan is keen on coaching again next season and will be a top candidate for several of the vacancies. Sullivan worked as an assistant coach with the Rangers and as both an assistant and head coach with the Bruins earlier in his career.
Home teams are on a tear in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, going 21-10 thus far. Will that trend continue Monday?
The early matchup is Game 4 of the Battle of Florida, and the festivities have become heated; Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel was given a major penalty for his hit on Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2, and subsequently suspended for Game 3. In that game, Matthew Tkachuk leveled a hard hit on Jake Guentzel but did not receive the same punishment. What will transpire in Game 4?
In the nightcap, the clash of West titans continues, as the Colorado Avalanche look to keep the momentum going after their 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 4 on Saturday.
Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down in Sunday’s games, and the Three Stars of Sunday Night from Arda Öcal.
Matchup notes
Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers
Game 4 (FLA leads 2-1) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
Teams that hold a 2-1 series lead have gone on to win the best-of-seven matchup 69% of the time in Stanley Cup playoff history. The Panthers have won two out of three best-of-seven series when holding a 2-1 lead, and the Lightning are 6-7 all time when trailing 2-1.
Jake Guentzel had three points (goal, two assists) in Game 3, and his 40 career playoff goals are third most among active U.S.-born players, trailing Patrick Kane (53) and Chris Kreider (48).
With his win in Game 3, Andrei Vasilevskiy now has 67 for his postseason career, second most among active goaltenders (behind Marc-Andre Fleury, who has 92), and one behind Andy Moog for 11th on the all-time list.
Matthew Tkachuk scored his third goal of the series in Game 3, and became the third player in franchise history with 20 career playoffs goals (Carter Verhaeghe 26, Sam Reinhart 22); he is also the third Panther to record 50 playoff points for the club (Aleksander Barkov 62, Verhaeghe 54).
Aaron Ekblad‘s return from suspension didn’t go so well. According to Stathletes, Ekblad and Gustav Forsling played 10:50 together at 5-on-5, and the Lightning scored three goals while they were on the ice.
Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars
Game 5 (series tied 2-2) | 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
With the series tied 2-2, history is on the Stars’ side: Colorado is 11-12 when a series is tied 2-2. Dallas has gone 18-14 in the same scenario.
Nathan MacKinnon is up to 52 career playoff goals, which is six away from tying Peter Forsberg for second in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history; Joe Sakic is first with 84.
Gabriel Landeskog made his return to the ice in Game 3 for the first time since the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, and scored a goal in Game 4, the 28th playoff goal of his career.
Mikko Rantanen (formerly of the Avs, now of the Stars) has only one point (an assist) through four games, but it’s not for a lack of trying; he has 12 shots on goal, which is second most on the team this postseason (Roope Hintz has 13).
Stars goalie Jake Oettinger was pulled in Game 4, just the fourth time in 49 career playoff starts he has played 40 minutes or less. Since 2022, Oettinger has the second-most postseason wins (25), behind Sergei Bobrovsky (34).
Arda’s three stars from Sunday night
Svechnikov potted a hat trick to lift the Canes to a 5-2 win against the Devils in Newark, giving them a 3-1 series lead. Svechnikov is the only Hurricanes/Whalers player in franchise history (45 seasons, 205 playoff games) with a hat trick in the playoffs (he now has two).
His two goals in the third period tied the game at 3, setting the stage for the Oilers to win in OT and tie up the series. Bouchard is now the fourth defenseman to have back-to-back multigoal games in Stanley Cup playoff history.
After two points over the first three games of the series, Neighbors scored a goal and added two assists as the Blues emphatically tied the series with a 5-1 victory in Game 4.
Sunday’s scores
St. Louis Blues 5, Winnipeg Jets 1
Series tied 2-2 | Game 5 Wednesday
Although he is the overwhelming favorite to win the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goalie in the regular season, Connor Hellebuyck is not having a great time this postseason. He was pulled in the third period of this loss after giving up five goals on 18 shots. Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor opened the scoring in this game, but the Blues charged back with five straight goals off the sticks of Jake Neighbours, Tyler Tucker, Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk and Robert Thomas. The home team has won every game in this series. Will that continue in Game 5 in Winnipeg? Full recap.
0:51
Tyler Tucker puts the Blues ahead with a goal
Tyler Tucker scores in the second period to give the Blues a 2-1 lead over the Jets.
Carolina Hurricanes 5, New Jersey Devils 2
CAR leads 3-1 | Game 5 Tuesday
After the Canes went up 3-0, the Devils punched back with two second-period goals, and Carolina starting goalie Frederik Andersen was knocked out after a collision with New Jersey’s Timo Meier. However, that was as close as the Devils would get, as Brent Burns added a goal at 14:14 of the third, and Andrei Svechnikov finished off his hat trick with an empty-net goal to seal the deal. Full recap.
2:05
Andrei Svechnikov scores his second career playoff hat trick
Andrei Svechnikov lit the ice with his second career playoff hat trick in Game 4 vs. the Devils.
Washington Capitals 5, Montreal Canadiens 2
WSH leads 3-1 | Game 5 Wednesday
The Bell Centre was rocking again for this one. Washington’s Dylan Strome started the scoring at 1:25 of the second period, but the Canadiens answered back with two power-play goals (from Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield) to take the lead heading into the third. However, the Caps proved they were the better team, tying it 6:39 into the third, taking the lead 10 minutes later and then pumping in two empty-netters to put it out of reach. Full recap.
0:39
Andrew Mangiapane’s big-time goal gives Caps a lead in the 3rd period
Andrew Mangiapane notches a big-time goal to give the Capitals a lead late in the third period.
Edmonton Oilers 4, Los Angeles Kings 3 (OT)
Series tied 2-2 | Game 5 Tuesday
Another back-and-forth contest for these two teams. The Kings held a 3-1 lead heading into the third, thanks to goals from Trevor Moore, Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala. But the Oilers came back, thanks to a pair of goals by Evan Bouchard (both of which were assisted by Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid) to send the game to overtime. Draisaitl then scored the winner on the power play with just 1:42 left in the extra session. Full recap.
1:14
Leon Draisaitl’s OT winner evens the series for the Oilers
Leon Draisaitl nets the winning goal in overtime to give the Oilers a dramatic win over the Kings in Game 4.
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