2014-15 Big Ten Schedule Updates

So with adding 2 more teams to the Big Ten means more espn3 or watching more games online? That would really suck! They need to come up with better plan.
 

So with adding 2 more teams to the Big Ten means more espn3 or watching more games online? That would really suck! They need to come up with better plan.

I think the upshot is that BTN will benefit the most with more content to air. There might be like 4 games total in the conference that would have been on ESPN or ESPN2, but expansion drove to ESPNU or ESPN3. B1G is adding two teams, 18 games extra for each team in conference play. That's an increase of 36 conference games, most of which will go on BTN.
 

So with adding 2 more teams to the Big Ten means more espn3 or watching more games online? That would really suck! They need to come up with better plan.

No reason for that to be the case, at least during conference season. Most weeks there will be two teams on bye so there are 6 games to televise. You can easily do 2 each on Tues, Wed and Thurs on either one of the ESPN's or BTN and fit 6 or 7 in on the week-end.

There might be a marginal increase in non-conference games that are online. But probably not more than 1 or 2. We might lose the choice in a head-to-head with Maryland, but not Rutgers.
 

OK thanks... I just love the fox sports days when every single game was on TV.
 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't get why BTN doesn't use their alternate channels during basketball season. I'm the type of fan that pretty much has to watch every game so I pay for Gopher Access or tune into ESPN3 even though the quality just isn't as good. They use them for football, why not basketball? I'm sure it comes down to $$$$, just not worth the production costs I guess.
 


18 games

I think the upshot is that BTN will benefit the most with more content to air. There might be like 4 games total in the conference that would have been on ESPN or ESPN2, but expansion drove to ESPNU or ESPN3. B1G is adding two teams, 18 games extra for each team in conference play. That's an increase of 36 conference games, most of which will go on BTN.

Actually adding 2 Big 10 teams results in an increase of 18 games total.

12 teams = 108 Conf games
14 teams= 126 Conf games
 

Actually adding 2 Big 10 teams results in an increase of 18 games total.

12 teams = 108 Conf games
14 teams= 126 Conf games

But will it increase the number of games we can get on semi-normal TV?
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>ACC-Big Ten Challenge matchups will be released at 4 pm. Full coverage on <a href="http://t.co/HI6EGZd2g3">http://t.co/HI6EGZd2g3</a>.</p>— Andy Katz (@ESPNAndyKatz) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAndyKatz/statuses/461903165156491264">May 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>ACC-Big Ten Challenge matchups will be released at 4 pm. Full coverage on <a href="http://t.co/HI6EGZd2g3">http://t.co/HI6EGZd2g3</a>.</p>— Andy Katz (@ESPNAndyKatz) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAndyKatz/statuses/461903165156491264">May 1, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

http://college-basketball.si.com/20...cuse-michigan-acc-big-ten-challenge-matchups/

Some matchups released already....
 



Here’s the full lineup announced Thursday:

Monday, December 1

Nebraska at Florida State

Rutgers at Clemson

Tuesday, December 2

Syracuse at Michigan

Ohio State at Louisville

Pittsburgh at Indiana

NC State at Purdue

Illinois at Miami

Minnesota at Wake Forest

Wednesday, December 3

Duke at Wisconsin

Michigan State at Notre Dame

Iowa at North Carolina

Virginia at Maryland

Georgia Tech at Northwestern

Virginia Tech at Penn State
 

Virginia @ Maryland likely won't feel like an ACC-B1G matchup yet. More like a flashback ACC Conference game.
 


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Told no real surprises as <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gophers&src=hash">#Gophers</a> hoops is finalizing their non-conf. schedule. Iowa St. wants to start a series. Will happen. Not now.</p>— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenWolfson/statuses/462681992367063040">May 3, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Go Gophers!!
 



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Told no real surprises as <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gophers&src=hash">#Gophers</a> hoops is finalizing their non-conf. schedule. Iowa St. wants to start a series. Will happen. Not now.</p>— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenWolfson/statuses/462681992367063040">May 3, 2014</a></blockquote>
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No thanks. There are plenty of decent BCS programs we could play who don't have recruiting aspirations and connections to Minnesota's backyard, and right now this matchup would do more for ISU than for us.

I would think we'd be looking more at playing Northeast schools.
 

No thanks. There are plenty of decent BCS programs we could play who don't have recruiting aspirations and connections to Minnesota's backyard, and right now this matchup would do more for ISU than for us.

I would think we'd be looking more at playing Northeast schools.

