Head coach Robyn Fralick will be joined by graduate guard Julia Ayrault and junior guard Theryn Hallock tomorrow in Rosemont, IL. for B1G WBB Media Days tomorrow (Wednesday, 10/2).

Fralick will speak in a panel at 11 am ET on BTN.



From Noon to 5 pm the players and coaches will speak with BTN staff following the morning sessions.

The Columbus Dispatch eighth annual Big Ten preseason media poll is out (now done jointly with the Indianapolis Star).

Purdue is picked to finish top of the conference with 20 first place votes. Indiana (seven first place votes), UCLA (two), Illinois (two) and Michigan State (one) round out the top five.

Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year: Braden Smith, Purdue
Big Ten Freshman of the Year: Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Big Ten Transfer of the Year: Oumar Ballo, Indiana

First-team All-Big Ten:
Braden Smith, Purdue
Payton Sandford, Iowa
Oumar Ballo, Indiana
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Dylan Harper, Rutgers

Second-team All-Big Ten:
Jackson Shelstad, Oregon
Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State
Great Osobor, Washington
Ace Bailey, Rutgers
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota

Jaden Akins, Xavier Booker and Frankie Fidler received votes for the All-Big Ten teams.

Full results here:

QUICK STRIKES FOR THE WEEK AHEAD ...

• Michigan State continues a stretch of three straight non-conference games, hosting Miami (Tuesday) and Kent State (Sunday) at Ralph Young Field.

• This week's games are two of MSU's final three non-conference games remaining on the schedule. The Spartans will play at Central Michigan on Oct. 13 to wrap the non-league slate.

• MIami is 5-5 on the season after a non-league loss at Michigan on Sunday. The Red Hawks are 2-1 in MAC play, including a 3-0 shutout of Ball State last Friday. Miami is 1-3 against Big Ten teams with a win over Indiana and losses to Iowa, Rutgers, and Michigan. Head coach Iñako Puzo is in his 14th year at the helm, and his squad is led in scoring by Claudia Negrete Garcia, who has a 7-0-14 scoring line. Keeper Nicky Sjouken owns a 1.61 GAA and .619 save percentage.

• Kent State has a Friday game at home against Appalachian State before coming to East Lansing for Sunday's contest. Heather Hefner is in her first season as the head coach of the Flashes, and her squad owns a 2-7 mark on the year - but is a perfect 2-0 in MAC play entering the week. Eva Usoz is the team's top scorer (5-3-13), and the Golden Flashes have played two keepers over the course of the season. Lieve Janse owns a 2.55 GA, .754 save percentage, and owns both Kent State wins in the cage. Allison Wood has started three of Kent State's contests and has posted a 2.66 GAA and .571 save percentage.

• Head coach Helen Knull is an alumna and former assistant coach at Kent State. She was a a four-year starter, two-year captain and a two-time All-American at Kent State, leading the Golden Flashes to the NCAA Tournament for four straight years (1999-2002). In 2002, Knull was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Year. She was inducted into the Kent State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. As an assistant coach for two years and as an associate head coach in her final season (2005), Knull helped guide the Golden Flashes to two Mid-American Conference championships (2003, 2005) and cultivating the development of two Freshmen of the Year and one MAC Player of the Year.

• MSU is coming off a dramatic double-overtime victory on the road at Ball State on Sunday. The Cardinals scored midway through the first quarter and were able to withstand a consistent MSU attack, as the Green & White had 24 shot attempts to BSU's 4 and had 17 corners to Ball State's one. Freshman Caro Schafer scored her first collegiate goal at 57:10 to send the game to overtime, and classmate Lilian Knorr had the game-winner in the second overtime period.

• MSU earned its first overtime win this season in three tries - the Spartans fell at Cal (2-1) and at home against Ohio (3-2 in 2 OT). It was MSU's first overtime win since a 1-0 victory over Indiana late in the 2022 season.

• The Spartans have surpassed their win total from a year ago (4) and scored 21 goals through nine games in 2024. The 2023 offensively-challenged Spartans scored 17 goals in 16 games combined.

• Caro Schafer scored her first collegiate goal at Ball State, finding the back of the cage at 57:10 of the fourth quarter to send the game into OT.

• Lilian Knorr's Sunday game-winner was her second score of the season. She now has 2-2-6 on the year.

• Ellie Rutherford picked up her fourth assist of the season at Ball State to push her season total to eight points.

• Senior Jillian Bonczewski had a team-high nine shots at Ball State and tied for the game lead of three shots on goal with Maddie Lawler, Ellie Rutherford, and Carmen Pucheta.

