Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
1 0 A U G U S T 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M J ames Franklin didn't have much to say when asked in early June about the Big Ten's new scheduling model, which had just been unveiled and prom- ises to reshape the way the conference will conduct upcoming football seasons. Rather than assessing the specifics of the plan, Franklin deferred to his boss, Penn State athletics director Patrick Kraft, and the executives higher up on the Big Ten's org chart. "It's above my pay grade," Franklin said. "That's a Pat question. That's a commissioner question. I'm excited and looking forward to getting prepared this year for this season and for the schedule that we have, for West Virginia at our place to open the season. "Those other things are outside of my control. And really, right now, they're outside of my concern. When we have meetings as head coaches and ADs, we state our opinions, very similar to the opinions that I stated when I was in the SEC as the head coach [at Vanderbilt]. And at that point, the commissioner has got to make a decision and move forward. It's the same way here." The Big Ten's impending changes may not impact Franklin this year, but starting in 2024, they will be a much more pressing concern. On June 8, the league announced its new scheduling format, along with each team's next two years of home and away opponents. The changes coincide with the arrival of USC and UCLA as Big Ten members. With two West Coast schools set to begin play next fall, the league intends to scrap its East and West divi- sions in favor of what it calls a "Flex Protect Plus" scheduling format. The new model features a combina- tion of protected and rotating oppo- nents. Teams will continue to play nine conference games per year and will face every Big Ten opponent at least twice — once home and once away — in a four- year period. For the Nittany Lions, that means a home game against USC next season and a trip to Los Angeles in 2025 to face the Trojans at the Coliseum. The Lions will welcome UCLA to Beaver Stadium in 2025. RENEWING ACQUAINTANCES Penn State last faced USC in the 2017 Rose Bowl, falling 52-49 in a back-and- forth slugfest that was ultimately de- California Schools Highlight Upcoming Big Ten Slates G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G . P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M During the 2025 season, Penn State will travel to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for its first regular-season game in California since 1991. PHOTO BY KLOTZ PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS & NOTES