THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2023

“SCOREBOARD”

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SECTIONAL TITLE GAMES NOV. 3

SECTIONAL 1

LAKE CENTRAL (5-5) AT CROWN POINT (10-0)

SECTIONAL 2

WARSAW (9-1) AT PENN (9-1)

SECTIONAL 3

FISHERS (7-3) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (8-2)

SECTIONAL 4

WESTFIELD (9-1) AT NOBLESVILLE (4-6)

SECTIONAL 5

BEN DAVIS (9-1) AT PIKE (3-7)

SECTIONAL 6

INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (7-3) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (7-3)

SECTIONAL 7

WARREN CENTRAL (4-6) AT SOUTHPORT (2-8)

SECTIONAL 8

CENTER GROVE (9-1) AT COLUMBUS NORTH (5-5)

SECTIONAL 9

MERRILLVILLE (8-2) AT HAMMOND MORTON (5-4)

SECTIONAL 10

MICHIGAN CITY (6-4) AT VALPARAISO (8-2)

SECTIONAL 11

MISHAWAKA (8-2) AT CONCORD (6-4)

SECTIONAL 12

FORT WAYNE NORTH (3-6) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (9-1)

SECTIONAL 13

HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (9-1) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (8-2)

SECTIONAL 14

TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (5-5) AT WHITELAND (6-4)

SECTIONAL 15

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (9-1) AT SEYMOUR (6-4)

SECTIONAL 16

EVANSVILLE NORTH (7-3) AT CASTLE (7-3)

SECTIONAL 17

NEW PRAIRIE (9-2) AT CULVER ACADEMY (5-6)

SECTIONAL 18

NORTHWOOD (9-2) AT NORTHRIDGE (9-2)

SECTIONAL 19

FORT WAYNE DWENGER (6-5) AT LEO (9-2)

SECTIONAL 20

KOKOMO (9-2) AT MISSISSINEWA (11-0)

SECTIONAL 21

MOORESVILLE (6-5) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (6-4)

SECTIONAL 22

NEW PALESTINE (9-2) AT MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (7-4)

SECTIONAL 23

GREENWOOD (6-5) AT EAST CENTRAL (11-0)

SECTIONAL 24

EVANSVILLE REITZ (11-0) AT EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (8-3)

SECTIONAL 25

HANOVER CENTRAL (11-0) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (8-3)

SECTIONAL 26

JOHN GLENN (7-4) AT KNOX (11-0)

SECTIONAL 27

DELTA (7-4) AT GARRETT (6-5)

SECTIONAL 28

INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (11-0) AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS (11-0)

SECTIONAL 29

TRI-WEST (10-1) AT MONROVIA (9-2)

SECTIONAL 30

VINCENNES LINCOLN (8-3) AT GIBSON SOUTHERN (9-2)

SECTIONAL 31

BATESVILLE (10-1) AT INDIAN CREEK (8-3)

SECTIONAL 32

HERITAGE HILLS (10-1) AT SCOTTSBURG (7-4)

SECTIONAL 33

BREMEN (6-5) AT LAVILLE (10-1)

SECTIONAL 34

LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (8-3) AT SEEGER (8-3)

SECTIONAL 35

FORT WAYNE LUERS (8-3) AT MANCHESTER (5-6)

SECTIONAL 36

EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (9-2) AT BLUFFTON (9-2)

SECTIONAL 37

SOUTHMONT (6-5) AT LINTON-STOCKTON (10-1)

SECTIONAL 38

WINCHESTER (8-2) AT EASTERN HANCOCK (7-4)

SECTIONAL 39

TRITON CENTRAL (10-1) AT EASTERN (PEKIN) (5-6)

SECTIONAL 40

PAOLI (10-1) AT NORTH POSEY (10-1)

SECTIONAL 41

NORTH JUDSON (7-4) AT TRITON (8-3)

SECTIONAL 42

PARK TUDOR (11-0) AT NORTH VERMILLION (8-3)

SECTIONAL 43

CARROLL (FLORA) (11-0) AT TRI-CENTRAL (5-6)

SECTIONAL 44

ADAMS CENTRAL (11-0) AT MADISON-GRANT (8-3)

SECTIONAL 45

SHERIDAN (8-3) AT MONROE CENTRAL (6-5)

SECTIONAL 46

NORTH DECATUR (8-3) AT MILAN (8-3)

SECTIONAL 47

INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (9-0) AT COVENANT CHRISTIAN (7-3)

SECTIONAL 48

SPRINGS VALLEY (10-1) AT PROVIDENCE (11-0)

INDIANA VOLLEYBALL STATE FINALS

CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
11 AM ET | SOUTHWOOD (31-4) VS. TECUMSEH (32-4) 

CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
1:30 PM ET | MUNCIE BURRIS (30-4) VS. BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (24-13) 

CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
4:30 PM ET | BELLMONT (34-2) VS. PROVIDENCE (30-5) 

CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
7 PM ET | HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (32-0) VS. CASTLE (34-3) 

PREVIEW: https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2023-24%20Volleyball%20Preview.pdf

GIRLS BASKETBALL

ALEXANDRIA	54	SHENANDOAH	24
ANDERSON PREP ACADEMY	52	WES-DEL	39
BATESVILLE	57	HAUSER	28
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE	58	MOORESVILLE	31
BETHANY CHRISTIAN	45	WEST NOBLE	28
BORDEN	57	EASTERN (PEKIN)	31
CASTON	66	ARGOS	46
CENTER GROVE	58	FRANKLIN CENTRAL	42
CHESTERTON	68	HIGHLAND	53
CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL	43	SEVEN OAKS CLASSICAL	18
CLINTON CENTRAL	48	FRONTIER	4
CONNERSVILLE	35	NEW PALESTINE	28
CRAWFORD COUNTY	51	HERITAGE HILLS	46
DANVILLE	56	PERRY MERIDIAN	36
DELPHI	42	ROSSVILLE	37
DELTA	51	MUNCIE CENTRAL	17
EASTERN HANCOCK	66	MORRISTOWN	32
EASTSIDE	47	FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA	31
ELKHART	77	OREGON-DAVIS	27
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL	35	CLINTON PRAIRIE	33
FRANKLIN	58	MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE)	31
FRANKTON	63	TRI-CENTRAL	15
GREENFIELD-CENTRAL	63	GREENWOOD	31
HAMMOND CENTRAL	79	GARY 21ST CENTURY	4
HAMMOND MORTON	58	WHEELER	48
HENRYVILLE	44	SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER)	31
INDIAN CREEK	64	NEW ALBANY	28
INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE	61	GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN	23
JIMTOWN	56	LAVILLE	39
KOUTS	46	KNOX	43
LAKEWOOD PARK	39	CHURUBUSCO	16
LANESVILLE	61	ROCK CREEK ACADEMY	50
LEO	55	HERITAGE	23
MARQUETTE CATHOLIC	61	SOUTH BEND ADAMS	56
MISHAWAKA	57	MISHAWAKA MARIAN	36
MISSISSINEWA	57	NORTHFIELD	49
NEW PRAIRIE	52	PLYMOUTH	45
NORTH DAVIESS	54	SHOALS	48	OT
NORTH JUDSON	43	ROCHESTER	42
NORTH VERMILLION	38	NORTH PUTNAM	34
NORTHEAST DUBOIS	44	PAOLI	40
NORTHVIEW	53	BLOOMINGTON NORTH	38
OWEN VALLEY	53	DUGGER UNION	21
PENN	62	LAPORTE	24
PIKE	74	AVON	64
RENSSELAER CENTRAL	60	WEST CENTRAL	24
SEEGER	44	CRAWFORDSVILLE	23
SEYMOUR	49	SOUTHPORT	14
SHAKAMAK	54	WEST VIGO	28
SHAWE MEMORIAL	40	CHRISTIAN ACADEMY	33
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON	67	GOSHEN	30
SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS)	48	CULVER	20
TIPPECANOE VALLEY	54	BREMEN	39
TRI-WEST	51	SOUTHMONT	25
VALPARAISO	52	GARY WEST	6
WEST LAFAYETTE	63	WESTERN BOONE	16
WEST WASHINGTON	52	CLARKSVILLE	20

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

WEEK 10

THURSDAY

TEXAS TECH 35 TCU 28

DUKE 24 WAKE FOREST 21

TROY 28 S. ALABAMA 10

FRIDAY, NOV. 3

PRINCETON AT DARTMOUTH | 7 P.M. | ESPNU

BOSTON COLLEGE AT SYRACUSE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN2

COLORADO STATE AT WYOMING | 8 P.M. | CBSSN

SATURDAY, NOV. 4

OHIO STATE AT RUTGERS | 12 P.M. | CBS

KANSAS STATE AT TEXAS | 12 P.M. | FOX

TEXAS A&M AT OLE MISS | 12 P.M. | ESPN

NOTRE DAME AT CLEMSON | 12 P.M.  | ABC

CAMPBELL AT NORTH CAROLINA | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK

UCONN AT TENNESSEE | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK

ARKANSAS AT FLORIDA | 12 P.M. | ESPN2

NEBRASKA AT MICHIGAN STATE | 12 P.M. | FS1

WISCONSIN AT INDIANA | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK

JACKSONVILLE STATE AT SOUTH CAROLINA | 12 P.M. | ESPNU

HOLY CROSS AT LEHIGH | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

YALE AT BROWN | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

DRAKE AT MARIST | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

SAN DIEGO AT PRESBYTERIAN | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

HARVARD AT COLUMBIA | 12:30 P.M. | ESPN+

KENNESAW STATE AT SAM HOUSTON | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

DELAWARE STATE AT MORGAN STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

BUCKNELL AT FORDHAM | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

YOUNGSTOWN STATE AT INDIANA STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

CORNELL AT PENN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

GARDNER-WEBB AT BRYANT | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

VMI AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

FURMAN AT CHATTANOOGA | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+

NAVY AT TEMPLE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

ARMY AT AIR FORCE | 2 P.M. | CBSSN

ARIZONA STATE AT UTAH | 2 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORKS

GEORGIA TECH AT VIRGINIA | 2 P.M. | CW

FLORIDA A&M AT ALABAMA A&M | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

NORTH DAKOTA AT MURRAY STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

SOUTH DAKOTA AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

DAYTON AT VALPARAISO | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

ROBERT MORRIS AT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

BUTLER AT MOREHEAD STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

MERCER AT THE CITADEL | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

WESTERN ILLINOIS AT UNI | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

UT MARTIN AT TENNESSEE TECH | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN+

FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT UAB | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

UTSA AT NORTH TEXAS | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

SOUTH FLORIDA AT MEMPHIS | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

LOUISIANA AT ARKANSAS STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

ILLINOIS STATE AT MISSOURI STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

SOUTHERN AT ALCORN STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

TEXAS SOUTHERN AT JACKSON STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

LINCOLN (CA) AT SOUTHERN UTAH | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

UTAH TECH AT ABILENE CHRISTIAN | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

IDAHO AT NORTHERN COLORADO | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

EASTERN ILLINOIS AT LINDENWOOD | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

WESTERN CAROLINA AT WOFFORD | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

NORTH ARIZONA AT MONTANA STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

MISSOURI AT GEORGIA | 3:30 P.M. | CBS SPORTS

FLORIDA STATE AT PITT | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN

OKLAHOMA AT OKLAHOMA STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ABC

PENN STATE AT MARYLAND | 3:30 P.M. | FOX

VIRGINIA TECH AT LOUISVILLE | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK

TULANE AT EAST CAROLINA | 3:30 P.M. | ESPNU

IOWA AT NORTHWESTERN | 3:30 P.M. | PEACOCK

JAMES MADISON AT GEORGIA STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN2

MERRIMACK AT UMASS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+

ILLINOIS AT MINNESOTA | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK

UCF AT CINCINNATI | 3:30 P.M. | FS1

HOUSTON AT BAYLOR | 3:30 P.M.  | ESPN+

COASTAL CAROLINA AT OLD DOMINION | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+

HOWARD AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+

NORFOLK STATE AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+

AUBURN AT VANDERBILT | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK

CHARLOTTE AT TULSA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

UL MONROE AT SOUTHERN MISS | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

CAL POLY AT EASTERN WASHINGTON | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE AT LAMAR | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

MCNEESE AT SE LOUISIANA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

TENNESSEE STATE AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

NICHOLLS AT UIW | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

AUSTIN PEAY AT EASTERN KENTUCKY | 5 P.M. | ESPN+

CENTRAL ARKANSAS AT NORTH ALABAMA | 5 P.M. | ESPN+

CAL AT OREGON | 5:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK

LOUISIANA TECH AT LIBERTY | 6 P.M. | CBSSN

MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT NEW MEXICO STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+

MARSHALL AT APPALACHIAN STATE | 6 P.M. | NFL NETWORK

WEBER STATE AT IDAHO STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+

KANSAS AT IOWA STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN

BYU AT WEST VIRGINIA | 7 P.M. | FS1

UTAH STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE | 7 P.M. | FOX

GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT TEXAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN AT TARLETON STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

PORTLAND STATE AT UC DAVIS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

PURDUE AT MICHIGAN | 7:30 P.M. | NBC

WASHINGTON AT USC | 7:30 P.M. | ABC

KENTUCKY AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK

SMU AT RICE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU

LSU AT ALABAMA | 7:45 P.M. | CBS

MIAMI (FLA.) AT NC STATE | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK

SACRAMENTO STATE AT MONTANA | 8 P.M. | ESPN+

STANFORD AT WASHINGTON STATE | 9 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORKS

WESTERN KENTUCKY AT UTEP | 9 P.M. | ESPN+

OREGON STATE AT COLORADO | 10 P.M. | ESPN

BOISE STATE AT FRESNO STATE | 10 P.M. | CBSSN

UCLA AT ARIZONA | 10:30 P.M. | FS1

NFL WEEK 9

THURSDAY

PITTSBURGH 20 TENNESSEE 16

 MIAMI DOLPHINS VS KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (FRANKFURT) 3:30P (CET) 9:30A NFLN

 MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT ATLANTA FALCONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

 ARIZONA CARDINALS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

 LOS ANGELES RAMS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P FOX

 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT HOUSTON TEXANS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS

 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

 CHICAGO BEARS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS

 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS 4:05P (ET) 4:05P CBS

 NEW YORK GIANTS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P FOX

 DALLAS COWBOYS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 4:25P (ET) 4:25P FOX

 BUFFALO BILLS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS 8:20P (ET) 8:20P NBC*

 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT NEW YORK JETS (MON) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P ESPN

NBA SCOREBOARD

PHILADELPHIA 114 TORONTO 99

NEW ORLEANS 125 DETROIT 116

ORLANDO 115 UTAH 113

SAN ANTONIO 132 PHOENIX 121

NHL SCOREBOARD

COLUMBUS 4 TAMPA BAY 2

FLORIDA 2 DETROIT 0

LOS ANGELES 3 OTTAWA 2

NY RANGERS 2 CAROLINA 1

NY ISLANDERS 3 WASHINGTON 0

BOSTON 3 TORONTO 2

NEW JERSEY 5 MINNESOTA 3

DALLAS 4 EDMONTON 3

ARIZONA 3 MONTRÉAL 2

SEATTLE 4 NASHVILLE 2

VEGAS 5 WINNIPEG 2

VANCOUVER 10 SAN JOSE 1

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 25 PREVIEWS

UNRANKED CLEMSON UNDER FIRE WITH NO. 15 NOTRE DAME UP NEXT

Each of the last four times Notre Dame has met Clemson on the football field, at least one of the teams has been ranked in the top five of The Associated Press poll — and two of those meetings have come in the postseason.

This time around, much less is at stake as an unranked Clemson team hosts Notre Dame — No. 15 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings of the season — on Saturday in upstate South Carolina.

Clemson (4-4, 2-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) is coming off a 24-17 loss at N.C. State and is enduring its first season with at least four losses in league play since 2010, which was the second full season on the job for coach Dabo Swinney.

In their defeat to the Wolfpack, the Tigers fell behind 24-7 in the third quarter after quarterback Cade Klubnik threw a pick-6 and then the Clemson defense allowed Wolfpack receiver Kevin Concepcion to score on a 72-yard touchdown pass.

Earlier this week, Swinney felt the heat from fans during his weekly radio show. They criticized the 53-year-old’s inability to adapt in the changing landscape of college football, where the top programs are embracing the transfer portal and name, image and likeness opportunities for players. Swinney seemed to take offense when a fan named “Tyler from Spartanburg” mentioned his 10-year, $115 million contract.

“Is this a bad year? Yeah, and it’s my responsibility,” Swinney said. “Take 100 percent responsibility for it. But all this bull crap you’re thinking, all these narratives you read. Listen, man, you can have your opinion all you want, and you can apply for the job.”

According to the website On3, Clemson brought in just one transfer this offseason, quarterback Paul Tyson from Arizona State, who has thrown just three passes this season.

By comparison, Notre Dame (7-2) brought in seven transfers. Among them are starting defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste (Ohio State), defensive back Thomas Harper (Oklahoma State) and starting quarterback Sam Hartman (Wake Forest).

Hartman didn’t play all that well in Notre Dame’s 58-7 win last weekend over Pitt, but he didn’t have to. The Irish led 44-0 at the end of the third quarter after notching a pair of defensive touchdowns and an 82-yard punt return for a score.

Still, Hartman ranks among the best quarterbacks in the country in various categories this season and is a big reason the offense is 12th in the nation in scoring with 38.3 points per game. Hartman is 14th in passer rating, with a 165.34 mark, and 17th with 18 passing touchdowns. He has led the Irish to a pair of wins over ranked opponents in Duke and Southern California.

Despite Hartman throwing a pair of interceptions against Pitt, Irish coach Marcus Freeman doesn’t plan to change his approach on offense.

“We’re going to continuously be aggressive, even if the result isn’t what we want,” Freeman said. “(Hartman) is a consistent individual and always responds with the proper response.”

Clemson is 4-3 all-time against Notre Dame. The Irish beat the Tigers 35-14 last season in South Bend, Ind.

NO. 10 OLE MISS, FACING TEXAS A&M, LOOKS TO IMPROVE SEC FOOTING

The Ole Miss Rebels are trying not to get ahead of themselves.

The Rebels (7-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) debuted at No. 10 in the College Football Playoff rankings Tuesday night. They are in the thick of the race for the SEC West championship and have a game at No. 2 Georgia looming next week.

Yet Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin maintains that his team’s focus is exclusively on its game against Texas A&M (5-3, 3-2) on Saturday in Oxford, Miss.

“If they were (looking ahead),” Kiffin said of his players, “they got woken up when we showed them the film.”

Ole Miss has won four straight since a 24-10 loss at Alabama. After an epic 55-49 shootout win against LSU, the Rebels’ defense has had a bigger impact, allowing 20 points (Arkansas), 21 points (Auburn) and seven points (Vanderbilt) in the past three games.

The defense allowed 637 yards to LSU, the fourth time in the first five games that it allowed at least 342 yards. But it has not allowed more than 286 yards in any of the past three games.

“I’m pleased with our defense and how we’re playing,” Kiffin said.

The coach also is happy about the Rebels’ improved balance of the offense. Ole Miss’ running game rushed for fewer than 150 yards in three of the first four games but has surpassed that threshold in each of the past four while averaging 228 rushing yards.

The Rebels rank third in the SEC in total offense, averaging 474 yards per game.

“We’re playing a team that can run the ball with the backs, run with the quarterback and throw the ball down the field with very dynamic playmakers,” Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher said.

Kiffin said Texas A&M has “an NFL roster,” adding, “This is a very, very, very elite talented team that very easily could be a top-five team in the country.”

The Aggies have been especially effective on defense, leading the SEC in total defense (269.3 yards per game) and ranking third in scoring defense (19.5 points per game).

“Their defense is playing as well as anyone in the country,” Kiffin said.

The biggest difference between this Texas A&M team and the one last season that finished 5-7 is the defense. Former Louisville and Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino is in his first season as offensive coordinator.

The Aggies are averaging 32.0 points per game, 9.2 more than they averaged as the second-lowest-scoring team in the SEC a year ago.

“Bobby does a great job, always has wherever he’s been,” Kiffin said.

Texas A&M ended a two-game losing streak with a 30-17 home victory against South Carolina last week, but it has lost both games that it has played in opponents’ home stadiums this season. The Rebels are 5-0 at home.

“You’ve got to silence the crowd and (handle) the momentum swings,” Fisher said. “You’ve got to be sound in what you do and you’ve got to understand the mentality that you’ve got to take on the road.

“You’ve got to block out the noise, block out the clutter and go play. You’ve got to execute in critical moments.”

NEWLY MINTED NO. 1 OHIO STATE FOCUSES ON RUTGERS

A reporter asked Ohio State coach Ryan Day if he would spend Tuesday night watching the initial College Football Playoff rankings show or trick-or-treating with his family for Halloween.

“I’ll be watching film of practice,” Day deadpanned.

When Day checks his phone, he will find that the Buckeyes (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) earned the CFP committee’s first No. 1 ranking of the season. It came as a bit of a surprise after Georgia held the top spot in every AP poll to date and Ohio State hadn’t risen past No. 3.

The Buckeyes’ next task is a game against Rutgers on Saturday in Piscataway, N.J.

TreVeyon Henderson racked up 162 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in Ohio State’s 24-10 win at Wisconsin last week. Day felt the Buckeyes’ offensive line has made good progress with its run blocking.

“We’ll see where that takes us on Saturday against Rutgers, but we want to be playing our best football down the stretch, and that’s a big part of what we’ve been focusing on,” Day said. “This time of year, you want to be enhancing the things you’re doing well and improving the things that you feel like you need to improve on.”

Henderson is back in the fold after missing three games with an injury, but fellow running back Miyan Williams is out for the year following a knee procedure.

Rutgers (6-2, 3-2) is fourth in the Big Ten East behind Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State following a 31-14 win at Indiana two weeks ago. That victory made the Scarlet Knights bowl-eligible, giving them six wins for the first time since 2014.

Greg Schiano’s second stint as Rutgers’ coach is progressing similarly to the first, when he brought a once-moribund program to a string of bowl games beginning in 2005. Schiano said that in both instances, it has taken patience to build up the program.

“We don’t get ready-mades like the team we are playing this week,” Schiano said. “They get some guys that come in that are five-star guys. We don’t get a lot of those, but that’s OK. We know who we are. That’s the key to being us at Rutgers is we develop guys, they believe in what we’re doing, they believe in the development, and we’re getting close to having the pipeline full and that’s where things get fun when that pipeline gets full.”

Schiano rained praise on the Buckeyes, declaring wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is “arguably one of the best players in the country” and every starter on defense would reach the NFL.

He is also familiar with Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, who grew up in New Jersey and whose father Derek played quarterback at Rutgers from 1988-92. Schiano overlapped with the elder McCord while working as a graduate assistant in 1989.

“(Kyle McCord) is a fiery leader, and you can see his teammates believe in him,” Schiano said. “He’s a young quarterback who is getting better every week.”

McCord threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns against Wisconsin but tossed two interceptions in the first half.

“That was all positive there that he was able to move on from that, because some guys struggle with that. They can’t quite get over what just happened,” Day said.

McCord was seen limping after the game with ice wrapped around an ankle, but he is expected to play against Rutgers.

For the Scarlet Knights, Kyle Monangai ranks second in the Big Ten with 744 rushing yards. Rutgers has allowed the fewest sacks in the league (seven), allowing junior quarterback Gavin Wimsatt room to grow. He had 143 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground against Indiana.

Ohio State leads the all-time series 9-0, scoring 49 points or more in all nine meetings. Rutgers’ defense has not given up more than 24 points in a game this season.

NO. 17 TENNESSEE LOOKS TO AVOID TRAP GAME VS. UCONN

No. 17 Tennessee is favored to win by five touchdowns, according to BetMGM, on Saturday against visiting UConn, which always seems to fall one touchdown short.

The Volunteers (6-2) take a break from Southeastern Conference play after collecting their first road victory of the season last Saturday with a 33-27 win at Kentucky.

The independent Huskies (1-7) travel to Knoxville after suffering their fourth loss by seven or fewer points this season in a 21-14 setback at Boston College last Saturday.

“I want to win, No. 1. That’s always the message,” second-year UConn coach Jim Mora told the Hartford Courant.

“Win, but do what’s necessary to win. It’s maintaining the mindset that they’ve got right now, which is toughness, resilience, fight, hunger. Staying together, not pointing the finger at anybody but yourself. Figuring it out, how can I be better every moment, every day? That’s what I want to see.”

UConn scored the game’s first and last touchdowns against Boston College and didn’t commit any turnovers, but the defense simply couldn’t stop the run. The Eagles rushed for 246 yards and held possession for nearly 41 minutes.

Camryn Edwards ran for 89 yards and a touchdown and Ta’Quan Roberson completed 11 of 24 passes for 130 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions to lead the Huskies, who experienced similar close losses to South Florida (24-21), Utah State (34-33) and Florida International (24-17).

UConn’s only win came on the road with a 38-31 victory at Rice on Oct. 7, fueled by four Owls turnovers and two touchdown passes by Roberson.

After squandering a 20-7 halftime lead in a 34-20 loss at Alabama on Oct. 21, Tennessee took a 23-17 advantage into the intermission at Kentucky and held on for the six-point win.

Joe Milton III passed for 228 yards and a touchdown, Jaylen Wright and Dylan Sampson each ran for TDs and Charles Campbell kicked four field goals against the Wildcats.

“Joe was uber efficient, great with his eyes, good fundamentally and extremely accurate with the football,” Vols coach Josh Heupel said Monday. “It was a really good performance by him.”

Milton is completing 64.8 percent of his passes this season with 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions in eight games.

Heupel said he was concerned that the Tennessee defense recorded only one sack against Kentucky.

“We gotta do a great job of applying pressure to the quarterback, having not gotten home here much over the last couple of weeks,” Heupel said. “So that’ll be important.”

This is the first meeting between Tennessee and UConn. The Volunteers will look to avoid a trap with upcoming games at Missouri on Nov. 11 and at home against No. 2 Georgia on Nov. 18.

Tennessee linebacker Keenan Pili will miss his eighth straight game since sustaining an upper-body injury against Virginia in the season opener. Heupel said he is still hopeful the BYU transfer will get back on the field this season.

NO. 7 TEXAS TURNS TO MAALIK MURPHY AGAIN VS. NO. 23 KANSAS ST.

No. 7 Texas will again rely on a backup quarterback when it hosts No. 23 Kansas State on Saturday afternoon in a key Big 12 Conference battle in Austin, Texas.

The Longhorns (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) were the top-ranked Big 12 team in the season’s initial College Football Playoff rankings released on Tuesday, but they share first place in the league with four other teams, including Kansas State.

Texas, which is off to its best start since 2009, has won two consecutive games and plays at home for the second straight week.

“I’d argue we have the best win in the country right now,” Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday about his team’s Week 2 victory at Alabama. “I feel pretty good about our team and I think over time this whole thing will play itself out.

“We’ve got to focus on what we need to do Saturday and play our best football.”

The Longhorns dominated BYU 35-6 last Saturday, as redshirt freshman quarterback Maalik Murphy made his first career start in place of the injured Quinn Ewers and passed for 170 yards and two touchdowns to Adonai Mitchell. However, Murphy was also intercepted once and lost a fumble.

Murphy will be under center once again versus the Wildcats.

Jonathon Brooks racked up 138 total yards of offense (98 on the ground) and a rushing TD, and Xavier Worthy returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown as Texas rolled to the win, which came even with the Longhorns failing to score on three chances inside the BYU 30-yard line.

Brooks ranks fifth in the FBS in rushing yards with 923 and is sixth in all-purpose yards (1,135), while Worthy leads the team in catches and receiving yards (44, 572). Mitchell leads the team in TD catches with seven.

The Longhorns have won the past six meetings with Kansas State, dating back to 2017. It is the longest winning streak in the all-time series for either program.

The Wildcats (6-2, 4-1) head to Austin on the heels of their own dominating performance, a 41-0 thrashing of Houston last weekend. Will Howard hit on 15 of his 17 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the win, with DJ Giddens leading Kansas State with 96 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The Wildcats allowed just 95 passing yards.

Kansas State, the defending Big 12 champion, is riding a three-game winning streak and has not allowed a touchdown over the past nine quarters, outscoring its opponents 103-3 since Texas Tech scored a TD midway through the third quarter on Oct. 14.

“We’ve got big challenge ahead in all three phases this week,” Wildcats coach Chris Klieman said Tuesday. “The guys are confident and excited coming off another big win on Saturday. Great crowd. Great homecoming win. I think we’re getting better in all three phases.

“There’s some things that we need to work on for sure in all three phases, but when you shut a team out and haven’t allowed a touchdown for a handful of quarters, you’re doing some really good things on defense.”

Kansas State is one of six Power Five teams to rank in the top 15 nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Wildcats enter Saturday ranked 13th in scoring (37.4 points per game) and 14th in points allowed (15.9 per game).

NO. 18 UTAH LOOKS TO REBOUND AT HOME VS. ARIZONA STATE

Utah will attempt to start another winning streak at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday when Arizona State visits after having its 18-game run ended last week in a 35-6 drubbing by Oregon.

The Utes (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12) are rated No. 18 in the first College Football Playoffs rankings revealed Tuesday.

They did not score an offensive touchdown against the Ducks — the first time that has happened since 2018.

Utah finished with 241 yards of total offense and was relegated to two field goals.

The performance of Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes against Oregon was a topic of discussion in coach Kyle Whittingham’s news conference on Monday.

Barnes completed 15 of 29 pass attempts for 136 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions against the Ducks.

Whittingham was asked if he has considered giving backup quarterback Brandon Rose an opportunity to play.

Rose challenged for the starting spot after Cam Rising was ruled out to start the season because of a serious knee injury suffered last season in the Rose Bowl against Penn State.

“Whoever gives us the best chance to win is who we’ll try it out there, and if Brandon becomes that guy, then yes, that would happen,” Whittingham said. “But right now Bryson Barnes is our guy, and our No. 1 quarterback at this point in time.”

Arizona State (2-6, 1-4) is coming off the first Pac-12 win under first-year coach Kenny Dillingham, a 38-27 win over visiting Washington State last week.

The Sun Devils gained a season-high 509 yards with 235 yards on the ground.

Dillingham said Arizona State must continue to play with a tough, physical style with the run game and on defense to match the challenge Utah will present.

“This is the culture that we want, that I envision here,” Dillingham said of the Utes’ reputation of being stout on both lines and with their defense under Whittingham, in his 19th year as head coach. “A coach who’s established physicality in the program and toughness — that’s what we’re trying to build here.

“This is the gold standard in the league, in my opinion, for what a program should look like and should feel like.”

Dillinghman is counting on poised senior quarterback Trenton Bourguet and an improving defense to play well in another hostile environment after challenging Washington in Seattle two weeks ago before losing 15-7.

Arizona State practiced in its indoor facility this week with piped-in noise, similar to the week leading up to the Washington game.

“We went in the bubble,” Dillingham said. “We made ourselves deaf for five days. That is the only way to prepare is to practice. We go in the bubble, we play their fight song and we play crowd noise as loud as you possibly can till your ears ring.”

Arizona State did not allow an offensive touchdown against Washington.

Bourguet has only one touchdown pass with three interceptions while completing 109 of 171 passes (63.7 percent) for 1,196 yards.

The Sun Devils are No. 4 in the Pac-12 in total defense, allowing 340.9 yards a game.

NO. 25 AIR FORCE PUTS PERFECT MARK ON LINE VS. RIVAL ARMY

No. 25 Air Force will try to continue its best start since 1985 when the Falcons oppose Army on Saturday afternoon in Colorado Springs.

Air Force (8-0) has won its first eight games for the first time since 1985, when it began the season 10-0.

Falcons fullback Emmanuel Michel said the perfect record doesn’t mean anything if Air Force can’t beat Army for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy on Saturday.

“We’ve got to get the CIC and then try to get the (Mountain West) Conference championship as well,” Michel said. “If we can do those things, then it starts to mean something. Right now, 8-0 doesn’t mean anything until you’re holding a trophy.”

Air Force has also won 13 straight games overall, matching the program’s longest winning streak that bridged the 1984-85 seasons.

The Falcons have outscored their past five opponents 175-76 but faced some unexpected adversity in their most recent game last week, when Colorado State fans began pelting the Air Force sideline with snowballs during a driving snowstorm early in the second half.

Colorado State was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct while the score was tied. Air Force scored the go-ahead touchdown on the drive before pulling away for a 30-13 victory.

The Falcons compiled 261 rushing yards in the win, including 130 yards on 20 carries by Michel, who tacked on a 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

“We just keep fighting and keep pushing and just know that we’ve got to finish and eventually we’ll wear people out,” Michel said. “Nobody wants to take that punishment down the middle over and over again.”

Air Force limited the Rams to 42 rushing yards and posted three fourth-down stops.

“I’m just proud of this team in every single facet that we have,” said Air Force safety Trey Taylor, who finished with 10 tackles and a pass breakup.

Army (2-6) has lost five in a row, most recently falling 21-14 to Massachusetts last week.

The Black Knights came into the game 5-0 all time against the Minuteman.

UMass coach Don Brown said the Minuteman took advantage of their bye week “to adjust our game plan style to the new Army.”

“If you don’t, they’ll present problems,” Brown said. “I have a lot of respect for that football team.”

Army’s Champ Harris started at quarterback for the second straight game. The freshman attempted only eight passes but completed six for 130 yards while also scoring his first collegiate touchdown on a 36-yard scramble in the fourth quarter that pulled Army within 21-14.

Bryson Daily also took some snaps after missing the 62-0 loss to LSU the week before with an injury, but he was just 3-for-13 for 28 yards and two interceptions.

Army freshman running back Kanye Udoh ran the ball well, posting a team-high 76 rushing yards on 15 attempts.

Defensive back Jabari Moore is set to play in his 55th career game for the Black Knights, breaking a tie with Greg McGlasker (1973-1977) for most in team history.

NO. 24 TULANE, SEEKING 7TH STRAIGHT WIN, MEETS EAST CAROLINA

A year after reaching a coveted bowl spot, Tulane is poised to do it again.

The Green Wave last season earned a Cotton Bowl berth and an eventual win against Southern California as the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the nation. They began this year’s College Football Playoff rankings as the top-ranked G5 team again, settling in at No. 24 in the initial ratings revealed Tuesday night.

Tulane will put that ranking on the line Saturday afternoon in a game against East Carolina at Greenville, N.C.

The teams enter the contest at opposite ends of the American Athletic Conference standings. Tulane (7-1, 4-0) have won six in a row and sit in a tie for first place in the AAC, while the Pirates (1-7, 0-4) are tied for last after dropping four in a row.

“The only game you can focus on is the game this week,” East Carolina coach Mike Houston said. “They’re very dialed in on that, and I’m very encouraged by their attitudes, so (we’re) excited about the game this weekend.”

The Pirates are coming in off a 41-27 loss to UTSA in which they were outgained 515-366 in total yardage. The East Carolina pass defense was particularly egregious, surrendering 395 yards and four touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Tulane coach Willie Fritz knows his team, fresh off a 30-28 win at Rice, also needs to maintain its short-term focus because it has more on the line in the big picture.

“We’ve just got to work on us,” Fritz said Tuesday. “Improve on offense, defense, kicking game. … There’s been some times where I’ve said, ‘Wow, we’ve got a chance to be pretty darn good.’ But there’ve been some other times where we’ve had to fight, scratch and claw to get the outcome we want.”

Last weekend, the Green Wave had trouble shaking the pesky Owls, despite outgaining them by nearly 200 yards. Tulane star quarterback Michael Pratt tossed two touchdown passes and added another score on the ground.

East Carolina knows it likely will have to slow down Pratt (1,384 passing yards, 14 touchdowns) to stand a chance at emerging with the victory.

Given the Pirates’ struggles on defense, that will be a tall task.

“He’s one of the top quarterbacks in the country, and I told him this summer that I was disappointed to see him returning,” Houston said. “We have a challenge against him.”

On the other side of the ball, East Carolina’s shaky offense, ranked 12th out of 14 teams in the AAC in scoring, figures to have trouble contending with Tulane’s second-ranked defense, which allows just 332.8 yards a game.

