“THE SCOREBOARD”
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL WEEK 8 SCHEDULE
ADAMS CENTRAL (7-0) AT BLUFFTON (6-1)
ALEXANDRIA (6-1) AT FRANKTON (3-4)
AVON (0-7) AT ZIONSVILLE (3-4)
BEN DAVIS (6-1) AT LAWRENCE CENTRAL (3-4)
BENTON CENTRAL (1-6) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (4-3)
BLACKFORD (0-7) AT OAK HILL (3-4)
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (6-1) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (3-3)
BOWMAN ACADEMY (1-3) AT TRI-COUNTY (3-3)
BREMEN (4-3) AT SOUTH BEND RILEY (6-1)
BROWN COUNTY (1-6) AT NORTH PUTNAM (2-5)
BROWNSBURG (7-0) AT NOBLESVILLE (3-4)
CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (1-5) AT WINCHESTER (5-2)
CARROLL (FLORA) (7-0) AT CLINTON PRAIRIE (5-2)
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (5-2) AT FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (0-7)
CASTLE (4-3) AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (0-7)
CASTON (1-6) AT WINAMAC (2-5)
CENTRAL NOBLE (3-4) AT EASTSIDE (5-2)
CLARKSVILLE (0-7) AT NORTH HARRISON (5-2)
COLUMBIA CITY (5-2) AT LEO (5-2)
COLUMBUS EAST (2-5) AT JEFFERSONVILLE (0-7)
COLUMBUS NORTH (3-4) AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH (7-0)
CONCORD (4-3) AT MISHAWAKA (5-2)
CRAWFORD COUNTY (0-7) AT WEST WASHINGTON (4-3)
CRAWFORDSVILLE (0-7) AT TRI-WEST (6-1)
CROWN POINT (7-0) AT CHESTERTON (2-5)
CULVER ACADEMY (3-4) AT SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (3-4)
DEKALB (4-3) AT BELLMONT (0-7)
DELPHI (2-5) AT CLINTON CENTRAL (1-5)
DELTA (5-2) AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (6-1)
EASTERN HANCOCK (4-3) AT SHENANDOAH (1-6)
EDGEWOOD (1-6) AT NORTHVIEW (5-2)
EDINBURGH (1-6) AT NORTH DECATUR (4-3)
ELKHART (3-4) AT MISHAWAKA MARIAN (3-4)
ELWOOD (1-6) AT MISSISSINEWA (7-0)
EVANSVILLE BOSSE (2-5) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (7-0)
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (1-6) AT EVANSVILLE HARRISON (1-6)
EVANSVILLE NORTH (5-2) AT JASPER (4-3)
FAIRFIELD (4-3) AT LAKELAND (5-2)
FISHERS (5-2) AT WESTFIELD (6-1)
FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (0-6) AT GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (4-3)
FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (0-7) AT HOMESTEAD (3-4)
FORT WAYNE SNIDER (6-1) AT FORT WAYNE DWENGER (3-4)
FORT WAYNE SOUTH (1-6) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (5-2)
FORT WAYNE WAYNE (4-3) AT FORT WAYNE NORTH (3-4)
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (4-3) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (6-1)
FRANKLIN COUNTY (3-4) AT BATESVILLE (6-1)
FREMONT (1-6) AT PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-7)
GARRETT (3-4) AT ANGOLA (0-7)
GIBSON SOUTHERN (5-2) AT MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (4-3)
GREENSBURG (0-7) AT EAST CENTRAL (7-0)
GREENWOOD (4-3) AT FRANKLIN (4-3)
GRIFFITH (3-4) AT CALUMET (2-5)
HAMMOND CENTRAL (4-3) AT EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (1-5)
HAMMOND MORTON (3-3) AT HOBART (5-2)
HAMMOND NOLL (2-5) AT GARY WEST (4-3)
HANOVER CENTRAL (7-0) AT ANDREAN (3-4)
HERITAGE (6-1) AT SOUTHERN WELLS (1-6)
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (5-2) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (6-1)
HUNTINGTON NORTH (1-6) AT NORWELL (1-6)
INDIAN CREEK (4-3) AT SULLIVAN (4-3)
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (5-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (3-4)
INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (3-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (4-3)
INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (3-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (7-0)
INDIANAPOLIS TECH (0-7) AT MCCUTCHEON (4-3)
INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (3-4) AT CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL (2-4)
INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (4-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (6-1)
IRVINGTON PREP ACADEMY (0-7) AT MONROE CENTRAL (2-5)
JAY COUNTY (4-3) AT LAPEL (3-4)
JENNINGS COUNTY (3-4) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (6-1)
JOHN GLENN JV AT SOUTH BEND CLAY (0-6)
KANKAKEE VALLEY (3-4) AT HIGHLAND (3-4)
KOKOMO (6-1) AT RICHMOND (1-6)
LAKE STATION (2-5) AT BOONE GROVE (5-2)
LAVILLE (6-1) AT NORTH JUDSON (4-3)
LAWRENCE NORTH (5-2) AT CENTER GROVE (6-1)
LAWRENCEBURG (5-2) AT CONNERSVILLE (2-5)
LEWIS CASS (3-4) AT MANCHESTER (3-4)
LINTON-STOCKTON (6-1) AT EASTERN GREENE (3-3)
LOGANSPORT (3-4) AT HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (6-1)
MACONAQUAH (5-2) AT WABASH (1-6)
MADISON (1-6) AT BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (4-3)
MADISON-GRANT (6-1) AT EASTBROOK (5-2)
MARION (2-5) AT LAFAYETTE JEFF (3-4)
MERRILLVILLE (5-2) AT LAKE CENTRAL (4-3)
MICHIGAN CITY (4-3) AT LAPORTE (1-6)
MONROVIA (5-2) AT CASCADE (5-2)
MOORESVILLE (3-4) AT MARTINSVILLE (4-3)
MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (3-4) AT SHELBYVILLE (3-4)
MUNCIE CENTRAL (2-5) AT ANDERSON (2-5)
MUNSTER (2-5) AT LOWELL (2-5)
NEW ALBANY (2-5) AT SEYMOUR (4-3)
NEW CASTLE (1-6) AT NEW PALESTINE (5-2)
NEW HAVEN (7-0) AT EAST NOBLE (5-2)
NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (0-7) AT PIKE (1-6)
NORTH DAVIESS (4-3) AT NORTH KNOX (4-3)
NORTH MONTGOMERY (4-3) AT FRANKFORT (1-6)
NORTH NEWTON (0-6) AT NORTH WHITE (7-0)
NORTH VERMILLION (5-2) AT FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (4-3)
NORTHEASTERN (6-1) AT KNIGHTSTOWN (3-4)
NORTHWOOD (5-2) AT WAWASEE (1-6)
PAOLI (6-1) AT MITCHELL (2-5)
PARK TUDOR (7-0) AT SOUTH NEWTON (3-4)
PENDLETON HEIGHTS (5-2) AT YORKTOWN (4-3)
PENN (6-1) AT NEW PRAIRIE (6-1)
PERRY CENTRAL (4-3) AT SPRINGS VALLEY (6-1)
PERRY MERIDIAN (2-5) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (5-2)
PERU (7-0) AT NORTH MIAMI (1-6)
PHALEN ACADEMY (1-5) AT PURDUE POLYTECHNIC (2-5)
PIKE CENTRAL (1-6) AT FOREST PARK (4-3)
PIONEER (4-3) AT CULVER (0-7)
PLAINFIELD (6-1) AT WHITELAND (3-4)
PLYMOUTH (2-5) AT NORTHRIDGE (6-1)
PRINCETON (1-6) AT HERITAGE HILLS (6-1)
PROVIDENCE (7-0) AT CORYDON CENTRAL (0-7)
RENSSELAER CENTRAL (3-4) AT NORTHWESTERN (3-4)
RIVER FOREST (4-3) AT SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (3-4)
RIVERTON PARKE (2-5) AT PARKE HERITAGE (2-5)
ROCHESTER (5-2) AT SOUTHWOOD (4-3)
SALEM (1-6) AT CHARLESTOWN (4-3)
SCOTTSBURG (4-3) AT EASTERN (PEKIN) (3-4)
SHERIDAN (6-1) AT EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (5-2)
SILVER CREEK (5-2) AT BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (6-1)
SOUTH ADAMS (4-3) AT WOODLAN (2-5)
SOUTH BEND ADAMS (1-6) AT JIMTOWN (3-4)
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (2-5) AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS (7-0)
SOUTH DEARBORN (4-3) AT RUSHVILLE (2-5)
SOUTH DECATUR (6-1) AT MILAN (4-3)
SOUTH SPENCER (2-5) AT NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) (1-5)
SOUTH VERMILLION (6-1) AT SEEGER (6-1)
SOUTHMONT (4-3) AT LEBANON (3-4)
SOUTHPORT (1-6) AT TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (3-4)
SOUTHRIDGE (5-2) AT NORTH POSEY (6-1)
SOUTHSIDE HOME SCHOOL AT SWITZERLAND COUNTY (4-3)
SPEEDWAY (2-5) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (7-0)
TAYLOR (1-6) AT TRI-CENTRAL (1-6)
TELL CITY (4-3) AT TECUMSEH (0-7)
TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-7) AT GUERIN CATHOLIC (5-2)
TIPTON (1-6) AT WESTERN (3-4)
TRI (4-3) AT HAGERSTOWN (5-2)
TRITON (5-2) AT KNOX (7-0)
TRITON CENTRAL (6-1) AT BEECH GROVE (3-4)
TWIN LAKES (4-3) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (5-2)
UNION CITY (2-5) AT CENTERVILLE (7-0)
UNION COUNTY (0-7) AT WES-DEL (2-5)
VALPARAISO (5-2) AT PORTAGE (0-7)
VINCENNES LINCOLN (5-2) AT EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (6-1)
WARREN CENTRAL (3-4) AT CARMEL (4-3)
WARSAW (6-1) AT GOSHEN (1-6)
WASHINGTON (2-5) AT BOONVILLE (4-3)
WEST CENTRAL (6-1) AT FRONTIER (4-3)
WEST NOBLE (7-0) AT CHURUBUSCO (2-5)
WEST VIGO (1-6) AT CLOVERDALE (2-5)
WESTERN BOONE (5-2) AT DANVILLE (5-2)
WHEELER (4-3) AT WHITING (2-5)
WHITKO (1-6) AT NORTHFIELD (2-5)
OWEN VALLEY (2-5) AT GREENCASTLE (5-2)
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL SECTIONAL BRACKETS
CLASS 4A
1. MUNSTER (7) | BRACKET
EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL, GARY WEST SIDE, HAMMOND CENTRAL, HAMMOND MORTON, LAKE CENTRAL, MERRILLVILLE, MUNSTER
2. CROWN POINT (7) | BRACKET
CHESTERTON, CROWN POINT, HOBART, KANKAKEE VALLEY, LOWELL, PORTAGE, VALPARAISO
3. MICHIGAN CITY (6) | BRACKET
LAPORTE, MICHIGAN CITY, MISHAWAKA, PLYMOUTH, SOUTH BEND ADAMS, SOUTH BEND RILEY
4. ELKHART (6) | BRACKET
CONCORD, ELKHART, GOSHEN, NORTHRIDGE, PENN, WARSAW COMMUNITY
5. DEKALB (6) | BRACKET
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE), DEKALB, EAST NOBLE, FORT WAYNE NORTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE NORTHROP, FORT WAYNE SNIDER
6. HOMESTEAD (6) | BRACKET
COLUMBIA CITY, FORT WAYNE SOUTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE WAYNE, HOMESTEAD, HUNTINGTON NORTH, NEW HAVEN
7. LOGANSPORT (6) | BRACKET
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE), KOKOMO, LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON, LOGANSPORT, MARION, MCCUTCHEON
8. ZIONSVILLE (6) | BRACKET
CARMEL, FISHERS, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN, NOBLESVILLE, WESTFIELD, ZIONSVILLE
9. PENDLETON HEIGHTS (8) | BRACKET
ANDERSON, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL, MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE), MUNCIE CENTRAL, NEW PALESTINE, PENDLETON HEIGHTS, RICHMOND, YORKTOWN
10. LAWRENCE NORTH (7) | BRACKET
INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECH, INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL, INDIANAPOLIS CRISPUS ATTUCKS, LAWRENCE CENTRAL, LAWRENCE NORTH, NORTH CENTRAL, WARREN CENTRAL
11. BEN DAVIS (8) | BRACKET
BEN DAVIS, BREBEUF JESUIT, DECATUR CENTRAL, FRANKLIN CENTRAL, PERRY MERIDIAN, PIKE, RONCALLI, SOUTHPORT
12. TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO (5) | BRACKET
AVON, BROWNSBURG, PLAINFIELD, TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO, TERRE HAUTE SOUTH VIGO
13. GREENWOOD COMMUNITY (6) | BRACKET
BLOOMINGTON NORTH, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH, CENTER GROVE, GREENWOOD COMMUNITY, MARTINSVILLE, MOORESVILLE
14. FRANKLIN COMMUNITY (6) | BRACKET
COLUMBUS EAST, COLUMBUS NORTH, EAST CENTRAL, FRANKLIN COMMUNITY, SHELBYVILLE, WHITELAND COMMUNITY
15. SEYMOUR (6) | BRACKET
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE, FLOYD CENTRAL, JEFFERSONVILLE, JENNINGS COUNTY, NEW ALBANY, SEYMOUR
16. JASPER (6) | BRACKET
CASTLE, EVANSVILLE CENTRAL, EVANSVILLE F.J. REITZ, EVANSVILLE HARRISON, EVANSVILLE NORTH, JASPER
CLASS 3A
17. GRIFFITH (7) | BRACKET
BOONE GROVE, CALUMET, GRIFFITH, HAMMOND BISHOP NOLL, HANOVER CENTRAL, HIGHLAND, RIVER FOREST
18. BREMEN (5) | BRACKET
BREMEN, CULVER ACADEMY, GLENN, KNOX, TIPPECANOE VALLEY
19. JIMTOWN (6) | BRACKET
JIMTOWN, MISHAWAKA MARIAN, NEW PRAIRIE, SOUTH BEND CLAY, SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH, SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON
20. WAWASEE (5) | BRACKET
FAIRFIELD, LAKELAND, NORTHWOOD, WAWASEE, WEST NOBLE
21. ANGOLA (7) | BRACKET
ANGOLA, FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER, FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA LUTHERAN, GARRETT, HERITAGE, LEO, WOODLAN
22. FRANKFORT (7) | BRACKET
BENTON CENTRAL, FRANKFORT, NORTH MONTGOMERY, RENSSELAER CENTRAL, TWIN LAKES, WEST LAFAYETTE, WESTERN
23. NORWELL (7) | BRACKET
BELLMONT, MACONAQUAH, MISSISSINEWA, NORTHWESTERN, NORWELL, OAK HILL, PERU
24. NEW CASTLE (5) | BRACKET
CENTERVILLE, DELTA, FRANKTON, JAY COUNTY, NEW CASTLE
25. MONROVIA (6) | BRACKET
CRAWFORDSVILLE, DANVILLE, LEBANON, MONROVIA, TRI-WEST HENDRICKS, WESTERN BOONE
26. NORTHVIEW (7) | BRACKET
BROWN COUNTY, EDGEWOOD, INDIAN CREEK, NORTHVIEW, OWEN VALLEY, SOUTH VERMILLION, WEST VIGO
27. INDPLS. BISHOP CHATARD (6) | BRACKET
GUERIN CATHOLIC, HAMILTON HEIGHTS, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN, HERRON, INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD, INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE
28. SPEEDWAY (6) | BRACKET
BEECH GROVE, CHRISTEL HOUSE, INDIANAPOLIS CARDINAL RITTER, INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON, PURDUE POLYTECHNIC, SPEEDWAY
29. BATESVILLE (7) | BRACKET
BATESVILLE, CONNERSVILLE, FRANKLIN COUNTY, GREENSBURG, LAWRENCEBURG, RUSHVILLE, SOUTH DEARBORN
30. PROVIDENCE (8) | BRACKET
CHARLESTOWN, CORYDON CENTRAL, MADISON CONSOLIDATED, NORTH HARRISON, PROVIDENCE, SALEM, SCOTTSBURG, SILVER CREEK
31. PRINCETON (7) | BRACKET
BARR-REEVE, HERITAGE HILLS, PIKE CENTRAL, PRINCETON COMMUNITY, SOUTHRIDGE, VINCENNES LINCOLN, WASHINGTON
32. GIBSON SOUTHERN (6) | BRACKET
BOONVILLE, EVANSVILLE BOSSE, EVANSVILLE MATER DEI, EVANSVILLE REITZ MEMORIAL, GIBSON SOUTHERN, MT. VERNON
CLASS 2A
33. NORTH NEWTON (7) | BRACKET
21ST CENTURY CHARTER, ANDREAN, ILLIANA CHRISTIAN, LAKE STATION EDISON, LIGHTHOUSE CPC, NORTH NEWTON, WHITING
34. SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (6) | BRACKET
HEBRON, LAVILLE, NORTH JUDSON-SAN PIERRE, CAREER ACADEMY, SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS), WHEELER
35. CENTRAL NOBLE (6) | BRACKET
CENTRAL NOBLE, CHURUBUSCO, EASTSIDE, FREMONT, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS, WESTVIEW
36. PIONEER (6) | BRACKET
LEWIS CASS, NORTH MIAMI, PIONEER, ROCHESTER, WINAMAC COMMUNITY, WABASH
37. BLUFFTON (6) | BRACKET
ADAMS CENTRAL, BLUFFTON, FORT WAYNE LUERS, MANCHESTER, SOUTH ADAMS, WHITKO
38. COVINGTON (6) | BRACKET
CARROLL (FLORA), CLINTON PRAIRIE, COVINGTON, DELPHI, LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC, SEEGER
39. EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (7) | BRACKET
BLACKFORD, EASTBROOK, EASTERN (GREENTOWN), ELWOOD, MADISON-GRANT, TAYLOR, TIPTON
40. WES-DEL (7) | BRACKET
ALEXANDRIA MONROE, LAPEL, MONROE CENTRAL, MUNCIE BURRIS, WAPAHANI, WES-DEL, WINCHESTER
41. HAGERSTOWN (5) | BRACKET
HAGERSTOWN, KNIGHTSTOWN, NORTHEASTERN, SHENANDOAH, UNION COUNTY
42. TRITON CENTRAL (5) | BRACKET
EASTERN HANCOCK, INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA, IRVINGTON PREPARATORY ACADEMY, RIVERSIDE, TRITON CENTRAL
43. SHERIDAN (5) | BRACKET
CASCADE, COVENANT CHRISTIAN (INDPLS.), PARK TUDOR, SHERIDAN, UNIVERSITY
44. SOUTHMONT (7) | BRACKET
CLOVERDALE, GREENCASTLE, NORTH PUTNAM, PARKE HERITAGE, RIVERTON PARKE, SOUTH PUTNAM, SOUTHMONT
45. SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER) (6) | BRACKET
HAUSER, MILAN, NORTH DECATUR, SOUTH RIPLEY, SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER), SWITZERLAND COUNTY
46. HENRYVILLE (7) | BRACKET
AUSTIN, BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL, CLARKSVILLE, EASTERN (PEKIN), HENRYVILLE, MITCHELL, PAOLI
47. NORTH DAVIESS (6) | BRACKET
EASTERN GREENE, LINTON-STOCKTON, NORTH DAVIESS, NORTH KNOX, SOUTH KNOX, SULLIVAN
48. FOREST PARK (6) | BRACKET
CRAWFORD COUNTY, FOREST PARK, NORTH POSEY, PERRY CENTRAL, SOUTH SPENCER, TELL CITY
CLASS 1A
49. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (7) | BRACKET
BOWMAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN, HAMMOND ACADEMY, KOUTS, MORGAN TOWNSHIP, TRI-TOWNSHIP, WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
50. MARQUETTE CATHOLIC (6) | BRACKET
ARGOS, CULVER COMMUNITY, MARQUETTE CATHOLIC, OREGON DAVIS, TRITON, WESTVILLE
51. LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN (6) | BRACKET
BETHANY CHRISTIAN, ELKHART CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN, FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY, HAMILTON, LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN
52. NORTH WHITE (5) | BRACKET
FRONTIER, NORTH WHITE, SOUTH NEWTON, TRI-COUNTY, WEST CENTRAL
53. SOUTHWOOD (5) | BRACKET
CASTON, LAKELAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, NORTHFIELD, SOUTHERN WELLS, SOUTHWOOD
54. ROSSVILLE (6) | BRACKET
ATTICA, CLINTON CENTRAL, FAITH CHRISTIAN, FOUNTAIN CENTRAL, NORTH VERMILLION, ROSSVILLE
55. COWAN (5) | BRACKET
ANDERSON PREPARATORY ACADEMY, COWAN, DALEVILLE, LIBERTY CHRISTIAN, TRI-CENTRAL
56. CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (7) | BRACKET
BLUE RIVER VALLEY, CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN, RANDOLPH SOUTHERN, SETON CATHOLIC, TRI, UNION (MODOC), UNION CITY
57. WHITE RIVER VALLEY (7) | BRACKET
BLOOMFIELD, CLAY CITY, DUGGER UNION, LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG), SHAKAMAK, WHITE RIVER VALLEY
58. BETHESDA CHRISTIAN (6) | BRACKET
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN, INDIANA MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY, INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF INDIANA, MTI SCHOOL OF KNOWLEDGE, TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
59. INDPLS. LUTHERAN (7) | BRACKET
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, EMINENCE, GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN, PROVIDENCE CRISTO REY, TINDLEY, VICTORY COLLEGE PREP
60. WALDRON (7) | BRACKET
EDINBURGH, JAC-CEN-DEL, MORRISTOWN, OLDENBURG ACADEMY, SOUTH DECATUR, SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBYVILLE), WALDRON
61. CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF INDIANA (6) | BRACKET
BORDEN, CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF INDIANA, LANESVILLE, ROCK CREEK ACADEMY, SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH), WEST WASHINGTON
62. MEDORA (5) | BRACKET
CROTHERSVILLE, MEDORA, NEW WASHINGTON, RISING SUN, TRINITY LUTHERAN
63. LOOGOOTEE (5) | BRACKET
LOOGOOTEE, ORLEANS, SHOALS, SPRINGS VALLEY, VINCENNES RIVET
64. NORTHEAST DUBOIS (5) | BRACKET
CANNELTON, EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN, NORTHEAST DUBOIS, TECUMSEH, WOOD MEMORIAL
THURSDAY’S SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/volleyball/scores/?date=10/5/2023
INDIANA BOYS SECTIONAL SOCCER SCORES THURSDAY: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/scores/?date=10/5/2023
INDIANA BOYS SOCCER SECTIONAL BRACKETS: Class 3A Brackets | Class 2A Brackets | Class 1A Brackets
INDIANA GIRLS SOCCER SECTIONAL SCORES THURSDAY: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/girls/scores/?date=10/5/2023
INDIANA GIRLS SOCCER SECTIONAL BRACKETS: Class 3A Brackets | Class 2A Brackets | Class 1A Brackets
INDIANA BOYS TENNIS SEMI-STATE-SATURDAY
CULVER ACADEMIES VS. SEEGER
HOMESTEAD VS. GOSHEN
SB ST. JOSEPH VS. CARMEL
FISHERS VS. NORTH CENTRAL
LEO VS. NOBLESVILLE
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL VS. JASPER
FLOYD CENTRAL VS. AVON
CENTER GROVE VS. COLUMBUS NORTH
INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY: HTTPS://IN.MILESPLIT.COM/
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 6 SCHEDULE
WEEK 6
THURSDAY’S SCORES
LIBERTY 21 SAM HOUSTON STATE 16
WESTERN KENTUCKY 35 LOUISIANA TECH 28
FRIDAY, OCT. 6
CORNELL AT HARVARD | 7 P.M. | ESPNU
KANSAS STATE AT OKLAHOMA STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
NEBRASKA AT ILLINOIS | 8 P.M. | FS1
SATURDAY, OCT. 7
OKLAHOMA VS. TEXAS (AT THE COTTON BOWL IN DALLAS, TEXAS) | 12 P.M. | ABC
MARYLAND AT OHIO STATE | 12 P.M. | FOX
LSU AT MISSOURI | 12 P.M. | ESPN
BOSTON COLLEGE AT ARMY | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
RUTGERS AT WISCONSIN | 12 P.M. | PEACOCK
WILLIAM & MARY AT VIRGINIA | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
TOLEDO AT UMASS | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
RHODE ISLAND AT BROWN | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
STONY BROOK AT MORGAN STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
STONEHILL AT MERRIMACK | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
HOLY CROSS AT BUCKNELL | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGETOWN AT PENN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
LAFAYETTE AT PRINCETON | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
LEHIGH AT FORDHAM | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
DAYTON AT MOREHEAD STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
STETSON AT PRESBYTERIAN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
YALE AT DARTMOUTH | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
SAMFORD AT WOFFORD | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MARSHALL AT NC STATE | 2 P.M. | CW NETWORK
UTSA AT TEMPLE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT BUFFALO | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA LYNCHBURG AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN ILLINOIS AT NORTH DAKOTA | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
VALPARAISO AT DRAKE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE TECH AT LINDENWOOD | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
THE CITADEL AT FURMAN | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
WASHINGTON STATE AT UCLA | 3 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
HOWARD AT NORTHWESTERN | 3 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT MISSOURI STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
MURRAY STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
UT MARTIN AT EASTERN ILLINOIS | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE STATE AT KENNESAW STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA TECH AT FLORIDA STATE | 3:30 P.M.
ALABAMA AT TEXAS A&M | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
SYRACUSE AT NORTH CAROLINA | 3:30 P.M.
