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Jun 8, 2023, 04:01 PM ET

The Big Ten has unveiled its football schedule model for the 2024 and 2025 seasons when the league expands to 16 members with the arrivals of UCLA and USC.

All hail Flex Protect Plus!

The league’s new model features no divisions and 11 protected annual games that are not evenly spread between the teams. The Big Ten focused on preserving the games its schools cared about most, from the obvious (Ohio State-Michigan, USC-UCLA, Michigan-Michigan State, Indiana-Purdue) to the historic (Minnesota-Wisconsin) to recent regional rivalries (Iowa-Nebraska) to matchups for odd trophies (Illinois-Purdue, where the Purdue Cannon is at stake).

Every Big Ten matchup will take place twice in a four-year span, once at each team’s home site. USC and UCLA will face every Big Ten team at least once before the end of 2025, and every Big Ten team will play once in Los Angeles in the same span.

Flexibility is at the core of the Big Ten’s approach, and the league wants to — get this, SEC — play each other more often as both the membership and the CFP expand in 2024. But there are also some drawbacks and items to debate.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly, Adam Rittenberg, Paolo Uggetti and Tom VanHaaren break down what the Big Ten’s announcement means.

What are the ramifications of eliminating divisions?

Connelly: The primary effect is simply that the two best teams will actually play for the conference title. Looking at my SP+ rankings, the top two teams in the conference were East division teams eight of the past 10 years, and the East boasted the top three in four years during that span. It was certainly fun writing about unique division title runs — Northwestern’s in 2018 and 2020, for instance, and Purdue’s (nearly Illinois’) in 2022 — but only three of the past 11 Big Ten Championships have been decided by single digits, and Michigan has won the past two by a combined 85-25. Division imbalance isn’t the only thing that produces title-game blowouts, but it doesn’t help.

On the downside, you get messy new issues when it comes to tiebreakers and the odd idea of, say, Michigan and Ohio State playing each other in back-to-back weeks. But it’s hard to complain too much about anything that produces better conference championship matchups and results and everyone in the conference actually playing each other semiregularly.

Rittenberg: There likely will be repeat Ohio State-Michigan matchups in Indianapolis. But the league still gets a more compelling title game in most seasons, even if both teams likely will have CFP spots already confirmed. Although fewer teams realistically will be in the conference title mix, you also should have a few more that are still in CFP contention as the regular season winds down. The big upside with eliminating divisions is the removal of annual games that don’t need to be played. A more robust schedule rotation is a win for fans, players and TV. Every player will have an opportunity to play in every Big Ten venue before his career ends. Also, the number of weeks with three or four nationally significant games goes up significantly in the new format.

Uggetti: From the vantage point of newcomers USC and UCLA, divisions could have been beneficial if both were inserted into the historically weaker West division. As Adam, Tom and Bill have pointed out, the East has dominated the title game and by extension the CFP conversation in recent years and so there could have been a world in which we’d be getting USC-Ohio State Big Ten title games. Of course in this new, division-less format that still might happen, which is why it’s ultimately the best move as part of the conference’s new look. USC got a taste of this last year after the Pac-12 eliminated divisions — instead of facing the best team in the division formerly known as the North (Washington), the Trojans had to face Utah again in the conference title game. That turned out poorly for USC.

Is the Big Ten format fair?

VanHaaren: It depends on how you look at the current format. I think the current setup was unfair because we didn’t always get the two best teams in the conference championship game. That being said, if there were no divisions in the past, we would have had a ton of Michigan-Ohio State games, which some fans might not like. I don’t think there’s a perfect way to do this, but I don’t think the current format makes sense. Had the conference evened out the divisions, that might be a good solution.

