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ROSEMONT, Ill. (Aug. 26, 2024) — The Big Ten Conference on Monday announced new football tiebreaking procedures for the 2024 Discover Big Ten Championship Game, the first in Big Ten history to match the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the overall conference standings.

If two teams are tied in the Big Ten standings (conference games only) the following steps will be taken until a determination is made (condensed version below with full version listed here):

1. The tied teams will be compared based on head-to-head matchups during the regular season.
2. The tied teams will be compared based on record against all common conference opponents.
3. The tied teams will be compared based on record against common opponents with the best conference record and proceeding through the common conference opponents based on their order of finish within the conference standings.
4. The tied teams will be compared based on the best cumulative conference winning percentage of all conference opponents.
5. The representative will be chosen based on the highest ranking by SportSource Analytics (team Rating Score metric) following the regular season.
6. The representative will be chosen by random draw among the tied teams conducted by the Commissioner or designee.

For Additional information, including the process for three-or-more tied teams, click here.

The 2024 Discover Big Ten Championship Game will be held on Saturday, December 7, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and will be broadcast for the first time on CBS. The winner will represent the conference as the Automatic Qualifier (AQ) to the College Football Playoff.

The Big Ten Football season kicks off this weekend with all 18 teams in action, beginning with three contests on Thursday evening, two on Friday, 12 on Saturday and one on Sunday. The 2024 campaign will be the first to feature a full slate of Big Ten games on three broadcast networks (CBS, FOX, NBC) supported by exclusive cable and streaming coverage all season on Big Ten Network, FS1 and Peacock.

Release courtesy of the Big Ten Conference.

Jonathan Smith will have a press conference at 12:30.

We will drop some news and notes here.

EDIT:

Full press conference video up on our YouTube channel

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With the passing of Don Wert, here is a list of players, coaches, media, and people associated with the 1968 Tigers who are still living, and the dates others passed


Gates Brown - D Sep 27, 2013
Les Cain - 76 years old
Dave Campbell - 82 years old
Norm Cash - D Oct 11, 1986
Bob Christian - D Feb 20, 1974
Wayne Comer - D Oct 4, 2023
Pat Dobson - D Nov 22, 2006
Roy Face - 96 years old
Bill Freehan - D Aug 19, 2021
Lenny Green - D Jan 6, 2019
John Hiller - 81 years old
Willie Horton - 81 years old
Al Kaline - D Apr 6, 2020
Fred Lasher - D Feb 27, 2022
Mickey Lolich - 83 years old
Tom Matchick - D Jan 4, 2022
Eddie Mathews - D Feb 18, 2001
Dick McAuliffe - D May 13, 2016
Denny McLain - 80 years old
Don McMahon - D July 22, 1987
Jim Northrup - D Jun 8, 20 11
Ray Oyler - D Jan 26, 1981
Daryl Patterson - 80 years old
Jim Price - D Aug 7, 2023
Dennis Ribant - D Apr 24, 2023
Jim Rooker - 81 years old
Joe Sparma - D May 14, 1986
Mickey Stanley - 82 years old
Dick Tracewski - 89 years old
Jon Warden - 77 years old
Don Wert - D Aug 25, 2024
Earl Wilson - D Apr 23, 2005
John Wyatt - D Apr 6, 1998
Mayo Smith Manager - D Nov 24, 1977
Tony Cuccinello 3rd Base Coach - D Sep 21, 1995
Wally Moses Hitting/1st Base Coach - D Oct 10, 1990
Hal Naragon Bullpen Coach - D Aug 31, 2019
Johnny Sain Pitching Coach - D Nov 7, 2006
Julio Moreno Batting Practice Pitcher - D Jan 2, 1987
Ray Herbert Batting Practice Pitcher - D Dec 20, 2022
Bill Behm Trainer - D Sep 28, 2012
John Fetzer Owner - D Feb 20, 1991
Jim Campbell General Manager - D Oct 31, 1995
George Kell WJBK TV - D Mar 24, 2009
Larry Osterman WJBK TV - 89 years old
Ernie Harwell WJR Radio - D May 4, 2010
Ray Lane WJR Radio - 94 years old

The Film Room with @glassman12 is back, just like the college football season, with a look at what Florida Atlantic will bring against the Spartans this Friday night at Spartan Stadium.

This is the second-straight season the Spartans and the Falcons have met in the home opener.​

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EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's soccer opens the home schedule against Bowling Green on Monday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium. Monday is Welcome Back Students Night at DeMartin.

In the season opener, the Spartans tied No. 25 SIUE 1-1 in Edwardsville, Illinois on Thursday, Aug. 22. Senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan provided the offense converting a penalty kick in the first half.

Brad LaPlante and Joe DesVergnes are on the call for B1G+.

