Last year’s Sweet 16 appearance has raised the Gophers’ national profile.

Minnesota is scheduled to be on national television 11 times during the 2026-27 regular season, starting with a nonconference game against Kansas on Nov. 18 at Williams Arena on Peacock.

Ten conference games are scheduled to be televised nationally, one on FOX (Jan. 9 vs. Iowa), another on Peacock (vs. Illinois on Feb. 28) and one on FS1 (at Washington on Feb. 20).

The other seven will be on Big Ten Network: Dec. 6 at Purdue, Jan. 2 vs. Indiana, Jan 12 at UCLA, Jan. 21 vs. Wisconsin, Jan. 24 at Ohio State, Jan. 28 vs. Oregon and Feb. 11 at Nebraska.

-Staff report

College football

Big Ten doesn’t take action on officials

No disciplinary action will be taken against Big Ten officials who worked the Maryland-Nebraska football game or against Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule for his postgame criticism of the crew, a conference spokesman said Tuesday.

The Big Ten announced Monday that Nebraska’s final point-after kick in a 48-23 victory in Lincoln on Saturday was incorrectly officiated after a roughing-the-snapper penalty was called.

Since Nebraska missed the attempt, the penalty should have resulted in the Huskers retrying the attempt with the penalty yardage enforced as half the distance to the goal. However, the miss was allowed to stand and the penalty yardage was incorrectly assessed on the ensuing kickoff.

“The Big Ten has been in contact with its officiating team from Saturday’s game regarding the error and will continue to emphasize consistent application of the playing rules,” the conference said in a statement.

Rhule indicated after the game that he expected to be fined for his criticism of officials. A combined 28 penalties were called, most in a game since 2021, and the Huskers were flagged 16 times.

The officiating crew headed by refereee Jim Wharrie also worked the Western Michigan-Michigan game Sept. 5. That game ended with confusion about the game clock. An extra second was put on the clock, and Michigan’s second attempt at a Hail Mary pass was successful, giving the Wolverines a 13-12 win. Big Ten replay officials ordered the extra second, and on-field officials were not at fault, spokesman David Bassity noted.

Missouri player needs heart transplant

Missouri freshman offensive tackle Johnnie “DJ” Jones needs a heart transplant and is hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, coach Eli Drinkwitz said Tuesday.

Missouri staff initially detected an issue with Jones’ heart over the summer during freshman intake testing, an emotional Drinkwitz said at a news conference in Columbia, Missouri.

The team’s medical staff sought out a second opinion with the Mayo Clinic when they weren’t getting a resolution or answers after two weeks of observation.

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic detected a much more serious heart problem, Drinkwitz said. The coaching staff was told last week that Jones needs a transplant.

“We found out that Johnnie’s now on a heart transplant list, and he’s in Mayo, and it’s tough right now. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as they go through this,” Drinkwitz said. “You’re just not prepared for that kind of news. Our team wasn’t prepared for that kind of news. We’re praying for him.”

The seventh-year coach asked Mizzou fans to join in that prayer, saying the 18-year-old “needs help in a hurry.”

Drinkwitz first referenced Jones during his postgame interview after Missouri’s win over Florida on Saturday. He explained Tuesday that he knew Jones was watching the game, which moved the Tigers to No. 14 in the AP Top 25.

briefly

Gophers women’s soccer: Gophers senior forward Ava Westlund was named Big Ten’s player of the week. The Arden Hills native scored twice in Minnesota’s 4-0 victory over Maryland last Friday with two goals, her second brace of the season. The Gophers (7-3-2) are unbeaten at home (5-0-2) and play at second-ranked Michigan State on Thursday.

College football: Dennis Franchione, the longtime college football coach who turned around TCU before stops at Alabama and Texas A&M, has died. He was 75. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which first reported the news, said Franchione’s family confirmed his death, adding that he battled cancer for a decade.

NHL: Florida center Aleksander Barkov is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a left leg injury and will not require surgery, Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Tuesday. Barkov was hurt in the Panthers’ overtime loss at San Jose on Thursday.

Tennis: Top-ranked Jannik Sinner announced he will be out for the rest of the year as he continues to deal with an injured knee.

Tennis: Coco Gauff said she received an “insane” amount of racist comments on social media following a controversial point in her China Open match against home player Sun Xinran. Gauff stopped a rally after electronic advertising boards lining the court flickered during a point late in the first set of her 7-5, 6-1 third-round victory over Sun, a 16-year-old who recently won the U.S. Open junior title.

Golf: BC Partners Credit on Monday announced an initial investment in LIV Golf, part of a targeted $300 million in cumulative financing to help the beleaguered circuit emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a team-focused golf league with players as equity owners. The announcement comes two days before the first of several hearings related to the bankruptcy filing from Sept. 8.

WNBA: Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray has been ruled out of Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals Wednesday night because of a hand injury.

College basketball: Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears has been named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.

— From news services