Rittenberg: Usually, schedule formats are all about uniformity and trying to achieve an image of evenness/fairness. The Big Ten’s stands out because there are notable differences in the number of protected games per team. Iowa has three while Penn State has none. I wonder over time how Penn State, which has been vocal about repeatedly opening Big Ten play on the road, views having a more active overall schedule rotation than other teams, including Michigan (two protected games) and Ohio State (one). The Big Ten says it polled all of its members about the games that really mattered and ones that could rotate in and out. But schools could change their positions once the format goes into effect.

Connelly: The new format is certainly more fair to teams in the East! Not including the abbreviated 2020 season, Maryland and Rutgers have each played all of Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State every season since they joined in 2014. In that same range, Nebraska has played those three teams a combined eight times. The new format creates familiarity among all opponents but avoids a natural schedule imbalance based on division lines. Win-win.

What games are we losing and would like to keep?

Connelly: The good thing about this format is that we aren’t really LOSING any games: Even the ones that aren’t played annually still happen every other year on average. That’s great for familiarity and continuity. That said, if we’re preserving Illinois-Purdue (and hey, hooray for the continued relevance of the Purdue Cannon), I hate that we’re whiffing on a chance to make Michigan-Minnesota annual again — I want my Little Brown Jug!

Rittenberg: The model’s overall flexibility really helps, but any year when Ohio State and Penn State don’t play feels a bit strange. Since I started covering the Big Ten for ESPN in 2008, the Ohio State-Penn State game has had more leaguewide significance than any other annual pairing, even Ohio State-Michigan. Both environments are electric and the field always contains a good number of future NFL players. Here’s hoping OSU-PSU doesn’t rotate off for two seasons very often.

Games we’re most excited for?

VanHaaren: I would have liked to see an Ohio State-USC game, but the Bruins and the Buckeyes should still be a good one. The one I have my eye on, though, is Michigan-USC, who haven’t faced each other since the 2007 Rose Bowl. That game could have major ramifications for the conference title and for the playoff if both teams stay on their current track. USC’s high-powered offense against a Michigan defense should be fun to watch and Michigan will travel to USC to play the game. I also like getting Penn State and Ohio State in 2024. The Nittany Lions are on an upward trajectory and will have a third-year quarterback in Drew Allar and third-year running backs in Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen in 2024. That could be fun to watch.

Connelly: I agree about Ohio State-USC — if you’re going to make a move like adding USC and UCLA to a conference of eastern and midwestern programs, I would have figured you would aim to get the most recognizable helmets playing each other as frequently as possible and make that an annual rivalry. They’re obviously still going to be playing a lot, but that omission was a surprise. But obviously with USC at Penn State, Michigan at USC, UCLA at Michigan, Ohio State at UCLA, etc., we’re still getting lots of super-intriguing helmet games right off the bat.

Rittenberg: I really wanted both USC and UCLA to visit one of the mega stadiums in Year 1, which is achieved with the Trojans going to Penn State and the Bruins headed to Michigan. I agree with the others that waiting until 2025 for Ohio State-USC is a mini bummer, and USC’s overall 2024 Big Ten road schedule lacks much pizazz outside of Penn State. The 2024 Big Ten home schedules for both USC and UCLA jumped out, as the Trojans get Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa, while the Bruins will host Ohio State and Nebraska. Those fan bases love to travel and already have solid alumni bases in Los Angeles.

What does the travel schedule look like for USC and UCLA and who else is traveling a lot?

VanHaaren: It would’ve been helpful for either UCLA or USC to get Nebraska as an away game, but neither did. In 2024, USC has to go to Maryland, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue and UCLA, which is a rough slate of travel. Outside of the UCLA game, that’s roughly 32 hours of flying time round trip to the other four games. That is a lot of travel for one season and it will be interesting to see if it impacts the players toward the end of the season. Outside of the California teams, Nebraska is somewhat in the middle geographically, so they also have an interesting travel schedule. The Huskers travel to Iowa, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue and UCLA.