PURDUE AT IOWA | 3:30 P.M. | PEACOCK
WAKE FOREST AT CLEMSON | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
NORTH TEXAS AT NAVY | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
BALL STATE AT EASTERN MICHIGAN | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
BOWLING GREEN AT MIAMI (OHIO) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
KENT STATE AT OHIO | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT AKRON | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
GRAMBLING AT ALCORN STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MERCER AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
VANDERBILT AT FLORIDA | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
UCF AT KANSAS | 4 P.M. | FOX
ARKANSAS STATE AT TROY | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
JACKSON STATE VS. ALABAMA A&M (IN MOBILE, ALA.) | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN AT NICHOLLS | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHWESTERN STATE AT LAMAR | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN CAROLINA AT CHATTANOOGA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
UCONN AT RICE | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
SE MISSOURI STATE AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
SE LOUISIANA AT UIW | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
TULSA AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
ROBERT MORRIS AT GARDNER-WEBB | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
COLORADO AT ARIZONA STATE | 6:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
KENTUCKY AT GEORGIA | 7 P.M. | ESPN
SOUTH ALABAMA AT UL MONROE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
OLD DOMINION AT SOUTHERN MISS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT ILLINOIS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA A&M AT SOUTHERN | 7 P.M. | ESPNU
SOUTHERN UTAH AT TARLETON STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MONTANA AT UC DAVIS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UNI AT INDIANA STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MICHIGAN AT MINNESOTA | 7:30 P.M. | NBC/PEACOCK
NOTRE DAME AT LOUISVILLE | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
ARKANSAS AT OLE MISS | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
GEORGIA TECH AT MIAMI (FLA.) | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
FRESNO STATE AT WYOMING | 8 P.M.
TEXAS TECH AT BAYLOR | 8 P.M. | ESPN2
TCU AT IOWA STATE | 8 P.M.
SAN JOSE STATE AT BOISE STATE | 8 P.M. | CBSSN
IDAHO AT CAL POLY | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
MCNEESE AT TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN AT UTAH TECH | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
OREGON STATE AT CAL | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
ARIZONA AT USC | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
SOUTH FLORIDA AT UAB
TEXAS STATE AT LOUISIANA
WEEK 5 SCHEDULE
THURSDAY NIGHT
CHICAGO 40 WASHINGTON 20
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS VS BUFFALO BILLS (TOTTENHAM) 2:30P (BST) 9:30A NFLN
HOUSTON TEXANS AT ATLANTA FALCONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT DETROIT LIONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
TENNESSEE TITANS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
NEW YORK GIANTS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
BALTIMORE RAVENS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS 1:05P (MST) 4:05P FOX
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT LOS ANGELES RAMS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P FOX
NEW YORK JETS AT DENVER BRONCOS 2:25P (MT) 4:25P CBS
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P CBS
DALLAS COWBOYS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 5:20P (PT) 8:20P NBC*
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (MON) 5:15P (PT) 8:15P ESPN
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
FULL SCHEDULE FOR 2023 MLB POSTSEASON
SATURDAY, OCT. 7
TEX @ BAL, GAME 1, 1 P.M. (FS1)
MIN @ HOU, GAME 1, 4:45 P.M. (FS1)
PHI @ ATL, GAME 1, 6 P.M. (TBS)
AZ @ LAD, GAME 1, 9:20 P.M. (TBS)
SUNDAY, OCT. 8
TEX @ BAL, GAME 2, 4 P.M. (FS1)
MIN @ HOU, GAME 2, 8 P.M. (FS1)
MONDAY, OCT. 9
PHI @ ATL, GAME 2, 6 P.M. (TBS)
AZ @ LAD, GAME 2, 9 P.M. (TBS)
TUESDAY, OCT. 10
HOU @ MIN, GAME 3, 4 P.M. (FOX)
BAL @ TEX, GAME 3, 8 P.M. (FOX)
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 11
ATL @ PHI, GAME 3, TBS
HOU @ MIN, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
BAL @ TEX, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
LAD @ AZ, GAME 3, TBS
THURSDAY, OCT. 12
ATL @ PHI, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
LAD @ AZ, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
FRIDAY, OCT. 13
TEX @ BAL, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
MIN @ HOU, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
SATURDAY, OCT. 14
PHI @ ATL, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
AZ @ LAD, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
PRESENTED BY LOANDEPOT
SUNDAY, OCT. 15
ALCS GAME 1, FOX/FS1
MONDAY, OCT. 16
NLCS GAME 1, TBS
ALCS GAME 2, FOX/FS1
TUESDAY, OCT. 17
NLCS GAME 2, TBS
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18
ALCS GAME 3, FOX/FS1
THURSDAY, OCT. 19
NLCS GAME 3, TBS
ALCS GAME 4, FOX/FS1
FRIDAY, OCT. 20
NLCS GAME 4, TBS
ALCS GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
SATURDAY, OCT. 21
NLCS GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
SUNDAY, OCT. 22
ALCS GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
MONDAY, OCT. 23
NLCS GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
ALCS GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
TUESDAY, OCT. 24
NLCS GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
WORLD SERIES
PRESENTED BY CAPITAL ONE
FRIDAY, OCT. 27
GAME 1 (AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
SATURDAY, OCT. 28
GAME 2 (AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
MONDAY, OCT. 30
GAME 3, FOX
TUESDAY, OCT. 31
GAME 4, FOX
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1
GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY, AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
SATURDAY, NOV. 4
GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY, AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
NHL PRE-SEASON
FLORIDA 6 TAMPA BAY 3
PHILADELPHIA 5 NY ISLANDERS 2
WASHINGTON 4 COLUMBUS 2
TORONTO 4 DETROIT 3
BOSTON 3 NY RANGERS 1
NASHVILLE 5 CAROLINA 1
OTTAWA 3 WINNIPEG 0
ST. LOUIS 4 DALLAS 0
MINNESOTA 3 CHICAGO 2
LOS ANGELES 4 SAN JOSE 3
ARIZONA 4 ANAHEIM 2
VEGAS 4 COLORADO 3
WNBA SCORES
FINALS GAME 1 SUNDAY
NEW YORK AT LAS VEGAS 3:00
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
AL, NL DIVISION SERIES: ROYCE LEWIS AMONG PLAYERS TO WATCH
October baseball is not about one-man shows, although a leading man capable of showing the way can make a difference when it comes to making a World Series run.
With four division series about to commence, now that the wild-card round is complete with four best-of-three sweeps, each of the eight teams remaining have a key player who figures to blaze a trail for his club.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles
Rangers
Corey Seager: From consistent contact to high-exit velocity and a sure glove, Seager was better than everybody in the AL, outside of Shohei Ohtani. Seager went 4-for-8 with three doubles in Texas’ two-game wild-card sweep of the Rays, another productive playoff series. When the Los Angeles Dodgers won the title in 2020, Seager had a 1.171 OPS and eight homers in 18 playoff games and a 1.256 OPS while winning the World Series MVP.
Orioles
Adley Rutschman: The Orioles enter their first playoff appearance since 2016 having not been swept in 91 consecutive series (minimum two games) during regular-season play. The run began in May 2022, days before Rutschman arrived in the major leagues, and the connection is no coincidence. Rutschman reached base 257 times this season by either hit, walk or hit batter, tied for 15th most in major league history by a primary catcher.
Minnesota Twins vs. Houston Astros
Twins
Royce Lewis: Just three players have hit home runs in their first two postseason at-bats, and Lewis is one of them after going deep twice in the opener of the wild-card round against the Toronto Blue Jays. Former Twin Gary Gaetti (1987) also did it, as did the Tampa Bay Rays’ Evan Longoria (2008). Lewis has just 70 games of regular-season experience and 58 this year, but he produced 15 homers and 52 RBIs in basically a third of a season in 2023.
Astros
Yordan Alvarez: As many as 4 1/2 games out of the AL West lead in the second half and chasing the Rangers for most of the season, the Astros needed a late-season hero. Alvarez was selected the AL Player of the Month for September after registering a .629 slugging percentage, a .441 on-base percentage and eight homers, all fourth or better in the league during the month. Houston’s leadership core is getting older, but at 26, Alvarez is just hitting his stride.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves
Phillies
Trea Turner: Bryce Harper is the Phillies’ heartbeat, but the moment the club turned back into a World Series threat was when Turner got his act together after a slow four months with his new club. A standing ovation for a struggling Turner on Aug. 4 was a curious idea. But after the show of support from the often-critical Philadelphia faithful, Turner batted .342 with 16 home runs and 42 RBIs over his final 48 games.
Braves
Ronald Acuna Jr.: As September arrived, the Braves entered an NL showdown series with the Dodgers and left with a commanding advantage as Acuna burnished his MVP credentials. Acuna showed his big-game chops with six hits, four runs, three homers and six RBIs in the series. Acuna missed the Braves’ 2021 title run with an injury. He looks ready to make up for lost time after putting up the majors’ first-ever 40-homer, 70-steal season.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Diamondbacks
Corbin Carroll: Another player with a stunning blend of power and speed, Carroll is the prohibitive favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year. Carroll was the first rookie ever to hit 25 home runs and steal 50 bases, and he was the first player in AL/NL history to finish with 25 homers, 50 steals and 10 triples in a year. He was an All-Star in July, and he went 4-for-7 with three runs and a 444-foot home run in the wild-card series opener against the Milwaukee Brewrs.
Dodgers
J.D. Martinez: While Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman were in the NL MVP mix, Martinez holds the key to keeping the Los Angeles lineup moving. Martinez drove in 103 runs in just 113 games, with the Dodgers slowing down from a hot August while he was out with a mysterious groin injury. The 36-year-old veteran looks healthy again, as he amassed eight homers, 25 RBIs and a 1.117 OPS in 20 September games.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
OHIO ST AT OREGON, PENN ST AT USC HIGHLIGHT BIG TEN’S FIRST FOOTBALL SEASON AS BICOASTAL CONFERENCE
(AP) — The first season of an 18-team, bicoastal Big Ten Conference will include Oregon hosting Ohio State, Penn State at Southern California and Michigan going to Washington.
The Big Ten released five seasons’ worth of football opponents for each of its schools on Thursday. The conference adds USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington next year to a league that had all its schools in the Eastern and Central time zones.
Big Ten Chief Operating Officer Kerry Kenny said the conference wants to have game dates for the 2024 season set by the end of October.
The Big Ten schedule will remain nine league games for each team, and starting in 2024 the conference will scrap its divisional format, which had already been determined before the latest expansion.
The Big Ten had released opponents for the 2024 and 2025 seasons – the first with USC and UCLA – in June, but those needed to be torn up after the conference expanded West again in August with Oregon and Washington also leaving the Pac-12.
“Had to go back to the drawing board and do this rotation again,” Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said. “We staying with a lot of the principles that were in place when we did the original announcement back with USC and UCLA being integrated. The core concepts: competitive balance, connecting the whole conference, trying to be mindful of travel … protecting the traditional rivalries, all of those things are in this process.”
The Big Ten calls its scheduling model flex-protect, which locks in important annual rivalry games but doesn’t require every team to have the same number of protected games.
The 18-team model has 12 protected annual matchups: Illinois-Northwestern; Illinois-Purdue; Indiana-Purdue; Iowa-Minnesota; Iowa-Nebraska; Iowa-Wisconsin; Maryland-Rutgers; Michigan-Michigan State; Michigan-Ohio State; Minnesota-Wisconsin; Oregon-Washington; and USC-UCLA.
Teams will play every other conference opponent at least twice – home and away – during a five-year period, but no more than three times.
Notably, the West Coast schools are not guaranteed to face each other every season. In 2024, Oregon and USC do not play each other, but Washington and UCLA play each of the other three former Pac-12 schools,
Washington’s five conference road games in 2024 will include three trips into the Eastern Time zone (Indiana, Rutgers and Penn State) and another to the Central Time Zone at Iowa, along with Oregon.
None of the current schools will be required to make more than one trip to the West Coast in any season.
Building around those foundations, the conference used recent and historical results fed into a computer program to try to balance degree of difficulty of schedules. The goal was for teams that historically contend for the conference to face their peers more often, while not being overburdened with monster schedules .
“Our goal was to try and create those opportunities where we eliminated the outliers,” Kenny said. “So the hardest schedule and the easiest schedule on paper should all be around a consistent equator line as you look across all 18.”
SOONERS QB GABRIEL LEADS NO. 12 OKLAHOMA INTO ANNUAL GRUDGE MATCH WITH NO. 3 TEXAS IN DALLAS
No. 12 Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) vs. No. 3 Texas (5-0, 2-0) in Dallas, Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (ABC)
Line: Texas by 6 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Texas leads 63-50-5.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
The rivals were expected to challenge each other for the Big 12 title this season and the winner gets the inside track to the conference championship game. The winner also hits the halfway point in the season eyeing the College Football Playoff. Both teams are undefeated in this matchup for the first time since 2011. It is also the last year of the rivalry in the Big 12. Both programs will be in the Southeastern Conference in 2024.
KEY MATCHUP
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers’ new run game against Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman. Ewers’ ability to run this season is a new weapon in the Longhorns offense. He has touchdown runs of 29 and 30 yards the last two weeks, and five TDs overall this season. Stutsman is the do-everything player for the resurgent Sooners defense, and leads them in tackles and sacks, and also has an interception and fumble recovery.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Oklahoma: Quarterback Dillon Gabriel missed last year’s game after a concussion and the Sooners were routed 49-0. Oklahoma is a different team with him on the field. Gabriel already has 1,593 yards passing and 15 touchdowns, and four more running TDs. Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford calls him “the head of the snake.” Texas hasn’t faced an opponent’s starting quarterback since Alabama in the second game.
Texas: Running back Jonathon Brooks has been on a tear with three consecutive 100-yard games. He is the Big 12’s leading rusher with 567 yards. The Longhorns physical run game, especially in the second half, could very well dictate the outcome. Texas has been dominant after halftime.
FACTS & FIGURES
Texas is struggling a bit on special teams. Kicker Bert Auburn is 9 of 14 on field goals and missed two last week against Kansas. Coach Steve Sarkisian said he doesn’t plan to make a change … Texas has surrendered only six touchdowns, but four have come on plays that covered 45 yards or longer … Texas and Oklahoma rank 1-2 in the Big 12 in total defense … The Sooners defense leads the country with 10 interceptions. Ewers has thrown just one.
FIRED NORTHWESTERN FOOTBALL COACH PAT FITZGERALD IS SUING SCHOOL FOR $130M FOR WRONGFUL TERMINATION
CHICAGO (AP) — Former Northwestern University football coach Pat Fitzgerald is suing the school for $130 million, saying his alma mater wrongfully fired him in the wake of a hazing and abuse scandal that has engulfed the athletic department.
The announcement by Chicago-based attorneys Dan K. Webb and Matthew R. Carter on Thursday comes nearly three months after Fitzgerald was suspended and then fired after 17 years.
Attorney Webb said that Fitzgerald would also be seeking additional money for “infliction of emotional distress,” future lost income and punitive damages. The $130 million includes $68 million remaining in owed salary plus $62 million in future lost income, Webb added. The suit is being filed in Cook County Circuit Court against the university and its President Michael Schill, he said.
“If there was ever a coach at Northwestern University who should have not been terminated, it’s Coach Fitzgerald,” Webb said.
The 48-year-old Fitzgerald was suspended for two weeks on July 7 following an investigation by attorney Maggie Hickey of law firm ArentFox Schiff. That probe did not find “sufficient” evidence that the coaching staff knew about ongoing hazing, but concluded there were “significant opportunities” to find out about it.
Three days later, following the publication in the Daily Northwestern student newspaper of stories alleging both hazing and racism in the football program, the school changed its stance and fired Fitzgerald. President Schill said at the time the hazing was “widespread” and not a secret within the program.
“As head coach of the football program for 17 years, Patrick Fitzgerald was responsible for the conduct of the program. He had the responsibility to know that hazing was occurring and to stop it. He failed to do so,” said a statement from Northwestern University released Thursday.
Multiple current and former football student-athletes acknowledged that hazing took place in the football program during the six-month independent investigation into the issue, the university’s statement said, adding that “Student-athletes across a range of years corroborated these findings, showing beyond question that hazing – which included nudity and sexualized acts – took place on Fitzgerald’s watch.”
“The safety of our students remains our highest priority, and we deeply regret that any student-athletes experienced hazing. We remain confident that the University acted appropriately in terminating Fitzgerald and we will vigorously defend our position in court,” the statement said.
Northwestern is facing more than a dozen lawsuits across multiple sports with allegations including sexual abuse of players by teammates, as well as racist comments by coaches and race-based assaults. Baseball coach Jim Foster was fired July 13 amid allegations of a toxic culture that included bullying and abusive behavior.
Fitzgerald’s dismissal capped a rapid fall from grace for someone who seemed entrenched at his alma mater. He was an All-American linebacker, a star on the 1995 team that won the Big Ten and reached the Rose Bowl after decades of losing at Northwestern.
Fitzgerald led the Wildcats to a 110-101 record and — by a wide margin — more wins than any other coach. Northwestern won Big Ten West championships in 2018 and 2020, plus five bowl games. But the team went 4-20 over his last two seasons.
Defensive coordinator David Braun was elevated to interim coach six months after joining Fitzgerald’s staff.
Just over two months ago, Northwestern hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to lead an investigation into the culture of its athletic department and its anti-hazing procedures. The university announced no timetable for the investigation but said the results will be made public, unlike those of the previous investigation.
In August, assistant football coaches and staff members wore black shirts with “ Cats Against the World ” and Fitzgerald’s old number “51” in purple type at practice that athletic director Derrick Gragg said were “inappropriate, offensive and tone deaf.” About a week later, approximately 1,000 former Northwestern athletes sent a letter condemning hazing while defending the school’s culture, saying allegations of abuse within the football program and other men’s and women’s teams do not reflect their experiences.
The turmoil came as the school is trying to gain approval to build a new Ryan Field. The plans call for a state-of-the-art facility featuring a reduced seating capacity and greater emphasis on the fan experience.
NO. 9 USC HOPES TO SHOW FINISHING TOUCH ON OFFENSE HOSTING ARIZONA
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California has what might be the best offense in college football, leading the FBS at 53.6 points per game and 8.89 yards per play.
But with chances to use their ground game to salt away wins in the second half each of the past two weeks, the No. 9 Trojans haven’t exactly been an offensive juggernaut, something they hope to remedy if given the chance hosting Arizona on Saturday.
“Just finishing,” USC running back MarShawn Lloyd said when asked what he took from the 48-41 win at Colorado last week. “Finishing things off. I feel like as a whole offense we can be better.”
USC (5-0, 3-0 Pac-12) went into the third quarter of that game with a 34-14 lead, but the offense managed 34 yards rushing on eight carries from that point on. Quarterback Caleb Williams had a 13-yard run early in the fourth quarter accounting for the lone first down on the ground after halftime.
Lloyd finished with 84 yards on the ground, including a thrilling 27-yard touchdown where he cut back across the field to open the scoring. The play was reminiscent of some of Reggie Bush’s most memorable scampers for USC 20 years earlier, and the South Carolina transfer was elated to see Bush recognize his run on social media.
As exciting as that play was, Lloyd wished he could have been more productive with the four carries he got in the second half, which went for 12 yards.
“If I want the ball more, I gotta make more plays,” Lloyd said.
The inability to burn clock and help protect an often shaky defense has been a recurring theme under coach Lincoln Riley, and Arizona (3-2, 1-1) might be able to exploit it.
The Wildcats have started out sluggishly in the first quarter in both of their losses, only to fight back before coming up short. That was certainly the case in pushing No. 7 Washington in a 31-24 loss.
In addition to getting more on offense in the opening 15 minutes, Arizona coach Jedd Fisch hopes his defense can come up with more early stops or takeaways to help out.
“We outscored Mississippi State 24-17 in the second, third and fourth quarter,” Fisch said. “We outscored Washington in the second, third and fourth quarter 24-17. … Defensively, we have to get off the field also so there’s more possessions. That all works together.”
CAT’S CALL
Arizona QB Jayden de Laura did not play last week because of an ankle injury, but Fisch said the fourth-year junior would start against USC if healthy. Redshirt freshman Noah Fifita made his first career start against the Huskies, throwing for 232 yards and three touchdowns with an interception.
EARN IT
The Wildcats played a good amount of conservative defense last week intended to prevent explosive passing plays by Heisman Trophy candidate Michael Penix Jr. It mostly worked as Penix had three completions longer than 20 yards.
“I think we showed that we’re a solid defense,” Arizona defensive end Taylor Upshaw said. “I think we still have a lot of room to improve and we know that, but we can definitely compete with the best players.”
COOL CALEB
Williams is off to a better start than he had en route to winning the Heisman in 2022, throwing 21 touchdowns and rushing for three more against one interception. He shredded Arizona for 411 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-37 win last season.
POINTS A PLENTY
USC is the only FBS team to score at least 40 points in every game this season. If the streak continues this week, it would be the Trojans’ most prolific run since ending the 2003 regular season with seven straight games hitting the 40-point mark.
SAVE IT FOR LATER
USC added three prominent transfers from Arizona in the offseason in DT Kyon Barrs, CB Christian Roland-Wallace and WR Dorian Singer. Fisch expects limited social interactions between the trio and their former teammates.
“We don’t need to have a big family party out there,” Fisch said. “I think our job is to go there and have a good business-like attitude and play good football, and I’m sure coach Riley is telling his team the same thing. And then after the game they can FaceTime each other.”
MCCORD AND NO. 4 OHIO STATE CAN’T AFFORD A LET-DOWN AGAINST TAGOVAILOA AND UNBEATEN MARYLAND
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Kyle McCord closed out his fourth game as Ohio State’s starting quarterback with a fearless drive that stunned Notre Dame in the final seconds and kept the Buckeyes unbeaten.
It was a signature victory for the 21-year-old McCord, who is settling into the offense after sitting for two years behind C.J. Stroud, a Heisman Trophy finalist last year and an NFL first-round draft pick.
But the Notre Dame triumph was nearly two weeks ago. Coach Ryan Day wants more out of McCord now — more poise, more touchdown passes, more leadership.
“It’s like I was told as a young quarterback, once you come home with an ‘A’ in algebra, you’re expected get an ‘A’ in algebra all the time,” Day said. “Now you’re seeing what Kyle can do. That’s now the expectation.”
After a week off, the No. 4 Buckeyes (4-0) return to the Horseshoe and a potential trap game against surging Maryland (5-0). The Terps have blown out everybody so far, but Ohio State will be best team they’ve faced by far.
No extra motivation is needed, Maryland coach Mike Locksley said.
“We don’t need to play the fight song in the locker room this week. This isn’t one of those weeks where gimmicks are going to get the job done,” he said. “For us it’s about earning the respect we feel we deserve, an opportunity to compete against one of the best teams in our conference the last few years. I know our players are excited.”
Speaking of quarterbacks, Maryland has a pretty good one, too.
In his fifth college season, Taulia Tagovailoa is Maryland’s all-time passing leader. Already this season he’s thrown for 1,464 yard and 13 touchdowns. The NFL prospect was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for a season-high 352 yards and five TDs in last Saturday’s 44-17 rout of Indiana.
Last year in College Park, Tagovailoa threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns in a 43-30 win by the Buckeyes that wasn’t sealed until late in the game.
“He creates offense,” Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said. “He hurt us with some plays last year.”
The Terps have come close but haven’t beaten Ohio State in eight previous tries since joining the Big Ten in 2014.
MAKING HISTORY
This is the first time Maryland has won its first five games of the season by at least 18 points. It’s also the first time the Terps have scored at least 31 points in each of their first five.
Maryland is 15-5 in its last 20 games. Among Big Ten schools, only Michigan (18-2), Ohio State (17-3) and Penn State (16-4) have been better.
MARV OK
Marvin Harrison Jr. is healthy and ready to go after the off week, Day said. Ohio State’s All-American receiver injured his right ankle while blocking on TreVeyon Henderson’s 61-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of the Notre Dame game. He returned to the game with his ankle heavily taped and had a critical 19-yard catch on the Buckeyes’ final scoring drive.
He said the injury is “good enough” for him to play Saturday.
DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT
Maryland has allowed an average of 57 points in its eight meetings with Ohio State since joining the Big Ten – last year’s 43 was actually the lowest point total in series history by the Buckeyes. The question now is whether the 2023 Terrapins are finally equipped to slow down Ohio State.
Since last year’s loss to the Buckeyes, Maryland has held seven straight opponents to 20 points or fewer. That’s the longest active streak in the nation.
Maryland has a plus-nine turnover margin so far this season.
“Turnovers are big, for obviously the offense,” safety Dante Trader said. “There’s not anything you can do other than your job just to get turnovers. It just swings that way.”
CHIPPING IN
Running back Chip Trayanum is still basking in his biggest moment as a Buckeye. Trayanum, a 5-foot-11, 235-pound converted linebacker, took a handoff from McCord and powered over the goal line to beat Notre Dame in the final seconds of the Sept. 23 game.
“We always preach one-play, one-yard, and toughness and fight, and I believe that one play sums it all up,” Trayanum said.
NCAA SAYS NORTH CAROLINA WR TEZ WALKER IS ELIGIBLE TO PLAY AFTER ‘NEW INFORMATION’ FROM THE SCHOOL
The NCAA says wide receiver Tez Walker will be allowed to play for the 14th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels for the remainder of the season after receiving new information from the school this week.
The NCAA released a terse statement Thursday saying its staff received new information this week regarding Walker and determined it qualifies Walker for a transfer waiver. The information had not been made available by UNC previously, despite the school’s multiple chances to do so, according to the NCAA.
“It is unfortunate that UNC failed to provide this important information previously,” NCAA President Charlie Baker and Division I Board of directors chair Jere Morehead said in a joint statement. “While we must be careful not to compromise a student-athlete’s right to privacy when it comes to sensitive issues, we want to assure the Division I membership and everyone watching how the new transfer rules are applied, that this meets the new transfer waiver standards. UNC’s behavior and decision to wage a public relations campaign is inappropriate and outside the bounds of the process UNC’s own staff supported. Had the UNC staff not behaved in this fashion and submitted this information weeks ago, this entire unfortunate episode could have been avoided.”
North Carolina coach Mack Brown thanked those at the school who have worked to help get Walker eligible.
“We’re happy for Tez,” Brown said in a statement. “Everything that has transpired over the last few weeks has been for the sole purpose of helping and supporting him, and now he’s going to have a chance to live his dream.”
The unbeaten Tar Heels (4-0) host Syracuse on Saturday.
