Why Alabama football could have a head start on pitched SEC vs. Big Ten scheduling pact
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Brian Kelly wants SEC football teams to play Big Ten teams.
Speaking to a scrum of reporters at SEC Spring Meetings, the LSU football coach said a regular-season scheduling pact between the Big Ten and the SEC was discussed, one that Kelly said was widely supported.
Advertisement
"Our first goal would be wanting to play Big Ten teams, as coaches, and I can speak for the room. We want to play Big Ten schools. You've got to get a partner. You've got to get a partner who says, 'We're in for that, too.' We've made our voice clear. Our ADs know that, as well, that we would like that. Our commissioner obviously heard us, as well. The rest will be up to what gets negotiated.'
Kelly later said the Big Ten "holds it on the SEC," with Michigan and Ohio State winning the last two national championships.
"We want to get challenged in that regard, and we'd like to be able to get that done," Kelly continued. "That is up to our commissioner and the ADs to see if that can happen or not, but that's the wish of the (coaches).'
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said he hadn't had discussions with the Big Ten directly related to Kelly's comments but gave "three ways" that conversations about a scheduling pact between the SEC and Big Ten could go.
Advertisement
"One is you just stay out of it, kind of like we do now," Sankey said. "The second is you try and facilitate more. The third is we agree both for a mandate. That third one is incredibly difficult."
Why Alabama football is ahead of curve on SEC vs Big Ten scheduling
Alabama is ahead of the curve when it comes to scheduling Big Ten teams.
The Crimson Tide started a home-and-home series against Wisconsin in 2024-25, beating the Badgers 42-10 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison Sept. 14.
Alabama also has non-conference home-and-home series on its books against Ohio State in 2027-28 and Minnesota in 2032-33, two in a series of non-conference matchups scheduled against teams like West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Florida State, which starts a home-and-home against the Crimson Tide Aug. 30.
Advertisement
On May 27, Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne said home-and-home series with teams like Ohio State and Minnesota were scheduled in a response to SEC teams playing an eight-game conference schedule. And if that SEC schedule were to expand to nine games, Byrne indicated that Alabama's future slate of non-conference games would be affected.
"People want to debate all the time whether the rigors of the SEC schedule, how does that compare eight versus nine," Byrne said. "On top of that, we play a lot of good non-conference games too, right? If we go to nine, that will be impacted for some schools. It will be impacted for us."
Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas and Vanderbilt each have future games scheduled against Big Ten opponents.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football could have head start on pitched SEC vs. Big Ten pact
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘No Kremlin Plot', Councillor says after ‘human error' changes party affiliation
A LONG-serving councillor has confirmed he has not left the Labour party after his profile was changed to 'Independent' on the council website in a 'human error'. Cllr Bob Kelly, who represents Millom on Cumberland Council, said the change was made in error due to a council officer mistaking him for an Independent councillor whose first name is also Robert. Cumberland Council said it was a 'human error' and has apologised to Cllr Kelly for the confusion. A screenshot of the page was shared on social media at the weekend by the former Workington MP Mark Jenkinson, who wrote that 'another Labour councillor' had resigned the party whip 'as Keir Starmer's Labour government continues its attacks on the elderly, the vulnerable, and working people.' Councillor Bob Kelly was listed as an Independent on the Cumberland Council website in a 'human error' which led to speculation that he had left the Labour party (Image: Submitted) Cllr Kelly then responded on his social media page, saying: 'I have been informed that Mark Jenkinson - the former MP for Workington - has posted a photo of me claiming that I have resigned from the Labour Party. 'Given his history of Facebook contributions I shouldn't be surprised at him getting things wrong, but I can assure everyone, both friends and opponents that I have not done this and have no intentions of doing so. 'I do thank him, however, for giving me this opportunity to show how accurate his postings are and for raising my public profile.' Cllr Kelly told The Whitehaven News: 'I can confirm that I have not resigned from the Labour Party nor have ever considered doing so. 'I can confirm I have been a member of the Labour Party since the early 1980s, have held a number of party offices in different constituencies around the country, was a Copeland Councillor from 2015-19 and at no point have I ever been in doubt that the Labour Party with its history of transforming society for the better should be something I would wish to leave. 'The confusion was due to an officer mistaking me for an Independent councillor whose first name is also Robert – so no Kremlin Plot to destabilise Cumberland Council after all!' Mr Jenkinson said: 'No one claimed that Cllr Kelly had left the Labour Party, but reported his 'defection' to sit as an independent councillor, which was backed up by the change of party affiliation on the Cumberland Council website. 'On the software the council uses, that is not a mistake easily made accidentally. A thorough internal investigation will reveal all, no doubt. 'Had Cllr Kelly had the courage of his convictions, he would have been the fifth Cumberland Labour Party councillor to have done the right thing in the face of this Labour government's attacks on the elderly, the vulnerable and the workers of this country, all while those breaking the law are consistently rewarded. That Cllr Kelly continues to defend this government tells us all we need to know.' A Cumberland Council spokesperson said: 'Human error meant this information was recently changed on our website, and we are, of course, looking into exactly how that happened. The information was corrected as soon as we were aware of the mistake, and we apologise to Councillor Kelly for the confusion.'
