Looking back on a celebratory weekend as Howard bests Morehouse in HBCU NY Classic

By Ashleigh FieldsSep 20, 2022, 1:51 PM EDT

Howard University gained their first win of the season, a 31-0 victory over Morehouse College, at MetLife Stadium this past weekend at the HBCU NY Classic. As over 35,000 fans packed the stands, sharp sounds from Howard’s Showtime Marching Band and Morehouse’s House of Funk serenaded the crowd.

“It felt really really good to play in the NYC classic,” said Greg Coleman, a member of the Showtime Marching Band. “The crowd had a lot of energy and I’m so happy that Howard students were able to make the trip and support the band.”

Though the game was scoreless through the first half, fans’ enthusiasm and excitement at MetLife remained high, punctuated by Aaron Bickert scoring a field goal for Howard. Wide receiver Antoine Murray took it from there, securing a win for the Bison with 116 receiving yards and two touchdown catches.

This year, the Howard University Student Association began bussing students to various games in hopes of improving the team’s performance. So far, they’ve traveled to Atlanta for the MEAC/SWAC challenge and managed to bring 150 students to the HBCU NYC Classic.

“During campaign season I made it a priority to go and develop a relationship with Coach [Larry] Scott,” said Jordyn Allen, Howard’s Student Body President. “I just wanted to create an experience for students that makes them want to go and support our sports teams.”

Coach Scott and Allen both rallied around the idea of creating a larger community for student athletes.

“The whole concept is that we’re all one, one Howard and the more that we can pull together on that end of the rope the stronger we all are on and off the field,” said Scott. “In any endeavor that Howard puts its name on it should be synonymous with eliteness, with greatness across the board and the only way to do that is to make sure we’re all one.”

Students and alumni bonded over fond memories and food provided at a tailgate sponsored by the Jordan Brand before kickoff, while royal court representatives from Howard and Spelman College, the sister school for Morehouse College, united on the field.

“What a great weekend to be a Bison! From meeting new friends from Spelman College and Morehouse College, to bonding with my beautiful Sister Queens, in the midst of celebrating HBCUs with Nordstrom, to winning Saturday’s game, I am so full of joy,” said Cecily Davis, the 84th Miss Howard University.

Prior to the Inaugural HBCU NYC Classic, Nordstrom hosted a pop-up shop with the goal of creating a more equitable shelf by honoring Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The company sponsored Mister and Miss Howard University with shoes from Christian Louboutin, in addition to offering Tahir Murray, a Howard alumnus and owner of the Legacy, History, Pride Brand the opportunity to feature his merchandise. Murray also created the gameday shirts for Google, with the help of Morehouse graduate Grant Bennett.

“Spelman, Morehouse, and Howard took over the city for an action packed weekend,” Murray said. “Working with Nordstrom and Google during the weekend of a historical HBCU football classic was nothing short of a dream come true. Both companies serve as prime examples of the endless collaborative opportunities there are to create impact through fashion. LHP is all about building products with a purpose and we are excited to continue building upon the Legacy, History, and Pride of HBCUs with the worlds’ most innovative minds.”

“Working with Tahir and his brand Legacy History Pride was a full circle moment for me,” Bennett added. “Tahir and I have been trying to collaborate on a project for a while now but we wanted to make sure it was a project that was authentic and impactful. For us to connect on curating merchandise for Google in a game featuring our alma maters was truly special.”

Author’s note: Ashleigh Fields is a well-established writer, award-winning journalist and two-time self-published author who previously served as the Editor-in-Chief for The Hilltop, Howard University’s campus newspaper. She is an avid speaker with an interest in education and public policy. You can read more of her work here.

