Big Ten Football Media Days: The stories from Vegas get told

LAS VEGAS - “What happens in Vegas,” as the advertising slogan says, “stays in Vegas.” However, media members who cover Big Ten football will be breaking that rule this week by detailing all the goings-on from Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino during Big Ten Football Media Days.

The annual event has spent the past four years at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, but with the westward expansion of the conference, the Big Ten is trading the familiar backdrop of Hoosier Heartland for the glitz and glamour of the Vegas Strip. Each of the Big Ten’s 18 head coaches and three designated players per team will head to Sin City for an event that runs from Tuesday through Thursday and will be televised on BTN.

Each day will feature six teams in attendance, and Wednesday is the day for the Gophers’ close-ups. Coach P.J. Fleck will lead off Wednesday’s podium appearances at 1:30 p.m. Central time while Minnesota sophomore safety Koi Perich, junior defensive end Anthony Smith and junior running back Darius Taylor will have their media session from 5:15-5:45 p.m. Fleck also is bringing redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey to Las Vegas for interviews and appearances.

Here is a schedule of events from Big Ten Media Days. All TV coverage will be on BTN and the Fox Sports app, and players also will make appearances on the BTN Studio Set.

Tuesday’s news conferences (all times Central)

1 p.m.: Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti

1:30 p.m.: Illinois coach Bret Bielema

2 p.m.: Indiana coach Curt Cignetti

2:15 p.m.: Maryland coach Mike Locksley

2:30 p.m.: Nebraska coach Matt Rhule

2:45 p.m.: Ohio State coach Ryan Day

3 p.m.-7 p.m.: Individual podium sessions with coaches and players.

1:30 p.m.: Gophers coach P.J. Fleck

1:45 p.m.: Northwestern coach David Braun

2 p.m.: Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell

2:15 p.m.: Oregon coach Dan Lanning

2:30 p.m.: Washington coach Jedd Fisch

3:15 p.m.-7 p.m.: Individual podium sessions with coaches and players.

Thursday’s news conferences

1:30 p.m.: Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz

1:45 p.m.: Purdue coach Barry Odom

2 p.m.: UCLA coach DeShaun Foster

2:30 p.m.: USC coach Lincoln Riley

2:45 p.m.: Michigan coach Sherrone Moore

3:15 p.m.-7 p.m.: Individual podium sessions with coaches and players

Penn State, which reached the College Football Playoff semifinals last year, is picked to win the Big Ten’s 2025 title in a close vote over defending national champion Ohio State in Cleveland.com’s annual preseason poll of conference media members. The Gophers were voted to finish 11th.

The Nittany Lions, who return standout running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen along with quarterback Drew Allar, received 435 points and 11 first-place votes to edge Ohio State, which had 431 points and 10 first-place votes. Defending Big Ten champ Oregon was third with 405 points and two first-place votes, followed by Illinois (353) and Michigan (346, one first-place vote) in the top five.