NO. 23 LSU HEADS TO UNBEATEN NO. 21 MISSOURI FOR ONLY FOURTH MATCHUP OF SEC SCHOOLS
No. 23 LSU (3-2, 2-1 SEC) at No. 21 Missouri (5-0, 1-0), Saturday, noon ET (ESPN)
Line: LSU by 6 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Missouri leads 2-1.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
LSU is coming off a 55-49 loss to Ole Miss that immediately put the Tigers in a tough position in the SEC West. They head into their second conference game with Alabama and Texas A&M ahead of them and the Rebels holding a tiebreaker, and it’s hardly an easy road game. Missouri played top-ranked Georgia to the wire at Faurot Field a year ago, and this bunch has proven to be a whole lot better. The Tigers from Columbia are 5-0 for the first time since 2013, when they started 7-0 and won the SEC East.
KEY MATCHUP
LSU leads the SEC with 353.4 yards per game through the air, and will face a Missouri secondary that has a couple of standout playmakers but has generally been mediocre this season. LSU QB Jayden Daniels has thrown for 1,710 yards with 16 TD passes and two interceptions after his 414-yard, four-TD day against Ole Miss. Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw are two of the SEC’s top defensive backs, but Missouri safeties have had trouble in pass defense this season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LSU: WR Malik Nabers may be the best NFL prospect at his position in the upcoming draft. He has elite speed to go with sure hands and versatility, lining up both in the slot and out wide. Nabers had eight catches for 102 yards last week against Ole Miss and is second in the nation with 625 yards receiving so far.
Missouri: WR Luther Burden III is the only wide receiver ahead of Nabers in yards this season. He has 644 through his first five games to go with five touchdown receptions. Burden has topped 100 yards each of the past four games, and it would be 5 for 5 had he not finished with a mere 96 yards in an opening win over South Dakota.
FACTS & FIGURES
LSU’s lone win against Missouri came in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2016. Missouri won games against LSU at Faurot FIeld in 2020 and in the 1978 Liberty Bowl. … LSU is ranked No. 4 in total offense with 551.4 yards per game. … Daniels has accounted for at least four TDs in each of his last four games. Joe Burrow last accomplished the feat spanning 2018-19. … LSU WR Brian Thomas leads the nation with eight TD receptions after catching three more against the Rebels. … Every starter on the LSU offensive line has at least 15 career starts. The group has 87 combined. … Missouri has topped 500 yards total offense the past two games. … Missouri QB Brady Cook broke the SEC record for consecutive pass attempts without an interception previously held by Kentucky’s Andre Woodson. Cook has thrown 348 passes without a pick. … Cook has 19 touchdown passes since his last interception 11 games ago.
NO. 11 ALABAMA VISITS TEXAS A&M WITH EACH LOOKING FOR A LEG UP IN THE BRUTAL SEC WEST
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — The Texas A&M Aggies insist that they are treating Saturday’s visit from No. 11 Alabama the same as any other game.
“What you’ve got to focus on is learning that you have to control yourself,” Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “There’s nothing we can do about Alabama. Alabama’s Alabama. They’re a great team. What we have to do is get prepared to play Alabama or whoever you’re playing, because each game is a big game … you prepare for them like you would anybody else.”
Even so, it’s impossible for the Aggies to ignore the fact that a win over the Crimson Tide would give them a big push as they aim for their first SEC West title since joining the league in 2012.
Alabama and Texas A&M are tied for first place in the West after both have opened their seasons 4-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play. The Aggies have won three in a row, including SEC wins over Auburn and Arkansas, since a 48-33 loss at Miami.
The Crimson Tide also have a three-game winning streak with league wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi since a 34-24 loss to then-No. 11 Texas at home.
Texas A&M stunned top-ranked Alabama 41-38 on a last-second field goal in 2021 in the last meeting in College Station to snap a 19-game winning streak by the Crimson Tide.
Alabama coach Nick Saban was adamant that his team is not looking at or thinking about anything past this week’s game against Texas A&M.
“We’re trying to play one game at a time,” he said. “We’re trying to improve our team. I can’t tell you where we’re ranked. I can’t tell you what the standings are. I think everybody kind of realizes the importance of every game that we play. The whole focus is how can we play better. How can we play good? How can we improve not worrying about some outcome-oriented thing that may happen two months from now?”
JOHNSON VS. BAMA
Max Johnson has played Alabama twice before while at LSU. He hasn’t beaten the Tide yet.
In 2021, he completed 16 of 32 passes for 160 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while getting sacked five times in a 20-14 loss. A year earlier, he replaced TJ Finley in a 55-17 loss and went 11 of 17 for 110 yards.
Johnson will make his second start of the season Saturday after Conner Weigman sustained a season-ending foot injury against Auburn. Johnson threw for 210 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in last week’s 34-22 win over Arkansas.
MILROE’S FIRST START
Jalen Milroe figures he learned a lot from his first career start against Texas A&M. Milroe passed for 111 yards and three touchdowns but also threw an interception and lost two fumbles in the 24-20 Tide win a year ago.
“All the things that happened in that game, I don’t take anything for granted and also wouldn’t change anything,” Milroe said this week. “Those are learning moments for me and allow me to grow. Good or bad makes you stronger. Any areas where I messed up playing in that game, I take full ownership for it and I want to continue to work, work hard, grow and build.”
MAKING STRIDES
Texas A&M offensive lineman Dametrious Crownover believes his unit has made great strides since the loss to the Hurricanes. He said that game was a wakeup call.
“After the Miami game, it was a sickening feeling in your stomach, because we lost one that we shouldn’t have,” he said. “But we knew that we had to come together and be like, ‘Hey, guys, we can’t afford to have any more games like this.’ So it was that chip on our shoulder I would say that just helped us improve.”
BAMA’S BLOCKERS
Alabama’s maligned offensive line is finally getting some kudos. Tide opponents have 20 sacks through five games, but the blockers paved the way for a balanced attack against Mississippi State.
“This is probably the best they played all year,” Saban said. “The offensive line as a whole played one of their better games against a difficult front that stunts a lot.”
NFL NEWS
FIELDS AND MOORE LEAD THE BEARS TO THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON, BEATING THE COMMANDERS 40-20
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) Music blared from the Chicago Bears locker room after a victory for the first time in almost a year, and players danced and jumped around with joy.
All thanks to Justin Fields and DJ Moore being perfectly in tune.
Fields and Moore connected eight times for 230 yards and three touchdowns to give the embattled Bears their first win of the season, beating the Washington Commanders 40-20 Thursday night, hours after word emerged of the death of franchise great Dick Butkus.
“We just needed a win, get the mojo going in our favor,” Moore said. “It felt amazing to get the first win under our belts.”
Relief was palpable at the end of a 14-game skid dating to last season – since Oct. 24, 2022, the last time they won a game. All the off-field drama the organization has been mired in for weeks melted away in the moments of celebration.
“The feeling that we all had after the game is a feeling that you just never want it to end,” Fields said. “Just proud of the way all the guys game out and played.”
Fields had four touchdown passes to match his career high set last week, this time coming in a winning effort as Chicago (1-4) jumped out to a 24-point halftime lead and, unlike Sunday, held on.
“He’s a heck of a good, young football player,” Commanders coach Ron Rivera said.
Fields threw for 282 yards and ran for 57 yards, including a rush for a first down late in the third quarter after tipping the ball to himself following a high snap. Moore had 137 yards receiving in the first half alone, becoming the first Bears player to surpass 125 before halftime since at least 2000 and eventually reaching a career high.
“This morning I was nervous – out of this world nervous,” Moore said. “I guess that was my body telling me that we were about to go off.”
It was such an impressive showing that it got the attention of LeBron James, who posted on social media: “J Fields and DJ Moore going crazy right now!!! SHEESH!!”
The Bears also got a defensive performance that felt like a fitting way to honor Butkus, the fearsome Hall of Fame linebacker who died at age 80 earlier Thursday. They forced two turnovers and sacked Sam Howell five times in bouncing back from blowing a 21-point lead and losing to Denver.
“We harped all week on finishing,” said Greg Stroman, a former Washington cornerback who picked off Howell. “We do great things as a team. We played well for three strong quarters last week, so just were building off that and that was the message: Build off that and finish.”
Washington (2-3) lost a third consecutive game, this time struggling with missed tackles and blown coverage on defense, while again failing to force a turnover. Couple that with Howell’s interception, and there was a reason the Commanders were booed off the field at halftime by fans who again packed FedEx Field for another sellout.
Their second-half comeback bid fell short, stunted by Logan Thomas fumbling, a later drive stalling in the red zone and Joey Slye missing a 46-yard field goal attempt with five minutes left. Washington got as close as 10 points, but couldn’t end its losing streak and keep Chicago’s going.
“It starts at the top,” Rivera said. “That’s on me.”
LONG DISTANCE
Chicago got its four longest plays of the season: 58-, 39-yard and 56-yard completions from Fields to Moore and a 34-yard run by Khalil Herbert. Three of those came in the first quarter alone.
INJURIES
Bears: Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds received medical attention late and walked off the field. … Center Lucas Patrick and rookie running back Roschon Johnson underwent concussion evaluation during the second quarter and were quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game. … Receiver Equanimeous St. Brown and running back Travis Homer each left with a hamstring injury.
Commanders: Washington lost two key special teams players early in the first quarter. All-Pro Jeremy Reaves left with a knee injury and second-year defensive back Christian Holmes with a hamstring injury. … Defensive tackle John Ridgeway was injured late.
UP NEXT
Bears: Host the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 15.
Commanders: Visit the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 15.
DICK BUTKUS, FEARSOME HALL OF FAME CHICAGO BEARS LINEBACKER, DIES AT 80
CHICAGO (AP) A photo of Dick Butkus sneering behind his facemask filled the cover of Sports Illustrated’s 1970 NFL preview, topped by the headline, “The Most Feared Man in the Game.” Opponents who wound up on the business end of his bone-rattling hits could testify that wasn’t an exaggeration.
Butkus, a middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears whose speed and ferocity set the standards for the position in the modern era, died Thursday, the team announced. He was 80.
According to a statement released by the team, Butkus’ family confirmed that he died in his sleep at his home in Malibu, California.
Butkus was a first-team All-Pro five times and made the Pro Bowl in eight of his nine seasons before a knee injury forced him to retire at 31. He was the quintessential Monster of the Midway and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, his first year of eligibility. He is still considered one of the greatest defensive players in league history.
“Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the linebacker position as one of the NFL’s all-time greats. Dick’s intuition, toughness and athleticism made him the model linebacker whose name will forever be linked to the position and the Chicago Bears,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We also remember Dick as a long-time advocate for former players, and players at all levels of the game.”
A moment of silence honoring Butkus was held before the Bears played at the Washington Commanders on Thursday night.
Trading on his image as the toughest guy in the room, Butkus enjoyed a long second career as a sports broadcaster, an actor in movies and TV series, and a sought-after pitchman for products ranging from antifreeze to beer. Whether the script called for comedy or drama, Butkus usually resorted to playing himself, often with his gruff exterior masking a softer side.
“I wouldn’t ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately,” Butkus replied tongue-in-cheek when asked about his on-field reputation. “Unless it was, you know, important … like a league game or something.”
Butkus was the rare pro athlete who played his entire career close to home. He was a star linebacker, fullback and kicker at Chicago Vocational High who went on to play at the University of Illinois. Born on Dec. 9, 1942 as the youngest of eight children, he grew up on the city’s South Side as a fan of the Chicago Cardinals, the Bears’ crosstown rivals.
But after being drafted in the first round in 1965 by both the Bears and Denver Broncos (at the time, a member of the now-defunct American Football League), Butkus chose to remain in Chicago and play for NFL founder and coach George Halas. The Bears also added future Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers to the roster that year with another first-round pick.
“He was Chicago’s son,” Bears chairman George McCaskey, Halas’ grandson, said in a statement. “He exuded what our great city is about and, not coincidentally, what George Halas looked for in a player: toughness, smarts, instincts, passion and leadership. He refused to accept anything less than the best from himself, or from his teammates.”
Butkus inherited the middle linebacker job from Bill George, a Hall of Famer credited with popularizing the position in the NFL. In 1954, George abandoned his three-point stance in the middle of the defensive line and started each play several paces removed, a vantage point that allowed him to watch plays unfold and then race to the ball.
Butkus, however, brought speed, agility and a scorched-Earth attitude to the job that his predecessors only imagined. He intercepted five passes, recovered six fumbles and was unofficially credited with forcing six more in his rookie year, topping it off with the first of eight straight Pro Bowl appearances. But his reputation as a disruptor extended well past the ability to take away the football.
Butkus would hit runners high, wrap them up and drive them to the ground like a rag doll. Playboy magazine once described him as “the meanest, angriest, toughest, dirtiest” player in the NFL and an “animal, a savage, subhuman.” Descriptions like that never sat well with Butkus. But they were also hard to argue.
Several opponents claimed Butkus poked them in the face or bit them in pileups, and he acknowledged that during warmups, “I would manufacture things to make me mad.” When the Detroit Lions unveiled an I-formation against the Bears at old Tigers Stadium, Butkus knocked every member of the “I” – the center, quarterback, fullback and halfback – out of the game.
And he didn’t always stop there. Several times Butkus crashed into ball carriers well past the sidelines. More than once he pursued them onto running tracks surrounding the field and even into the stands.
“Just to hit people wasn’t good enough,” teammate Ed O’Bradovich said. “He loved to crush people.”
Despite those efforts, the Bears lost plenty more games during his tenure than they won, going 48-74-4. Dealing with tendon problems that began in high school, Butkus suffered a serious injury to his right knee during the 1970 season and had preventive surgery before the next one. He considered a second operation after being sidelined nine games into the 1973 season.
When a surgeon asked him “how a man in your shape can play football, or why you would even want to,” Butkus announced his retirement in May 1974.
Soon after, Butkus sued the Bears for $1.6 million, contending he was provided inadequate medical care and owed the four years of salary remaining on his contract. The lawsuit was settled for $600,000, but Butkus and Halas didn’t speak for five years.
Butkus, like Sayers, never reached the postseason. The Bears won the 1963 championship and by the time they made the playoffs again in 1977, Butkus and Sayers were long gone.
The Bears climbed back to the top in the 1985 season with their lone Super Bowl championship. But they have been back to the title game only one time since. Butkus couldn’t understand why.
“There’s no reason why we can’t or shouldn’t be in the run all the time,” he said at the Bears’ 100th anniversary celebration in June 2019. “I know you’ve got those draft choices or whatever when you finish first all the time. How can you explain New England being up there all these years. That’s not right. The Bears should be the ones.”
After leaving football, Butkus became an instant celebrity. He appeared in “Brian’s Song” in 1971 and a dozen feature films over the next 15 years, as well as the sitcoms “My Two Dads” and “Hang Time.” He also returned to the Bears as a radio analyst in 1985, and replaced Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder on CBS’ “The NFL Today” pregame show in 1988.
Through the Butkus Foundation, he helped establish a program at a Southern California hospital to encourage early screenings to detect heart disease. He promoted a campaign to encourage high school athletes to train and eat well and avoid performance-enhancing drugs.
The foundation oversees the Butkus Award, established in 1985 to honor college football’s best linebacker. It was expanded in 2008 to include pros and high school players.
“Dick had a gruff manner, and maybe that kept some people from approaching him, but he actually had a soft touch,” McCaskey said.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame lowered its flags to half-staff in Butkus’ honor.
“Playing in an era when middle linebacker became one of the game’s glamour positions – and several of Dick’s contemporaries also would end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame – his name most often was cited first as the epitome of what it took to excel at the highest level,” Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a statement.
Butkus is survived by his wife, Helen, and children Ricky, Matt and Nikki. Nephew Luke Butkus has coached in college and the NFL, including time with the Bears.
COACH BILL BELICHICK WILL AGAIN TO TRY JOIN 300-WIN CLUB WHEN PATRIOTS HOST SAINTS
NEW ORLEANS (2-2) at NEW ENGLAND (1-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS
BETTING LINE: Saints by 1, according to FanDuel SportsBook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Saints 0-4; Patriots 1-3.
SERIES RECORD: Patriots lead 10-5.
LAST MEETING: Saints beat Patriots 28-13 on Sept. 26, 2021, at New England.
LAST WEEK: Saints lost to Buccaneers 26-9; Patriots lost to Cowboys 38-3.
SAINTS OFFENSE: OVERALL (23), RUSH (25), PASS (21), SCORING (T-25).
SAINTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (11), RUSH (11), PASS (12), SCORING (9).
PATRIOTS OFFENSE: OVERALL (17), RUSH (24), PASS (T-12), SCORING (30)
PATRIOTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (10), RUSH (10), PASS (10), SCORING (21)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Saints even; Patriots minus-5.
SAINTS PLAYER TO WATCH: Saints rookie defensive tackle Bryan Bresee had a sack among three tackles for loss last week as he continues to demonstrate an ability to make a quick transition from the college game at Clemson to the pros.
PATRIOTS PLAYER TO WATCH: CB Myles Bryant. With rookie CB Christian Gonzalez likely sidelined and it unclear whether trade acquisition J.C. Jackson will be on the field, look for Bryant to get a lot of snaps this week. Bryant had a career-high 10 tackles last week and two forced fumbles last week at Dallas.
KEY MATCHUP: Saints RB Alvin Kamara vs. Patriots linebackers. Kamara had 24 touches last week on 11 carries and 13 receptions. The primary duty of trying to keep track of him will fall on New England linebackers Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai.
KEY INJURIES: Saints tight end Juwan Johnson missed practice time this week after injuring his calf during pregame warmups in Week 4. Guard Andrus Peat has been sidelined by a concussion. Safety Lonnie Johnson (hamstring) has sat out practice this week and cornerback Paulson Adebo returned to practice after missing two games with a hamstring injury. … Patriots edge rusher Matt Judon is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery on his biceps. Also beginning the practice week as a non-participant was rookie CB Christian Gonazlez, who is dealing with a shoulder injury. … CB Jonathan Jones began the week as a limited participant after sitting out the past three games with an ankle injury.
SERIES NOTES: This marks the 10th meeting in New England, where the Patriots have won five of the previous nine, and three of the past four. New Orleans’ past three losses in New England (2001, 2005 and 2013) came during the Tom Brady era.
STATS AND STUFF: The Saints have allowed just one rushing touchdown this season. … Saints QB Derek Carr passed for three TDs and threw one interception in his previous game against the Patriots last December, when Carr was with Las Vegas. Carr has passed for just two TDs in four starts with the Saints and the Saints offense is averaging just one TD per game. Change-of-pace QB and utility player Taysom Hill had a TD rushing in the previous meeting. … RB Alvin Kamara had 84 scrimmage yards (51 rushing, 33 receiving) in his season debut in Week 4 after serving a three-game suspension. Kamara had 13 receptions last week, his sixth game with 10-plus receptions, tied for third most all time by a running back. Amara has at least 80 scrimmage yards in five straight games and had 118 scrimmage yards (89 rushing, 29 receiving) and a TD reception in the previous meeting. … WR Chris Olave has at least six catches for 85 or more yards in three of four games this season, with last week being the exception (one catch for 4 yards). … WR Michael Thomas led the Saints with 53 yards receiving last week and has at least 50 yards receiving in 10 of his past 11 games. … DT Bryan Bresee last week became the NFL’s second rookie this season with three tackles for loss in one game. … LB Pete Werner tied for the team lead with eight tackles last week and has seven-plus tackles in four straight games. … CB Marshon Lattimore had 10 tackles and an interception in the previous meeting. He’s tied for third in the NFL with six passes defensed this season. … Rookie kicker Blake Grupe has made nine of 10 field- goal attempts and has scored 32 of the Saints’ 62 total points. Patriots coach Bill Belichick (299) will try again to join Don Shula (328) and George Halas (318) as the only NFL coaches with 300 regular-season wins. Belichick is 5-2 against the Saints. … The Patriots extended their streak to 23 consecutive games with a sack last week at Dallas. The most recent time New England didn’t have a sack was Dec. 21, 2021, against Buffalo. It is the third-longest streak in the NFL behind Baltimore (25) and Kansas City (24). … QB Mac Jones passed for 270 yards in the previous meeting with New Orleans. He has 10 TDs, two INTs and a 93.9 rating in his past seven home starts. … RB Ezekiel Elliott has a TD in two of his three games against the Saints. …WR Kendrick Bourne had six catches for 96 yards and a TD in the previous meeting. He has three receiving TDs in three games against New Orleans. … TE Hunter Henry had five catches in the previous meeting and has a TD catch in two of three games against the Saints. … S Kyle Dugger had a career-high 15 tackles last week. … P Bryce Baringer is leading the NFL with 11 punts inside the 20-yard line
FANTASY TIP: It’s a good time to start Saints WR Michael Thomas. He led the team with 53 receiving yards last week and has 50 or more receiving yards in 10 of his past 11 games. He’s also looking to get his seventh game in a row on the road with five-plus catches. He had five catches for 89 yards in his only game against New England in 2017.
BILLS’ HIGH-SCORING OFFENSE TAKES FLIGHT IN TRAVELING TO PLAY JAGUARS IN LONDON
JACKSONVILLE (2-2) vs. BUFFALO (3-1) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London.
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. EDT, NFL Network
OPENING LINE: Bills by 5 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsBook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Jacksonville 2-2; Buffalo 3-1.
SERIES RECORD: Tied 9-9.
LAST MEETING: Jaguars beat Bills 9-6 on Nov. 7, 2021, in Jacksonville.
LAST WEEK: Jaguars beat Falcons 23-7; Bills beat Dolphins 48-20.
JAGUARS OFFENSE: OVERALL (15), RUSH (19), PASS (11), SCORING (20).
JAGUARS DEFENSE: OVERALL (17), RUSH (8t), PASS (22), SCORING (12).
BILLS OFFENSE: OVERALL (6), RUSH (8), PASS (7), SCORING (2).
BILLS DEFENSE: OVERALL (6), RUSH (20), PASS (4), SCORING (2).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Jaguars plus-4; Bills plus-6.
JAGUARS PLAYER TO WATCH: TE Evan Engram. The seventh-year player is QB Trevor Lawrence’s safety valve, and tied for the NFL lead among tight ends with 25 catches and second with 232 yards receiving. He faces a defense that has limited tight ends to 14 catches for 112 yards and no TDs this season.
BILLS PLAYER TO WATCH: CB Dane Jackson. The fourth-year player is expected to step back into a starting role in replacing Tre’Davious White, who will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his right Achilles tendon on Sunday. It’s a familiar spot for Jackson, who started 14 games last season, when White was recovering from a torn right knee ligament.
KEY MATCHUP: Josh Allen versus Josh Allen. The Bills quarterback has been sacked a combined four times in his past three outings, and coming off a season-best performance with 320 yards passing and four touchdowns, and another TD rushing. The Jaguars top pass rusher is tied for the NFL lead with six sacks — the most by a Jacksonville player through the first four games of a season. In their only other meeting, Allen had a sack and intercepted Allen.
KEY INJURIES: Jaguars WR Zay Jones (knee) returned to practice after missing the past two games. … Return specialist Jamal Agnew (quad) sat out last week but has been practicing. His replacement, rookie WR Parker Washington, injured his knee on his only punt return last Sunday and didn’t practice Wednesday. … Starting LB Devin Lloyd (thumb) is recovering from surgery and didn’t make the London trip. … Bills starting S Jordan Poyer (knee) returned to practice after missing one game. … Edge rusher Greg Rousseau’s status bears monitoring after missing practice on Wednesday with a foot injury. … Starting CB Christian Benford has been limited by a shoulder injury, but is expected to play.
SERIES NOTES: The teams have split their past seven games since Buffalo enjoyed a three-game winning streak from 1998-2003. … The Jaguars’ 9-6 win over Buffalo on Nov. 7, 2021, marked their first victory on North American soil since a 2020 season-opening win over Indianapolis. Jacksonville defeated Miami three weeks earlier, but that game was played in London. … The Jaguars are 2-0 in the playoffs against Buffalo, including a 10-3 win in the 2017 AFC wild-card round in the Bills’ first postseason appearance since the 1999 season.
STATS AND STUFF: This will be the 35th regular-season game in London. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has hosted six games since the $1.6 billion facility opened in 2019. The stadium was custom built with an NFL field below the Premier League team’s moveable soccer pitch. The NFL has a contract to stage at least two games there per season through 2029. … The Jaguars are 5-5 in London overall and 1-0 at Tottenham. Their other nine games were played at Wembley Stadium. … Jacksonville becomes the first team to play consecutive games outside of the U.S. after beating Atlanta at Wembley. … The Bills are 0-1 in regular-season games played at London following a 34-31 loss to the Jaguars on Oct. 25, 2015, at Wembley. The win was Jacksonville’s first at London after dropping the first two outings of its annual series of games there. … Jaguars QB Lawrence went 23 of 30 with a touchdown to have a season-best 105.8 passer rating against Atlanta. He’s had a passer rating of 90 or better in two of three games at London. … RB Travis Etienne has combined for 234 scrimmage yards in two games in London. … Edge rusher Allen had three sacks against Atlanta, to become the NFL’s first player to have three or more in an international regular-season outing. … Since entering the league in 2017, Jamal Agnew leads the NFL with seven return touchdowns — four punt returns, two kickoff returns and one field-goal return. … The Bills are the NFL’s first team to win three straight outings by 28 or more points since Buffalo did so over the final three weeks of 2020. The 1942 Bears are the only team to win four straight by 28 or more points. … Buffalo leads the NFL in having outscored its opponents by a combined 84 points. … QB Allen posted his 21st outing with 300 or more yards passing, 10th with four TDs passing and fourth with five scores against Miami. The game also marked the second time Allen hasn’t turned the ball over this season. … Allen’s TD rushing was the 40th, tying Jack Kemp for third on the NFL quarterbacks list. Cam Newton leads the list with 75 TDs rushing, followed by Steve Young (43). … WR Stefon Diggs enjoyed his fourth career three-TD outing and third with Buffalo. His 33 touchdowns receiving with Buffalo rank sixth on the team list, and one behind Bob Chandler. … Since 2019, the Bills are 19-14 in the regular season when allowing 20 or more points. The team was 12-67 in that category from 2011-18. … With 448 points, kicker Tyler Bass is one of just three NFL players since 1950 to score that many through his 53rd regular-season game behind kickers Harrison Butker (489) and Wil Lutz (452).
FANTASY TIP: With the Jaguars likely placing an emphasis on slowing the Allen-led passing attack, Bills RB James Cook has an opportunity to continue producing in the run and pass game. The second-year player ranks third among running backs with 411 total yards (296 rushing, 115 receiving), and scored his first TD of the season last week.
