Big Ten Football

Former Ohio State and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Art Schlichter was released from prison on parole in June despite concerns from a former Franklin County prosecutor in Ohio.

Dana Hunsinger Benbow of the Indianapolis Star reported Tuesday that Schlichter was granted parole nine years into 10- and 11-year concurrent prison sentences related to his guilty plea in a federal fraud case—a "massive ticket scheme that bilked millions of dollars from his victims."

Former prosecutor Ron O'Brien told the Star they received information shortly before Schlichter was scheduled for release last year that he was working with women on the outside to place bets for him and also engaged in betting with fellow inmates over email.

O'Brien provided a warning to people who many interact with the 61-year-old Ohio native following his release.

"My advice to anyone coming upon Mr. Schlichter is that they not engage in any business transactions or any purchases or any other transactions that would involve giving him any money," he told the Star. "[He] is a career criminal engaged in fraud as a career. He just cannot help himself. He will do this the rest of his life."

Schlichter's lifelong battle with gambling addiction has long been in the public spotlight. In 1983, an article appeared in the New York Times entitled "Schlichter: A Pattern of Gambling That Began in His Youth."

That deep dive into his gambling problem came after he was suspended by NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle for the 1983 season.

The former quarterback didn't shy away from the issue, co-writing a book called Busted: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter in 2009 before his latest prison sentence.

American Greed, a CNBC series, also explored his life in a 2017 episode titled "Art Schlichter: All American Fraud."

Benbow noted Schlichter has spent a total of around two decades at over 50 different prisons and jails.

Schlichter spent four years at Ohio State (1978-81) before being selected by the Colts with the fourth overall pick in the 1982 draft. He made just 13 appearances (six starts) across four years with the franchise. He made a brief stop with the Buffalo Bills in 1986 before his NFL career ended.

He later found success in the Arena Football League, winning the AFL's MVP Award and Arena Bowl championship during the 1990 season with the Detroit Drive.

The Wisconsin Badgers will be without multiple running backs when they take on Penn State in Saturday's season opener.

Evan Flood of 247Sports noted the Big Ten program announced it dismissed running back Loyal Crawford from the team and suspended running back Antwan Roberts following an altercation in a residence hall.

Crawford responded to the announcement on Twitter with his own message (since deleted) and said, "I was treated so unfairly in all of this. I want everyone to know that. They didn't even want to hear my side. he literally broke into my dorm room and tried to jump me while I was sitting on the couch with my back turned to him he started it all."

Michael Hogan of 247Sports reported a UW-Madison Police spokesperson said a physical altercation happened on Aug. 22 and Crawford was cited for disorderly conduct and disorderly conduct while armed because he had a knife.

The police spokesperson said there were only minor injuries that were not related to the knife.

Crawford was a 3-star prospect in Wisconsin's 2021 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. Roberts was also a 3-star prospect in the same class.

Drew Hamm of SB Nation noted neither running back was expected to be a key piece of Wisconsin's offense this season.

Nebraska may be coming off a season-opening loss to Illinois and just 12-21 under head coach Scott Frost, but Saturday's game against Fordham will be a sellout.

Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts announced Tuesday that "two generous donors" purchased the remainder of the tickets for the game at Memorial Stadium to give underserved children the opportunity to attend:

We had two generous donors come forward and purchase the remaining tickets for the home opener so that we could provide those tickets to young people throughout the state.

These donors have a strong commitment to Nebraska Athletics and understand our history and tradition. They also have a desire for young people, who may not otherwise have the opportunity, to experience a Nebraska Football game day at Memorial Stadium.

That means Saturday's game will be the 376th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium, which Nick Bromberg of Yahoo Sports pointed out is the longest active streak in college football.

The streak may be in jeopardy, though, if the Cornhuskers continue to struggle—and that seems likely with games remaining against Oklahoma, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa.

By reclassifying into the class of 2021 and enrolling at Ohio State a year earlier than expected, Buckeyes quarterback Quinn Ewers has guaranteed himself at least $1.4 million in NIL compensation. 

According to Darren Rovell of The Action Network, the freshman backup has agreed to a multiyear deal with GTSM. Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News reported the deal is for three years.

It's the second NIL agreement Ewers has signed since leaving high school. The former Southlake Carroll High School star already has an agreement with Texas-based Holy Kombucha.

While he may be biding his time at the bottom of the depth chart for now, it seems inevitable Ewers will get an opportunity to become the face of college football sooner than later.

247Sports named the signal-caller the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2021, with recruiting analyst Gabe Brooks comparing him to former NFL star Philip Rivers and projecting Ewers as a future top-10 pick:

Understands how to protect himself as a runner and minimize shots. Shows encouraging pocket presence and awareness. Senses pressure and knows how to react to it. Also willing to stand and deliver under duress and will take a big shot if it means hanging in there to make the necessary throw. Occasionally will take risks, but that also is part of what makes him so good. Release quickness is good in general but could still quicken a bit at times. Elite QB prospect at the top of the 2022 cycle, at his position and across the board. Future impact high-major starter with long-term potential to be taken high in the NFL Draft.

The Buckeyes were able to land Ewers—their highest-rated prospect of the past two decades—after he decommitted from Texas last October. He also held offers from Alabama, LSU, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Oklahoma and USC, but he essentially could've had his pick of any school. 

Whether or not Ewers' college career takes off and leads him to the NFL, the top prospect has already become a millionaire. That type of financial security may already prove worth enrolling a year early. 

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh named Cade McNamara the team's starting quarterback for the season-opener against Western Michigan on Saturday, per Austin Meek of The Athletic. 

