Gophers coach P.J. Fleck singled out one fact during his closing remarks after the season-opening 59-7 win over Eastern Illinois on Thursday.

“There’s three teams … from the Big Ten (playing) an SEC opponent this year — Ohio State, Michigan and the Gophers,” Fleck said from the podium at Huntington Bank Stadium.

What Fleck didn’t say spoke the loudest: five other Big Ten programs won’t play a single Power Four Conference opponent, nor Notre Dame, in nonconference play this year, including reigning national champion Indiana, Washington, Southern Cal, Penn State and Nebraska.

Today’s college football world so often pits a hegemonic battle between the Big Ten vs. the SEC, and the only three inter-conference matchups will come Saturday: No. 1 Ohio State at No. 5 Texas, No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 16 Michigan and Mississippi State at Minnesota.

The Gophers have played a power conference opponent in each of the last five years — Colorado (2021-22), North Carolina (2023-24) and California (2025). The Minnesota-Mississippi State series was scheduled 2016, a year before before Fleck arrived at the U, but in 2022, Fleck added Alabama to the U’s schedule in 2032-33. Plus, Minnesota will travel to Mississippi State in 2027 and host Cal in 2028.

The Gophers do not yet have a P4 opponent on its schedule from 2029-31, but at his weekly news conference Monday, Fleck said wants to these high-level matchups to be annual.

“I think it’s really healthy for that,” Fleck said. “Absolutely. I think that’s fun. I think it’s exciting. I think it’s great for the fans.”

But Fleck wants to see everybody play these level of games to improve the “parity” of the sport.

Meanwhile, the last three national champions — Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan — did not play P4 nonconference opponents en route to their respective titles.

“Are you punished for it or are you rewarded for it?” Fleck asked about nonconference scheduling. “There’s been so many … talks when people get to the (College Football Playoff). Is (part of the criteria) the strength of the schedule or is it not? …

“Whatever it is, I mean, those are the things that I think we have to get our arms around,” Fleck said. “Whether the playoff stays at 12 (teams) or goes at 24.”

There appears to be a tentative agreement between the SEC and Big Ten on the idea to require future playoff teams in a 24-team format to play 10 games against either conference opponents, other power-conference foes and Notre Dame.

The Big Ten has played nine conference games since 2017, while the SEC just started playing nine this year.

“We will see how college football continues to change and evolve, but we’ve proven (our willingness) with our nonconference opponents,” Fleck said.

Source: Yahoo Sports