Connelly: In the end, there’s nothing the conference could do to make the travel situation good for USC and UCLA. That’s just the hazard of bringing in two schools that are at least two time zones away from the other 14 schools. The flex rivalry approach is fun; I was good with creating three permanent rivalries for everyone and rotating six other opponents from year to year, but one of the downsides of that was creating random permanent matchups like, say, UCLA-Nebraska or something. This makes sure that no one from the east/midwest is traveling out west more than anyone else.

Uggetti: All right, I’ve crunched the numbers and USC’s road slate in its debut Big Ten season will feature nearly 20,000 miles of travel with all of its road games outside of UCLA requiring a 2,000-plus mile trek each leg of the trip. It’s not ideal, to say the least, but for both the Trojans and the Bruins, this is a small-ish price to pay for what they’re getting financially by joining the conference. It’s also important to remember that while travel for the football teams will be brutal during the season, the nonrevenue sports, which have to travel east as well, will be just as affected, if not more.

Rittenberg: I’m a bit surprised that USC has to visit both Penn State and Maryland in 2024, and both Rutgers and Ohio State in 2025. Those are some long trips. But ultimately we need to see where the games fall in the actual schedules. My sense is USC and UCLA often will get open dates either before or after their longest road trips. They won’t be traveling often — or at all — for midweek games, like they do in the Pac-12. Rutgers seemingly gets the toughest east-to-west travel schedule in 2025, as the Scarlet Knights visit both UCLA and Nebraska.

What would division-less title games have looked like over the past five years?

Connelly: We obviously don’t know what specific schedules would have looked like and how tiebreakers might have come into effect, but based purely on my SP+ rankings, we’d have gotten Ohio State vs. Michigan in 2018, Ohio State vs. Penn State in 2019, Ohio State vs. Iowa in the abbreviated 2020, and Ohio State vs. Michigan again in 2021 and 2022. That none of those matchups actually happened in real life certainly reinforces how the divisional structure held this conference back, but the presence of three extra Buckeyes-Wolverines games is certainly noteworthy.

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Ranking Elite 11 quarterbacks by system fit: Who could thrive at the next level

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June 17, 2025

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Ranking Elite 11 quarterbacks by system fit: Who could thrive at the next level

  • Tom LuginbillJun 17, 2025, 06:15 AM ET

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    • Senior National Recruiting Analyst for ESPN.com
    • Coached in four professional football leagues
    • Graduated from Eastern Kentucky and Marshall

The Elite 11 Finals annually spotlight the nation’s top high school quarterbacks, offering a firsthand look at how the next wave of signal-callers stacks up against elite competition.

With most participants already committed, it’s a valuable window into how these prospects will fit into their future college systems and translate to the next level. Here are the top 10 committed quarterbacks attending the event later this month ranked by system fit.

ESPN 300 ranking: 8

Tennessee’s scheme is plug-and-play friendly and fits Brandon’s big arm and sneaky mobility. There’s a clear trend emerging in Knoxville when it comes to quarterback traits in terms of stature, athleticism and arm strength. Brandon checks all three boxes. He’s very similar to former Vols standout Hendon Hooker and is further along developmentally than Hooker was at Brandon’s age. Though not quite as polished as Nico Iamaleava coming out of high school, Brandon throws a great deep ball, which Tennessee coach Josh Heupel requires from all his quarterbacks. By the time he arrives on campus, it’s likely at least one quarterback currently on the Tennessee roster will have hit the transfer portal.

ESPN 300 ranking: N/A — three-star

Duke offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer is looking for a run-pass option quarterback with consistent accuracy and high-level production in the run game. Walker is that guy. He’s strikingly similar to Darian Mensah, the quarterback Duke brought in via the transfer portal, only Walker has a stronger arm. The Blue Devils want a dynamic runner at quarterback — something former QB Maalik Murphy wasn’t — and that’s what Walker is. A true playmaker, he also has a sky-high ceiling for development as a passer. Walker’s commitment is more evidence that the perception of Duke is shifting among top-tier recruits.