For context, last year’s Cotton Bowl champs allowed 360.4 yards per game.

The statistical improvement has come by committee, as this year’s unit has yet to produce a conference player of the week honoree.

Still, there is no shortage of talent on that side of the ball, as leading tackler Jesus Machado (63) and ballhawk Lance Robinson (four interceptions) loom large.

NO. 2 GEORGIA AIMS TO STAVE OFF UPSET BID BY NO. 12 MISSOURI

Last season Georgia had to rally from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to fend off upset-minded Missouri 26-22 and stay on its national title track.

The Tigers (7-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) will take another run at upending the Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0) on Saturday in a game with postseason implications at Athens, Ga.

Georgia is ranked No. 2 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, behind Ohio State, while SEC East rival Missouri is ranked No. 12 — its highest CFP ranking in program history.

“We thought they were really good last year when we went to play them, and that proved to be true,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “They’ve gotten better.”

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said there wasn’t much to be gained from reviewing last season’s near-upset.

“I don’t really take anything from last year’s game,” Drinkwitz said. “We’re two totally different teams. They have a lot of different players on both sides of the ball. We have a lot of different players and different identities on both sides of the ball. This is a new matchup.”

The Bulldogs extended their winning streak to a national-best 25 games by defeating arch-rival Florida 41-22. Quarterback Carson Beck passed for 315 yards and two touchdowns against the Gators, giving him 2,462 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions this season.

“He’s got all the traits of a guy that can, you know, win games with his arm, his mind, and if he has to, his feet,” Smart said.

Former Missouri receiver Dominic Lovett has caught 35 passes for 365 yards and a touchdown in his first season after transferring to Georgia. With standout tight end Brock Bowers (ankle) injured, Lovett is Beck’s top target.

Running back Daijun Edwards paces the Bulldogs’ ground game with 555 yards rushing and eight TDs.

The Tigers had a bye week after defeating South Carolina 34-12 on Oct. 21, so they had more time to prepare for the Bulldogs — who have won the last nine games between the teams.

Drinkwitz believes this team has yet to reach its full potential.

“We’ve seen flashes of it, but we haven’t put it all together for four quarters,” he said. “And I think that’s why this team is so hungry and coachable: because they’re wanting to prove it to each other. We can keep playing better.”

Tigers quarterback Brady Cook has passed for 2,259 yards, 15 touchdowns and just three interceptions this season. He has also scored five touchdowns rushing and become more active with designed running plays since recovering from a hyperextended knee.

“He’s very bright, sharp, athletic, gets the ball out in something like 2.3 seconds, 2.2 seconds,” Smart said. “He knows where he’s going with the ball, he understands coverages.”

Cody Schrader leads Missouri with 807 yards and nine touchdowns rushing, and slot receiver Luther Burden III has caught 61 passes for 905 yards and six touchdowns.

“We’ve got a lot of variance in our defense in terms of multiple ways to play the slot and do things and they’ve got multiple ways to move him around,” Smart said. “They can make (Burden) slot, they can make him a running back, the X, the Z. They’re very unique in their ability to slide guys to spots.

“In terms of what they do, they’re very varied and so are we. It should be a good matchup.”

NO. 13 LOUISVILLE FACES VA. TECH IN PIVOTAL ACC MATCHUP

No. 13 Louisville and visiting Virginia Tech have plenty at stake during their pivotal Atlantic Coast Conference clash on Saturday.

With the Cardinals (7-1, 4-1 ACC) and Hokies (4-4, 3-1) each having just one conference loss, the winner of Saturday’s contest will have the inside track toward advancing to the conference title game on Dec. 2 in Charlotte.

Just don’t mention that to Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry.

“Yeah, we don’t think about that. I’d be disappointed if somebody was,” Pry said. “We work really hard on focusing on the next opponent. These guys understand and know that that’s part of the key to our success, to us improving.

“Anytime you look ahead, you get your butt beat. I hope we’re not doing that. I’m not. Staff isn’t. And certainly continue to talk to our players about that.”

The Hokies have rebounded from a 1-3 start to win three of their past four games, averaging 30.8 points over that span.

Bhayshul Tuten rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown and Malachi Thomas added 87 yards on the ground last week for Virginia Tech, which rolled up a season-high 318 rushing yards in a 38-10 romp over Syracuse.

Louisville rebounded from a 38-21 setback at Pitt on Oct. 14 with a 23-0 rout of visiting Duke last week.

Jawhar Jordan rolled up a career-high 163 rushing yards and two touchdowns vs. the Blue Devils en route to being named ACC Running Back of the Week. He has set career-high totals in rushing yards (824) and touchdowns (10) this season.

Jordan’s two scores staked Louisville to an early 14-0 lead.

From there, Cardinals first-year coach Jeff Brohm saw his defensive charges take over the game. Duke mustered just 202 yards of total offense, marking the fourth straight game in which Louisville held its foe under 300 yards.

“I think our defense has confidence in themselves and the package that we’re using, and they play aggressive,” Brohm said. “If we cannot give (the opposing) offense the ball back by having turnovers early on and sustaining some drives like we did this past game and putting points on the board early, it definitely plays to our advantage.

“Our defense has taken advantage of it, and they’ve done a really good job, so it’s really a credit to our players. I think they play really hard early on, and they come ready to play.”

That’s a recipe for success, especially at home. Louisville’s last loss in front of its home fans was to Florida State on Sept. 16, 2022.

Virginia Tech safety Jalen Stroman was listed as questionable for the Saturday game due to a right shoulder injury.

“He’s one of our tougher players,” Pry said on Tuesday. “He’s had some injuries before. He seems to always come back a little quicker. I hope we have him. We need him. He’s one of those guys that can run and get you on the ground back there, and they’ve certainly got some guys that can do some things with the ball. But he’s questionable at this point.”

NO. 11 PENN STATE LOOKS TO MAKE STATEMENT VS. SLUMPING MARYLAND

No. 11 Penn State didn’t deliver the resounding bounce-back performance some might have expected last Saturday in its home win against Indiana.

Meanwhile, Maryland continued its midseason tailspin last week with a dreadful loss at Northwestern, the Terrapins’ third straight defeat after their 5-0 start.

Both Big Ten squads will aim to begin the final month on a stronger note when Penn State (7-1, 4-1) visits Maryland (5-3, 2-3) on Saturday in College Park, Md.

After suffering their first loss of the season, a 20-12 setback against then-No. 3 Ohio State on Oct. 21 in Columbus, the Nittany Lions struggled to pull away from the visiting Hoosiers despite being a 31-point favorite.

Penn State blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter that left that score tied at 24 before quarterback Drew Allar connected with KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 57-yard touchdown strike with under two minutes remaining.

Coach James Franklin’s squad sealed its 33-24 win on the ensuing possession when defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton stormed around the edge and strip-sacked Indiana quarterback Brendan Sorsby, whose fumble rolled out of the Hoosiers’ end zone for a safety.

“We made plays when it mattered most,” Franklin said. “Our guys were resilient.”

Penn State’s defense will be tested against one of the Big Ten’s most prolific passers in the Terrapins’ Taulia Tagovailoa, who leads the conference in passing yards (2,200), passing touchdowns (19), passing yards per game (275) and completions per game (23.6).

Franklin said containing Maryland’s air attack will be challenging, but he wasn’t concerned about the two long touchdown passes his defense surrendered in the first half against the Hoosiers.

“When you play man coverage as much as we do, they’re gonna get you from time to time,” Franklin said. “There’s enough body of work of who we’ve been as a defense to feel very comfortable and very confident.”

Tagovailoa and the Terrapins handled the Hoosiers more easily than the Nittany Lions did, cruising to a 44-17 win on Sept. 30 in College Park. It was Maryland’s fifth straight victory to begin the season, but the Terrapins haven’t won since.

Maryland seemed to be in a favorable position to end its two-game skid last week against Northwestern — the Terrapins trotted onto Ryan Field after their bye week as a two-touchdown favorite.

But Maryland never led after the first quarter and fell behind by 13 points with just over five minutes left in the game. Tagovailoa led a late scoring drive to pull the Terrapins within 33-27, but his interception on Maryland’s next possession sealed the team’s winless October.

The redshirt senior played last Saturday without co-offensive coordinator Kevin Sumlin, who remains away from the team after he was arrested on Oct. 22 on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Tagovailoa also lost a receiver after Tyrese Chambers recently departed the program for what coach Michael Locksley cited as personal reasons. Chambers, who was expected to play a significant role in the Terrapins’ offense upon transferring from Florida International, recorded just seven receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown in five games this season.

“We’ll support Tyrese as he continues to move forward,” Locksley said.

Chambers’ sudden departure capped Maryland’s tumultuous October, a month during which the Terrapins’ preseason goal of reaching the program’s first Big Ten championship game all but evaporated.

“We talked about being a team that competes for championships,” Locksley said. “Obviously, we’re just not there.”

ONE LAST BEDLAM BEFORE HIATUS FOR NO. 9 OKLAHOMA, NO. 22 OKLAHOMA ST.

Every college football season since 1910 has featured an Oklahoma-Oklahoma State matchup.

Saturday’s showdown between the ninth-ranked Sooners and the 22nd-ranked Cowboys in Stillwater, Okla., though, will be the last Bedlam matchup in the foreseeable future.

The series will not continue, at least for now, after Oklahoma makes the jump from the Big 12 to the Southeastern Conference next season.

While there’s plenty to be said about the series’ history, this year’s edition is plenty important without that backdrop. The teams are part of a five-way tie atop the Big 12 standings.

The Sooners (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) are coming off a 38-33 road loss to Kansas while the Cowboys (6-2, 4-1) beat visiting Cincinnati 45-13 last week.

Oklahoma State has won four consecutive games since a 2-2 start.

A big part of the Cowboys’ recent success has been sophomore running back Ollie Gordon II, who leads the nation with 1,087 rushing yards. Gordon has run for 553 yards and six touchdowns over the last two games.

“If we don’t tackle better than we did last week, Gordon’s going to pull away from the pack when it comes to college football and rushing,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said. “He can run right through you and he can run right by you. His patience for a big guy is something that’s a little different.”

This year, defensive lineman Trace Ford will be on the other side of the rivalry. After spending the last four seasons with the Cowboys, Ford transferred to Oklahoma.

“I get to finally talk trash to him,” said Oklahoma State linebacker Collin Oliver, who remains friends with his former teammate. “I haven’t been able to do it in all my years of knowing him, so this is going to be the first time of getting to do that. I hope I see him after the game as well.”

Ford has become a bigger piece of the Sooners’ defensive line in recent weeks.

Oklahoma’s offense has been potent this season, ranking seventh nationally in total offense at 489.8 yards per game.

A big part of that has been on the shoulders of quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who has thrown for 2,302 yards and 19 touchdowns with four interceptions. He also has run for eight touchdowns.

“Is he gonna take off like the guy at Kansas or Kansas State and just blindingly take off for 80 yards? Haven’t seen that,” Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said. “But he’s an effective runner who loves to run the ball inside the 10-yard line. He likes to play physical. You have to give him credit for his willingness to compete and give his body up, which is what I see from him.”

Oklahoma has dominated the series history, going 91-19-7 against the Cowboys.

The Sooners have won seven of the last eight, including a 28-13 home victory last year.

The Cowboys’ lone win in that span came the last time the teams met in Stillwater, a 37-33 Oklahoma State victory to end the 2021 regular season in what wound up being Lincoln Riley’s final game as the Sooners’ coach before he departed for Southern California.

NO. 4 FLORIDA STATE NOT CONCERNED WITH RANKING AS IT VISITS PITT

To Florida State coach Mike Norvell, his team’s College Football Playoff ranking is nothing but a number.

Norvell and the fourth-ranked Seminoles are focused on the bigger picture, and they will look to continue their perfect season on Saturday when they face host Pitt in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Florida State (8-0, 6-0 ACC) landed in the CFP rankings for the second consecutive season, but its standing hasn’t even been a topic for discussion for Norvell as he gets his team ready to face the Panthers.

“I haven’t talked about that at all at any point,” Norvell said about the ranking. “The guys will know, because every time you watch any sports you’ve got a ticker that goes across (the screen) that says a number next to your name.

“I really do mean that number doesn’t define us. … We’ve got to go get better.”

The Seminoles earned their lofty spot in the CFP rankings on the heels of a 41-16 drubbing of Wake Forest last Saturday. Jordan Travis completed 22 of 35 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns in another strong offensive showing for Florida State, which has averaged 39.8 points over its past four games.

Pitt’s defense just got carved up, allowing 535 yards in a 58-7 setback to Notre Dame last weekend, so Seminoles tight end Kyle Morlock believes the offense will have a great chance to keep rolling.

“They play some different looks at defensive end and stuff, so we’re getting used to that right now in practice,” Morlock said. “But just like every other week, we see what we got, we prepare for it and then we’re ready on Saturday.”

Following the blowout loss to the Fighting Irish, Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi told reporters the loss was on him, but he also seemingly took a shot at his squad, mentioning that Pitt wasn’t able to replace a handful of “good players” from last season.

Among those to respond to that claim were safety Javon McIntyre and running back Rodney Hammond Jr., who both took to social media platform X to express their confusion.

Narduzzi quickly made sure to mend the relationship with his team.

“We had a great Sunday night meeting … after an emotional Saturday afternoon and evening,” Narduzzi said. “First thing I said as I sat here at the podium was apologizing to our football team, to our guys about my postgame comments, which didn’t obviously come out the way I intended them to come out.”

With that hiccup in the rearview mirror, the Panthers (2-6, 1-3) now have their sights fully set on Florida State.

“We’ve got probably the best team we’re going to play (this) year,” Narduzzi said. “We’ve got a great football team, and that’s kind of where our focus is — going right to them. Focused on that (Sunday) night after our team meeting, we break up and go offense, defense again and just get on to the new page. …

“We’re ready to go.”

Saturday marks the 11th meeting between the teams. Pitt is 6-4 against the Seminoles and has won four of the last five.

NO. 6 OREGON, TRYING TO PEAK AT RIGHT TIME, NOT OVERLOOKING CAL

Oregon is in the thick of the national championship picture as the calendar turns to November.

The Ducks are No. 6 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the campaign. They conclude the regular season with three of four games at home, beginning with a Pac-12 contest against Cal on Saturday in Eugene, Ore.

Oregon sits behind No. 5 Washington of the Pac-12 due to its 36-33 loss to the Huskies in Seattle on Oct. 14. It is possible the two teams will meet again in next month’s Pac-12 title game.

Regardless, momentum is running rampant after the Ducks (7-1, 4-1 Pac-12) trounced Utah 35-6 last weekend in Salt Lake City. The Utes had won 18 straight home games.

Now the task is not slipping up against the Golden Bears (3-5, 1-4), who have dropped three straight games.

“We want to play our best football at the end of the season,” Oregon second-year coach Dan Lanning said. “We’ve played our best football to date this last week, and we have to play better going forward.”

Lanning said the rout of Utah was “certainly the best performance of our team since I’ve been here.”

The Ducks have topped 30 points in all eight of their games and rank third nationally in scoring among FBS teams at 45.5 points per game and second in total offense at 531.4 yards per game.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix has moved into the top tier of Heisman Trophy candidates and leads the nation with a 78.3 completion percentage. He has completed at least 72 percent of his throws in every game this season.

Nix has thrown for 2,337 yards and 21 touchdowns against just one interception, but his experience (an NCAA-record 55 career starts) and intangibles stand out.

“Bo Nix is the best quarterback in the nation, just to be really clear,” Lanning said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about it. And again, it’s not just the plays he makes on the field, I think a lot of people talk about chasing stats and all these things, this guy just plays consistent.”

Nix insists he isn’t concerned with the Heisman race.

“I want to go out there and put our team in the best situation possible,” Nix said. “I feel like when I do that, (my teammates) have my back and they go out and perform at a high level as well.”

Cal had a chance to post a signature win against Southern California last weekend but fell short with a 50-49 home loss.

The Golden Bears led by 14 points before the Trojans scored 21 straight to take a 50-43 lead with 3:33 to go. Cal scored a touchdown with 58 seconds left and coach Justin Wilcox elected to go for a two-point conversion, but quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s pass was deflected by USC’s Jaylin Smith.

“Late in the game we had some opportunities to make a play here or there to change the outcome and we just couldn’t quite come up with it,” Wilcox said. “That’s a very talented team we just competed with and (we) had a number of chances to win and we didn’t do it.”

Mendoza completed 25 of 39 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for two scores. The redshirt freshman has started three straight games and has thrown two TD passes while getting intercepted once in each contest.

Golden Bears sophomore running back Jaydn Ott matched his career best of three rushing touchdowns and posted his fifth career 100-yard game by rushing for 153 yards on 21 carries against the Trojans. Ott left in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury, and Wilcox said Tuesday that his best back is expected to play against the Ducks.

Ott has 754 rushing yards and eight scores on the season.

Oregon has won 12 of the past 14 meetings with Cal.

NO. 21 KANSAS BATTLES IOWA STATE AS BIG 12 RACE HEATS UP

There is a logjam at the top of the Big 12 standings, with five teams tied for first and two others just a game behind.

Six of those seven teams will have head-to-head battles this weekend, including No. 21 Kansas traveling to Ames, Iowa, to face Iowa State on Saturday evening.

The Jayhawks (6-2, 3-2 Big 12) jumped back into the rankings after knocking off previously unbeaten Oklahoma on Saturday, their first win over the Sooners since 1997. Iowa State (5-3, 4-1) returns home after a convincing win over Baylor in Waco, Texas.

The Cyclones have fully recovered from a sluggish 1-2 nonconference portion of the schedule. They have won three straight games, including a 30-18 defeat of the Bears.

Iowa State’s Cartevious Norton ran for two touchdowns against Baylor, while quarterback Rocco Becht threw for 238 yards and a score with one interception.

The Jayhawks are coming off the high of registering their first home win over a top-10 team since 1984. Kansas scored the first 14 points before giving up the next 21, the first of six lead changes.

Quarterback Jason Bean put the Jayhawks back in front with a 38-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. The teams traded touchdowns — and failed two-point conversions — until Dillon Gabriel’s 1-yard run put the Sooners back up 33-32 with 5:22 left.

Bean threw his second straight interception with 2:29 left, but the Jayhawks forced a three-and-out. On fourth-and-6, Bean found Lawrence Arnold for a key conversion for 37 yards. Devin Neal punched it in from the 9-yard line, and Kansas deflected a desperation pass by Gabriel in the end zone on the game’s final play.

Bean was filling in for Jalon Daniels, who has missed four games due to a back ailment.

“When Jalon Daniels is healthy, Jalon is the starting quarterback, but we’re not at that point today,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said early in the week. “We’re not at that point yet to decide that. He works out every day, some days are better than others.”

Regarding Bean, Leipold added, “He’s a pretty quiet guy, but he’s respected. His confidence as a leader has grown with his confidence in the offense and his personal play.”

The Cyclones are wary of both Bean and Daniels.

“No matter who it is, it’s elite speed at quarterback,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. “They’ve got two elite quarterbacks and two guys that have the ability to really challenge you in the running game at the quarterback position.

“We’ve played some mobile quarterbacks already this year, and you’ve got to hang your hat on some of that and do your best to simulate that in practice.”

In terms of his offense, Campbell expressed pride in the work of his linemen.

“That group in general, that’s probably been the most impressive piece that’s accelerated faster than anything is the ability to protect the quarterback,” Campbell said. “Everybody has to be really good when you’re talking about protecting the quarterback, including the quarterback himself.”

Kansas owns a 51-45-6 record all time against the Cyclones. The Jayhawks snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 14-11 victory in Lawrence, Kan., last year.

NO. 3 MICHIGAN IGNORING DISTRACTIONS, FOCUSED ON PURDUE

Michigan heads into November undefeated and at No. 3 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, which were released on Tuesday.

Yet virtually all the talk regarding the program in the last couple of weeks has been about coach Jim Harbaugh and his staff.

The program is embroiled in a signal-stealing scandal, centering around low-level staffer Connor Stalions, as the coaches prepare for Saturday’s Big Ten game against Purdue at Ann Arbor, Mich.

Harbaugh, who was originally going to be suspended for the first four games this season for allegedly making false statements to the NCAA during its investigation into potential recruiting violations, tried to sidestep the latest controversy.

“We’re in an onward mode,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a one-track mind that I’m modeling, and I see it throughout the program.”

Harbaugh added that the players aren’t dwelling on anything but reaching their ultimate goal of winning a national title.

“Their apparent focus is always the task at hand. Win the next game, get prepared, practice and then go execute,” he said. “They’re in a battle rhythm in that sense. That includes every team you play.”

On paper, the Boilermakers (2-6, 1-4 Big Ten) shouldn’t present much of an obstacle for the Wolverines (8-0, 5-0). They’re saddled with a three-game skid, including a 31-14 road loss to Nebraska last weekend.

The Cornhuskers held Purdue scoreless until the fourth quarter. Boilermakers starting quarterback Hudson Card, who threw a touchdown pass, was limited to 100 passing yards and tossed two interceptions.

Purdue’s running game averaged 3.3 yards per carry. One of the Boilermakers’ touchdowns came on a fumble return.

Purdue has scored 20 points or less in five of its last six games. Now, it faces a defense that hasn’t given up more than 10 points all season.

“If you got an answer how to crack it, let me know,” Purdue coach Ryan Walters said. “There have been a lot of people struggling this year. I think what’s unique about Michigan in its entirety as a program is, yes, they have really good players. They also have a really good scheme on offense, defense and special teams. So they pose problems and try to take away what you’re good at.”

Naturally, some people believe the Wolverines defense had an unfair advantage by knowing some of the opposition’s play-calling. Walters indicated his staff is “very aware of what the allegations are out there” and “we’ll plan accordingly.”

Walters’ defense will have to prepare for Michigan’s balanced attack led by quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum.

McCarthy passed for a season-high 287 yards and four touchdowns in Michigan’s 49-0 pummeling of in-state rival Michigan State on Oct. 21. The Wolverines had last weekend off.

“Very talented. Can make every throw,” Walters said of McCarthy. “Can get you out of trouble with his legs on the ground. I think that’s where he’s grown this season. Last year he had some questionable decisions at times and tried to make hero plays at times that kind of got them in trouble offensively. You don’t see him making those mistakes this season.”

Corum has piled up 13 rushing touchdowns to go with 605 yards on the ground.

Harbaugh said his team is ready to go after the bye week.

“I think our depth and the health of the team is pretty high right now,” he said. “Couldn’t ask for much better going into this stretch in November.”

NO. 20 USC OUT TO END NO. 5 WASHINGTON’S UNBEATEN SEASON

Looking to continue its perfect season, No. 5 Washington travels to Los Angeles on Saturday for a Pac-12 showdown with 20th-ranked Southern California.

The Huskies (8-0, 5-0 Pac-12) arrive with a streak of four consecutive single-digit victories after holding off Stanford last Saturday, 42-33. The nine-point margin was Washington’s widest over the recent stretch, which also includes wins of 31-24 on Sept. 30 at Arizona; 36-33 on Oct. 14 vs. Oregon; and 15-7 on Oct. 21 vs. Arizona State.

With its positioning in Tuesday’s first College Football Playoff rankings, Washington is just outside the coveted top four needed to earn the first Pac-12 bid to the national semifinals since the 2016 Huskies did so.

The Huskies have won 15 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak among FBS teams behind No. 2 Georgia (25).

Like Washington, USC (7-2, 5-1) has also had its share of nail-biting finishes in recent weeks. That includes a 34-32 loss on a last-second field goal Oct. 21 vs. Utah for the Trojans’ second loss of the season, complicating their aspirations for a playoff bid.

No team has ever made the field with more than one loss, but USC can move into the conference lead with a win on Saturday.

The Trojans’ run of close finishes also include a 43-41, three-overtime defeat of Arizona on Oct. 7, and last weekend’s 50-49 rally from down two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win at Cal.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams went 23-for-40 for 369 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for a pair of scores vs. the Golden Bears. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has passed for 25 touchdowns against just four interceptions — three of which came in the Trojans’ Oct. 14 loss at Notre Dame — and has rushed for nine scores on the season.

“Elite playmaker,” Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said of Williams. “(His) eyes are downfield and (he) buys time (using his feet).

“(He) will not be afraid to make any throw on the run, deep down the field, so we’ve got to do a really good job staying on the receivers, or any skill player.”

Williams’ ability to connect with a variety of targets beyond just receivers has been evident the last two weeks with tight end Lake McRee’s uptick in production. McRee caught three passes for 35 yards against Utah, then hauled in four catches for a season-high 71 yards at Cal.

USC’s top two targets, however, are receivers Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice. Washington has 35 receptions for 711 yards and five touchdowns, while Rice has produced 519 yards and nine TDs on 30 receptions.

Washington’s Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk, meanwhile, rank No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in the Pac-12 in yards per game with 113.4 and 104.5.

Pass-catchers should play a prominent role in Saturday’s showdown of Heisman hopefuls. As Williams looks to join Ohio State’s Archie Griffin as the only two-time recipients of the award, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. may be the leading contender to wrest the trophy away.

Penix went 21-of-37 passing for 369 yards with four touchdowns and one interception last Saturday. His nation-leading 368.1 passing yards per game are almost 40 more than the next-most prolific quarterback, and he has thrown 24 touchdowns — third most nationally — for the nation’s ninth-highest scoring offense at 40.4 points per game.

“Runs the offense really, really well,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said of Penix on Monday’s Trojans Live radio show. “You can tell he’s got a lot of experience with Kalen and his system, and you can tell. It shows up.”

USC ranks among the eight teams producing more points per contest than Washington, however, with the nation’s second-leading output of 45.9 per game.

Saturday’s matchup is the first between USC and Washington since 2019, and the first in Los Angeles since 2015. Both were Huskies wins.

NO. 8 ALABAMA, NO. 14 LSU BATTLE IN SEC WEST SHOWDOWN

The winner of the Alabama-LSU game has gone on to play in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game in 10 of the past 12 seasons.

The No. 8 Crimson Tide (7-1, 5-0 SEC) and the No. 14 Tigers (6-2, 4-1) meet again Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The winner won’t clinch the SEC West title, but it will greatly strengthen its chances.

“This has developed into a rivalry game because they’re always ranked, we’re always ranked, and it’s always a big game relative to what happens in our division,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “It’s an important game for both teams.”

The Crimson Tide are the only team in the West that is undefeated in league play, having handed Ole Miss its only loss of the season.

Alabama has won six games in a row since losing a nonconference contest against Texas. The Crimson Tide are coming off a bye week, as are the Tigers.

“I think, in a lot of ways, to our team, (the bye) was very beneficial,” Saban said. “We got lots of guys that were banged up a little bit some rest and limited reps so that they could heal up.”

The Crimson Tide ranks just eighth in the SEC in scoring offense (30.6 points per game) and ninth in total offense (366.6 yards per game).

The defense has mostly played up to Saban’s high standard, ranking second in scoring (16.5) and third in yards (306.4).

The Tigers lead the country in scoring offense (47.4) and total offense (552.9), and they have gained more than 500 yards in each of their past seven games.

“They’ve probably made more explosive plays running and passing than any team we’ve played in recent times,” Saban said.

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, whom Saban called “a phenomenal player,” has played his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation and could all but assure himself of a trip to New York with a strong performance in a victory against Alabama.

Daniels has passed for 2,573 yards, 25 touchdowns and three interceptions while tacking on five rushing scores.

Daniels was a key factor in the Tigers’ 32-31 overtime victory against the Crimson Tide last season in Baton Rouge, La. After Alabama scored a touchdown on the first possession of overtime, Daniels ran 25 yards for a touchdown and passed for a winning two-point conversion.

“He killed us last year,” Saban said.

LSU’s defense played poorly early in the season, especially in shootout losses to Florida State (45-24) and Ole Miss (55-49). The unit has played better of late but will be missing several players Saturday.

Starting defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo presumably will miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing lower-body surgery.

“Clearly, we would love to have Wingo in the lineup,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said, “but we are built for injuries.”

Three of the Tigers’ top defensive backs will miss this game because of injury, and LSU could find itself playing three true freshmen in the secondary against the Tide.

“These kids are elite players,” Kelly said. “Now you’re putting them in a position where they just have to be confident and trust their technique and trust what we’ve taught them. I think we’ve been at it long enough to where these guys are ready to go. They’ve got no choice.”

NO. 16 OREGON STATE SHIFTS FOCUS TO COLORADO AFTER DEFLATING LOSS

If No. 16 Oregon State is still thinking of what might have been last week at Arizona, there’s a good reason.

The Beavers’ 27-24 loss was punctuated by a failed fake field goal on the final play of the first half as well as settling for a field goal on an earlier possession after getting inside the Wildcats’ 20-yard line.

Oregon State has to move forward, though, starting with a matchup against Colorado on Saturday in Boulder, Colo.

“We should have won the (Arizona) game,” Beavers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei said, “but we left stuff out there. We’ve got to clean that up.”

Uiagalelei would like to be more efficient this week. He was just 16 of 30 against the Wildcats for 218 yards and two touchdowns. He had connected on fewer than 50 percent of his attempts until completing his final four throws on a late scoring drive that got Oregon State within three points.

It was a potentially damaging loss for the Beavers (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12). They had a controllable path to the Pac-12 Conference championship game before the defeat but now will need to win out and perhaps get some help to reach Las Vegas the first week in December.

Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith said after the defeat that he was eager to call the fake field goal from the Arizona 16. The problem was the play started with three seconds left and that kicker Atticus Sappington was asked to run about 20 yards to the end zone against faster, more athletic players.

“I was just champing at the bit to get the thing called,” Smith said. “What we anticipated, really what we got, was a pretty good look. I just rolled the dice on that one and hindsight was not good … a bad call.”

The Beavers were without two starters in the defensive backfield against the Wildcats. That could make them very vulnerable against a precise passer such as the Buffaloes’ Shedeur Sanders.

Although Sanders was held to 217 yards on 27-of-43 passing in a 28-16 loss at UCLA last week, he has completed 71.1 percent of his attempts for 2,637 yards and 22 touchdowns. In 346 passes, Sanders has tossed only three interceptions.

However, he didn’t have his usual gaudy numbers at UCLA because the Bruins’ front seven had their way with Colorado’s offensive line. Sanders was sacked seven times for 51 yards and the Buffaloes couldn’t generate enough of a rushing attack to keep Sanders upright.

“The hardest thing to acquire is linemen,” Colorado first-year coach Deion Sanders said. “When people have a good one, you rarely see linemen jump and go to different schools. I think we have some guys that is gonna be good with a little seasoning, but overall, we just don’t have the fight or passion to do what we want to do.”

At 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the conference, Colorado needs two wins from its final four games — Arizona, at Washington State and at Utah are its last three opponents — if it is to convert its 3-0 start into a bowl game.

The Buffaloes have lost four of their past five, but Smith wouldn’t categorize his upcoming foe as “struggling.”

“This league is tough and competitive. They have been competitive throughout,” Smith said. “Dramatically different than, let’s face it, last year. And so, this is a good football team. They can score in bunches. One of the best quarterbacks we’re going to play, defensively flying around, the home atmosphere they’ve created, you can see it on tape. It’s a tough place.”

Oregon State owns a 7-6 lead in the all-time series, including a 42-9 win last year in Corvallis, Ore.

NO. 19 UCLA CAN’T LET ITS GUARD DOWN VS. ARIZONA

Arizona is looking for its third consecutive victory over a ranked team but will have to solve No. 19 UCLA’s chaos-creating defense when the teams meet Saturday night in Tucson, Ariz.

The Wildcats (5-3, 3-2 Pac-12) will be trying to make a claim of their own for the Top 25 if they knock off the Bruins (6-2, 3-2), who are 10th nationally in total defense (277.5 yards allowed per game), third in sacks (3.88 per game) and fourth in tackles for loss (8.2).

This will be the toughest defensive test for Arizona redshirt freshman quarterback Noah Fifita, who so far has been up to the challenge while starting the first four games of his career against ranked teams, including Washington and Southern California. He has been calm and accurate, completing 111 of 149 passes for 1,152 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions in those four starts.

Fifita has earned the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award in each of his past three outings, which includes wins at then-No. 19 Washington State and vs. then-No. 11 Oregon State.

“He’s continuing to go out there and impress,” Arizona coach Jedd Fisch said. “Noah certainly has gotten the accolades and that’s fantastic for Noah; he deserves it. He’s completed over 70 percent of his passes in each game, and I expect him to continue to get better.”

Fifita will have to navigate a UCLA defense that includes defensive ends Laiatu Latu (9.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss) and Gabriel Murphy (five sacks, 11 tackles for loss).

The Bruins remain a bit of a mystery at quarterback. Ethan Garbers has started the past two games against Stanford and Colorado, replacing true freshman Dante Moore. Garbers has completed 40 of 55 passes with 509 yards, with four touchdowns and an interception in the past two games.

UCLA coach Chip Kelly said early in the week that he wasn’t ready to commit to naming Garbers a starter against Arizona.

“We analyze everything during the week. We don’t make anything rash after a game and say, ‘Hey, this is what tomorrow is going to be like, or what Wednesday is going to be like.'” Kelly said. “We won’t finalize anything until we get to the game day next week.”

No matter who is at quarterback, UCLA can lean on a strong running game, led by Carson Steele and T.J. Harden. Steele has rushed for 674 yards and six touchdowns on 124 carries. Harden has 466 yards and five scores on 88 attempts.

UCLA’s two losses — at Utah and at Oregon State — were by a combined 19 points. Arizona’s three losses — at Mississippi State (overtime), Washington, at USC (triple overtime) — were decided by a total of 16 points.

“They’ve done a really good job,” Kelly said of Arizona. “We’re very well aware of what Arizona’s doing, but I think a lot of people in the country are too.”

For sure, Arizona won’t catch UCLA by surprise. The Wildcats, in something of a foreshadowing for this season’s surge, upset the then-No. 9 Bruins 34-28 in Pasadena, Calif., on Nov. 12, 2022.

BIG TEN FOOTBALL

• All 14 schools are in action this week, with seven Big Ten contests highlighted by four divisional matchups. The complete schedule can be found to the right.

• Three Big Ten teams appear in the AP Poll this week. Michigan leads the conference at No. 2, followed by No. 3 Ohio State and No. 9 Penn State, while Rutgers is receiving votes. The Big Ten (three teams) is the only conference with more than two teams ranked in the top-10 of the AP Poll. 

• There are just eight undefeated teams remaining in the FBS, including two Big Ten teams: Michigan (8-0) and Ohio State (8-0). The Buckeyes travel to Piscataway, N.J., this weekend to face Rutgers, while the Wolverines welcome Purdue. 

• Michigan and Penn State currently rank among the top 10 nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Wolverines lead the nation in scoring defense (5.9 points per game), while ranking No. 6 nationally in scoring offense (40.6 points per game). The Nittany Lions rank No. 3 nationally in scoring defense (11.5 points per game), while ranking 10th in scoring offense (38.9 points per game). 

• Five additional Big Ten teams rank in the top 25 in terms of scoring defense: Ohio State (2nd, 10.0 points per game), Iowa (6th, 14.5 points per game), Rutgers (13th, 15.8 points per game), Nebraska (21st, 18.6 points per game) and Wisconsin (23rd, 19.0 points per game).

• Ohio State allowed 10 points and 259 total yards against the Badgers, marking the third straight game the Buckeyes allowed fewer than 260 yards. Ohio State has held all eight opponents to 17 points or fewer, tied for their longest streak in the last 15 years. The Buckeyes improve to 36-2 in Big Ten play under Ryan Day and overall and have won an FBS-high 36 straight games against unranked teams. 

• Penn State’s Khalil Dinkins (9 yards) and Theo Johnson (16 yards) hauled in touchdown receptions against Indiana last weekend. The two touchdowns give the Penn State tight end room 10 touchdown receptions this season. The Nittany Lions’ 10 receiving touchdowns by tight ends are the most among FBS teams. Tyler Warren paces the group with five touchdowns, good for third among FBS tight ends, while Johnson has three and Dinkins owns two this season. Penn State and Appalachian State are the only FBS teams with two tight ends with three or more touchdown receptions this year.