• Ashley Herbert made her Spartan debut in goal for MSU against Michigan last Monday, and then earned her first start on Sunday at Ball State. She made one save in the victory.

• MSU returns to Big Ten play next week when it hosts Maryland (Friday) at Ralph Young Field. It completes the weekend slate on the road at Central Michigan on Sunday.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

The game will kickoff at 8 p.m.​

EAST LANSING, Mich. - After two games away from home, Michigan State men's soccer returns home to take on Northwestern in Big Ten action on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

MSU holds a 3-4-2 overall and 2-1-0 mark in league play after a 1-0 win at No. 15 UCLA. Northwestern comes to town with a 5-4-0 overall record and a n 0-3-0 mark in league play.

Jack Kizer and Chris Munroe will be on the call for the Big Ten Network.

FINDING HIS GROOVE
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout leads the team in scoring with four goals and one assist for nine points. He has now scored in three-straight games. Stout is also first on the team in shots on goal with nine just ahead of senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan with eight. Sophomore forward Richie Ludwig, senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan and freshman forward Mohamed Saad have also found the back of the net this season.

LOOKING AT THE WILDCATS
Northwestern comes to town with a 5-4-0 overall record and an 0-3-0 mark in Big Ten play. In league contests, the Wildcats have losses to Washington, UCLA and No. 19 Maryland.

Italio Addimandi and Collin McCamy lead the team in scoring with four points each. Both have one goal and two assists. Nine different Wildcats have scored this season. Rafael Ponce de León has played every minute in goal for Northwestern this season. He has allowed only eight goals in nine games for a 0.89 GAA. Five of his eight goals allowed have come in league contests.

SERIES HISTORY
Michigan State holds a 34-10-5 overall record against the Wildcats. The Spartans are 17-3-2 in East Lansing, while holding a 11-7-3 mark on the road. On neutral territory, MSU leads 6-0. Northwestern has won three of the last five games between the two squads. The last time the Spartans played the Wildcats at home was in 2022 when Northwestern came out on top 2-1.

Last year in Evanston, the No. 20 Spartans came away with a 2-1 win against No. 21 Northwestern on Oct. 20. MSU used a pair of first-half goals from Sean Kerrigan and Richie Ludwig to seal the win.

LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State captured it first road win of the season with a 1-0 win against No. 15 UCLA on Sept. 27. Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout's goal in the second minute held up. It was the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

AROUND THE B1G
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout is tied for fourth in the Big Ten in goals scored with four. Wisconsin's Dean Boltz is first with eight.

Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Zac Kelly is third in the Big Ten in saves with 28. In conference games, Kelly has a 0.67 GAA, allowing only two goals in three games.

BIG TEN OPENER
MSU opened Big Ten action against new Big Ten member Washington on Sept. 13. The Spartans are 7-1-2 in their last 10 Big Ten openers. Last season, the Spartans tied Rutgers on the road 1-1 in the league opener. In 2022, MSU tied No. 16 Indiana to open league play. In 2021, MSU tied Wisconsin 1-1 in Madison.

Prior to the last three seasons, Michigan State had begun B1G action against RU for five-straight seasons, going 4-1-0 during that span.

UP NEXT
After taking on Northwestern at home, MSU travels to No. 19 Maryland on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

My interview with Dan Fouts. He comments on learning Duffy Daugherty history through Jimmy Raye and Sherman Lewis, Jonathan Smith and Aidan Chiles' development.


Follow me on Twitter @shanny4955

Joe Rossi:
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Brian Lindgren:
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Aidan Chiles:
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He is just so much fun to watch!

Gonzaga to join Pac-12 in 2026 as conference’s remake continues​

Gonzaga will join the Pac-12 in 2026, giving the conference one of the nation’s premier basketball programs as it continues its rebuild.

Gonzaga, as a non-football school, won’t be a full Pac-12 member, meaning the conference still has seven full members. But for the Pac-12, it’s an addition of a men’s basketball program that reached the national championship game in 2017 and 2021 and has made 25 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Gonzaga’s women’s basketball program also has 15 tournament appearances since 2007 and made the Sweet 16 in 2024.

The Pac-12, which was down to Oregon State and Washington State after losing 10 schools to the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, added Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State last month. All are also set to join in 2026. After an attempt to add schools from the American Athletic Conference fell short, the Pac-12 then added Utah State as the seventh full member.

Its attempt to add UNLV fell short, as the six remaining full Mountain West members, along with football-only member Hawaii, opted to stay together and sign a binding agreement. The Mountain West is expected to add UTEP from Conference USA, a person briefed on the discussions said Tuesday.