Michigan, Penn State, Purdue headline NBC Sports, Peacock’s early Big Ten schedule

By Emily IannaconiMay 31, 2023, 2:04 PM EDT

Big Ten Football is coming to NBC Sports and Peacock for the first time ever this upcoming season. This year’s coverage will feature Big Ten’s first weekly broadcast primetime games and nine Peacock-exclusive matchups. The NBC Sports Big Ten Football package will feature Big Ten Saturday Night on NBC and Peacock, marking the first time ever that the Big Ten will have a dedicated weekly primetime game on a national network. There will also be nine games available exclusively on Peacock.

Big Ten opening week schedule

NBC Sports will debut its Big Ten Football package with two of college football’s top programs — Penn State and Michigan — on Sept. 2.

Exclusively on Peacock, at Noon ET, the reigning Big Ten champion Michigan Wolverines will host East Carolina at “The Big House.”
On NBC and Peacock, at 7:30 p.m. ET, the reigning Rose Bowl champion Penn State Nittany Lions will host West Virginia at Beaver Stadium in the first meeting between the two teams since 1992.

Additional Big Ten Football games announced today

Saturday, Sept. 16th – Washington vs. Michigan State (5 p.m. on Peacock)

The Washington Huskies, who had the nation’s top passing offense in 2022 led by Heisman Trophy candidate Michael Penix Jr. visit the Michigan State Spartans, who finished 11-2 in 2021 and ranked among the country’s top 10 teams.

Saturday, Sept. 16th – Purdue vs. Syracuse (7:30 p.m., NBC and Peacock)

The Purdue Boilermakers, winners of the Big Ten West division last season, host the Syracuse Orange. These teams will face in a rematch of last season’s thriller, where the two combined for 42 points in the fourth quarter alone before the Orange squeaked out a three-point victory.

Saturday, Nov. 11th – Ohio State vs. Michigan State (7:30 p.m., NBC and Peacock)

The Ohio State Buckeyes, a College Football Playoff national semifinalist last season, host Michigan State.

Friday, Nov. 24th – Penn State vs. Michigan State (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock)

Penn State visit Michigan State in a Black Friday primetime matchup at Ford Field in Detroit.

Notre Dame games on NBC

NBC Sports’ primetime schedule also includes two of college football’s most-anticipated matchups. Ohio State will play at Notre Dame Sept. 23 and USC, the top team in the Pac 12 last season, will play at Notre Dame on Oct. 14. Both games will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

NBC Sports’ Big Ten Football and primetime games announced to date:

Sat. Sept. 2	Noon	East Carolina at Michigan	Peacock
Sat., Sept. 2	7:30 p.m.	West Virginia at Penn State	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Sept. 9	Noon	Delaware at Penn State	Peacock
Sat., Sept. 9	7:30 p.m.	Charlotte at Maryland	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Sept. 16	5:00 p.m.	Washington at Michigan State	Peacock
Sat., Sept. 16	7:30 p.m.	Syracuse at Purdue	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Sept. 23	7:30 p.m.	Ohio State at Notre Dame	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Oct. 14	7:30 p.m.	USC at Notre Dame	NBC, Peacock
Sat., Nov. 11	7:30 p.m.	Michigan State at Ohio State	NBC, Peacock
Fri., Nov. 24	7:30 p.m.	Penn State at Michigan State (Ford Field)	NBC, Peacock

The remaining NBC Sports’ Big Ten Football games will be announced during the season.

Wisconsin college football history: Big Ten and national titles, stadium, 2023 season outlook and more

By Kyle LynchMay 11, 2023, 6:10 PM EDT

Winners of the inaugural Big Ten title in 1896, the Wisconsin Badgers enter a new era in 2023 with Luke Fickell taking over as head coach. Fickell takes over a team which finished last season with a losing conference record for the first time since 2008 and enters this year with a new quarterback under center.

Beginning this fall, NBC and Peacock will be the exclusive home of Big Ten Saturday Night, a primetime football game each weekend. Peacock will also serve as the exclusive home for eight additional Big Ten football games each season. Keep reading for a primer on all things Wisconsin and all things Big Ten ahead of the 2023 season.