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Re-ranking all 18 Big Ten football helmets from worst to first
Re-ranking all 18 Big Ten football helmets from worst to first The depths of the college football offseason are upon us. While the class of 2026 recruiting cycle is picking up steam, June marks the midway point between spring practice and fall training camp. Teams were in action on the practice field just six weeks ago. That period led to tangible updates for the upcoming season, as seen in our updated Big Ten power rankings. Six weeks from now, teams will be preparing for fall camp with the season fast approaching. Since we've already ranked every team in the Big Ten for 2025, ranked every quarterback (including recent UCLA transfer Nico Iamaleava), and both ranked and re-ranked every conference schedule, it's time for a non-football look at the conference. We will do that through an updated power ranking of the Big Ten's 18 helmets. We initially compiled this ranking last offseason, before the four former Pac-12 powers officially took the field as Big Ten members. Here is an updated ranking, now entering year two of the expanded conference. 18. Rutgers Scarlet Knights Rutgers' helmets lack much flavor or creative design. While the 'R' is simple, in a good way, it isn't correlated with much on-field success since Rutgers became a Big Ten member. There aren't any truly 'bad' helmets in the conference. This one just doesn't stand out from the pack. 17. Illinois Fighting Illini Illinois' place on this list may be more due to the color scheme than the helmet design itself. Like Rutgers, it includes a mostly nondescript letter, contrasting with the 'Illini Orange' background. A blue helmet with an orange 'I' would look better. As an aside, Illinois is downgraded for the kits it unveiled for its 2024 game against Michigan. Helmets included, these should not be worn again. 16. Minnesota Golden Gophers While Minnesota's maroon and gold color scheme works well, its helmet contains far too much flash. The best helmets are both subtle and elaborate, not just an oversized 'M' in a shiny font. 15. Purdue Boilermakers Purdue's gold and black color scheme works well, although the helmet doesn't have much else going for it. The 'P' would work better without the middle space filled in with gold. The helmet also receives a minor downgrade after the team's 1-11 record last season. 14. Washington Huskies Washington's helmet has a lot of flash. But like with Minnesota, that flash isn't always necessary. While its 'W' emblem lacks character, at least it isn't as large as Minnesota's 'M.' This is far from a bad helmet. The Big Ten has too many good and great ones for this to reach the top 10. Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire 13. Nebraska Cornhuskers Nebraska's helmet is a classic and represents one of college football's blue-blood programs (of the 1990s). But our criteria must be applied consistently throughout the conference. Just a normal-font 'N' on a white background isn't very creative. Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire 12. Northwestern Wildcats Northwestern's purple 'N' contrasts well with the black background. The helmet receives a bump due to the letter's font. More work was put into its design than many logos ranked lower on this list. 11. Maryland Terrapins Maryland did well to return to its classic 'Terps' helmet from the design with the state flag on the crown. While the old flag helmet checks the interesting box, it's a bit too complex to be an every-week look. This simple design, especially the white lettering on a red base, is a good match for the program's uniforms. 10. Indiana Hoosiers While Indiana's helmet isn't traditionally correlated with winning, it deserves props for its design. The first major plus is the red and white color scheme, which is both simple and effective. The 'I-U' logo is also unique, besting most helmets that only contain the first letter of the team's name. 9. Penn State Nittany Lions Penn State's helmets are a classic. The program's rich history influences this ranking, as a program like Rutgers or Illinois would likely rank last on this list if it deployed a blank helmet. Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire 8. Wisconsin Badgers As much as I'd like to rank Wisconsin within the top five, our criteria must be applied evenly. The No. 8 ranking is due to the 'motion W' having more life than most letter-only helmets in this ranking. Wisconsin's red and white color scheme is also a classic. This helmet ranks well, but it can't compete with the more complex logos. 7. Oregon Ducks Oregon's helmet is tough to rank. The program deployed as many as seven helmets during the 2024 season. Some of those rank near the top of this list, while a few would rank near the bottom. Oregon gets points for each of their helmets' aesthetics, but doesn't crack the top tier due to the lack of a go-to design. Most designs are also a bit too flashy when compared to the Big Ten's best Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire 6. USC Trojans USC's Trojan logo is the reason for this strong ranking. The logo is unique and looks way better than just a simple letter would. The helmets of USC NFL draft prospects at the Senior Bowl stick out, which is a complement to the design and color scheme. Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire 5. Michigan State Spartans The same blurb for USC can be translated to Michigan State's helmet. The Spartans rank better due to their green and white color scheme -- one that allows the logo to pop. Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire 4. UCLA Bruins UCLA's classic blue and gold color scheme perfectly displays the script lettering. These are one of the more underrated helmets in the conference and the entire sport. The word's underline is a differentiating factor. Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire 3. Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa's helmets are a classic. The gold and black color scheme is unmatched, perfectly accenting a Hawkeye logo that is both simple and complex. Iowa's place in the top three shouldn't change moving forward. Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire 2. Ohio State Buckeyes Not much has to be written about Ohio State's helmet. The Buckeye stickers are a unique touch that adds life to the silver background. The team's success also helps this ranking. Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire 1. Michigan Wolverines Michigan claims the No. 1 spot for the second year in a row. The wolverine claw is a simple touch, but it adds significant life to the design. The helmet's color scheme also helps. Michigan's uniform-helmet combination is simple and consistent, but is one of the best in the sport. Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Indianapolis Star
2 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
'First for all of us': How Teri Moren navigated IU women's basketball rebuild, revenue-sharing
Show Caption Teri Moren's sitdown interview with USA Today Network revealed how she and her IU women's basketball staff rebuilt a roster, took on new roles and navigated a new era of recruiting. Moren believes her coaching resume - 10 straight 20-win seasons, a Big Ten coach of the year winner and consistent NCAA tournament wins - gives her a chance to land top recruits. BLOOMINGTON — The Indiana women's basketball team transformed a little-used conference room in Cook Hall into a war room at the end of March. The Hoosiers were prepared for life without their three graduating seniors Chloe Moore-McNeil, Sydney Parrish and Karoline Striplin, but the offseason turned into a full-blown rebuild in the days following a 64-53 loss at No. 1 seed South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Indiana had six scholarship players, including versatile starting forward Yarden Garzon, enter the transfer portal in the span of a week. Rebuilding the roster was an all-hands-on-deck operation with the staff arriving before 7 a.m. each morning when new portal entries started showing up in the database. The coaching staff spent much of April scouting, contacting and hosting recruits on campus. IU women's basketball coach Teri Moren walked The Herald-Times through what turned into the most consequential offseason of her coaching career in a sit-down interview and detailed how the Hoosiers retooled their roster in a ever-changing recruiting landscape. 'It was so fast,' Moren said. 'And when I say fast? I mean like laser fast, the whole pace of it. It felt like every day was something new.' Indiana women's basketball faced chaotic transfer portal to rebuild roster Moren identified the areas where IU needed to improve before a single player hit the portal. While the Hoosiers (20-13, 10-8 Big Ten) were coming off their 10th straight 20-win season, they never quite put things together and Moren wanted to combat that inconsistency by getting bigger in the post and more athletic at the guard positions to better match up against the top teams in the conference. She recounted lively debates her coaches had over potential transfer targets and how their skillsets aligned with that vision. Our book on legendary IU coach Bob Knight is the perfect Father's Day gift The large flat screen television they set up in the middle of their war room got plenty of use as Moren's entire staff poured over film together — in some cases they had to go back to high school tape for transfers who didn't get much playing time in college — before discussing as a group whether or not they were a fit for the Hoosiers. Indiana wound up targeting a handful of transfers who they recruited coming out of high school, including the likes of UCLA's Zania Socka-Nguemen and Alabama's Chloe Spreen, but there were dozens of names that they didn't have that same familiarity with. The bigger hurdles came from actually getting recruits on campus for a visit. There was intense competition over top talent and Moren was constantly getting calls and texts from transfers letting her know they had changed their plans. Moren even received a text in the middle of the night from one recruit who planned on visiting Indiana after stopping by two other schools, but she ended up committing on the first leg of her trip. Teams have traditionally wanted to have the last scheduled visit for a recruit, but that was a major disadvantage this cycle. The other challenge IU faced was transfers being a bit reluctant to be the first player to verbally commit. 'When Z (Socka-Nguemen) came to us from UCLA, her first question was, 'Who are my teammates?'' Moren said. 'They all wanted to know who was going to be there with them.' Moren highlighted Shay Ciezcki 's experience in those conservations. The former Penn State transfer guard stuck it out in Bloomington and gave Moren someone to build around as a three-year starter who has averaged 11.7 points and 1.9 made 3-pointers per game during her career. Redshirt sophomore Lenée Beaumont was also part of those discussions. The former Miss Illinois Basketball missed last season with a knee injury after showing promise as a freshman. The Hoosiers will also have a handful of underclassmen they signed coming out of high school in recent years, including Faith Wiseman and Maya Makalusky, who will be looking to establish themselves. 