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Pac-12 Conference and Gonzaga University Unite to Build a Basketball Powerhouse, Advancing the New Era of the Conference's 100-Year Legacy​

Gonzaga's basketball excellence amplifies the overall athletic and football prowess of the New Era Pac-12, set to commence in 2026​

By: Pac-12 Conference

Story Links​

Gonzaga University teams up with Boise State University, Colorado State University, California State University, Fresno, San Diego State University, Oregon State University, Washington State University, and Utah State University, to solidify the conference’s best-in-the-west expansion strategy
SAN RAMON, CA (Oct. 1, 2024) – The Pac-12 Conference and Gonzaga University are proud to announce their partnership, celebrating the addition of the eighth university during this transformative era for the century-old conference. This partnership marks an exciting chapter in expansion history for the conference as it strategically builds a formidable basketball powerhouse.

This announcement follows the inclusion of Boise State University, Colorado State University, California State University, Fresno, San Diego State University, and Utah State University, who collectively cement the conference’s geographic foundation while elevating its national presence and strengthening its basketball and football prestige.

The Pac-12 Conference received a formal application for membership from Gonzaga University on September 30, 2024. The conference’s Board of Directors and its five new member presidents voted unanimously to approve Gonzaga University, an exemplary higher education institution that educates students for lives of leadership and service for the common good. Featuring an iconic basketball program, the Gonzaga Bulldogs align with the Pac-12’s commitment to excellence in academics and athletics. The Bulldogs will join the conference effective July 1, 2026, with competition beginning for all conference sports sponsored by the university in the 2026-27 academic year.

“We are delighted to welcome Gonzaga into the Pac-12 as they embark with us on this incredible path ahead," remarked Commissioner Teresa Gould. “President McCulloh and Athletics Director Chris Standiford not only bring strategic expertise and forward thinking to the conference, but they are two incredible leaders who care deeply about student success and fortifying student-athlete academic and athletic experiences. Today represents an exciting milestone for the Pac-12 as we welcome another outstanding institution with a rich history of success into our league.”

By integrating Gonzaga University into the Pac-12, the conference is poised to compete at the highest levels of women’s and men’s basketball. Over the last five seasons, Gonzaga boasts a 286-44 (86.7 winning percentage) combined record in women’s and men’s basketball. Their women’s program has amassed a record of 138-23 (85.7 winning percentage) since the start of the 2019-20 season, and the men’s program is a national-best 148-21 (87.6 winning percentage).

The Gonzaga men are the only program in the country to appear in each of the last nine Sweet Sixteens, matching the longest streak since the NCAA Tournament expanded in 1985, as well as five Elite Eight appearances over the last nine NCAA Tournaments. Legendary Head Coach Mark Few currently boasts the best winning percentage among active head coaches at 83.4 percent, which also is the best in NCAA Div. I all-time with a minimum of 10 seasons. This commitment to excellence extends throughout the Gonzaga community as the program has sold out every game at McCarthey Athletic Center since it opened in 2004 (297-straight games) and every home game dating back to the 2001-02 season (319-straight games).

The women’s program, led by Head Coach Lisa Fortier, is coming off a school record 32-4 historic season that ended in the program’s fifth Sweet 16 appearance. It was the program’s 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, including their seventh straight. Fortier was named the Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year following the season. The GU women have won a program-record 36 straight games at home, which ranks as the second-longest active streak in the country.

“Following discussions with Pac-12 member presidents, I believe membership will represent an opportunity to participate in building a conference that imagines new, forward-thinking ways to support student-athletes in a rapidly changing collegiate sports landscape,” said Gonzaga University President Thayne McCulloh. “Partnerships with a new group of universities can also assist in our student recruitment and enrollment efforts, create opportunities for academic collaboration with new faculty colleagues, and attract more students who value an excellent education distinctively rooted in our Jesuit identity and tradition. I am particularly excited about the opportunities partnering with this group of institutions can offer our students, faculty, and staff for multi-institutional collaboration.”

Gonzaga University continues to excel in academics and athletics. The university boasts 78 West Coast Conference (WCC) Titles, 138 All-Americans, six 30-win seasons over the last eight years in baseball as well as nine-straight women's rowing WCC titles. They took home the 2023 women's soccer WCC title and their men's cross country team has achieved four-straight appearances in National Championships.

“This is a great day for Gonzaga University,” said Gonzaga Athletics Director Chris Standiford. “We are excited to join a conference with great tradition and a commitment to innovating during this evolving time in collegiate athletics. I’d like to thank Commissioner Teresa Gould for her leadership as these talks progressed earnestly over the weekend, our alignment became evident and our vision shared.”

