Sports
Big Ten Championship Logjam Good for the Playoff, Bad for College Football Tradition
The current state of the Big Ten championship race is either the best endorsement of the expanded College Football Playoff or a searing indictment of the bloated conference model, depending on one’s perspective.
In Week 9, Oregon handled No. 20-ranked Illinois in a 38-9 rout. Penn State wore down Wisconsin at Camp Randall, winning 28-13. Indiana, playing backup quarterback Tayven Jackson, cruised past Washington, 31-17.
All three remain undefeated, with a month remaining in the regular season. Such a scenario, with one league boasting three undefeated teams, would make for an exciting November in the old college football landscape.
Of course, Oregon would not be competing for the top of the same conference as Penn State in the old landscape. But their “competition” is played by proxy, decided in aggregate. If they were to avoid each other in the regular season as a setup for a hypothetical Big Ten Conference, who wouldn’t be on board for that?
A championship game that feels like a true championship and keeps the spirit of the Rose Bowl Game alive as more than a hood ornament for the NFL-patterned playoff might be the perfect Year 1 justification for blowing up so much tradition.
And it could still happen. However, the Big Ten race could also conclude with each of Oregon, Penn State, and surprising Indiana at 12-0, as none of the three appear on the others’ schedules.
College football is in an experimental phase in which it certainly feels like the ultimate goal is for two main conferences — the Big Ten and SEC — to function as the AFC and NFC do in the NFL. If this is the pursuit, hopefully someone is taking notes and recognizing why the NFL conferences use divisions.
While it’s impossible for every team in an 18-team conference to play each other, a safeguard that prevents the disaster of three teams going undefeated through the regular season is a must.
Maybe that safeguard is the Big Ten bringing in All Elite Wrestling owner and Illinois alum Tony Khan to book a three-way match in Indianapolis.
Barring a pro wrestling-inspired three-team championship game, however, a scenario in which each of Oregon, Penn State, and Indiana goes 12-0 while one is left out of the Big Ten title tilt introduces this new-look conference with an ugly asterisk next to its inaugural champion.
If all three go 12-0 through Thanksgiving, it’s virtually certain that each will go to the Playoff. This sure beats the days when one team would be punished for playing an extra game or a scenario akin to the first four-team Playoff when deserving Baylor and TCU teams were somewhat arbitrarily skipped over.
However, the continued emphasis placed on making the Playoff above all else — perhaps even over winning a conference championship — strips away some of what made college football special.
Indiana factoring into this strange hypothetical is poetic in the context of what a Big Ten championship meant not so long ago. The coming offseason marks the 20th anniversary since IU hired the late Terry Hoeppner, a 21st-century product of the Miami (OH) Cradle of Coaches.
Upon his introduction as Hoosiers head coach, Coach Hep laid roses on the podium to emphasize his vision for Indiana football: win the Big Ten and return to the Rose Bowl Game for the first time since 1967.
Hoeppner died due to complications from a brain tumor two years later. He’s no doubt enjoying his view from the afterlife of Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers, fulfilling the expectations Hoeppner brought to Bloomington.
At the same time, there’s a sad irony in Indiana having its breakthrough season at a time when conferences in general, and the Big Ten specifically, have seemingly placed greater priority on getting teams to the Playoff than on laying out the most exciting conference championship race possible.
Sports
PK save in final minutes helps Galaxy earn tie vs. Earthquakes
Jul 25, 2026; Stanford, CA, USA; San Jose Earthquakes midfield Nick Fernandez (20) and LA Galaxy midfield Lucas Sanabria (8) battle for the ball during the first half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images James Marcinkowski saved a penalty shot five minutes into extra time as the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy preserved a 1-1 tie against the San Jose Earthquakes in the latest installment of the California Clasico rivalry at Stanford, Calif.
Marcinkowski, who is in his second season with the Galaxy after five seasons with the Earthquakes, made a dive to his left to stop a shot from the spot by the Earthquakes’ Timo Werner. Marcinkowski finished with five saves.
Joseph Paintsil scored a goal in the first half for Los Angeles (5-7-6, 21 points), who earned a point for the first time in three matches since the World Cup break ended.
Reid Roberts scored a goal in the 62nd minute for the Earthquakes (10-4-3, 33 points), who were unable to convert the go-ahead goal late in the match after Ousseni Bouda earned a penalty on a foul from Marcinkowski.
Angus Gunn, who played for Scotland in the World Cup, made one save in his second match since joining San Jose during the break.