• Jordan Nubin ran the ball 40 times for 204 yards and two touchdowns, leading Minnesota to a 27-12 win against Michigan State last weekend. His 204 yards were the most by a Minnesota player since Mohamed Ibrahim ran for 263 yards against Iowa on Nov. 19, 2022. His 204 yards are also the 28th most in program history. Nubin is the first Minnesota running back with 40 carries in a game since Ibrahim had 41 rushing attempts at Maryland on Oct. 30, 2020, and his 40 carries are tied for the seventh most in program history. His 204 yards marks the 33rd time that a Gopher has rushed for 200 yards or more in a game.

• With wins over Illinois (20-7), Northwestern (17-9) and Purdue (31-14) in October, Nebraska completed its first unbeaten month of October since 2001. Nebraska’s three-game win streak is its first at any point in a season since an eight-game winning streak including a bowl game in 2015 and the first seven games of the 2016 season. The Cornhuskers held all three opponents to 14 or fewer points in October, the first time Nebraska has held three straight opponents to less than 15 points since 2009. 

• Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Rutgers have all secured bowl eligibility by reaching six wins this season, while Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin need just one more win to become eligible. The Big Ten will continue to feature the largest bowl lineup in conference history.

• Seven Big Ten Conference programs appear in the top 20 of the latest NCAA attendance rankings, including the nation’s top three schools: No. 1 Michigan (109,787 fans per game), No. 2 Penn State (108,579), No. 3 Ohio State (103,399), No. 12 Nebraska (86,920), No. 18 Wisconsin (75,876), No. 19 Michigan State (71,626) and No. 20 Iowa (69,250). Additionally, Big Ten teams own 13 of the top 15 single-game attendance highs this season, including the top eight spots.

• Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa, Michigan’s Zak Zinter and Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu were named finalists for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy on Oct. 25. Now in its 34th year, the Campbell Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete. The finalists will travel to the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5, where one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 34th Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.

• The 2023 Big Ten Football Championship Game will be played at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium and will be televised nationally on FOX. The winner will earn the Amos Alonzo Stagg Championship Trophy and a chance to play in one of the six bowls that comprise the College Football Playoff.

• This season’s Playoff Semifinals will take place Monday, January 1, 2024, at the Allstate Sugar Bowl and the Rose Bowl. Houston will host the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, January 8, 2024, at NRG Stadium. The College Football Playoff matches the No. 1 ranked team vs. No. 4, and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl Game.

• The 2023 campaign will feature 99 All-Big Ten honorees (first-, second-, third-team or honorable mention) selected by either the coaches or the media last season, with Ohio State leading the way with 16 all-conference returnees. The East Division welcomes back 56 all-conference players, while the West returns 43. Illinois is the only West team with double-digit all-conference returnees with 10, while each team has at least one All-Big Ten performer returning.

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Saturday, November 4, 2023 Football
Away	Home	Time	Location	Links
Wisconsin	Indiana	12:00 P.M.	Bloomington, Ind. (Conf.)	TV: BTN Stats Radio: Indiana Sports Radio Network
Nebraska	Michigan State	12:00 P.M.	East Lansing, MI (Conf.)	TV: FS1 Radio: Spartan Media Network
Ohio State	Rutgers	12:00 P.M.	Piscataway, N.J. (Conf.)	TV: CBS Stats Radio: WFAN 660-AM/101.9-FM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 99 or 203, SXM app, Audacy app, Scarlet Knights app Video
Iowa	Northwestern	3:30 P.M.	Chicago, IL / Wrigley Field (Conf.)	TV: Peacock Radio: WGN Radio 720
Illinois	Minnesota	3:30 P.M.	Minneapolis, Minn. (Conf.)	TV: BTN Stats Video
Penn State	Maryland	3:30 P.M.	College Park, MD (Conf.)	TV: FOX Stats Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network Audio Video
Purdue	Michigan	7:30 P.M.	Ann Arbor, Mich. (Conf.)	TV: NBC Stats Radio: WAZY (96.5 FM) Video

REPORT: BIG TEN COACHES PUSH COMMISSIONER TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST MICHIGAN

Many Big Ten coaches pushed conference commissioner Tony Petitti to take action against Michigan during a call Wednesday, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Michigan is involved in an NCAA investigation for allegedly running a sign-stealing scheme.

Coaches apparently described how the operation worked to Petitti and called it “tainted” and “fraudulent.”

Many on the call acknowledged that the NCAA’s investigation is unlikely to affect Michigan this season. The Wolverines are off to an 8-0 start and placed third in the first College Football Playoff rankings.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was also on the call, but he left early in order to give the conference’s coaches an opportunity to discuss the sign-stealing allegations, Thamel adds.

The NCAA has reportedly interviewed members of Michigan’s staff about the allegations. The scandal took another turn this week when Central Michigan began investigating photos that appeared to show now-suspended Wolverines staffer Connor Stalions standing on its sideline for the season opener against Michigan State. Stalions also reportedly bought tickets to games involving numerous Big Ten schools and other potential Michigan opponents.

NFL NEWS

PICKETT HITS JOHNSON FOR LATE TOUCHDOWN AS THE STEELERS SLIP PAST LEVIS, TITANS 20-16

PITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Steelers know their margin for error is impossibly thin. They know no other way.

The tighter the finish, the more the team they believe they can be – a team that rarely, if ever, shows itself for four quarters – emerges.

“You can’t get nervous,” running back Jaylen Warren said. “We’re not ones to fold. When the pressure builds, we love it. We love it.”

Sure looks like it.

Kenny Pickett threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson with 4:02 to go and Pittsburgh’s defense turned away Tennessee rookie quarterback Will Levis twice in the final minutes as the Steelers rallied for a 20-16 victory on Thursday night.

Pittsburgh (5-3) bounced back from a dismal loss to Jacksonville on Sunday by doing what it has done so well for so long: hanging around long enough to pull it out in the end.

Four of Pittsburgh’s five wins this season have come in games they trailed entering the fourth quarter. All five of Pittsburgh’s victories have come by eight points or less.

“The fact that we continue to find ways to win, I think is a huge advantage to us,” said Pickett, who threw for 190 yards and the winning score while playing with aching ribs. “No one panics down the stretch. We all are confident in each other.”

Pickett struggled at times while completing 19 of 30 but found Johnson for 32 yards down the sideline on the go-ahead drive then hit him again on a little out to Johnson just beyond the goal line for the receiver’s first touchdown reception since Jan. 3, 2022, a span of 23 games.

“It was a big deal to get him in the end zone,” Pickett said. “It’s been too long for sure.”

Johnson finished with seven receptions for 90 yards. Warren added 112 total yards – including a burst over the right side for 22 yards on the winning drive. Najee Harris had 76 total yards and a touchdown as the Steelers continued a startling trend. Pittsburgh is the 29th team since 1970 to be outgained in each of its first eight games and the only one to have a winning record in spite of it.

“Obviously we’re not satisfied with where we are,” Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt said. “We just need to continue to improve and eliminate problems as quickly as possible.”

Levis played well in his second NFL start but couldn’t match the electricity of his first, a four-touchdown masterpiece against Atlanta. Levis threw for 262 yards but his 39th and final pass ended up being the first interception of his career when Steelers linebacker Kwon Alexander picked off a pass at the goal line with 6 seconds remaining to seal it.

“It’s so hard to win games and you have an opportunity like that to win it at the end and it doesn’t happen, it makes you feel a whole lot worse,” Levis said. “Credit to them. they made the plays when they needed to and we didn’t.”

BURKS CARTED OFF

Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks was carted off the field with just over 2 minutes to go when he landed hard on the Acrisure Stadium turf after unsuccessfully trying to haul in a fourth-down heave from Levis.

The second-year pro lay on the field for several minutes while being tended to by medical staff from both teams. Burks was alert and moving in the training room after the game.

“It’s probably better than how it looked,” Vrabel said.

CANADA IMMIGRATES

The Steelers moved embattled offensive coordinator Matt Canada from the coaching box to the sideline in hopes of helping provide a spark to a unit that began the night near the bottom of the league in every meaningful statistical category.

The immediate returns were encouraging. The Steelers ran for a season-high 166 yards and scored a touchdown on the opening possession for the first time all season.

ROOKIES SHINE

Steelers first-round pick Broderick Jones fit in seamlessly while making his first NFL start at right tackle. Jones was noticeable during a handful of longer runs and helped clear the lane for Harris on his 10-yard touchdown sprint in the first quarter.

Second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. asked Tomlin during the week for the chance to shadow Titans star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. A week after reaching the end zone three times against Atlanta, Hopkins was limited to four receptions for 60 yards despite being targeted a game-high 11 times.

“I was just like, ‘he’s got to see me,’” Porter said. “I just try to go in there with that chip on my shoulder and give him that good work.”

INJURIES

Titans: Four different Tennessee offensive linemen – left tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere, left guard Peter Skoronski, right guard Daniel Brunskill and tackle Andre Dillard – had to be helped off the field at some point during the game. All but Petit-Frere (shoulder) returned. … CB Sean Murphy-Bunting left in the first half with a thumb injury.

Steelers: Lost defensive tackle Montravius Adams to an ankle injury in the first quarter. Inside linebacker Cole Holcomb was carted off in the first quarter with what appeared to be a serious left knee injury.

UP NEXT

Titans: Continue a three-game road trip when they travel to Tampa Bay on Nov. 12.

Steelers: Finish up a three-game homestand on Nov. 12 when Green Bay visits.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW TOP 25: #4 MICHIGAN STATE

2022-23:	21-13, 11-8 (4th, Big Ten)
	NCAA Tournament – Sweet 16
Location:	East Lansing, MI
Coach:	TOM IZZO (29th Season)
Homecourt:	BRESLIN CENTER (14,797)
Key Departures:	JOEY HAUSER (14.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Key Newcomers:	XAVIER BOOKER (freshman, Cathedral HS)
	JEREMY FEARS, JR. (freshman, Joliet West HS)
	COEN CARR (freshman, Legacy Early College)
	GEHRIG NORMAND (freshman, Birdville HS)

ROSTER

#	Player	Pos.	Listed	Year	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3PT%
11	A.J. Hoggard	G	6-4	Sr.	30.6	12.9	3.7	5.9	0.9	0.3	41.7	32.9
2	Tyson Walker	G	6-1	Gr.	33.9	14.8	2.5	2.9	1.1	0.2	45.9	41.5
3	Jaden Akins	G	6-4	Jr.	27.4	9.8	4.0	1.2	1.2	0.4	42.0	42.2
25	Malik Hall	F	6-8	Gr.	25.7	8.9	4.3	1.2	0.5	0.4	43.6	32.7
22	Mady Sissoko	C	6-9	Sr.	21.4	5.1	6.1	0.5	0.3	0.8	61.2	–
34	Xavier Booker	F	6-11	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1	Jeremy Fears, Jr.	G	6-0	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
55	Coen Carr	G/F	6-7	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
7	Gehrig Normand	G	6-6	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
0	Jaxon Kohler	F	6-9	So.	10.8	3.0	2.9	0.3	0.1	0.5	50.5	0.0
5	Tre Holloman	G	6-2	So.	8.6	1.3	0.8	0.9	0.1	0.1	38.6	23.1
15	Carson Cooper	C	6-11	So.	6.6	1.6	0.9	0.1	0.1	0.3	73.1	–

FROM THE COACH

“We have a real chance this year. Last year, everyone was on me because we didn’t go to the portal, but we developed these guys. I’m trying to build a program, and I hope this year it’ll pay dividends.”

—Tom Izzo

THE SCOOP

The past three seasons, Tom Izzo’s record in Big Ten games is a shocking 31-28. Izzo is known as Mr. March, but the last three exits have come in the First Four, the second round and the Sweet 16 — not exactly what fans have been accustomed to around East Lansing.

The Sparty faithful are clamoring to be relevant again nationally, and they want to be fighting for banners rather than just getting into the tourney. This year, Michigan State has the blend of experience, talented young guys and depth — especially on the perimeter — to win the Big Ten and also make a Final Four run.

Izzo has been to the sport’s final weekend eight times, and the 69-year-old head coach is looking for another berth to the Final Four. Maybe even a national title.

“We’ve got a chance,” Izzo said. “You’ve got to be knocking on the door before you get in.”

ROAD TO SUCCESS

Izzo has no shortage of perimeter guys and plenty of experience. Those will be the strengths of this year’s Michigan State team.

“We’re old,” Izzo said matter-of-factly.

Former Northeastern Husky Tyson Walker struggled mightily in his first season in East Lansing  but led the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) in Year 2 while shooting 42% from 3 and stepping it up on the defensive end. Walker could become an All-American this season.

Look for Jaden Akins to join Walker as the other go-to guy when the game is on the line. The 6-4 junior wing battled injuries early last season, but wound up averaging 9.8 points in league play while shooting 43% from long range. The key for Akins will be expanding his offensive game and also helping out on the glass.

A.J. Hoggard is also back. The 6-4 senior has made steady progress each season and averaged 12.9 points and 5.9 assists last year. But he’ll need to improve his consistency and leadership — as well as his perimeter shot after making just 28% of his 3s in his college career.

In case that consistency doesn’t come, Izzo has some other options in the backcourt: 6-2 sophomore Tre Holloman and talented freshman Jeremy Fears (No. 31 recruit). Holloman is a big-time athlete who needs to prove he can make shots from deep while Fears is a strong, tough, high IQ guard who reminds Izzo of Mateen Cleaves.

Malik Hall will be returning from minor surgery on his left foot, but he’s another veteran who brings versatility to the table and can space the court. The fifth-year player battled through injuries last season but shot 43% from 3 two years ago.

The post will once again be a three-headed monster that all bring something different.

Mady Sissoko is the veteran. He started 33 games last year and gives the Spartans toughness and a physical presence in the paint. Jaxon Kohler is super-skilled and could take a jump as a sophomore as long as he improves on the defensive end, and fellow sophomore Carson Cooper is an Izzo favorite because he plays hard and usually makes the right decisions.

The prize of the freshman class, at least in terms of the rankings, is Xavier Booker (No. 14). The 6-10 center comes in with a ton of natural ability, but he might take a year or more to develop. Booker is long, skilled and tantalizing, but he also needs to gain strength and learn to play hard on a consistent basis. Michigan State also brings in forward Coen Carr (No. 33), a freak athlete who brings energy, toughness and ferociousness on the offensive glass – but will need to work on extending his range.

POTENTIAL POTHOLES

There just aren’t many holes with this Michigan State team. The Spartans have eight of their top 10 players back from last season, a plethora of perimeter players, and some young, high-end talent. Not to mention one of the best coaches the sport has ever seen.

Izzo said he wants to see improved leadership with this group — especially from the backcourt duo of Hoggard and Walker. Hoggard has been vocal and is coming off his best summer, but he needs to be consistent with his approach. Izzo raves about Walker’s work ethic and wants him to take on more of a leadership role.

Then there’s the lack of a post presence.

“I don’t think we have a great post-up game,” Izzo said. “But then again, who does anymore?”

Sissoko showed flashes, but the guards can’t throw it into him for an automatic bucket. Cooper is solid, but he’s not ready for that, either. Kohler has terrific footwork and low-post moves, but the concern is his ability to defend. Booker is a wild card — he can be a lob threat and runs the floor well, but he’s not necessarily someone who can go get a basket in the post.

Michigan State also lost Joey Hauser, the team’s best pure shooter, in the offseason. That will put pressure on guys like Walker and Akins to make sure they don’t regress in that department.

Staying healthy is always important for Izzo who has definitely adapted over the years, but he demands plenty of his players and goes harder with his practices than most.

But these are minor concerns compared to what most of the rest of the country is facing. In truth, Izzo has just about everything he needs at his disposal this season: talent, depth, experience, perimeter play.

“I’m going to play a little differently than we have lately,” Izzo said. “I’m not going to press-press, but we’re going to pressure the ball a lot more. We have the personnel to be able to do it. I’m going to try and wear other teams out. We’ve got some guys that can really get after it and defend.”

THE X-FACTOR

This one is easy: It’s Hoggard and Hall.

When Hoggard plays well, Michigan State has been extremely difficult to beat. But when he doesn’t, the Spartans have been vulnerable.

In the regular season, Hoggard had near triple-doubles against Villanova early in the season and against Maryland in Big Ten play. But in the loss to Ohio State in last year’s Big Ten tourney, Izzo pulled him after he was completely ineffective. A few games later, in the Spartans’ overtime loss to Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament, Hoggard put up a career-high 25 points to go along with six assists.

It’s been almost Jekyll and Hyde when it comes to Hoggard. Izzo doesn’t know what he’s going to get on any given night.

One aspect that could contribute to a more consistent Hoggard is having competition behind him in the form of Fears. The freshman is regarded as a tireless worker; he’s poised, smart and tough. He might help Hoggard’s focus.

Hall is also a major X-factor for Michigan State. He wasn’t himself physically last season, and it showed. He averaged 8.9 points for the second-consecutive season but was far less efficient shooting the ball. He shot 55% from the field and 43% from 3 as a junior, and those numbers dropped to 48% and 33% from deep last year. If he can get back to 100%, make shots, do a little bit of everything and defend multiple positions, he can take this team to another level and plug a significant hole.

“He was hurt all season,” Izzo said of Hall. “He can really shoot it, he puts it on the floor, he’s athletic and is tough. He’s just one of those hybrid guys who does a lot for us.”

THE OUTLOOK

There aren’t many glaring holes with this Spartans team.

Guard play? Check. A collection of solid bigs? Check. Experience, youth, a Hall of Fame head coach? Check, check, check.

This is one of those years where it’ll be a bit disappointing if Michigan State isn’t fighting for the Big Ten regular-season title. Equally disappointing would be another early exit from the NCAA Tournament.

Izzo has what just about everyone wants these days: Perimeter guys with experience who can shoot it and make plays, multiple point guards, athleticism, guys who defend, quality chemistry, and big men who fill a role.

It’s difficult to imagine Sparty not being in the hunt when it matters most come March. Maybe Izzo can finally hang another national title banner at the Breslin Center.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW TOP 25: #3 PURDUE

2022-23:	29-6, 15-5 (1st, Big Ten)
	NCAA Tournament – First Round
Location:	West Lafayette, IN
Coach:	MATT PAINTER (19th Season)
Homecourt:	MACKEY ARENA (14,804)
Key Departures:	BRANDON NEWMAN (6.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 apg)
	DAVID JENKINS (3.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.8 apg)
Key Newcomers:	LANCE JONES (transfer, Southern Illinois)
	MYLES COLVIN (freshman, Heritage Christian)

ROSTER

#	Player	Pos.	Listed	Year	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3PT%
3	Braden Smith	G	6-0	So.	30.3	9.7	4.2	4.4	1.2	0.2	43.8	37.6
55	Lance Jones*	G	6-1	5th	31.0	13.8	3.1	2.4	1.6	0.1	36.8	28.0
2	Fletcher Loyer	G	6-4	So.	28.9	11.0	1.7	2.4	0.6	0.1	36.7	32.6
4	Trey Kaufman-Renn	F	6-9	R-So.	11.3	4.5	1.8	0.7	0.4	0.2	49.6	25.0
15	Zach Edey	C	7-4	Sr.	31.7	22.3	12.9	1.5	0.2	2.1	60.7
25	Ethan Morton	G	6-7	Sr.	25.1	3.8	2.9	2.4	0.8	0.5	32.0	27.7
0	Mason Gillis	F	6-6	R-Sr.	20.5	6.8	3.8	1.3	0.5	0.1	45.8	35.6
1	Caleb Furst	F	6-10	Jr.	18.4	5.5	4.6	0.7	0.4	0.3	51.3	26.8
5	Myles Colvin	G	6-5	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
44	Will Berg	C	7-2	R-Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
23	Camden Heide	F	6-7	R-Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
11	Brian Waddell	F	6-7	R-So.	8.1	0.5	0.6	0.4	0.1	0.0	15.8	0.0

FROM THE COACH

“I have to hold myself accountable. We haven’t gotten it done the last few years in the NCAA Tournament, and that’s on me.”

—Matt Painter

THE SCOOP

Purdue was one of the best teams in the country the entire 2022-23 season.

The Boilermakers weren’t expected to contend for the Big Ten title, but that changed after they swept West Virginia, Gonzaga and Duke in Portland, reeled off nine straight in January and won the league with a 15-5 record. Zach Edey swept all the National Player of the Year awards, the young backcourt of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer was much better than anyone expected, and Purdue was one of the best in the country on both offense and defense.

Then came the NCAA Tournament and another early exit. Purdue has had some disappointing Marches in the past, but this — a loss to 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson — was up there with the biggest upsets in tourney history.

Coupled with a loss the previous season to 15 seed Saint Peter’s in the Sweet 16, Painter made an effort to get more athletic. But Purdue also has seven of its top nine scorers back from last season — including Edey.

ROAD TO SUCCESS

Surprise, surprise: Purdue’s success will start with the return of Edey — who was absolutely unstoppable last season.

The 7-4 senior averaged 22.3 points and 12.9 rebounds while shooting 61% from the field and 73% from the line. With his presence, opposing teams have to pick their poison: double-team the big man and leave perimeter guys open, or try and play Edey straight up, which generally doesn’t work.

“Zach really improved on ball-screen defense,” Painter said. “He also went from a non-shot- blocker to a shot-blocker.”

There’s also the reminder that Edey played with the Canadian National Team this past summer, and he’s someone who has only been playing organized basketball since 2018 — so Painter expects his center to make another jump this year.

“He’s far more confident than he was a year ago,” Painter added. “More sure of himself.”

The backcourt of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer now has a year of experience.

Smith had a ton on his plate as a freshman, having to play 30-plus minutes and handle the bulk of the pressure and point guard duties. He’s a terrific passer, but Painter wants him to be more aggressive trying to score.

As for Loyer, he battled through a calf injury and wore down towards the end of the season, but the 6-4, 180-pound shooting guard still had a nice freshman campaign. Loyer will need to be more consistent shooting the ball from deep this year and also improve on the defensive end.

Painter added a couple of perimeter players who should add some athleticism and also take some pressure off Smith and Loyer. Lance Jones is a fifth-year combo guard who spent the past four seasons at Southern Illinois. He has scored more than 1,500 career points, made more than 200 3s and was an all-league defender in the Missouri Valley. Freshman Myles Colvin, the son of former NFL linebacker Roosevelt Colvin, is an athletic 6-5 guard who can also make shots from the perimeter.

Expect to see Trey Kaufman-Renn’s role increase this season after the 6-9, 230-pound redshirt sophomore played about 11 minutes a game last season. Kaufman-Renn will play alongside Edey and gives the Boilermakers a versatile forward who can score from the perimeter and pass from the high-post. Caleb Furst started 21 games last season, averaging 5.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest. The 6-10 junior can play the 4 and also backup Edey in the middle.

Elsewhere in the frontcourt, Mason Gillis started 15 games a year ago. He gives Painter a versatile forward and was one of the few guys who made shots from deep in 2022-23. Ethan Morton brings leadership, experience, intangibles and defense, and Brian Waddell is a 6-8 forward who should be able to provide length and shot-making off the bench. Redshirt freshman Cam Heide sat last year while recovering from a foot injury, but he’ll also add some athleticism and perimeter shooting.

POTENTIAL POTHOLES

The key for this Purdue team is making perimeter shots. Edey will attract a ton of attention down low, and that means his teammates will get wide-open looks.

They made enough of them early last season, but struggled down the stretch and in the NCAA Tournament loss to FDU — where the Boilermakers shot just 5-of-26 (19.2%) from beyond the arc, with many of the attempts being uncontested. The previous season, in the loss to Saint Peter’s, Purdue was 5-of-21 (23.8%) from deep.

“As the season ended, we collectively lost our confidence shooting,” Painter said. “We were missing uncontested shots.”

Painter is hoping that Jones will help. While he has made 205 3s in his four-year college career, he’s also just a career 33% shooter from long range. Kaufman-Renn is capable, and maybe Waddell, Heide and even Colvin will also help improve the overall perimeter shooting.

But Purdue shot just 32% collectively last season, and this is a team that needs to take advantage of having Edey in the post. The Boilermakers should be shooting near 40% with all of the open looks their big man helps to provide.

As imperative as it is to make shots, Purdue also needs to find a way to grind out a win in the NCAA Tournament when the shots aren’t falling from long range.

Against teams like Saint Peter’s and FDU, the Boilermakers need to find a way to get the ball down low to Edey and also use the added quickness and athleticism to their advantage on defense. Purdue made huge strides on that end from two years ago to last season, and the hope now is that the addition of Jones (and added experience for everyone else) will allow it to win games with its defense.

While Painter has a superstar in the middle, and a lot of high-IQ players who know how to play, one aspect that he’s missing is a dynamic wing — someone who can just go get a bucket and make something from nothing. That’s not Loyer’s game, or even Jones’, and there’s really no one capable of doing that on the roster.

THE X-FACTOR

Lance Jones is the newcomer, a veteran brought in to help in a variety of areas, to make this team more formidable when it matters most.

Jones is a terrific defender with quickness and athleticism who can also alleviate Smith’s role as the lone guy who has to handle ball pressure. He is also someone who can make shots from the perimeter, although he is still erratic in that area. Jones isn’t a true point guard, but he can help Smith with his overall experience.

“For us, he can play the point and also the 2,” Painter said. “He can make shots and also defend at a high level. He was someone we really targeted in the offseason to be able to give us what we needed.”

But it won’t just be Jones as the X-factor. It’ll also be whether or not Kaufman-Renn can mesh together with Edey up front, and also whether he’ll provide enough offensively in terms of stepping out and knocking down mid-range shots and even some 3s.

And that’s not all.

Purdue’s ceiling also hinges on whether Smith and Loyer make that jump that so many coaches talk about from their freshman to sophomore seasons. Smith must take care of the ball, be more of a weapon offensively, and get into the lane looking to score instead of his pass-first approach. Loyer, meanwhile, needs to make sure he’s physically capable of holding up. The other guys collectively will need to make open shots.

THE OUTLOOK

Purdue will have a chance to repeat as Big Ten champion. The Boilermakers still have the country’s most dominant player in Edey, they have no shortage of depth, their guards are no longer freshmen — and Painter is considered one of the best coaches in the country.

But the end-all for this team and this program is still that elusive Final Four appearance. Painter has taken his alma mater to the NCAA Tournament 14 times since 2007, with a half-dozen trips to the Sweet 16 in that span, plus an Elite Eight in 2019.

This team certainly has the pieces to get there, but Purdue will need to be able to make open shots when it matters — and keep feeding the big guy.

Athleticism, quickness and skill. Those were the areas Painter and his staff wanted to address after the early NCAA Tourney exit.

“We feel like we shored up our holes,” Painter said.

The question now is whether it’s enough to end that Final Four drought.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW TOP 25: #2 KANSAS

2022-23:	28-8, 13-5 (1st Big 12)
	NCAA Tournament – Second Round
Location:	LAWRENCE, KS
Coach:	BILL SELF (21st season)
Homecourt:	PHOG ALLEN FIELDHOUSE (16,300)
Key Departures:	JALEN WILSON (20.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.2 apg)
	GRADEY DICK (14.7 ppf, 5.1 rpg, 40.3 3PT%)
	JOSEPH YESUFU (4.1 ppg)
	ERNEST UDEH JR. (2.6 ppg)
Key Newcomers:	HUNTER DICKINSON (transfer, Michigan)
	NICK TIMBERLAKE (transfer, Towson)
	ELMARKO JACKSON (freshman, South Kent HS, CT)
	JOHNNY FURPHY (freshman, Australia)
	JAMARI MCDOWELL (freshman, Manvel HS, TX)
	PARKER BRAUN (transfer, Santa Clara)

ROSTER

#	Player	Pos.	Listed	Year	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3PT%
3	Dajuan Harris Jr.	G	6-2	R-Jr.	34.2	8.9	2.5	6.2	2.2	0.4	47.1	40.5
13	Elmarko Jackson	G	6-3	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
15	Kevin McCullar Jr.	G	6-7	R-Sr.	30.6	10.7	7.0	2.4	2.0	0.7	44.4	29.6
24	KJ Adams Jr.	F	6-7	So.	27.3	10.6	4.3	1.9	0.8	0.8	62.2	0.0
1	Hunter Dickinson*	C	7-2	Sr.	32.7	18.5	9.0	1.5	0.5	1.8	56.0	42.1
25	Nick Timberlake*	G	6-4	RSr.	35.7	17.7	3.9	2.4	1.0	0.4	45.5	41.6
10	Johnny Furphy	G	6-8	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
23	Parker Braun*	F	6-10	Gr.	29.3	7.7	5.8	2.0	0.5	1.0	55.3	24.6
11	Jamari McDowell	G	6-4	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
41	Zach Clemence	F	6-11	So.	5.7	1.4	1.3	0.1	0.1	0.4	32.4	22.2

FROM THE COACH

“We’re adding Houston, a team that was a 1 seed last year. We’ve been a 1 seed the last two years. Baylor’s been a 1 seed two of the last three years. Houston made a Final Four two years ago. We won it. Baylor won it. Texas Tech made the final in 2019. I don’t know if there is a conference that is close to what this can be now, and that’s not even counting Arizona.”

—Bill Self

Note: The above tables and below copy was updated on 10/3/23 to reflect the dismissal of Arterio Morris.

THE SCOOP

It’s wild to think about, but in an offseason where Kansas lost seven players to transfer and two players to the NBA Draft, they were one of the biggest winners of the spring. But that’s what happens when you go out and land the best and most accomplished player to ever put his name into the transfer portal.

That’s exactly what Self did when he earned a commitment from Hunter Dickinson, the former Michigan All-American and one of the current favorites for 2024 National Player of the Year. With the addition of Dickinson, the return of Kevin McCullar Jr., and the players that Self already had on this roster, there’s a reason that the Jayhawks are expected by many to enter the season as the consensus preseason No. 1 team in the country.

The unexpected: Self is heading into a year with what amounts to three frontcourt players, and he’s not worried about it.

“Fifteen years ago, I never would have done this,” he said. “We had one team with Cole Aldrich, the Morris twins, Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey as our fifth big man. That’s five All-Americans and four lottery picks.”

This year, a former Missouri walk-on will be the only big man off the bench expected to see minutes for Kansas, and yet, Self couldn’t be more excited about his program.

ROAD TO SUCCESS

Dajuan Harris Jr. is a former national champion who Bill Self calls “the best pass-first point guard that I’ve ever been around.”

McCullar and KJ Adams Jr. are both double-digit scorers returning to school.

Elmarko Jackson has potential a sneaky lottery pick, and Self and his staff are truly excited about the freshman.

That’s all well and good, but you cannot talk about Kansas and start anywhere other than Hunter Dickinson, who is the perfect marriage between the old Bill Self and new Bill Self.

New Bill Self has fully-embraced small-ball. It started with the year that Josh Jackson played the 4 in his offense. It reached a pinnacle last season, when the 6-7 Adams played the 5 for the Jayhawks. But where Self’s bread has always been buttered is with a 5-man that really understands how to get position, seal off a defender and score the easiest of baskets at the rim.

The beauty of Dickinson is that he can be both of those things.

“He is the second-best passer on our team besides Dajuan,” Self said. “He may be as good of a percentage 3-point shooter as we have. And he can still score 18 points per game in the paint.”

Self is still figuring out exactly how he’s going to play with Dickinson, but as he tells it, that’s a good thing. It’s less ‘I don’t know the answer’ and more ‘which of these good options is the best option.’ And to Dickinson’s credit, he’s been nothing but a great teammate since he arrived in Lawrence. He’s a willing and able worker who “is more than what we envisioned he would be in terms of ‘we instead of me,’” Self said.

“My goal is to have people watch us and say, ‘that is the most versatile big man in America.’”

Dickinson’s versatility will pair perfectly with the presence of Adams, who grew into his role in Big 12 play last season. He played out of position a year ago, but should thrive at the 4 in an offense where Dickinson pulls centers away from the rim.

If there is a concern in the frontcourt, it’s a lack of depth. There are only two other bigs on the roster. One of them is Parker Braun, Christian’s older brother, who spent the past two seasons at Santa Clara after walking on at Missouri his first two years. The other is Zach Clemence, who is expected to redshirt this season. 

Self says he isn’t concerned.

“I see it as three guys for one spot at the 5,” Self said. “At the 4, it’s KJ then all of our guards.”

POTENTIAL POTHOLES

Let’s be clear: Kansas has one of the best, if not the best, crop of perimeter players in college basketball. It starts with Harris, who is as good of a pure point guard as you will find.

“There is not a better winner in college basketball than Dajuan,” Self said. “He’s a good athlete, he has the intellect, the toughness, the feel. His vision, his hands. The one thing that he hasn’t done is look to score, and we want him to look to score more this year.”

A senior who has already won everything you can win at the college level, Harris is an elite on-ball defender that has developed into a reliable shooter during his time in Lawrence. No one is going to confuse him with Gradey Dick, but he shot better than 40% from 3 on more than two attempts per game last year.

The most interesting positional battle on the Kansas roster this year will be who starts alongside Harris. The early favorite appears to be Nick Timberlake, a 6-4 grad transfer from Towson. Timberlake is arguably the best shooter on the roster, and Self needs him to embrace that role.

“We need him to shoot and make shots,” Self said. “He’s been OK but not as aggressive as what I’d like to see. He defers when he needs to play the same role with us as he did with Towson.”

That has opened the door for the freshman Jackson, an explosive 6-3 combo-guard who is the best athlete Kansas has on the perimeter. He already has the physical tools to compete on the defensive side of the ball in the Big 12. As Self puts it, “he’s a jumper away from being an elite guard, even early in his career. He’s been very impressive.”

The Jayhawks had hoped to count on Arterio Morris, another former five-star recruit who transferred in from Texas. However, he was dismissed from the team in late September after being arrested and charged with rape. This followed a plea deal for a misdemeanor assault charge from summer of 2022.

Back on the court, McCullar is the glue guy, the piece that brings everything together. He’s a terrific passer on the wing. He’s as good of a defender as you’ll find in the Big 12. He can rebound, he can play in transition, he’s improving as a shooter. Many thought he would head to the NBA Draft, but he made the decision to return to Lawrence late in May — a massive boost for this program. His ability to move up to the 4 in a small-ball lineup will provide Kansas with a level of versatility that few teams can match.

McCullar will likely be spelled by Johnny Furphy, a late addition to the program. An Australian with a tremendous upside, Furphy committed to Kansas in July. A younger prospect, he arrived on campus at just 185 pounds despite standing 6-8.

“He’s similar to Svi [Mykhailiuk] at the same stage,” Self said. Without Morris, Furphy will be counted on that much more. “He’s one of the best prospects we have, and he’s ready to impact us. He shoots it good, but he’s gotta get to where he shoots it great.”

And that is where the pothole with this group lies.

If Jackson ends up starting for Kansas at the 2, the Jayhawks are going to roll out a lineup where their two best percentage shooters are at the point and at the 5. When so much of what they want to do will be centered around ball-screens for that point guard — Harris — and that 5-man — Dickinson — you can see where spacing can become a concern. 

THE X-FACTOR

The two best prospects on the Kansas roster in terms of NBA upside are Elmarko Jackson and Johnny Furphy.

Both are athletic. Both have good positional size. And both are young, high-upside players whose best basketball is in front of them.

But just how far in front?

Both guys have the kind of talent and potential that will excite NBA scouts, but if they can find a way to turn some of that potential into production this season, it does change the calculus for this group a bit.

Reading the tea leaves, the key for Jackson is going to be how far his jumper comes over the course of the fall. Can he go from being a guy who can make shots to a guy who is a shooter? That’s the difference between being a flashy freshman with a nice highlight reel and being someone who averages double-figures and forces Self to start him.

With Furphy, the key is going to be the transition to playing at the Big 12 level. He needs to shoot it better, but at 6-8 on a team that will need to use him in a small-ball 4 role, he’ll need to be ready to deal with that kind of physicality.

THE OUTLOOK

The Jayhawks are loaded.

In a league where there are as many as 11 teams with the potential to make a run to an NCAA Tournament bid, Kansas is the clear-cut favorite. In a season where the reigning champs reloaded, Duke returned two potential first-team All-Americans, Purdue returned the National Player of the Year, Marquette returned almost everyone, and Michigan State looks like a juggernaut, make no mistake: Kansas will see plenty of love and earn preseason No.1 votes.