ESPN 300 ranking: 157

It’s easy to see why Arizona State’s coaching staff loves Fette considering he’s a mirror image of current quarterback Sam Leavitt. Fette is a sandlot-style riverboat gambler who thrives when the play breaks down. He looks like a pocket passer, but has the athleticism of a runner and can stress defenses with his legs. Coach Kenny Dillingham will use a lot of smoke and mirrors with shifts, motions, personnel groupings and backfield action to maximize Fette’s dynamic skill set and make him a threat both inside and outside the pocket.

ESPN 300 ranking: 6

Bell enters an ideal situation. The Longhorns don’t need to rush him, and instead can allow him to develop at his own pace. His fit is quite akin to Arch Manning‘s, and if Bell follows a similar blueprint he will get bigger, stronger and more mature over time. He already displays the tools of a high-level passer and adds value as a more capable runner than Quinn Ewers did in Steve Sarkisian’s system. Bell is a naturally gifted passer with a long track record of performance against elite competition, so he is ready to make the jump.

ESPN 300 ranking: N/A — three-star

Regardless of Carson Beck‘s production this fall, Coleman will be able to deliver the dynamism that Miami showcased with Cam Ward at the helm, which will make the Hurricanes much more difficult to defend. Coleman is the type of player Miami will prefer at quarterback in the long run. He has moxie, a gunslinger’s mentality and a live arm capable of making off-platform plays look routine. Remind you of anyone?

ESPN 300 ranking: 155

It’s easy to see shades of former Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams when watching Jonas Williams. He’s a naturally creative and improvisational quarterback. The play is never over, sometimes to a fault, but often to devastating effect. Williams can move the launch point and change arm angles, especially when asked to get the ball out quickly on screens and underneath throws. He thrives in chaos and can run the play-action offense Lincoln Riley loves to employ.

ESPN 300 ranking: 16

Henderson is another signal-caller with similarities to Darian Mensah, who played for current Houston coach Willie Fritz at Tulane. Landing Henderson was a huge win for Fritz. Henderson is a terrific athlete who can reach 20.6 mph max speed, an elite number for a quarterback. We’re intrigued to see whether he sticks at quarterback or moves to another position. For that reason, he’s more of a developmental player who needs to get more consistent in the passing game, but he has a high ceiling regardless of position.

ESPN 300 ranking: 198

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Huhn has the kind of stature coach James Franklin and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki love. Though not as mobile as Drew Allar, Huhn is very athletic in the pocket. He can extend plays and shows strong anticipation off play-action. Huhn loves to play under center, which is a valuable trait in a Penn State offense that blends shotgun and traditional looks. With a scheme that frequently shifts the launch point through varied play-action concepts, Huhn’s footwork and functional mobility make him a natural fit.

ESPN 300 ranking: N/A — three-star

It’s still unclear exactly what North Carolina’s offense will look like under Bill Belichick, but recent quarterback additions offer a clue. The Tar Heels brought in dual-threat options in South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez and 2025 commit Bryce Baker. Neither is a traditional pocket passer, nor is Burgess. He’s a great get for North Carolina with his athleticism, live arm, quick release and developmental upside. He also won’t be thrust into action immediately. Once the staff understands his strengths, he’s the kind of player it can build a system around. Though not as tall, he’s reminiscent of NC State’s CJ Bailey.

ESPN 300 ranking: N/A — three-star

Cherry is the prototypical athletic pocket passer for Jeff Brohm’s system. He’s decisive, releases the ball quickly and anticipates plays well. Combine that with Brohm’s tried-and-true scheme, and it’s easy to see why Louisville is a destination for quarterbacks such as Cherry who are looking to up their game. He is similar to Cardinals transfer quarterback Miller Moss in both skill and style. Cherry thrives in quick-game concepts, excels in the intermediate passing attack and is highly effective off deep play-action. Louisville is attractive for Cherry because it always layers good skill players around its quarterback.

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Panthers-Oilers Game 6 preview: Can the Oilers force a Game 7?