"He's ratcheted it up in a lot of different areas," Harbaugh said Monday. "The biggest one is consistency."

McNamara was on top of the depth chart after spring practices and beat out J.J. McCarthy and Alan Bowman for the starting job, per Meek.

The redshirt sophomore appeared in four games last season, totaling 425 passing yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions.

McNamara burst onto the scene during a come-from-behind win over Rutgers last season, totaling five touchdowns (including one rushing) in the 48-42 victory. Michigan was trailing 17-0 early in the game and appeared set for a fourth straight loss behind Joe Milton before the quarterback switch.

That was enough for him to earn the start against Penn State in the season finale, although the quarterback finished just 12-of-25 for 91 yards in a 27-17 loss.

Michigan finished 2-4 during the shortened 2020 campaign, its first losing season since Harbaugh took over 2015.

McNamara, the No. 7 pro-style passer in the 2019 class on 247Sports composite rankings, will look to turn things around in 2021.

There is still plenty of hype surrounding McCarthy, who was a 5-star recruit and considered the No. 25 overall player in the country in the incoming freshman class. Bowman has the most experience of the group with 5,260 passing yards and 33 touchdowns across three seasons at Texas Tech before transferring.

It gives Michigan multiple options this season if McNamara falters.  

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant made a great moment even better as Maryland defensive lineman Greg Rose surprisingly received a scholarship.

Durant joined the team on a video chat and revealed the news to Rose in front of his excited teammates:

Rose spent last season as a walk-on after transferring from Lackawanna Community College, appearing in just two games. During the spring, he was one of four players to earn the Scott McBrien Outstanding Non-Scholarship Player Award.

It was apparently enough for the senior to earn himself a scholarship for 2021.

Durant, meanwhile, provided a shoutout to his hometown team after growing up in Prince George's County. Though he played his lone collegiate season at Texas, he still appreciates the local school.

"I grew up 10 minutes from the campus so you always got deep love for the University of Maryland," Durant told the team.

A Purdue softball player received a surprise from legendary quarterback Drew Brees. 

The former New Orleans Saints star joined a Zoom call between Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux founder Brandon Landry and Boilermakers walk-on Emilee Cox as part of her reward for being awarded a name, image and likeness deal:

Cox is in her junior year at Purdue. The Indiana native walked on to the Boilermakers softball team during the 2020 season. She made 19 appearances as a freshman, scoring five runs and stealing one base. 

Cox's role on the team expanded last season. She started 10 of Purdue's 44 games, recording two hits and a perfect fielding percentage on 28 chances. 

Before Brees became one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, he made a name for himself as a three-year starter at Purdue. The 13-time Pro Bowler set 19 school records, including completions (1,026) and passing yards (11,792). 

Brees was inducted into Purdue's Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009. 

Amid the upcoming expansion in the SEC, three of the other Power Five conferences are reportedly going to announce a partnership on Tuesday. 

Per The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach, the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC will formally announce their alliance to "to work together on multiple fronts, from College Football Playoff expansion to NCAA governance issues and annual football scheduling."

The SEC increased its overall power in the Power Five hierarchy last month when school presidents unanimously voted to add Oklahoma and Texas. The move will go into effect on July 1, 2025. 

In her report from Saturday, Auerbach noted administrators from the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 are concerned that the SEC's aggressive expansion could turn college football into an "an actual minor league system for the NFL with a draft, player salaries and the like."

Another reason Auerbach cited for the conference alliance is related to "concerns" over the proposed expansion of the College Football Playoff. 

In June, the College Football Playoff board of managers approved a feasibility study about potentially increasing the playoff field from four to 12 teams in the future. 

The proposal, according to Auerbach, didn't include anyone representing the Big Ten, ACC or Pac-12. 

Another potential rationale for working together involves television money. The Pac-12's current TV deal, signed in 2011, pays the conference approximately $250 million per year.

At the time, it was the largest television contract signed by a conference, but it has since been passed by the Big Ten ($55 million per school each year) and SEC ($45 million). 

A partnership with the ACC will also allow the Pac-12 to get regular television exposure on ESPN. Its current TV contracts are exclusive to Fox, with the Pac-12 Network having lost 17 percent of subscribers between Feb. 2019 to Dec. 2020. 

The ACC and Big Ten have TV deals with ESPN; the Big Ten also has a contract with Fox Sports.    

The Big Ten announced Monday that teams unable to play games due to COVID-19 will be forced to forfeit:

Games will not be rescheduled, resulting in a loss for the team responsible and a win for the opposing team.

If both teams are unable to play, the game will count as a no-contest. 

The policy is in line with other Power Five conferences for the upcoming year, as the Pac-12, ACC and Big 12 have all announced there would be forfeits if a team is unable to play because of a COVID-19 outbreak.

The ACC policy differs slightly from the Big Ten's in that both teams will be charged a forfeit and a loss if they are each unable to play due to outbreaks.

There could be a similar policy in the SEC, but commissioner Greg Sankey said the league might not have an official announcement until the day before college football season begins, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic.

The pandemic upended the 2020 college football season. The Big Ten played an eight-game season after an initial postponement, with outbreaks leading to cancelations and no rescheduling.

Ohio State appeared in only five regular-season games, which nearly affected its postseason hopes despite its undefeated record. The Big Ten had to amend its initial policy requiring a minimum of six games played for inclusion in the conference title game.

Thanks to the new policy, all games in 2021 will have a result in the record books unless both teams are unable to field a roster.