It’s going to be a fun year to be a Jayhawk, one in which the program should add a banner or three to its collection.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW TOP 25: #1 DUKE

2022-23:	27-9, 14-6 (T-3rd, ACC)
	NCAA Tournament – Second Round
Location:	Durham, NC
Coach:	JON SCHEYER (2nd SEASON)
Homecourt:	CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM (9,314)
Key Departures:	DERECK LIVELY II (5.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.4 bpg)
	DARIQ WHITEHEAD (8.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.0 apg)
	JACOB GRANDISON (4.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Key Newcomers:	JARED McCAIN (freshman, Centennial)
	SEAN STEWART (freshman, Montverde)
	CALEB FOSTER (freshman, Notre Dame HS)
	TJ POWER (freshman, Worcester Academy)

ROSTER

#	Player	Pos.	Listed	Year	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3PT%
3	Jeremy Roach	G	6-2	Sr.	33.2	13.6	2.5	3.1	0.9	0.0	42.7	34.3
1	Caleb Foster	G	6-5	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
5	Tyrese Proctor	G	6-5	So.	29.4	9.4	3.1	3.3	0.6	0.1	38.1	32.0
25	Mark Mitchell	F	6-9	So.	27.1	9.1	4.5	1.2	0.6	0.5	46.9	35.2
30	Kyle Filipowski	C	7-0	So.	29.1	15.1	9.0	1.6	1.3	0.7	44.1	28.2
0	Jared McCain	G	6-3	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
15	Ryan Young	C	6-10	Gr.	17.6	6.4	5.5	1.3	0.3	0.5	68.5	–
12	TJ Power	F	6-9	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
13	Sean Stewart	F	6-9	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
14	Jaden Schutt	G	6-5	So.	6.9	2.1	1.1	0.4	0.1	0.1	35.7	35.0
2	Jaylen Blakes	G	6-2	Jr.	13.2	3.3	1.5	1.3	0.6	0.2	35.5	34.1
21	Christian Reeves	C	7-1	So.	3.2	1.5	0.9	0.1	0.1	0.0	72.7	–

FROM THE COACH

“I think you’re going to see a more athletic, more explosive player (in Kyle Filipowski) this year. He was hardly able to bend last year because of his hips.”

—Jon Scheyer

THE SCOOP

It’s not easy to replace a legend, arguably the best coach in college basketball history.

Jon Scheyer passed his first test, despite the Blue Devils losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Scheyer dealt with early season injuries to a couple of his top freshmen — Dereck Lively II and Dariq Whitehead — and still managed to win 27 games while going 14-6 in the ACC.

Scheyer should be better with a year under his belt sitting in the head coach’s seat. He brings back his top four scorers, two of whom had a chance to go pro this summer, and adds a top-10 recruiting class that includes four top-25 freshmen.

When Kyle Filipowski and Tyrese Proctor both opted to return for their sophomore campaigns, Duke didn’t just become the ACC favorite. The Blue Devils also became one of the frontrunners to win the national title.

ROAD TO SUCCESS

Scheyer will have just about everything he needs at his disposal: He’ll have the ideal combination of talent and experience, no shortage of perimeter players, and a proven big man who will be a Preseason All-American and National Player of the Year candidate.

Filipowski led the team in both scoring and rebounding (15.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg) as a freshman, and the key for his sophomore season will be how he returns from offseason double-hip surgery. Filipowski’s role will certainly change without Lively, especially on the defensive end, where he’ll have to play more in the post and try to provide rim protection. On offense, he’s a mismatch because of his size and versatility. Filipowski is confident he’ll be more effective post-surgery with his ability to explode off the floor and also move laterally, which should help on both ends of the court.

Proctor struggled early last season after reclassifying and arriving in Durham late in the summer, but the 6-5 Australian started to find his footing late in the season when he had the ball in his hands more. The expectation is that he’ll pick up where he left off and become one of the top all-around point guards in the country. He doesn’t have many weaknesses and can also be a terrific defender.

Senior Jeremy Roach is the forgotten man with Filipowski and Proctor back, and the arrival of four heralded frosh. Roach averaged 13.6 points last season, and he gives Scheyer a veteran who can lead, can score when necessary, and also has experience running the team.

Then there’s sophomore Mark Mitchell, who is vastly underrated because he does all the little things. The 6-9 forward is a terrific defender who can rebound and score a little bit. Veteran big man Ryan Young, as well as guards Jaylen Blakes and Jaden Schutt, will all help in reserve roles. Scheyer is also optimistic that 7-1 sophomore Christian Reeves can help provide some of the shot-blocking and rim protection the Blue Devils will miss without Lively.

All four freshmen could help this season, but Jared McCain (No. 14 in 247 Sports Composite) is the most likely to make the biggest impact. McCain is a 6-2 power guard who has the ability both to shoot it from deep and to get to the rim and finish around the basket.

Caleb Foster (No. 22) is more of a point guard who can also get to the hoop, but he doesn’t shoot it at the same level as McCain. Versatile forward TJ Power (No. 16)can do a little bit of everything — shoot it, rebound, move the ball — but he’ll likely fill a role this season. The final member of the group is 6-8 athletic forward Sean Stewart (No. 21), who will provide energy and toughness coming off the bench.

POTENTIAL POTHOLES

As noted, Filipowski is confident that he’s going to come back even more effective than he was last season, when he was Duke’s best player despite battling hip issues. But he had double-hip surgery shortly after the season concluded, and there’s obviously a chance that the big man doesn’t come back the way he hopes.

The Blue Devils can ill afford to have Filipowski out or at less than 100% because there’s just not much on the frontline in terms of offensive firepower. While Proctor’s development is important, Duke doesn’t have anyone who can do what Filipowski can up front. He can score both inside and out, rebounds at a high level and gives the team much-needed length in the frontcourt. Reeves is a project, and Duke would be in major trouble if Filipowski isn’t healthy.

With scorers up and down the roster, there’s not much of a worry that this Duke group will be able to put points on the board at a high level. All four returnees could be double-digit scorers. 

Since offense won’t be the issue, Scheyer understands that defense might be the key to this team fulfilling its potential. A year ago, the Blue Devils ranked 16^th in defensive efficiency, per KenPom — but they just don’t have a big-time rim protector this year.

“We need to be tough defensively,” Scheyer said. “We need to figure out how to have a really good defense, but do it in a different way when you remove a guy like Lively.”

Scheyer will also have to manage egos and minutes because this team has four key guys back — and four coming in who all are heralded and hopeful of making a significant impact. It’ll be interesting to see how the second-year head coach not only handles the expectations of his players but also the lofty expectations of this team.

Part of his approach is to convince his team it doesn’t matter whether players were ranked highly coming out of high school or if people are picking Duke to go to the Final Four. After all, Tobacco Road’s other school came into last season with extremely high expectations — and just look how that played out.

“You can’t assume anything is going to happen,” Scheyer said. “That’s a huge thing for our group.”

THE X-FACTOR

While Filipowski’s health will be critical, it’s Proctor’s overall play that may be as important as anything in Durham this season.

After deciding to enroll in college a year early, Proctor struggled out of the gates. He was terrific in preseason practice, but the early games were a different story. It was an adjustment, especially since Roach was playing with the ball in his hands early.

Proctor, regarded as a terrific perimeter shooter, shot just 32% from 3 for the season. However, his overall play did improve significantly in the second half of the season as he became more comfortable with the college game. It also helped when Roach moved off the ball and Proctor was playing more of the point.

“I think he’s going to take a big jump from his freshman to his sophomore year,” Scheyer said. “There’s a different confidence he has right now and a different swagger. He makes others better, and I think we’ll see his creativity as a player more and more.”

For Duke to be a legit national title contender, Proctor will need to be one of the best guards in the country. He’ll have to provide a combination of scoring and facilitating, make certain that his defense doesn’t drop off, and will need to show that he is indeed a better perimeter shooter than he displayed as a freshman.

If Proctor can develop into one of the best guards in America, then Duke should have a chance to live up to the preseason hype.

THE OUTLOOK

Scheyer has a year of head coaching experience, has one of the top point guards and one of the top big men in the country — and they both have a year of experience. He’s also got one of the best freshman classes coming in, but he doesn’t have to rely on them because of guys like Filipowski, Proctor, Roach and Mitchell all returning to Durham.

“I don’t know if there’s anything such as a perfect blend, but it’s damn close,” Scheyer said of his mix of veterans and frosh.

The expectations are always high at Duke, but last year they were also realistic in Scheyer’s first season at the helm replacing Mike Krzyzewski. Those expectations weren’t necessarily to win the national title, though. This year, it’ll be a disappointment if the Blue Devils don’t get to the Final Four.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW BIG EAST: PROVIDENCE

2022-23:	21-12, 13-7 (t-4th Big East)
	Lost NCAA First Round
Location:	PROVIDENCE, RI
Coach:	KIM ENGLISH (1st Season)
Homecourt:	AMICA MUTUAL PAVILION (12,410)
Key Departures:	ED CROSWELL (13.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg)
	NOAH LOCKE (11.0 ppg, 38.5% 3PT)
	JARED BYNUM (10.0 ppg, 4.3 apg, 2.4 rpg)
	ALYN BREED (4.8 ppg)
	CLIFTON MOORE (4.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Key Newcomers:	JOSH ODURO (transfer, George Mason)
	TICKET GAINES (transfer, George Mason)
	JUSTYN FERNANDEZ (transfer, George Mason)
	GARWEY DUAL (freshman, SoCal Academy, TX)
	DONOVAN SANTORO (freshman, SoCal Academy, CA)
	RICHARD BARRON (freshman, St. Ignatius, IL)
	ELI DELAURIER (freshman, Miller School, VA)

ROSTER

#	Player	Pos.	Listed	Year	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3PT%
22	Devin Carter	G	6-3	Jr.	32.0	13.0	4.9	2.5	1.8	1.1	42.7	29.9
3	Garwey Dual	G	6-5	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
0	Ticket Gaines*	G	6-7	RSr.	27.0	7.3	6.1	1.2	0.6	0.3	38.2	34.3
23	Bryce Hopkins	F	6-7	Jr.	34.9	15.8	8.5	2.3	0.8	0.6	45.2	36.4
13	Josh Oduro*	F	6-9	RSr.	29.1	15.6	7.9	2.6	0.8	0.9	55.1	23.3
14	Corey Floyd Jr.	G	6-4	RSo.	9.6	2.6	1.2	0.4	0.3	0.1	44.6	41.9
1	Jayden Pierre	G	6-2	So.	11.0	2.5	1.0	1.9	0.2	0.1	42.7	54.5
30	Rafael Castro	F	6-11	RSo.	6.5	1.8	2.1	0.3	0.4	0.5	51.4	0.0
4	Justyn Fernandez*	G	6-5	So.	14.1	4.1	1.9	0.5	0.3	0.1	37.0	33.8
10	Richard Barron	F	6-5	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2	Donovan Santoro	F	6-8	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
12	Eli DeLaurier	F	6-10	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

FROM THE COACH

“Outside of my relationship with God and my two daughters, nothing is more important to me in the world than Providence basketball. It is mine. I accept that responsibility. I want to do Rick Barnes’ and Rick Pitino’s and Ed Cooley’s program proud.”

—Kim English

THE SCOOP

Kim English takes over the Providence basketball program at a fascinating time in its development.

At 34 years old, he is the youngest high-major head coach in college basketball, more than a year younger than Duke’s Jon Scheyer. He comes to the Big East with just two seasons of head coaching experience and 34 career wins. He takes over for Ed Cooley, who spent more than a decade building his hometown team into a Big East champion before unceremoniously bolting for Georgetown.

With the way last season ended for the Friars, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see some of the biggest names head into the portal to try and capitalize on an NIL bidding war. But they didn’t. Bryce Hopkins came back. Devin Carter came back. Jayden Pierre came back after losing to English 1-on-1 on an Instagram livestream. Garwey Dual recommitted.

Throw in a trio of players that followed English from George Mason, and there isn’t a single new head coach in the country that is better positioned for success in the first year of their new job.

ROAD TO SUCCESS

For Providence, their path to a successful season under English is going to start and end with their two stars, Hopkins and Carter, both of whom have All-Big East upside with a real chance to play in the NBA one day.

Hopkins is the star of the show. He’s going to be the first name on every Providence opponent’s scouting report, and for good reason. At 6-7, 220 pounds, he is the ideal mismatch 4 for the college game, a guy with enough skill to burn bigger defenders away from the rim and the physicality to overpower guards in the paint.

“His talent is remarkable,” English said. “I’m going to use him all over the floor. As a rebounder, attacking in transition, in ball screens as a handler and a screener, to initiate offense, everything.”

While Hopkins is the guy that the Providence offense will be built around, Carter will be the focal point on the defensive end of the floor. 

“He is 1A when it comes to the toughest players I’ve ever been around at any level: NBA, Euroleague, college,” English said. “I love him.” 

He’ll be guarding an opponent’s best player every night, but English is excited for Carter to be able to showcase his ability on the offensive side of the ball as well.

Those two are the known quantities for Providence. When they are at their best, as they were for the first three months of last season, they are as good of a 1-2 punch as you’ll find in the Big East this season. If you took a snapshot of the Big East on the morning of Feb. 1, the Friars were tied with Marquette and Xavier for first place in the league standings, and there was a strong argument to be made that Hopkins was the Big East Player of the Year while Carter was, at minimum, a second-team all-league player.

For the Friars to be great again this season, Hopkins and Carter need to play up to, and above, that level.

POTENTIAL POTHOLES

Once you get past Hopkins and Carter, the rest of the roster is made up of talented but unproven players and transfers that spent last season playing in the Atlantic 10.

To start, Josh Oduro is entering his fifth season of college basketball after earning all-conference honors at George Mason last year. A skilled, 6-9 forward, Oduro’s versatility and passing ability were some of his best weapons in the Atlantic 10 a season ago. 

“The way we play, he’s a 5 for us,” English said, “but we will spend a good amount of games playing with two true bigs.”

Davonte ‘Ticket’ Gaines will play an important role as well — a 6-7 wing that profiles as a 3-and-D wing. He began his career at Tennessee with English before following him to Mason, where he was a double-figure scorer and a 40% 3-point shooter before breaking his hand. Last year, Mason was 16-6 with Gaines in the lineup and 4-7 without him. The third Mason transfer is Justyn Fernandez, a talented sophomore that tore his ACL in the spring.

“The Big East is a big step up,” English said, “but it was a big step up for Tyler Kolek. It was a step up for Ed Croswell and Jared Bynum.”

Gaines and Oduro will join Hopkins in English’s frontcourt this season, along with returnee Rafael Castro. The 6-11 Castro is an athletic 4. 

There are three players who will be competing to partner with Carter in the backcourt — Pierre, Dual and Corey Floyd — while freshmen Richard Barron and Donovan Santoro will compete for rotation minutes.

Pierre entered the portal in the spring but withdrew and returned to Providence. He’s a talented, attacking point guard that thrives in open space and will be given the freedom to shoot as a sophomore. English said, “I got a call from a former Big East coach that told me, ‘you need to do what you need to do to get him back, he’s a perfect guard for this league.’” 

Floyd is a former UConn transfer that is in his third season in college after reclassifying and redshirting at UConn in 2021-22. He’s a competitive defender that will be asked to be a 3-and-D role player. 

And Dual?

“He’s special,” English said.

THE X-FACTOR

When English officially signed his contract to take over at Providence, he knew there were things on the checklist that had to get done. He had to convince Hopkins to stay. He had to convince Carter to stay. He needed to make sure that the other pieces on the roster felt the love. And he needed to re-recruit the players at Mason he wanted to bring with him to campus.

So, on the first day on the job, what did he do?

“I was on a flight to LA, Day 1, to recruit Garwey Dual,” English said.

Dual committed to Cooley when he was still at Providence, but reopened his recruitment when Cooley took over at Georgetown. It took all of three weeks for English to convince him to recommit and enroll in the spring.

At 6-5, Dual’s biggest strength right now is on the defensive end of the floor. He’s long and versatile, he can guard three positions on the perimeter, and he has a penchant for being able to protect the rim. Offensively, he thrives as a slasher, a crafty driver and a finisher that is a better shooter than he gets credit for. 

“He hasn’t been what he was in high school,” English said of Dual’s improvement.

He’s the kind of athletic, playmaking wing that the Friars are missing on this roster. English wants to play with the floor spaced, with Hopkins and Oduro at the 4 and 5. That leaves a ton of room in the lane, and — more than anyone else on the roster — Dual has the ability to exploit that space.

THE OUTLOOK

With the talent at the top of the Big East this season, it would be shocking to see anyone outside of the 401 pick the Friars to win the regular season title like they did in 2022.

That said, it’s not crazy to think that they can be in the mix.

Remember, as recently as February, more than midway through league play, the Friars were sitting in first place while Hopkins and Carter were dominating games. They’re both back this season, and there is an argument to be made that this year’s supporting cast is on par with last year’s supporting cast.

There are a lot of ‘if’ here: If the Mason transfers adjust to a higher level; if the returning guards take a step forward; if Garwey Dual can impact the game as a freshman. That’s to say nothing of the fact that they’re going from one of the better X’s-and-O’s coaches in the league to a 34-year-old with 34 career wins. 

The Friars have the widest range of outcomes in the Big East: they could win the league, they could finish seventh, and everything in between.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW BIG EAST: SETON HALL

2022-23:	17-16, 10-10 (T-6th, Big East)
	Lost NIT First Round
Location:	NEWARK, NJ
Coach:	SHAHEEN HOLLOWAY (2nd Season)
Homecourt:	PRUDENTIAL CENTER (10,481)
Key Departures:	TYRESE SAMUEL (11.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
	KC NDEFO (8.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
	FEMI ODUKALE (7.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.3 apg)
	TRAY JACKSON (6.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
	JAMIR HARRIS (4.2 ppg)
Key Newcomers:	DYLAN ADDAE-WUSU (transfer, St. John’s)
	ELIJAH HUTCHINS-EVERETT (transfer, Austin Peay)
	SADRAQUE NGANGA (transfer, Boise State)
	JADEN BEDIAKO (transfer, Santa Clara)
	ISAIAH COLEMAN (freshman, Word of God Academy, VA)
	DAVID TUBEK (freshman, South Sudan)
	MALACHI BROWN (freshman, Legacy Early, GA)
	ARDA OZDOGAN (freshman, Turkey)

ROSTER

#	Player	Pos.	Listed	Year	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3PT%
1	Kadary Richmond	G	6-6	Sr.	27.6	10.1	5.2	4.1	2.0	0.3	41.7	44.4
2	Al-Amir Dawes	G	6-2	RSr.	31.5	12.6	2.6	1.7	1.1	0.1	39.1	38.2
0	Dylan Addae-Wusu*	G	6-4	Sr.	26.9	9.3	4.4	2.4	1.6	0.1	42.6	36.4
14	Dre Davis	F	6-6	Sr.	18.7	9.6	3.3	0.7	0.5	0.3	51.7	40.9
4	Elijah Hutchins-Everett*	C	6-11	Jr.	25.6	11.5	5.5	0.9	0.6	0.5	49.0	32.3
13	Jaquan Sanders	G	6-4	So.	9.0	2.3	1.1	0.4	0.0	0.1	36.2	32.4
23	JaQuan Harris	G	6-3	So.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
21	Isaiah Coleman	G	6-5	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
15	Jaden Bediako*	C	6-10	RSr.	32.4	10.8	3.5	3.4	1.0	0.5	39.1	33.0
7	Sadraque NgaNga*	F	6-10	So.	6.5	2.0	1.5	0.3	0.2	0.0	48.3	36.4
6	David Tubek	F	6-7	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
22	Malachi Brown	G	6-1	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
9	Arda Ozdogan	C	6-10	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

FROM THE COACH

“I wanted to establish a culture and put my stamp on the program the way I want it to be. We got some stuff accomplished last season, but we still have a long way to go.”

—Shaheen Holloway

THE SCOOP

It was supposed to be a match made in heaven: Shaheen Holloway returning to his alma mater, a place where he spent eight seasons as an assistant coach, on the back of taking 15 seed St. Peter’s to the Elite Eight — the first time a 15 seed ever came within a game of the Final Four.

While his first season was not without its successes — the Pirates finished 10-10 in one of the best conferences in America and won seven of eight from Jan. 7 to Feb. 5, to cap an 8-5 start in league play — the process came with growing pains. From an offseason that saw more than half of the roster deal with injuries and rehab to a season during which two of the most important players on the team suffered season-ending injuries, it never felt like Holloway’s team ever really clicked into high gear.

Then the offseason hit and Holloway watched as eight players from his roster left. 

“It’s going to be like that until this new way of basketball calms down a little,” Holloway said. “We had 10 guys here this summer. It’s tough, but it’s part of it. You can’t cry about it, it is what it is.”

With the return of three key pieces and the addition of a few valuable players from the portal, Holloway hopes to put his stamp on the program in his second season.

ROAD TO SUCCESS

Seton Hall is going to go as far as their backcourt takes them this season.

It starts with Al-Amir Dawes, a fifth-year senior from Newark that transferred to Seton Hall from Clemson last summer. There’s no doubt that Dawes had a good season; from a numbers perspective, it was his best season in college. He averaged a career-high in points, shot 38% from 3 on more than six attempts per game and started 29 games. Those are all good things.

But Holloway wants, needs and expects more out of the guy that will be taking on a leadership role this season. Dawes needs to take another step, not just as a scorer that took 60% of his field goals from beyond the arc but also as a creator that can get into the lane and make plays.

“He’s gotta do more for us,” Holloway said. “He settled for too many jumpers — drive the ball and create. We need him to be a playmaker, and I know he has those tools.”

Dawes will be joined in Seton Hall’s backcourt by Kadary Richmond and Dylan Addae-Wusu.

Richmond is the most intriguing of the three guards: he’s a guy with all the physical tools and none of the consistency. Addae-Wusu is a senior transfer from St. John’s, where he started last season. A New York City product, Addae-Wusu is a scorer that thrives when playing off the dribble. More importantly, he is a rugged defender that, at 6-4, has the size and toughness to guard up and down the lineup. He’s good enough on the ball that he can be paired with Dawes in the backcourt, and he improved as a shooter in each of his three seasons in Queens.

“He fits what I want to do,” Holloway said of Wusu. “We didn’t go after big names that jump off the page in the portal, we needed good, solid college basketball players.”

Dre Davis will also be counted on to play an important role this season. At 6-6, Davis is a tough defender that has the ability to be a dangerous scorer. He scored 24 in a win at Providence last March, and that performance came while Davis was dealing with injuries.

“If Dre can stay healthy, we have a really good nucleus with him and the guards,” Holloway said.

Three younger players will also see time in Seton Hall’s backcourt rotation: Jaquan Sanders, Isaiah Coleman and JaQuan Harris. Sanders came in with big expectations last season, but struggled to see major minutes. He lost some weight this offseason, he’s shot the ball well and he’s improved defensively. Holloway expects him to contribute. Coleman could end up being this year’s Sanders. He is a highly touted prospect that will be an impact contributor “once he understands the college game more,” Holloway said. “He’s gifted.”

Harris will have a chance to be a role player if and when he can get healthy.

POTENTIAL POTHOLES

While Seton Hall’s perimeter is talented and experienced, the Pirates’ frontcourt underwent a total and complete rebuild this offseason.

Tray Jackson went to Michigan. Tyrese Samuel went to Florida. Tae Davis went to Notre Dame. Alexis Yetna went to Fairfield. KC Ndefo turned pro. 

“We needed some size inside,” Holloway said. To fix the whole, he brought in four players to anchor the front line.

The biggest name of the group is Elijah Hutchins-Everett, a 6-11 transfer from Austin Peay that averaged double-figures as a sophomore. Hutchins-Everett is a local product that is coming home to play for Seton Hall, and he should have the inside track to starting at the 5 this season. 

The Pirates also added 6-10 center Jaden Bediako, the older brother of former Alabama all-league center Charles Bediako. Jaden played limited minutes this past season at Santa Clara. Sadraque NgaNga is a skilled 6-10 forward that can shoot it and space the floor, but he averaged just 2.0 points in an injury-plagued season at Boise State. Dave Tubek is a stretch 4 that will also see time. Seton Hall also landed a late commitment from Arda Ozdogan, a floor-spacing big from Turkey that is young but promising.

There’s not much proven production there, and in a league as good at the top as the Big East is, that’s going to be a problem.

THE X-FACTOR

The key to Seton Hall reaching their ceiling is, and always has been, Richmond. 

This isn’t the first time that this has been said, either. He’s made a career out of being a tantalizing, albeit underwhelming, prospect. In theory, he’s a 6-6 point guard with a 7-1 wingspan and the ability to be an uber-switchable defensive weapon. In practice, he’s struggled to stay on the floor, to stay engaged, and to be good enough to deal with the stress that comes with coaching him.

“He’s such a tease at times,” Holloway said. “He has all the tools in my mind to be a first-round pick. But I gotta get it out of him on a consistent basis.”

Holloway’s line this summer with Richmond has been “6-and-1.” He needs him to be at a place where he has six good days and one bad one. “Once he’s there on a consistent basis, with his tools, I expect him to have a great year,” Holloway said. Richmond returned from his back injury early in the spring, and he got back into the swing of things at his own pace. “I think he can get there,” Holloway said of Richmond returning to his old self, “but it’s summertime. You need to do it when the lights are brightest.”

If Richmond is the best version of himself, with Dawes and Addae-Wusu on this roster as well, Seton Hall has a backcourt that can match up with anyone in college basketball, and that’s not an exaggeration. They have shooting, they have defenders and they have multiple playmakers.

But that’s a big ‘if.’

THE OUTLOOK

When looking at Seton Hall, it’s easy to fall in love with the potential of what the backcourt can be when it is at its best.

The trio of Dawes, Richmond and Addae-Wusu, with Davis potentially lining up at the 4, gives Holloway the kind of lineup that can be switchable, can press and will be able to space the floor. 

And that potential is going to win the Pirates some games they probably shouldn’t win. This is a team that came back from a 17-point deficit to beat UConn last season. This is a group that went into Providence and beat the Friars by 24 points. There are going to be nights this season where they look like they can get to a Final Four.

Then there are going to be the bad nights, too.

The Pirates’ roster is built on pieces known for inconsistency and injury, and it’s hard to imagine a season where they aren’t plagued by those same issues again.

NBA NEWS

FORMER SUNS STAR, UNC GREAT WALTER DAVIS DIES

Walter Davis, who spent 15 seasons in the NBA after starring at North Carolina, died on Thursday. He was 69.

Per his alma mater, Davis passed away of natural causes while visiting family in Charlotte, N.C.

Davis was a member of the Olympic gold medal-winning United States team in the 1976 Montreal Games. The shooting guard/small forward also was the uncle of current Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis.

Walter Davis averaged 15.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 119 games over four seasons with North Carolina.

He made an immediate impression after being selected by the Phoenix Suns with the fifth overall pick of the 1977 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1977-78 and spent 11 seasons with Phoenix.

A six-time All-Star, Walter Davis averaged 18.9 points, 3.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 1,033 career games with the Suns, Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers. The Suns retired his No. 6 jersey in 1994.

BUTLER ‘STILL VERY CONFIDENT’ AS HEAT SLIP TO 1-4

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler wasn’t ready to hit the panic button Wednesday after the reigning Eastern Conference champions sunk to 1-4 with a loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

“I think it’s still a work in progress,” Butler said while assessing his team’s early-season struggles, via ClutchPoint’s Zachary Weinberger. “Last year was last year, it’s completely different this year in a number of ways. And we will figure it out.

“(We) gotta get better – there’s no excuses for any of that – and we will. I’m still very confident in this group, I really am. I know what we’re capable of and I know that we can win, so we just gotta go out there and we gotta do what we’re supposed to do.”

The Heat got off to a similarly slow start in 2022-23 and struggled for much of the regular season. They reached the playoffs as the No. 8 seed through the play-in tournament before making a run to the NBA Finals.

Miami was expected to be a major player in the offseason but ultimately stayed quiet. The Heat lost key contributors Max Strus and Gabe Vincent and signed Josh Richardson and center Thomas Bryant to fill their spots. So far, though, neither addition has provided much scoring for a squad that ranks 27th in points per game.

Butler, for his part, is averaging 16.5 points, down from the 22.9 he put up last year. The 34-year-old has battled right knee problems out of the gate. He scored 20 points in 34 minutes of action against the Nets, who erased a 16-point deficit to hand the Heat their fourth loss in five games.

NBA ROUNDUP: PAOLO BANCHERO’S LATE SHOT LIFTS MAGIC PAST JAZZ

Paolo Banchero hit a go-ahead layup with 14 seconds remaining and scored a season-high 30 points to lift the Orlando Magic to a thrilling 115-113 win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.

Banchero, who had struggled in Orlando’s first four games, had his strongest outing of the season. He scored 10 straight points for the Magic in the final minutes and made 9 of 13 field goals overall.

The 2023 Rookie of the Year also had nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks to help the Magic go 2-2 on a four-game trip against Western Conference teams. Franz Wagner added 21 points, and Cole Anthony contributed 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists off the bench.

Lauri Markkanen scored 22 points for the Jazz and put Utah up by a point after hitting a 3-pointer to cap a furious late rally. Jordan Clarkson added 21 points and John Collins totaled 20 points and 10 rebounds for Utah, which trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter before the comeback.

Pelicans 125, Pistons 116

CJ McCollum scored 33 points, Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double and Matt Ryan scored a career-high 20 as host New Orleans defeated Detroit.

Valanciunas had 23 points and 13 rebounds and Ryan made 6 of 8 3-pointers after starting in place of Zion Williamson, who was given the night off. Herbert Jones added 21 points and Dyson Daniels scored 10 off the bench for New Orleans, which played its third consecutive game without leading scorer Brandon Ingram (knee soreness).

Cade Cunningham had 22 points and 11 assists for the Pistons. Marcus Sasser scored 19, Ausar Thompson 16, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren 12 apiece, Isaiah Stewart 11 and Killian Hayes 10. The Pelicans won their sixth consecutive game against Detroit as both teams completed a back-to-back.

Spurs 132, Suns 121

Rookie Victor Wembanyama scored a career-high 38 points and collected 10 rebounds to lead San Antonio to a victory over host Phoenix.

Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as San Antonio held off a Phoenix charge. The Spurs never trailed while winning both ends of the back-to-back set in Phoenix. Zach Collins recorded 19 points and eight rebounds and Devin Vassell scored 17 points for San Antonio. Jeremy Sochan had 14 points and nine assists, Cedi Osman scored 13 and Tre Jones added 12 points and 10 assists for the Spurs.

Phoenix star Devin Booker had 31 points and 13 assists in his return from a three-game absence due to an ankle injury. Kevin Durant scored 28 points for the Suns, who had beaten San Antonio nine straight times prior to the two setbacks.

76ers 114, Raptors 99

Joel Embiid had 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists to lift host Philadelphia past Toronto.

Embiid was 8 of 22 from the field and 12 of 13 from the free throw line. Tobias Harris and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 23 points apiece and Tyrese Maxey had 18 for the Sixers, who won their third in a row. Furkan Korkmaz also contributed 10.

Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. OG Anunoby added 16 points and Dennis Schroder had 13 points and 10 assists. Pascal Siakam was held to 10 points.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

MLB FREE AGENCY PRIMER: TOP 10, REWIND TO ’22 SPENDING, ’24 OPTION CLUB

While the Rangers celebrate the franchise’s first World Series victory, the rest of baseball is analyzing the big-spending approach that helped Texas wrangle the rings.

Major League Baseball free agency begins Nov. 7 and the crown jewel of the offseason is Shohei Ohtani. He’ll be coveted by teams with deep pockets, with a historic payday exceeding $500 million projected.

There’s a less familiar ace rising up free agent lists in Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a 25-year-old strikeout starter who throws in the mid-90s with a filthy splitter.

Here are the top 10 players available in free agency:

1. RHP-DH Shohei Ohtani, Angels
If there was ever a time for an owner to consider overpaying a player on the open market … billionaires, start your engines. Perhaps the most marketable athlete not directly connected to Taylor Swift, Ohtani strolls into free agency with the kind of blank check chutzpah last seen when LeBron James took his talents to South Beach. Elbow surgery means Ohtani won’t showcase his two-way skills right away — he’s not planning to pitch until 2025 — but a seven- or eight-year contract should allow any team willing to drop the half a billion to sign him to a wide enough window to recoup some of the accounts payable losses. Ohtani, 29, wants to win, which might win out if the ever-present wildcard bidder emerges.

2. RHP Aaron Nola, Phillies
Nola, 30, reportedly asked for more than $200 million over eight seasons before the 2023 season and team president Dave Dombrowski shook him off. Nola topped 200 strikeouts for the fifth time but his ERA ballooned to 4.46. If the Phillies blink or compromise to satisfy Nola’s desire for more years, he’ll stay. If not, a dozen teams are knocking, starting with the Dodgers, Cardinals and Mets.

3. LHP Blake Snell, Padres
Dominant in 2023, Snell makes sense for so many teams that he could wind up with an even bigger contract than expected. He’ll likely be a two-time Cy Young winner if he claims, as expected, the 2023 NL Cy Young Award to pair with his 2018 AL model. Opponents hit just .181 against him but he wasn’t perfect, leading the National League in walks. He also started the season 1-6 in his first nine starts. Snell bailed himself out more often than not with a whiff rate over 36 percent and had a historic strand rate of 85 percent. He’ll be 31 in December, meaning a deal longer than four or five years might be difficult for an owner to digest.

4. RHP Lucas Giolito, Guardians
Three teams in three months appeared to run Giolito ragged. Traded by the White Sox at the deadline, Giolito wound up with an ERA of 4.88 in 33 total starts with Chicago, the Angels and Guardians. A bounceback season isn’t out of the question for the 29-year-old, and graduating to a ballpark with better dimensions than the South Side bandbox he called home with the White Sox would only help his case.

5. OF-1B Cody Bellinger, Cubs
The former National League MVP with the Dodgers rebounded with the Cubs in 2023, hitting over .300 for the first time since his 47-homer, 115-RBI season in 2019. In 130 games, his 26 homers nearly topped his combined total from 2021 and 2022 with L.A. Bellinger’s position flexibility, lefty stick and run production put him on multiple shopping lists.

6. 3B Matt Chapman, Blue Jays
Despite Gold Glove-level defense and at least 50 extra-base hits in four of his past six seasons, Chapman doesn’t touch the must-have level of elite free agents. That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be an above-average addition to most teams based on his consistency and durability. At age 30, he’s probably past his ceiling, and his best fit is likely staying put with the Jays.

7. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Orix Buffaloes
He’s dominant and not yet to his physical prime as a two-time Pacific League MVP and three-time Japanese Triple Crown winner. Yamamoto’s price point likely starts north of the record for a Japanese pitcher, the $155 million given to Masahiro Tanaka by the New York Yankees before he debuted in 2014.

8. LHP Josh Hader, Padres
The Yankees and Dodgers could be in on Hader, who posted 33 saves with a 1.28 ERA and allowed only 32 hits in 2023. He could threaten the record reliever contract established a year ago when Edwin Diaz and the Mets knocked out a five-year, $102 million deal. Hader ranks first among relievers with a 2.50 ERA and 15 strikeouts per nine innings since entering the majors in 2017.

9. SS Tim Anderson, White Sox
The White Sox are almost certain to decline the $14 million team option on Anderson unless they agree he’ll play second base for a season. He could embrace a fresh start if the White Sox decide to pay his $1 million buyout instead. Anderson hit .245 last season and there were no strong bites when the White Sox floated him at the trade deadline. At 30, a move to second base would likely make Anderson more intriguing and stands as his best path to a bounceback season.

10. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, Tigers
He’s 29 games over .500 as a starter (82-53) and went 13-9 with the Tigers last season, posting an ERA of 3.30 in 26 starts. A one-time 19-game winner with the Red Sox (2019), Rodriguez would interest Boston, the Dodgers — who attempted to acquire him at the 2023 deadline — and most contenders because of his consistency. He appeared in at least 25 games five times in the past six seasons.

