INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL- NCC/AREA
Fishers 95 Muncie Central 52
Indianapolis Tech 107 Indianapolis Tindley 95
Logansport 59 Lewis Cass 53
Wes-Del 53 Union City 42
Beech Grove 58 Franklin County 48
Delta at Winchester postponed
Tipton at Monroe Central postponed
STATE SCOREBOARD
Andrean 93 Hammond Morton 62
Argos 54 Tippecanoe Valley 48
Beech Grove 58 Franklin County 48
Bloomington Lighthouse 79 Martinsville Tabernacle 19
Bloomington South 55 Milan 35
Brownstown Central 73 Salem 49
Crown Point 80 Illiana Christian 51
Culver 61 West Central 39
Eastbrook 67 Southern Wells 58
Eastern (Pekin) 69 Scottsburg 58
Elkhart 76 South Bend Washington 60
Evansville Mater Dei 71 Tecumseh 44
Evansville Memorial 53 Mount Vernon (Posey) 49
Fishers 95 Muncie Central 52
Fort Wayne Blackhawk 98 Fort Wayne North 48
Fort Wayne Concordia 48 Bellmont 46
Fort Wayne Snider 66 East Noble 46
Fort Wayne Wayne 58 Lakewood Park 37
Franklin Central 82 Lawrence Central 81
Homestead 64 Huntington North 50
Indianapolis Attucks 100 Purdue Poly Englewood 52
Indianapolis Riverside 94 MTI Knowledge 46
Indianapolis Shortridge 76 Liberty Christian 71
Indianapolis Tech 107 Indianapolis Tindley 95
Marquette Catholic 91 Portage Christian 41
Michigan City 105 Lighthouse CPA 55
Mishawaka Marian 63 Goshen 32
Mississinewa 71 Norwell 53
Mount Vernon (Fortville) 81 Decatur Central 51
North Posey 48 North Knox 41
Owen Valley 68 West Vigo 59
Pike 75 Plainfield 50
Rossville 92 Traders Point Christian 38
Silver Creek 78 Charlestown 31
South Bend Adams 69 Bowman Academy 54
South Bend Career 58 Trinity Greenlawn 53 OT
South Bend Riley 83 Jimtown 38
South Spencer 72 Evansville Harrison 48
Wes-Del 53 Union City 42
Logansport 59 Lewis Cass 53
INDIANA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL – NCC/AREA
Logansport 40 Lewis Cass 37
Tri 82 Lincoln 39
Cowan 48 Union Modoc 32
New Palestine 78 New Castle 38
Shenandoah 60 Connersville 39
STATE SCOREBOARD
Bedford North Lawrence 52 Jennings County 44
Beech Grove 47 Indianapolis Herron 36
Blue River 67 Wapahani 34
Brownsburg 47 Tri-West 41
Carroll (Flora) 80 Twin Lakes 61
Carroll (Fort Wayne) 63 DeKalb 25
Cascade 68 Western Boone 31
Central Noble 32 Goshen 28
Charlestown 47 New Washington 36
Clinton Prairie 58 Fountain Central 28
Columbus East 60 Bloomington North 34
Cowan 48 Union (Modoc) 32
Crown Point 69 Lowell 40
Culver Academy 50 LaCrosse 24
Decatur Central 53 Brebeuf Jesuit 30
Edinburgh 45 Oldenburg Academy 33
Fairfield 42 Angola 32
Faith Christian 43 North Montgomery 36
Forest Park 36 Southridge 26
Fort Wayne Blackhawk 73 Fort Wayne North 27
Fort Wayne Concordia 69 Leo 22
Fort Wayne Dwenger 66 Columbia City 50
Gibson Southern 53 Vincennes Lincoln 40
Guerin Catholic 64 Indianapolis Shortridge 22
Hagerstown 54 Morristown 47
Indianapolis HomeSchool 65 Indianapolis Attucks 30
Indianapolis Ritter 48 Monrovia 38
Indianapolis Roncalli 61 Whiteland 41
Knightstown 56 Irvington Prep Academy 21
Lake Central 57 Munster 46
Lakeland 46 East Noble 37
Lawrence North 43 Carmel 40
Martinsville Tabernacle 69 Bloomington Lighthouse 45
Michigan City 52 Kankakee Valley 36
Mishawaka Marian 81 New Prairie 30
Mishawaka 48 LaVille 42
Mooresville 48 Terre Haute North 47
New Palestine 78 New Castle 38
North Judson 59 Morgan Twp. 33
North Putnam 66 Cloverdale 41
Northeast Dubois 89 Cannelton 14
Northridge 73 Westview 30
Park Tudor 56 Traders Point Christian 23
Penn 69 South Bend Adams 27
Portage 74 Hobart 25
Prairie Heights 51 Lakewood Park 44
Seymour 56 Bloomington South 48
Shenandoah 60 Connersville 39
Silver Creek 54 Jeffersonville 31
South Bend Riley 32 Jimtown 26
South Bend St. Joseph 44 Bremen 40
South Bend Washington 56 Elkhart 25
Southern Wells 62 Muncie Burris 55
Switzerland County 55 Milan 30
Tippecanoe Valley 59 Argos 39
Tri 82 Cambridge City Lincoln 39
Trinity Lutheran 69 Indianapolis Lutheran 36
Warren Central 63 Pike 44
Warsaw 68 NorthWood 34
West Noble 42 Wawasee 36
West Vigo 41 South Vermillion 32
Whitko 38 Fort Wayne Canterbury 18
Winamac 49 West Central 20
Yorktown 69 Lapel 46
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL-TOP 25
#17 Texas 66 Indiana 44
#15 Virginia 76 St. Francis PA 51
#14 North Carolina 67 Stanford 63
#9 Creighton 94 Omaha 67
#12 Villanova 87 Hartford 53
#4 Wisconsin 82 Green Bay 42
#8 Michigan State 75 #6 Duke 69
#7 Kansas 65 #20 Kentucky 62
ELSEWHERE
Purdue 93 Oakland 50
USC 79 BYU 53
UC Riverside 57 Washington 42
Louisville 75 Western Kentucky 54
Navy 78 Georgetown 71
Dayton 66 Eastern Illinois 63
Illinois Chicago 66 Valparaiso 50
Florida International 96 Central Michigan 76
Oklahoma State 70 Marquette 62
Providence 63 Davidson 62
Toledo 70 Cleveland State 61
Hampton 82 George Washington 78
Grand Canyon 88 Mississippi Valley 49
Winthrop 75 North Carolina Greensboro 67
Nebraska 76 South Dakota 69
Alabama 86 UNLV 74
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL-TOP 25
#4 Baylor 67 S. Florida 62
ELSEWHERE
Tulane 77 S. Alabama 73
St. John’s 85 St. Peter’s 47
Virginia Tech 92 George Washington 57
Florida State 81 Florida 75
Akron 70 Northern Kentucky 60
George Mason 77 Longwood 65
Campbell 42 North Carolina Greensboro 38
Central Arkansas 74 Arkansas Pine Bluff 70
Auburn 97 Gardner Webb 61
Liberty 76 Norfolk State 53
Murray State 84 Evansville 61
Tennessee 67 Eastern Tennessee 50
Northern Colorado 75 Denver 74
| Playoff Selection Committee Poll | |||
| Rankings as of 12/1/2020 | |||
| Rank | School | Prev | |
| 1 | Alabama (8-0) | 1 | |
| 2 | Notre Dame (9-0) | 2 | |
| 3 | Clemson (8-1) | 3 | |
| 4 | Ohio State (4-0) | 4 | |
| 5 | Texas A&M (6-1) | 5 | |
| 6 | Florida (7-1) | 6 | |
| 7 | Cincinnati (8-0) | 7 | |
| 8 | Georgia (6-2) | 9 | |
| 9 | Iowa State (7-2) | 13 | |
| 10 | Miami (FL) (7-1) | 10 | |
| 11 | Oklahoma (6-2) | 11 | |
| 12 | Indiana (5-1) | 12 | |
| 13 | BYU (9-0) | 14 | |
| 14 | Northwestern (5-1) | 8 | |
| 15 | Oklahoma State (6-2) | 23 | |
| 16 | Wisconsin (2-1) | 16 | |
| 17 | North Carolina (6-3) | 19 | |
| 18 | Coastal Carolina (9-0) | 20 | |
| 19 | Iowa (4-2) | 24 | |
| 20 | USC (3-0) | 18 | |
| 21 | Marshall (7-0) | 21 | |
| 22 | Washington (3-0) | NR | |
| 23 | Oregon (3-1) | 15 | |
| 24 | Tulsa (5-1) | 25 | |
| 25 | Louisiana (8-1) | NR |
COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Thursday, Dec. 3
Louisiana Tech at North Texas | 6 p.m. | CBSSN
Air Force at Utah State | 9:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Friday, Dec. 4
Louisiana at Appalachian State | 7 p.m. | ESPN2
Boise State at UNLV | 9:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Southern Miss at UTEP — CANCELED
Saturday, Dec. 5
Ohio State at Michigan State | 12 p.m. | ABC
Texas at Kansas State | 12 p.m. | FOX
Oklahoma State at TCU | 12 p.m. | ESPN2
Nebraska at Purdue | 12 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Western Carolina at North Carolina | 12 p.m. | ACC Network
Penn State at Rutgers | 12 p.m. | BTN
Arkansas at Missouri | 12 p.m. | SEC Network
Kansas at Texas Tech | 12 p.m. | FS2
Rice at Marshall | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Memphis at Tulane | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Kent State at Miami (Ohio) | 12 p.m. | CBSSN
FIU at Charlotte | 12 p.m. | ESPN3
Toledo at Northern Illinois | 12 p.m. | ESPN3
Liberty at Coastal Carolina | 2 p.m. | ESPNU
Bowling Green at Akron | 2 p.m. | ESPN3
Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Troy at South Alabama | 2 p.m. | ESPN3
Syracuse at Notre Dame | 2:30 p.m. | NBC
UL Monroe at Arkansas State | 3 p.m. | ESPN3
Florida at Tennessee | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
Maryland at Michigan | 3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
West Virginia at Iowa State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
Indiana at Wisconsin | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
Iowa at Illinois | 3:30 p.m. | FS1
Boston College at Virginia | 3:30 p.m. | RSN
Buffalo at Ohio | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Tulsa at Navy | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
Stanford at Washington | 4 p.m. | FOX
Vanderbilt at Georgia | 4 p.m. | SEC Network
Georgia Tech at NC State | 4 p.m. | ACC Network
Hawai’i at San Jose State | 4 p.m. | Spectrum Sports
Ball State at Central Michigan | 5:30 p.m. | ESPNU
Florida Atlantic at Georgia Southern | 6 p.m. | ESPN3
Oregon at Cal | 7 p.m. | ESPN
Colorado State at San Diego State | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
Colorado at Arizona | 7 p.m. | FS1
Clemson at Virginia Tech | 7:30 | ABC
South Carolina at Kentucky | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Alabama at LSU | 8 p.m. | CBS
Miami at Duke | 8 p.m. | ACC Network
Baylor at Oklahoma | 8 p.m. | FOX
Houston at SMU | 9 p.m. | ESPNU
UCLA at Arizona State | 10:30 p.m. | FS1
Oregon State at Utah | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
Wyoming at New Mexico | 10:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Fresno State at Nevada | 10:30 p.m. | FS2
Florida State at Duke — POSTPONED
Northwestern at Minnesota — CANCELED
Sunday, Dec. 6
UAB at Middle Tennessee State | 2:30 p.m. | TBD
Washington State at USC | 9 p.m. | FS1
INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – When shots aren’t falling, it’s difficult to win basketball games. And the Hoosiers simply couldn’t get shots to fall against Texas.
Indiana shot just 23.9 percent from the field overall and went 2-of-10 from 3-point range in a 66-44 loss to the Longhorns in the semifinals of the Camping World Maui Invitational in Asheville, N.C. The Hoosiers were led by sophomore Trayce Jackson-Davis, who scored 17 points, but no other IU player scored more than eight points in the defeat.
“Give Texas credit,” head coach Archie Miller said. “Texas stunned our guys in the first four or five minutes of the game. (There was an) inability to reverse the ball, inability to connect on a screen, inability to do what we wanted to do. They imposed early on how physical and how tough they were going to play, and I thought that played a role and knocked us on our heels.”
The Longhorns jumped out to a 6-0 lead thanks to a 3-point field goal from Courtney Ramsey, a layup off a steal by Matt Coleman, and a free throw from Jericho Sims. Despite some early shooting struggles, the Hoosiers whittled away at the lead thanks to Jackson-Davis, who scored on a three-point play to pull IU within 8-6 with 14:21 left in the half. Both teams’ defense turned up the intensity with only Texas scoring a bucket in the next four minutes, but a 3-pointer from Brock Cunningham allowed the Longhorns to push the lead to 13-6 with just under 10 minutes to play.
IU then ran off five straight points to pull within 13-11, but Texas answered with a 10-0 run that pushed the lead to double digits. The Longhorns went into halftime with a 31-19 lead.
Indiana went 5-of-23 from the field in the first 20 minutes and turned the ball over nine times, helping the Longhorns score 15 points in transition.
“I’m not going to say every shot we took was tough because, right now, we’re missing some easy ones around the rim,” Miller said. “For us, to give easy baskets, to give up second shots and turn it over… we did all three in the first half.”
Texas’ length continued to bother the Hoosiers after the break, and Indiana could never capitalize on some mistakes the Longhorns made along the way. The lead grew to 15 early in the second half after a dunk by Texas’ Kai Jones and a 3-pointer from Andrew Jones, but Jackson-Davis answered with a three-point play off an assist from Armaan Franklin, and Franklin’s 3-pointer with 16:49 to play pulled the Hoosiers within 38-27.
IU enjoyed a solid sequence with 11:21 to play when Race Thompson blocked a 3-point attempt from Coleman, and his outlet pass found Jackson-Davis, who threw down a dunk to bring the lead to 46-31. Texas answered with an 8-0 run that pushed the lead to 23 points with 8:52 to play, and the Hoosiers never got closer.
Guard Aljami Durham scored eight points on 2-of-7 shooting, but he suffered an injury in the second half and needed help off the floor. Franklin finished with six points on 2-of-7 shooting, and Thomson added four points and six rebounds. The Hoosiers got just six points off the bench—four of them from Jerome Hunter.
“I think, in general, we learned a good lesson today,” Miller said. “As hard as we played last night, they played harder today and imposed more will on us today. We’ve got to find a way to respond. I also think that it’s early in the year, and as the season starts, you’re trying to find that rotation and chemistry, and we’re not there yet. It’s not for a lack of our players wanting to or preparing. It wasn’t like we got real high after last night and didn’t work at it. We had a quick turnaround just like Texas. I thought Texas’ defense, number one, really frustrated us. And I think, number two, over the course of the game, not being able to keep it in reaching distance, eventually broke us. But we’re better than we played today.”
PREVIEW VS. STANFORD
(IU SI)
OPENING TIP
Indiana University begins its 121st season of competition in men’s basketball and opens the doors of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall for the 50th season. IU is coming off a 79-58 win over Providence in the first round of the Camping World Maui Invitational followed by a loss to Texas on Tuesday. IU is 12-9 all-time in the Maui Invitational. The Hoosiers advanced to the semifinals for the first time since winning the event in 2002. The Texas game was the the first of possibly 15 games against teams ranked in the AP Preseason Poll (Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan State, Texas, North Carolina, Florida State, Ohio State, Rutgers, Michigan). IU is currently 33-20 all-time against PAC-12 teams. The Hoosiers will play a team from the PAC-12 for the first time since taking on UCLA on March 17, 2007 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
GAME INFORMATION
Wednesday, Dec. 2 • 1:30 p.m.
Harrah’s Cherokee Center • Asheville, NC
TV: ESPN (Jason Benetti and Bill Walton)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, Joe Smith) | TuneIn
Series History: Indiana leads, 4-0
Last Meeting: IU 84, SU 73; 11/20/88
THE COACHES
Indiana Coach Archie Miller is in his fourth season of guiding the Cream and Crimson and is 57-44 with the Hoosiers. He is 196-107 in nine+ years as a head coach, which includes six years at the University of Dayton. His Flyer teams made NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his last four seasons, including a trip to the Elite Eight in 2014. Jerrod Haase is in his 5th year at Stanford. He is 71-61.