EAGLES VISIT RAMS, LOOK TO CONTINUE UNBEATEN START
PHILADELPHIA (4-0) at LOS ANGELES RAMS (2-2)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT, FOX
BETTING LINE: Eagles by 4 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsBook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Eagles 2-1-1; Rams 2-0-2.
SERIES RECORD: Eagles lead 22-20-1.
LAST MEETING: Rams beat Eagles 37-19 on Sept. 20, 2020, in Philadelphia.
LAST WEEK: Eagles beat Commanders 34-31 in overtime; Rams beat Colts 29-23 in overtime.
EAGLES OFFENSE: OVERALL (5), RUSH (2), PASS (T-12), SCORING (5).
EAGLES DEFENSE: OVERALL (16), RUSH (2), PASS (27), SCORING (16).
RAMS OFFENSE: OVERALL (4), RUSH (18), PASS (2), SCORING (16).
RAMS DEFENSE: OVERALL (9), RUSH (14), PASS (7), SCORING (15).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Eagles plus-4 (T-6); Rams minus-3 (T-24).
EAGLES PLAYER TO WATCH: WR A.J. Brown. After a slow start, Brown has come on strong with consecutive nine-catch games that have produced more than 100 yards receiving. He nearly set a career high with 175 yards while also getting into the end zone twice against Washington.
RAMS PLAYER TO WATCH: LB Ernest Jones. It isn’t the flashiest position in the modern NFL, but the man in the middle of Los Angeles’ defense is as consistent as it gets. Jones had 10 tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss against the Colts, and the Rams will need him to help slow down the diverse run game of the Eagles.
KEY MATCHUP: Eagles third down offense vs. Rams defense. Philadelphia was largely able to move the ball up and down the field against Washington, but some untimely errors kept the Eagles from blowing the game open as they went 4 for 12 (33.3%) on third down. Los Angeles is holding opponents to 26.7% (12 for 45), and third-and-long distances allow Aaron Donald and rookie OLB Byron Young to unleash their pass rush. Whichever team gets to dictate terms on third down will have a major edge, especially if it puts the Eagles in position to use their seemingly unstoppable QB sneak on fourth-and-short.
KEY INJURIES: Eagles DT Fletcher Cox had an epidural injection to address ongoing back pain, putting his availability to play on Sunday in question. … Rams QB Matthew Stafford is good to go despite sustaining a hip contusion on Sunday. WR Cooper Kupp (hamstring) returned to practice this week and is eligible to be activated off injured reserve.
SERIES NOTES: The Rams ended a six-game losing streak in the series against the Eagles when they won their 2020 road opener. … This will be Philadelphia’s third game in Los Angeles since the Rams moved back in 2016. The Eagles put together one-score victories at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2017 and 2018. … The Rams’ previous win over the Eagles in Los Angeles was a 20-0 shutout on Sept. 25, 1977. Joe Namath threw two touchdown passes, and Rafael Septien kicked two field goals.
STATS AND STUFF: The Eagles are unbeaten through four games for the seventh time in franchise history. This is the second instance of consecutive 4-0 starts, joining the 1992-93 seasons. … Despite getting one carry for 3 yards in the season opener, RB D’Andre Swift ranks second in the NFL with 364 yards rushing. He has done it with volume the past three weeks, getting 58 carries and averaging 6.22 yards per attempt. … Jalen Hurts has won 21 of his past 22 regular-season starts, becoming the seventh QB in league history since 1950 to put together such a stretch. … C Jason Kelce is set to make his 144th straight start, which will tie Jon Runyan for the longest streak in Eagles history. … Philadelphia is providing an early reminder of the value of continuity on the offensive line, with Kelce, LT Jordan Mailata and RT Lane Johnson having each played all 294 snaps so far. … Donald has 164 tackles for loss in his career. He is tied with Bills OLB Von Miller (164) for seventh all time and needs two to pass Atlanta DE Calais Campbell (165) in sixth. … WR Puka Nacua has 39 receptions through his first four NFL games. He has already broken the record for most catches through five games, surpassing the 34 grabs RB Reggie Bush made for the Saints in 2006. … Los Angeles has 62 first downs via the passing game, which is second only to Miami’s 66. The Rams have at least 12 first downs through the air in every game. … After making his first four field goals from 40-49 yards, PK Brett Maher went 1 for 3 at Indianapolis. He did go 2 for 2 on kicks of 50-plus yards. … The Rams are one of five teams with two or fewer takeaways through four games (one interception, one fumble recovery) but the only one with a .500 record. New England (one interception, one fumble recovery), Chicago (two interceptions), Las Vegas (one interception) and the New York Giants (no takeaways) are a combined 3-13.
FANTASY TIP: Philadelphia has the second-stingiest run defense in football, allowing 63 yards per game. That means Rams RB Kyren Williams will have to supplement his production as a receiver to be in lineups. Despite his heavy usage, Williams is a risky option this week.
THE COWBOYS VISIT THE 49ERS IN A REMATCH FROM THE PAST TWO POSTSEASONS
DALLAS (3-1) at SAN FRANCISCO (4-0)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT, NBC
OPENING LINE: 49ers by 3 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Cowboys 3-1; 49ers 3-0-1.
SERIES RECORD: Tied 19-19-1.
LAST MEETING: 49ers beat Cowboys 19-12 on Jan. 22, 2023, in the divisional round at Santa Clara, Calif.
LAST WEEK: Cowboys beat Patriots 38-3; 49ers beat Cardinals 35-16.
COWBOYS OFFENSE: OVERALL (11), RUSH (7), PASS (14), SCORING (4)
COWBOYS DEFENSE: OVERALL (2), RUSH (16), PASS (2), SCORING (1)
49ERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (2), RUSH (3), PASS (9), SCORING (3)
49ERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (5), RUSH (3), PASS (17), SCORING (3)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Cowboys plus-3; 49ers plus-4.
COWBOYS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Tony Pollard. After breaking his leg in the playoff game at San Francisco last season, Pollard is entrenched as the No. 1 back in Dallas. He is averaging 93 yards from scrimmage per game this season and has scored two TDs.
49ERS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Brandon Aiyuk. After sitting out Week 3, Aiyuk returned to have six catches for a career-high 148 yards receiving last week. Aiyuk has 320 yards receiving in three games this season and has gotten a first down or TD on all 17 of his catches this season.
KEY MATCHUP: Dallas pass rush vs. 49ers QB Brock Purdy. The Cowboys did the best job against Purdy of any team during last season’s playoff meeting. His 87.4 rating was his lowest of any start as he went 19 for 29 for 219 yards and no TDs. Dallas had two sacks and Micah Parsons and Co. put heavy pressure on Purdy all game.
KEY INJURIES: Parsons was limited in practice at the start of the week with a knee injury. … Niners WR Deebo Samuel has been limited by rib and knee injuries but is expected to play.
SERIES NOTES: The 49ers eliminated the Cowboys from the playoffs the past two seasons, winning a wild-card game on the road in the 2012 season and a divisional round game at home last season. … Dallas has won its past four regular-season road games in the series. … This is the first time since the 1994 season with the teams meeting when both are multiple games over .500.
STATS AND STUFF: Dallas and San Francisco are tied for the fewest turnovers this season with just one. … The Cowboys are the first team with four non-offensive TDs in the first four games since Arizona in 2015. … Dallas is tied for second in the NFL with 10 takeaways. … Cowboys S DaRon Bland has three INTs, with two returned for TDs. … The Cowboys have won three of their first four games by at least 20 points. Only 16 other teams have done that since the merger. … Dallas is second in the NFL with a plus-83 point differential, the best for the Cowboys through four games since 1968. … Dallas has converted an NFL-best 51.6% of third downs. … The Cowboys are third worst in the NFL by turning just 36.8% of red zone trips into TDs. … Dallas has held opposing QBs to a 55.2 passer rating this season, second best in the NFL. … The Cowboys have allowed one conversion on 20 tries when the opponent needs at least 7 yards for a first down. … Dallas K Brandon Aubrey is 13 for 13 on FGs in his first season, becoming the eighth kicker in NFL history with at least that many makes in a perfect start to a career. The record is 18. … Niners rookie K Jake Moody is 9 for 9 on FGs. … San Francisco is off to its fifth 4-0 start in franchise history and has won 14 straight regular-season games. … The 49ers have scored at least 30 points in seven straight regular-season games for the longest streak in the NFL since Denver did it 13 games in a row in 2012-13. … The previous team to score at least 30 points in the first five games of a season was the 2018 Rams. … San Francisco has scored three TDs and one FG on its opening drives to lead the NFL with 24 points. … The 49ers had five TDs on five red zone trips last week. … San Francisco gained a first down or TD on 50.9% of offensive plays last week for the highest rate in a regular season or playoff game since at least 1991. … The 49ers have won 10 straight home games in the regular season or playoffs, one shy of the franchise record. … Niners RB Christian McCaffrey has scored a TD in a franchise record 13 straight games, including the playoffs. He is two shy of the longest streak since the merger. … Purdy completed 20 of 21 passes last week for the fourth-best completion percentage ever for a QB with at least 20 attempts.
FANTASY TIP: McCaffrey has 600 yards from scrimmage and seven TDs already this season. He joined Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith (1995) and Jim Brown (1958 and 1963) as the only players to hit those marks in the first four games of the season and should get plenty of opportunities again on Sunday as San Francisco tries to keep the pass rush away from Purdy.
CHIEFS VISIT VIKINGS AFTER CLOSE CALL LAST WEEK AS MAHOMES MAKES 1ST APPEARANCE IN MINNESOTA
KANSAS CITY (3-1) at MINNESOTA (1-3)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, CBS
OPENING LINE: Chiefs by 5 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Chiefs 2-2; Vikings 1-2-1.
SERIES RECORD: Chiefs lead 8-5.
LAST MEETING: Chiefs beat Vikings 26-23 on Nov. 3, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo.
LAST WEEK: Chiefs beat Jets 23-20; Vikings beat Panthers 21-13.
CHIEFS OFFENSE: OVERALL (3), RUSH (9), PASS (6), SCORING (9)
CHIEFS DEFENSE: OVERALL (8), RUSH (12), PASS (8), SCORING (T5)
VIKINGS OFFENSE: OVERALL (9), RUSH (28), PASS (3), SCORING (16)
VIKINGS DEFENSE: OVERALL (20), RUSH (15), PASS (21), SCORING (19)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Chiefs minus-3; Vikings minus-8.
CHIEFS PLAYER TO WATCH: RT Jawaan Taylor has a close eye on him from the officials, so why not watch him? He’s the most penalized player in the league with nine flags thrown against him this season, and a facemask call that was ruled to have occurred in the end zone last week against the Jets resulted in a safety against the Chiefs. Taylor has been an excellent blocker when he hasn’t been penalized.
VIKINGS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Alexander Mattison got off to a slow start but has topped 90 rushing yards in each of the past two weeks, carrying the ball 20 times against the Chargers and 17 times against the Panthers. The Chiefs have yet to allow more than 118 yards rushing in a game this season.
KEY MATCHUP: The Vikings offensive line against the Chiefs offensive line. OK, so they don’t actually match up against each other, but whichever group performs better will give their team a huge advantage. The Vikings have allowed 46 pressures of Kirk Cousins, according to Sportradar, for the second most in the NFL. The Chiefs rushed for more than 200 yards against the Jets to offset an uncharacteristically shaky performance by Patrick Mahomes.
KEY INJURIES: Vikings C Garrett Bradbury (back) hasn’t played since getting hurt in the opener, but he’s been practicing and appears to be on track to return to the starting lineup. … Chiefs starting LB Nick Bolton (ankle) has missed the past two games. He practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday.
SERIES NOTES: The first meeting between the teams came in the fourth Super Bowl, when the Chiefs won 23-7 for the first of their three titles. The Chiefs have won three of the past four in the series, with all of those wins in Kansas City. They have lost their past two games in Minnesota, and their previous win there came at the old Metrodome on Nov. 3, 1996. The Vikings won the most recent game in Minnesota 16-10 on Oct. 18, 2015, at the University of Minnesota while U.S. Bank Stadium was being built.
STATS AND STUFF: Chiefs coach Andy Reid moved into a tie with Tom Landry for fourth in regular-season wins with his 250th last week against the Jets. He has 119 wins since arriving in Kansas City in 2013. … The Chiefs had 200 yards in the first quarter against the Jets and just 201 yards the rest of the game. … Mahomes threw his 200th career touchdown pass last week. He reached the mark in his 84th game, five faster than Dan Marino for the quickest in NFL history. … The Vikings are the only team that Mahomes has neither faced nor beaten in his career. He missed the 2019 matchup because of a knee injury, and Matt Moore led the Chiefs to the victory. … Chiefs DT Chris Jones has 3 1/2 sacks in three games, including at least one in each. He had 15 1/2 sacks in the regular season a year ago. … Vikings QB Kirk Cousins and WR Justin Jefferson had their 27th career touchdown connection last week. That passed Warren Moon and Cris Carter for third most in team history. … Vikings S Harrison Smith had three sacks against Carolina, giving him 19 1/2 for his career. … Minnesota (6.18) along with Miami (8.02) and San Francisco (6.34) are the only teams averaging at least 6.0 yards per play. … Cousins has thrown a league-leading 11 TD passes to six different receivers, joining Kansas City as the only teams with at least that many players with a TD reception. … Vikings FB C.J. Ham played his 100th career game last week at Carolina, making him the fourth undrafted player in franchise history to reach that mark. Mike Tingelhoff (240), Leo Lewis (140) and Adam Thielen (135) are the others.
FANTASY TIP: Travis Kelce remains a must-start tight end, even though he had just 26 receiving yards last week against the Jets. But as teams increasingly try to take him away, and given the Chiefs’ propensity for using multiple tight end sets, Noah Gray could become a viable option in deeper leagues. He has two games with three catches and had a 34-yard TD reception last week against the Jets.
WILSON QB BATTLE HIGHLIGHTS JETS-BRONCOS MATCHUP THAT GOT SPICY AFTER PAYTON’S RIDICULE OF HACKETT
NEW YORK JETS (1-3) at DENVER (1-3)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, CBS
BETTING LINE: Broncos by 1 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook
AGAINST THE SPREAD: New York Jets 2-2; Denver 0-3-1
SERIES RECORD: Broncos lead 21-17-1.
LAST MEETING: Jets beat Broncos 16-9 on Oct. 23, 2022, in Denver.
LAST WEEK: Jets lost to Kansas City 23-20; Broncos won at Chicago 31-28.
JETS OFFENSE: OVERALL (30), RUSH (20T), PASS (31), SCORING (25T)
JETS DEFENSE: OVERALL (23T), RUSH (28), PASS (16), SCORING (14)
BRONCOS OFFENSE: OVERALL (14), RUSH (20T), PASS (10), SCORING (10T)
BRONCOS DEFENSE: OVERALL (32), RUSH (32), PASS (31), SCORING (32)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Jets
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Jets even; Broncos minus-2.
JETS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Zach Wilson. The embattled Wilson had perhaps the best game of his NFL career against the Chiefs, completing a career-high 28 passes including two for TDs with a personal-best 105.2 passer rating. That came after a week filled with heavy criticism as fans, including Hall of Famer Joe Namath, called for Wilson to be benched. If Wilson can have another solid performance, it could go a long way in the Jets — and their fans — feeling more confident with him under center with Aaron Rodgers out with a torn left Achilles tendon.
BRONCOS PLAYER TO WATCH: OLB Nik Bonitto. The second-year pro supplanted an ineffective Randy Gregory last week at Chicago and had 2 1/2 sacks, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits. He came up the biggest in the fourth quarter with a strip-sack of Justin Fields that led to Jonathon Cooper’s scoop-and-score touchdown that tied the game the Broncos went on to win. On Wednesday, the Broncos parted ways with Gregory just 18 months after he signed a five-year, $70 million contract. Gregory had just three sacks in 10 games for Denver, which Bonitto almost matched in his first start of 2023.
KEY INJURIES: Jets CB D.J. Reed was in the concussion protocol to start the week, but coach Robert Saleh was optimistic about Reed’s chances of playing. … Backup CB Brandin Echols is out with a hamstring injury. … S Tony Adams (hamstring) could return after missing the past two games. … Denver S Justin Simmons (hip) is hopeful to return after missing the past two games and watching his defense allow 98 points during his absence. Both Frank Clark (hip) and Baron Browning (knee) practiced this week, but aren’t expected to return against the Jets. RB Javonte Williams (hip) is sidelined and that creates an opportunity to get rookie speedster Jaleel McLaughlin more snaps.
SERIES NOTES: The highlight, at least for Denver, was the 1998 AFC championship. After falling behind 10-0, John Elway led the Broncos to 20 third-quarter points and the defense forced a half dozen Jets turnovers in a 23-20 win that propelled the Broncos to a second straight Super Bowl win in Elway’s farewell game, 34-19 over Atlanta in Super Bowl 33. Both franchises have fallen on hard times of late. The Jets own the longest playoff drought in the NFL, having last made the postseason party in 2010. The Broncos own the second-longest drought. They haven’t reached the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016.
STATS AND STUFF: The Jets are looking to avoid a four-game losing streak. They have lost nine of their past 10 games going back to last season. … After entering last week going 8 for 37 on third down — a 22% conversion rate that ranked last in the NFL — the Jets went 5 for 12 against the Chiefs. … RB Breece Hall returns to Denver, where he suffered a torn ACL nearly a year ago and had his promising rookie season end. Hall has bounced back in limited carries so far this season and has already become the first Jets player with two runs of 40 or more yards in a season since Isaiah Crowell in 2018. … WR Garrett Wilson has 104 receptions in 21 games, reaching the 100-catch milestone faster than anyone in team history. Wayne Chrebet did it in 23 games. … WR Xavier Gipson became the 14th player in Jets history and the seventh rookie to have at least one kickoff return, one punt return, one reception and one rush in a single game. … LB Quincy Williams had 13 tackles against Kansas City, joining Marcus Maye (2020) as the only players in team history with 10 or more tackles, two tackles for loss, two passes defensed and a quarterback hit in a game. … The Jets haven’t allowed a second-half touchdown since Week 16 of last season, a span of seven games that ties Cincinnati (2022) for the longest streak since 2000. … New York ranks first in the NFL in red zone defense, having allowed just three touchdowns in 12 opposing red zone possessions. … QB Russell Wilson is enjoying a bounce-back season after a career-worst year under former head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who returns to Denver as the Jets’ offensive coordinator Sunday. … The matchup got spicy when Broncos new head coach Sean Payton disparaged Hackett in an interview in July in which he criticized his predecessor for one of the worst coaching jobs in league history. Hackett was fired after going 4-11 last season and quickly landed in New York, where he was a big reason the Jets lured Aaron Rodgers, who got hurt minutes into his Jets debut. … The Broncos’ 21-point second-half comeback at Chicago last week is tied for the biggest comeback in the NFL this season (New York Giants vs. Arizona in Week 2). … With his 32nd fourth-quarter comeback, QB Russell Wilson moved into the top 10 in league history. … Wilson’s nine TD passes are just seven shy of the number he had all of last season and he is one of two QBs (Brock Purdy) to have a 105.0 or higher passing rating in three games so far. … Wilson is 3-0 against the Jets with nine TDs, one INT and a 132.6 passer rating. … RB Jaleel McLauglin had 133 scrimmage yards last week. … WR Courtland Sutton is one of four players to catch a TD pass in three of the first four games. His three TD receptions are his most since 2019. … S Kareem Jackson had eight tackles and a game-sealing interception at Chicago after illegal hits in each of Denver’s first three wins led to a trio of fines totaling $45,961.
FANTASY TIP: Jets RB Breece Hall leads the Jets with 210 yards rushing on 32 carries. It was at Denver last season that Hall’s sensational rookie season came to a premature end with a torn left ACL in the midst of a big game. He had 72 yards on four carries, including a 62-yard touchdown scamper when he got hurt. Coach Robert Saleh said Hall has no more snap limits, so expect the Jets to cut him loose against the league’s worst run defense.
BALTIMORE AND STAR QB LAMAR JACKSON HEAD TO PITTSBURGH LOOKING TO ASSERT CONTROL OF AFC NORTH
BALTIMORE (3-1) at PITTSBURGH (2-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS
OPENING LINE: Ravens by 4, according to FanDuel SportsBook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Ravens 3-1; Pittsburgh 2-2.
SERIES RECORD: Steelers lead 33-25.
LAST MEETING: Steelers beat Ravens 16-13 in Baltimore on Jan. 1, 2023.
LAST WEEK: Ravens beat Browns 28-3; Steelers lost to Texans 30-6.
RAVENS OFFENSE: OVERALL (13), RUSH (4), PASS (26), SCORING (12).
RAVENS DEFENSE: OVERALL (3), RUSH (7), PASS (3), SCORING (3).
STEELERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (29), RUSH (29), PASS (25), SCORING (25).
STEELERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (30), RUSH (26), PASS (29), SCORING (23).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Ravens even; Steelers plus-3.
RAVENS PLAYER TO WATCH: LB Roquan Smith. The Ravens are rolling defensively and Smith is a big reason. He’s one of five defenders in the league with at least 35 tackles and a sack. Baltimore’s defense ranks No. 1 in the NFL in yards per play.
STEELERS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Najee Harris. The third-year pro essentially called out his offensive teammates after Pittsburgh was whipped by the Texans. Harris said the offense was “soft” and needed to play with more of an edge. The Steelers have limited Harris’ touches early in the season to try to keep him fresh. With the bye week looming, may be time to give the ball to Harris as many times as necessary and worry about the consequences later.
KEY MATCHUP: Pittsburgh’s offensive line vs. Baltimore’s front seven. The Steelers ran for 198 yards against the Ravens on New Year’s Night, gashing Baltimore between the tackles. Baltimore was playing out the string then. The Ravens are in first place now and the swagger is back. If the Steelers want to calm the waters following a tumultuous first month, giving it to Harris until Baltimore proves it can stop it may be the way to go.
KEY INJURIES: Baltimore CB Marlon Humphrey (foot) practiced this week after missing the first four games, and so did WRs Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) and Rashod Bateman (hamstring). … Ravens T Morgan Moses (shoulder) missed practice time along with LB Odafe Oweh (ankle). … T Ronnie Stanley (knee) and S Marcus Williams (pectoral) haven’t played since Week 1, but practiced this week for Baltimore. … Steelers QB Kenny Pickett sustained a bone bruise in his knee in the loss to Houston but is expected to play. LT Dan Moore Jr. (knee) will sit, giving first-round pick Broderick Jones his first start. TE Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) will is also out, meaning rookie TE Darnell Washington should get his most extended playing time. P Pressley Harvin (hamstring) could miss his second straight game. DE DeMarvin Leal spent a portion of the week in the concussion protocol.
SERIES NOTES: The rivalry remains one of the hardest-fought — not to mention tightest — in the AFC. Each of the past six meetings have been decided by five points or fewer, four of them by three points or fewer. The teams split last season, with each winning on the other’s home field. Pittsburgh holds a 7-3 advantage over Baltimore in games played during October.
STATS AND STUFF: Baltimore is 3-1 after four games for the 10th time in head coach John Harbaugh’s 16 seasons. The game is the middle section of a three-game road trip for the Ravens that concludes with a trip to London next week to face Tennessee. … Ravens RB Gus Edwards needs 25 yards rushing to move past Willis McGahee and into third on the franchise’s career rushing list. Edwards enters Sunday with 2,778 yards rushing. … Baltimore rookie WR Zay Flowers’ 24 receptions are the most by a Raven in the opening four games of a season. … Ravens K Justin Tucker needs one field goal of 50 yards or more to move into second on the NFL’s career list of field goals from at least 50 yards. Tucker has 58 such makes in his career. … QB Lamar Jackson’s .738 career winning percentage as a starter is second only to Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes among active quarterbacks. … Baltimore is on a franchise-record streak of 25 consecutive games with a sack. It’s also the longest active run in the NFL. … Jackson is second in the league in completion rate (74.3 percent) behind Buffalo’s Josh Allen. … The Ravens have scored 12 touchdowns in 15 red zone opportunities, the No. 1 success rate in the league. On defense, Baltimore has allowed only three TDs on 10 drives. … Jackson’s passer rating of 104.2 so far is his highest since his MVP season of 2019. He has a rating of 117.8 on third down. … The Steelers are reeling a bit after getting throttled by the Texans, but have been resilient under coach Mike Tomlin the week after getting blown out. Pittsburgh is 11-2 under Tomlin following losses of at least 20 points. The Steelers beat Cleveland 26-22 in Week 2 after San Francisco drilled them 30-7 in the opener. … Pittsburgh is 32-7 since 1970 in home games the week after losing on the road by at least 20 points. … Baltimore dominated the Browns last week and can take a pretty firm grasp on first in the AFC North with a win. … The Steelers have come as close as any team has to keeping Jackson in check. Jackson is just 2-3 against Pittsburgh, throwing for more interceptions (six) than touchdowns (four). He’s also had trouble running the ball against them. Jackson is averaging just 4.7 yards per rush and has yet to score a rushing touchdown against the Steelers. … Pittsburgh’s offensive numbers have not been pretty, ramping up the pressure on third-year offensive coordinator Matt Canada. The Steelers are last in the league in first downs and have been particularly ineffective early in games. Pittsburgh has four first downs and 121 yards in the first quarter so far in 2023, with 72 of them coming on a touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III against Las Vegas in Week 3. … Pickett is near the bottom of all quarterbacks in rating (29th), completion percentage (29th), yards (21st) and interceptions (T19th). … Pittsburgh OLB T.J. Watt was kept in check for the first time this season last week against Houston. He failed to get a sack for the first time and had just two tackles. The Ravens seem to bring out the best in the 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year. Watt has 12 sacks in 12 games against Baltimore. … The Steelers’ run defense has essentially vanished with veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward out indefinitely following groin surgery. Pittsburgh is giving up 148.5 yards per game on the ground and now has to face the NFL’s fourth-ranked rushing attack. … Ravens coach John Harbaugh won his 150th regular-season game last weekend.
FANTASY TIP: Ravens K Justin Tucker is never a bad idea. In a game that figures to feature a lot of field goals, Tucker could rack up the points. He’s made 55 of 57 field-goal attempts against the Steelers over his career, more than any other team by a significant margin. The occasionally swirling winds at Acrisure Stadium have hardly been an issue for perhaps the greatest kicker in the history of the league.