How long has Wisconsin been in the Big Ten?

Wisconsin is one of the original members of the Big Ten, playing in the conference’s inaugural season in 1896. The Badgers won each of the first two conference titles, finishing first in the Big Ten in both 1896 and 1897.

Has Wisconsin ever won the Big Ten championship?

Wisconsin has won 14 Big Ten championships, including the inaugural title in the 1896 season. Their most recent Big Ten championship came in the 2012 season, which capped off three-straight conference titles for the Badgers from 2010 to 2012.

Has Wisconsin ever won the national championship?

No, Wisconsin has never won a national championship in football. In the 1962 season, Wisconsin finished second in both the AP and Coaches polls behind Southern Cal, who defeated Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl that season.

What is the name of Wisconsin’s stadium?

With a capacity of more than 80,000, Camp Randall Stadium serves as the home of the Wisconsin Badgers football team. The land was originally used for training Wisconsin troops during the Civil War and is named after Wisconsin’s first wartime governor, Alexander W. Randall. Camp Randall is home to one of college football’s greatest traditions, with the crowd erupting with the playing of the song “Jump Around” by House of Pain.

Who is Wisconsin’s head coach?

After leading Cincinnati for the past six seasons, Luke Fickell is entering his first year as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers. Fickell replaces Paul Chryst, who was fired last October and replaced by Jim Leonhard, who finished the year as interim head coach. Fickell went 57-18 over his six seasons in Cincinnati, including a trip to the 2021 College Football Playoff. He is no stranger to the Big Ten, playing at Ohio State in the 1990’s and spending 16 of his first 18 seasons in coaching on the Buckeyes’ staff, including one year as head coach (2011).

What is Wisconsin’s mascot?

Bucky Badger (full name Buckingham U. Badger) is the mascot for the Wisconsin Badgers. While the badger has been the university’s mascot since 1889, the first costumed Bucky did not make an appearance until 1949 and is known for wearing his signature red and white striped shirt.

What is Wisconsin’s 2023 season outlook?

The Luke Fickell era is beginning in Madison, with Fickell taking over a team that has won a bowl game in eight of the past nine seasons. Coming with Fickell is new offensive coordinator Phil Longo, who spent the past four years in the same position at North Carolina. Longo is known for having a pass-heavy offense with the Tar Heels and will look to bring that to a Wisconsin program known for a ground-and-pound, run-heavy attack. Fickell and Longo brought in three new quarterbacks from the transfer portal to replace former starter Graham Mertz, who transferred to Florida. Redshirt senior Tanner Mordecai, who played at both Oklahoma and SMU, looks set to take over as the starting QB in Madison this year.

How to Watch Big Ten Football on NBC and Peacock

In August 2022, NBCUniversal and the Big Ten Conference today announced a landmark 7-year agreement for NBC and Peacock to become the exclusive home of Big Ten Saturday Night football, beginning in fall of 2023. Peacock will also serve as the exclusive home for eight additional Big Ten Football games each season.

NBC Sports/Peacock’s new agreement with college sports’ top conference will also feature dozens of men’s and women’s basketball games (including multiple games each year in the Men’s and Women’s Big Ten Tournaments), Olympic sports, golf and more, providing hundreds of hours of Big Ten content across Peacock.

What devices can I watch Peacock on?

Peacock is currently available on the Roku platform; Amazon FireTV and Fire tablets; Apple devices including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD; Google platforms and devices including Android™, Android TV™ devices, Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices; Microsoft’s Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One S and Xbox One X; Sony PlayStation4 and PlayStation 4 Pro; Samsung Smart TVs; VIZIO SmartCast™ TVs; LG Smart TVs; Comcast’s entertainment platforms including Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex, and XClass TV; and Cox’s Contour and Contour Stream Player devices. To learn more about Peacock and how to sign up, visit PeacockTV.com.