Gophers’ coach P.J. Fleck boosts Big Ten over SEC in schedule debate

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CHICAGO — A big theme coming out of Southeastern Conference Media Days was the implementation of a nine-game conference schedule, up from eight, for the first time this fall.

The Big Ten will be playing that slate for an 11th straight season this fall.

“I love our nine-game schedule; I love that we’ve been doing that for a long time,” Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said Wednesday at Big Ten Media Days.

On top of its own nine-game Big Ten schedule, Minnesota also will play an SEC foe in Mississippi State at Huntington Bank Stadium on Sept. 12. The Bulldogs went 5-8 overall, 1-7 in SEC play last year and are picked to finish 15th in the 16-team league. But the game will be a data point in the never-ending Big Ten vs. SEC debate.

The Gophers’ upcoming schedule, which opens with a Thursday night home game against Eastern Illinois on Sept. 3, is considered the 34th toughest schedule in the country, according to ESPN. The toughest games will include the Big Ten opener at Washington on Sept. 26, Michigan at home on Oct. 3, Iowa on Oct. 24, a road game at reigning national champion Indiana on Oct. 31, and at Penn State in Happy Valley on Nov. 14.

“I don’t think there is a coincidence that (the Big Ten) are playing a nine-game conference schedule; we are playing a lot of elite teams, we are scheduling people in the first three that are Power Four opponents, and we’ve won the last three national championships,” Fleck said.

Smith’s close up

Growing up in Shippensburg, Pa., Anthony Smith dreamed of the Big Ten spotlight. The Gophers defensive end went from on-camera interview to photo shoot to another close-up during a jam-packed day in Chicago.

“You dream about being on TV and having the camera in your face … seeing some of the Penn State players like Saquon Barkley (do it a decade ago),” Smith told the Pioneer Press. “Being able to do this now is so sick. It’s really a blessing.”

Smith was one of 12 players named to the Big Ten’s preseason honors list this week.

Indiana had three players on the list: receiver Charlie Becker, linebacker Rolijah Hardy and defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker. Ohio State had two (quarterback Julian Sayin and receiver Jeremiah Smith), Oregon two (QB Dante Moore, and safety and former Gopher Koi Perich), and Rutgers had a pair (running backs KJ Duff and Antwan Raymond).

Southern Cal quarterback Jayden Maivava and Iowa offensive lineman Kate Pieper rounded out the list.

Novak passes away

Fleck’s college coach at Northern Illinois, Joe Novak, passed away at age 81 this week. Fleck credits Novak as one of his key coaching mentors.

“Who would want to take a (5-foot-9), 150-pound, 4.8(-second 40-yard dash) receiver?” Fleck said. “And Joe Novak pounded the table in a meeting one day. … He said, ‘We are (expletive) taking P.J.” in the Huskies’ recruiting class.

At Northern Illinois from 1999-2003, Fleck had 179 career receptions for 2,162 yards, which both rank in the top five in program history. He set a school record for punt returns (87) and punt return yards (716).

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