JOE BURROW SAYS SUNDAY’S GAME AT ARIZONA IS A MUST-WIN FOR 1-3 CINCINNATI
CINCINNATI (AP) — Quarterback Joe Burrow, still slowed by a calf injury, was unequivocal Wednesday about the importance of the Cincinnati Bengals getting a win at Arizona on Sunday.
The reigning AFC North champion Bengals (1-3) will be at risk of missing the playoffs if they don’t string together some victories.
“We’ve got to win,” Burrow said Wednesday. “Whatever it takes. It doesn’t have to be pretty, but we have to come out with the W.”
The fourth-year quarterback — who before the season became the highest-paid player in the NFL — has struggled to get the Bengals into the end zone. He acknowledged the calf injury he suffered early in training camp continues to limit his his mobility and style of play. He hasn’t ventured out of the pocket much and has thrown mostly short and intermediate passes.
“A big part of my game in the past has been stealing first downs with my legs here and there, depending on the situation, depending on the defense,” he said. “And I haven’t been able to do that, so I’ve got to find more ways to get those conversions where maybe I used my legs in the past.”
Burrow said he felt good at practice on Wednesday and hasn’t had any setbacks with the calf since aggravating the injury late in a loss to Baltimore on Sept. 17. He’s optimistic that he’s going to continue to improve.
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks, that’s for sure,” he said. “We’re going to get through it. We’ve got tough, resilient guys in there. We’ve got mentally tough guys who have been through these situations. It’s tough right now, but we’re going to get through it.”
It doesn’t help that receiver Tee Higgins is questionable with a rib injury. He missed Wednesday’s practice, as did linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither (knee) and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, who is in the concussion protocol.
Offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (groin) and safety Irv Smith Jr. were limited in practice. Smith has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury.
Coach Zac Taylor said his team isn’t as far removed from last year’s success as it may appear.
“We’ve done a lot of really good things with this (same) personnel in the past,” Taylor said. “We know we’ve got a great operation in terms of his we prepare, how we practice. We’ve got to find more production.
“We’ll get everybody going in the right direction,” he said.
2024 NFL MOCK DRAFT
- CHICAGO BEARS: QB CALEB WILLIAMS, USC
- CHICAGO BEARS (VIA PANTHERS): WR MARVIN HARRISON JR., OHIO STATE
- LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: QB DRAKE MAYE, UNC
- DENVER BRONCOS: EDGE LAIATU LATU, UCLA
- MINNESOTA VIKINGS: QB J.J. MCCARTHY, MICHIGAN
- NEW YORK JETS: OT OLU FASHANU, PENN STATE
- CINCINNATI BENGALS: OT JOE ALT, NOTRE DAME
- NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: QB BO NIX, OREGON
- ARIZONA CARDINALS: TE BROCK BOWERS, GEORGIA
- NEW YORK GIANTS: WR KEON COLEMAN, FLORIDA STATE
- GREEN BAY PACKERS: OT AMARIUS MIMS, GEORGIA
- NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: EDGE CHOP ROBINSON, PENN STATE
- ARIZONA CARDINALS (VIA TEXANS): CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY, ALABAMA
- HOUSTON TEXANS (VIA BROWNS): WR MALIK NABERS, LSU
- LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: CB COOPER DEJEAN, IOWA
- JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: OL GRAHAM BARTON, DUKE
- WASHINGTON COMMANDERS: OT JC LATHAM, ALABAMA
- LOS ANGELES RAMS: EDGE DALLAS TURNER, ALABAMA
- ATLANTA FALCONS: QB MICHAEL PENIX JR., WASHINGTON
- INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: CB KALEN KING, PENN STATE
- PITTSBURGH STEELERS: CB NATE WIGGINS, CLEMSON
- TENNESSEE TITANS: WR EMEKA EGBUKA, OHIO STATE
- SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: DI JER’ZHAN NEWTON, ILLINOIS
- DALLAS COWBOYS: EDGE JARED VERSE, FLORIDA STATE
- DETROIT LIONS: WR ROME ODUNZE, WASHINGTON
- MIAMI DOLPHINS: OT PATRICK PAUL, HOUSTON
- TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: EDGE BRALEN TRICE, WASHINGTON
- BUFFALO BILLS: S KAMREN KINCHENS, MIAMI (FL)
- BALTIMORE RAVENS: DI MAASON SMITH, LSU
- SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: DI LEONARD TAYLOR III, MIAMI (FL)
- KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: WR ADONAI MITCHELL, TEXAS
- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: WR XAVIER LEGETTE, SOUTH CAROLINA
BASKETBALL NEWS
JOEL EMBIID DECIDES TO PLAY FOR USA — NOT FRANCE — IN PARIS OLYMPICS, AP SOURCE SAYS
Joel Embiid will wear red, white and blue in Paris next summer — not rouge, blanc and bleu.
The NBA’s reigning MVP and scoring champion has told USA Basketball that, after more than a year of deliberating, he has picked the Americans over France as his team for the Paris Olympics, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ star let USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill know his mind was made up on Thursday, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because Embiid has not yet revealed his choice publicly. Embiid is scheduled to speak at 76ers’ camp in Fort Collins, Colorado, later Thursday.
“The stronger the team, the better,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, who coached the Americans at the 2019 World Cup and then to gold at the Tokyo Games, said Thursday when told of Embiid’s decision. “International competition is tough. … That’s great for us.”
ESPN first reported Embiid’s decision.
USA Basketball does not plan to name its team until the spring of 2024, but if healthy, Embiid would seem certain to have one of the 12 spots on the squad that will be coached by Golden State’s Steve Kerr with assistants Erik Spoelstra of Miami, Tyronn Lue of the Los Angeles Clippers and Mark Few of Gonzaga. No player has been officially named to the team at this point.
The U.S. will try for a fifth consecutive gold medal at Paris next summer. Embiid joins a long list of top NBA players who are hoping or planning to play for the U.S. next summer, including Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker and many more.
Embiid became a U.S. citizen last year and could have also chosen to play for France — or even Cameroon, his homeland, if it qualified for the Paris Games. Cameroon will be among 24 teams playing for the final four spots in the 12-nation Olympic field next summer; the U.S., France, World Cup champion Germany, Serbia, Canada, Australia, Japan and South Sudan have already qualified for Paris.
Embiid said in recent days that he was nearing a final decision, and spoke about how difficult the process was for him.
It is a massive recruiting win for the Americans. Embiid was a rarity, an international basketball free agent — since he had never been part of a senior national team and holds multiple passports, which meant he had multiple options.
France — the reigning Olympic silver medalists, after losing to the U.S. in the final at the Tokyo Games played in 2021 — had pitched Embiid on the prospects of joining a frontcourt that will likely include Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama next summer, and until Embiid revealed a year ago that he had obtained U.S. citizenship it was widely expected that he would play for the host nation at the Paris Games.
“I know he met some of our players to discuss,” France coach Vincent Collet said in October 2022. “I think he should play with us. But we will see. We will respect his decision whatever it is.”
Embiid was born in Cameroon and has held French citizenship. He has spent essentially his entire basketball life in the U.S.; he went to high school in Florida, played college basketball at Kansas and has been with the 76ers for the entirety of his NBA career.
The six-time NBA All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection has averaged 27.2 points in his career, winning his first scoring title by averaging a then-career-best 30.6 points in 2021-22 and winning his second straight scoring crown by averaging 33.1 points this past season. He won the MVP vote by a sizable margin, getting 73 of the 100 first-place votes to claim the crown over Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.
FORMER ACES’ PLAYER HAMBY FILES DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT AGAINST TEAM, WNBA
Dearica Hamby filed a gender discrimination complaint last week against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces, saying her former team and its coach, Becky Hammon, retaliated against her after she informed them she was pregnant.
Hamby filed the complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to a copy of the complaint obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday.
The complaint said that the franchise created an “abusive and hostile” work environment for Hamby last year before trading her to the Los Angeles Sparks in the offseason. That came after Hamby told the team she was pregnant with her second child.
Hamby also alleged that Hammon asked the player if she had planned her pregnancy, adding that the coach told her she was “not holding up (her) end of the bargain” after signing a two-year extension last year.
Hamby also said that the WNBA failed to properly investigate her allegations. The league had a months-long probe that concluded right before the season started and suspended Hammon two games for violating league and team “respect in the workplace” policies.
“The league conducted a thorough investigation of the allegations and levied appropriate discipline based on its findings,” a WNBA spokesperson said.
The Washington Post was the first to report the complaint.
The complaint will be investigated and the EEOC may attempt to resolve the matter through mediation. If mediation fails or if the EEOC does not find reasonable cause that discrimination or retaliation occurred, it will issue a “right to sue” letter, giving Hamby 90 days to file a lawsuit in federal or state court.
The Aces are getting ready to face New York in the WNBA Finals, which begin Sunday. The team declined comment on the new complaint.
In May, Hammon refuted Hamby’s claims and said the Aces traded the two-time WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year because it was best for the team.
″(Hamby’s pregnancy) wasn’t a problem, and it never was why we made the decision,” Hammon said at the time. “We made the decision to move Hamby because we could get three bodies in her one contract, and we wanted to get three more people in. I think it’s very evident (with) who we signed on why we made the move.
Hamby had a productive season with the Sparks playing two months after giving birth to her son. She played in all 40 games and averaging 8.9 points and 5.9 rebounds.
“In the 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement, player parents gained protections that ensured becoming a parent did not mean the end of a career,” the WNBA Players’ Union said in a statement. “Obviously, these protections did not change the nature of this business. Any team can trade any player for any reason or no reason at all. But that reason cannot be on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, parental status, or pregnancy status.”
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS
THE TOP 20 BACKCOURTS
(THE ALMANAC)
Every year, college basketball fans become enamored with the biggest stars around the country; that is, they get distracted by big men who post eye-popping scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking numbers.
And while all of those things are great, there’s nothing more crucial to team success than having a savvy floor general running the point — not to mention the importance of having a stable of shooters to put around him.
With that in mind, here are the 20 best backcourts in America.
1. Marquette
There is no position more important in college basketball than the point guard spot, and there is no point guard in college basketball that is better than Tyler Kolek this season. He’s tough, he’s a creative passer, he embodies the leadership that Shaka Smart looks for from his team and he’s a willing defender that doesn’t mind finding himself in a mismatch.
He’s not the only star on the roster, either. Kam Jones has first-team All-Big East potential if his efficiency numbers take a jump, while Sean Jones and Chase Ross are in for big sophomore seasons. Stevie Mitchell may end up being the difference-maker. He’s an elite defensive presence that has spent the offensive working on proving he’s not a liability on offense.
2. Duke
There’s a real chance that calling Kolek the best point guard in college basketball will look silly come the end of the season, and that’s because Tyrese Proctor has all the makings of a breakout star. He’s got size, he can really shoot it, and he’s proven how good he is operating in ball screens. Expect him to have lottery buzz come January.
But the most intriguing part of Duke’s backcourt is that they have what you need in a title-winning backcourt: multiple play-making guards. Proctor is a point guard by trade. Jeremy Roach was a point guard for the first two seasons he was in Durham before moving off the ball last year. Caleb Foster profiles as a point guard as well, and Jared McCain’s shooting ability to shoot should get him on the floor. Throw in the underrated Jaylen Blakes and a possible sophomore jump from Jaden Schutt, and there is talent and depth to spare here.
3. Kansas
Kansas does not quite have the star power in their backcourt that they do in their frontcourt. Instead, they have a group of guys that are old, that understand what they do best and that should thrive in their roles. We know how good Dajuan Harris is by now. We’ve seen it the last two seasons, one of which ended up in a national title. Nick Timberlake is a big shooter that will be a perfect complement playing the 2 next to defensive monster Kevin McCullar. That trio has played a lot of college games.
But they will be pushed. Elmarko Jackson is a potential first-round pick if it all comes together for him, and both he and Texas transfer Arterio Morris should be able to provide a spark off the bench that very few teams in America have. There’s just a lot to like about this group.
4. Michigan State
If Michigan State is going to live up to its preseason hype — a potential top-five team — it’s going to be due to the play of their backcourt. Tyson Walker developed into one of the better combo guards in college basketball by the end of last season, and he will see his name show up on some preseason All-American lists. AJ Hoggard complements him nicely as an elite passer, and with Jaden Akins’ explosive ability to score thrown in, Tom Izzo has a really fun trio of guards.
The freshmen both have a high ceiling as well. Jeremy Fears should see enough minutes that he’ll be ready to start for the Spartans come 2024-25, while Coen Carr is going to put a couple of people on a poster this season.
5. Houston
We more or less know what the addition of LJ Cryer is going to provide Houston this season. The Baylor transfer is not exactly a like-for-like replacement for Marcus Sasser, but he should adequately fill the scoring and shot-making voids that Sasser left.
The key to the Houston backcourt hitting their ceiling will be Jamal Shead and Terrance Arceneaux. Shead showed flashes of what he can be throughout his career, but needs to find a level of consistency this season, while Arceneaux is probably the most talented player on the Cougar roster. Keep an eye on Damian Dunn as well, the Temple transfer is the kind of guy that can create on his own. Even Emanuel Sharp flashed brilliance last year, giving Kelvin Sampson impressive perimeter depth.
6. Texas A&M
There may not be a more underrated player in America than Wade Taylor IV, who was a first-team All-SEC player a season ago and has a chance to be a first-team All-American if the Aggies are good enough this time around. Tyrece “Boots” Radford is a perfect fit for a Buzz Williams roster, and while losing Dexter Dennis hurts, incoming transfers Jace Carter and Eli Lawrence should make up for it. If the Aggies are going to compete for an SEC title like some are projecting, it will be because of the guards.
7. UConn
The question that every UConn detractor had heading into last year’s NCAA Tournament was whether or not Tristen Newton was good enough to win a title. That question was answered. Stephon Castle’s addition should help relieve some playmaking concerns, and Hassan Diarra provides a veteran presence that should thrive with more minutes. The big addition here is Cam Spencer, who transferred in from Rutgers. He’s a big-time shooter, a solid defender and a better playmaker than he gets credit for. Keep an eye on Solo Ball, a high-ceiling bucket-getter from Baltimore. The Huskies are loaded again.
8. Creighton
The Bluejays had some turnover in their backcourt this offseason, as Ryan Nembhard left for Gonzaga and Steven Ashworth joined the program from Utah State. With Ashworth and Baylor Scheierman, Greg McDermott has two of the best shooters in college basketball who both happen to be high-level passers as well. Trey Alexander is probably the best overall player of this group, however. An elite defender, he made the leap as a shooter last season and will be asked to play a much bigger role with the ball in his hands this year.
9. Villanova
What should we be expecting out of Justin Moore this year? Is he going to be back to what he was prior to tearing his achilles in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, or was the version of Moore we got last season who he truly is right now? TJ Bamba is going to have an impact after transferring in from Washington State, and there’s a reason why Mark Armstrong made the USA U19 national team this summer. He needs to take a leap, but it may not matter all that much if Moore isn’t back to being an All-America-caliber guard.
10. Tennessee
Tennessee’s backcourt isn’t going to look all that intimidating on paper, but it’s no accident that Santiago Vescovi has won so many games in college. This group knows how to play. Ranking them at No. 10 is betting on three things happening: Zakai Zeigler returning from his torn ACL and getting to 100% by SEC play; Freddie Dillione’s redshirt season making the adjustment to college a seamless one; and Jordan Gainey and Dalton Knecht being able to guard well enough at the high-major level while knocking down enough shots to keep the floor spaced.
11. USC
Obviously the X-factor here is Bronny James, who is dealing with a heart issue and, as of this publication, has yet to be cleared to play this season. But with or without Bronny, the Trojans have a loaded perimeter. Isaiah Collier is the No. 1 player in the 2023 recruiting class, and he may not be the No. 1 point guard on this roster; Boogie Ellis probably is. Kobe Johnson is in line for a breakout season as well, and DJ Rodman is a prototype 3-and-D wing that will thrive alongside these playmakers.
12. Baylor
Baylor’s backcourt was its strength last season, but also the team’s weakness: They couldn’t guard. While they lost some absolute killers on the offensive end, this year’s group has a better mix of offensive ability and defensive grit. Jayden Nunn is a lockdown defender with 3-point range, while Miro Little is an intriguing freshman. RayJ Dennis is one of the best transfers in college basketball this season, but the star is rookie Ja’Kobe Walter, a big-time athlete that can guard and play either on the ball or off it. The Bears are not getting enough hype this offseason.
13. Florida Atlantic
FAU won 35 games last season and advanced to the Final Four largely based on the talent that the Owls had in the backcourt — and basically everyone is back from that group. The two names you really need to know: Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin, who both put their names in the draft while keeping them out of the transfer portal. That’s a massive win for the Owls. Nick Boyd, Jalen Gaffney and Bryan Greenlee were also key cogs in the March run.
14. Miami (FL)
Losing Isaiah Wong is a massive blow for this Hurricane team. Still, we are bullish on them because Wong’s absence should open the door for a big season from Wooga Poplar, who should be one of the trendiest breakout stars in college basketball this season. Nijel Pack should thrive as well, and Bensley Joseph is also back. Meanwhile, Kyshawn George is one of the more underrated prospects coming into college basketball this season.
15. North Carolina
The Tar Heels had as much addition by subtraction as anyone in college basketball this offseason, as Caleb Love transferred to Arizona. With Love gone, RJ Davis should slide into the star guard role, and we believe he is ready for it. Seth Trimble and Elliot Cadeau should be more than capable of sharing minutes at the second guard spot, while Cormac Ryan and Paxson Wojcik will provide a veteran presence and upgrade the shooting.
16. Arkansas
It’s tough to know who, exactly, is going to end up being the star for Arkansas this season, Muss usually doesn’t figure that out until about mid-January, but there are more than enough options here. Khalif Battle is an elite tough shot-maker. Devo Davis is a fourth-year junior that has been through some wars with the Razorbacks. Tramon Mark is tough as nails and a perfect Arkansas wing, while El Ellis and Jeremiah Davenport have been good, productive pieces at previous stops. Touted freshman Layden Blocker could carve out some minutes as well.
17. Florida
By the end of the season, the Gators may look too low on this list. That’s because Riley Kugel has a chance to be a superstar if all goes well. He averaged 17.3 points over his last 10 games and should pick up where he left off this year. Walter Clayton Jr. and Zyon Pullin were both super-productive lead guards at mid-majors last season, while Will Richard made that leap a year ago. This group has as much potential as any backcourt outside the top three on this list.
18. Arizona
The Wildcat guards are as hard to project as anyone in the country. Caleb Love can look like he belongs in the NBA one night and the Big West the next. Kylan Boswell had promising moments as a freshman then struggled with the USA U19 team this summer. Jaden Bradley was a five-star recruit that left Alabama after losing minutes late in the season. Pelle Larsson was the trendy breakout star last year and never really broke out. If we get a best-case scenario from all four of these guards, Arizona will be a Final Four team. That’s a big ‘if.’
19. Texas
The talent here is obvious. Max Abmas, aka “Mid-court Max,” has limitless range on his jumper and is dominant in pick-and-rolls. Tyrese Hunter is a ferocious on-ball pest and showed some offensive development last year. Ithiel Horton adds another lights-out shooter, and if Dillon Mitchell counts as a guard, that’s a multi-positional blanket on the defensive end.
However, Texas is going to show up lower on our list than they will for other outlets around the country, and that’s because we are concerned with what Abmas will be able to do moving up a level. The Big 12 is the toughest conference in America largely due to the toughness, the physicality and the size of the perimeter players in this league. There are times when you need football pads to play in the Big 12, and Max Abmas is 5-9 and 170 pounds on a good day.
20. Syracuse
The talent in this Orange backcourt should not be underestimated. Judah Mintz is one of the most productive freshmen to return to school anywhere in the sport, and pairing him with JJ Starling, a local kid transferring home after one season at Notre Dame, should be an exciting proposition for Upstate New York college basketball fans. Chance Westry is supremely talented when he’s healthy. That 1-2-3 will be as good as anyone in the ACC, period, if they are healthy. Throw in Kyle Cuffe, Quadir Copeland and Justin Taylor, and this backcourt is loaded with upside.
INDIANA RELEASES/TOP HEADLINES
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL’S BIG GAME WEEK 8
LAWRENCE NORTH (5-2) AT CENTER GROVE (6-1)…THE TROJANS HAVE WON 18 STRAIGHT IN THE SERIES.
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (4-3) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (6-1)…KEEP AN EYE ON HSE WR DONOVAN HAMILTON (33-701YDS)
BEN DAVIS (6-1) AT LAWRENCE CENTRAL (3-4)…THE GIANTS OWN A THREE GAME WINNING STREAK IN THE SERIES. BEN DAVIS HAS TOO MUCH OFFENSE FOR LC.
BROWNSBURG (7-0) AT NOBLESVILLE (3-4)…THE BULLDOGS HAD OVER 500 YARDS TO LAST WEEK.
FISHERS (5-2) AT WESTFIELD (6-1)…THE SHAMROCKS HAVE WON FIVE STRAIGHT IN THIS SERIES.
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (6-1) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (3-3)..KEEP AN EYE ON SOUTH QB JARRIN ALLEY (1,431 YARDS 19 TD) .
WARREN CENTRAL (3-4) AT CARMEL (4-3)…WARRIORS HAD SIX TO’S LAST WEEK.
WESTERN BOONE (5-2) AT DANVILLE (5-2)..THESE TWO SPLIT LAST SEASON WITH DANVILLE WINNING THE SECTIONAL RE-MATCH. WEBO’S DEFENSE MAY BE THE DIFFERENCE.
CATHEDRAL (5-2) AT RONCALLI (3-4)…WATCH FOR IRISH QB DANNY O’NEIL (1,345 YARDS 22 RD)
GREENWOOD (4-3) AT FRANKLIN (4-3)…KEEP AN EYE ON GREENWOOD QB BROCK RIDDLE (1,891 YARDS 26 TD).
MONROVIA (5-2) AT CASCADE (5-2)..MONROVIA LIKES TO RUN THE FOOTBALL AVERAGING OVER 300 PER GAME.
PENDLETON HEIGHTS (5-2) AT YORKTOWN (4-3)…WATCH FOR YORKTOWN QB MASON MOULTON (1,278 YARDS 14 TD).
DELTA (5-2) AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (6-1)…KEEP AN EYE ON GC QB DALLAS FREEMAN (1,014 YARDS 14TD, 477 YARDS RUSHING).
SHERIDAN (6-1) AT EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (5-2)…WATCH FOR EASTERN QB ELI EDWARDS (1,520 YARDS 17 TD AND RB JAYDEN EAGLE 1,057 YARDS 13 TD).
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (5-2) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (6-1)…THE KEY IS SOUTH QB WYATT MULLIN (1,488 YARDS 18 TD, 410 RUSHING YARDS).
ALSO:
CARROLL (FLORA) (7-0) AT CLINTON PRAIRIE (5-2)
COLUMBIA CITY (5-2) AT LEO (5-2)
EVANSVILLE NORTH (5-2) AT JASPER (4-3)
MADISON-GRANT (6-1) AT EASTBROOK (5-2)
NEW HAVEN (7-0) AT EAST NOBLE (5-2)
PENN (6-1) AT NEW PRAIRIE (6-1)
SHERIDAN (6-1) AT EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (5-2)
SILVER CREEK (5-2) AT BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (6-1)
SOUTH VERMILLION (6-1) AT SEEGER (6-1)
SOUTHRIDGE (5-2) AT NORTH POSEY (6-1)
VINCENNES LINCOLN (5-2) AT EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (6-1)
COLTS FOOTBALL
TAYLOR WON’T DISCUSS COLTS RIFT, FOCUSED ON RETURN: ‘RIGHT NOW, I’M HERE’
Jonathan Taylor spoke to the media for the first time since June on Thursday, but the Indianapolis Colts running back declined to go into details about his standoff with the team, instead focusing on his health and potential return to action.
“I don’t think it matters on if I’m saying I’m committed or not because I’m here. If somebody wasn’t committed, they wouldn’t be here,” Taylor said, per Dominic Miranda of WTHR. “And right now, I’m here.”
The 24-year-old added that his main goal was to get healthy after requiring ankle surgery in January, according to George Bremner of The Herald Bulletin.
Taylor requested a trade in July amid a deteriorating relationship with the franchise following the Colts’ decision not to give him an extension this offseason.
However, the AFC South club opted to keep the running back after failing to receive an offer that met its asking price.
“I’m not here to get into contract things,” he said, according to James Boyd of The Athletic.
The Miami Dolphins and the Green Bay Packers reportedly were the main suitors for Taylor.
Taylor, who missed the first four games of the season while on the physically unable to perform list, will return to practice Thursday. However, he said he’s still unsure when he’ll be ready to play
The 2021 NFL rushing champion is in the final year of his rookie contract. He is coming off a down season in which he appeared in just 11 games and finished with 861 yards and four touchdowns.
Led by rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson and head coach Shane Steichen, the Colts have gone 2-2 during Taylor’s absence. Richardson said Wednesday that he’s “excited” to take the field with the former All-Pro running back.
CAPSULE: TENNESSEE TITANS (2-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-2)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
CBS: Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Amanda Renner
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) TEN: 109 or 384 IND: 104 or 225
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: IND leads series, 35-21 (TEN won past 5)
POSTSEASON: TEN leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/23/22: IND 10 at TEN 19
POSTSEASON: 1/16/00 AFC-DIV: TEN 16 at IND 16
QB RYAN TANNEHILL completed 18 of 25 atts. (72 pct.) for 240 yards & TD vs. INT with 98.8 rating last week. Has 95+ rating in 2 of past 3. Is 5-0 in his past 5 starts vs. Ind. with 102.1 rating. Has 2+ TD passes in 3 of his past 4 vs. Ind. Has 0 INTs in 4 of his past 5 starts vs. division. • RB DERRICK HENRY rushed for season-high 122 yards & 2nd TD of season & had 3rd-career TD pass last week. Has 95+ scrimmage yards in 3 of 4 games this season & 7 of his past 8 overall. Has rush TD in 2 of past 3. Had 135+ scrimmage yards in both games vs. Ind. last season & has 100+ scrimmage yards in 6 of his past 7 vs. Ind. Has 100+ rush yards in 13 of his past 14 vs. division, incl. each of past 6. • RB TYJAE SPEARS (rookie) had 58 scrimmage yards (40 rush, 18 rec.) last week. Has 55+ scrimmage yards in 2 of past 3. • WR DEANDRE HOPKINS led team with 63 rec. yards in Week 4. Aims for his 6th in row vs. Ind. with TD catch & 3rd in row with 90+ rec. yards. Has 50+ rec. yards in 5 of 6 career games at Ind. • WR NICK WESTBROOK-IKHINE had season-high 5 catches for 51 yards last week. • TE CHIG OKONKWO had rec. TD in last road meeting. • TE JOSH WHYLE (rookie) had 1st-career TD catch in Week 4. • DT JEFFERY SIMMONS had sack last week & has sack in 3 of 4 games this season. Had 6 tackles, 2 TFL & sack in last meeting. • LB ARDEN KEY had sack in Week 4. • LB JACK GIBBENS led team with 10 tackles & had PD last week. Aims for 5th in row with 5+ tackles. • LB AZEEZ AL-SHAAIR had 2 PD & 9 tackles in Week 4. • S KEVIN BYARD had 6 tackles & 1st FR of season last week. Has 6+ tackles in 3 of 4 games this season.
QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON (rookie) totaled 256 yards (200 pass, career-high 56 rush) & career-high 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) last week. Is 1st QB in SB era with rush TD in each of 1st 3 career games. Can become 1st QB in SB era with rush TD in each of 1st 4 games of a season. Aims for his 3rd in row with 0 INTs. • RB ZACK MOSS has 70+ rush yards in each of his 3 games this season, with 100+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 3. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 100+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. • WR MICHAEL PITTMAN has 8+ catches & 55+ rec. yards in 3 of 4 games this season. Has 6+ catches in 3 of his past 4 vs. Ten. Has rec. TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. division. • WR JOSH DOWNS ranks 5th among rookies with 17 catches. • TE DREW OGLETREE led team with career-high 48 rec. yards & had 1st-career TD catch in Week 4. • TE MO ALIE-COX had 1st rec. TD of season last week. Had 6 catches for 85 yards in last home meeting. • LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN led team with 12 tackles last week & is only player in NFL with 12+ tackles in each of 1st 4 weeks. Can join Zach Thomas in 2005 as only player since 2000 with 12+ tackles in each of team’s 1st 5 games of season. Has TFL in 2 of past 3. Leads NFL with 57 tackles in 2023. Had TFL in last meeting. • DT DEFOREST BUCKNER aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with sack. Has TFL in 4 of his past 5 at home. • DE KWITY PAYE has sack in 3 of 4 games this season. Has FR in 2 of past 3. Had sack in last home meeting. • DE DAYO ODEYINGBO had season-high 7 tackles & 1.5 sacks, PD & 2nd FF of season in Week 4. Has FF in 2 of past 3. • CB KENNY MOORE had season-high 8 tackles, 2 PD & 1st INT of season last week. Had sack in last meeting.
INDIANA FOOTBALL
BIG TEN ANNOUNCES FOOTBALL OPPONENTS FOR 2024-28 SEASONS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Big Ten Conference announced the 2024-28 conference football home/away opponents for each school on Thursday (October 5). As the conference moves to the 18-team, no division format, the Indiana football program will host five games during the 2024, 2026 and 2028 seasons and have four conference home contests in 2025 and 2027.
The Hoosiers home and away opponents will be as follows (listed alphabetically):
2024 Home: Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Purdue, Washington
2024 Away: Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, UCLA
2025 Home: Illinois, Michigan State, UCLA, Wisconsin
2025 Away: Iowa, Maryland, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue
2026 Home: Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, USC
2026 Away: Michigan, Nebraska, Rutgers, Washington
2027 Home: Iowa, Michigan, Penn State, Rutgers
2027 Away: Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue, USC
2028 Home: Illinois, Maryland, Oregon, Purdue, Washington
2028 Away: Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA, Wisconsin
Dates for the 2024 schedule will be announced at a later date.
With the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington into the conference for the 2024 season, the Big Ten will debut the Flex Protect XVIII model, which was designed to accommodate 18 Big Ten Conference football programs beginning with the 2024 season. The model is built upon the foundation established by the Flex Protect+ plan announced in spring 2023, before Oregon and Washington joined the Conference and incorporates extensive feedback from schools, athletic directors, and coaches.
The Big Ten Conference will continue the nine-game conference schedule as it has since the 2016 season. Under the scheduling model, schools will play other members at least twice during a five-year cycle – and no more than three times – with one home and one road game included during the five-year span. The conference office also worked to balance the annual travel by distance, regions of the conference, and time zones, along with maintaining flexibility as the college football landscape evolves.
Conference schedules will include 12 protected matchups that will continue to be played annually and feature a combination of historic and geographic rivalries, as well as trophy games. These matchups were finalized in conjunction with all 18 member institutions to ensure the traditions of the Big Ten Conference remain strong as the conference evolves, including the annual Battle for the Old Oaken Bucket between Indiana and Purdue.
The 2024 season will conclude with the annual Big Ten Football Championship Game, which will feature the top two teams in the overall conference standings at the end of the regular season, with the winner earning the Big Ten Championship. Tiebreaking procedures will be announced later.
INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
VOLLEYBALL CENTRAL: AT NO. 14 PENN STATE AND MARYLAND
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The first back-to-back match road weekend in conference play takes the Indiana Volleyball team (12-5, 2-2) out to the east coast for a date with No. 14 Penn State and Maryland on Friday (October 6th) and Saturday (October 7th).
IU has split matches in the first two weeks of conference play, beating Illinois and Iowa but dropping games to No. 1 Wisconsin and No. 2 Nebraska. No. 14 Penn State marks a third ranked opponent in the first five games of conference play for the Hoosiers.
Head coach Steve Aird and assistant coach Kevin Hodge return to Penn State Friday where the pair both played and coached. Aird also served four years as the head coach at Maryland.
Led by All-Big Ten setter Camryn Haworth, freshman libero Ramsey Gary and a plethora of arms in the middle and on the pins, IU will be looking for a first-ever win in Happy Valley and a second-straight win in College Park. Both matches will start at 7:00 PM ET and be broadcasted via BTN+
Match Info
Friday, October 6th, 2023 | at #14 Penn State | 7:00 PM ET
TV: BTN+
Watch
Live Stats
Saturday, October 7th, 2023 | at Maryland | 7:00 PM ET
TV: BTN+
Watch
Live Stats
Hoosier News and Notes
Team Breakdown
• The Hoosiers sit at 12-5 (2-2) heading into the weekend’s competition. On the season, IU has quality wins at Miami (FL) and home against Illinois. All five losses have come to teams who have won national titles before and are top-50 RPI programs.
• IU tested itself early in the season with a trip to the Long Beach Invitational. A tough weekend at The Beach, which featured three defeats and eight of nine set loss by four of fewer points, was a strong litmus test for the Hoosiers in the early going of the season.
• 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.
• The Hoosiers’ only losses in the Big Ten have come at No. 1 Wisconsin and vs. No. 2 Nebraska. IU will get its third ranked opponent of the season in Happy Valley on Friday (No. 14 Penn State).
• 12 players from last year’s roster return including All-Big Ten junior setter Haworth, junior outside hitter Mady Saris, sophomore outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles and senior middle blocker Savannah Kjolhede.
• IU adds Cincinnati transfer Avry Tatum (OPP) as well as talented freshmen Gary (L), Ava Vickers (MB) and Luca Fickell (S) to the roster.
The Hoosiers
• IU closed out non-conference play with four wins in Miami at the 305 Challenge including an impressive five-set thriller over Miami (FL) on its home court.
• Graduate student Kaley Rammelsberg as well as Haworth and Saris were All-Tournament selections at the Stacheville Challenge (Sept. 8-9) as IU handled opponents in three easy sweeps.
• Haworth followed that up by winning the program’s first Big Ten weekly honor of the season (Setter of the Week) after an impressive showing at the 305 Challenge (Sept. 15-16).
• A perfect weekend in Miami ensured the Hoosiers 10 wins in the non-conference for the first time since 2019 and be 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.
• 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 Kjolhede.
• As a team, the Hoosiers are 1st in the Big Ten and 11th nationally with 2.05 aces per set. In total, IU has 117 aces on the season including 41 from Haworth (No. 1 in Big Ten and NCAA).
• The Hoosiers are 21st in the NCAA and 1st in the Big Ten in total team blocks, racking up 154.0 stuffs across the first 11 matches of the season.
• IU is holding opponents to just .166 hitting offensively which ranks third in the Big Ten this season.
Building on Momentum
• The Hoosiers took a massive step forward in the 2022 season, playing to 16 total wins including nine in the conference. IU finished eighth in the conference last year after being picked 13th to begin the season.
• IU won nine conference games in 2022 compared to four in 2021 which marked a five-win increase, tied for the second-biggest jump in program history.
• An overall jump from 10 to 16 wins in 2022 was tied for the third-biggest improvement between seasons in program history.
Returning Numbers
• IU returns a strong core of athletes from its 2022 team including six of seven starters. Coming along with that includes a large majority of team statistics from last year that return for another go-around. The Hoosiers return 98.4% of kills and 96.8% of blocks from last year’s roster.
• Four different players on IU’s roster last year had 200+ kills and all four athletes return including Saris, Alonso-Corcelles, Kjolhede and junior outside hitter Morgan Geddes.
Player Watch
#10 Haworth, Camryn
• Haworth has built on an impressive 2022 season, continuing her fine form into 2023 as a junior and a team captain. She leads the conference in aces (41) and assists (561).
• Among setters in the conference, she’s top-three in total aces (41), assists (561), assists per set (9.84), blocks (35.0) and kills (44). She’s also fourth in digs (119).
• She became the first IU athlete to earn First Team All-Big Ten honors since 2010 (Ashley Benson) and was named to the 2023 Preseason All-Big Ten team.
• 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 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 top-five 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 41 aces with 16 matches to play and will challenge for the rally-era single season record of 51 set in both 2005 and 2014.
• For her career, Haworth has 2,176 assists, 564 digs and 132 aces. She is just the fourth player in program history with 2,000+ assists, 500+ digs and 100+ aces in an IU uniform.
• She matched her career high with 51 assists in a win at Miami (FL), the third time in her career she’s recorded 50+ assists in a single match. She has had four or more aces on seven occasions in her time at IU including a five-ace performance over Stetson.
• The junior was named the conference’s setter of the week after her performance in Miami, becoming the first IU player to win a Big Ten weekly award in consecutive seasons since Ashley Benson (2009-10). She has four double-doubles on the season, her last coming against Illinois.
#18 Rammelsberg, Kaley
• The graduate student and IU’s only fifth-year player, Rammelsberg has been on a tear in the early portions of the season, hitting .360 (121-27-261) across the first 14 matches she’s played.
• For her career, between stops at IU and High Point, Rammelsberg has 872 kills, 352 blocks and 1102.5 points while hitting a collective .339 on 198 attempts.
• IU’s all-time hitting percentage list is based on athletes with over 1,000 career attempts in the Cream and Crimson. In three seasons, she has hit .316 which is second in program history.
• Her 23 blocks across the three-game Stacheville Challenge were the most in a three-match span by an IU athlete since the 2014 campaign.
• She followed up her impressive weekend with a 15-kill effort in the win over Miami (FL) just one from matching her career high set at Georgia Tech in 2021.
#15 Kjolhede, Savannah
• The Colleyville, Texas native was one of the Big Ten’s best blockers last year and is 7th among active Big Ten players in blocks (317).
• She is 13th all-time in blocks at IU and is also the 14th athlete with 300+ blocks in an IU uniform. It would take 325 total stuffs to crack the top-10 in IU’s all-time ranks.
• The veteran middle has played in 97 games of her college career and has started 93 of those including all 18 during her freshman campaign which was shortened by COVID-19. The only games she missed was against Radford and Lindenwood in which she was a healthy, unused sub.
• She and Rammelsberg have combined to play 216 matches, put away 1,433 kills and reject 669 shots during their collegiate careers: making them one of the most veteran duos in college volleyball. Duke’s middle blocker duo (237 career matches) and Dayton’s (233) are the only ones confirmed to have played more.
• Against Illinois, she blocked a career-high 12 shots, becoming just the seventh player in program history with 12-or-more blocks in a single game. She passed 300 career blocks during the match and helped lead IU to 18 total team blocks in the dominant victory.
• Through four Big Ten games, which includes matches against the nation’s two-best teams, Kjolhede is hitting a whopping .429 (31-4-63) which includes 10 kills on a .643 clip against No. 2 Nebraska.
#32 Gary, Ramsey
• One of the top-rated prep liberos in the 2023 class, Gary has lived up to the billing early in her college career. She has 241 digs across 17 matches including three 15+ dig efforts during IU’s weekend in Miami.
• Her 241 digs are most among Big Ten freshmen and most among Power Five freshmen in the NCAA this year ahead of Kansas’ Raegan Burns (187) and Illinois’ Lily Barry (167). Among freshmen in all of the NCAA, Gary is seventh in digs.
• Gary’s 24 digs in the win over Illinois were not only a career high but the most in a single game by an IU freshman since Caitlin Cox in 2008.
• She is averaging 5.29 digs per set in conference play through for matches and leads the Big Ten overall in both digs (241) and digs per set (4.23) this season.
BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL
Hoosiers among middle group of teams.
• IU was picked 8th in the Big Ten Preseason Volleyball poll, its highest mark since the conference begin ranking all 14 teams.
• Haworth made the Preseason All-Big Ten team, IU’s first such honor since the 2010 season (Ashley Benson).
Opponent Breakdown: #14 Penn State
Series History: 1-59 (Penn State leads) | Last Meeting: 11/11/22 (L, 0-3)
• The Nittany Lions are led by a veteran group of transfers including setter Mac Podraza, outside hitter Jess Mruzik and opposite Camryn Hannah.
• Penn State is off to a 4-0 start in the Big Ten having beaten top-15 Minnesota on the road last Saturday.
• Mruzik averages 4.53 kills per set while Podraza runs an efficient offense with 10.32 assists per set.
Opponent Breakdown: Maryland
Series History: 5-11 (Maryland leads) | Last Meeting: 11/25/22 (L, 2-3)
• The Hoosiers and Terrapins twice went to five sets last year with each team winning away from home.
• Sydney Dowler, a senior, runs the offense for Maryland. They look for Sam Csire (2.94 kps) and Samantha Schnitta (2.74 kps) in attack.
• Middle duo Anastasia Russ and Eva Rohrbach each rank top-10 in the conference in blocks and blocks per set.
PURDUE FOOTBALL
BIG TEN ANNOUNCES FOOTBALL MATCHUPS FOR NEXT 5 SEASONS
The Big Ten’s primary objective was to ensure that each team plays one another at least twice, once at home and once on the road, over a five-year period.
While teams will play each conference opponent twice, they will not play an opponent three times over the five-year period aside from 12 “Protected Matchups.” The Protected Matchups are a combination of historic/geographic rivalries and trophy games. Purdue is part of two of the 12 Protective Matchups; the Boilermakers will face Illinois (Cannon Trophy) and Indiana (Old Oaken Bucket) each year to continue the tradition of those annual rivalry games.
Along with playing at Illinois and Indiana in 2024, Purdue is set to travel to Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Boilermakers host four conference opponents next season, welcoming Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon and Penn State to Ross-Ade Stadium. One of the newest members of the Big Ten, Oregon makes the trip to West Lafayette for the third time in history. Purdue hosted the Ducks in 1979 and 2008 before playing out west in 2009.
The announcement finalizes Purdue’s opponents for the entire 2024 campaign with non-conference matchups set as well. The Boilermakers host Indiana State (Sept. 7) and Notre Dame (Sept. 14) in consecutive weeks before flying 2,300 miles cross-country to face Oregon State (Sept. 21).
In 2025, Purdue has home games against Ohio State, Rutgers and USC to go along with the two rivalry games. The Boilermakers and the Trojans have played four times throughout history, starting with Purdue’s 14-13 victory in the 1967 Rose Bowl. The only time USC traveled to West Lafayette was 47 years ago in 1976. Road games for the Boilermakers include matchups at Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern and Washington. Purdue is no stranger to visiting the Huskies, making five trips to Seattle throughout program history starting with a 13-6 win in 1961.
The 2026 campaign features Maryland, Minnesota, Washington and Wisconsin facing the Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Along with traveling to Illinois and Indiana, Purdue goes to Iowa, Penn State and UCLA. The Boilermakers have battled UCLA on the road twice throughout history, including a 0-0 tie back in 1959. The trek out west will be the sixth overall meeting between the Boilermakers and Bruins.
The Cannon Trophy and Old Oaken Bucket games return home in 2027, while Purdue is also set to host Michigan State, Penn State and UCLA. Hitting the road, the Boilermakers travel all over the country with trips to Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio State and Oregon.
Home contests in 2028 include Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska and Northwestern. Along with the two rivalry games, the Boilermakers have road trips to Michigan State, Rutgers and USC. Purdue has faced the Trojans in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum twice throughout history (1975, 1998).
2024
Home: Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, Penn State
Away: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin
Non-Conference: Indiana State (Sept. 7), Notre Dame (Sept. 14), at Oregon State (Sept. 21)
2025
Home: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Rutgers, USC
Away: Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Washington
2026
Home: Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, Wisconsin
Away: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Penn State, UCLA
2027
Home: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Penn State, UCLA
Away: Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon
2028
Home: Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern
Away: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Rutgers, USC
BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER
BULLDOGS CONCEDE LATE GOAL IN DRAW WITH VILLANOVA
VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Butler women’s soccer team picked up one point in the conference standings with a 1-1 tie at Villanova. The Bulldogs (5-4-4, 1-0-3 BIG EAST) scored early in the first half and held a lead through 88 minutes. The Wildcats (4-2-6, 1-2-1 BIG EAST) struck late, off a corner kick, producing a last-minute draw.
Key Moments
16′ | A Villanova handball, about 25 yards out, leads to a Butler free kick. Abigail Isger sends the ball into the upper left 90 to give the Bulldogs an early, 1-0, lead.
39′ | Villanova sends a long service from the left side which is re-directed from the right side to directly in front of the goal. The threat is quickly cleared by defender Claire Farrington.
HALFTIME
89′ | A Villanova corner kick bounces around in front of the goal. The Wildcats’ Lauren Belcuore battles to get a head on the ball which hits the crossbar and lands just across the goal line. The score is level at one.
Butler Points Summary
GOALS: Abigail Isger
ASSISTS: (none)
Bulldog Bits
Abigail Isger’s goal was her second of the season and the nineteenth of her career.
Isgar led Butler’s offense with four shots, while Emily O’Malley and Talia Sommer each had three. Other than the goal scored, O’Malley was the only other Bulldog to register a shot on goal.
Anna Pierce (4-2-4) made two saves in the draw.
Up Next
Butler hosts DePaul on Sunday, Oct. 8. The following Thursday, the Bulldogs travel to St. John’s.
BUTLER VOLLEYBALL
BUTLERVB SET TO HOST SETON HALL AND ST. JOHN’S THIS WEEKEND
INDIANAPOLIS. – The Butler volleyball team preps for a busy weekend at home against two BIG EAST foes. The Bulldogs will open the week in Hinkle Fieldhouse on Friday against Seton Hall at 6 PM. The weekend will come to a close with a match on Saturday at 5 PM against St. John’s.
Bulldog Bits
-The Bulldogs returned from their first conference road trip with a 1-1 record against Georgetown and Villanova to move to a 1-3 conference record and a 7-8 overall record on the season.
-Butler lost in four sets at Georgetown before earning their first BIG EAST conference win with a sweep at Villanova.
-Jaymeson Kinley holds a conference-best 282 total digs this season and her average of 5.04 digs per set ranks 21st in the country.
-Kinley is just one dig shy of moving to second in Butler’s all-time career digs list.
-Cora Taylor leads the BIG EAST with 10.48 assists per set, which also ranks 27th in the nation.
-As a team, Butler ranks third in the BIG EAST with 13.00 kills per set, 12.16 assists per set, and 15.64 digs per set
-The Bulldogs sit ninth nationally with 37.98 attacks per set
-BU holds a 12-6 record against Seton Hall. The Bulldogs have won nine of the last 10 matches against the Pirates including a four-set victory in their last match.
-The Bulldogs also lead the all-time series against St. John’s with an 11-7 record. However, the Red Storm have had Butler’s number recently sweeping them in both matches last season.
– Abby Maesch notched her sixth double-double of the season against Georgetown last weekend with a match-high 18 kills and 10 digs.
-Maesch cracked 100 digs this season for the first time in her collegiate career.
-Destiny Cherry has hit .439 percent with 21 kills and three errors in the conference matches, which ranks fourth in the BIG EAST.
SCOUTING SETON HALL: The Pirates currently sit at seventh in the BIG EAST with a 2-2 conference record and an 8-7 overall record. Seton Hall finished the non-conference schedule with a 6-5 record that included notable wins over UC Irvine and San Francisco. The team also faced off against No. 13 Penn State falling in four sets. At the start of BIG EAST conference play, the Pirates began with a 2-0 record after sweeping UConn and Providence. However, last week was a different story on the road after they lost 3-1 to St. John’s in Queens and then got swept by No. 16 Creighton in Omaha.
Seton Hall holds a strong presence at the net ranking in the BIG EAST with 2.31 blocks per set. The Bulldogs have to keep an eye on middle blockers Asli Subasili and Hanna Tulli, who sit at second and fourth in the conference for blocks per set.
SCOUTING ST. JOHN’S: The Red Storm will enter the match on Saturday with the second most wins in the BIG EAST this season at 11-5 overall and 3-1 in the conference. St. John’s started the season 8-4 highlighted by a five-match winning streak that included wins over Ole Miss and CSU Bakersfield. They then faced the challenges of No. 16 Arkansas and Buffalo losing 3-1 in both matches. The Red Storm bounced back in BIG EAST play winning the first three matches before dropping in three sets to the No. 16 Blue Jays on Friday night.
St. John’s ranks second in the BIG EAST with a hitting percentage (.236), 13.23 kills per set, and 12.23 assists per set through the first four conference matches. Erin Jones has found the most success on offense leading the team with 3.62 kills per set this season.
JAYMESON JUMPS TO THIRD: The two-time BIG EAST Libero of the Year Jaymeson Kinley jumped to third on Butler’s all-time list with 1736 career digs last weekend. After her marks of 618 digs and 5.42 digs per set became the best marks in program history last season, Kinley is now just one dig away from moving up to second in career digs and is currently on pace to break the record of 2009 career digs this season.
Kinley has totaled a match-high for digs in 10 of their 15 matches this season. She sits second in the BIG EAST with 5.04 digs per set, which ranks 21st in the country.
MASH MASH MAESCH: Georgia transfer
Abby Maesch
Abby Maesch has continued her breakout season for the Bulldogs. The local product from Avon, Ind. is currently second on the team with 178 kills. Maesch cracked the 100 dig mark last week for the first time in her collegiate career reaching 104 digs. She has racked up six double-doubles on the season so far including one against Georgetown last week where she had 18 kills and 12 digs.
Maesch was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. She posted 30 kills (4.29 per set) 35 points (5.00 per set) and 14 digs (2.00 digs per set) against Georgetown and Villanova last week.
TACTICAL TAYLOR: Setter Cora Taylor has quickly become one of the nation’s top setters this season. The former BIG EAST Freshman selection currently leads the conference with an average of 10.48 assists per set, which ranks 27th in the nation. She currently sits at 1579 career assists and is on pace to reach the top 10 of Butler’s all-time career list leaders in just her second collegiate season.
Taylor collected 81 assists (11.57 assists per set) along with 17 digs last weekend against Georgetown and Villanova.
MIDDLES ON THE MARK: Middle blockers Grace Boggess and Destiny Cherry have been reliable options on offense for the Bulldogs this season. Boggess holds a team-high .303 hitting percentage, which also ranks seventh in the BIG EAST. Cherry has hit for an average of .439 during conference play with 21 kills to just three errors, which ranks fourth in the BIG EAST.
In the last three matches, Boggess and Cherry have limited their mistakes making just one attacking error per match while totaling a combined 29 kills over this span.
MAGIC NUMBER THREE: As a team, the Bulldogs rank third in the conference for three different categories. Butler sits at third with 13.00 kills per set, 12.16 assists per set, and 15.64 digs per set.
The Bulldogs set a new season-high in kills during a three-set match with 45 kills against Villanova last Saturday.
HINKLE HAVEN: The Bulldogs currently hold a 3-2 record inside Hinkle Fieldhouse this season. Butler won all three matches at the Bulldog Brawl to open their season, but have since dropped their first two conference home appearances falling 3-0 against Xavier and Creighton. Both Seton Hall and St. John’s are also still in search of their first conference road win this season. They each were swept by No. 16 Creighton and the Pirates fell to the Red Storm in Queens 3-1.
Butler finished last season with a 9-5 record at home that included a win over Seton Hall 3-1 and a loss to St. John’s 3-0.
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs will hit the road again next weekend, heading back to the east coast to face Providence and UConn.
The Bulldogs will compete at Providence on Oct. 13 at 6 PM, followed by a match the next day at UConn on Oct. 14 at 6 PM.
IUPUI WOMEN’S SOCCER
JAGUARS EARN ROAD RESULT WITH 0-0 DRAW AT WRIGHT STATE
DAYTON, Ohio – The IUPUI women’s soccer team collected a critical road result on Thursday night (Oct. 5), capturing a 0-0 draw at Wright State on a rainy evening in Dayton. Ashton Kudlo earned her fourth shutout of the season, making six saves, including some spectacular efforts, while the team recorded its sixth clean sheet of the year.
“It never stopped raining during the game so the conditions were pretty tough to deal with,” Kudlo said. “However, I don’t think it took too much away from our game. Tying 0-0 isn’t what we wanted going into the game, but I’m super proud of our defense for staying composed. I think we’re all looking forward to this weekend to try and grab more points now.”
Kudlo kept Wright State (5-4-3, 3-1-1 HL) off the scoreboard just before halftime with a brilliant save against Makenzie Chinn in the 40th minute. Chinn was making a run through the middle and hit a powerful shot from the six-yard box, but Kudlo made a reactionary save, much to the chagrin of the home crowd.
