WASHINGTON — A who’s who of leaders from the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and ACC gathered on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to meet with state representatives and lobby for federal NIL guidelines — a strong showing of unity from the NCAA’s largest and wealthiest conferences just days after a federal court hearing inched college athletics closer to a landmark settlement.

University presidents and chancellors, athletic directors and a few coaches and players concluded the day with a cocktail reception at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, where SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti participated in a brief panel recapping the day.

“We’re kind of in a seminal moment,” Phillips said. “We’re trying to find something that has sustainability to it. It’s a modernization of college sports. I think for all of us, we are passionate about access and affordability to higher education … at the heart of this thing is opportunities for young men and women. Times have changed, and whether we like all the things that have occurred, or we don’t, we find ourselves in a position where we are major stewards of the future of college sports.”

While the commissioners have made multiple trips to the nation’s capital to push for federal NIL legislation, it’s not often — if at all — that such a large contingency from their respective leagues has joined them, and all four at the same time.

Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl, fresh off a Final Four appearance, attended the event, along with Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian.

“We’ve been here repeatedly,” Sankey said of the commissioners. “The reality is the timing of the House settlement, the new Congress and when we planned really months ago to be here, there was a nexus of issues. We know there’s conversations taking place. We’ve educated, I think, effectively members of the House and Senate, and we need to keep pushing and to do that with our universities is much healthier than simply doing that as commissioners and doing so in a coordinated way across the four conferences.”

On Monday, there was a federal court hearing in Oakland, California, regarding the highly publicized House settlement in which the NCAA has agreed to pay roughly $2.8 billion in damages to past and current athletes.

Wednesday’s meeting also came on the heels of March Madness and a week from the opening of the spring transfer portal window.

“Everyone knows there’s a sense of urgency,” Yormark said. “Time is not on our side, so we have to move quickly and swiftly.

“The settlement is one thing, but it needs to be codified on the Hill.”

Tennessee and Georgia Tech will play a home-and-home football series in 2026 and 2027, the schools announced Wednesday.

The Volunteers will travel to Atlanta to face the Yellow Jackets on Sept. 12, 2026. Sources told ESPN’s Chris Low that that game is likely to be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and not on campus, but has yet to be finalized.

Georgia Tech will go to Knoxville on Sept. 11, 2027.

The series replaces two games Tennessee had scheduled against Nebraska for 2026 and 2027. Nebraska announced in February that it had backed out of those games.

“After Nebraska canceled the series, our main focus was to secure another home-and-home matchup with an opponent from a Power Four conference, which seemed improbable at the time,” Tennessee athletic director Danny White said. “I sincerely appreciate Athletic Director J Batt’s creativity in modifying Georgia Tech’s schedule to make this series possible.”

Tennessee and Georgia Tech met all but three seasons from 1954 to 1987. Tennessee won the most recent meeting 42-41 in overtime in the 2017 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Vols lead the all-time series 25-17-2.

“As we continue to invest in and elevate Georgia Tech football, securing elite-level competition is a critical component,” Batt said. “We’re thrilled to renew our rivalry with Tennessee and look forward to the matchups in Atlanta and Knoxville. I’m confident that our passionate Tech fans will embrace this series!”

The schools are separated by 200 miles, and both were members of the SEC from 1933 until the Yellow Jackets’ departure in 1963. Georgia Tech was an independent until it joined the ACC in 1983.

Georgia Tech also has a nonconference home game with Colorado in 2026.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Following a busy, 10-game Tuesday night in the NHL, it’s a relatively quiet five-game evening on Wednesday.

Nevertheless, there are playoff and draft lottery ramifications aplenty, so let’s hit all five matchups rapid fire:

Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning
7 p.m. (ESPN+)

While the Leafs appear destined for a top two spot in the Atlantic, they can still be caught by the Lightning for the No. 1 seed. If the Lightning are going to do it, a game like this is a prime opportunity to make up ground with a regulation win.

Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers
7:30 p.m. (TNT)

The Rangers lost their two most recent games by a combined score of 9-1, and their playoff hopes are dwindling quickly. A win over the Flyers would be a good step in potentially climbing back into the playoffs. Philly is fourth in the draft lottery order heading into this matchup — and bear in mind they also own the first-round picks of the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers.

San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild
8 p.m. (ESPN+)

Speaking of occupying a great place in the draft lottery order, the Sharks are No. 1, and are four points clear of the Chicago Blackhawks for that spot. The Wild are holding on to the second Western wild-card spot, and enter the evening four points up on the Flames.

St. Louis Blues at Edmonton Oilers
10 p.m. (TNT)

The Blues’ 12-game winning streak came to a halt on Monday at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, and they’ll be looking to start another one here against the Oilers. St. Louis is in the first wild-card position, two points ahead of the Wild. The Oilers appear to be a lock for the No. 3 spot in the Pacific, bringing on a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Kings for the fourth straight postseason.

Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks
10 p.m. (ESPN+)

Calgary’s chances to jump into wild-card position have faded recently, so getting two points out of this game is crucial. As noted above, they are four points back of the Wild for that final spot. The Ducks enter the contest in the No. 8 spot in the lottery order, right in a jumble of teams between 73 and 76 points, so they can move up pretty easily based on their performance in the final five games.

With the regular season ending April 17, we’ll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule
Yesterday’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Florida Panthers
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 Minnesota Wild
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 St. Louis Blues
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

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Wednesday’s games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.
St. Louis Blues at Edmonton Oilers, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.

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Tuesday’s scoreboard

Buffalo Sabres 3, Carolina Hurricanes 0
Montreal Canadiens 4, Detroit Red Wings 1
Florida Panthers 3, Toronto Maple Leafs 1
Boston Bruins 7, New Jersey Devils 2
Columbus Blue Jackets 5, Ottawa Senators 2
Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Chicago Blackhawks 0
Nashville Predators 7, New York Islanders 6 (OT)
Vancouver Canucks 6, Dallas Stars 5 (OT)
Utah Hockey Club 7, Seattle Kraken 1
Colorado Avalanche 3, Vegas Golden Knights 2 (SO)

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Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 104.4
Next game: @ TB (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: vs. TOR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 4
Points pace: 98.8
Next game: vs. DET (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 4
Points pace: 94.6
Next game: vs. MTL (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 4
Points pace: 91.5
Next game: @ OTT (Friday)
Playoff chances: 89.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 84.1
Next game: @ FLA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 5.5%
Tragic number: 2

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 80.9
Next game: @ CBJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: E

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Points pace: 75.8
Next game: vs. CHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

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Metro Division

Points: 107
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 114.0
Next game: vs. CAR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: @ WSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 4
Points pace: 93.6
Next game: vs. PIT (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 84.1
Next game: vs. PHI (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 1.9%
Tragic number: 3

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 84.1
Next game: vs. NYR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 3%
Tragic number: 2

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 84.1
Next game: vs. BUF (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.5%
Tragic number: 2

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Points pace: 78.9
Next game: @ NJ (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 75.6
Next game: @ NYR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

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Central Division

Points: 110
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 4
Points pace: 115.6
Next game: @ DAL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 4
Points pace: 111.4
Next game: vs. WPG (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 100
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 3
Points pace: 103.8
Next game: vs. VAN (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 3
Points pace: 96.5
Next game: @ EDM (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 97.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 4
Points pace: 95.7
Next game: vs. SJ (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 92.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 88.3
Next game: vs. NSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 1

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 67.3
Next game: @ UTA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 56.8
Next game: @ BOS (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

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Pacific Division

Points: 103
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 4
Points pace: 108.3
Next game: vs. SEA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 5
Points pace: 103.3
Next game: vs. ANA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 99.0
Next game: vs. STL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 92.7
Next game: @ ANA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 10.9%
Tragic number: 6

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 89.4
Next game: @ COL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 2

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 80.9
Next game: vs. CGY (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Points pace: 76.8
Next game: @ VGK (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 53.3
Next game: @ MIN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: A “y” means that the team has clinched the division title. An “x” means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An “e” means that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

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Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL’s Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 23

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 25

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 25

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 28