JACKSON-DAVIS EARNS PRESEASON HONORS
Sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, a Preseason All-Big Ten pick, has been named to several Preseason All-American teams and is on the watch lists for the Wooden, Naismith and Malone Award. He was named third team All-Big Ten and also selected to the All-Freshman team. He had 12 double-doubles, the most since D.J. White had 20 in 2007-08. Davis, a native of Greenwood and a graduate of Center Grove High School, was just one of four freshman nationally a year ago to lead his team in scoring, rebounds, FG percentage, FT made and FT attempted and blocked shots. He is averaging 18.3 points and 7.3 rebounds early in the season. He had his 13th career double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds against Tennessee Tech. The Hoosiers are 12-1 when he records a double-double.
MISCELLANEOUS
IU returns seven of its top nine scorers, including four starters. Last year, IU was on the brink of earning its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2016 before the COVID-19 pandemic halted post season play after one game. The Hoosiers finished the season with a 20-12 record. Redshirt junior Race Thompson had a career-night against Providence. He finished with his first career double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds. He is abveraging 10.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in the first 3 starts of his career. The duo has shot 40 free throws in three games. Jackson-Davis is 15 for 22 (68.2%) and Thompson is 9 of 18 (50.0%). Thompson has 12 offensive rebounds and Jackson-Davis has 11.
Senior guard Aljami Durham left the Texas game with an injured left ankle and his availability has not been determined. He is averaging 12.0 points and 4.7 rebounds. He had 19 points and six rebounds against Texas. Junior guard Rob Phinisee had 11 points and 5 assists against Providence and has 8 assists without turnover in 3 games. Sophomore Armaan Franklin is averaging 7.3 points and has averaged 4.7 rebounds. Freshman Trey Galloway is the top scorer off the bench averaging 6.3 points and 3.3 rebounds. IU is holding opponents to 22.4% shooting from long range after 3 games.
PURDUE BASKETBALL
(PURDUE SU)
Purdue improved to 2-1 with a 93-50 win over Oakland in the home opener Tuesday afternoon.
The Boilermakers improved to 15-1 all-time in home openers under head coach Matt Painter.
Purdue has won eight straight home openers by a combined 255 points (31.9 points per game).
Purdue is now 3-0 against Oakland all-time.
Purdue improved to 41-2 all-time against current members of the Horizon League, and won its 21st straight game against a team currently in the Horizon League.
Matt Painter is 17-0 all-time as a coach against the Horizon League.
Purdue won its 102nd straight game when scoring 90 or more points, dating to Nov. 24, 1987.
Purdue’s freshman class continues to excel, scoring 44 points on 15-of-23 (.652) shooting from the field … through three games, the class is averaging 41.0 points per game and shooting 47-of-79 (.595) from the field.
Purdue’s 17 3-pointers tied for the fifth most in a game in school history … Purdue is shooting 35-of-71 (.493) from deep in three games this year and 90-of-171 (.526) from the field.
Purdue’s 1.45 points / possession tied for the fourth-highest total in school history.
Brandon Newman (21) and Sasha Stefanovic (20) became the first Purdue players to each score 20 points in the same since March 28, 2019, vs. Tennessee (Carsen Edwards- 29; Ryan Cline – 27).
Brandon Newman’s 21 points equal the most for a Purdue freshman since Caleb Swanigan had 26 points against Wisconsin (March 5, 2016) … Carsen Edwards also had 21 against Auburn (11-23-16).
Sasha Stefanovic scored 20 points with a career-high seven assists … he becomes the first Purdue player to have at least 20 points and seven assists since Carsen Edwards had 20 points and seven assists against Indiana on Jan. 19, 2019.
Purdue had three players with at least six assists (Sasha Stefanovic – 7, Ethan Morton – 6, Isaiah Thompson – 6) for the first time since Dec. 3, 2016, vs. Morehead State (Vince Edwards – 8, Caleb Swanigan – 6, P.J. Thompson – 6).
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Brandon Newman and Sasha Stefanovic combined for 41 points, going 10 of 17 from 3-point range, and Purdue rolled to a 93-50 win over Oakland in its home opener on Tuesday.
Newman, a redshirt freshman, was 7-of-11 shooting, 4 of 17 from 3-point range, for 21 points, and Stefanovic was 6 of 9, all behind the arc, for 20 points and handed off seven assists as the Boilermakers had 27 helpers on 33 baskets.
Zach Edey added 13 points for Purdue (2-1), which went 17 of 32 from distance and shot 55% overall. Trevion Williams grabbed 14 rebounds to go with eight points as the Boilermakers had a 40-21 rebounding advantage.
Jalen Moore had 14 points for the Grizzlies (0-5), who finished 3 of 21 from 3-point range.
Midway through the first half and trailing 17-16, Stefanovic hit a 3-pointer to start a 12-0 run and the Boilermakers never let up in racing to a 49-27 halftime lead. Newman had 16 points and Stefanovic 15. Purdue was 10 of 18 from distance, shooting 56% overall, while Oakland shot 35%.
Print Friendly Version
MORE THAN A GAME
The More Than A Game campaign was launched in August, in partnership with the John Purdue Club, to help the athletics department navigate the financial ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic and position Boilermaker athletics for future success.
Boilermakers and friends can make a contribution to the More Than A Game campaign by contacting their Boilermaker Athletics Representative or by visiting JPCMoreThanAGame.com. Fans can purchase a special More Than A Game t-shirt from Legends and the Purdue Team Store, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the More Than A Game campaign. To purchase the t-shirt, click here or go to PurdueTeamStore.com.
Purdue Athletics is one of only a handful of Division I athletics departments that is entirely self-sustaining: it does not receive any taxpayer dollars, general fund support from Purdue University, or student fees. John Purdue Club memberships are directed to funding the $12 million scholarship cost for student-athletes and this separate fund will help offset Purdue Athletics’ 2020-21 budget shortfall.
WEEK 13 NFL PREVIEW
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL
AS NFL TURNS CALENDAR TO DECEMBER
Pro Football Hall of Famer VINCE LOMBARDI once said there is only one way to succeed in anything, and that’s to give it everything.
And as the 2020 season enters December, the time to give it everything has arrived.
Week 13 kicks off with a dozen games on Sunday, all 14 playoff berths up for grabs and memories to be made. But first, the BALTIMORE RAVENS conclude Week 12 at the PITTSBURGH STEELERS (Wednesday, 3:40 PM, NBC). It will mark the third Wednesday NFL game since 1941. On Sept. 5, 2012, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants, 24-17, to kick off the season. And, on Sept. 22, 1948, the Los Angeles Rams opened their season with a 44-7 home win over the Detroit Lions.
DECEMBER CONTENDERS: Fifteen NFL teams turn the calendar with a record of .500 or better, including the BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-4), KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (10-1)and NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (9-2). Since 2017, those teams have consistently ranked among the best over the final quarter of the season.
The teams with the best regular-season records in December and January over the past three seasons:
| TEAM | W | L | T | PCT |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 12 | 3 | 0 | .800 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 12 | 3 | 0 | .800 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 11 | 4 | 0 | .733 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 |
| New Orleans Saints | 9 | 4 | 0 | .692 |
STRENGTH VS. STRENGTH: In a battle of 8-3 teams in the AFC, the CLEVELAND BROWNS travel to meet the TENNESSEE TITANS on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS). The Browns are off to their best start since they were also 8-3 in 1994, while the Titans have their best record through 11 games since they were 10-1 in 2008.
- Cleveland, which boasts the league’s top rushing offense (161.4 yards per game), faces the Titans’ DERRICK HENRY, who leads the NFL with 1,257 rushing yards.
- In fact, the contest will feature three of the NFL’s nine leading rushers, including the Browns’ NICK CHUBB (719 rushing yards, tied for sixth) and KAREEM HUNT (706, ninth). The Cleveland duo is on pace to become the first pair of Browns players to each top 1,000 rushing yards in the same season since EARNEST BYNER (1,002) and KEVIN MACK (1,104) in 1985.
