Next week, college football coaches can put the recruiting promises they’ve made to high school seniors on paper.
The Big Ten commissioner is reiterating the league’s preference for multiple automatic qualifiers in the next version of the College Football Playoff, increasing the likelihood of a showdown with the Southeastern Conference when the format for 2026 is decided.
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti sent a letter to the NCAA Committee on Infractions suggesting that Michigan’s football program should not face more sanctions stemming from a sign-stealing scheme, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Conference commissioners lauded a judge’s approval of a $2.8 billion antitrust lawsuit settlement as a means for bringing stability and fairness to an out-of-control college athletics industry.
Conference commissioners who are part of the College Football Playoff have put off any decisions on potential changes to the format, including how the 12-team field is seeded.
An attorney for the defendants tells The Associated Press the full settlement agreement of antitrust lawsuits involving the NCAA and college sports’ wealthiest conferences is expected to be filed with a federal court by Friday.
The University of Michigan warned Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti about overstepping his authority and rushing to judgement about an alleged sign-stealing scheme, saying he can’t discipline coach Jim Harbaugh under the conference’s sportsmanship policy.
Michigan is preparing to take possible legal action if the Big Ten punishes the football program before a full investigation of allegations of an impermissible scouting and sign-stealing scheme orchestrated by a low-level staffer.
University of Michigan President Santa Ono sent an email to Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, imploring the conference to wait for results of the NCAA’s sign-stealing investigation before potentially taking action against the Jim Harbaugh-led football program.
Connor Stalions, the low-level Michigan football staffer who is at the center of an NCAA investigation into impermissible scouting of opponents and sign stealing, has resigned.
There is mounting pressure on Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti to discipline Michigan and coach Jim Harbaugh for a sign-stealing scheme.
During a Senate hearing, NCAA President Charlie Baker shifted the focus of college sports’ need for federal legislation away from regulating how athletes can be compensated for their fame to the looming possibility of the players being deemed employees of their schools.
A group of Big Ten presidents has begun discussing the possibility of adding more West Coast schools to the conference if the Pac-12 continues to crumble, according to two people familiar with the conversations.