Gonzaga University also consistently achieves academic success. The Bulldogs have 33 College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans, a 96 percent graduation success rate and 993 Academic Progress Rate (APR). Their student-athlete combined record 3.51 grade-point average for the Spring 2024 semester marked the 17th consecutive semester with a Departmental GPA above a 3.30 and ninth above a 3.45. During the Spring semester, Gonzaga had 108 student-athletes earn President's List Honors (3.85 semester GPA or higher), which ranks second all-time in department history, and 100 earn Dean's List Honors (3.5-3.84 semester GPA), for a total of 208 honorees. Additionally, 55 Bulldog student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA, matching the departmental record. Demonstrating its commitment as service-centric leaders, the Bulldogs student-athletes had over 3,000 hours of service in the community in 2023-24.

The addition of Gonzaga to the Pac-12 provides a tremendous boost to the league’s men’s basketball reputation and is complimented by recent success from future and current members. Of the future eight members, seven have appeared in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament over the past four seasons with a combined 18 appearances in that time (since the 2021 Tournament), including San Diego State’s run to the National Championship in 2023 and Gonzaga’s run to the title game in 2021. Additionally, four of the future eight members have made the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons, three of the eight in each of the last three seasons and both Gonzaga and San Diego State each of the last four seasons, while the Bulldogs have made the field in each of the last 25 tournaments since 1999.

The Pac-12 Conference boasts a proud tradition of excellence in both academics and athletics. This tradition continues to build with the addition of Gonzaga University, alongside fellow incoming new members Boise State University, Colorado State University, California State University, Fresno, San Diego State University and Utah State University.

Oregon State University and Washington State University are currently operating as members of the Pac-12 Conference as part of a NCAA two-year grace period and will continue to do so for the 2025-26 academic season before the six new members officially join. The collective eight universities will collaboratively chart additional membership and other future conference considerations.

Michigan State is coming off of a 38-7 loss to Ohio State. Despite the blowout loss, there were some positives to take away from the game.

I give out a “game ball” from the Ohio State game, list players to watch ahead of MSU's matchup with Oregon on Friday night and highlight a senior.

More here:

Bad to the bone, or just bad??

My vote - BTTB

After a 38-7 home loss to Ohio State on Saturday, it will be a quick turnaround for Michigan State and head coach Jonathan Smith.

The Spartans will play undefeated Oregon on Friday at 9 p.m. Eastern Time in Eugene. With the Friday night time slot, Michigan State’s game week preparation schedule has been pushed up one day.

This will be the first Big Ten conference game between the two teams and the challenge of playing Oregon on the road in a rowdy environment has the Spartans excited.

Smith has coached at Autzen Stadium before. During his tenure at Oregon State, he went 2-4 against the Ducks, but 0-3 in Eugene. It’s not an easy place to play.

“We know through experience how tough it is, that atmosphere and where we’re playing at,” Smith said at his weekly press conference on Monday. “We’re going to just try to prep our guys for a tough road environment.”

More from Smith:

We'll check back in on these later in the week as they do change plus we'll have takeways on the advanced data tomorrow but here are the intial grades nonetheless.

Important to note that PFF's grading scale is approximately the following;

PFF Grading Scale
90+ - Elite
80 to 89 - Great
70 to 79 - Good
60 to 69 - Average to Above Average
50 - 59 - Below Average
49 and below - Poor


OFFENSE (BY GRADES - 51 SNAPS)


OFFENSE (BY SNAP COUNT - 51 SNAPS)

MICH STATE@OHIO STATE Offense Grades | Pro Football Focus


DEFENSE (BY GRADES - 77 Snaps)


DEFENSE (BY SNAP COUNT - 77 SNAPS)

How bad is Big Ten officiating that Athlon Sports wrote an article during the 1st Quarter of USC-UM game?

They spot the offsides and delay the game misses, but after the article was posted early in the game, many more blown calls happened, each one in favor of the Wolverines. But the most egregious might have been on the winning TD run: Holding on the Tight End No. 83


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Kenneth Walker:

1. 2021 MSU vs. Wolverines: 23 rushes for 197 yards and five touchdowns

2. 2022 Seattle vs Lions: 8 rushes for 29 yards. (K-9 played briefly due to injury)

3. 2023 Seattle vs Lions: 17 rushes for 43 yards and two touchdowns.

4. 2024 Seattle vs. Detroit: 12 rushes for 80 yards and three touchdowns.