- Henry, who paced the NFL with 1,540 rushing yards in 2019, seeks to become the first player to lead the league in rushing yards in consecutive seasons since Pro Football Hall of Famer LADAINIAN TOMLINSON in 2006-07.
- Last week, Henry rushed for 178 yards and three touchdowns in the Titans’ 45-26 win at Indianapolis. Henry is the fourth player in NFL history with three games of at least 175 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in his first five seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers JIM BROWN (five games) and LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (three), as well as ADRIAN PETERSON (three).
- The Titans have the league’s fewest giveaways this season with five.
MAHOMES, HILL BACK IN PRIMETIME: The KANSAS CITY CHIEFS take on the DENVER BRONCOS on Sunday Night Football at Arrowhead Stadium (8:20 PM ET, NBC). The Chiefs have won 19 of their last 20 games, including the postseason.
- Last week in a win at Tampa Bay, PATRICK MAHOMES became the first player with at least 30 completions and 300 passing yards in four consecutive games in league annals. He completed 37 of 49 attempts (75.5 percent) for 462 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions for a 124.7 rating in the victory.
- Mahomes has five career games with at least 400 passing yards and three touchdowns, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (six games) as the only players with at least five such games in their first four seasons in league annals. Mahomes also has 15 career games with at least 300 passing yards and three touchdowns, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (15 games) for the second-most such games by a player in his first four seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer KURT WARNER (17 games) has more.
- Kansas City wide receiver TYREEK HILL had a career-high 13 receptions for a career-best 269 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday. Hill had 203 receiving yards in the first quarter and became the third player since 1980 with at least 200 receiving yards in a single quarter, joining QADRY ISMAIL (210 receiving yards in third quarter on Dec. 12, 1999) and LEE EVANS (205 in first quarter on Nov. 19, 2006).
- Hill, who had 10 receptions for 215 yards and two touchdowns in Week 11 of the 2018 season, is the sixth player with two career games of at least 10 receptions, 200 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in NFL history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers DON HUTSON and JERRY RICE, as well as AMARI COOPER, CHAD JOHNSON and ART POWELL.
SAINTS, NFL TEAMS WINNING ON ROAD: Two of the league’s hottest teams meet at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when the ATLANTA FALCONS host the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX). New Orleans has won eight straight games while the Falcons have won four of their last six under coach RAHEEM MORRIS.
- On the road, New Orleans is 4-1 this season and, over a longer stretch, is 17-3 over its last 20 road games.
- In a trend that started last season, road teams are winning more often. Last year, road teams were 123-132-1 (.482), the NFL’s best single-season mark since 1972 (87-90-5, .492). This year with one game remaining in Week 12, road teams are 85-90-1 (.489).
- Last week at Denver, New Orleans quarterback TAYSOM HILL rushed for two touchdowns in the Saints’ win. Hill, who had two rushing touchdowns in his first career start at quarterback in Week 11, is the second player with at least two rushing touchdowns in each of his first two career starts at quarterback in the Super Bowl era, joining ERIC HIPPLE (1981).
- New Orleans has the NFL’s No. 1-ranked defense, allowing 284.9 yards per game. The Saints have allowed fewer than 10 points in three of their past four games.
HOPE FOR THE STRETCH RUN: In 15 of the past 17 seasons, at least one team has won its division the season after finishing in last or tied for last place. Of the 48 teams in league history to go from “worst-to-first,” 25 of them have done so in the past 17 years (2003-19), including an NFL-record three such teams in 2005 and 2006. Two teams during that span, the 2009 New Orleans Saints and the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, won the Super Bowl after finishing in last place in their divisions the season before.
- One of the teams with an opportunity to advance from last to first in its division is the MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-4), who host the CINCINNATI BENGALS on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS). Miami ranks fifth in the NFL with a plus-six turnover ratio. Cornerback XAVIEN HOWARD leads the NFL with seven interceptions, while defensive end EMMANUEL OGBAH is tied for seventh with eight sacks.
In 14 of the past 16 seasons, at least one team with a losing record after 11 games has qualified for the playoffs. Last week, three teams – the MINNESOTA VIKINGS, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS and SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS – each won close games to improve to 5-6 on the season.
The teams with a losing record after 11 games that advanced to the playoffs, since 2004:
| YEAR | TEAM | W | L | T |
| 2019 | Philadelphia | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2018 | Philadelphia | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2016 | Green Bay | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2015 | Washington | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 | Carolina | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| 2013 | San Diego Chargers | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2012 | Washington | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2010 | Seattle | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2009 | New York Jets | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2008 | San Diego Chargers | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| 2007 | Washington | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2006 | Philadelphia | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2005 | Washington | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2004 | St. Louis Rams | 5 | 6 | 0 |
EVERY NFC WEST TEAM IN PLAYOFF HUNT: Sunday features a key NFC West matchup at State Farm Stadium when the LOS ANGELES RAMS travel to play the ARIZONA CARDINALS (4:05 PM ET, FOX).
- Rams defensive lineman AARON DONALD has recaptured the NFL lead with 10 sacks, having reached double figures in sacks for a fourth consecutive season. In his past four games at Arizona, Donald has eight combined sacks. He also aims for his fifth in a row at State Farm Stadium with 1.5-or-more sacks.
- Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD has 195 receptions against both the Rams and Seahawks. No other player in NFL history has more catches against a single opponent.
DK TOPS 1K: Second-year wide receiver DK METCALF, who had 10 catches for a career-high 177 yards in Seattle’s Week 12 win, has captured the NFL lead with 1,039 receiving yards. He has five games of at least 100 receiving yards this season, tied for most in the league. Metcalf and the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS host the NEW YORK GIANTS, who’ve won three straight games, on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, FOX).
- Thanks in part to Metcalf’s nine touchdown receptions, the Seahawks rank third in the NFL with 31.0 points per game.
- This year, the highest-scoring season on record through 12 weeks (with one game to play), the NFL already has 1,001 touchdowns, with No. 1,000 coming in Seattle’s Week 12 win at Philadelphia.
- The fastest the NFL had reached 1,000 touchdowns in any previous season was Week 13, in both 2015 and 2018. The single-season league record is 1,371 touchdowns, in 2018.
The seasons with the most total points and most touchdowns scored through 12 weeks in NFL history:
| YEAR | TOTAL POINTS | YEAR | TOUCHDOWNS | |
| 2020 | 8,738* | 2020 | 1,001* | |
| 2018 | 8,502 | 2018 | 980 | |
| 2013 | 8,201 | 2016 | 913 | |
| 2016 | 8,119 | 2014 | 911 | |
| 2012 | 8,109 | 2013 | 909 | |
| *One game remaining in Week 12 |
BILLS, NINERS IN ACTION MONDAY NIGHT: Two playoff hopefuls engage in an intriguing matchup on Monday Night Football when the BUFFALO BILLS travel to play the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (8:15 PM ET, ESPN). The game will be played at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium.
- Guided by defensive coordinator ROBERT SALEH, San Francisco’s defense ranks fourth in the NFL in pass defense (206.5 yards allowed per game) and sixth in total defense (315.2 yards allowed per game).
- Last week, Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN recorded his 15th career game with both a passing touchdown and rushing touchdown in the Bills’ win. Allen joined CAM NEWTON (20 games) as the only players with at least 15 games with both a passing and rushing touchdown in their first three seasons in NFL history.
DOUBLE-DIGIT COMEBACKS EVERY WEEK: The MINNESOTA VIKINGS, who overcame an 11-point deficit to win last week, host the JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS).
- With one game remaining in Week 12, there have been 35 games in which a team has overcome a deficit of at least 10 points to win this season, the most through Week 12 in NFL history.
- Last week, Minnesota quarterback KIRK COUSINS passed for 307 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions for a 115.7 rating. Cousins has 16 career games with at least 300 passing yards, three touchdown passes and a rating of 115-or-higher, surpassing DREW BREES (15 games) and AARON RODGERS (15) for the most such games by a quarterback in his first nine seasons in NFL history.
- Four Minnesota players – CHAD BEEBE (seven receptions for 63 yards and one touchdown), JUSTIN JEFFERSON (seven receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns), BISI JOHNSON (seven receptions for 74 yards) and KYLE RUDOLPH (seven receptions for 68 yards) – each had at least seven receptions and 60 receiving yards in last week’s win. Before last week, only one team in NFL history – the 2012 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (Week 16) – had four players each register at least seven receptions and 60 receiving yards in the same game.