St. John's, Boston College, maybe even UConn would be nice. Getting Syracuse out of NY in the NC would be a major coup for Richard and staff. I think Lav likes the Twin Cities. That might get us a shot.
 

Would love to see a home and home with Iowa State, though I understand why it's not likely to start this season. Both will want to start the series at home because their primary 2014-15 nonconference games already are on the road (Gophers @ Wake, ISU @ Iowa).

Hope it happens in the near future. It makes a lot of sense with the easy trip down I-35 for both schools. Pitino doesn't talk like a guy who'd turn down that kind of a scheduling opportunity. Iowa State is on a roll right now, but it's not like ISU is a program the Gophers can't compete with & beat. Shouldn't be afraid to play them simply because we're competing with them for recruits. What kind of message does that send?
 

No thanks. There are plenty of decent BCS programs we could play who don't have recruiting aspirations and connections to Minnesota's backyard, and right now this matchup would do more for ISU than for us.

I would think we'd be looking more at playing Northeast schools.

+1
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Had a long talk with Pitino earlier. Told me Minnesota is still seeking out three guaranteed home games for the non-conference sked.</p>— Amelia Rayno (@AmeliaRayno) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmeliaRayno/statuses/463473143924154368">May 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Go Gophers!!
 

Amelia (if you're reading this thread by chance), has Pitino mentioned anything about a home and home? A bunch of guarantee games is a given every season, so that's not a surprise.
 

Amelia (if you're reading this thread by chance), has Pitino mentioned anything about a home and home? A bunch of guarantee games is a given every season, so that's not a surprise.

Three guarenteed games plus the two NIT games at the barn should be room for three or four more home nonconference games, maybe one will be a home and home
 

Found a couple more, added above.

OSU to host UMass-Lowell, Rutgers to host New Hampshire on Dec. 9.
 



If not a decent home-and-home, a baker's dozen that would suffice

If we take Pitino for his word, it sounds like a safe bet the Gophers won't be starting a home-and-home series in 2014-15. If that's the case, here's a baker's dozen outside the Power 6 (ACC, Big East, Big XII, Pac 12, SEC) who might be willing to take on the Gophers without a return home game. These teams likely would provide some SOS pop & should be capable of putting up a fight (that's a good thing) and/or provide some intrigue in the middle of all the other guarantee home games. Absent a decent home-and-home, scheduling a couple of these wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

1. Belmont (OVC's best program, NIT quarterfinalist)
2. Buffalo (Bulls coached by Duke great Bobby Hurley)
3. Cal State-Northridge (played in Big West title game, Reggie Theus is the coach)
4. Georgia State (Sun Belt's dominant team lost to Louisiana in conference title game)
5. Harvard (Crimson would be my #1 choice of these 13, gave Sparty all it could handle in Round of 32)
6. Louisiana Tech (rising Conference USA program made it to final 8 of NIT)
7. New Mexico State (traditional top-100 program will dominate conference if it stays in the WAC)
8. San Francisco (former Northwestern/Kansas standout Rex Walters doing solid work, due for NCAA breakthrough)
9. Siena (CBI champs return most everyone, Jimmy Patsos a quality coach)
10. Stephen F. Austin (coming off Round of 32 NCAA finish)
11. Toledo (the likely MAC favorite)
12. Tulsa (traditionally strong program making the move to AAC)
13. William & Mary (never been to NCAA tourney but could be a CAA contender)
 

I think it is highly doubtful that Louisiana Tech, NM State, San Francisco or Tulsa would play a buy game at Minnesota. Those others I could see going for that potentially, but I believe teams from the leagues of the 4 teams I mentioned practically never schedule buy games on the road at power conference teams.
 

I think it is highly doubtful that Louisiana Tech, NM State, San Francisco or Tulsa would play a buy game at Minnesota. Those others I could see going for that potentially, but I believe teams from the leagues of the 4 teams I mentioned practically never schedule buy games on the road at power conference teams.

NM State owes us for giving them a home football game. And subjecting us to Aggie Vision. They owe us big.
 

Michigan will host SMU on Dec. 20. Also, Oakland head coach Greg Kampe tweeted that they are scheduled to play at Maryland on Dec. 27.
 

Michigan will host SMU on Dec. 20. Also, Oakland head coach Greg Kampe tweeted that they are scheduled to play at Maryland on Dec. 27.

Thanks. Keep 'em coming. SMU has become quite popular to schedule for the brand names since Larry Brown took over. Amazing what a good coach can do for a downtrodden program.
 






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