'I think people forget about Beau,' Moren said. 'We are going to rely heavily on her.' One of the key early dominoes to fall was landing a commitment from Arkansas transfer Phoenix Stotijn on April 6 over a group of finalists that included Michigan State, Illinois and Arizona State. The Netherlands native was the type of athletic guard that Moren coveted and got plenty of experience as a freshman last season after being cleared to play in mid-December. Stotijn, who has high-level international experience, ended the season in the starting lineup for the Razorbacks. Indiana's new-look frontcourt fell into place a week later with the addition of Socka-Ngueman and Virginia's Edessa Noyan. Socka-Ngueman was a five-star recruit (ranked No. 26 by ESPN in the 2024 signing class) coming out of Sidwell Friends in Maryland and a former McDonald's All American, while Noyan is another recruit with international experience (she's spent years playing for the Swedish National Team) and made 26 starts for the Cavaliers. Proposed revenue-sharing looms large over IU women's basketball The House v. NCAA settlement hasn't been finalized yet, but Power Four schools are already adopting the revenue-sharing model that's expected to be approved. Under the settlement terms, schools will be able to share up to $20.5 million of revenue with athletes starting on July 1. It made for a one-of-a-kind offseason that impacted every decision and conversation Moren had in April. 'This is the first for all of us, what we are doing right now and having these conversations from the agents and handlers, kids holding out for more money,' Moren said. 'I have a lot of colleagues, we are all talking about it. I've been doing it for so long now — I've been struck by conversations that have been less about culture, academics and things that used to matter to parents and players. The first question is usually around who is her agent? What's the range? How much are we going to have to pay for this player?" Moren said there were multiple players they reached out to who were looking for a minimum seven-figure deal. This was the first offseason for Moren where the initial point of contact in most cases was a player's agent. 'There's no easy formula to it,' Moren said. 'It was an early test for all of us for how we are doing it and it was hard to figure out until you go through it. You found out real fast the market for those fours and fives was going to be way higher. This is a whole new world, right.' 'This means so much to me.' IU freshman wins 2025 Indiana Miss Basketball Moren didn't share an exact percentage the IU women's team will receive of the $20.5 million IU has committed to share with athletes, but she said the Hoosiers were in a 'good position' to maintain the level of success they've had since she arrived. Moren appreciated Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson 's transparent approach throughout the process of establishing what her team's salary cap will be in the coming years. 'Does everybody want more? Yeah,' Moren said with a laugh. 'But I think Scott, and I've always felt this way about him, he's always been super supportive, and wants us to be able to stay at the top of the Big Ten.' One early offseason move that helped Moren navigate the revenue-sharing model was having conversations with football coach Curt Cignetti and his staff about how built their roster for 2025. Moren appreciated Cignetti's insight into how he approached managing their budget, establishing positional values and spreading out the money to keep both incoming signees and returning players happy. She positioned assistant coach Ali Patberg in a lead role to handle many of the general manger-type responsibilities that come with a salary cap. Indiana is also leaning on the framework that Dolson built alongside his deputy Stephen Harper to assist teams in executing revenue-sharing agreements and navigating the various issues that come up. Jeremiah Gutjahr, IU's assistant athletic director for revenue share, was also on hand throughout the offseason to speak with recruits and give detailed 30-minute presentations on the topic. In early April, Moren brought in Colsten Thompson as the program's new recruiting coordinator to replace Linda Sayavongchanh. Thompson came from Alabama where he had a similar role and helped the team put together a pair of top 15 recruiting classes. She described Thompson as a 'grinder' on the recruiting trail who brought a wealth of contacts to the table that helped shape IU's transfer class. 'I think it will be really critical as we move forward,' Moren said of Thompson. 'As I said to him, we've done enough from a success standpoint, I feel like we should be in the conversation for some of these top kids and I don't feel like we have been. I'm hopeful that by bringing Colsten in, he can help us with that." Moren will get her first real look at the roster with players returning to Bloomington this week for summer workouts. She's eager to see how the various pieces fit together during the next phase of the offseason. "There's a little bit of excitement to it," Moren said. "Is it going to be a challenge? No doubt, but all these kids left (their previous teams) for a reason, they weren't happy with their situation and it becomes an opportunity for me to help them. They all want to be pros at some point and be a part of a program that has won. I feel like we can provide that for them." Indiana women's basketball transfer signees