- Jacksonville rookie running back JAMES ROBINSON totaled a career-high 159 scrimmage yards (128 rushing, 31 receiving) and a rushing touchdown last week. Robinson has six games with at least 100 scrimmage yards this season, tied with PHILLIP LINDSAY (six games in 2018) for the second-most by an undrafted rookie in the common-draft era. Only CLARK GAINES (seven games in 1976) has more. Robinson has 1,170 scrimmage yards this season, the third-most by an undrafted rookie in the common-draft era. Only DOMINIC RHODES (1,328 scrimmage yards in 2001) and PHILLIP LINDSAY (1,278 in 2018) have more.
HERBERT WITHIN REACH OF HISTORY: When the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS travel to meet the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT has an opportunity to reach seven 300-yard passing games and establish the NFL’s rookie record. Herbert, who passed for 316 yards and a touchdown last week, is tied with ANDREW LUCK, who had six such games in 2012, for the most by a rookie in NFL history.
- Herbert has 3,015 passing yards this season and joined PATRICK MAHOMES (3,185 passing yards) as the only players in league annals with at least 3,000 passing yards in their first 10 career games.
- The Chargers have the league’s third-ranked offense, averaging 397.8 yards per game.
WEEK 13 NFL SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY & TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 6-8
(All times Eastern)
Sunday, December 6 | ||
| New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears | 1:00 PM | FOX |
| Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| Jacksonville Jaguars at Minnesota Vikings | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| Las Vegas Raiders at New York Jets | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| Cleveland Browns at Tennessee Titans | 1:00 PM | CBS |
| Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals | 4:05 PM | FOX |
| New York Giants at Seattle Seahawks | 4:05 PM | FOX |
| Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers | 4:25 PM | CBS |
| New England Patriots at Los Angeles Chargers | 4:25 PM | CBS |
| Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs | 8:20 PM | NBC |
| Monday, December 7 | ||
| Washington Football Team at Pittsburgh Steelers | 5:00 PM | (TBD) |
| Buffalo Bills at San Francisco 49ers* | 8:15 PM | ESPN |
| Tuesday, December 8 | ||
| Dallas Cowboys at Baltimore Ravens | 8:05 PM | FOX/NFLN/AMAZON |
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL
Williams Named to FWAA Fresh Four
NOTRE DAME, Indiana — Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams was tabbed for the Football Writers Association of America “Fresh Four” list for his performance against No. 19 North Carolina. The list honors four true or redshirt freshmen with standout showings from the previous week. Williams, a redshirt freshman, totaled 144 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in the 31-17 win over the Tar Heels.
Posting 23 rushes for 124 yards and two touchdowns, Williams, also named ACC Running Back of the Week, added four receptions for 20 yards and a touchdown. His three total touchdowns ranked tied for third among all FBS players on the weekend. He was the only FBS player with three or more touchdowns this weekend to have at least one receiving touchdown and one rushing touchdown. His three touchdowns tied for most by a single ACC player (non-quarterback) on the weekend.
Williams’ 144 all-purpose yards were the most among any ACC running back on the weekend, and were the fourth-most among all ACC players. Ranking 16th among FBS running backs with his 144 all-purpose yards, Williams is the only running back who posted 122 or more all-purpose yards who also scored a receiving touchdown. Friday marked William’s fifth 100-yard rushing performance of the season, which ties for most in the ACC.
No FBS freshman had more than William’s 18 points on the weekend. Williams posted the most all-purpose yards (144) of any Power 5 freshman running back, and ranked third in all-purpose yards among all FBS freshman players on the weekend.
Williams and the Irish will again take the field Saturday, December 5, to close out their home schedule as they welcome Syracuse (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC).
INDIANA FOOTBALL
(IUSI)
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was one of 35 quarterbacks named to the Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2020, the Davey O’Brien Foundation announced on Tuesday afternoon. Each member of the group is an official candidate to win the 2020 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award.
A point scoring model was used to determine the quarterbacks in the Class of 2020. Points were awarded to players based on their overall performance as well as inclusion on the Davey O’Brien Preseason Watch List, weekly Great 8 lists and National Quarterback of the Week winners.
Penix, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury against Maryland on Saturday, completed 124-of-220 (56.4 percent) for 1,645 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, and he rushed for a pair of TDs in 2020.
Entering the Terrapins game, he led the league in passing yardage, passing yardage per game (312.2, 9th nationally), passing scores, completions, attempts, 60-yard passing plays (4, T-2nd), 50-yarders (6, T-7th), 40-yarders (tied 6, T-33rd) and 30-yarders (11, T-39th).
Penix owns a 10-2 record as a starter and is 255-of-414 (61.6, 2nd in program history) for 3,258 yards with 25 touchdowns, eight INTs and a 143.8 pass-efficiency rating in 15 games. He has 189 yards on the ground on 47 attempts (4.0 average) with four TDs.
The Class of 2020 consists of players from all 10 FBS conferences as well as football independents. The Atlantic Coast Conference has the most honorees with seven, followed by the Southeastern Conference and American Athletic Conference with five. The list is made up of 13 seniors, nine juniors, nine sophomores and four freshmen.
The next step in the process will be to select the award’s 16 semifinalists from these 35 quarterbacks. On Monday, Dec. 7, the semifinalists will be named based on voting from the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee as well as the first round of the Davey O’Brien Fan Vote, which will run through Sunday, Dec. 6.
The Fan Vote is instituting a major change in its format in 2020. This year, fans will vote via three social media platforms—Instagram, Twitter and Facebook—and the top vote getter on each platform will each receive the equivalent of two additional committee member ballots for that voting period. Fan voting will be done by liking the quarterback’s photo from the original post on the official Davey O’Brien social media account.
Following the naming of the semifinalists, the next round of fan voting will take place from Monday, Dec. 7 to Sunday, Dec. 20 with the three finalists named on Tuesday, Dec. 22. The final round of fan voting will occur from Tuesday, Dec. 22 until Wednesday, Dec. 30. The winner will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 7 on the 30th annual The Home Depot College Football Awards, which will be held virtually from 7-8:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPN.
The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award, the oldest and most prestigious college quarterback award, was first issued in 1981. Over its time, the Davey O’Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.2 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life.
BIG 10 FOOTBALL THIS WEEK
• Northwestern leads the West Division with a 5-1 Big Ten record, followed by Iowa at 4-2 and Wisconsin at 2-1. Ohio State stands atop the East Division standings with a 4-0 record, with Indiana close behind at 5-1 and Maryland in third at 2-2 in conference play.
• The Buckeyes remained undefeated on the season with a victory over nationally ranked and previously undefeated Indiana on Nov. 21, extending their home win streak to 23 games and their conference home win streak to 21 games, the second-longest in Big Ten history.
• In the win, Ohio State reached the 40-point mark for the 27th time (in 46 games) since Ryan Day’s arrival with the program in 2017 (58.6 percent). The Buckeyes have scored 40 or more in three of four games this year and are averaging 45.2 points per game. Only two other teams – Clemson and Oklahoma – have reached 40 or more points in a higher percentage of their games during that time span.
• Ohio State continues to boast one of the best offenses in the country, ranking second in relative total offense and fifth in relative scoring offense. Quarterback Justin Fields is on pace to set single-season FBS and Big Ten records for completion percentage (79.6 percent).The Buckeyes continue to lead the Big Ten with 535.3 yards of offense per game and are the only team in the conference to average more than 300 yards passing and 200 yards rushing per game.
• Indiana’s Stevie Scott III scored a career-high three touchdowns to lead Indiana to a 5-1 record in conference play for the first time since 1987 following a 27-11 win against Maryland. The Hoosiers have clinched a second consecutive season with a winning record in Big Ten play, something the program has not accomplished since 1987-88. Scott became the first Hoosier with three rushing touchdowns in a game since Jordan Howard in 2015, has scored at least one touchdown in 16 of his last 22 games and has 26 total touchdowns in that span.
• Indiana leads the nation with 16 interceptions this season, recording multiple interceptions in eight consecutive contests. The Hoosiers have 18 total takeaways on the season.