–Mirror view: Top contracts in 2022 free agency

1. Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees: Signed nine-year, $360 million contract Dec. 22, 2022.
2. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Padres: Signed 11-year, $280 million contract Dec. 9, 2022.
3. Trea Turner, SS, Phillies: Signed 11-year, $300 million contract Dec. 8, 2022.
4. Carlos Correa, SS, Twins: Signed six-year, $200 million contract Jan. 10. 2023 (previous agreements with Giants, Mets were not finalized)
5. Jacob deGrom, SP, Rangers: Signed five-year, $185 million contract Dec. 2, 2022.
6. Dansby Swanson, SS, Cubs: Signed seven-year, $177 million contract Dec. 21, 2022.
7. Carlos Rodon, SP, Yankees: Signed six-year, $162 million contract Dec. 22, 2022.
8. Brandon Nimmo, OF, Mets: Signed eight-year, $162 million contract Nov. 7, 2022.
9. Edwin Diaz, RP, Mets: Signed five-year, $102 million contract Nov. 9, 2022.
10. Justin Verlander, SP, Mets: Signed two-year, $87.5 million contract Dec. 7, 2022.

–Option Club

The following players have contracts featuring one-way options — either for the player or the team to accept or decline — for the 2024 season.

If the team picks up the “club option,” they will pay the assigned value for 2024. If the team declines the option, the player becomes a free agent.

If a player executes the “player option,” the same rules apply.

1. Joey Votto, 1B, Reds: $20 million club option.
2. Kyle Hendricks, SP, Cubs: $16 million club option.
3. Max Muncy, 1B, Dodgers: $14 million club option.
4. Liam Hendricks, RP, White Sox: $15 million club option.
5. Charlie Morton, SP, Braves: $20 million club option.
6. Marcus Stroman, SP, Cubs: $21 million player option.
7. Lance Lynn, SP, Dodgers: $18 million club option.
8. Michael Conforto, OF, Giants: $18 million player option.
9. Jose Leclerc, RP, Rangers: $6.3 million club option.
10. Jorge Soler, OF, Marlins: $9 million player option.

OHTANI, ACUÑA AMONG SILVER SLUGGER FINALISTS

Major League Baseball announced the finalists for each league’s Silver Sluggers on Thursday, with some of the game’s best players gracing the list.

Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani headed up the list of the American League’s top sluggers, which also included World Series MVP Corey Seager and Houston Astros power-hitting designated hitter Yordan Alvarez.

American League finalists

Outfield

PLAYER  TEAM

Randy Arozarena              Rays

Adolis García      Rangers

Aaron Judge        Yankees

Luis Robert Jr.    White Sox

Julio Rodríguez   Mariners

Anthony Santander          Orioles

Kyle Tucker         Astros

Catcher

PLAYER  TEAM

Salvador Perez   Royals

Cal Raleigh          Mariners

Adley Rutschman             Orioles

First base

PLAYER  TEAM

Triston Casas      Red Sox

Yandy Díaz          Rays

Nathaniel Lowe Rangers

Spencer Torkelson            Tigers

Second base

PLAYER  TEAM

Brandon Drury   Angels

Marcus Semien  Rangers

Gleyber Torres    Yankees

Third base

PLAYER  TEAM

Alex Bregman     Astros

Rafael Devers     Red Sox

Isaac Paredes     Rays

José Ramírez      Guardians

Shortstop

PLAYER  TEAM

J.P. Crawford       Mariners

Corey Seager      Rangers

Bobby Witt Jr.    Royals

Designated hitter

PLAYER  TEAM

Shohei Ohtani    Angels

Yordan Alvarez   Astros

Utility player

PLAYER  TEAM

Brandon Drury   Angels

Gunnar Henderson           Orioles

Whit Merrifield  Blue Jays

Isaac Paredes     Rays

Offensive team

TEAM

Houston Astros

Seattle Mariners

Tampa Bay Rays

Texas Rangers

Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. graces the NL finalists after becoming the first player to record a 40-homer, 70-steal campaign. Other finalists include teammate Matt Olson and Cody Bellinger, who had a resurgent campaign for the Chicago Cubs.

National League finalists

Outfield

PLAYER  TEAM

Ronald Acuña Jr. Braves

Cody Bellinger    Cubs

Mookie Betts      Dodgers

Corbin Carroll     D-Backs

Kyle Schwarber  Phillies

Juan Soto             Padres

Seiya Suzuki        Cubs

Catcher

PLAYER  TEAM

William Contreras Brewers

Sean Murphy      Braves

J.T. Realmuto       Phillies

Will Smith            Dodgers

First base

PLAYER  TEAM

Pete Alonso Mets

Freddie Freeman Dodgers

Matt Olson          Braves

Second base

PLAYER  TEAM

Ozzie Albies        Braves

Luis Arraez          Marlins

Ketel Marte        D-Backs

Third base

PLAYER  TEAM

Nolan Arenado   Cardinals

Manny Machado Padres

Austin Riley         Braves

Shortstop

PLAYER  TEAM

Xander Bogaerts Padres

Francisco Lindor Mets

Dansby Swanson Cubs

Trea Turner         Phillies

Designated hitter

PLAYER  TEAM

Bryce Harper      Phillies

J.D. Martinez      Dodgers

Marcell Ozuna    Braves

Jorge Soler          Marlins

Utility player

PLAYER  TEAM

Cody Bellinger    Cubs

Mookie Betts      Dodgers

Ha-Seong Kim     Padres

Spencer Steer     Reds

Offensive team

NELSON CRUZ RETIRES FROM MLB AFTER 19 SEASONS

Seven-time All-Star Nelson Cruz announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Thursday.

Cruz, 43, made it official that he is hanging up his cleats after 19 seasons during an appearance on “The Adam Jones Podcast.”

Cruz told Jones that he would be competing this winter in the Dominican Professional Baseball League in what amounts to be a farewell tour.

“So this is the last we’re seeing of Nelson Cruz?” Jones asked.

“I think so, yeah,” Cruz answered.

Cruz was released by the San Diego Padres on July 10, approximately six months removed from signing a one-year, $1 million contract with the club.

He batted .245 with five home runs and 23 RBIs in 49 games (33 starts), mostly as a designated hitter this past season. He appeared in one game at first base and made 16 pinch-hit appearances.

Cruz is a career .274 hitter with 464 career homers and 1,325 RBIs with eight teams. He’s a four-time Silver Slugger and the 2011 American League Championship Series MVP as a member of the Texas Rangers.

In 2013, Cruz was among 13 players banned by Major League Baseball after they were connected to Biogenesis of America, a Florida clinic that was accused of supplying performing-enhancing drugs. His suspension was for 50 games.

DODGERS GIVE INF MAX MUNCY TWO-YEAR EXTENSION

The Los Angeles Dodgers gave infielder Max Muncy a two-year, $24 million contract extension on Thursday.

The deal takes Muncy through the 2025 season and includes a $10 million club option for 2026, the team said in a release.

Muncy, 33, had a $14 million pending club option for 2024 but the Dodgers decided to extend him instead.

Muncy batted .212 with a career-high-tying 36 home runs and a career-best 105 RBIs in 135 games in 2023, his sixth season with the Dodgers. In eight MLB seasons with the Oakland Athletics (2015-16) and Los Angeles (2018-23), Muncy is a career .227 hitter with 180 home runs and 489 RBIs.

Muncy’s 175 home runs in a Dodgers uniform rank sixth in Los Angeles history, two behind Hall of Famer Mike Piazza for fifth place.

Muncy spent most of 2023 at third base but has also played first and second.

NHL NEWS

HOW THE HUGHES BROTHERS ARE TAKING OVER THE NHL

Last Friday, Jack Hughes whipped the puck to Luke Hughes, his brother and New Jersey Devils teammate. Luke, running point on the power play, quickly returned it to the right flank. Jack moved to open ice, fired a shot, and scored.

The goal helped New Jersey defeat the Buffalo Sabres. Through Wednesday, the Devils own a respectable 5-2-1 record, Jack’s positioned himself as an early Hart Trophy favorite, and Luke’s in the Calder discussion.

About an hour after the give-and-go sequence, Quinn Hughes – the eldest of the three brothers – called for the puck in his game against St. Louis. His defense partner, Filip Hronek, faked a shot before making a cross-ice pass. Quinn, the Vancouver Canucks’ captain, took two strides toward the net, loaded a shot, and beat the goalie through traffic.

The goal opened the scoring in Vancouver’s victory. Through Wednesday, the Canucks are 6-2-1, and Quinn’s a strong Norris contender.

The Hughes brothers are taking over the NHL in the early going of 2023-24. Quinn, the seventh overall pick in 2018, is an elite No. 1 defenseman at 24 years old. Jack, the first pick in 2019, is arguably a top-five forward on the planet at 22. Luke, selected fourth in 2021, is showing signs of future stardom at 20.

It’s extremely rare for three brothers to carve out NHL careers. Two in the top 10 at their position and a third trending toward joining them? Unprecedented.

Let’s take a look at how the Hughes brothers dominate – first by focusing on their shared hockey DNA, then by identifying the brothers’ different strengths.

The Hughes hockey DNA

The NHL is filled with players who excel at a particular pillar of skating. One player might be an outstanding north-south skater. Another might be phenomenal laterally, zigging and zagging. A third might be awesome at speed management, slowing down and accelerating at the perfect times.

Each Hughes brother excels at all of the above; all three are exceptional north-south skaters, exceptional east-west skaters, and exceptional speed-differential skaters. It often looks like rockets are strapped to their skates. Their crossover and edge work is otherworldly. And stamina is never an issue.

“Skating is the trait that connects all three,” said an NHL amateur scout who scouted each brother extensively during their draft years and beyond.

The brothers were taught how to skate by their mom, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, a former college and U.S. women’s national team player. Their dad, Jim Hughes, has also been an invaluable resource as a former college player and NHL/AHL coach. Now the director of player development for CAA Sports – the agency that represents all three brothers – Jim is regarded as one of the top skills coaches in North America.

Countless hours on outdoor hockey rinks, where unstructured games rule, helped build a formidable base for their skating. On-ice and video work with dad, consultation with mom, and world-class coaching elevated and polished it. All three spent two years at the U.S. National Team Development Program, while Quinn and Luke both spent another two at the University of Michigan.

Another defining characteristic of the Hugheses is vision. All three can read the play at an incredibly high level, which really shows in how frequently they find open ice. Jack is the Devils’ offensive catalyst, with the flow of play running through him every time he’s on the ice. Quinn assumes a similar role with the Canucks, albeit from the back end. Luke has the skill set of a future catalyst.

The skating and IQ are married by what the scout calls a “go-for-it mentality.” There’s minimal hesitation and maximal swagger in the brothers’ games.

“Whenever they have the puck, they feel like they can be the guy who makes a difference,” the scout summarized. “They don’t back down from anybody.”

The differentiating skills

Jack, the Devils’ top center, has exploded out of the gates with five goals and 13 assists for 18 points in eight games while skating for 21:48 a night. He leads the league in assists and points, and his underlying data is equally notable.

Jack’s second in the NHL in both zone exits per game and zone entries per game, according to Sportlogiq. A transition king who consistently keeps his head up while handling the puck, Jack rarely wastes a trip down the ice. On a per-game basis, the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder ranks first in both scoring chances generated off the rush and offensive-zone puck possession.

The scout says Jack’s the smartest player among the super-smart Hughes brothers. His skating attracts the eye, but it’s his brain that inflicts most of the damage. For example, Jack loves to operate between the top of the circle and blue line in the offensive zone. Multiple times a game, he’ll retrieve a loose puck along the side boards and regroup up top, scanning for scoring options.

“No one uses the high ice in the offensive zone more than Jack,” the scout said. “He’s really pioneering it. Other guys use the high ice sometimes, but he’s living there right now.”

There’s a natural difference between Jack and his brothers since he’s a forward and they’re defensemen. What separates Quinn from his siblings is his constant motion. That’s not to say Jack or Luke are in any way inactive, it’s just that Quinn might be the most active among the NHL’s 700-plus skaters.

Quinn’s never static or flat-footed, making him hard to account for in all three zones. His mobility also allows him to manipulate defenders in a unique way.

For instance, if the Canucks are in the offensive zone for 30 seconds, Quinn may man the point for 15 seconds, hang out in the upper slot area for five, creep below the goal line for five, and cruise around the hash marks for five. He’s a calculated risk-taker who manages to remain responsible defensively. He’ll probe over and over again, but it’s rarely, if ever, done recklessly.

No NHLer has had the puck on his stick more often this season than Quinn – 3:22 per game. The eldest Hughes also ranks second in the league in loose-puck recoveries – 29.1 per contest.

That last data point is especially impressive because it suggests Quinn – who’s listed at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds – often escapes dangerous areas unscathed. He’ll happily engage in a board battle to win a 50-50 puck, yet through smarts and skating, he evades bruising body checks and thus injury.

Luke joined the Devils at the tail end of the 2022-23 regular season, then appeared in three playoff games. In 13 career games, he’s racked up 10 points while skating for 19-plus minutes a night, typically on the third pair.

The scout believes Luke will blossom into a true No. 1 defenseman – and boy, wouldn’t the Devils, who are loaded at forward, love that. The main difference for Luke is that he’s already 6-foot-2 and 184 pounds. He has the power and length to impact the game at a basic physical level – he can be more forceful.

“Maybe a Rasmus Dahlin arc,” the scout said of Luke’s five-year trajectory.

One thing to remember is that the Hughes brothers don’t bulk up for the sake of bulking up. Jack and Quinn are both stronger than they were as rookies but remain lean. They haven’t lost any agility. Luke will likely chase the same physique. After all, despite being tall, his calling card is straight-line speed.

In fact, straight-line speed is Luke’s chief differentiating skill, according to the scout. It’s crazy to think that’s the case given Jack’s and Quinn’s speed-infused highlight reels, but it’s true. Luke has in his arsenal what the scout labels “running back plays.” He’ll weave through a defense by combining his elite skating, elite vision, and “go-for-it mentality” with his physical gifts.

“Luke’s a little bit more of a downhill guy,” the scout summarized.

Jack and Quinn have set the bar sky-high. But Luke’s capable of joining them in whichever tier you’d like to place them at the moment – stars? Superstars?

NHL ROUNDUP: LEAGUE-LEADING KNIGHTS GROUND JETS

Jonathan Marchessault scored a hat trick and the Vegas Golden Knights extended their season-opening point streak to 11 games with a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night in Las Vegas.

It was the fourth hat trick of Marchessault’s career and first since December 2019. William Karlsson and Ivan Barbashev each had a goal and an assist and Alex Pietrangelo added two assists for Vegas, which improved to a league-best 10-0-1.

Logan Thompson made 29 saves for the Golden Knights to improve to 5-0-0 on the season. He also had an assist, the first point of his NHL career.

Kyle Connor and Alex Iafallo each had a goal and an assist for Winnipeg, which had a five-game point streak (3-0-2) snapped. Connor Hellebuyck finished with 21 saves.

Bruins 3, Maple Leafs 2 (SO)

Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle scored on back-to-back shootout attempts as Boston held off visiting Toronto.

Pavel Zacha and DeBrusk scored in regulation for Boston, which has gained points in every game this season with its 9-0-1 record. Jeremy Swayman improved to 5-0-0, making 33 saves before stopping William Nylander and Auston Matthews in the shootout. Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei recorded his first career point. The 25-year-old out of Ohio State was making his NHL debut, becoming the first Louisiana-born player to skate in an NHL game.

Matthews scored and added an assist for Toronto, combining with Mitch Marner to erase the hosts’ 2-0 lead with two goals in a span of 1:03 in the second period. Ilya Samsonov stopped 38 shots for the Maple Leafs, who are 0-2-1 in their last three games.

Canucks 10, Sharks 1

Quinn Hughes collected a goal and four assists and Brock Boeser scored twice and added an assist as Vancouver handed San Jose its most lopsided home loss in team history.

J.T. Miller scored once and added two assists, while Anthony Beauvillier tallied twice and Sam Lafferty and Andrei Kuzmenko collected one goal and one assist. Ilya Mikheyev and Pius Suter each netted a goal. Thatcher Demko made 30 saves for the Canucks, who have won five of their last six games.

Elias Pettersson collected three assists, and Hughes tied the franchise record for most points by a defenseman in a game, set by Jeff Brown on Feb. 20, 1995.

Rangers 2, Hurricanes 1

Rookie Will Cuylle scored the tiebreaking goal with 9:39 remaining in the third period and host New York extended its winning streak to six games with a victory over Carolina.

The Rangers improved to 8-2-0 through their first 10 games, marking the second time in team history they won at least eight of their first 10 games.

Chris Kreider scored a power-play goal in the first period to tie Andy Bathgate for fourth place on New York’s all-time list with 272 goals. Seth Jarvis scored for the Hurricanes, who saw a three-game winning streak snapped.

Islanders 3, Capitals 0

Semyon Varlamov made 32 saves for a second consecutive shutout and Brock Nelson collected a goal and an assist to lift visiting New York to a victory over Washington.

Varlamov turned aside 10 shots in the third period to preserve his 40th career shutout and second of the season. The 35-year-old Russian, who made 34 saves in a 2-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2006 NHL Draft.

Defenseman Ryan Pulock scored 22 seconds into the game and Simon Holmstrom also tallied for the Islanders, who improved to 3-0-1 in their last four games. Darcy Kuemper turned aside 18 shots for the Capitals, who saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt. captain Alex Ovechkin, Dylan Strome, Tom Wilson and John Carlson each registered a minus-3 rating.

Panthers 2, Red Wings 0

Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves for his first shutout of the year to lead Florida over host Detroit.

Steven Lorentz and Anton Lundell (empty-netter) each scored his first goal of the season for the Panthers, who have won three of their last four games.

James Reimer made 25 saves for Detroit, which was shut out for the first time this year and has lost four of its last five after a 5-1 start.

Stars 4, Oilers 3

Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski each had three points, and Scott Wedgewood made 23 of his career-high 46 saves in the third period as visiting Dallas held on for a win over Edmonton.

Hintz scored twice and assisted on a goal from Pavelski, who had two assists as the Stars improved to 7-1-1. Dallas opened the scoring 8:08 into the game when Matt Duchene got the puck in transition, skated in on the wing and beat Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner (23 saves) to extend his point streak to five games.

Edmonton fan favorite Sam Gagner posted two third-period goals to open his third stint with the club and make it a one-goal game. The Oilers owned a 25-9 shot advantage in the third, but Wedgewood proved stout down the stretch as the hosts lost in regulation for the sixth time in nine games this season.

Coyotes 3, Canadiens 2

Nick Schmaltz scored twice, including the winning goal 6:07 into the third period, as Arizona picked up its fifth win of the young season, beating Montreal in Tempe, Ariz.

Lawson Crouse also scored for the Coyotes, who bounced back on the back end of a two-game set after falling 4-3 to the Anaheim Ducks in overtime on Wednesday. Connor Ingram made 28 saves.

Sean Monahan and Brendan Gallagher each scored for Montreal. Jake Allen, who played in his 400th NHL game, redirected 33 of 36 shots.

Devils 5, Wild 3

Jesper Bratt scored one goal and tallied three assists, and New Jersey held off host Minnesota in St. Paul, Minn.

Alexander Holtz, Michael McLeod, Timo Meier and Dougie Hamilton also scored for New Jersey, which earned its third win in a row. The Devils beat the Wild for the second consecutive game.

Marco Rossi finished with a goal and an assist for Minnesota. Kirill Kaprizov and Jake Middleton also scored.

Kings 3, Senators 2

Phillip Danault, Carl Grundstrom and Anze Kopitar scored for visiting Los Angeles, which held on for a win over Ottawa.

The Kings have a perfect 5-0-0 record in road games this season and are 4-0-1 in their last five games overall. Adrian Kempe had two assists to help Los Angeles build a 3-0 lead that lasted until almost the end of the second period. Kings goalie Cam Talbot stopped 24 of 26 shots to earn his fifth win of the season.

Dominik Kubalik’s power-play tally put Ottawa on the board 21 seconds before the second intermission. At 4:09 of the third period, Josh Norris’ tip-in effort brought the Senators within a goal and increased the late-game pressure.

Blue Jackets 4, Lightning 2

Erik Gudbranson notched the game-winner as Columbus rallied past visiting Tampa Bay to break a four-game winless streak.

Down 2-1 in the third, the Blue Jackets got two goals in a span of 2:43. Boone Jenner deflected the puck past Matt Tomkins at 6:40, and Gudbranson rocketed a slap shot from above the right circle to net his first goal this season. Kirill Marchenko and Johnny Gaudreau (empty-netter) also potted their first tallies this season for the Blue Jackets.

The Lightning’s Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist. Conor Sheary also hit the net as Tampa Bay’s six-game point streak ended (3-1-3). The Lightning are 0-3-1 on the road.

Kraken 4, Predators 2

Jared McCann had a goal and an assist as Seattle returned home from a four-game trip and defeated Nashville.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, Brian Dumoulin and Vince Dunn also scored for Seattle, which won consecutive games for the first time this season and improved to 4-0-0 when scoring three or more goals. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 32 saves.

Tommy Novak and Roman Josi scored power-play goals for Nashville, which dropped to 0-2-0 on its five-game trip. Juuse Saros stopped 26 of 30 shots.

MEN’S GOLF

RORY MCILROY, KEEGAN BRADLEY HEADLINE BOSTON’S TGL TEAM

TGL co-founder Rory McIlroy and Keegan Bradley headline Boston Common Golf, which on Thursday became the first team to announce its four-player roster for the inaugural season.

TGL is the simulator golf league launched by Tiger Woods and McIlroy. It is set to begin play in January.

McIlroy, the world’s No. 2 player and a four-time major champion, and Bradley will be joined by Tyrrell Hatton of England and Adam Scott of Australia.

“I’m thrilled to join Boston Common Golf and to be representing Boston and New England’s rich sports culture,” McIlroy said in a statement from the team. “TGL brings a unique dimension to the game, and I can’t wait to stand with Adam, Keegan, and Tyrrell as my teammates. It’s a fantastic opportunity that will offer us all a chance to build lasting connections and to foster regional pride that you don’t often see in the game of golf.”

Bradley, who grew up in New England (Vermont), won the 2011 PGA Championship and is a six-time winner on tour.

Hatton is a six-time European Tour winner and 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational champion.

Scott is a 2013 Masters champion and 14-time winner on the PGA Tour, including the 2003 Deutsche Bank Championship in Massachusetts.

TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: THE BIG GAMES FRIDAY

#2 COACHES POLL/EVANSVILLE REITZ (11-0) AT #16 COACHES POLL/EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (8-3)…REITZ IS THE HEAVY FAVORITE AFTER BEATING MEMORIAL 34-0 EARLIER THIS SEASON. THE REITZ DEFENSE IS ALSO ALLOWING ONLY 7PPG.

UNRANKED/SOUTHMONT (6-5) AT #1 COACHES POLL/LINTON-STOCKTON (10-1)…YES SOUTHMONT PLAYED A TOUGH SCHEDULE, BUT LINTON-STOCKTON IS COMING OFF A HARD FOUGHT CONTEST OVER GREENCASTLE. STOPPING THE MINERS RUNNING GAME WILL BE DIFFICULT (285YPG). THIS IS JUST THE SECOND TOURNAMENT MEETING ALL-TIME.

#3 COACHES POLL/NEW PALESTINE (9-2) AT UNRANKED/MT. VERNON (7-4)…NEW PAL IS ON A ROLL AFTER POUNDING GREENFIELD CENTRAL LAST WEEK 35-0. THE DRAGONS HAD OVER 600 YARDS OF TOTAL OFFENSE IN THE WIN. NEW PAL RUSHED FOR 363 YARDS AND HELD THE COUGARS TO JUST 61. MY. VERNON QB TYLER ETHERINGTON PASSED FOR 221 YARDS AND FOUR TDS LAST WEEK IN A 42-12 WIN OVER BEECH GROVE. THE NEW PAL DEFENSE HAS ALLOWED ONLY 21 POINTS IN THE LAST FIVE GAMES OF THE SEASON AND THEY HAVE TWO STRAIGHT SHUTOUTS. THE DRAGONS BEAT MT. VERNON ON SEPT. 8, 63-39.

UNRANKED/TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (5-5) AT UNRANKED/WHITELAND (6-4)…. THE BRAVES WILL COUNT ON QB BRADY WILSON (2,366 PASSING YARDS, 21 TDS), RB ZYEIAR WHITE (1,234 YARDS, 12 TDS) AND WR A.J. WATKINS (44 CATCHES, 990 YARDS, 11 TDS). TH SOUTH HAS WON 4 OF 5 AND IS COMING OFF A 14-10 WIN OVER FRANKLIN. WHITELAND HAS ALSO WON 4 OF 5 AFTER POUNDING TH NORTH LAST WEEK 63-14. WHITELAND WILL COUNT ON RB SLATE VALENTINE (1,576 RUSHING YARDS, 17 TDS).

UNRANKED/MOORESVILLE (6-5) AT UNRANKED/BREBEUF JESUIT (6-4)….THESE TWO TEAMS ARE NO STRANGERS TO SECTIONAL ACTION AS THE BRAVES BEAT MOORESVILLE IN THE SEMI-FINALS LAST SEASON 35-14. THE BRAVES HAVE TURNED THE NOTCH UP ON THEIR SCORING OFFENSE WITH 55 VS. NORTHVIEW AND 70 AGAINST LEBANON. QB MAVERICK GESKE (2,928 PASSING YARDS, 37 TDS) IS HAVING A MONSTER SEASON. THE PIONEERS ARE LED BY QB HOGAN DENNY (2,094 PASSING YARDS, 21 TDS; 1,160 RUSHING YARDS, 14 TDS) AND LEVI DORN (49 CATCHES, 746 YARDS, 11 TDS). BREBEUF LEADS THE ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES 1-0.

#12 COACHES POLL/EVANSVILLE NORTH (7-3) AT #11 COACHES POLL/CASTLE (7-3)…NORTH IS LOOKING TO WIN ITS FIRST SECTIONAL IN 23 SEASONS. CASTLE IS LED BY ANTONIO HARRIS (1,052 RUSHING YARDS, 19 TDS) AND MAX MCCOOL (941 RUSHING YARDS, 10 TDS). NORTH DE KALEB HARRIS HAS 15.5 SACKS. NORTH AVERAGES 31.0PPG, ALLOWING ONLLY 13.8. THE KNIGHTS SCORE AT 35.6PPG, ALLOWING 21.1. CASTLE LEADS THE TOURNAMENT ALL-TIME SERIES 8-1.

#6 COACHES POLL/WESTFIELD (9-1) AT UNRANKED/NOBLESVILLE (4-6)…IT HAS BEEN23 SEASONS SINCE NOBLESVILLE HAS WON A SECTIONAL. THE SHAMROCKS ARE LED BY QB JACKSON GILBERT (1,837 PASSING YARDS, 20 TDS). WESTFIELD DOMINATED CARMEL LAST WEEK 37-21.

#8 COACHES POLL/TRI-WEST (10-1) AT UNRANKED/MONROVIA (9-2)….MONROVIA RAN FOR 371 YARDS IN LAST WEEK’S 20-3 WIN OVER SPEEDWAY. KEEP AN EYE ON THEIR TWO-HEADED MONSTER RB’S BRAYTON BELCHER (1,713 RUSHING YARDS, 23 TDS) AND DOMINIC KINDLE (1,219 RUSHING YARDS, 11 TDS). THE BRUINS WILL COUNT ON QB MALACHI WALDEN (1,413 PASSING YARDS, 16 TDS; 1,422 RUSHING YARDS, 18 TDS).

#4 COACHES POLL/HANOVER CENTRAL (11-0) AT #12 COACHES POLL/WEST LAFAYETTE (8-3)….THE PANTHERS WILL COUNT ON QB MATT KOONTZ (1,791 PASSING YARDS, 19 TDS; 494 RUSHING YARDS, 13 TDS) AND RB CAIDEN VERRETT (1,551 RUSHING YARDS, 28 TDS). WEST LAFAYETTE WILL LOOM TO QB CARSON KITCHEL (2,286 PASSING YARDS, 26 TDS) AND WR BENNY SPEAKER (74 CATCHES, 849 YARDS, SEVEN TDS).

#8 COACHES POLL/KOKOMO (9-2) AT #5 COACHES POLL/MISSISSINEWA (11-0)….KOKOMO LIKES TO RUN THE FOOTBALL (227YPG). THE INDIANS LIKE TO THROW THE BALL WITH QB NOLAN QUADERER (2,220 PASSING YARDS, 29 TDS) AND WR DEAKON DILTS (35 CATCHES, 897 YARDS, 15 TDS). KOKOMO BEAT MISSISSINEWA IN THE 2022 TOURNAMENT 44-13.

#16 COACHES POLL/NORTHWOOD (9-2) AT #11 COACHES POLL/NORTHRIDGE (9-2)…NORTHRIDGE BEAT NORTHWOOD THIS SEASON 25-21. THE RAIDERS WILL COUNT ON QB BRAYDEN CLARK (1,227 PASSING YARDS, 10 TDS; 291 RUSHING YARDS, SIX TDS). FOR NORTHWOOD LOOK FOR QB OWEN ROEDER (2,570 PASSING YARDS, 32 TDS) AND SENIOR RECEIVER AND WR NITRO TUGGLE (63 CATCHES, 920 YARDS, 13 TDS). NORTHWOOD LEADS THE ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES 7-2.

#5 COACHES POLL/HARRISON (9-1) AT #7 COACHES POLL/DECATUR CENTRAL (8-2)…HARRISON RUSHED FOR 289 YARDS LAST WEEK AGAINST PLAINFIELD. DC WILL COUNT ON QB BO POLSTON (1,409 PASSING YARDS, 16 TDS) AND RB NPO DODO (801 RUSHING YARDS, FIVE TDS). THESE TWO TEAMS HAVE NEVER MET.

#1 COACHES POLL/BISHOP CHATARD (11-0) AT #7 COACHES POLL/HAMILTON HEIGHTS (11-0)…THE BATTLE IS TWO UNBEATENS, CHATARD RANKED #1 IN ALL POLLS, HAMILTON HEIGHTS IS FIFTH IN THE AP POLL AND SEVENTH IN THE COACHES POLL. THE DEFENDING CHAMPS WENT TO GUERIN LAST WEEK ANF PULLED OUT A 21-10 WIN OVER THE GOLDEN EAGLES. RILEY KINNETT RETURNED FROM AN INJURY TO RUSH FOR 152 YARDS AND SENIOR AIDEN ARTEAGA THREW FOR THREE SCORES. CAN THEY SCORE AGAINST HAMILTON HEIGHTS WILL BE THE QUESTION. HAMILTON HEIGHTS IS GIVING UP ONLY 8.5PPG AND THE HUSKIES KNOW HOW TO WIN CLOSE AND COME FROM BEHND GAMES (OAK HILL 42-17 AND MACONAQUAK 28-21). CHATARD LEADS THE TOURNEY SERIES 7-0.

#4 COACHES POLL/CATHEDRAL (7-3) AT #13 COACHES POLL/LAWRENCE NORTH (7-3)…THE BIGGEST KEY FOR THE FIGHTING IRISH WILL BE STOPPING THE PASS. LN HAS MONTEZ JONES WHO BURNED LAWRENCE CENTRAL FOR 3TD’S THROUGH THE AIR LAST WEEK.  CATHEDRAL MUST ALSO STOP THE RUNNING ATTACK OF JONES AND IZAYVEON MOORE. CITY PLAYER OF THE YEAR QB DANNY O’NEIL WILL ALSO THROW THE FOOTBALL (1,703 PASSING YARDS AND 27 TD’S). THE WILDCATS ARE HOPING TO GET PAYBACK FROM LAST YEAR’S 44-35 SHOOTOUT IN THE SECTIONAL SEMI’S.  THE FIGHTING IRISH ARE SCORING 38.0PPG, ALLOWING 18.7. THE WILDCATS ARE AVERAGING 30.7PPG, ALLOWING 22.1. CATHEDRAL LEADS THE ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES 3-0.

#10 COACHES POLL/FISHERS (7-3) AT #7 COACHES POLL/HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (8-2)…THE ROYALS ARE HOPING THEY DON’T HAVE ANOTHER OVERTIME CONTEST THE SECOND TIME AROUND. FISHERS NEARLY PULLED OFF THE WIN BEFORE LOSING 35-34. HSE IS LED BY RB JALEN ALEXANDER (1,140 RUSHING YARDS, 13 TDS) AND WR DONOVAN HAMILTON (42 CATCHES, 831 YARDS, NINE TDS). FISHERS WILL COUNT ON RB KHOBIE MARTIN (1,047 RUSHING YARDS, 13 TDS), QB BENNETT GORAK (1,499 PASSING YARDS, 13 TDS) AND WR JONANTHONY HALL (59 CATCHES, 950 YARDS, FIVE TDS). HSE BEAT FW NORTHRUP LAST WEEK 56-7. FISHERS WON AT HOMESTEAD 42-14. THE ROYALS AVERAGE 33.4PPG, ALLOWING 18.5….FISHERS SCORES AT 33.4PPG, ALLWOING 19.1. FISHERS LEADS THE ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT SERIES 6-3.

Warsaw (9-1) at Penn (9-1), Class 6A Sectional 2: Penn is allowing just 7.6 points per game and has shut out four consecutive opponents and six overall.

MICHIGAN CITY (6-4) AT VALPARAISO (8-2)…VALPO IS FAVORED BY 17. VALPO WON THE REGULAR SEASON MEETING 31-7.

FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER (6-5) AT LEO (9-2)…LEO AVERAGES NEARLY 38 PPG AND SINCE SEPTEMBER 22 THEY ARE SCORING AT 44.8 PPG.

GREENWOOD (6-5) AT EAST CENTRAL (11-0)….THE TROJAN OFFENSE IS ALMOST UNSTOPPABLE AT 50.5PPG. THE DEFENSE ISN’T BAD EITHER AT ALLOWING 6.9 PPG AND FIVE SHUTOUTS. EC IS FAVORED BY 32.

KEEP AND EYE ON:

VINCENNES LINCOLN (8-3) AT GIBSON SOUTHERN (9-2)

EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (9-2) AT BLUFFTON (9-2)

WINCHESTER (8-2) AT EASTERN HANCOCK (7-4)

PAOLI (10-1) AT NORTH POSEY (10-1)

NORTH JUDSON (7-4) AT TRITON (8-3)

PARK TUDOR (11-0) AT NORTH VERMILLION (8-3)

INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

HOLMES NAMED TO 2024 WBCA PRESEASON WADE WATCH LIST

ATLANTA – Graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes was named to them 16-member 2024 WBCA Preseason Wade Watch list, which honors the nation’s best player, announced by the organization on Thursday.

A Wade Trophy finalist last season, Holmes enters her fifth and final season with the Hoosiers in 2023-24. A three-time first team All-American last season, she is a unanimous preseason all-Big Ten honoree from the coaches and was also selected by the media vote The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous selection for All-Big Ten first teams as a senior, the Gorham, Maine native averaged 22.3 points (second in B1G), a team-high 7.8 rebounds and shot a NCAA second-best 68.0 percent from the floor. She is also a preseason honoree for the 2024 Lisa Leslie award, which honors the nation’s top center.

Holmes led the Hoosiers in scoring on 25 occasions as a senior while posting double figures in 31 games, scoring 20 points 19 times and three 30-point scoring efforts. Her nine double-doubles led the team, as six of her double-doubles occurred in conference play which ranks eighth all-time in a single season. She also led the league in blocks (58) and blocks per game (1.9) and averages 1.1 steals (35) per game. Holmes is now in the top five in scoring in school history (1,897) and second in all-time blocks (208).

INDIANA VOLLEYBALL

VOLLEYBALL CENTRAL: AT RUTGERS AND OHIO STATE

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.  –  The Indiana volleyball team (16-9, 6-6) will look to get back to winning ways this weekend as it finishes up the final two games in a four-match road trip. IU will head to Rutgers (Friday) before flying to Ohio State for a Saturday contest with the Buckeyes.

The Hoosiers were on the wrong end of a pair of five-set matches at Illinois and Northwestern last weekend. Despite scoring a combined 11 more points than its opponents, IU was dealt the final blow in the fifth set. All six set losses came by five-or-fewer points including three deuce games.

Junior setter Camryn Haworth was named the Big Ten’s Setter of the Week after back-to-back triple-doubles, becoming the first person in program history to accomplish the feat. According to Big Ten research, she is the first Big Ten player with back-to-back triple-doubles since 2010.