In the 60th minute, Kudlo made a one-handed stop on a Kaylin Helinski attempt, pushing the shot just wide of the post for a corner kick. Kudlo later made a business decision in the 62nd minute as she upended a WSU attacker just beyond the penalty area on a breakaway, receiving a yellow card and yielding a free kick, rather than facing a shot attempt. Caitlin Burger launched the free kick well high of target as the game remained scoreless.
In the 78th minute, Burger pushed a shot just wide of the far post as Kudlo challenged off her line in an effort to cut off the scoring angle.
The Jaguars struggled to create true scoring opportunities as the rain and wet turf made connecting passes a near impossibility for much of the evening. IUPUI was outshot 13-9 overall and 6-5 on frame, but did earn five corner kicks, four coming in the second half. Freshman Avery Bangert just missed sneaking an attempt inside the far post in the closing minutes of the first half and later tested WSU keeper Kiera Sarka with a left-footed bullet in the game’s 79th minute. Senior Emma Antoine put her only shot on frame in the 55th minute, prompting Sarka to make one of her five saves on the evening.
Possession was divided 50-50 for the game, largely in the midfield. Helinski led all players with five shot attempts while Ohio-native Lindsey Castillo had two attempts for IUPUI in a return to her home state.
Defensively, sophomore Kailyn Smith was the lone field player on either side to log all 90 minutes while freshman Emily Tobin played 85. Thursday’s game marked just the second time this season the Jaguars had been blanked and the first time since Aug. 31 at Butler.
IUPUI will return home to host Green Bay at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (Oct. 8) on Senior Day. The Jaguars will honor six seniors – Jessica Jacobs, Emma Manolovic, Leah Shumate, Sam Slimak, Alex Stocker and Carlie Werner – immediately following Sunday’s contest.
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL
NO. 10 NOTRE DAME VISITS NO. 25 LOUISVILLE IN RANKED MATCHUP. IRISH SEEK 31ST STRAIGHT WIN OVER ACC
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Tenth-ranked Notre Dame and unbeaten No. 25 Louisville are eager to move past admittedly ugly victories in their first meeting while ranked.
Saturday night’s sold-out, nationally televised non-conference clash offers both teams an opportunity to execute the way they hoped to by the season’s midpoint. For the Fighting Irish (5-1), it’s the latest challenge in a four-game stretch against ranked teams. Louisville (5-0) has its best start in 10 years and first AP Top 25 ranking since early last season but faces its biggest test under first-year coach Jeff Brohm.
“It’ll be a challenge for us to be efficient and move the football,” Brohm added, noting the Irish’s standing in several national categories.
“We’re going to have to win a lot of the small battles, not turn the ball over, be efficient, be good in the red zone, and find ways to get turnovers.”
Both had room for improvement after last week.
Notre Dame led Duke before having to rally late for a sorely-needed 21-14 victory over the No. 17 Blue Devils after a crushing home loss to No. 6 Ohio State. Another second-half comeback helped the Cardinals claw past North Carolina State 13-10 and enter the rankings after inching close in recent weeks.
The game features two of the nation’s top offenses despite last week’s uneven play. Both feature two transfer quarterbacks who have history with their opponent.
Louisville enters with a 13th-ranked attack averaging 494.8 yards per game under Brohm. The Cardinals managed just 306 and with three giveaways against the Wolfpack, but QB Jack Plummer fought through two interceptions to pass for 286 yards and a 39-yard touchdown to spark the rally.
Irish coach Marcus Freeman said his team will be challenged to slow up the Cardinals and the former Purdue and Cal QB.
“We’ve got to be good in our pre-snap disguises and try to give him some different looks and not just give him one or two looks, and try to get him to hold (the ball) a little bit,” Freeman said.
The Cardinals have a similar mission in stopping Notre Dame’s No. 20 offense (477.2 yards) led by Sam Hartman.
The Wake Forest transfer has thrown for 14 TDs and no interceptions, the best streak to start a season in school history. That TD total includes five in the fourth quarter, where Hartman has completed 17 of 27 for 213 yards. His 17-yard scramble on fourth down helped set up Audric Estime’s 30-yard scoring run before the QB tossed the game-winning, two-point conversion pass.
Louisville wants to avoid any such scenario and force him into making his first mistake.
Said Cardinals defensive end Stephen Herron, “He’s a veteran quarterback who’s going to make plays, and we’re going to have to do the same against him.”
JERSEY CHANGES
Plummer will face Notre Dame for the third year in a row, each time on a different team. He played under Brohm at Purdue from 2018-21 and in 2022 at Cal. Plummer has lost the last two years against the Irish while completing 56.2% of his passes for 371 yards and two TDs. Hartman was 2-3 against the Cardinals from 2018-22 with Wake Forest and tossed three interceptions in last year’s 48-21 loss here, two of which were returned for TDs.
JUMP-STARTING JORDAN
Louisville running back Jawhar Jordan leads the ACC with 510 yards rushing but managed just 29 yards on 20 carries at N.C. State. Brohm stressed the importance of getting him the ball and space, especially against an Irish defense allowing just 124 yards against the run.
“That’s what he needs to be at his best,” the coach said. “He played hard, he hung in there. It was just one of those games where the running game wasn’t as efficient as we’d like it to be.”
ACC MASTERS
Notre Dame has beaten ACC teams 30 consecutive times since losing 41-8 to Miami in 2017. The Irish moved past Florida State (1992-1995) for the longest such streak, according to ESPN. Louisville is 1-2 against Notre Dame and seeks its first series win since the 2014 inaugural meeting.
STACKING UP SACKS
Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte has recorded four of his five sacks the past two games. Three came against Boston College, his third career multi-sack effort, and he ranks fifth nationally.
HONORING THE ‘OTHER’ BROHM
Cardinals offensive coordinator Brian Brohm, Jeff’s younger brother, will have his jersey honored during the contest. He ranks among the school’s top five in several passing categories and led Louisville to an Orange Bowl win in the 2006 season.
NOTRE DAME VOLLEYBALL
PREVIEW: IRISH HEAD TO DUKE AND UNC
DURHAM, NC – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-4, 2-2 ACC) are back on the road as they face the Duke Blue Devils (10-5, 1-3 ACC) on Friday, Oct. 6 and the North Carolina Tar Heels (7-6, 1-3 ACC) on Sunday, Oct. 8.
NOTRE DAME vs. DUKE
Location: Durham, NC | Cameron Indoor Stadium
Time: 6:30 PM
TV: ACCNX
Live Stats: Click here
Twitter Updates: @NDvolleyball
NOTRE DAME vs. NORTH CAROLINA
Location: Chapel Hill, NC | Carmichael Arena
Time: 1 PM
TV: ACCNX
Live Stats: Click here
Twitter Updates: @NDvolleyball
Game Notes
A WEEK IN REVIEW
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish fell to No. 5 Louisville in Purcell Pavilion on Wednesday, Sept. 27 and NC State on the road on Friday, Sept. 29.
The Cardinals defeated the Irish 12-25, 18-25 and 16-25 in the Irish’s first ACC loss of the season.
Lucy Trump led the Irish with seven kills and chipped in four blocks. Charity McDowell also recorded a team-best five blocks.
On Friday, the Irish fell 18-25, 15-25, and 23-25 to the NC State Wolfpack on the road.
Sydney Palazzolo led the Irish with 14 kills and three blocks.
HISTORY VS. DUKE
This will be the 22nd meeting between the Fighting Irish and Duke Blue Devils as Duke leads the series at 11-10.
The Irish fell in last season’s match up on Oct. 30, 2022, where Notre Dame fell in five sets at home (25-19, 25-17, 18-25, 16-25, 8-15).
Lucy Trump led the Irish with 18 kills, followed by Paris Thompson with 10 kills. Charity McDowell and Phyona Schrader each chipped in four blocks a piece for the Irish.
Notre Dame’s longest winning streak was from 1988-2006, where the Irish won five straight against the Blue Devils.
HISTORY VS. NORTH CAROLINA
This will be the 18th meeting between the Fighting Irish and Tar Heels with Notre Dame leading the overall series 9-8.
The Irish have won four of the last six match ups and won the last road match up as the Irish took down UNC in three sets on Nov. 15, 2021 (25-22, 25-20, 25-21) in Chapel Hill.
Notre Dame swept the the Tar Heels in three straight matches from 2017-2019.
Notre Dame fell in the last match against UNC as the Tar Heels came to South Bend on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. The Irish fell 19-25, 16-25, 22-25.
Lucy Trump recorded a team-high 10 kills, followed by Paris Thompson with nine.
MEET THE TRANSFERS
Two transfers join the Irish for the 2023 season. Sydney Palazzolo enters into her junior season after spending freshman and sophomore year at High Point. Nicole Drewnick is a graduate transfer hailing from Georgia Tech.
Palazzolo had a decorated two seasons in North Carolina, earning a plethora of awards at High Point.
Last season, Palazzolo earned Big South Player of the Year and Big South First Team All-Conference honors and was named the Big South All-Tournament MVP. She was recognized as an AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region player and an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American. She was also tabbed as the Big South Player of the Week three times.
Palazzolo finished her sophomore season with a team-best 443 kills, 321 digs, 27 blocks, and led the conference with 42 service aces.
Not only was she recognized as the Big South Freshman of the Year in 2021, but she was also named to the Big South All-Conference Second Team and All-Freshman Team.
While Drewnick spent her freshman season at Nebraska, she most recently has spent the last two seasons with Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Drewnick appeared in 20 matches and 43 sets last season with the Yellow Jackets and finished the season with 99 assists and 16 digs.
MEET THE FRESHMEN
Five freshmen join the Irish for the 2023 season. Freshmen additions include Alyssa Manitzas, Lily Fenton, Logan Brannan, Olivia Maulding, and Ava Lange.
Manitzas was a part of the Under Armour All-American game and was also named the 2021 Prep Dig Top Libero in Texas. The San Antonio, TX native is the all-time dig leader at Cornerstone Christian High School.
Fenton was a First Team All-Conference and All-District player out of Latrobe, PA. Fenton was a three-year captain and was the Greater Latrobe High School program all-time assist leader.
Brannan hails from Lake Travis High School in Austin, TX and was a First Team All-District and TGCA All-State honoree.
A gradute of La Salle Prep, Maulding was named the 2022 Northwest Oregon Co-player of the Year, while also being named to the 2022 Oregon State Championship All-Tournament Team. Maulding was recognized as the 2022 Volleyball Magazine Top Performer in Oregon.
Lange was a nationally recognized four star player out of Playa Del Rey, CA, who was named to the AVCA All-America Watch List and played in the 2022 USAV Girls 17’s Junior National Championship.
RETURNERS
The Irish return six rising sophomore, a pair of rising juniors, and a trio of rising seniors.
Sophomores Lucy Trump and Avery Ross were offensive power houses for the Irish last season as both outside hitters led Notre Dame in their first years in an Irish uniform. Trump led the way with 252 kills, followed by Ross with 227 kills.
Juniors Phyona Schrader and Paris Thompson return for their third seasons at Notre Dame. Thompson returns after tallying 148 kills and 71 digs across 63 sets last season.
Schrader led the Irish last season with 877 assists and was second on the team with 333 digs. The setter also led the ACC with two triple-doubles and finished second in the conference with 17 double-doubles.
Hattie Monson, Lauren Tarnoff, and Charity McDowell are rising seniors for the Irish after playing in a combined 259 sets as a class last season.
Monson played in all 108 sets for the Irish as the libero recorded 453 digs in her junior campaign, while also surpassing the 1,000 career digs mark. She heads into her senior season with 1,163 career digs.
Both Tarnoff and McDowell return as middle blockers for the Irish as the duo finished with 141 combined blocks; Tarnoff was second on the team with 80 blocks and McDowell was third with 61. Tarnoff also led the Irish with a team-best 15 solo blocks.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER
MATCH 11 PREVIEW: #14 DUKE
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The No. 11 Irish return to Alumni Stadium for a marquee matchup against ACC foe No. 14 Duke on. The match will air on ACCNX. The first 100 students to attend the match will receive a free Notre Dame soccer scarf.
No. 11 NOTRE DAME vs. No. 14 Duke
Location: South Bend, Indiana | Alumni Stadium
TV: ACCNX
Live Stats: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @NDMenSoccer
Game Notes: vs. Duke
THE DUKE SERIES
• The Irish and Blue Devils will meet on the pitch for the 18th time on Saturday evening.
• The Irish lead the series with a mark of 10-5-2.
• Notre Dame and Duke met once last season with the Blue Devils winning by a score of 2-0 in Durham.
• The Irish are unbeaten against Duke when playing in South Bend, holding a record of 6-0-2. The two sides played to a 1-1 standstill in the most recent matchup at Alumni Stadium during the 2021 season.
LAST TIME OUT
• Notre Dame turned in an impressive performance in a 3-1 win over NC State on the road on Sunday to remain at the top of the ACC table with a record of 3-0-1.
• The three goals came from three different players, as Matthew Roou, Paddy Burns and Eno Nto each scored a goal.
• Goalkeeper Bryan Dowd made four saves to help seal the Fighting Irish victory.
TOP OF THE TABLE
• The Irish are off to its best start in ACC play in program history through four games, totaling 10 points with a record of 3-0-1 to lead the league.
• Notre Dame has scored 10 goals in its four matches, which are the most of any team.
• The Irish have a +5 goal differential through four ACC matches, which is the best in the conference, as the next closest team has a +2 differential.
• Notre Dame has scored three goals in three of four outings.
STRONG STARTS
• Notre Dame has made it a habit of jumping out to an early lead this season, as the Irish have scored the opening goal in six of 10 matches in 2023.
•All six opening goals have come in the first 25 minutes of play.
•The quickest goal to start a match came from Matthew Roou in the 4th minute in the win over Clemson.
• The Fighting Irish are unbeaten when scoring the opening goal over the last 26 occurrences, posting a record of 25-0-1 spanning back to the early stages of the 2021 season.
SET-PIECE SUCCESS
• ND has excelled on both ends of the field on set pieces during the 2023 season.
•The Irish defense has allowed just one goal off a set piece all season while in attack seven of the team’s 18 goals have come via a set piece.
• Notre Dame has scored off three free kicks, two corners and two penalty kicks.
DOWD DELIVERS
• Bryan Dowd is back for his senior season after being the team’s primary goalie for each of the last two seasons.
• The shot stopper has 51 career starts while appearing in 52 matches over his previous three seasons in South Bend.
• Dowd has amassed 138 career saves and has recorded 17 clean sheets over his time in South Bend, including four matches in the 2023 campaign.
•The senior produced his best performance of his career in the 0-0 draw at Akron, making a career-high 12 saves to keep the clean sheet intact.
• The 12 saves are the most by an ACC goalkeeper this season and the third most of any goalie at the DI level.
DOMINATING DEFENSE
• The Fighting Irish have allowed just seven goals through 10 matches during the 2023 campaign.
• The 0.7 goals against average ranks second in the ACC and 16th in the country.
• Notre Dame has given up just one or no goals in nine of 10 matches this season.
• After allowing a goal to No. 2 Indiana in the 28th minute in the season opener, the Irish went 376 minutes without allowing a score before giving up a score to Clemson in the 44th minute.
ROOU’S RUN OF FORM
• Junior Matthew Roou leads the Irish attack through 10 matches this season, producing 15 points off seven goals and an assist.
• Roou’s hat trick in the win over IUPUI was the first of his career and the first of the season for the Irish.
• The junior forward finished with seven points off three goals and an assist, becoming the first Notre Dame player to record seven or more points in a match since Dave Donohue also had seven points against Marquette on Sept. 11, 2008.
• Roou currently has 18 career goals to go along with eight career assists, totaling 44 career points for the forward.
BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
FRALEY’S BRACE LEADS SOCCER IN 3-1 VICTORY OVER KENT STATE
MUNCIE, Ind. – – Junior forward Lexi Fraley scored her second career brace to help the Ball State soccer team remain undefeated at home this season in a 3-1 victory over Kent State Thursday afternoon at the Briner Sports Complex.
“That’s one of the things that’s consistently shown up for us, our offense,” head coach Josh Rife said. “It’s great to have them continue to create chances and then capitalize. I am proud of the group. It’s been a very focused, controlled effort. They are on their front foot and hungry, and you want your attacking players to play confidently. I think this group is doing that.”
Fraley connected for the Cardinals’ (5-5-2; 3-0-2 Mid-American Conference) opening and final goals of the match to raise her career total to 14. She also kept the pressure on the Golden Flashes’ (6-4-2; 3-2-0 MAC) with some strong runs up the pitch and all three of her shots testing the KSU goalkeeper.
Speaking of pressure, sophomore forward Emily Roper added five shots on goal, including scoring what proved to be the match-winner in the 37th minute off a beautiful cross from freshman forward Kaelyn Valleau. It was Valleau’s first career assist, and Roper’s fourth goal of the season, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead heading into intermission.
After Kent State cut the Ball State lead to one goal in the 66th minute, the Cardinals were able to capitalize on an interception from sophomore midfielder Tori Monaco who found Fraley for a late insurance goal in the 87th minute.
Monaco also had an assist on Fraley’s opening goal in the 14th minute, helping Ball State improve to 5-0-0 in matches played at the Briner Sports Complex. It was Monaco’s second two assist game of the season, as she also had a pair of assists on goals by senior forward Avery Fenchel in the season-opening win over Mercyhurst (Aug. 17).
In the net, redshirt junior Bethany Moser picked up three more saves, limiting the league’s second-place team entering the day to just one goal.
“There are no easy games in the MAC,” Rife added. “Every game is hard and the ability to defend home turf has been fantastic from this group.”
The Ball State soccer team returns to action Sunday when it travels to Buffalo for a 1 p.m. rematch of last season’s MAC Championship match.
INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
SYCAMORES BATTLE FLAMES TO SCORELESS DRAW ON THURSDAY NIGHT
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State battled UIC to a scoreless draw on Thursday night as the Sycamores continued Missouri Valley play against the Flames at Memorial Stadium.
ISU (1-5-7, 0-3-2) was evenly matched throughout the contest with the Flames (4-6-3, 3-2-1) on Youth Soccer Night at Memorial Stadium as the Sycamores welcomed kids and families to the stadium for an evening that included a handshake line, introductions on the field, poster signings, and halftime penalty kicks.
The Sycamores pressed the advantage early in the contest as Adelaide Wolfe posted ISU’s earliest shot on target in the 2023 season. The sophomore defender posted a shot 1:21 into the contest that was deflected up and off the post as Indiana State attacked early.
Mackenzie Kent added the Sycamores’ second shot at the 9:16 mark, while Caitlin Mullen, Anna Chor, and Audrey Stephens all fired toward the net in a back-and-forth first half that featured five Sycamore shots. UIC counteracted with Sophia Jaime’s shot on target in the eighth minute as the Flames posted six shots in the opening 45 minutes with ISU’s Maddie Alexander recording a pair of early saves.
ISU continued to pepper shots over the first 15 minutes of the second half with Stephens, Isabella Hunter, Carlie Jensen, and Chor all launching toward the net. Alexa Mackey added a late attempt in the 85th minute, but her shot was turned away by UIC’s Lauren Keiser to keep the shutout intact.
The Sycamores posted 10 shots overall in the match hitting the double-digit mark for the fourth time in the 2023 season. Stephens and Chor had two shots apiece to pace ISU with eight players launching toward the net during the contest.
Alexander stopped both UIC shots on target in posting her fourth shutout of 2023.
Riley Collett posted two shots, including one shot on goal to pace the UIC offense. Kathryn Rutledge added two shots in the draw. Keiser had two saves to lead the Flames in net.
Up Next
Indiana State hits the road on Sunday, October 8, as the Sycamores travel to Carbondale, Ill. to take on Southern Illinois. Kickoff at the Lew Hartzog Track and Field Complex is set for 2 p.m. ET.
INDIANA STATE FOOTBALL
SYCAMORES CONTINUE MVFC PLAY AGAINST NORTHERN IOWA
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State is back home for the second time in the 2023 season as the Sycamores host Northern Iowa in their Missouri Valley Football home opener on Saturday, October 7. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Panthers is set for 7 p.m. and will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Game Day Information and Activities
Wabash Valley Education Day
Saturday’s game is Wabash Valley Education Day as Indiana State welcomes all Wabash Valley educators to Memorial Stadium. All Wabash Valley faculty and staff will receive free admission to the game with a school ID. Friends and family accompanying the educators can purchase a ticket at a $5 discount rate.
Game Sponsor: Hamilton Center
Hamilton Center, Inc. is a not-for-profit regional behavioral health system in Central and West Central Indiana with corporate offices located in Terre Haute, IN. Services and treatment are provided to children, youth and adults, with specialized programs for expectant mothers, infants, and people with drug and alcohol problems. Counseling and therapy services are provided for people who may be struggling with stress, life changes, or relationship issues as well as more serious problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, serious mental illnesses.
Hamilton Center has been building hope and changing lives, for thousands of adults, children, and families in the Wabash Valley and beyond for 49 years. Our offices are designed to be convenient, private and confidential, reducing the barriers sometimes associated with seeking psychological and mental health treatment. Hamilton Center employs over 600 staff in ten counties, including psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, therapists, counselors, case managers, etc. Find Out More Here.
University Village Tailgate
University Village is holding a big tailgate event for their renters and anyone else. Free food, prizes will be at the tailgate outside the main gate Sat. at 4 p.m.
Tailgating and Clear Bag Policies
Indiana State Athletics announced updated tailgating and clear bag policies for the 2023-24 athletic year. The policies are consistent with other members in both the Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Weekly Game Notes
Starting Valley Play 0-1
Indiana State has started off Missouri Valley Football play with an 0-1 record five times in the Curt Mallory coaching era, but the Sycamores bounced back to win the second game just once during his tenure. The Sycamores fell in the October 5, 2019, MVFC opener at South Dakota, before responding the following week with a 20-10 win over Western Illinois on October 12. Since the COVID year in 2020, the Sycamores went 0-2 to start conference play in 2021 and fell in their first six conference games in 2022. ISU snapped both losing streaks with wins over Western Illinois.
Returning Home – First Time Since Opener
Indiana State returns home for the first time since August 31, marking one of the longest stretches in program history the Sycamores have been between home games. The last time Indiana State had a three-game span between home contests at Memorial Stadium came back in the 2017 season when ISU traveled to Tennessee, Liberty, and Illinois State after an August 31 kickoff against Eastern Illinois. The Sycamores returned home on October 7 to take on No. 2 North Dakota State to end the road trip. The Sycamores have had three game road trips six times dating back to the 2000 season, including a four-game road trip in the 2002 season.
Welcome Back Cade Chambers
Quarterback Cade Chambers made his 2023 debut this weekend as the redshirt sophomore quarterback took the first snap of the game at Murray State. Chambers became the fourth ISU quarterback to see the field this season and third to start a game including Evan Olaes (Eastern Illinois, Indiana) and Elijah Owens (Ball State). The Sycamore signal caller went 15-of-27 through the air for 159 yards, a touchdown, and an interception as ISU fell in the Missouri Valley Football opener to Murray State. The Maryville, Tenn. native completed passes to five different receivers including the first catch of 2023 by Plez Lawrence. Chambers kept the team on the move throughout the contest as Indiana State recorded a season-high 30 first downs, as well as held onto the ball for 34:37.
Lawrence’s Big Day
Plez Lawrence made a little bit of history on Saturday night as the redshirt freshman running back made his first collegiate start at Murray State. The Kokomo, Ind. native posted a career-high 29 carries for 203 yards and added three touchdowns in the Sycamores’ 30-28 loss to the Racers. Lawrence started off the evening picking up one yard over his first two carries, before starting to hit his stride on the second drive. The tailback posted five consecutive carries in helping move the ball 39 yards from the Indiana State 39 to the Murray State 34 to set up a missed field goal opportunity. Lawrence posted 17 carries for 79 yards and added ISU’s first rushing touchdown of 2023 with a two-yard plunge into the end zone to cap a 14-play, 93-yard drive in the second quarter to put the Sycamores on the scoreboard.
Breaking 200
Lawrence became the first ISU running back to break 200 rushing yards in a single game since Dominique Dafney ran for 244 and four touchdowns in 2019 against Missouri State. He also became the first MVFC freshman running back to surpass 200 rushing yards in a single game since South Dakota State’s Pierre Strong Jr. went for 253 and three touchdowns against South Dakota in 2018. He also became the first ISU freshman to break 100 rushing yards since Shakir Bell in 2010 (146 vs. Illinois State).
Home Against the Panthers
Indiana State had lined up in 17 games all-time against Northern Iowa dating back to the inaugural 26-0 win in Terre Haute on September 10, 1983. The Sycamores won two of the first four contests against the Panthers including a 33-23 win over the Panthers on October 20, 1990. ISU’s last home win in the series against the Panthers came back in the 2014 season with the Sycamores taking the 20-19 win over UNI.
Northern Iowa at a Glance
Northern Iowa enters the Saturday night game with a 2-2 record and a 1-0 mark in Missouri Valley Football play. The Panthers fell in back-to-back contests to open the year at both Iowa State and Weber State, before turning the page on September 16. UNI posted a 41-17 win at Idaho State and followed up with a 44-41 win over Youngstown State this past Saturday in Cedar Falls in winning their conference opener.
Quarterback Theo Day is the reigning MVFC Offensive Player of the Week as the quarterback matched a career-high accounting for five Panther touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) in UNI’s 44-41 win over No. 19 Youngstown State. With 337 yards passing on 21 completions, Day moved into fifth on UNI’s all-time passing yards list (6,643). Trailing by three points in the early fourth quarter, Day commanded the Panther offense to three touchdowns in the final 14 minutes of play, find receiver Sam Schnee on a 30-yard scoring reception, handing the ball off to Tye Edwards for a 30-yard rushing score and keeping it himself on a one-yard sneak at the goal line in the final 90 seconds. Day has now thrown a touchdown pass in a program-record 26 straight games.
The Panthers were selected third overall in the MVFC preseason poll as voted on by the league’s head coaches, media members, and SIDs. UNI received 409 total points in the poll after posting a 6-5 record and 5-3 mark in conference play. UNI is among the teams receiving votes this week in the major FCS national polls joining eight different MVFC programs sitting among the nation’s best teams through the first month of the season.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S SOCCER
MASTODONS FALL TO MILWAUKEE IN #HLWSOC MATCH
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Milwaukee’s Kayla Rollins scored three goals in Thursday’s (Oct. 5) match and lifted her team over Purdue Fort Wayne 5-0.