• After dropping its first two games by a combined five points, Iowa has won its last four games, outscoring its opponents 151-55 and averaging 37.8 points per game during the winning streak. The Hawkeyes’ points per game during their four-game winning streak is the most for the program over a four-game stretch since 2002.
• The Hawkeyes have held their last 20 opponents under 25 points, a streak that includes all six games this season, all 13 games last season and the final game of the 2018 campaign.
• In the win over Michigan, Sean Clifford became the 12th Penn State quarterback to reach the 4,000-yard career passing mark and moved into fifth place in school history in rushing yards by a quarterback with 654. The 2020 team captain also ranks third in career passing efficiency rating (144.2) and career completion percentage (58.9 percent).
• Penn State’s Parker Washington is one of two FBS freshmen this season with at least 30 receptions, 340 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in their first six games. Washington is the only Penn State freshman with those totals through six games since 2000. Against Michigan, Washington made a career-high nine catches, the most by a PSU true freshman in program history.
• On Oct. 23, the Big Ten Conference announced the launch of the ‘United As One’ social justice campaign. ‘United As One’ is among several conference-wide Equality Coalition initiatives dedicated to constructively and collectively recognizing and eliminating racism and hate in our society by creating resources for inclusion, empowerment and accountability.
• The Big Ten Conference established the Equality Coalition in 2020 with 227 members including presidents and chancellors, directors of athletics, coaches, student-athletes, conference and school administrators, alumni, families and friends representing all 14 institutions.
INDIANA FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS. WISCONSIN
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. CDT/3:30 p.m. EDT Date: Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 Location: Camp Randall Stadium (Field Turf) – Madison, Wis. TV: ABC: Joe Tessitore (p-b-p), Greg McElroy (analyst) & Holly Rowe (sideline) Radio: IU Radio Network; Sirius 132, XM 196, Internet 958: Don Fischer, Buck Suhr & Joe Smith
INDIANA GAME NOTES:
INDIANA STAT LEADERS
Passing
Michael Penix Jr.: 124-220, 1645 Yds, 14 TD, 4 INT
Rushing
Stevie Scott III: 119-405, 8 TD, 3.4 Avg
Receiving
Ty Fryfogle: 33-652, 7 TD, 19.8 Avg
Defense
LB Micah McFadden: 43 T, 3 S, 6.5 TFL, 2 INT, 3 QBH
CB Tiawan Mullen: 32 T, 2.5 S, 3.5 TFL, 3 INT, 2 PBU
S Jamar Johnson: 30 T, 1 S, 3.5 TFL, 3 INT, 1 FF
WISCONSIN STAT LEADERS
Passing
Graham Mertz: 55-84, 605 Yds, 8 TD, 3 INT
Rushing
Jalen Berger: 30-180, 1 TD, 6.0 Avg
Receiving
Jake Ferguson: 18-181, 4 TD, 10.1 Avg
Defense
LB Jack Sanborn: 20 T, 1 S, 1 TFL, 2 QBH
LB Leo Chenal: 13 T, 1 S, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 6 QBH
LB Nick Herbig: 9 T, 1 S, 5 TFL, 2 QBH, 1 PBU
SETTING THE SCENE • No. 10/11 Indiana (5-1, 5-1 B1G East) heads to No. 18/19 Wisconsin (2-1, 2-1 B1G West) on Saturday, Dec. 5. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CDT/3:30 p.m. EDT at Camp Randall Stadium (Field Turf) on ABC. • IU is ranked for the sixth-consecutive week, its longest stretch since 1987 (6 weeks), coming in at No. 10 in the Associated Press Top 25 and at No. 11 in the Amway Coaches Poll presented by USA Today Sports. • This marks its third week in the Top 10 in 2020, the most for the program since 1967 (5 weeks). • The Hoosiers entered the College Football Playoff rankings on Nov. 24 for the first time in school history at No. 12. • Indiana collected its first Top-10 ranking in the Nov. 8 AP Poll (No. 10) since Sept. 22, 1969 (No. 10), and its No. 9 rating from Nov. 15 was its best in the AP Poll since Nov. 27, 1967 (No. 4). • The Hoosiers 5-1 record is their best overall start since 2007 and their best conference start since 1987 (5-1). • Indiana is 13-6 overall and 10-5 in league play since the start of the 2019 campaign. • With its win over Maryland, IU clinched a winning Big Ten record in consecutive seasons for first time since 1987-88 and for the sixth time overall (1967-68, 1944-46 and 1936-37). • The Hoosiers five B1G victories are tied for the third-most in program history (2019, 1993, 1991, 1988, 1979, 1945) behind six-win campaigns in 1967 and 1987. • Indiana matched a school-record with five-straight conference wins (1967) before losing at No. 3 Ohio State and has won 10 of its last 13, its most successful stretch in Big Ten games since a 10-3 mark from Oct. 3, 1987-Oct. 29, 1988. • IU opened 4-0 for the first time since 2015 (4-0) and the seventh time in program history (1990, 4-0; 1986, 4-0; 1985, 4-0; 1967, 8-0; 1910, 5-0). It went 4-0 to start league play for just the third time (1987, 4-0; 1967, 5-0). • The Hoosiers defeated Michigan State, 24-0, to reclaim the Old Brass Spittoon for the first time since 2016 and earn their first victory in East Lansing since 2001. Indiana has both of its rivalry trophies, the Spittoon and the Old Oaken Bucket (Purdue). • IU’s 38-21 victory over No. 23 Michigan was its first over the Wolverines since Oct. 24, 1987 (14-10). • The Hoosiers 36-35, overtime win against No. 8 Penn State in the season opener was the sixth against a Top-10 opponent in school history, with the last coming at No. 9 Ohio State (31-10) on Oct. 10, 1987. • It marked Indiana’s first Top-10 victory at Memorial Stadium since Nov. 25, 1967 (No. 3 Purdue, 19-14). • IU has defeated PSU, U-M and MSU in the same season for the first time in program history and beaten the Wolverines and Spartans in the same year for the first time since 1967. • The Hoosiers have downed two ranked teams for the sixth time in school history and for the first time since 2004. The 1945 team holds the program record with three ranked wins in one year.
• Indiana and Wisconsin will meet in Madison for the first time since 2013. • The Badgers hold a 41-18-2 advantage in the all-time series, including a 23-9-1 edge in Madison. • IU’s last win vs. UW came in 2002, the second of consecutive victories. The Hoosiers knocked off No. 23 Wisconsin, 32-29, at Memorial Stadium (Oct. 12), following a 63-32 triumph at Camp Randall Stadium in 2001 (Oct. 6). • Redshirt freshman wide receiver Da’Shaun Brown (Racine) is the lone Hoosier from the state of Wisconsin. • Indiana is first in the Big Ten (T-3rd nationally) in takeaway margin (+9), interceptions (16, 1st) and takeaways (15, T-5th). • The Ohio State game (Nov. 21) marked IU’s first regular season Top-10 showdown in program history and just the second overall (1968 Rose Bowl, No. 4 Indiana vs. No. 1 Southern Cal). • Prior to their loss at No. 3 OSU, the Hoosiers won three straight Big Ten road games for the first time since 1982 and earned victories in their first two league games away from home for the first time since 1993. • With their win at Michigan State, Indiana earned its first triumph as a Top-10 team since Nov. 11, 1967, also in East Lansing (14-13). • IU set its largest margin of victory on the road in the MSU series, blanked the Spartans for the first time since 1993, and recorded its first road shutout since Oct. 23, 1993, at Northwestern (24-0). • With its victory over No. 8 Penn State, the Hoosiers have won 15 of their last 17 season openers. Indiana is 43-18 in Memorial Stadium openers with wins in 17 of its last 19 and 34 of its last 39. IU’s previous win over a ranked opponent came against No. 17 Michigan State in Bloomington, 24-21, in overtime on Oct. 1, 2016. This also marked the Hoosiers last win in a conference opener. Indiana improved to 5-7 in OT games with two-straight wins (44-41 double OT at Purdue – Nov. 30, 2019). • IU’s all-time record as a ranked team is 27-22-1.