IU sits in a three-way tie for sixth place in the Big Ten at 6-6 with Michigan State and Minnesota, two teams it has yet to play. Illinois is a game up at 7-5 with Purdue in fourth at 8-4. There are eight contests left to play in the season.

Match Info

Friday, November 3rd, 2023 | at Rutgers | 7:00 PM ET

TV: BTN+

Watch

Live Stats

Saturday, November 4th, 2023 | at Ohio State | 7:00 PM ET

TV: BTN+

Watch

Live Stats

Hoosier News and Notes

Team Breakdown

• The Hoosiers sit at 16-9 (6-6) heading into the weekend’s competition. On the season, IU has quality wins over Miami (FL.) and No. 15 Purdue. The Hoosiers also beat Illinois and Ohio State at home.

• IU tested itself early in the season with a trip to the Long Beach Invitational, playing future Big Ten opponents Washington and UCLA as well as the hosts Long Beach State. Of the nine set losses on the weekend, eight came by four-or-fewer points.

• With a straight sweep of opponents at the Stacheville Challenge and four wins at the 305 Challenge, IU won seven-straight contests heading into Big Ten play. This included a big five-set win at Miami (FL.)

• A victory over No. 15 Purdue (Oct. 11) was the fourth top-15 win of the Steve Aird era and the first in Wilkinson Hall (opened in 2019). IU’s 6-4 start to conference play matched the program’s best 10-game start to the Big Ten in school history.

The Hoosiers

• IU opened the season with its best 20-game start to a season (14-6) since beginning 15-5 in the 2010 campaign. The Hoosiers also began conference play 6-4 for the first time since 1985.

• A perfect weekend in Miami at the end of the non-conference schedule ensured the Hoosiers 10 wins in the preseason for the first time since 2019. It is the fourth season since the turn of the century the program brought 10+ wins and at least one power five victory home out of the preseason.

• Head coach Steve Aird became the first coach in program history with multiple seasons of 10+ wins in non-conference with at least one true road win over Power Five team (2019 and 2023). IU’s nine victories by sweep in the non-conference were the most since winning nine during the 2010 preseason.

• To follow up a strong end to the preseason slate, IU beat Illinois 3-1 at Wilkinson Hall to kick off the Big Ten season. The Hoosiers blocked the Illini 18 times with a career-high 12 stuffs from senior middle blocker Savannah Kjolhede. The victory was the final in a run of eight-straight wins, IU’s longest winning streak since 2017.

• As a team, the Hoosiers are 1st in the Big Ten and 31st nationally with 1.82 aces per set. In total, IU has 166 aces on the season including 58 from Haworth (No. 1 in Big Ten and NCAA). Three athletes have 20+ aces on the season.

• The Hoosiers are 33rd in the NCAA and 3rd in the Big Ten in total team blocks, racking up 221.0 stuffs across 25 matches this season. They average 2.43 per set. Five players have 40+ blocks on the campaign.

• IU is holding opponents to just .185 hitting offensively which ranks fourth in the Big Ten among team defenses. As a team, IU is hitting .238 which is on pace to be one of the best marks in program history for a single season.

• Haworth helps run a balanced offense for the Hoosiers with six hitters averaging 1.94 kills per set or better. IU has two players in the top-11 of the Big Ten in hitting percentage.

• The Hoosiers sold out matches vs. No. 2 Nebraska and No. 15 Purdue with the latter setting a new Wilkinson Hall Attendance Record of 2,725. IU is averaging 1,730 fans per game across nine home matches this season.

What’s At Stake?

• IU’s looking for wins 17 and 18 of the season. The Hoosiers haven’t won 17 since 2016 and haven’t won 18 since winning 23 in 2010.

• Steve Aird’s most wins in a season as a head coach (18) came at Maryland in 2017. He’s only ever been a head coach in the Big Ten.

• The Hoosiers have never beaten the Buckeyes three-straight times in the series history. IU has won the last two matches between the sides.

• At least one win would guarantee the Hoosiers a winning season for the first time since 2018. Since 2000, IU has had just six winning seasons.

Player Watch

#10 Haworth, Camryn

• Haworth has firmly cemented as one of the best players in the Big Ten and the country, taking the momentum of a solid sophomore year into an outstanding junior season.

• She leads the Big Ten in assists (894), aces (58), aces per set (0.64) and triple-doubles (2). Among Big Ten setters, she is also first in kills (92).

• The Fishers, Ind. native became the 11th player in program history to record 2,000 assists, crossing the mark in a 33-assist effort against Jacksonville on September 16th. She is now No. 10 in program history with 2,509 assists.

• She is one of just 19 players in program history with 100 career aces and broke the program’s rally-era record (in place since 2001) with aces 131 and 132 of her career against Nebraska. She is No. 4 all-time in program history and will challenge for the all-time mark of 197 in the next year.

• In her time at IU, she has three of the best five single-season aces performances in the rally-scoring era. She’s got 58 aces on the season which broke IU’s rally-era single season record of 51 set in both 2005 and 2014. She is No. 13 in Big Ten history during the rally era in service aces with 149.

• She recorded back-to-back triple-doubles at Illinois (50 assists, 13 kills, 10 digs) and Northwestern (50 assists, 10 kills, 10 digs), becoming the first player in school history to accomplish that feat.

#18 Rammelsberg, Kaley

• The fifth-year middle blocker has blossomed into one of the league’s most efficient players this season after fully recovering from an injury last season.

• She is hitting .375 on the season, one of the top-five hitters in the Big Ten. Among players in the conference hitting .370 or better this season, she has the most kills (210) and most attempts (448).

• For her IU career, she is hitting .327 despite missing 10 games in conference play with an injury in 2022. She is currently second in program history in hitting percentage among athletes with over 1,000 career attempts.

• She’s on a run of four-straight matches with 10+ kills and has hit .300 or better in her last seven contests.

#32 Gary, Ramsey

• The freshman has been as advertised since arriving to Bloomington as the program’s starting libero. On the season, she’s up to 400 digs (4.40 per set) and 85 assists.

• Her 400 digs are most in the Big Ten and top five among freshmen nationally. She is averaging 4.40 digs per set on the season which leads the Big Ten and has 4.85 digs per set through 12 conference games.

• Her 26 digs in a win over Ohio State matched the single-game freshman digs record in program history. Her six-straight matches with 20+ digs matches are the most by a single player at IU in the last 15 years.

• She will challenge both the freshman single-season digs record (402) and the all-time single season digs record (525) over the remaining regular season matches.

#3 Alonso-Corcelles, Candela

• The sophomore has taken an increased role in the lineup over the past month, playing all six rotations as the team’s primary hitter.

• She leads IU with 225 kills (2.56 per set) and is hitting .175 across 687 attempts. She’s got 10+ kills over her last 10 matches. In that period, she’s compiled 10+ digs on four occasions.

Opponent Breakdown: Rutgers

Series History: 16-1 (Indiana leads) | Last Meeting: 10/28/22 (W, 3-1)

• Rutgers owns wins over Iowa and Minnesota this year and are led by a terrific setter in Alyssa Nayar.

• A native of Australia, outside hitter Alissa Kinkela leads the team with 257 kills.

• Libero Madyson Chitty had 28 digs in the win over Iowa.

Opponent Breakdown: Ohio State

Series History: 58-27 (Ohio State leads) | Last Meeting: 10/21/23 (W, 3-2)

• The Hoosiers and Buckeyes will meet for the second time in three weeks. IU won the first match in five sets.

• All-American Emily Londot averages 4.81 kills per set on the season and has 380 in total on the year.

• Middle blocker Rylee Rader has been efficient throughout her career in Columbus and is hitting .377 this year.

INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER

HOOSIERS HOST BADGERS IN BIG TEN QUARTERFINAL

BLOOMINGTON — Big Ten regular season co-champion and No. 1-seeded Indiana men’s soccer (9-4-4, 4-2-2 B1G) will welcome No. 8-seeded Wisconsin (6-4-6, 2-2-4 B1G) to Bill Armstrong Stadium on Friday (Nov. 3) in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal round.

The Big Ten Plus digital platform will stream the match. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Due to the 6:30 p.m. start time for the IU men’s basketball exhibition game against Marian, the normal parking opportunities for home IU men’s soccer matches will not be available Friday. If you are attending the men’s soccer match, gameday parking will be available at:

Parking lot across from St. Paul’s Church off 17th Street;

Fee Lane Garage (also referred to as the Kelley School of Business garage) – 709 N Fee Lane

KICKING OFF

• Indiana is the Big Ten Tournament’s winningest program, both by wins (44) and number of titles (15). The Hoosiers have a 44-11-13 (.743) record in the conference tournament.

• IU has failed to advance from the first round just six times in 32 tournaments and has appeared in the final in 22 seasons.

• Senior defensive midfielder Hugo Bacharach was named the Big Ten Player of the Week for his performance in the title-clinching, 4-1 rout of Rutgers on Sunday. Bacharach scored IU’s first goal and assisted Samuel Sarver in the victory.

ABOUT THE BADGERS

• Wisconsin finished the regular season 6-4-6 and 2-2-4 in the Big Ten. The Badgers are 1-3-2 in road matches.

• The Badgers are led by second-year head coach Neil Jones, who owns a 12-10-10 during his time in Madison and a 93-64-36 record over 11 seasons as a head coach.

• Sophomore forward Thomas Raimbault leads the Badgers offensively with three goals and two assists totaling eight points.

SERIES HISTORY

• Indiana has historically dominated the series with Wisconsin, winning 42 of the 59 meetings. The Hoosiers currently own a seven-match undefeated streak against the Badgers, going 7-0-1 since 2018. IU has not lost outright to Wisconsin since 2013 but were on the wrong end of penalty shootout results in 2016 and 2017.

• Indiana owns a 7-0-2 record against the Badgers in the Big Ten Tournament, the two penalty shootouts being its lone defeats.

• The two teams met at Bill Armstrong Stadium to open conference play this September, that match ending in a scoreless draw.

• IU has a 26-1-2 home record against Wisconsin all-time and had won 17 consecutive home matches versus the Badgers prior to the draw this season.

INDIANA FOOTBALL

COMPLETE 2024 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Big Ten Conference announced the dates for the 2024 conference schedule on Thursday (Nov. 2) and the Indiana football program also released its 2024 non-conference opponents and dates.

The Hoosiers will play eight home contests during the 2024 season, with three non-conference matchups and five Big Ten home games. The Hoosiers will not have back-to-back road contests during the 2024 slate and play consecutive home games on three occasions. Times and television designations will be announced closer to the start of the 2024 season.

Indiana opens the season against FIU on August 31. It marks the third time in program history the two programs meet in a season opener and the first at Memorial Stadium. IU played FIU in the 2016 and 2018 season openers in Miami. The first meeting with Western Illinois follows on September 7 at home.

The first Big Ten Conference game to feature one of the four new members will take place at the historic Rose Bowl Stadium when Indiana travels to take on UCLA on September 14. It will be the first meeting between the two teams and IU’s first trip to the historic venue since the 1968 Rose Bowl team that finished 9-2 and won the Big Ten with a 6-1 record.

The final non-conference game arrives a week later versus Charlotte on September 21 before the B1G home opener against Maryland on September 28. After a trip to Northwestern on October 5, Indiana will have an idle week in front of back-to-back home games versus Nebraska (10/19) and Big Ten newcomer Washington (10/26). The matchup with the Huskies will be fourth meeting between the two programs and first since 2003.

The Old Brass Spittoon will be up for grabs in East Lansing, Michigan on November 2 when Indiana travels north to face Michigan State. Michigan heads to Bloomington for a November 9 contest and, after the second idle week, Indiana’s final road contest at Ohio State is slated for November 23.

A battle for the Old Oaken Bucket occupies its historic spot at the end of the regular season, as Purdue will head to Memorial Stadium for the 127th edition of the rivalry on November 30.

PURDUE FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL’S B1G SCHEDULE SET FOR 2024 SEASON

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The 2024 Big Ten Conference slate is set for Purdue Football, as the league office announced next season’s conference schedule Thursday afternoon (Nov. 2). While the Boilermakers already knew their opponents and the locations, dates have been finalized for the conference matchups.

Next season, Purdue will open up Big Ten play at home against Nebraska (Sept. 28). The contest against the Cornhuskers will serve as the Boilermakers’ annual Homecoming game. It will mark the 12th straight season the two teams have squared off on the gridiron.

The month of October will begin with back-to-back road games at Wisconsin (Oct. 5) and Illinois (Oct. 12). While it will be on the only trip to Madison over the next five seasons, the Boilermakers will host the Badgers in 2026. After battling with Illinois to keep possession of the Cannon Trophy, Purdue will return home to host new Big Ten-member Oregon (Oct. 19). The Ducks will make the trip to West Lafayette for just the third time in history (1979, 2008).

Purdue will end October with a bye week (Oct. 26), using the break to prepare for Northwestern to kick off November (Nov. 2). Following the contest against the Wildcats, the Boilermakers will conclude their regular season with three of their final four games away from home. The stretch starts with Purdue traveling to Ohio State (Nov. 9). One week later (Nov. 16), the Boilermakers will welcome Penn State to Ross-Ade Stadium for the final home game of the 2024 campaign. Closing out the slate, Purdue will hit the road to face Michigan State (Nov. 23) before heading to Indiana for the annual Old Oaken Bucket Game (Nov.  30).

Game weeks are solidified, while specific game dates are subject to change due to network assignment, which will be announced within the next month. 

Purdue Football 2024 Big Ten Schedule
Sept. 28 – NEBRASKA (HOMECOMING)
Oct. 5 – at Wisconsin
Oct. 12 – at Illinois (Cannon Trophy)
Oct. 19 – OREGON
Nov. 2 – NORTHWESTERN
Nov. 9 – at Ohio State
Nov. 16 – PENN STATE
Nov. 23 – at Michigan State
Nov. 30 – at Indiana (Old Oaken Bucket)

*HOME GAMES BOLD AND ALL CAPS

BUTLER VOLLEYBALL

BUTLERVB BEGINS FINAL HOMESTAND OF THE SEASON AGAINST VILLANOVA AND GEORGETOWN

INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler volleyball team will start their last homestand of the season. The Bulldogs will welcome Villanova on Friday, at 6 PM. followed by another match on Sunday against Georgetown with the first serve slated for 1 PM.

Bulldog Bits

-Butler sits at eighth in the BIG EAST with a conference record of 4-8 and overall record of 10-13.

-The Bulldogs dropped both matches on the road in five sets last weekend at Seton Hall and St. John’s.

-BU ranks fourth in three different categories including kills (12.81 per set), assists (12.00 per set), and digs (15.44 per set).

-As a team, Butler holds the 13th best average in the country with 37.56 attacks per set.

-Butler sits at 11-8 all-time against Villanova. Despite only winning two of the last eight matches against the Wildcats, the Bulldogs most recently swept them earlier this season on the road.

-The Bulldogs have also found success against Georgetown holding a 16-4 all-time record. After winning their last six matches though, Butler fell to the Hoyas 3-1 on the road this season.

-In her 117th collegiate match, Jaymeson Kinley earned her first-ever double-double at Seton Hall last weekend tallying 16 digs and 10 assists.

-Kinley holds an average of 4.88 digs per set, which ranks second in the BIG EAST and 27th in the nation.

-Mariah Grunze tied her career-high of 21 kills against the Pirates last weekend.

-Grunze holds the fifth best average in the conference matches this season with 3.36 kills per set.

-Cora Taylor totaled 88 assists, 24 digs and seven kills last week

-Taylor has paced the Butler offense while leading the BIG EAST with 10.23 assists per set

-Grace Boggess hit for over .400 in both matches last week combining for an average of .464

-Boggess collected a new career-high eight blocks against Seton Hall

-Elise Ward leads all BIG EAST freshman hitters with five double-doubles this season

-Rylie Tam set a new career-high of four serving aces in a match against St. John’s

SCOUTING VILLANOVA: The Wildcats stand right in the middle of the pack at fifth in the BIG EAST with a conference record of 6-6 and an overall record of 15-9. Villanova flew out the gates in the non-conference schedule going 9-3 highlighted by a win over Santa Clara. However, their success would come to a halt at the start of the conference season going 1-3 that included a 3-0 sweep at home against Butler. The Wildcats have begun to turn their season around, winning five of their last eight games headlined in a four-set match where they handed St. John’s just their second conference loss of the season.

Villanova holds the third-best hitting percentage in the conference this season at .229, but they have also allowed the highest hitting percentage to opponents at .238. Abby Harrell headlines the Wildcat offense after winning BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors for the fourth week in a row.

SCOUTING GEORGETOWN: The Hoyas enter Sunday’s match with a 3-9 conference record and a 12-12 overall record. Georgetown began their 2023 campaign on fire winning their first four matches and finishing the non-conference schedule at 9-3 with VCU and Penn. They continued their success into the BIG EAST play going 3-3 with a win over Butler and a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Xavier. However, Georgetown has since hit a wall losing their last six conference matches with their last win dating back to Oct. 7 against UConn.

The Hoyas have struggled on offense ranking in the bottom half of nearly every category Kamryn Lee-Caracci has one of the few bright spots on offense hitting for .322 this season, which ranks third in the conference.

GEORGETOWN VS BUTLER (Sep. 29): Butler kicked off their first conference road trip in Washington D.C. falling to the Hoyas in four sets (25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 25-19). Despite the Bulldogs collecting more kills in the match, Georgetown was more accurate hitting for .323 compared to Butler’s .263.

The Butler pin-hitting duo of Abby Maesch and Mariah Grunze each recorded a double-double. Maesch led the match with 18 kills and 10 digs while Grunze collected 15 kills and 12 digs.

VILLANOVA VS BUTLER (Sep. 30): The Bulldogs earned their conference win of the season in a sweep over the Wildcats in Pennsylvania. After edging out the win in Set 1, the Bulldogs carried the momentum into the next two sets to claim the conference victory 3-0.

As a team, Butler hit .301 while holding Villanova to just .146. Destiny Cherry led the match with a .500 percent on six kills and just one error while Mariah Grunze hit for a season-high .371 on 14 kills and just one error.

HISTORY FOR KINLEY: In her 117th collegiate match, Jaymeson Kinley earned her first-ever double-double at Seton Hall last weekend. The two-time BIG EAST libero of the year finished with 16 digs and 10 assists in the five-set match. Kinley boosted her season average to 4.88 digs per set, which is second in the conference and 23rd in the country.

Kinley sits at second on Butler’s all-time career digs list with 1883 digs and remains on pace to break Katie Deprile’s record of 2009 digs.

BOGGESS BOOST: Grace Boggess has made a significant impact at the net for Butler this season. She currently ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in two different categories including a hitting percentage of .333 along with an average of 1.03 blocks per set.

Boggess hit for over .400 in both matches last week combining for an average of .464 while also adding 16 kills and nine blocks.

NOTHING BUT ASSISTS: The Bulldog offense has been a well-oiled machine this season especially when it came to passing the ball to the hitters. Butler is second in the conference with 1056 total assists (12.00 assists per set) this season. Setter Cora Taylor has paced the offense leading the BIG EAST with an average of 10.23 assists per set, which ranks 40th in the NCAA.

Taylor cracked 900 total assists this season after registering 88 assists in both matches last weekend.

GRUNZE THE GREAT: Mariah Grunze has been Butler’s top option on offense this season leading the team with 292 kills. Last weekend, she tied her career-high of 21 kills at Seton Hall.

Grunze is 33 kills away from reaching the 1,000 career kills and eight kills away from reaching 300 kills this season.

UP NEXT: The Bulldogs will remain in Indianapolis for their final matches in Hinkle Fieldhouse this season against UConn and Providence.

The Bulldogs will face UConn on Friday, Nov. 10 at noon followed by a match against Providence on Sunday, Nov. 12 at noon.

IUPUI VOLLEYBALL

JAGUARS TAKE DOWN ROBERT MORRIS, 3-1

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The IUPUI volleyball team defeated the Robert Morris Colonials on Thursday night, 3-1 to earn their third Horizon League win. Emily Alan led the Jaguar attack with 13 kills while Ava Harris led the defense with 13 digs.

In the opening set, the Jags took an early 4-1 lead but Robert Morris fought back. The Colonials took the lead at 24-21 forcing an IUPUI timeout. Coming out of the timeout, the Jags earned three kills in a row from Maia Long and Grace Purichia to tie the match at 24-24. The Jags and Colonials exchanged points until a kill from Sidney Veatch gave IUPUI the advantage at 28-27. A Colonial attack error sealed the first set win, 29-27.

Robert Morris once again took the lead in the second set but the Jags came from behind to take the lead at 16-15, forcing a Colonial timeout. Out of the timeout, the Jags went on a 4-0 run with a kill from Alan and an ace from Harris, extending the lead to 20-15. Despite a late effort from the Colonials, IUPUI sealed the second set, 25-21.

Robert Morris outhit the Jags, .188 to .176 to keep the match going with a third set win, 25-23. IUPUI closed out the match with a fourth set victory hitting .359 with 18 kills. Briana Brown put an exclamation on the match with a kill at 25-23.

The Jaguars hit .324 while collected 66 kills. Alan led the way with 13 while Long and Brown each totaled 12. Harris collected a double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs. The freshman also added three service aces.

IUPUI is now 9-16 overall and 3-11 in conference play. They next face Youngstown State tomorrow, November 3 with first serve set for 6:00 PM.

NOTRE DAME SWIMMING

IRISH, CARDINALS SET FOR DUAL MEET IN LOUISVILLE

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After a pair of meets at home in the second and third weeks of October, the Irish men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are back on the road this Friday at Louisville. For the men, it’s the first ranked matchup of the season. Notre Dame currently sits at No. 17, while Louisville is No. 12. The Cardinals’ women’s team is No. 3 in the nation.

The last time Chris Guiliano swam in a meet, he became the ACC Swimmer of the Week. The junior currently boasts the nation’s fastest 100 free time this year, and he ranks fourth in the 50 and third in the 200.

Like the men, the Irish women are coming off of wins over Pittsburgh and Penn State. Maggie Graves notched a best time in the 500 free, winning the event and adding a victory in the 1000.

Louisville has not competed since Oct. 12, when the men upset No. 6 Tennessee while the women fell by just 4 points. They swam the meet in a long course meters format, and highlights include Jackson Millard’s backstroke sweep, Denis Petrashow’s breaststroke sweep and Ilia Sibirtsev’s distance freestyle sweep. On the women’s side, Gaby Albiero won both the 50 and 100-meter freestyle, and diver Else Praasterink swept the springboard events.

Friday’s meet at the Ralph Wright Natatorium starts at 4:30 p.m.

NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER

#9 IRISH RALLY FALLS SHORT IN 3-2 LOSS TO #7 CLEMSON

CARY, N.C. – It was a rematch against the same two top-10 ranked teams as No. 9 Notre Dame squared off against No. 7 Clemson, this time in the semifinal round of the ACC Tournament. Unfortunately for the Irish, the results weren’t the same, as the Tigers got the best of this one, advancing with a 3-2 result.

Clemson got on the board first in the 24th minute. The equalizer later arrived in the 50th minute, courtesy of Maddie Mercado, her eighth of the season.

Yet, the score was only tied for three minutes as the Tigers scored off of a deflected shot. Later, in the 65th minute, the Tigers earned some cushion on the scoreboard after earning and converting a penalty.

Much like the end of the first half, the final 15 minutes of the second half was all Irish. In fact, Notre Dame got one back in the 74th minute as Charlie Codd found Morgan Roy in the box. Roy netted her second of the season.

First Team All-ACC selection Kiki Van Zanten had two great looks at net in the final six minutes of the match, but just couldn’t find the late equalizer.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Notre Dame outshot Clemson 8-4 in the first half but trailed at the midway point, 1-0. The Tigers put the pressure on the Irish early and found the back of the net off of a cross and header in the 24th minute.

Yet, one could argue that the second portion of the first half was all Irish as they produced several chances, including three near misses.

The first came earlier on by Kristina Lynch in the 21st minute. Morgan Roy hit a low cross to the middle of the six to Lynch who one-timed it to the far post. However, the ACC goalkeeper of the Year Halle Mackiewicz made a tremendous save.

Later on, ACC All-Freshman Team selection Charlie Codd subbed in and made an instant impact, almost scoring in both the 32nd and 35th minute.

The controversial moment of the half was when Clemson’s Hal Hershfelt wasn’t called for a second yellow when she committed an obvious pull on Mercado’s jersey.

Now let’s go to the 50th minute where Maddie Mercado had a classic rocket shot from outside of the box to equalize it. Mercado dribbled the ball into the middle of the field about 10 yards outside the 18-yard box and launched a shot that tucked inside the right post.

Unfortunately for the Irish, the score wasn’t tied for long. Clemson not only scored on a later counterattack, but also on a deflected shot. In fact, Irish keeper Atlee Olofson chose the right way to dive, but the deflected ball went to the opposite side.

Clemson then earned some wiggle room in the 65th minute when a through ball in the box resulted in an awarded penalty kick; the result – a goal and 3-1 lead.

Yet, the Irish kept fighting and applied plenty of pressure which resulted in the ball living in Clemson’s side of the field. The result there was a goal back in the 74th minute.

Notre Dame’s second goal was a freshman-to-freshman connection. Charlie Codd did a great job holding on to the ball long enough under pressure and then finding Morgan Roy running down the right side of the box. Roy then tucked it far post for the goal, her second of the year.

Then heartbreak twice in the final six minutes of the match where Kiki Van Zanten had two solid looks. First, in the 84th minute, Van Zanten had the ball all alone streaking down the right side of the box. Her shot just clipped the keeper then hit off the near post. Fast forward to the final minute and Sophia Fisher delivered a great cross to the middle of the box where Van Zanten had a touch on it but the shot went high.

UP NEXT

Now, the Irish must wait till Selection Monday when the NCAA Tournament field is announced at 4 p.m. ET. Notre Dame is looking at either a two or three seed, which is the difference between hosting three games or one, respectively. 

NOTRE DAME HOCKEY

IRISH OPEN B1G AT PENN STATE

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame opens Big Ten Conference play at Penn State this weekend with a pair of games inside Pegula Ice Arena, November 4-5.

Game one of the weekend series is set for 7:30 p.m. on B1G+ with the second tilt scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. puck drop on Big Ten Network.

New this season, fans can view line charts for home games online at fightingirish.com/HKYLineCharts. Lines will be posted online approximately 90 minutes before puck drop (timing subject to change).

SERIES OVERVIEW

Opponent: Penn State Nittany Lions

Location: State College, Pa.| Pegula Ice Arena

Schedule: 7:30 p.m. (Sat.) | 4:30 p.m. (Sun.)

TV: B1G+ (Sat.) | BTN (Sun.)

Live Stats: FightingIrish.com

Radio: fightingirish.com/radioaffiliates/

Game Notes: Notre Dame | Penn State

QUICK HITS

The Irish closed out their first month of contests with a weekend sweep over Mercyhurst, Oct. 26-27.

Despite trailing to start the third period, the Irish came back to notch the overtime game winner off the stick of Landon Slaggert night one before storming off to a 5-0 win the following night to improve to 4-3-0 on the season.

Ryan Bischel made 33 saves between the pipes in his ninth career shutout, and second of the 2023-24 season.

With four goals against Mercyhurst, including two each night and the game-winner night one, Landon Slaggert led the nation in goal scoring last weekend and was named Big Ten Third Star of the Week for his performance.

Two Irish rookies recorded first career goals in their most recent outing when Paul Fischer and Brennan Ali helped lift the Irish to their 5-0 victory Friday night against the Lakers.

Carter Slaggert also recorded his first career point over the weekend series with Mercyhurst, tallying an assist each night to embark on a two-game point-streak.

The Irish have played one game away from home this season, competing against RIT in their annual Brick City Game inside Blue Cross Arena, home to the Rochester Americans, AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.

The Irish opened their season with a split against Clarkson inside Compton Family Ice Arena.

The first line chart of the season featured nine new faces while all 10 appeared on the ice at some point last weekend.

The new talent made an immediate impact on the Irish team with five 2023-24 additions recording their first points in an Irish sweater over the weekend.

Two Irish rookies net their first collegiate goals on the weekend with Jayden Davis and Danny Nelson each finding the back of the net in Sunday night’s win.

Davis’ goal came off his first shot on goal in his NCAA debut. The goal in the second period proved to be the eventual game-winner.

With his first win of the season, Ryan Bischel picked up his eighth career shutout behind the 3-0 victory. He stopped all 22 shots faced in the contest to improve his season save percentage to .957 through two games played.

The Irish return 19 letterwinners from the 2022-23 season this year, including 2023 Big Ten Conference Goaltender of the Year, Ryan Bischel.

Classmate Trevor Janicke also returned for his fifth season with the Irish, serving as alternate captain for the second time in 2023-24.

Of those letterwinners returning, 17 saw game action last season while five appeared in all 37 games played for the Irish a season ago.

The veteran leadership consists of four graduate seniors, including new additions to the team in Patrick Moynihan (forward; Providence) and Ryan Siedem (defenseman; Harvard), and eight seniors.

Ten new faces join the team this season, including eight freshmen. The new contributors consist of seven forwards and three defensemen. 

NOTRE DAME vs. PENN STATE

In 35 previous meetings between the Irish and the Nittany Lions, Notre Dame boasts a 22-9-4 record, including a 9-4-3 tally at Penn State.

Last season the two teams split their regular season series, with each teams capturing a home and road win in four meetings between the squads.

At Penn State last season, the Irish helped the Nittany Lions record two then-record setting crowds inside Pegula Ice Arena. In game one of the series in State College, the Irish claimed a 2-1 victory before falling by a goal the following night for the weekend spilt.

Four current Irish skaters recorded points in the contest while graduate netminder Ryan Bischel set a career saves record, stopping 52 of 53 shots faced in game one of the series. Justin Janicke led the team in points with three assists while Trevor Janicke is the lone returner to the Irish this season to have scored a goal at Pegula Ice Arena last year. Landon Slaggert and Drew Bavaro also had points in the series.

IRISH HEADED HOME

The University of Notre Dame, in conjunction with The Odyssey Trust, announced the Irish would participate in the 2024 rendtion of the Friendship Four men’s college ice hockey tournament.

The annual tournament is set to be played in Belfast, Ireland, next November (2024) with the Irish joining Harvard, Merrimack and Boston University as participants competing for the coveted Belpot Trophy.

The tournament was last played in 2022 with Quinnipiac reigning victorious that fall before winning the national championship at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season.

The tournament first began in 2015 and is designed to promote education, social welfare, and community interation.

Over the course of six previous tournaments, 24 games have been played dating back to the inagural games in 2015.

Northern Ireland remains the only destination outside of the United States to host consequential NCAA Divison I ice hockey games.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

The 2022-23 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year was one of two unanimous selections for 2023-24 Preseason All-Big Ten Teams. He was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team ahead of the coming season.

Bischel was also a Mike Richter Award semifinalist and a Hobey Baker nominee a season ago.

Drew Bavaro made an immediate impact at the blueline last season after joining the Irish and will look to continue that success this season as a senior. He was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team for the preseason.

Landon Slaggert also picked up preseason honors from the Big Ten when he was named an Honorable Mention heading into the season.

Following his performance against Mercyhurst, which included a nation’s best four goals on the weekend, Landon Slaggert was named the Big Ten’s Third Star of the Week October 31.

FAMILY TIES

The 2023-24 Notre Dame roster features quite a few family connections to the program and hockey world.

Three sets of brothers are currently on the roster, including Justin and Trevor Janicke, Landon and Carter Slaggert, and Henry and Danny Nelson.

With the addition of the Nelsons this season, the Irish have had 17 sets of brothers lace up their skates together for the Irish.

Carter Slaggert also joins the Irish in 2023-24, becoming the third Slaggert brother to appear in a game for the Irish and joins his older brother Landon, who is a senior. Oldest brother Graham currently plays in the Buffalo Sabres organization and skated two years alongside Landon before graduating.

Senior forward Brady Bjork is the younger brother of former Irish All-American and current Chicago Blackhawk Anders Bjork.

Brady’s father, Kirt, played for the Irish from 1979-83 where he appeared in 141 and tallied 161 career points (76-85). When older brother Anders played for the Irish, they became the fourth set of father-son combinations within Notre Dame hockey.

The Slaggerts are part of the fifth set of father-son combinations to suit up for the Irish, joining their father and associate head coach Andy Slaggert.

Justin and Trevor Janicke are the sons of Curtis Janicke, who played for the Irish from 1989-93, appearing in 125 games while scoring 46 goals and adding 98 assists for 144 points.

Justin, Trevor and Curtis represent the sixth father-son duo to play for the Irish.

Freshman Paul Fischer is the nephew of Mike Gearan, a member of the first varsity hockey team at Notre Dame. Fischer will honor his uncle by wearing his number during his career with the Irish, No. 16.

Freshman forward Cole Knuble is the son of former NHLer Mike Knuble, who spent 16 seasons in the NHL, including stints with Detroit, New York Rangers, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington. Cole was recently drafted by the Flyers’ organization where his father played during his early childhood. He will wear No. 22 with the Irish to honor his father.

Four current Irish skaters have siblings playing at the collegiate level, away from South Bend.

Cole Knuble’s brother, Cam, is a senior at Western Michigan University.

Ryan Siedem’s brother is a freshman at the University of New Hampshire.

Jayden Davis’ brother Matthew is a junior on the Denver Pioneers’ hockey team.

Maddox Fleming’s sister Delaney is a freshman on the Ohio State University women’s hockey team.

CURRENT IRISH AND THE NHL DRAFT

The 2023-24 roster features nine NHL draftees, including Jake Boltmann (CGY ‘20), Justin Janicke (SEA ‘21), Danny Nelson (NYI ‘23), Brennan Ali (DET ‘22), Paul Fischer (STL ‘23), Patrick Moynihan (NJD ‘19), Landon Slaggert (CHI ‘20), Cole Knuble (PHI ‘23) and Trevor Janicke (ANA ‘19).

The 2023 NHL draft saw three Irish rookies selected, the most since 2020, and 15th time in program history that at least three Irish icers were selected in a single draft class.

The trio of skaters selected in 2023, Danny Nelson (2nd Rd., 49 overall), Cole Knuble (4th Rd., 103 overall) and Paul Fischer (5th Rd., 138 overall) join fellow rookie Brennan Ali (DET ‘22) as draftees in the ND freshmen class.

When D. Nelson was selected in the second round of this year’s Draft, Notre Dame extended its streak of players drafted to 21 years (2004-present).

BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BECKI & HAMPTON VOTED PRESEASON ALL-MAC; CARDINALS PICKED SECOND IN PRESEASON POLL

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Ball State women’s basketball team continues to make a name for itself in the Mid-American Conference as the Cardinals were picked to finish second in the MAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll for the second-straight season. In addition, junior guard Ally Becki was tabbed to the Preseason All-MAC First Team while junior Nyla Hampton was named to the All-MAC Second Team. 

Becki earns preseason honors for the second-straight year. The 2023 All-MAC Second Team postseason selection has started every game for the Cardinals since the start of her freshman year. In 2022-23, Becki led the squad with five double-doubles and scored in double digits 20 times, including a season-best 23 points at Buffalo (Jan. 18). She also pulled down a career-best 14 rebounds in a win over IUPUI (Dec. 8). In just two seasons, Becki has tallied 714 points. A strong ball handler, Becki ranked sixth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (2.74) and 18th in total assists (181) last season.

Hampton, who transferred from Bowling Green this past summer, is a three-time MAC Defensive Team recipient. She enters her first season at Ball State with 865 career points, needing 135 to reach the 1,000-point plateau. She has also pulled down 131 career rebounds, dished 278 assists and collected 243 steals.

Brady Sallee is beginning his 12th season as Ball State’s head coach. His program returns 10 players from a record-setting squad which finished the 2022-23 campaign with a 26-9 record, including a14-4 conference ledger while also reaching the semifinals of the MAC Tournament. The Cardinals also advanced to the second round of the postseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for the first time since 2018. 

The Ball State women’s basketball team officially opens its season at home Monday, Nov. 6, against Tennessee Tech for the Cardinals’ annual “Field Trip Day” in Worthen Arena. The game is slated for an 11 a.m. ET start.