LOOKING AT THE FALCONS
Bowling Green earned a season-opening win against Wright State on Friday, 3-2. After trailing 2-0 at half time, the Falcons came fighting back to score three second-half goals.

BGSU was picked to finish fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Falcons return 17 of 20 players from last year's team. Alberto Anaya and Trace Terry were both named All-MVC honors last season.

SERIES HISTORY
Michigan State leads the overall series with Bowling Green 25-17-7. In East Lansing, MSU holds a 10-3 advantage, while having a slight lead at Bowling Green 11-10-4. Last season's meeting was also MSU's home opener with the Spartans coming out on top 3-0. Michigan State got goals from Efosa Emovon, Jake Spadafora and Colin Arce. MSU is 8-1-1 against BGSU in the last 10 games.

RULE CHANGES THIS SEASON
This season the clock will stop on substitutions with 15 minutes left if the game is tied or the winning team makes a sub.

Substitutions can be made during any stoppage of time.

Another change is to allow teams six moments to make substitutions in a game. Current substitution exceptions for goalkeepers, injury caused by an opposing player who was cautioned or ejected, bleeding injury, blood on the uniform, concussion evaluation and a permanent medical condition will not count as a moment as long as no other substitutions are made at the same time by that team. If a coach has used all of their moments and there is an injury not covered by the current exceptions listed previously, the team will play short. For postseason overtime games, any unused moments will carry over and one additional moment for all of overtime will be awarded.

PK KING
Senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan scored the Spartans' only goal in the 1-1 tie against No. 25 SIUE. Kerrigan continues to shine from the penalty spot. Last season, Kerrigan led Michigan State in scoring with 12 points on six goals. Five of his six goals were penalty kicks.

HERMANN TROPHY
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout was named to the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy Watch List. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year.

Stout is the first Spartan to make the list since Giuseppe Barone and Patrick Nielsen were named to the Hermann Watch List in 2019. Prior to that, Ryan Sierakowski was honored in 2017. Goalkeeper Avery Steinlage was named to the watch list in 2010. In 2014, midfielder Jay Chapman was named a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy, becoming the first Spartan in school history to achieve the feat.

PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday.
Juniors Jeremy Sharp, Jake Spadafora and Jonathan Stout were all honored by the league.

The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Tuesday, as voted on by the 11 conference coaches. This is first season the league has expanded to 11 teams with the addition of UCLA and Washington. MSU was voted to pick fifth, while Indiana was once again picked to win the league. Penn State was voted second, while newcomer UCLA was picked third.

Sharp, who hails from Roseville, Michigan, earned a spot on the B1G Player to Watch list for the first time in his career. Last season, the defender earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, playing in all 15 games. Sharp ended the season with third-team All-North Region honors. He was tied for third on the team in scoring last season with seven points on one goal and a team-high five assists.

Stout, a native of Wyoming, Michigan, was second on the team in scoring last season with 10 points on five goals. The midfielder was named to the preseason list last season as well. Stout was also named first-team All-Big Ten as a sophomore. He also captured first-team All-North Region honors.

Spadafora, a forward who hails from Northville, Michigan, was tied for third on the team in scoring with three goals and one assist for seven points. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season, as well as capturing second-team All-North Region accolades. Spadafora was also named to the watch list last season.

PRESEASON PLAY
The Spartans played two exhibition games to prepare for the 2024 season. On Aug. 12, MSU defeated Butler on the road 3-2. The Spartans fell in their final exhibition to UIC 1-0 on Aug. 16 at DeMartin Stadium.

NEWCOMERS
The Spartans welcome eight new players to the 2024 roster with four freshmen and four transfers. Senior midfielders Levin Gerhardt and Shion Soga come to MSU from CSUN and South Florida, respectively. Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Michael Sly Jr. comes to the Spartans from Oakland, while redshirt-sophomore defender Ryan Van De Winkle transferred from Loyola Chicago.

The Spartans also welcome freshmen: goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz, forward Oscar Huerta, defender Brandon Munson and midfielder Jared Smid.

GUESS WHO'S BACK
Michigan State brings back its top eight scorers from last season, including leading scorer senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan, who led the team with six goals for 12 points. Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout was second in scoring with 10 points on five goals. Juniors Jake Spadafora and Jeremy Sharp were tied for third in scoring with seven points.

Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Zac Kelly returns in net for the Spartans. Kelly had a fantastic season last season, allowing only 15 goals in 16 games for a 0.94 GAA.

UP NEXT
The Spartans next host Villanova on Friday, Sept. 30 at 12 p.m.

THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 16th season at the helm of the Spartans. Assistant coaches T.J. Kolba is in his sixth season, while Nick Barry enters his fifth year at MSU. Reid Friedrichs, who enters his second year with Michigan State. Friedrichs has plenty of experience in the Green and White as a player, including Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 1996.

Game preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.