WISCONSIN GAME NOTES:
The Badgers are back in action after their rivalry matchup with Minnesota, set for Nov. 28, was canceled due to the spread of COVID-19 in the Gophers’ program. Wisconsin has seen 3 of its first 6 scheduled games canceled. Wisconsin has won 10 straight meetings with Indiana dating to 2003, the Badgers’ fourth-longest win streak over a Big Ten opponent. Saturday’s game will mark just the fifth meeting over the last 10 seasons between the Badgers and Hoosiers, with UW claiming the last 4 games by an average of 43.0 points per contest. The Badgers are in their 6th season under the leadership of head coach Paul Chryst, who is 54-17 (.761) as head coach at his alma mater. The two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year has led the Badgers to a 36-11 (.766) conference record. Chryst is in his 15th season overall on the Badgers’ coaching staff. Allowing just 28 offensive points through three games, Wisconsin owns the nation’s No. 3 scoring defense (11.7 ppg) and ranks No. 1 in the FBS in total yards allowed (233.3 ypg).
SERIES HISTORY
Wisconsin and Indiana will meet as ranked foes for just the second time. In the only other matchup in which both teams were ranked, No. 16 Wisconsin blasted No. 25 Indiana by a score of 62-13 at Camp Randall Stadium on Sept. 24, 1994. The Badgers’ 10 straight wins over Indiana matches the 3rd-longest active win streak by a Big Ten team over a conference foe.
OHIO STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
Ohio State Set to Host Morehead State & Alabama A&M This Week
No fans, but both games televised on BTN and broadcast on 97.1 The Fan
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s basketball team enters Week 2 of the young season seeking to stay undefeated with a pair of home games against non-conference opponents Morehead State University (Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the Covelli Center) and Alabama A&M (Saturday at 7 p.m. at Value City Arena).
The Buckeyes are 2-0 after cruising to a win in the season opener last Wednesday over Illinois State, 94-67, and then having to come from behind in the second half Sunday to grind out a 10-point win against UMass Lowell and its troublesome, matchup zone defense, 74-64.
Ohio Valley Conference member Morehead State is 1-2 with losses to Kentucky and Richmond and a victory over Arkansas State. The Eagles are under the direction of fourth-year coach, Preston Spradlin (49-78 at MSU).
Alabama A&M, from Huntsville, Ala., and members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, is 1-0 on the season with a last-second victory Sunday over Samford on the road, 78-76. The Bulldogs are coached by Dylan Howard, who is 14-49 in his third year with the program.
Radio & TV
Both games this week will be televised on the Big Ten Network. Paul Keels and Ronnie Stokes will have the radio calls for the games on the Ohio State Sports Network, 97.1 The Fan.
Head Coach Chris Holtmann
Chris Holtmann is 68-34 in his fourth season as Ohio State’s coach and he is 182-119 overall in his 10th season as a collegiate head coach with prior stops at Butler and Gardner-Webb.
No Fans
Ohio State has played before empty arenas so far. This the result of the Department of Athletics determining that family members of the players and coaching staffs of teams competing this fall will not be permitted into any university sporting event. The decision aligns with the Columbus Department of Health’s stay at home advisory, which was issued Nov. 18 and remains in place for 28 days.
10 Notes for Starters:
§ Ohio State men’s hockey hosted Michigan State last Sunday – a 4-2 win – and hosts Wisconsin Thursday at Value City Arena … thus the hoops games being played at the Covelli Center, which is a really fine 3,700-seat venue that opened last year and is home to volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling teams. Saved our event management staff time and effort covering and uncovering the ice.
§ Oops! Didn’t realize it at the time, but that 21 points by Duane Washington Jr. to lead the win over UMass Lowell represented his career high, topping the 20 he had reached three times previously.
§ Senior point guard C.J. Jackson has scored in double figures eight consecutive games, the longest stretch of his collegiate career, which includes two seasons – 2016-18 – at Florida State.
§ Kyle Young, second on the team in rebounding last season, has quickly asserted himself on the boards by leading the team with 16 rebounds, including 13 defensive, in the first two games.
§ Justice Sueing is averaging a team-high 17.0 points with 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals after his first two games played in Scarlet & Gray.
§ Sophomore E.J. Liddell is also filling up the stat sheet with averages of 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.
§ Ohio State has won all five meetings with Morehead State on the hardwood, including an 87-71 victory the last time the two teams played, Dec. 13, 2014 at Value City Arena.
§ The game Saturday will be the first on the hardwood between Ohio State and Alabama A&M. Ohio State has played Alabama four times (2-2 in those games) but not since 1979, and it has played Alabama State once (a win in 1996).
§ Alabama A&M coach Dylan Howard spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Morehead State, from 2012-17, prior to taking over the Bulldogs program.
§ Ohio State is 25-2 in non-conference home games under Chris Holtmann. The Buckeyes have won 13 consecutive non-conference home games since a loss in 2018-19 to Clemson. Two huge wins: over Cincinnati and Villanova last year.
INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Ali Patberg Earns Spot On John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30
LOS ANGELES, Calif.– Indiana senior guard Ali Patberg has been named to the 2021 John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s women’s basketball preseason top 30. The list is comprised of 30 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for the most prestigious honors in college basketball, the Wooden Award All American Team™ and Most Outstanding Player Award.
Patberg is coming off a 2019-20 season where she earned All-Big Ten First Team honoree and WBCA All-American honorable mention selection. She returns for her sixth season of eligibility this season after an impressive junior campaign in which she led the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game. She also led the program with 5.3 assists per game (third in the Big Ten) and averaged 4.6 rebounds while shooting 49 percent from the floor. As a junior, she was a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award in 2019-20 and was featured on watch lists including the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy and Ann Meyers Drysdale Award. In the 2020-21 season opener, Patberg went 7-for-11 from the floor for 18 points, three assists and two rebounds.
The Columbus, Ind. native has also garnered attention already this preseason as a preseason All-Big Ten honoree, 2021 Nancy Lieberman Award watch list, 2021 Naismith Trophy watch list and 2021 Wade Trophy watch list.
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2021 John R. Wooden Award Women’s Player of the Year presented by Wendy’s. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award™ midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2021 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy’s following the NCAA Tournament in April.
John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s
Women’s Basketball Preseason Top 30
| Name | School | Conference | Height | Class | Position |
| Aliyah Boston | South Carolina | SEC | 6-5 | So. | F |
| Paige Bueckers | Connecticut | Big East | 5-11 | Fr. | G |
| Charli Collier | Texas | Big 12 | 6-5 | Jr. | F/C |
| Zia Cooke | South Carolina | SEC | 5-9 | So. | G |
| Elissa Cunane | NC State | ACC | 6-5 | Jr. | C |
| Rennia Davis | Tennessee | SEC | 6-2 | Sr. | G/F |
| Chelsea Dungee | Arkansas | SEC | 5-11 | Sr. | G |
| Dana Evans | Louisville | ACC | 5-6 | Sr. | G |
| Vivian Gray | Texas Tech | Big 12 | 6-1 | Sr. | G |
| Arella Guirantes | Rutgers | Big Ten | 5-11 | Sr. | G |
| Naz Hillmon | Michigan | Big Ten | 6-2 | Jr. | F |
| Rhyne Howard* | Kentucky | SEC | 6-2 | Jr. | G |
| Lexie Hull | Stanford | PAC-12 | 6-0 | Jr. | G |
| Rickea Jackson | Mississippi State | SEC | 6-2 | So. | F |
| Ashley Joens | Iowa State | Big 12 | 6-0 | Jr. | G/F |
| N’dea Jones | Texas A&M | SEC | 6-2 | Sr. | F |
| Ayoka Lee | Kansas State | Big 12 | 6-6 | So. | C |
| Kiara Lewis | Syracuse | ACC | 5-8 | Sr. | G |
| Tiana Mangakahia | Syracuse | ACC | 5-6 | Sr. | G |
| Aari McDonald | Arizona | PAC-12 | 5-6 | Sr. | G |
| Olivia Nelson-Ododa | Connecticut | Big East | 6-5 | Jr. | F |
| Michaela Onyenwere | UCLA | PAC-12 | 6-0 | Sr. | F |
| Ali Patberg | Indiana | Big Ten | 5-11 | Sr. | G |
| Lindsey Pulliam | Northwestern | Big Ten | 5-10 | Sr. | G |
| Destiny Slocum | Arkansas | SEC | 5-7 | Sr. | G |
| NaLyssa Smith | Baylor | Big 12 | 6-2 | Jr. | F |
| Unique Thompson | Auburn | SEC | 6-3 | Sr. | F |
| Evina Westbrook | Connecticut | Big East | 6-0 | Jr. | G |
| Christyn Williams | Connecticut | Big East | 5-11 | Jr. | G |
| Kiana Williams | Stanford | PAC-12 | 5-8 | Sr. | G |
BIG 10 MEN’S HOCKEY
Notre Dame and Ohio State Standouts Honored as Three Stars
Fighting Irish’s Bischel earns first star after posting .948 save percentage in sweep of No. 4/3 Michigan
First Star
Ryan Bischel, Notre Dame
G – So. – Medina, Minn.