 2023-24 MAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

(First Place Votes)

Toledo (11)- 121

Ball State (1)- 110

Kent State- 102

Bowling Green- 77

Northern Illinois- 72

Akron- 69

Eastern Michigan- 66

Buffalo- 50

Ohio- 40

Western Michigan- 38

Central Michigan- 24

Miami- 23

Tournament Champion: Toledo- 10, Ball State- 2

2023-24 MAC Women’s Basketball Preseason All-MAC Teams

First Team

Ally Becki, Forward, Ball State, Junior

Chelby Koker, Guard, Northern Illinois, Fifth Year 

Katie Shumate, Guard, Kent State, Redshirt Senior 

Quinesha Lockett, Guard, Toledo, Fifth Year

Reagan Bass, Forward, Akron, Junior 

Second Team

Lachelle Austin, Guard, Eastern Michigan, Junior

Lexi Fleming, Guard, Bowling Green, Senior

Nyla Hampton, Guard, Ball State, Junior

Sammi Mikonowicz, Guard/Forward, Toledo, Senior

Sophia Wiard, Guard, Toledo, Fifth Year

BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

CARDINALS CRUSH ENGINEERS IN EXHIBITION

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men’s basketball team beat Rose-Hulman 85-52 in an exhibition game Thursday night at Worthen Arena.

The Cardinals got double-figures scoring from Basheer Jihad (13 points), Zane Doughty (12) and Jalin Anderson (11) in the warmup to the regular season. Other big contributors to the offense were Mason Jones (nine points), Davion Bailey (nine), Mickey Pearson Jr. (eight) and Micah Bell (eight).

Jihad paced the home team on the boards with nine rebounds, while Anderson dished out six assists and collected five steals.

Ball State broke out for a game-best 12-0 scoring run midway through the first half to create separation, going into the break with a 38-19 advantage.

The Fightin’ Engineers got 12 points from Cole Pride and eight each out of Troy McManus and Sam Piontek, but could not hold up inside where the Cardinals enjoyed a 32-6 advantage in points in the paint. Ball State also won the second chance points (14-7) and fast break points (13-2) battles.

A moment of silence was observed pregame in recognition of the passing of Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight, who Ball State head coach Michael Lewis played for at Indiana and worked as a graduate assistant for at Texas Tech.

Up next for the Cardinals is the regular season opener on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. against Goshen College at Worthen.

INDIANA STATE FOOTBALL

SYCAMORES HOST NO. RV/22 YOUNGSTOWN STATE FOR FAMILY WEEKEND

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State welcomes No. RV/22 Youngstown State to Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon as the Sycamores host the Penguins on Saturday, November 4. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Penguins is set for 1 p.m. and will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.

Quick Hits

Indiana State trails the all-time series, 24-8, to Youngstown State dating back to the inaugural contest in 1998. Indiana State’s three-game winning streak against the Penguins was snapped last season in Youngstown, Ohio, 48-42.

The Sycamores boasted a 100-yard rusher (Justin Dinka), 100-yard receiver (Dante Hendrix), and 300-yard passer (Cade Chambers) in the last contest against YSU – the first time ISU accomplished the feat since 2016. Indiana State has won three of the last four home games against YSU including a 28-17 win in 2021, a 24-17 win in 2019, and a 27-24 victory in 2015.

ISU has had a player post at least 100 rushing, receiving, or return yards against Youngstown State in each of the last five games against the Penguins.

About Youngstown State

Youngstown State enters the weekend ranked or receiving votes in both major FCS national polls. The Penguins are ranked No. 22 in the STATS Perform FCS top-25, as well as receiving votes in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. The Penguins boast a 5-3 record on the season, 3-2 mark in MVFC play including conference wins against Southern Illinois, Illinois State, and Missouri State. All three YSU conference wins this season have come at home, while the Penguins have posted losses at UNI (44-41) and at South Dakota (34-31).

Youngstown State quarterback Mitch Davidson is among the conference’s leaders on the season sitting second overall in total offense (251.0), passing yards per game (239.38), and touchdowns (15). Bryce Oliver is the team leader sitting fourth in the MVFC in receiving yards per game (74.6), while running back Tyshon King is second in rushing yards per game at 84.1. YSU is third overall in the MVFC in total offense (434.6) and first in time of possession (34:11).

On This Date

Indiana State has played eight games all-time on November 4 dating back to their first contest at DePauw back in 1950. The Sycamores fell in the first four contests before picking up back-to-back wins on the date over Southern Illinois in 1989 and 2000. ISU’s most recent contest on November 4 came against Youngstown State falling in 2017, 66-24.

1950 – at DePauw – L, 33-0

1961 – at DePauw – L, 28-14

1967 – at DePauw – L, 17-14

1978 – vs. Southern Illinois – L, 28-7

1989 – vs. Southern Illinois – W, 35-24

2000 – vs. Southern Illinois – W, 23-22

2006 – at Western Illinois – L, 46-41

2017 – vs. Youngstown State – L, 66-24

Last Time Against Youngstown State

Youngstown State held off Indiana State in an offensive shootout at Stambaugh Stadium as the Sycamores fell to the host Penguins, 48-42.

In a game that featured six plays that traveled 50-plus yards in the first half and just three drives that covered at least five minutes, it came down to the defense in the fourth quarter. The Penguins forced a pair of Indiana State punts in the fourth quarter and held onto the ball for 21:44 in the second half to secure the win.

ISU fought their way back into the contest in the second half trailing 45-28 midway through the third quarter. Justin Dinka scored on an 18-yard touchdown reception to cut the YSU lead down to 45-35 with 4:18 to play. Following a Sycamore onside kick, Cade Chambers capped a four-play drive with an 11-yard touchdown run to narrow the gap down to 45-42 late in the third quarter. That’s as close as ISU was able to get the rest of the way as the Penguins limited the Sycamore offense to secure the MVFC win.

Cade Chambers (15-of-29, 311 yards, 5 total touchdowns) surpassed the 300-yard passing mark for the first time in his collegiate career, while Justin Dinka (11 carries, 159 rushing yards) and Dante Hendrix (117 receiving yards) highlighted the ISU offense.

Hitting the 100-yard Mark against the Penguins

At least one Indiana State player has posted a 100-yard game against Youngstown State dating back to the 2017 season as the Sycamores have had athletes hit the century mark in rushing, receiving, and in the return game.

2017

LaMonte Booker – 19 carries, 167 yards, 1 TD

Jacquet McClendon – Six receptions, 101 yards, 1 TD

2018

Dante Hendrix – Seven receptions, 186 yards, 2 TD

2019

Dakota Caton – Three KO returns, 116 yards

2021

Peterson Kerlegrand – 25 carries, 151 yards, 2 TD

2022

Justin Dinka – 11 carries, 159 rushing yards, 1 TD

Dante Hendrix – Five catches, 117 yards

INDIANA STATE VOLLEYBALL

SYCAMORES HEAD TO IOWA FOR FINAL ROAD TRIP OF 2023 SEASON

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State embarks on its final road trip of the 2023 season to kick off the month of November, as the Sycamores head west to face Northern Iowa on Friday and Drake on Saturday.

Friday’s match is set for 7 p.m., while Saturday’s match will start at 6 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+

Last Time Out

Indiana State is coming off consecutive four-set losses at home to Southern Illinois and Missouri State. Kira Holland recorded double-doubles in both matches, including a 21-kill performance against SIU, while Karinna Gall had 17 kills against Missouri State.

History Maker

Indiana State outside hitter Kira Holland has earned MVC Freshman of the Week honors in each of the last five weeks, becoming the first player in program history to earn multiple Freshman of the Week honors in the same season and just the second freshman in conference history to be named MVC Freshman of the Week in four consecutive weeks. Missouri State’s Daniele Messa is the only other athlete in MVC history to earn four straight Freshman of the Week honors, having done so in 2016.

Indiana State’s six MVC Freshman of the Week honors this season are also the most of any MVC school in 2023 and the represent the most weekly awards for the Sycamores in a season in program history. The Sycamores have earned more than half of the conference’s Freshman of the Week honors handed out this season.

Double Trouble

Indiana State had a pair of athletes post double-doubles with kills and digs against Missouri State, marking the first time in conference play that two Sycamores had kills-digs double-doubles in the same match.

Kira Holland had 13 kills to go along with a career-best 19 digs, while Karinna Gall had 17 kills, her most in a conference match this season, and 11 digs against the Bears. Gall and Holland have accounted for all of Indiana State’s kills-digs double-doubles this season.

Block Party

Indiana State posted double-digit blocks for just the third time this season and second in conference play Saturday, as the Sycamores tallied 11 blocks in their match against Missouri State.

The Sycamores’ block total was a balanced effort across all front, as five different Indiana State players recorded multiple blocks in the match. Storm Suhre led the way with six blocks, while Ella Scott, Avery Hales, Karinna Gall and Kaitlyn Hamilton all had multiple blocks for the Blue and White.

The Streak Lives On

Indiana State outside hitter Kira Holland continues to post strong attacking numbers for the Sycamores, having notched double-digit kills in each of the last 12 matches.

The streak dates back to the opening weekend of conference play, where she is averaging 3.85 kills per set. Holland had double-digit kills in 17 of the last 19 matches for Indiana State, and also has double-digit digs in nine matches during that span.

Opponents At A Glance

Northern Iowa enters the weekend at 19-6 overall and a perfect 13-0 against MVC foes. The Panthers are 30-1 in their last 31 conference matches. Emily Holterhaus leads the Panthers wit 313 kills, while Kira Fallert (274 kills) and Layanna Green (.404 hit%) also factoring into the attack. Tayler Alden has 859 assists, while Erin Powers leads the back row with 420 digs. Olivia Tjernagel leads the team with 93 blocks.

Winners of four straight, Drake enters the weekend at 18-7 overall and 11-2 in conference play. Taylor Oberpriller leads the Bulldogs with 342 kills, with Haley Bush (296 kills) and Macy Daufeldt (285 kills) also adding to the Drake attack. Addison Beagle has 832 assists, while Jada Wills leads the MVC in digs per set with 5.84 and Kacie Rewerts has a league-high 1.38 blocks per set.

Series History

Northern Iowa has a 68-6 lead in the all-time series and is 35-1 in matches played in Cedar Falls. The Panthers have won each of the last two meetings in the series in three sets, though last year’s match had the three sets decided by a total of eight points.

Drake has a 43-30 lead in the all-time series and is 23-12 in matches played in Des Moines. The Bulldogs have won each of the last two meetings in three sets, though the third set of the earlier match this season was only won by a 33-31 margin.

Up Next

Indiana State closes the regular season with home matches against Murray State (Nov. 10), Belmont (Nov. 11) and Evansville (Nov. 15).

PURDUE FT. WAYNE VOLLEYBALL

‘DONS, COLONIALS AND PENGUINS MEET FOR PHENOMENAL MASCOT MATCHUPS

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The best mascots in the Horizon League will meet this weekend as the Mastodons of Purdue Fort Wayne women’s volleyball will play against the Robert Morris Colonials and the Youngstown State Penguins.

Game Day Information (Friday)

Who: Robert Morris Colonials

When: Friday, November 3 | 6 PM

Where: Moon Township, Pa. | UPMC Events Center

Live Stats:Link

Watch:ESPN+

Match Notes:Purdue Fort Wayne | Robert Morris

Game Day Information (Saturday)

Who: Youngstown State Penguins

When: Saturday, November 4 | 4 PM

Where: Youngstown, Ohio | Beeghly Center

Live Stats:Link

Watch:ESPN+

Match Notes:Purdue Fort Wayne | Youngstown State

Know Your Foe

Robert Morris has lost four matches in a row headed into Thursday’s match against IUPUI. The Colonials are 3-12 in Horizon League matches and 6-20 overall this season. Youngstown State is on an eight-match losing streak going into their Friday match against IUPUI. This season, the Penguins are 2-13 in conference play and 7-19 overall.

Series History

The ‘Dons are 9-1 all-time against Robert Morris including a 3-0 win in their match earlier this year in Fort Wayne. Panna Ratkai hit 20 kills and served four aces to help the ‘Dons take down Robert Morris. Purdue Fort Wayne is 6-4 against Youngstown State and has won all but one match against the Penguins on the road. The ‘Dons are 3-1 in Youngstown including a three-set win back in 2021.

Record-Breaking Ratkai

Panna Ratkai recorded her second 30-kill performance in eight days, finishing with 33 in a five-set win over IUPUI on Saturday. She is the only Horizon League student-athlete to have more than 26 kills in a match this season and the only Mastodon player in program history to have two 30-kill matches. This season, Ratkai is one of six players in the nation to record 33 kills or more twice and leads the Horizon League with 5.80 kills per set, 1.35 more than any other player. Her 38.5 points vs. IUPUI and 30.0 points at Oakland are both top-three in the league season, second and third to only her own performance against Milwaukee last week.

Panna of the Week

Panna Ratkai has garnered Horizon League Player of the Week honors four times this season. She’s the eighth player in HL history to be named POTW four or more times in a season and the only one to do it in her freshman year. The other seven were either named Player of the Year or Defensive Player of the Year:

Karen Fruit (2004 – senior) – Player of the Year

Kerri Schuh (2011 – senior) – Player of the Year

Stephenee Yancy (2014 – junior) – Player of the Year

Jenna Story (2019 – sophomore) – Defensive Player of the Year

Katie Crowe (spring 2021 – senior) – Player of the Year

Ari Miller (2021 – junior) – Player of the Year

Paula Gursching (2022 – sophomore) – Player of the Year

Double-Doubles

Ashby Willis now has double-doubles in back-to-back matches. Willis had 15 kills and 13 digs against Oakland and 13 kills and 14 digs against IUPUI.

Where They Stand

Robert Morris sits in eight headed into the weekend in the Horizon League standings at 3-12 in conference play. Youngstown State is in tenth with a 2-13 record.

Last Time Out

Redshirt-freshman Panna Ratkai became the only Mastodon in program history to have two 30-kill performances in her career on Saturday (Oct. 28), as the Purdue Fort Wayne women’s volleyball team beat IUPUI 3-2. Ratkai’s 33 kills on Saturday rank 13th in the nation in kills in a match this season. She managed it on an efficient .305 hitting. She also added 13 digs and five aces.

Coming Up

Purdue Fort Wayne hosts Cleveland State on Tuesday (Nov. 7) to open the final week of the regular season.

EVANSVILLE VOLLEYBALL

VOLLEYBALL TRAVELS TO DRAKE AND UNI THIS WEEKEND

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The month of November opens with the longest road trip of the season for the University of Evansville volleyball team, who travels to Northern Iowa and Drake this weekend.  UE opens in Des Moines on Friday versus the Bulldogs before trekking to Cedar Falls to face UNI on Saturday; both matches are set for 6 p.m. start times on ESPN+.

Bringing the Defense

– As her freshman season has progressed, Ainoah Cruz has seen her defensive numbers on the rise

– Over the last five matches, Cruz as averaged 5.53 digs per set while raising her season average to 4.47/set – 8th in the MVC

– She has recorded two 30-dig matches with her top mark of 32 coming against UIC and 30 in the road match at Bradley

– Her numbers in MVC outings is even better with 4.85 digs against league opponents

Career Defensive Effort

– With a season average of 10.44 assists per set, Kora Ruff ranks second in the MVC and 28th nationally

– Ruff had the first 60-assist match of her career against UIC, surpassing her previous UE high of 58 helpers as a freshman

– Her defense has also been on the rise, culminating in a career-best 22 digs in the home match against the Salukis; it was the first 20-dig contest for Ruff, breaking her previous mark of 18 against North Alabama

– She ranks 19th in the league with 2.76 digs/set and has seen her average rise to 3.00/game in Valley matches

Top of the Charts

– Three of the most important offensive statistics in the sport of volleyball see Giulia Cardona’s name at the top

– Evansville’s junior continues to lead the nation in kills (5.30/set), points (6.09/set) and attacks (15.03/set)

– One of the top servers in the nation is on one of the most impressive streaks of her career as Cardona is averaging 1.00 aces per set over the last six matches

– Her season average of 0.54 per game paces the MVC and is 14th nationally

– Cardona’s defense has also been stellar – while her season average is 2.79 digs, she has seen that rise to 3.13 per set in MVC matches with a career high of 20 coming against SIU

Close to a Record

– Madisyn Steele is a career .337 hitter throughout her 2 1/2 seasons with the Purple Aces and she is set to smash the program career hitting percentage list

– Steele opens the weekend with 995 attacks in her career, just five away from becoming eligible to join the list

– Her current hitting mark of .337 is 60 points higher than the UE record of .277

– Steele set the single-season hitting record for Evansville last season, finishing at .346 (25 points higher than the previous record)

Scouting the Opposition

– Drake is second in the conference with an 11-2 mark and stand at 18-7 overall

– Taylor Oberpriller leads the Bulldogs with 3.84 kills per set, which puts her fourth in the MVC

– Northern Iowa is 19-6 in 2023 and has started its Valley slate with 13 consecutive wins

– Layanna Green is the #2 hitter in the Valley at .404 while Emily Holterhaus’ 3.77 kills per game is 5^th

EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL EARNS EXHIBITION WIN AGAINST OAKLAND CITY

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The University of Evansville women’s basketball team earned a gritty 81-77 preseason victory on Thursday night against the Oakland City Mighty Oaks.

In her first game at the collegiate level, forward Nevaeh Thomas led the Purple Aces in scoring and rebounds with a 27-point, 15-rebound stat line. Sophomore guard Kynidi Mason Striverson was UE’s other double-digit scorer with 15 points and led the team in steals with two swipes. Evansville controlled possession time and second-chance points in its first taste of action against the Mighty Oaks.

“I’m proud of us for handling everything we could handle tonight,” said Head Coach Robyn Scherr-Wells following the game. “Oakland City did a great job. They came in here very confident. And I’m proud of our girls for fighting through.

“We’re pretty short-handed at the guard spot right now. So I’m proud of some kids for stepping up. We got some good minutes from some of our young players, including Nevaeh. Overall it was a great game for us. Oakland City did a great job and it helps us learn some things and prepare for the next one,”.

It was a slow start for the Aces as Oakland City jumped out to a five-point lead and controlled through most of the first quarter. UE kept the Mighty Oaks from breaking out on any major runs finding jump shots in the paint. But at the halfway mark of the first, Evansville trailed by eight going into the media timeout. Out of the timeout, the Aces put together a six-point run giving them room to take their first lead with under two to go in the quarter. An eight-point run for UE closed out the quarter, giving the team a four-point lead going into the second.

Both offenses struggled in the second quarter with only two made baskets in the first three minutes. The two teams traded makes to keep things close until the Mighty Oaks had an 8-2 run to retake the lead by four points. The Aces brought the deficit down to only one but two free throw attempts in the final 15 seconds had Oakland City with the slight edge.

UE had its best offensive quarter in the third, outscoring the Mighty Oaks 30 to 20. The quarter began with more back-and-forth play but Evansville was able to break out on a 12-point run in the final five minutes. The run was highlighted by the Aces first three-pointer of the game from guard Alana Striverson. Stiverson made her second trey of the quarter as time expired in the third on a turnover to give Evansville a seven-point lead heading into the final quarter.

Despite Oakland City getting the first basket of the fourth, UE had a 9-2 run early for its largest lead of the game. The 12-point lead for the Aces with 6:33 left in the game helped to fend off a late-game surge from the Mighty Oaks. Evansville had a double-digit lead with just over three minutes to go, but Oakland City strung together four shots including a three to make it a three-point game. A pivotal foul drawn in the final 20 seconds from guard Lexie Sinclair sealed the win for the Aces as she made both tries to end the game at 81-77.

UE begins the regular season next week at Meeks Family Fieldhouse. Evansville will welcome Lipscomb to town on Tuesday, Nov. 7 to kick off the 2023-24 non-conference slate. Tipoff from Meeks is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

USI OPENS ’23-24 WITH VISIT TO SAINT LOUIS

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball opens the 2023-24 regular season Monday when the Screaming Eagles visit Saint Louis University for a 7 p.m. contest and begins a two-game road trip that concludes November 9 at 6 p.m. (CST) with a stopover at fourth-ranked Michigan State University to open the year.  The visits to Saint Louis and Michigan State will be the first for USI in the history of the men’s basketball program.

The USI-SLU showdown will be played at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, and will air live on Bally Sports Midwest and ESPN+, while the USI-Michigan State contest will be at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan, and will air on the Big Ten Network. The game can also be heard on ESPN 97.7FM (http://listentotheref.com) and 95.7FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com).

The Eagles are coming off their inaugural season of NCAA Division I play that saw them post a 16-17 overall record, 9-9 in the Ohio Valley Conference. USI also made its first two Division I post-season appearances last year with first round contests in the OVC Championship and the College Basketball Invitational.

USI is forecast to place ninth in the OVC in the conference preseason poll, while Blue Ribbon Basketball put them in fifth.

SLU, which was 21-12 overall in 2022-23, was picked sixth in the A-10 preseason coaches poll. The Billikens opened the year with a pair of exhibition wins, defeating Kentucky Wesleyan College, 85-75, and Berea College, 98-60.

Michigan State, which was 21-13 overall last year, is ranked fourth in the Associated Press and the USA Today Top 25 polls and second in the Big Ten 2023-24 preseason poll. The Spartans split their two exhibition games to start the year, defeating Hillsdale College, 85-43, and falling to the University of Tennessee, 89-88.

Prior to hosting USI on November 9, Michigan State will host James Madison University Monday in East Lansing.

Following the season-opening road trip, the Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of Screaming Eagles Arena for the home opener November 12 when they host Chicago State University for a 3:30 p.m. contest. USI, which is slated to host 14 home games this year at Screaming Eagles Arena, has single-game tickets on sale now on USIScreamingEagles.com.

VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER

SOCCER OFF TO MVC TITLE MATCH AFTER EXTRA-TIME WIN OVER MISSOURI STATE

The Valpo soccer team is heading to the championship match of the 2023 MVC Tournament after a dramatic win in extra time Thursday afternoon in tournament semifinal action over Missouri State, as Abby White (Commerce Township, Mich./Walled Lake Central) scored directly from a corner kick in the 97th minute for the deciding tally in the Beacons’ 1-0 victory. Valpo will take the field in Des Moines, Iowa at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon looking to win the tournament title and earn the MVC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

How It Happened

Valpo held the Bears at bay throughout the first 45 minutes of action, as Nikki Coryell (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) was called upon to make just three simple saves in the first half. The Beacons earned a trio of corner kicks in the opening period, but were unable to find the back of the net as the match went into halftime scoreless.

Coryell made her toughest save of the match less than 10 minutes into the second half, diving to her right to knock a shot from Gracie English inside the box wide of goal.

Valpo started to flip the field on the Bears over the final 30 minutes of regulation and earned a number of strong chances at goal in the process. Lindsey DuSatko (Plainfield, Ill./North) took a rip from distance in the 68th minute to force MSU goalkeeper Camille Day into a save.

Allie Anderson (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South [Xavier]) took a shot from 20 yards out in the 77th minute that went just over the crossbar. Anderson had Valpo’s best scoring chance in regulation 10 minutes later as well, taking a free kick from 25 yards which forced Day to push it over the bar.

The match entered extra time scoreless, but seven minutes into the first extra period of 10 minutes, that changed. Dana Fish (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan North) won Valpo a corner, which White lined up over from the right side. The junior’s left-footed corner swung in towards the goal line, and while Day got a hand to it, she was unable to control it as the momentum carried it into the back of the net as Valpo took the 1-0 lead.

With overtime postseason matches no longer being decided by golden goal rules, the goal didn’t clinch Valpo’s advancement to the title match, as the Beacons had to see out the one-goal lead for the final 12-plus minutes of extra time, which they did so successfully.

Inside the Match

Valpo advances to the seventh tournament championship match in program history and its second since joining the Missouri Valley Conference, as the Beacons previously played for the title in the spring 2021 campaign.

Valpo has won three postseason matches for the first time in program history.

The victory was the Beacons’ 10th of the season, their 11th 10-win season in program history and the second time in the last three years.

All three of Valpo’s tournament wins have come by 1-0 finals, the first time in program history it has won three straight matches by that identical 1-0 score.

All four of Valpo’s all-time wins in the MVC Tournament have been 1-0 victories.

The Beacons posted their third straight clean sheet, backstopped by Coryell, who tied the MVC career shutouts record on Thursday with her 27th shutout — matching former Missouri State goalkeeper Jackie Jasper.

Coryell has eight shutouts on the season, tied for fourth in a single season in program history. She also moved up a pair of Valpo’s career charts on Thursday, as with 6,345 career minutes played, she ranks second all-time among Valpo goalkeepers and seventh among MVC goalkeepers.

Coryell stopped seven shots in Thursday’s shutout and owns 294 career saves, third-most all-time at Valpo.

The Beacons have played 317 minutes of soccer without conceding a goal.

Thursday’s win came over a Missouri State side which had not lost in MVC regular season play and whose only defeat of the year had come against Missouri. The Bears had also surrendered just one goal in Valley play this season.

For White, it was her first goal of the season, but her fourth career tally — three of which have been match-winners.

Thoughts From Coach Marovich

“So proud of the group’s performance today. A tournament semifinal is always going to be a battle, and I’m just so happy with their fight and grit to get the result.”

“I felt as we moved into the second half, certainly the last half of that period, we did a much better job with our first-pass possession so we didn’t get stuck pinned in. That caused us some trouble in the first 60 minutes of regulation, and we did a better job the last 30 minutes, allowing us more opportunities on the attack.”

“Once we got into overtime, it came down to can you create a moment? Set pieces are so critical for that — so many matches are won on them, and we ran one of our numerous corner plays and created that moment that was the difference.”

“When you’re in really tough semifinal matches, it can come down to little moments and shifts that players come off the bench and contribute. Peyton did that tonight — she came in as a wide player, we asked her to do a couple things to help us defensively and help us build to get out, and she executed what we asked of her. Cass came in at the 10 and did some really good work. Dana wins us the corner that ends up creating our goal. After we had taken the lead, Sam helps us kill a good bit of time in overtime going to the corner. Those little things add up and are massive.”

Next Up

Valpo (10-5-6) will play for the MVC title on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Des Moines, Iowa against either top-seeded Drake or fourth-seeded UIC. The match can be seen live on ESPN+.

UINDY FOOTBALL

FINAL REGULAR-SEASON HOME GAME, SENIOR DAY ON TAP FOR UINDY FOOTBALL

GAME 9

vs. McKendree Bearcats (3-5, 3-2 GLVC)

Saturday | November 4 |  2 p.m. ET

Playing front of the Key Stadium crowd for the final time this regular season, the eighth-ranked UIndy football team has a chance to clinch a GLVC championship Saturday afternoon when it hosts the Bearcats of McKendree University. The weekend’s kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern.

UIndy will honor 17 senior student-athletes prior to kick. Kednal Alexis, Josh Benton, Cade Campbell, Zachery Clark, Khoreice Crawford, Matt Der Torossian, Dylan Hillger, TyVel Jemison, Austin Keele, Luke Keller, Logan Koehne, Landry Mavungu, Kellen Porter, KJ Roudebush, Brett Russell, Nico Wegner and Keion Willis will all be recognized for their hard work and dedication to the program.

GAMEDAY/COVERAGE INFO

Fans will notice a number of changes and improvements to their gameday experience this fall, all of which are outlined on the following webpage. Meanwhile, fans unable to attend the game will see a change as well.  This season, the GLVC announced a multi-year partnership with Hudl to put select regular season and championship broadcasts behind a paywall—including all its of football games. GLVC football fans will have three different purchase options for regular-season broadcasts, including an individual broadcast cost of $10, a season pass for $75, and a full GLVC package (all volleyball, football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball games in 2023-24) for $100.

GAME NOTES: https://athletics.uindy.edu/documents/2023/11/2/GAME_9_vs_McKendree.pdf

MARIAN FOOTBALL

GAMEDAY GUIDE: UNDEFEATED TITANS CLASH WITH MSFA LEAD UP FOR GRABS AS NO. 4 MARIAN TRAVELS TO NO. 3 INDIANA WESLEYAN

INDIANAPOLIS – A battle of undefeated titans clashing in the state of Indiana highlights the NAIA football slate this Saturday, as a week 10 matchup between No. 4 Marian and No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan will determine the front runner in the MSFA Mideast League.

THE SERIES

This is just the fifth time Marian and Indiana Wesleyan will meet, and it is turning into the Knights’ top rivalry game. Marian won the first two meetings of the season in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, with the Wildcats returning the favor and winning in both 2021 and 2022 to level the series 2-2. Both Marian and Indiana Wesleyan have a home and away win in the series, with Marian’s 2019 victory coming as their only road win. Indiana Wesleyan won at home in 2021 by a 41-7 score, and won last season in Indianapolis 17-10.

THE GAME

The winner of Saturday’s game will become the front-runner and likely winner of the MSFA Mideast League, as either Marian or Indiana Wesleyan will end the game with a 6-0 MSFA record and one game to play. Indiana Wesleyan is aiming to win their second consecutive MSFA championship, while the Knights are looking for their first outright championship since 2021. A win for the Knights will put them in the drivers seat to win their eight MSFA championship.

The Knights and Wildcats are also battling for a top seed in the NAIA FCS Playoffs, as the winner could gain momentum and hold the No. 3 seed in the playoff field.

TICKETS

Fans can purchase tickets online now at the link above. Tickets will be able to be purchased on-site beginning 90 minutes prior to kickoff, and all sales are card only. All tickets are general admission and cost $13 per adult ticket, and children 5 and under are free. College students and students age 6-17 are charged $7 for general admission. Gates will open 60 minutes prior to kickoff.

WATCH AND FOLLOW ALONG

Those fans unable to attend Saturday’s game can watch live in two ways, either on ESPN+ or through the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcat Streaming Network. Fans with an ESPN+ membership can watch through their normal subscription, while watching through the Wildcats website costs $8.54.

The Knights broadcast duo of Scott McCauley and Zach Graves will also be calling the game from Marion, with the audio-only broadcast of the game streamed through the ISC Sports Network. Fans can also find live statistics at MarianStats.com. Live updates of the game will be posted on the official Marian Athletics Twitter/X page, @MUKnights.

TAILGATING

All tailgating at Indiana Wesleyan must occur only in designated tailgating areas in the Athletics Campus. Those locations are in Center Hall Parking Lot #24 and on Wildcat Drive within the outdoor athletic complex area beginning at the soccer field and moving south. To view more on the Indiana Wesleyan tailgating policy, see above.

Kickoff is scheduled for 12:03 p.m. from Marion, Indiana, as the Marian Knights clash with the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats.

SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

NBA STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Boston	4	0	1.000	—	2-0	2-0	1-0	4-0	4-0	4 W
Philadelphia	3	1	.750	1.0	2-0	1-1	2-0	2-1	3-1	3 W
Brooklyn	2	2	.500	2.0	0-1	2-1	–	2-1	2-2	2 W
New York	2	3	.400	2.5	0-2	2-1	0-1	2-2	2-3	1 L
Toronto	2	4	.333	3.0	2-2	0-2	0-2	1-3	2-4	1 L
Central Divison
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Milwaukee	2	2	.500	—	2-1	0-1	–	2-2	2-2	1 L
Indiana	2	2	.500	—	1-1	1-1	1-1	2-2	2-2	2 L
Chicago	2	3	.400	0.5	1-1	1-2	1-1	2-1	2-3	1 L
Cleveland	2	3	.400	0.5	0-3	2-0	0-1	2-2	2-3	1 W
Detroit	2	4	.333	1.0	1-1	1-3	1-0	2-1	2-4	3 L
Southeast Division
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Atlanta	3	2	.600	—	2-1	1-1	1-1	2-2	3-2	3 W
Orlando	3	2	.600	—	1-0	2-2	–	–	3-2	1 W
Charlotte	1	3	.250	1.5	1-2	0-1	1-0	1-2	1-3	3 L
Washington	1	3	.250	1.5	1-1	0-2	0-1	0-3	1-3	2 L
Miami	1	4	.200	2.0	1-1	0-3	–	1-3	1-4	4 L
Western Conference
Northwest Division
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Denver	4	1	.800	—	2-0	2-1	2-1	4-1	4-1	1 L
Oklahoma City	3	2	.600	1.0	1-2	2-0	0-1	0-2	3-2	1 L
Minnesota	2	2	.500	1.5	2-0	0-2	1-0	1-0	2-2	1 W
Portland	2	3	.400	2.0	0-1	2-2	–	0-1	2-3	2 W
Utah	2	4	.333	2.5	2-2	0-2	0-1	2-3	2-4	1 L
Pacific Division
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Golden State	4	1	.800	—	1-1	3-0	2-1	4-1	4-1	4 W
LA Lakers	3	2	.600	1.0	3-0	0-2	2-1	2-2	3-2	2 W
LA Clippers	3	2	.600	1.0	3-0	0-2	0-1	2-2	3-2	1 L
Sacramento	2	2	.500	1.5	1-1	1-1	1-2	2-2	2-2	1 L
Phoenix	2	3	.400	2.0	1-2	1-1	1-1	2-3	2-3	2 L
Southwest Division
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Dallas	4	0	1.000	—	2-0	2-0	2-0	2-0	4-0	4 W
New Orleans	4	1	.800	0.5	2-1	2-0	1-0	2-1	4-1	2 W
San Antonio	3	2	.600	1.5	1-1	2-1	1-1	3-2	3-2	2 W
Houston	1	3	.250	3.0	1-1	0-2	0-1	0-2	1-3	1 W
Memphis	0	5	.000	4.5	0-3	0-2	0-2	0-4	0-5	5 L

NFL STANDINGS

American Football Conference
East Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Miami Dolphins	6	2	0	.750	0.0	271	204	4-0-0	2-2-0	4-1-0	2-1-0	1 W
Buffalo Bills	5	3	0	.625	1.0	222	136	4-1-0	1-2-0	2-3-0	1-2-0	1 W
New York Jets	4	3	0	.571	1.5	126	129	2-2-0	2-1-0	2-2-0	1-1-0	3 W
New England Patriots	2	6	0	.250	4.0	118	208	1-3-0	1-3-0	2-3-0	2-2-0	1 L
West Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Kansas City Chiefs	6	2	0	.750	0.0	187	129	3-1-0	3-1-0	4-1-0	2-1-0	1 L
Los Angeles Chargers	3	4	0	.429	2.5	174	168	2-2-0	1-2-0	1-3-0	1-1-0	1 W
Las Vegas Raiders	3	5	0	.375	3.0	126	187	2-1-0	1-4-0	2-3-0	1-1-0	2 L
Denver Broncos	3	5	0	.375	3.0	172	226	2-3-0	1-2-0	1-4-0	1-2-0	2 W
North Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Baltimore Ravens	6	2	0	.750	0.0	202	121	2-1-0	4-1-0	4-2-0	2-1-0	3 W
Pittsburgh Steelers	5	3	0	.625	1.0	133	163	3-2-0	2-1-0	4-2-0	2-0-0	1 W
Cleveland Browns	4	3	0	.571	1.5	154	139	3-1-0	1-2-0	3-2-0	1-2-0	1 L
Cincinnati Bengals	4	3	0	.571	1.5	131	144	2-1-0	2-2-0	0-3-0	0-2-0	3 W
South Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Jacksonville Jaguars	6	2	0	.750	0.0	193	156	2-2-0	4-0-0	4-2-0	2-1-0	5 W
Houston Texans	3	4	0	.429	2.5	148	128	2-1-0	1-3-0	2-2-0	1-1-0	1 L
Indianapolis Colts	3	5	0	.375	3.0	205	229	1-4-0	2-1-0	3-3-0	2-2-0	3 L
Tennessee Titans	3	5	0	.375	3.0	148	160	3-1-0	0-4-0	2-4-0	0-1-0	1 L
National Football Conference
East Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Philadelphia Eagles	7	1	0	.875	0.0	224	172	3-0-0	4-1-0	5-0-0	2-0-0	2 W
Dallas Cowboys	5	2	0	.714	1.5	197	120	3-0-0	2-2-0	2-2-0	1-0-0	2 W
Washington Commanders	3	5	0	.375	4.0	171	228	1-3-0	2-2-0	2-4-0	0-3-0	2 L
New York Giants	2	6	0	.250	5.0	95	187	1-3-0	1-3-0	2-3-0	1-1-0	1 L
West Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Seattle Seahawks	5	2	0	.714	0.0	168	138	3-1-0	2-1-0	4-1-0	1-1-0	2 W
San Francisco 49ers	5	3	0	.625	0.5	218	140	3-1-0	2-2-0	4-1-0	2-0-0	3 L
Los Angeles Rams	3	5	0	.375	2.5	175	184	1-3-0	2-2-0	2-3-0	2-1-0	2 L
Arizona Cardinals	1	7	0	.125	4.5	151	213	1-3-0	0-4-0	1-5-0	0-3-0	5 L
North Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Detroit Lions	6	2	0	.750	0.0	200	165	3-1-0	3-1-0	4-1-0	1-0-0	1 W
Minnesota Vikings	4	4	0	.500	2.0	175	162	1-3-0	3-1-0	4-2-0	2-0-0	3 W
Green Bay Packers	2	5	0	.286	3.5	140	156	1-2-0	1-3-0	2-3-0	1-2-0	4 L
Chicago Bears	2	6	0	.250	4.0	171	218	1-3-0	1-3-0	1-3-0	0-2-0	1 L
South Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Atlanta Falcons	4	4	0	.500	0.0	138	161	3-1-0	1-3-0	3-2-0	2-0-0	1 L
New Orleans Saints	4	4	0	.500	0.0	171	154	1-2-0	3-2-0	1-2-0	1-1-0	1 W
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	3	4	0	.429	0.5	121	128	1-3-0	2-1-0	3-3-0	1-1-0	3 L
Carolina Panthers	1	6	0	.143	2.5	127	199	1-2-0	0-4-0	0-5-0	0-2-0	1 W

