Big Ten Daily (Aug. 6): ESPN Airing Documentary on Nebraska Volleyball

From the first serve until the final point, Nebraska enjoyed one of the most memorable seasons in program history in 2023. It started by making history at Memorial Stadium and ended with an appearance in the National Championship Game. Now, ESPN wants to highlight that remarkable year.

ESPN has announced that it will air an E60 documentary, which follows the Huskers through the 2023 season. It is set to premier on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. ET.

On Wednesday, Aug. 30, Nebraska opened the 2023 by making history. Dubbed “Volleyball Day in Nebraska,” 92,003 fans attended the Huskers’ opener at Memorial Stadium — home of the Nebraska football team. It was the largest attendance for a women’s sporting event ever.

Nebraska defeated Omaha 3-0 to start the season with a victory, marking the start of an impressive year.

With no seniors on the team, the Huskers nearly made it through the entire regular season with an undefeated record. The team’s lone loss came to Wisconsin in Madison on Friday, Nov. 24. Nebraska claimed an outright Big Ten title, then played their way to an appearance in the National Championship Game.

Nebraska ended the season with a 33-2 record and a 19-1 mark in Big Ten play.

Although they came up just short of bringing a title back to Lincoln, the Huskers’ 2023 season was one for the history books. To set an attedance record, win a conference title and compete for a national championship with no seniors on the roster? That’s an impressive feat.

So mark your calendars, this documentary will highlight last year’s success, providing behind-the-scenes looks at the remarkable run for coach John Cook and his squad.

Jim Harbaugh issues statement

Jim Harbaugh refuses to take responsibility for the sign-stealing scandal that unfolded at Michigan. After a draft of the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations was reported on by ESPN, the former Wolverines leader made a statement.

“Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal. I was raised with that lesson,” he said on Monday. “I have raised my family on that lesson. I have preached that lesson to the teams that I have coached. No one is perfect. If you stumble, you apologize and you make it right.

“Today, I do not apologize. I did not participate, was not aware nor complicit in those said allegations. So, it’s back to work and attacking with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”

Last season, Harbaugh led Michigan to a perfect 15-0 record a national championship. But controversy followed the program throughout the year when it was revealed that a Wolverines staffer, Connor Stalions, was illegal scouting opponents.

Harbaugh was suspended three games at the end of the regular season by the Big Ten because of the situation. After leading the program to a title, Harbaugh bolted for the NFL, landing a job with the Los Angeles Chargers.

On Monday, it was reported that Harbaugh’s replacement, Sherrone Moore, was one of at least seven staffers who had knowledge of the sign-stealing scandal. He deleted more than 50 text messages from Stalions and could face a show-cause punishment and possible suspension.

Minnesota trolls Iowa with Gold Out shirt

Minnesota is really getting its money’s worth from last year’s win over Iowa. Through an NIL apparel company, the Golden Gophers are trolling their rivals over Cooper DeJean’s invalid fair catch signal, which wiped away a late-game touchdown and helped Minnesota secure a 12-10 win over the Hawkeyes.

The shirt has an image of Floyd of Rosedale — the game’s rivalry trophy — on the front. On the back is a snippet from the college football rulebook, in which it outlines the specifics of an invalid signal.

With less than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Minnesota punted the ball away, needing one stop to secure a win over Iowa for the first time under coach P.J. Fleck. After the ball bounced on the ground, DeJean appeared to wave his arm, signaling to his teammates to stay away.

DeJean then picked the ball up and raced to the end zone, giving the Hawkeyes a late lead. The play was later reviewed to determine whether he stepped out of bounds while returning the punt. Instead, officials determined that DeJean used an invalid fair catch signal, marking the play dead.

It was one of the more controversial endings we saw in college football last season. Minnesota just wants to add a little more fuel to the rivalry by reminding Iowa fans.

SIX BIG TEN TEAMS IN COACHES POLL: Six Big Ten teams were ranked in the top-25 of the USA Today Coaches Poll, with four sitting in the top-10. Ohio State was the highest-ranked squad at No. 2. CLICK HERE

SHERRONE MOORE FACES UPHILL BATTLE: Sherrone Moore could face a show-cause penalty and a suspension from the NCAA, according to a report from ESPN. It makes his job at Michigan even tougher. CLICK HERE