- Backstopped the Fighting Irish to a sweep of No. 4/3 Michigan with a .948 save percentage
- Held the Wolverines scoreless for over 57 minutes in the final game of the series
- Stopped 55 of 58 shots through 120 minutes of play last weekend, averaging 1.50 goals against
- Earns his first career weekly award
- Last Notre Dame honoree: Cale Morris (Second Star) on Feb. 15, 2020
- Last Notre Dame First Star: Cale Morris on Jan. 7, 2020
Second Star
Tommy Nappier, Ohio State
G – Sr. – St. Louis, Mo.
- Led the NCAA with 84 saves as the No. 10/10 Buckeyes picked up four points against Michigan State
- Finished the series with a .944 save percentage, third among goalies with two starts last weekend
- In the final game of the series, Nappier collected 20 of 21 shots to preserve the Buckeyes’ first win of the season
- Claims his ninth career weekly award and first of the season
- Last Ohio State honoree: Tanner Laczynski (Second Star) on Jan. 21, 2020
Third Star
Travis Treloar, Ohio State
F – Fr. – Fredrikstad, Norway
- Recorded a team-high three points, ranking second among Big Ten skaters last weekend
- Tallied his first goal as a Buckeye on Saturday to force overtime against Michigan State
- In the final game of the series, he tallied a team-high two assists including the primary assist on the game winner
- Earns his first career weekly award
- Last Ohio State honoree: Tanner Laczynski (Second Star) on Jan. 21, 2020
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The second edition of this season’s College Football Playoff Top 25 was unveiled Tuesday with few significant changes from last week’s initial list.
The top seven remained unchanged, as Alabama slotted in at No. 1 for the second straight week. The Crimson Tide are followed by Notre Dame, Clemson, and Ohio State. The Buckeyes kept a spot in the top four despite not playing against Illinois on Saturday due to COVID-19 concerns.
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD |
| 1 | Alabama | 8-0 |
| 2 | Notre Dame | 9-0 |
| 3 | Clemson | 8-1 |
| 4 | Ohio State | 4-0 |
Texas A&M and Florida rounded out the top six after earning trouble-less wins Saturday. The Aggies defeated LSU in their first game since Nov. 7, while the Gators rolled past Kentucky. Led by quarterback Kyle Trask, Florida now has five consecutive wins.
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD |
| 5 | Texas A&M | 6-1 |
| 6 | Florida | 7-1 |
The committee considered moving the Aggies up to No. 4, but the Buckeyes’ offensive firepower secured the spot, said CFP chair Gary Barta, according to Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated.
“There is a discrepancy sometimes between a team that plays eight or nine games and a team that’s played three or four games, and frankly that’s a problem,” Barta added, per Bryan Fischer of Athlon Sports.
Cincinnati – the highest-ranked Group of 5 team – kept the seventh ranking, while BYU moved up one spot to No. 13. The Cougars were disappointed with their ranking last week after posting a 9-0 record.
Iowa State became the best Big 12 team on the rankings at No. 9, four spots better than last week. The Cyclones, on a four-game winning streak, booked their tickets to the Big 12 championship game after beating Texas on Friday.
At No. 20, USC is the best Pac-12 representative on the list.
Here’s how the rest of the rankings shake out:
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD |
| 7 | Cincinnati | 8-0 |
| 8 | Georgia | 6-2 |
| 9 | Iowa State | 7-2 |
| 10 | Miami | 7-1 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | 6-2 |
| 12 | Indiana | 5-1 |
| 13 | BYU | 9-0 |
| 14 | Northwestern | 5-1 |
| 15 | Oklahoma State | 6-2 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 2-1 |
| 17 | North Carolina | 6-3 |
| 18 | Coastal Carolina | 9-0 |
| 19 | Iowa | 4-2 |
| 20 | USC | 3-0 |
| 21 | Marshall | 7-0 |
| 22 | Washington | 3-0 |
| 23 | Oregon | 3-1 |
| 24 | Tulsa | 5-1 |
| 25 | Louisiana | 8-1 |
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Rocket Watts scored 20 points and Julius Marble had a career-high 12 to help No. 8 Michigan State beat No. 6 Duke 75-69 on Tuesday night in the Champions Classic.
The Spartans (3-0) trailed by 10 early in the game but closed the first half with a 13-4 surge to take a 37-33 lead at halftime.
Michigan State maintained control in the second half, leading by as many as 16, with balance on offense to go with aggressive defense and rebounding.
The Blue Devils (1-1) rallied late and pulled within five in the final minute. They started strong and led 13-3 before struggling to make shots or get stops. Duke shot just 32% from the field and allowed five Spartans to score in double figures.
Joey Hauser had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Michigan State. Aaron Henry had 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks. Malik Hall added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Matthew Hurt had 21 points and 13 rebounds for Duke, but freshman Jalen Johnson was limited to 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting after scoring 24 in his college debut.
Jaemyn Brakefield scored 11 and Jordan Goldwire had 10 points for the Blue Devils.
COLLEGE SOCCER
The United States women’s soccer team landed a victory Tuesday in its ongoing battle against gender discrimination, striking a deal with U.S. Soccer that ensures equal travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, and working conditions.
The settlement doesn’t include an agreement over equal pay.
A federal judge threw out the USWNT’s gender discrimination lawsuit in May, ruling the women’s players were paid more “on a cumulative and an average per-game basis” than the men’s from 2015 to 2019. The women’s team, which was seeking more than $66 million in damages, contested the ruling.
However, U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner allowed the women to pursue claims over discriminatory working conditions.
Cindy Parlow Cone, who replaced Carlos Cordeiro as U.S. Soccer’s president in March, said the USWNT is now likely to proceed with the appeals process. A full appeal of Klausner’s ruling had been pending the resolution of the team’s outstanding claims about working conditions.
“This is an important and welcomed moment for U.S. Soccer and the women’s national team players,” Cone said in a statement. “Earlier this year, I stepped into the role as president, and shortly after we hired Will Wilson as our new CEO. We, and the rest of the leadership team at U.S. Soccer, are focused on taking a new approach at the federation in handling all matters.
“I believe our approach helped us reach this agreement and demonstrates the commitment of U.S. Soccer’s new leadership to find a new way forward with the USWNT. This settlement is good news for everyone and I believe will serve as a springboard for continued progress.”
The USWNT won the Women’s World Cup in 2019 against the backdrop of a fierce legal battle against U.S. Soccer and Cordeiro, its president at the time.
Joe Biden, then a presidential candidate for the United States, tweeted his support for the women’s side.
“To USWNT: don’t give up this fight. This is not over yet. To (U.S. Soccer): equal pay, now,” he wrote. “Or else when I’m president, you can go elsewhere for World Cup funding.”
The U.S. is set to host the 2026 men’s World Cup, along with Canada and Mexico.
NBA
The 2020-21 NBA regular-season schedule is starting to come together.
A showdown between the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks headlines the league’s tentative five-game Christmas Day slate, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Below is the provisional Dec. 25 schedule.
| MATCHUP | TIME (ET) |
| Pelicans vs. Heat | 12:00 p.m. |
| Warriors vs. Bucks | 2:30 p.m. |
| Nets vs. Celtics | 5:00 p.m. |
| Mavericks vs. Lakers | 8:00 p.m. |
| Clippers vs. Nuggets | 10:30 p.m. |
Individual player workouts began Tuesday while group workouts are scheduled to start Sunday.
The upcoming campaign will tip off Dec. 22.