Kenneth Walker vs. Aidan Hutchinson: 50 rushes, 349 yards, 6.98 yards per carry, and TEN touchdowns.

According to multiple reports, class of 2025 five-star shooting guard Darius Adams has named his top-three of Michigan State, Connecticut and Tennessee, and he will announce his decision on Sept. 30.

Adams took an official visit to MSU this past weekend (Sept. 20). He's already taken official visits with UConn and Tennessee as well.

The La Lumiere School star ranks as the No. 15 overall prospect and the No. 5 shooting guard in the 2025 class.

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"Shining a light on the real heroes who led the way for integration in college football"

Tom Shanahan author of "The Right Thing to Do: The True Pioneers of College Football Integration"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGkdu1YNo6o

​

Dikembe Mutombo, NBA legend and Hall of Famer, dies of brain cancer at 58​

Hall of Famer, humanitarian and legendary shot blocker Dikembe Mutombo has died at 58, the NBA announced on Monday. The cause of death was brain cancer, which he was diagnosed with in October 2022. Mutombo was surrounded by his family when he passed.

Mutombo, originally from Democratic Republic of the Congo, became one of the best defensive players of all time over his 18-year career. He played for six teams total, but spent most of his time with the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets. (He spent one-plus seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers and one season each with the New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks.) He was an eight-time All-Star and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year. He led the NBA in blocks in 1994, 1995 and 1996, and led the league in rebounds in 2000 and 2001. Both the Hawks and Nuggets have retired his number, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Week after week after week, I see the constant bad and/or missed calls in favor of the Big Ten Schools not named Michigan or Ohio State. It’s so bad now, this favoritism is not only killing drives, allowing other drives to continue, or having an impact on the game, it is determining the outcome of the game by making the wrong call.

The last 2 victories by those skunks in Ann Arbor probably don’t happen without significant favoritism by the officials. Even a storied program like USC saw it first hand in their loss to the skunks two weeks ago. Forget the fact that it’s very curious that the skunks were not called for offensive holding the entire game, but that last game winning TD was aided by a blatant hold creating the hole that the skunk RB ran through. If you are watching the RB with the ball, how do you miss that holding call?? Then you have this recent horrendous wrong offsides call on Minnesota onside kick recovery, which definitely had a huge impact on the outcome of the game. Minnesota most likely wins that game if that wrong call is not made. I could go on and on and on, but most get my point.

Something needs to be done, but going to the Big Tens ( OSU and skunk loving) AD will not result in any changes. There needs to be some type of system put in place when official’s continue to make terrible calls, they are put on some form of probation or even terminated. This will weed out the bad actors, or at least make them think twice before making these blatantly obvious wrong calls. Another option is to give each team two challenges a game to question penalties. Just think if Jonathon Smith had the option to challenge the no call on the face mask tackle that caused the Chiles fumble in the red zone in last nights game against OSU. Instead of giving up the ball in a 10 point game, MSU has first and goal inside the 10.

I indicated earlier that the two favored programs are OSU and the skunks. But when it comes down to these two, even OSU has to deal with the skunk love fest. Skunks very likely don’t get through OSU last season ( and don’t get the NC)
if the officials make the right call on an OSU interception in the end zone that would have killed a skunk drive that was awarded the TD on that play.

Something needs to be done before this totally ruins the game many of us love so much.

Sorry for the long rant, but this has gotten so bad, I felt I had to speak my piece.

Go Green!

Yes, the equipment truck has already left for Oregon.

Welcome to the new Big Ten.

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A look across the conference here:

Jonathan Smith is set to speak to the media. Spartans Illustrated will provide updates here throughout his press conference.

UPDATE:

Video of Smith's presser

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Michigan State women’s soccer head coach Jeff Hosler talks about his team’s undefeated start through 12 games (eight wins & four draws) and the upcoming match against Michigan on Saturday.

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Spartan LB Cal Haladay talked to the press after Saturday's game against Ohio State. Though noticeably disappointed with the result, he showed resolve and confidence in the MSU defense as the season continues.

After scanning some of the articles and social media following MSU's loss to Ohio State, I am in the same boat with a lot of people. Despite the final result on the scoreboard, I saw a lot of encouraging things for the Spartans this weekend. I even have a little bonus data to bolster my point.

That said, the neighborhood looks like it got a little tougher this weekend. Future opponents Indiana, Illinois and Rutgers all continue to look better than expected. When it is all said and done, MSU's odds for a bowl game are back down to just 50-50.

Check out me full set of analysis below in Against All Odds