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June 17, 2025

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Panthers-Oilers Game 6 preview: Can the Oilers force a Game 7?

Will Tuesday night’s matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers be the final game of the 2024-25 season? Or will there be one more on Friday?

The Panthers lead 3-2 in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final ahead of Game 6 (8 p.m. ET, TNT/Max). If they win, they skate the Cup on home ice. If the Oilers win, Game 7 is back in Edmonton.

Here are notes on the matchup from ESPN Research, as well as betting intel from ESPN BET:

More from Game 5: Recap | Grades

Matchup notes

Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers
Game 6 | 8 p.m. ET | TNT/Max

With a 3-2 lead ahead of Game 6 on home ice, the Panthers are now -400 favorites to win the Cup and the Oilers are +300; those numbers are adjusted from prior to Game 5, when both clubs were -110. As for the Conn Smythe Trophy, Sam Bennett remains the leader, but his odds have shifted from +150 to -190. Brad Marchand (+300), Connor McDavid (+700) and Leon Draisaitl (+700) round out the top four.

The Panthers are seeking to become the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions by beating the same team since the Montreal Canadiens did so against the Boston Bruins in 1977 and 1978 — for the Habs, those were titles No. 2 and 3 of four straight earned between 1976 and 1979. A Panthers win would be the fourth Stanley Cup for a team based in the state of Florida this decade (the Tampa Bay Lightning won in 2020 and 2021).

The Oilers are facing elimination for the first time in the 2025 playoffs. Last year, they were 5-1 when facing elimination — including three wins in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final after falling behind 3-0. Road teams facing elimination in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final have gone 6-6 in the past 12 occurrences.

Marchand is having a superb Stanley Cup Final, scoring six goals thus far. That marks the most goals in a Cup Final since Esa Tikkanen (1988, also six). Marchand is the first player to score five or more goals with multiple teams in a Cup Final, and his five road goals in this series are the most in a single Cup Final since Jack Adams had six for the Vancouver Millionaires in 1922. With multiple multigoal games in the Cup Final, Marchand joins Jeff Friesen (New Jersey Devils, 2003) and Max Talbot (2009, Pittsburgh Penguins) as the only players to pull off that feat in the past 30 years.

Teammate Sam Bennett is also entering historic territory. With a goal in Edmonton in Game 5, he became the fifth player in NHL history with a streak of six straight road games with a goal. He is also the fourth active NHL player to score 15 goals in a single postseason, joining Zach Hyman (16, 2024), Alex Ovechkin (15, 2018) and Sidney Crosby (15, 2009).

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky tied the NHL record for most road wins in a single postseason (10). The other five goalies tied atop the list are: Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues, 2019), Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals, 2018), Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings, 2012), Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames, 2004), Martin Brodeur (Devils, 2000 and 1995).

With three goals in this series, Edmonton’s Corey Perry tied Mark Recchi (Bruins, 2011) and Igor Larionov (Detroit Red Wings, 2002) for the most goals by a player age 40 or older in a single Cup Final.

McDavid scored a point in every home game he played since the 4 Nations Face-Off break — a run of 17 straight games, with 36 points in that span. He reached 150 playoff points in 95 games, the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach that benchmark, behind Wayne Gretzky (68 games played) and Mario Lemieux (86).

With one more game-winning goal this series, Draisaitl would become just the third player in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) — and first since 1977 — to have three game winners in a single Stanley Cup Final. The previous players to do so are Jacques Lemaire (1977) and Jean Beliveau (1965 and 1960), both of whom accomplished the feat for the Canadiens.

play

0:47

Oilers coach: We’ve overcome difficult situations before

Kris Knoblauch keeps faith in his Oilers as he reflects on losing Game 5 in Edmonton.