The Galaxy opened the scoring in the 13th minute when 19-year-old Harbor Miller took the ball up the right side and found Marco Reus in the middle of the field. Reus sent Paintsil forward on a breakaway and the forward slid home his fourth goal of the season.
The Earthquakes got even in the 62nd minute after the Galaxy nearly coughed up an own goal on a clearance header that clanked off the crossbar.
The rebound came to the feet of San Jose’s Benji Kikanovich, who fired a shot that was knocked down in the penalty area. Roberts cleaned up a loose ball on the goal line for his second tally of the season.
Paintsil nearly gave Los Angeles the lead in the 83rd minute before Gunn used his right hand to swat away a shot headed toward the upper right corner of the goal.
While the Galaxy were without defenders Jakob Glesnes (yellow-card accumulation) and Emiro Garces (red card on Wednesday), the Earthquakes were without forward Preston Judd (yellow-card accumulation).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rams QB Ty Simpson becomes last first-round pick to sign
Jun 2, 2026; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws the ball during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Quarterback Ty Simpson became the last of the 2026 first-round draft picks to sign on Saturday, coming to terms with the Los Angeles Rams.
The rookie’s contract is fully guaranteed at four years and $25.4 million with a $14.9 signing bonus, NFL Network reported on Saturday.
The Rams, with reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Matthew Stafford at quarterback, made a stunning selection in April by drafting Simpson with the 13th overall pick.
Simpson, projected as a second-rounder, passed for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions in 15 games at Alabama last season, his first as a starter. He now is projected to have time to develop as a backup to Stafford, 38.
The only other quarterback to be selected in the first round, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, went No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Heisman Trophy winner signed a four-year rookie deal worth a fully guaranteed $57.27 million which includes a fifth-year option.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Another Tiger possibly on trade block, Casey Mize, faces Royals
Jul 19, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize (12) pitches during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The possibility of Tarik Skubal getting traded has loomed over the Tigers all season. But another key Detroit starter and impending free agent, Casey Mize, also could swap out uniforms if the Tigers choose to sell before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Mize could be making his last appearance with the club when the Tigers host the Kansas City Royals on Saturday afternoon.
The 29-year-old right-hander has battled groin tightness at various times this season, but when he’s been on the mound, he has delivered quality innings. Mize (4-6, 2.79 ERA) has allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of his 15 starts.
Mize had his latest start, his first after the All-Star break, cut short when a comebacker from Los Angeles Angels’ Jo Adell struck his left wrist. He exited after 3 1/3 innings but didn’t have any lingering effects from the injury.
“I’m good,” Mize said, according to the Detroit News. “I (am) looking forward to Saturday. We’ve been checking all the boxes that we need to and I’m feeling good.”
Mize, who gave up one run and five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in Anaheim, Calif., is not dwelling on the trade speculation.
“Where we are as a team makes that more simple (to deal with),” Mize said. “There are so many unknowns. We’re in a 10-game sprint right now, and it takes tons of focus on what we’re doing here and now, day to day. That’s kind of how I’ve always played, so that makes it pretty easy to focus on that instead of the other stuff. I’m just leaning on that and really caring about what we’re doing right now.”
Mize hasn’t faced the Royals this season, but he has made more career starts against them than any other club. He is 3-2 with a 4.97 ERA in 13 starts vs. Kansas City. Royals catcher Salvador Perez has a .424 average with five extra-base hits against him in 33 at-bats.
Michael Wacha (5-7, 3.66) will start for the Royals. Wacha was sharp in his first start after his All-Star appearance, holding San Francisco to one run and three hits in six innings on Monday.
The 35-year-old right-hander had one of his best outings of the season against the Tigers on May 9, tossing seven scoreless innings. He only allowed two hits and two walks while striking out six.
In 11 career starts against Detroit, he is 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA.
Like Mize, Wacha is a potential trade candidate, as is another veteran Royals starter, Seth Lugo. Wacha is signed through next season with a club option for 2028.
“We’ll be open-minded to anything,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “But we have to be very, very pointed on what we want to get out of any one of those two. And it’s also, they made a commitment to us, and that’s big. And I think that’s important to the morale of the team.”
The Tigers have won three straight, including the first two games of the current four-game series. Skubal struck out 12 in 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball during the Tigers’ 2-1 victory on Friday.
Kansas City had won three straight prior to visiting Detroit, while the Tigers have won three in a row.
–Field Level Media
PK save in final minutes helps Galaxy earn tie vs. Earthquakes
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