NHL STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
Boston Bruins	10	9	0	1	19	8	32	16	5-0-1	4-0-0	9-0-1
Detroit Red Wings	11	6	4	1	13	6	40	33	3-2-1	3-2-0	6-3-1
Toronto Maple Leafs	10	5	3	2	12	4	32	31	2-2-0	3-1-2	5-3-2
Montreal Canadiens	10	5	3	2	12	4	30	33	4-2-0	1-1-2	5-3-2
Florida Panthers	9	5	3	1	11	5	24	23	3-1-0	2-2-1	5-3-1
Tampa Bay Lightning	10	4	3	3	11	4	34	32	4-0-2	0-3-1	4-3-3
Buffalo Sabres	10	5	5	0	10	5	32	29	3-3-0	2-2-0	5-5-0
Ottawa Senators	9	4	5	0	8	4	34	29	3-3-0	1-2-0	4-5-0
Metropolitan Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
New York Rangers	10	8	2	0	16	8	30	19	2-1-0	6-1-0	8-2-0
New Jersey Devils	9	6	2	1	13	6	38	33	3-2-1	3-0-0	6-2-1
New York Islanders	9	5	2	2	12	5	24	23	3-1-2	2-1-0	5-2-2
Carolina Hurricanes	11	6	5	0	12	5	38	39	3-0-0	3-5-0	5-5-0
Columbus Blue Jackets	10	4	4	2	10	4	27	32	3-3-1	1-1-1	4-4-2
Washington Capitals	9	4	4	1	9	2	19	29	3-3-0	1-1-1	4-4-1
Philadelphia Flyers	10	4	5	1	9	4	32	33	3-3-0	1-2-1	4-5-1
Pittsburgh Penguins	9	3	6	0	6	3	26	29	2-4-0	1-2-0	3-6-0
Western Conference
Central Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
Dallas Stars	9	7	1	1	15	6	30	24	3-1-0	4-0-1	7-1-1
Colorado Avalanche	9	7	2	0	14	6	32	21	3-0-0	4-2-0	7-2-0
Arizona Coyotes	10	5	4	1	11	4	34	27	3-1-0	2-3-1	5-4-1
Winnipeg Jets	10	4	4	2	10	4	31	36	2-2-1	2-2-1	4-4-2
Nashville Predators	10	4	6	0	8	4	27	30	3-2-0	1-4-0	4-6-0
Minnesota Wild	10	3	5	2	8	3	35	43	2-2-1	1-3-1	3-5-2
St. Louis Blues	8	3	4	1	7	2	15	24	2-1-0	1-3-1	3-4-1
Chicago Blackhawks	9	3	6	0	6	3	19	32	0-2-0	3-4-0	3-6-0
Pacific Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
Vegas Golden Knights	11	10	0	1	21	7	43	24	6-0-1	4-0-0	9-0-1
Vancouver Canucks	10	7	2	1	15	7	46	22	3-0-1	4-2-0	7-2-1
Los Angeles Kings	10	6	2	2	14	6	42	33	1-2-2	5-0-0	6-2-2
Anaheim Ducks	10	6	4	0	12	6	33	30	2-2-0	4-2-0	6-4-0
Seattle Kraken	11	4	5	2	10	4	28	36	2-2-0	2-3-2	4-4-2
Edmonton Oilers	9	2	6	1	5	2	25	36	1-3-1	1-3-0	2-6-1
Calgary Flames	10	2	7	1	5	2	22	38	1-3-0	1-4-1	2-7-1
San Jose Sharks	10	0	9	1	1	0	10	45	0-4-1	0-5-0	0-9-1

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

1953      After two days of meetings, the rules committee ends the practice that allows players to leave their gloves on the playing field, requiring outfielders and infielders to carry their gloves with them into the dugout after each half-inning. Before the controversial change, left fielders, right fielders, first basemen, and third basemen would leave their gloves in foul territory, with center fielders, shortstops, and second basemen dropping their gloves at their position, with plays occurring around the scattered leather.

1953      The Rules Committee re-establishes the sacrifice fly ruling, which credits a batter with an RBI who flies out driving in a run without charging the hitter with a time at-bat. MLB dropped the original decree in 1939.

1964      Philadelphia voters approve a $25 million bond issue to build a new sports stadium. Due to cost overruns, a 1967 measure authorizes an additional $13 million, bringing the final price tag to approximately $50 million, making Veterans Stadium one of the most expensive ballparks ever built.

1965      A’s pitcher Lew Krausse strikes out a record 21 Lara batters during a winter league game, tossing a one-hitter for Caracas. The right-hander will average 5.1 strikeouts per nine innings during his dozen years in the major leagues, including stops with the Brewers, Red Sox, Cardinals, and Braves.

1965      Sandy Koufax (26-8, 2.04, 382) wins the second of his three Cy Young Awards unanimously, capturing all twenty of the writer’s votes from both leagues. The Dodger southpaw also received the honor in 1963 and will be named again next season.

1968      Trying to cross the busy Kings Highway near the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Harry Carey suffers two broken legs, a broken nose, and a dislocated shoulder after flying 40 feet in the air when struck by a car at 1:15 AM on an inclement Sunday morning. The popular Cardinals broadcaster’s hospital room becomes party central before his discharge, recovering in time for Opening Day.

1970      The Phillies swap Curt Flood to the Senators for three minor leaguers. The embattled outfielder refused to go to Philadelphia after the 1969 trade from the Cardinals, citing he was not a piece of property to be sold, becoming the first player to challenge the reserve clause seriously.

1971      Pennsylvania lawmakers Hugh Scott and Richard South Schweiker collect their World Series wager in front of the U.S. Capitol from Maryland senators Charles Mathias, Jr. and J. Glenn Beall. After winning the bet on the Fall Classic between the Orioles and Pirates, the Keystone State lawmakers victoriously ride elephants as the losers lead and feed the pachyderms peanuts while carrying shovels to clean the street.

1979      The AL and NL all-star teams depart on an exhibition tour of Japan. The National League squad will take four of seven from the American League counterparts, but the teams will combine to split a pair of games with the Japanese all-stars.

1983      The Baseball Writers Association of America select Tony La Russa as the American League Manager of the Year after he guided first-place White Sox (99-63) to their first playoff appearance in 24 years. The 39-year-old skipper, in his sixth season with the club, received 17 of a possible 28 first-place votes, finishing ahead of Orioles’ Joe Altobelli, who picked up seven first-place votes from the writers.

1987      Mark McGwire wins the American League Rookie of the Year, easily outdistancing runners-up Kevin Seitzer and Matt Nokes. The 24-year-old A’s first baseman, who set the freshman major league home run record for home runs in 1987 with 49, becomes the second player to win the AL award unanimously, joining Carlton Fisk, who accomplished the feat with the Red Sox in 1972.

1988      Jeff Torborg replaces Jim Fregosi as the White Sox’s manager. Chicago’s new skipper, who will be named the American League Manager of the Year in 1990, will see his club finish second twice during his three-year tenure in the Windy City before leaving the team for a short-lived position managing the Mets.

1992      The Reds trade Paul O’Neill and Joe DeBerry, a minor leaguer, to the Yankees for Roberto Kelly. The deal works well for the Bronx Bombers as the popular outfielder will become a team leader, playing a vital role in four World Series championships before he retires before the 2002 season.

1993      Greg Maddux (20-10, 2.36) wins his second Cy Young Award when he easily outpoints Bill Swift of the Giants and teammate Tom Glavine on ballots cast by the BBWAA. The 27-year-old right-hander becomes the first hurler to win the prestigious pitcher prize in back-to-back seasons for different teams, having copped the award with the Cubs last season.

1997      Becoming the fifth Red Sox player to receive the honor, Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra (.306, 30, 98) is unanimously selected as the American League Rookie of the Year by the BBWAA. The 23-year-old leadoff hitter led the league with 209 hits.

1999      In a nine-player deal, the Rangers deal superstar Juan Gonzalez, pitcher Danny Patterson, and catcher Greg Zaun to the Tigers. Detroit ships three hurlers (Justin Thompson, Alan Webb, Francisco Cordero), outfielder Gabe Kapler, catcher Bill ​Haselman, and infielder Frank Catalanotto to Texas.

2000      After being turned down by Yankees third base coach Willie Randolph and their third base coach, Ron Oester, due to their below-market contract offers, the Reds hire Bob Boone as their manager, replacing 69-year-old Jack McKeon. The former catcher and present special assistant to general manager Jim Bowden had a 181-206 record as the Royals manager.

2001      In Game 6, the Diamondbacks get 21 hits in the first six innings against the Yankees to set a record for hits in a World Series game. The 1921 Giants (Game 3 vs. Yankees) and the 1946 Cardinals (Game 4 vs. Red Sox) established the previous record of 20.

2003      ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine will return to Japan to manage the Chiba Lotte Marines, which fired him after a solid second-place finish in 1995. The former Mets and Rangers skipper signs a three-year deal with an option for two more years worth an estimated $6.4 million.

2005      SBC announces the San Francisco home of the Giants will get its third name in three years. The corporation will adopt the better-known AT&T brand for its identity due to the likely merger of the two companies planned for later this year.

2006      Orlando Hudson becomes only the sixth major league infielder to win a Gold Glove in both the American and National Leagues. The Diamondback second baseman’s defensive prowess was recognized in the Junior circuit last season when he copped his first Rawling’s award playing for the Blue Jays.

2006      🇨🇳 To bring America’s national pastime to a country with over 1.3 billion potential fans, MLB officials announce they will open an office in China to help promote the game. Bob DuPuy, baseball’s chief operating officer, raises the possibility of the sport playing a regular-season opener in Beijing.

2006      Greg Maddux wins his sixteenth Gold Glove award, tying the mark held by former Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson and pitcher Jim Kaat for the most won by one player. The Braves right-hander will extend the major league mark to 18 when managers and coaches again select him in 2007 and 2008 as the best fielding pitcher in the National League.

2008      Ruben Amaro Jr., the team’s assistant GM for a decade, replaces Pat Gillick as the general manager of the recently crowned World Champion Phillies. The former batboy signs a three-year deal to run the club five days after Philadelphia beat Tampa Bay in the Fall Classic, winning just its second title in the 125-year history of the franchise.

2008      The Brewers exercise their $10 million option on Mike Cameron (.243, 25, 70). Last season, the 35-year-old three-time Gold Glove outfielder committed only one error in 119 starts for the Brew Crew.

2009      George W. Bush throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the Yomiuri Giants’ 7-4 victory over the Nippon Ham Fighters in Game 3 of the Japan Series. The former American president, who bounces the pitch in the dirt, enjoys the game in a private box with former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, home run king Sadaharu Oh, and John Roos, the U.S. ambassador to Japan.

2010      Reminiscent of when the New York team moved to San Francisco in 1958, tens of thousands of Giants fans pay homage by celebrating the World Champions with a ticker-tape parade. First baseman Aubrey Huff delights the fans by pulling out his “rally thong” while addressing a raucous crowd at Civic Center.

2013      Brad Ausmus, who has never managed or coached a professional baseball team, is introduced as the Tigers’ new skipper, replacing veteran manager Jim Leyland. The 44-year-old Dartmouth graduate, a former All-Star catcher just three years past his playing career, signs a three-year contract with a team option for the 2017 season.

WORLD SERIES HISTORY

1935

Detroit Tigers (4) vs Chicago Cubs (2)

The Detroit Tigers were still searching for that first elusive championship title as they stood atop the American League and returned for their second consecutive World Series against Charley Grimm’s Chicago Cubs (who had won twenty-one consecutive games in September). Hank Greenberg and Charlie Gehringer set the pace for Detroit’s line-up hitting thirty-six and nineteen home runs during the regular season and Greenberg topped the list with one-hundred seventy runs batted in.

On the mound, Tommy Bridges went 21-10, Schoolboy Rowe won 19-of-32 and Elden Auker finished 18-7 in an average, but well-balanced effort that resulted in a 93-58 season. Chicago was not on par (at the plate) managing a team high of only twenty-one homers for Chuck Klein and ninety-one runs batted in from Gabby Hartnett. However, what the Cubs lacked in offense, they made up for with dangerous pitching as Bill Lee (20-6) and Lon Warneke (20-13) helped their team go 100-54 and edge out the defending National League champion St. Louis Cardinals who had been picked for a repeat.

Game 1 pitted Cub’s ace Lon Warneke against Schoolboy Rowe resulting in a 3-0 shut out, but the scales tipped considerably in Detroit’s favor during Game 2 when Hank Greenberg broke his wrist (trying to score from first on a single). As a result, he was removed from the line-up for the remainder of the Series. With Greenberg on the sideline, Detroit switched third baseman Marv Owen to first and inserted Flea Clifton at Owen’s position. Both went 1-for-36 in the Series and many felt that Greenberg’s injury was the biggest deciding factor between victory and defeat as he had helped Detroit even the Series at a game apiece. Before the injury he had capped a four-run rally in the first with a two-run homer off of Charlie Root (who was in his first Series appearance since Ruth’s “called shot”). The Tigers went on to win, 8-3, on Tommy Bridges’ six-hitter.

With the Series tied at a game apiece, both teams went head-to-head for an eleven-inning, Game 3 nail biter that ended on a Jo-Jo White run-scoring single for a 6-5 Tigers’ triumph. Detroit made it three in a row the next day when Alvin Crowder out dueled Tex Carleton in a 2-1 effort that put his team ahead two games and one win away from their first World Championship. Chicago’s last stand resulted in a crucial Game 5 win featuring six shutout innings by Warneke, who left the contest due to a sore shoulder. Bill Lee came in as relief and finished the job with a 3-1 victory that set the stage for a dramatic Game 6.

The Cubs were still alive, but for how long? The answer came slowly the following day as the score remained tied 3-3 for 8½ excruciating innings. In the top of the ninth, Chicago’s Stan Hack was perched on third base with no one out. With the potential Series-tying run standing ninety feet from home plate, pitcher Tommy Bridges remained hopeful. Luckily, he wasn’t facing the heart of Chicago’s order. Instead, eighth-place hitter Billy Jurges, pitcher Larry French and leadoff man Augie Galan were due up. The Tigers’ ace came up clutch as he struck out Jurges, induced French to ground out, and forced Galan to fly out all while holding Hack stranded on third.

As Detroit took their turn, Mickey Cochrane knocked a single past Billy Herman and proceeded to advance to second on Charlie Gehringer’s groundout. With two outs, the winning run was in position and things were looking good. Goose Goslin, who had delivered the twelfth-inning hit that won Game 2 of the ’34 Series for Detroit, was up next. Goslin, in what would be his one-hundred twenty-ninth (and last) at-bat in World Series play, launched a single to the right field wall and Cochrane scored from second with the winning run. Pete Fox, who doubled home Detroit’s first run in the finale, was the leading batter in the Series with a .385 average. Gehringer hit .375 for the Tigers (after hitting .379 in the previous year’s fall classic). Billy Herman, who drove in all three of the Cubs’ runs in Game 6, had a Series-high six runs batted in and tied Klein for Chicago’s batting lead with a .333 mark.

The Tigers’ Bridges and the Cubs’ Warneke each were 2-0. After their fourth attempt, Detroit had finally won their first World Championship title.

FOOTBALL HISTORY

The 1st to Create Pads

November 3, 1877 – Princeton’s L.P. Smock introduces wearing padding to the game of football when he and his team faced Harvard. Smock sewed padding made mostly of cotton into his uniform jersey and pants for this game. The rules in that contest more closely resembled rugby than our modern American Football but it  was a rough sport nonetheless. Per the source of sportsrec.com Smock’s pads were thin quilted layers sewn to the shoulders, thighs and knees of the laced-up jersey and knee pants he designed as the first football uniform for Princeton’s players. The pads were not very heavy, and they also did not provide much protection.

Battle of Unbeatens

November 3, 1900 – University Park, Ithaca, New York – Two undefeated heavyweights of the early gridiron era squared off in a week seven showdown as the Cornell Big Red would travel to play the Princeton Tigers. Entering the game, according to an article on the cornellbigred.com website Princeton had never lost at home with an amazing 121-0-1 record there. Cornell featured All-American fullback Ray Starbuck while Princeton countered with their main man captain H. W. Pell. Cornell made history as they handed the Tigers their first loss at home 12-0 on a rainy afternoon. The Big Red’s  Raymond Starbuck and Henry Purcell each scored touchdowns and Starbuck booted a pair of extra-point kicks to lead Cornell past the Tigers. It was the first time in 31 seasons of Princeton football that they had ever suffered a loss in their own house! Truly a remarkable feat!

11 Picks

November 3, 1935  – Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts – Philadelphia Eagles beat Boston Redskins, 7-6. Considering the era of football and the score, it doesn’t sound like the ball went into the air much during the contest but  respective quarterbacks combined to throw an NFL record 11 interceptions.

The Vote for Vets Stadium

November 3, 1964 – Philadelphia voters narrowly approve $25 million referendum to build a new multi-purpose stadium that would later  become known as Veterans Stadium.

513 Yards Passing!

November 3, 1966 – Provo, Utah – BYU quarterback Virgil Carter sets new NCAA single-game records with 513 passing yards and 599 yards of total offense in 53-33 win against Texas Western per the onthisday.com site.

6 FGs for Turner

November 3, 1968 – Shea Stadium, New York City,  New York – Jets kicker Jim Turner boots 6 field goals and an extra point to defeat the Buffalo Bills, 25-21.

BYU Receptions Record

November 3, 1973 – Cougar Stadium, Provo, Utah – Brigham Young University wide receiver Jay Miller, set an NCAA football single game record with 22 catches for 263 yards as the Cougars went on to snatch 56-21 victory over the University of New Mexico.

More Headlines

Big Passing Day!

November 3, 1990 – The Astrodome, Houston, Texas – Texas Christian University quarterback Matt Vogler completes 44 passes including 5 touchdowns for an NCAA football record 690 passing yards but was outmatched when the opposing Houston Cougars quarterback David Klingler threw for 7 TDs. The Cougars overcame the great offensive showing of the TCU Horned Frogs with a 56-35 final score.

Rice Gets There First

November 3, 1996  – San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice  becomes the first player in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions in a  24-17 win over the  New Orleans Saints as he  hauls in  3 passes for 45 yards and a TDs. Rice  finished his career with 1,549 receptions to set a milestone for NFL receivers of the future to strive for.

7 OTs

November 3, 2001 – Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Mississippi – The University of Arkansas defeats the University of Mississippi, 58-56  in 7 overtime periods to provide at the time  the longest game in NCAA football history.

Navy Breaks the Streak

November 3, 2007 – The Navy Midshipmen  defeated the  Notre Dame Fighting Irish 46-44 in triple overtime, ending the Fighting Irish’s NCAA Football-record winning streak against the Midshipmen at 43 games. When was the last Navy win over Notre Dame you might ask? It was a 35-14 Midshipmen win  in 1963.

Foles and Eagles Soar

November 3, 2013 – Oakland, California – Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles completes 22 of his 28 passing attempts for 406 yards with scoring 3 tosses to Wideout Riley Cooper to become 7th passer in NFL history with 7 TD tosses in a game during Philadelphia Eagles’ 49-20 win over the Raiders.

Hall of Fame Birthdays for November 3

Charley Barrett -QB

November 3, 1893 – Bellevue, Pennsylvania – Charley Barrett the slick quarterback from Cornell University arrived to his parent’s delight on this day. Chuck was the consensus All-American quarterback in 1914 and 1915 while playing for Cornell and led the Big Red to an undefeated season with an accompanying national championship in the 1915 season. Per the cornellbigred.com website, Charley chose the plays, called the signals and was a triple threat man in every respect.  He also handled the kicking and punting chores for Cornell. Chuck Barrett was inducted posthumously into the College Football Hall of Fame in the year 1958. 

Bronko Nagurski

November 3, 1908 – Rainy River, Ontario, Canada – The famous fullback from the University of Minnesota, Bronko Nagurski was born. Nagurski was a consensus All-American in 1929 for the Gophers. As a matter of fact, according to gophersports.com Bronko is the only player who has been named to two positions on the same All-America team. In 1929, his senior year at Minnesota, he was voted to the first team at both tackle and fullback. In addition, he was named to some All-America teams as an end. Nagurski was a star at Minnesota from 1927-29 and led the Gophers to an 18-4-2 record during that time. Amazingly Minnesota’s four losses came by a combined five points. The National Football Foundation could hardly wait to enter Bronko Nagurski into their College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.

After school was over Nagurski signed on with George Halas and his Chicago Bears teams of 1930 through 1938. Bronko was one of the star players for those Bears squads and he helped the team win NFL Championships in both 1932 & 1933. He was a great write up on one of the infamous 1933 victory and the play made in part by Nagurski that helped take the Bears to victory by clicking here. Bronko Nagurski was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the entry class of 1963.

Jim Houston

November 3, 1937 – Massillon, Ohio  – Marked the birth of Ohio State University’s two way end, Jim Houston. He was a three-year starter under head coach Woody Hayes from 1957 through 1959 and twice was voted as the team’s MVP. He was elected the team captain as a senior. The website footballfoundation.org has a great bio on Jim and it tells us that as a sophomore, Houston helped the Buckeyes to a 9-1 record and to claim the title of the National Championship for the 1957 season. The NFF Selection committee placed the career of Jim Houston into their College Football Hall of Fame in 2005. After school, Houston played 13 years in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and was selected to four Pro Bowls.

Kirk Baumgartner – QB

November 3, 1967 – Colby, Wisconsin – Celebrated the arrival of Kirk Baumgartner, a quarterback that played for the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point into our world. Kirk played with the Pointers from 1986 through the 1989 seasons. Baumgartner was a three-time First Team NAIA All-American, a two time NAIA National Player of the Year and arguably the best quarterback in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics history. As a junior and senior he led the nation in total offense. Baumgartner still ranks among the all-time greatest college quarterbacks with 14,847 career passing yards and 122 career touchdown passes. Kirk Baumgartner was honored with a place in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

4 – 3 – 6 – 9 – 29 -17 – 32 – 13 – 11 – 45 – 18 – 34 – 50 –  16 – 25 – 23 – 8 – 14 – 7 – 80 – 2 – 31 – 5

November 3, 1934 – New York Yankees first baseman Number 4, Lou Gehrig wins American League Triple Crown after hitting .363 with 49 HRs and 165 RBI; but Philadelphia A’s catcher Number 3, Mickey Cochrane (.320, 2 HRs, 76 RBI) is named American League MVP

November 3, 1942 – Boston Red Sox outfielder Number 9, Ted Williams wins American League Triple Crown (.356 average, 36 HRs, 137 RBI). However NewYork Yankees pitcher Number 6, Joe Gordon was American League MVP

November 3, 1948 – 2nd NHL All-Star Game, Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL: All-Stars beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-1; Number 9, Gordie Howe’s first of 23 All-Star appearances

November 3, 1948 – Number 29, Kleggie Hermsen and Number 17, Bones McKinney each score 17 points as Washington Capitols beat Philadelphia Warriors, 77-70 at Washington Coliseum to win first of 15 straight games to start season; best start in NBA history

November 3, 1960 – Pittsburgh Pirates starter Number 32​​​​​​​, Vern Law (20-9, 18 complete games) wins MLB’s Cy Young Award

November 3, 1962 – San Francisco Warriors center Number 13, Wilt Chamberlain scored 72 points in 127-115 defeat to LA Lakers at LA Memorial Sports Arena; then 4th-highest point total in NBA history; remains 6th highest game total

November 3, 1965 – Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, Number 32, Sandy Koufax was named Cy Young Award winner by a unanimous vote and for a third time; posts 26-8 record, 1.73 ERA and record-shattering 382 strikeouts

November 3, 1968 – New York Jets kicker Number 11,  Jim Turner nailed 6 field goals and an extra point to beat Buffalo Bills, 25-21 at Shea Stadium

November 3, 1970 – Future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Number 45, Bob Gibson won his second NL Cy Young Award (23-7 record, 274 strikeouts and 3.12 ERA

November 3, 1973 – BYU receiver Number 18, Jay Miller set an NCAA football single game record with 22 catches (for 263 yards) en route to a 56-21 victory over New Mexico at Cougar Stadium, Provo, Utah

November 3, 1981 – Milwaukee Brewers future Baseball Hall of Fame reliever Number 34, Rollie Fingers (6-3 record, 28 saves and 1.04 ERA) wins American League Cy Young Award, with 22 of 28 possible 1st-place votes

November 3, 1982 – Pitcher Number 50, Pete Vuckovich became the Milwaukee Brewers’ second consecutive American League Cy Young Award winner;. The hurler edged out Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles; Vuckovich, 18-6 with 105 strikeouts and 3.34 ERA

November 3, 1982 – San Diego guard Number 9, Randy Smith played in his 845th consecutive game in Clippers’ 130-111 loss in Philadelphia. With this he passed by Johnny Red Kerr’s NBA record; goes on to play in 906 straight

November 3, 1987 – New York Rangers’ center Number 16, Marcel Dionne became just the 2nd NHL player to register 1,700 career points, scoring a goal in 5-3 loss at Calgary

November 3, 1987 – Oakland A’s first baseman Number 25, Mark McGwire won the American League Rookie of the Year with 49 home runs, 118 RBI; second to win AL award unanimously. the first one to accomplish this feat was Carlton Fisk 1972

November 3, 1989 – NBA expansion Minnesota Timberwolves made the franchise’s NBA debut but lost 106-94 against SuperSonics at Seattle Center Coliseum. Thie bright spot was Number 23, Tyrone Corbin T-Wolves top scorer with 20 points

November 3, 1989 – Number 13, Šarūnas Marčiulionis and Number 8, Alexander Volkov become first Russians to play in a regular season NBA game; Marciulionis scores 19 as Golden State lose 136-106 to Phoenix. Volkov was held scoreless in Atlanta’s 126-103 defeat by Indiana

November 3, 1990 – Atlanta Hawks’ center Number 2, Moses Malone sets an NBA record for free throws made in a career by hitting 7-of-9 in a 121-120 win over Indiana Pacers at the Omni; passes Oscar Robinson’s record (7,694)

November 3, 1990 – TCU quarterback Number 14, Matt Vogler completed 44 passes including 5 touchdowns for an NCAA football record 690 passing yards in a 56-35 loss to Houston at the Astrodome. Houston Cougars quarterback Number 7, David Klingler threw for 7 TDs

November 3, 1993 – Defenseman Number 3, Ken Daneyko sets New Jersey Devils ‘Ironman’ record by playing 322nd consecutive NHL game in 2-3 loss at LA Kings

November 3, 1993 – Number 31, Greg Maddux becomes first pitcher since Sandy Koufax to win the National League’s Cy Young Award in successive MLB seasons and the first in successive seasons with different teams; Cubs 1992, Braves 1993

November 3, 1996 – Los Angeles Lakers superstar Number 8, Kobe Bryant became the then youngest player to make his NBA debut (18 years, 2 months, 11 days) in 91-85 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Great Western Forum

November 3, 1996 – San Francisco 49ers receiver Number 80, Jerry Rice grabs 3 passes for 45 yards and a TD to become 1st player in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions in 24-17 win over New Orleans Saints; finishes career with 1,549

November 3, 1997 – Boston Red Sox shortstop Number 5, Nomar Garciaparra becomes 6th player to be unanimous choice for American League Rookie of the Year; leads AL in hits (209), triples (11), multi-hit games (68); also sets AL rookie-record with 30-game hitting streak

November 3, 2001 – San Antonio Spurs guard Number 8, Steve Smith played in his first game against Portland after being traded from the Trail Blazers; ties NBA record for most 3-point field goals in a game without a miss; goes 8-for-8, scores 36 points in 106-90 win

November 3, 2013 – Number 9, Nick Foles connected with Number 14, Riley Cooper 3 times to become 7th passer in NFL history with 7 TD tosses in a game during Philadelphia Eagles’ 49-20 win over the Raiders at Oakland; Foles completes 22 of 28 for 406 yards

TV SPORTS

FRIDAY

COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
Boston College at Syracuse	7:30pm	ESPN2
Colorado State at Wyoming	8:00pm	CBSSN
COLLEGE HOCKEY	TIME ET	TV
Quinnipac vs Dartmouth	7:00pm	ESPN+
Princeton vs Harvard	7:00pm	ESPN+
Cornell vs Yale	7:00pm	ESPN+
Colgate vs Brown	7:00pm	ESPN+
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
Rolex Challenge Tour	7:00am	GOLF
PGA: World Wide Technologies Championship	4:30pm	GOLF Peacock
LPGA: Toto Japan Classic	11:00pm	GOLF
MOTORSPORTS	TIME ET	TV
NASCAR Truck: CRAFTSMAN 150	10:00pm	FS1
NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Cleveland at Indiana	7:00pm	Bally Sports
New York at Milwaukee	7:30pm	ESPN
Washignton at Miami	8:00pm	NBCS-WSH Bally Sports
Brooklyn at Chicago	8:00pm	YES NBCS-CHI
Golden State at Oklahoma City	8:00pm	NBCS-BAY Bally Sports
Dallas at Denver	10:00pm	ESPN
Memphis at Portland	10:00pm	Bally Sports Root Sports
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Philadelphia at Buffalo	7:00pm	NHLN NBCS-PHI MSG-BUF
New Jersey at St. Louis	8:00pm	Bally Sports MSGSN
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
Bundesliga: Darmstadt 98 vs Bochum	3:30pm	ESPN+
Serie A: Bologna vs Lazio	3:45pm	Paramount+
Belgium Pro League: Sint-Truiden vs AS Eupen	3:45pm	ESPN+
La Liga: Las Palmas vs Atlético Madrid	4:00pm	ESPN+
Ligue 1: PSG vs Montpellier	4:00pm	beIN Sports
TENNIS	TIME ET	TV
Paris-ATP Quarterfinals	9:00am	TENNIS
WTA Finals Round Robin Paris-ATP Quarterfinals	2:30pm	TENNIS
WTA Finals Round Robin Paris-ATP Quarterfinals	10:30pm	TENNIS
WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL	TIME ET	TV
South Florida vs Temple	12:00pm	ESPN+
DePaul vs Creighton	12:30pm	Flo Sports
SIU Edwardsville vs Morehead State	2:00pm	ESPN+
Georgetown vs Xavier	6:00pm	Flo Sports
St. John’s vs Providence	6:00pm	Flo Sports
Seton Hall vs UConn	6:00pm	Flo Sports
Villanova vs Butler	6:00pm	Flo Sports
Queens (NC) vs Stetson	6:00pm	ESPN+
Texas vs West Virginia	6:00pm	ESPN+
Ball State vs Western Michigan	6:00pm	ESPN+
Oakland vs Cleveland State	6:00pm	ESPN+
Purdue Fort Wayne vs Robert Morris	6:00pm	ESPN+
Presbyterian vs Radford	6:00pm	ESPN+
Winthrop vs UNC Asheville	6:00pm	ESPN+
Charleston Southern vs High Point	6:00pm	ESPN+
Gardner-Webb vs South Carolina Upstate	6:00pm	ESPN+
New Hampshire vs NJIT	6:00pm	ESPN+
Bowling Green vs Akron	6:00pm	ESPN+
Miami (OH) vs Buffalo	6:00pm	ESPN+
Central Michigan vs Kent State	6:00pm	ESPN+
Ball State vs Western Michigan	6:00pm	ESPN+
Samford vs East Tennessee State	6:00pm	ESPN+
Chattanooga vs Western Carolina	6:00pm	ESPN+
UNC Greensboro vs Wofford	6:00pm	ESPN+
Holy Cross vs American University	6:00pm	ESPN+
Dayton vs Rhode Island	6:00pm	ESPN+
Loyola Chicago vs Fordham	6:00pm	ESPN+
George Mason vs Duquesne	6:00pm	ESPN+
SMU vs East Carolina	6:00pm	ESPN+
Marshall vs James Madison	6:00pm	ESPN+
Appalachian State vs Georgia Southern	6:00pm	ESPN+
South Alabama vs Coastal Carolina	6:00pm	ESPN+
James Madison vs Marshall	6:00pm	ESPN+
Green Bay vs Northern Kentucky	6:00pm	ESPN+
IUPUI vs Youngstown State	6:00pm	ESPN+
Wake Forest vs Duke	6:30pm	ACCNX
Georgia State vs Old Dominion	6:30pm	ESPN+
Minnesota vs Ohio State	6:30pm	BTN
Eastern Kentucky vs Central Arkansas	7:00pm	ESPN+
Bellarmine vs North Alabama	7:00pm	ESPN+
Middle Tennessee vs Jacksonville State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Florida International vs Western Kentucky	7:00pm	ESPN+
Tennessee Tech vs Southern Indiana	7:00pm	ESPN+
Indiana State vs Northern Iowa	7:00pm	ESPN+
UIC vs Illinois State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Missouri State vs Murray State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Valparaiso vs Bradley	7:00pm	ESPN+
Southern Illinois vs Belmont	7:00pm	ESPN+
Evansville vs Drake	7:00pm	ESPN+
Pennsylvania vs Columbia	7:00pm	ESPN+
Princeton vs Cornell	7:00pm	ESPN+
Yale vs Dartmouth	7:00pm	ESPN+
Brown vs Harvard	7:00pm	ESPN+
Binghamton vs Bryant	7:00pm	ESPN+
Toledo vs Northern Illinois	7:00pm	ESPN+
Eastern Michigan vs Ohio	7:00pm	ESPN+
Mercer vs Furman	7:00pm	ESPN+
Lafayette vs Lehigh	7:00pm	ESPN+
Colgate vs Navy	7:00pm	ESPN+
Army vs Loyola (MD)	7:00pm	ESPN+
Saint Louis vs Davidson	7:00pm	ESPN+
Kennesaw State vs Florida Gulf Coast	7:00pm	ESPN+
Notre Dame vs Clemson	7:00pm	ACCNX
Tulane vs Rice	7:00pm	ESPN+
Texas State vs Troy	7:00pm	ESPN+
Louisiana vs Southern Miss	7:00pm	ESPN+
Iowa State vs TCU	7:00pm	ESPN+
Arkansas State vs UL Monroe	7:00pm	ESPN+
Tulsa vs UTSA	7:00pm	ESPN+
Kansas State vs Kansas	7:30pm	ESPN+
Idaho State vs Weber State	8:00pm	ESPN+
Charlotte vs UAB	8:00pm	ESPN+
North Texas vs Wichita State	8:00pm	ESPN+
Nebraska vs Penn State	8:30pm	BTN
Cincinnati vs BYU	9:00pm	ESPN+
Cal State Bakersfield vs UC San Diego	10:00pm	ESPN+
CSU Northridge vs Long Beach State	10:00pm	ESPN+