Scoring leaders

GP: 22 | G: 15 | A: 7

GP: 21 | G: 11 | A: 22

Best bets for Game 6

Evander Kane over 4.5 total hits (+107): The Oilers need to be more physical if they hope to have a legitimate shot at pushing this series to a Game 7. Saturday’s team total of 25 hits, including only a pair from Kane, isn’t going to cut it. An aggressive difference-maker when he’s at his best at nearing, but not crossing, the line as he has too often this series, the winger will be one to watch from the get-go Tuesday. Notably, he registered 17 total hits through both overtime games to open this series in Edmonton. Win or lose, Kane is going to serve as a factor. Hopefully for the Oilers, not by earning himself time in the penalty box.

Stuart Skinner under 25.5 total saves (-120): If Skinner — presuming coach Kris Knoblauch goes with his No. 1 netminder to start Game 6 — struggles, or the rest of the Oilers fail to perform well enough out front, he won’t last long enough in the crease to make 26 saves before all is said and done. The leash will be short in this must-win contest. Or perhaps Edmonton’s team defense rises to the occasion and prevents more scoring chances in support of their starting goaltender, as it did in earlier rounds versus Dallas and Vegas.

Connor McDavid first period anytime goal-scorer (+600): After Leon Draisaitl scored the opener in Game 1, the Panthers are perfect in four straight games at catching the back of the net first, outscoring Edmonton 11-4 altogether in the initial period. The Oilers understand reversing that trend would go a long way in helping them survive, particularly by forcing Florida to sway from their stifling defensive play. Who better to look to than McDavid, who finally found the back of the net this series in Saturday’s losing effort? The sport’s best player needs to shoot more, and he knows it. He’ll be revved right up to make a statement, early. — Victoria Matiash

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Ohtani allows 1 run, 2 hits in 28-pitch inning

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June 17, 2025

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Ohtani allows 1 run, 2 hits in 28-pitch inning

  • Alden GonzalezJun 16, 2025, 10:56 PM ET

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      ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani jogged off the pitcher’s mound and leaned against the dugout railing while strapping on his elbow guard and batting gloves. He was thrown a towel to wipe the sweat off his face, then walked to the batter’s box to face San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease without taking any practice swings.

With that, Ohtani began his quest to once again do what many in the sport consider impossible.

Ohtani made his pitching debut from Dodger Stadium on Monday, giving up a run in his lone inning of work, then struck out in his first plate appearance as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ designated hitter, marking the first time he has pitched and hit in a game since Aug. 23, 2023. He would eventually finish 2-4 with two RBIs in his club’s 6-3 victory.

Ohtani is close to 21 months removed from a second repair of his right ulnar collateral ligament but faced hitters only three times before essentially rejoining the Dodgers’ rotation, his last session, from Petco Park in San Diego last Tuesday, spanning three simulated innings and 44 pitches.

Ohtani communicated to the Dodgers that facing hitters hours before games, then cooling off and having to ramp back up to DH later that night, was more taxing on his body than doing both simultaneously, prompting him to return to pitching sooner than expected. These initial starts will basically function as the continuation of Ohtani’s pitching rehab. On Monday, he was basically utilized as an opener.

Ohtani reached 99.9 mph and 100.2 mph with his fastball but also uncorked a wild pitch while utilizing 28 pitches to record the first three outs. Fernando Tatis Jr. led off with a bloop single and Luis Arraez followed with a line-drive single. Ohtani should have recorded a strikeout of Manny Machado, who went around on a two-strike swing. But first-base umpire Ryan Blakney ruled otherwise, bringing the count to 2-2 and later prompting a sacrifice fly to score the game’s first run.

Ohtani followed by inducing groundouts to Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts, and with that, his pitching debut was over.

The Dodgers hope it’s the first of many starts.

Ohtani, 30, functioned as a transformative two-way player from 2021 to 2023, winning two unanimous MVPs and also finishing as the runner-up to Aaron Judge. On offense, Ohtani slashed .277/.379/.585 with 124 home runs and 57 stolen bases. On the mound, he posted a 2.84 ERA with 542 strikeouts and 143 walks in 428⅓ innings.

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