Rollins scored two goals in the first 10 minutes of the match. In the second half, Lainey Higgins scored the Panthers’ third goal of the match before Rollins scored her third in the 64th minute, and Molly O’Reagan scored the last goal for Milwaukee.
Lizzie Haub, Bella Reitano, and Morgan Reitano each had chances for the ‘Dons. Bella Reitano had a shot on goal in the fourth minute, and Haub had a shot on goal right before the half. Morgan Reitano also had a chance in the 80th minute, but was turned away.
Samantha Castaneda made nine saves for the ‘Dons in goal.
The Mastodons fall to 5-5-4 with a 2-2-2 record in the Horizon League. Milwaukee improves to 8-2-2 and a 5-0 record in Horizon League play.
The ‘Dons will travel to Detroit Mercy on Sunday (Oct. 8).
EVANSVILLE VOLLEYBALL
VOLLEYBALL SET FOR THREE HOME MATCHES IN FOUR DAYS
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Looking to make a major statement, the University of Evansville volleyball team welcomes two of the top teams in the Missouri Valley Conference this weekend with Northern Iowa and Drake heading to Meeks Family Fieldhouse. The Purple Aces are set for three matches in four nights as they face the Panthers on Friday and the Bulldogs on Saturday before playing host to Indiana State on Monday. ESPN+ will have the coverage of the Northern Iowa and Indiana State contests.
Last Time Out
– Three-point losses in the second and third sets saw the Aces drop a 3-0 match last Saturday at Missouri State
– Melanie Feliciano and Giulia Cardona registered 13 kills apiece and each posted a double-double with 13 and 11 digs, respectively
– Ainoah Cruz paced the defense with 17 digs while Kora Ruff added 32 assists
She’s #1
– Giulia Cardona finished the first conference weekend with an unreal average of 8.86 kills per set and has continued to add to her numbers since that time
– After finishing with 26 at Murray State, Cardona reset her career-high with 36 at Belmont on Saturday
– Her 36 kills was the most in the NCAA in a 4-set match this season and tied for the highest tally in any match of the 2023 season while her 26-kill performance against the Racers was the most this season by any NCAA player in a 3-set contest
Double Figures
– Melanie Feliciano had her top MVC contest of the season at Missouri State, recording 13 kills along with 11 digs
– She continues to rank in the top 20 in the Valley in both stats, standing 11th with 3.26 kills/set and 18th with 2.74 digs/game
– She put together her best weekend of the season at the DePaul Invitational, setting her season high with 22 kills and has at least 9 kills in 12 of Evansville’s 15 matches
– Defensively, Feliciano has chipped in 11 digs in 7 of the last 11 matches
Making Her Mark
– As the season has progressed, freshman Luana Gazda Kuhn has seen her numbers improve as she navigates her first collegiate season
– Her defense has been stellar through four Valley matches as she has contributed 2.33 digs/set, up from her season tally of 1.74
– On the offensive side, she set her season high with 9 kills at Southern Illinois
Scouting the Opposition
– Northern Iowa enters Friday’s match with a 10-6 mark while winning their first four MVC contests
– Kira Fallert (3.44/set) and Emily Holterhaus (3.33/set) rank 5th and 8th, respectively, in the MVC with their kill averages
– Drake opens the weekend with a 10-6 overall record and are 3-1 in Valley action
– The Bulldogs are led by Taylor Oberpriller, whose 4.00 kills per game is third in the conference
SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER
EAGLES RALLY TO TIE HUSKIES, 1-1
HOUSTON, Texas. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer rallied in the final 10 minutes to earn a 1-1 tie at Houston Christian University Thursday evening in Houston, Texas. The Screaming Eagles go to 1-8-1 overall and 0-2-1 in the OVC, while HCU is 2-5-4, 0-1-2 OVC.
Trailing 1-0 after HCU took a 1-0 lead at the 64:55, USI senior forward Zach Barton (St. Louis, Missouri) evened the match, 1-1, at 81:52 with his first goal of the season. Barton was assisted on the play by sophomore midfielder Ednilson Voiles (Haiti).
The teams would have one more shot each in the final eight minutes before the final horn on the draw.
Overall, HCU controlled most of the match with a 19-7 lead in shots and 6-0 advantage in corners. USI junior goalkeeper Braden Matthews (Princeton, Indiana) held the Huskies to the one tally, making a career-best seven saves in the tie.
The USI defense was strong through the first half as the HCU offense had a 10-0 advantage in shots, 2-0 in shots on-goal. HCU also had a 5-0 lead in opportunities from the corner.
The numbers were closer in the second half with the shot differential in favor of HCU, 9-7. The Huskies also were limited to just one corner in the final 45 minutes.
NEXT UP FOR USI:
The Eagles concludes the three-match road swing Sunday with a visit to The University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. The trip to San Antonio will be USI’s meeting with Houston Christian.
UIW saw its record go to 4-4-3 overall, 2-0-1 OVC, after defeating Eastern Illinois University, 4-2, at home tonight. UIW is 3-0-2 in the last five games.
Following the end of the three-match road swing, USI returns to Strassweg Field for a three-match homestand October 12 when it hosts Chicago State University. The Eagles and the Cougars will be facing each other in the OVC for the first time after competing last year in The Summit League.
The remainder of the homestand will include a first-time meeting with Liberty University October 15 and a match-up with Eastern Illinois University October 19. USI host Senior Day on October 15 versus Liberty.
SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
USI WINS SECOND STRAIGHT AND POSTS THIRD SHUTOUT ON THURSDAY
MACOMB, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer secured its second Ohio Valley Conference win of the season and three more valuable points Thursday in a 1-0 road victory at Western Illinois University.
With Thursday’s win, USI posted its third shutout of the season to improve to 3-6-4 overall and 2-1-1 in conference play. Picking up a second consecutive victory, the Screaming Eagles also moved up to the top half of the conference standings, sitting with seven points. Thursday was also USI’s sixth result in the last seven matches. Western Illinois dropped to 2-5-4 this season and suffered its first conference loss to move to 0-1-3 in OVC action.
After some early battles for possession, USI gained control of the ball and earned multiple set-piece opportunities off corner kicks in the first half. Southern Indiana’s first shot of the match came from freshman midfielder Grace Bamber (Chesterton, Indiana), who whipped a ball to the near post that was caught by Western Illinois’ goalkeeper Isabel Navas Rodriguez. Midway into the first half, freshman midfielder Pilar Torres (Chula Vista, California) had a roundhouse attempt that hit off the crossbar.
As the back-and-forth battle between the Leathernecks and Screaming Eagles went on, USI converted a golden chance in the 41st minute. Following a handball inside the penalty box, USI sophomore midfielder Peyton Murphy (Bargersville, Indiana) stepped up to the spot and put USI ahead, 1-0, with a penalty-kick goal, her first of the season. The USI defense played solidly, as Western Illinois had only one shot in the first half. The Eagles carried the 1-0 advantage into halftime.
Southern Indiana was assertive on the attacking end out of the intermission, getting a shot from junior midfielder Adriana Berruti (Berwyn, Illinois) and two more attempts by Murphy within the first ten minutes of the second half. Berruti took another shot a few minutes later that was saved by Rodriguez. The Eagles made Rodriguez work even more in the middle of the half to make a couple of saves.
Meanwhile, USI’s defense continued to be tough and kept Western Illinois’ chances to a minimum. After holding the Leathernecks to only one shot in the first stanza, the Eagles’ defense saw only two shots by WIU in the second half, both of which were saved by redshirt freshman goalkeeper Anna Markland (Hoover, Alabama). Southern Indiana’s defensive unit sealed the 1-0 win and the clean sheet.
Southern Indiana totaled 11 shots, placing six on goal in the match, while its defense held Western Illinois to only three shots and two on goal. USI also had six corner kicks in the contest. Individually, Murphy recorded three shots with one into the goal on the penalty kick. Berruti put one of her two shots on target, and senior midfielder Avery Schone (Galena, Ohio) also had two shots in the game.
The Screaming Eagles will return to Strassweg Field on Sunday for Senior Day and Alumni Day. USI will be facing Lindenwood University at 1 p.m. Sunday’s match can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+.
VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER
SOCCER DRAWS WITH ILLINOIS STATE THURSDAY NIGHT
The Valpo soccer team remained unbeaten as it hit the halfway mark of the MVC schedule on Thursday evening, as a physical contest with visiting Illinois State under the Brown Field lights ended in a 1-1 draw.
How It Happened
Valpo had the better of the first half, putting Illinois State under constant pressure as the Beacons finished the opening 45 minutes with a 10-5 advantage in the shots department.
The Beacons had a good chance to take the lead in the 19th minute, but the crossbar was not as kind on this night to junior Addy Joiner (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) as it was four days ago, as her effort from distance Thursday came off the bar and into the field of play.
The Redbirds took the lead against the run of play 29 minutes in, as Haley Glover gained possession off a Valpo turnover in the defensive third and took advantage of a one-on-one chance with goalkeeper Nikki Coryell (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) to find the back of the net.
The match went into halftime with Illinois State holding a 1-0 lead.
The Beacons kept pushing in search of the equalizer in the second half and got a break in the 62nd minute when an Illinois State clearance in the box deflected off a teammate’s arm for handball and a penalty kick.
Joiner stepped over the penalty and calmly drilled it down the middle to beat ISU goalkeeper Audrey Brown and tie the match at 1-1, which is where it eventually finished.
Inside the Match
Valpo extended its unbeaten streak to seven consecutive matches (2-0-5) dating back to Sept. 3, the sixth unbeaten streak of at least seven straight fixtures in program history.
With a 1-0-4 mark at the halfway mark of the MVC slate, the Beacons are unbeaten through five conference matches for the fourth time in program history.
Valpo remained unbeaten on Brown Field this year with Thursday’s draw, with a record of 3-0-3 to date in the friendly confines. The 2005 side is the only other team in program history to win or draw its first six home matches of the season.
Thursday’s tie was Valpo’s sixth of the season, already a program record for draws in a single season.
Joiner moved all alone atop the MVC scoring chart with her penalty goal, as the junior has struck for seven goals this season. She is one goal shy of cracking Valpo’s single-season top-10 goals chart, while her 17 career goals are eighth-most all-time at Valpo and one shy of a tie for sixth.
Joiner is a perfect 2-for-2 converting penalties this season.
Fifth-year center back Nicole Norfolk (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) started for the 79th time in her Valpo career, moving into a tie for second in program history in both matches played and matches started.
Coryell made three saves in Thursday’s draw, while Brown made four saves for the Redbirds. Valpo outshot ISU by an 18-8 margin, but only had a slim 5-4 edge in shots on target.
Thursday’s match featured 42 fouls and 10 yellow cards.
Thoughts From Coach Marovich
“I was extremely proud of our battle again tonight. We came out on the front foot. I thought our press was really good. We created some excellent chances in the first half, hit a crossbar, put a couple others just wide. At this level, you’ve got to put those away to give yourself an advantage.”
“We had a really good performance tonight — we really just made one mistake and gave a goal away. But we came back, kept pressing, and got ourselves a PK and had some more chances after that.”
“There’s a fine line between winning, getting a draw or even a loss. We’ve played really well recently and I’m proud of the way we’re playing, but that fine line is six inches. You look at our ties, in each game, it’s been one or two plays that if they go six inches or three inches the other way, you’ve got wins. We just have to stay the course, continue to battle and compete because that’s what elite teams do.”
Next Up
Valpo (5-2-6, 1-0-4 MVC) kicks off the second half of Valley action on Sunday afternoon with a key match at Drake. The Bulldogs currently sit three points ahead of the Beacons in the MVC table. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m., and the match can be seen live on ESPN+.
UINDY WOMEN’S GOLF
WEBB SECURES GLVC GOLF WEEKLY HONOR
INDIANAPOLIS – University of Indianapolis sophomore Alice Webb was named the GLVC Women’s Golf Player of the Week, it was announced by the league office Thursday.
WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Alice Webb, #8 Indianapolis
So. | Bournemouth, England
Major: Chemistry
Team Results: 1st/14 teams (294-293-293–880) at William Beall Classic (10/2-3)
Finished third in 84-golfer field, earning all-tournament honors
Carded scores of 67-74-76 for total score of 217 (+1)
Her first-round score of 67 set a collegiate low and featured eight birdies, including four in a row on the back nine
Led UIndy to team win amongst a field of some of the Midwest’s top programs
Earns first career Player of the Week Award
Last Greyhounds’ Player of the Week: Anci Dy (9/21/23)
UINDY FOOTBALL PREPS FOR HOMECOMING CLASH
GAME 5
vs. William Jewell Cardinals (2-2, 1-0 GLVC)
Saturday | October 7 | 6 p.m. ET
The Greyhounds welcome the Cardinals of William Jewell College this weekend for their annual Homecoming contest. Ranked No. 12 in the latest AFCA DII Coaches Poll, the Hounds put their undefeated record on the line versus a hungry Jewell squad under the nights of Key Stadium Saturday Night.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Greyhounds have won 11 consecutive Homecoming games and 15 of the last 16, with the lone loss in that span coming way back in 2010. Saturday marks the first-ever Homecoming matchup versus William Jewell.
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.
MARIAN FOOTBALL
GAMEDAY GUIDE: NO. 5 MARIAN HITS THE ROAD AS THEY TRAVEL TO MADONNA
INDIANAPOLIS – After three consecutive games at home, the Marian football team is headed back on the road this weekend as they travel to Madonna for their fifth game of the season. This will be Marian’s first road game since the season opener, and their first of back to back weeks on the road.
THE GAME
This is the third meeting all-time between Marian and Madonna, with Marian owning the series 3-0. After taking a win by forfeit in the 2021 spring season, Marian has put up 80 points in each of the two previous meetings, and are outscoring the Crusaders by an average of 81.5 points per game.
Nine different Knights players scored touchdowns in last year’s meeting, with six of the nine players remaining on Marian’s active travel roster. Baron Huebler and William Gibson each scored two touchdowns last year, with Gibson earning MSFA Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for 146 yards and both scores in just the second quarter.
APPROACHING NUMBER ONE ALL-TIME
After moving into third all-time against Olivet Nazarene in career passing yards, starting quarterback Zach Bundalo is one step closer to reaching the top of the Marian football record book. Marian’s starting quarterback is just 229 yards away from moving into the all-time lead in passing yards at Marian, as he is aiming to pass former quarterbacks Luke Johnston and Hayden Northern for the mark. Bundalo, a three-year starter, is closing in on the most starts at Marian by a quarterback, and is on pace to break the passing yardage record against Madonna.
Bundalo needs just 43 yards to pass Johnston for the second-most passing yards in program history, while he will need to throw for 229 yards to pass Northern. Bundalo has the second most touchdown passes in program history, trailing Johnston by 10 passing scores for the all-time lead.
WATCH AND FOLLOW ALONG
Those fans unable to attend Saturday’s game can watch live through the Madonna Athletics Network, listed above. The Knights broadcast duo of Scott McCauley and Zach Graves will also be calling the game in a studio setting, 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.
TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets online now at the link above. All tickets are general admission and cost $10 per ticket.
TAILGATING
Tailgating spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
LOCATION
Marian’s game will be played at Churchill High School in Livonia, Michigan, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. The address for Churchill High School is: 8900 Newburgh Rd., Livonia, MI 48150.
UNIFORM
For the first time this season, the Knights will break out their white away uniforms. In Marian’s first matchup of the season, the Knights wore their traditional home navy uniform, and have worn the navy in each of their three home matchups.
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
NFL STANDINGS
| American Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Buffalo Bills | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 139 | 55 | 2-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 W | |
| Miami Dolphins | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 150 | 119 | 1-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 3-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| New England Patriots | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 55 | 97 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| New York Jets | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 62 | 84 | 1-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 101 | 60 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 3 W | |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 110 | 104 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 62 | 101 | 0-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 L | |
| Denver Broncos | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 100 | 150 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 W | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Baltimore Ravens | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 99 | 58 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 62 | 100 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Cleveland Browns | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 76 | 60 | 2-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 1 L | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 49 | 94 | 1-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-3-0 | 0-2-0 | 1 L | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Indianapolis Colts | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 97 | 99 | 0-2-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Houston Texans | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 96 | 79 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 W | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 80 | 82 | 1-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Tennessee Titans | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 72 | 70 | 2-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| National Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 118 | 90 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 4 W | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 1.0 | 124 | 41 | 2-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Washington Commanders | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 | 2.5 | 109 | 160 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 3 L | |
| New York Giants | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 3.0 | 46 | 122 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-3-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 125 | 58 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 4 W | |
| Seattle Seahawks | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 1.0 | 111 | 91 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 3 W | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 2.0 | 98 | 85 | 0-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 3.0 | 88 | 102 | 1-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 L | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Detroit Lions | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 106 | 83 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Green Bay Packers | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 100 | 96 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 90 | 95 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Chicago Bears | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 2.5 | 115 | 157 | 0-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 W | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 84 | 68 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 62 | 77 | 2-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 L | |
| New Orleans Saints | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 62 | 76 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 3.0 | 67 | 102 | 0-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-4-0 | 0-2-0 | 4 L | |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1906 On a snowy day in Chicago’s West Side Park, the visiting White Sox, known as the Hitless Wonders, edge the Cubs, 2-1, in Game 1 of the first cross-town World Series. Pale Hose starter Nick Altrock outduels future Hall of Fame right-hander Mordecai’ Three Finger Brown,’ going the distance en route to tossing a four-hitter over the heavily favored Northsiders.
1908 In front of nearly 30,000 very enthusiastic fans at South Side Park in the season finale, the White Sox start Doc White, coming off a complete game, on only two days rest in an attempt to thwart the Tigers from clinching the pennant. Chicago’s efforts will fail with a 7-0 defeat to Detroit, who captures the AL flag by half a game ahead of the Cleveland Naps thanks to a rule that doesn’t require a team to make up a rainout game from earlier in the season.
1923 At Braves Field, Ernie Padgett completes the first unassisted triple play in National League history. The 24-year-old Boston rookie shortstop catches Walter Holke’s line drive, doubles up James Tierney at second, then tags Cliff Lee as he retreats back to first base for the third out in the fourth inning of the team’s 4-1 victory over the Phillies in the shortened five-inning season finale.
1923 For only the second time in major league history, two 100-loss teams face one another when the 52-100 Braves beat the 50-102 Phillies in the first game of a season-ending doubleheader, 5-4. Boston, then known as the Beaneaters, was also part of the first occurrence of this rare type of matchup when the 50-100 club played the 45-103 team from Brooklyn in 1905.
1926 In a 10-5 Game 4 victory over the Cardinals at Sportsman’s Park, Yankee outfielder Babe Ruth becomes the first player to hit three home runs in a World Series game. History repeats itself when the ‘Sultan of Swat’ again goes deep three times against the Redbirds in St. Louis in the fourth game of the 1928 Fall Classic.
1933 Umpire Charlie Moran ejects Heinie Manush from Game 4 of the Fall Classic after calling out the Senator outfielder at first base in Washington’s 2-1 extra-inning loss to the Giants at Griffith Stadium. The arbitrator takes exception when the future Hall of Famer pulls on his bow tie, letting it snap back.
1941 In Game 5 of the Fall Classic, Tiny Bonham goes the distance, limiting the Dodgers to four hits to give the Yankees their 12th World Championship in franchise history. In one inning during the Bronx Bombers’ 3-1 victory at Ebbets Field, the New York fireballing right-hander will need just three pitches to retire the side.
1943 Cardinal batterymates and brothers Mort and Walker Cooper decide to play Game 2 of the World Series on the day their dad, Robert, dies at his home in Independence. After limiting the Yankees to six hits and winning the game, 4-3, Mort heads to Missouri while his younger brother, Walker, who has a 1-for-3 day behind the plate with an eighth-inning single, will stay with the club until the Fall Classic is over.
1945 To promote his nearby Billy Goat Tavern, William Sianis buys a ticket to Game 4 of the Fall Classic his pet goat, Murphy. The bar owner, a Greek immigrant, becomes so upset when the Wrigley Field ushers ask his four-legged guest to leave he places a curse on the team, preventing the Cubs from winning a World Series again.
1946 During Game 1 of the World Series, Whitey Kurowski is awarded home plate on a controversial obstruction call after getting tangled up with Red Sox third baseman Pinky Higgins, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning. The Red Sox rally in the ninth to tie the score, and Rudy York’s home run in the tenth gives Boston an eventual 3-2 victory over the Redbirds at Sportsman’s Park.
1949 In Game 2 of the World Series, only one run is scored again, but Preacher Roe and the Dodgers win this contest at Yankee Stadium, 1-0. Gil Hodges’ second-inning single drives in Jackie Robinson to even up the Fall Classic at a game apiece.
1952 At Ebbets Field, Billy Loes becomes the first pitcher in World Series history to commit a balk when the ball slips from his hand in the seventh inning of the Dodgers’ 3-2 loss knots the Fall Classic at three games apiece with the Yankees. The advanced base leads to a run when Vic Raschi bounces a ground-ball single off the leg of the right-hander, who claims he lost the grounder in the sun.
1957 In Game 4, Eddie Mathews’ two-run shot off Bob Grim with one out in the bottom of the tenth inning at County Stadium gives the Braves a 7-5 victory and knots the Fall Classic at two games apiece. The Milwaukee third baseman becomes the third major leaguer, joining Tommy Henrich (1949) and Dusty Rhodes (1954) to end a World Series game with a walk-off home run.
1959 The largest crowd to attend a major league game, 92,706 fans, watches a nail-biter as White Sox hurler Bob Shaw beats Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers, 1-0, in Game 5 of the Fall Classic.
1963 The Dodgers complete a four-game World Series sweep of the Yankees as Sandy Koufax wins his second game, 2-1. Frank Howard leads the offense with a home run and a single, the only two hits Whitey Ford gives up, and New York’s first baseman Joe Pepitone’s error (loses a thrown ball in the white-shirted crowd) leads to the decisive run in the seventh inning.
1965 “Hey, skip, bet you wish I was Jewish today, too.” – DON DRYSDALE, commenting after the game about his poor performance on the mound with manager Walt Alston. Sandy Koufax declines to pitch the first game of the World Series against the Twins because the scheduled game occurs on Yom Kippur, the most sacred of the Jewish holidays. As the Dodger southpaw attends shul and fasts on the Day of Atonement, Don Drysdale gives up seven runs in three innings in the team’s 8-2 loss at Minnesota’s Metropolitan Stadium.
1965 Mudcat Grant becomes the first black World Series game-winner for an American League team when the Twins take Game 1 from the Dodgers at Metropolitan Stadium, 8-2. Additionally, the 30-year-old right-hander will go deep off Howie Reed in his Game 6 victory, making him just the seventh pitcher to homer in a Fall Classic game.
1966 Jim Palmer becomes the youngest player to pitch a shutout in the World Series when the 20-year-old Oriole right-hander blanks Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers, 6-0. Next month, the contest will become more memorable when Koufax surprises the baseball world by announcing his retirement, making this game his last major league appearance.
1966 In the Game 2 loss to the Orioles at Dodger Stadium, Willie Davis establishes a World Series record by committing three errors in one game. The center fielder’s blunders come on two consecutive plays in the fifth inning, the first by losing a fly ball in the sun, then by dropping the next fly ball, followed by overthrowing third base.
1968 Bob Gibson, who went deep in Game 7 of last year’s Fall Classic, becomes the first pitcher to hit two home runs in World Series history when he connects off Detroit’s Joe Sparma leading off the fourth inning of Game 4 in the Cardinals’ 10-1 rout at Tiger Stadium. Oriole southpaw Dave McNally will match the mark with round-trippers in the 1969 and 1970 series.
1978 Despite three solo home runs off Yankees’ ace Catfish Hunter by Kansas City’s third baseman George Brett, the Bronx Bombers win Game 3 of the ALCS, beating the Royals, 6-5.
1980 Although the Mets finish last during his first three seasons in the dugout, the team extends manager Joe Torre’s contract through the 1982 season. The future Hall of Fame skipper will compile a 286-420 (.405) record for the struggling franchise during his five seasons with the team.
1980 In the 163rd game of the season, 35-year-old knuckleballer Joe Niekro earns his 20th victory, going the distance to defeat the Dodgers, 7-1, in the winner-take-all contest for the NL West flag. With the win, the Astros hold on to capture their first title in the 19-year history of the franchise after losing a season-ending three-game series to LA (3-2, 2-1, and 4-3) that forced the one-game playoff.
1981 In Game 1 of the ALDS in Kansas City, Mike Norris throws a six-hit complete game, blanking the Royals, 4-0. Oakland’s appearance in the playoffs makes Billy Martin the first skipper in baseball history to manage four franchises (Twins-1969, Tigers-1972, A’s-1981, and Yankees 1976-78) into postseason play.
1983 In the second game of the ALCS, Oriole hurler Mike Boddicker throws a five-hitter, beating the White Sox at Memorial Stadium, 4-0. The Baltimore right-hander, whose performance evens the series, establishes a playoff record when he strikes out 14 Chicago batters.
1984 At Jack Murphy Stadium, Steve Garvey launches the franchise’s first postseason walk-off homer, a two-run shot off future Hall of Fame closer Lee Smith in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Padres a 7-5 walk-off win over the Cubs in Game 4 of the NLCS. After losing the first two contests of the best-of-five NLCS, the victory brings the series to a decisive fifth game that San Diego will win to capture the National League pennant.
1985 On the last day of the season, Yankee knuckleballer Phil Niekro becomes the 18th and oldest player in major league history to win his 300th victory when he blanks the Blue Jays, 8-0. The forty-six-year and 188 days old pitcher, who will win 318 games, also surpasses Satchel Paige (46 years, 75 days) to become the most senior pitcher to throw a big-league shutout.
1991 David Cone ties a National League mark for strikeouts as he fans 19 Phillies en route to a 7-0 victory in the season’s finale. The Mets right-hander finishes the campaign with a league-leading 241 strikeouts, making it the second straight season he has led the circuit.
1991 On Fan Appreciation Day at Shea Stadium, Howard Johnson drives in a run with a seventh-inning single to finish the season with a league-leading 117 RBIs. ‘HoJo’ is the first switch-hitter to lead the National League in runs batted in and the first Mets player to accomplish the feat.
1991 After flying out as a pinch-hitter, Red Sox third baseman Wade Boggs completes the season hitting .332, finishing his first ten seasons with a batting average above .300. Al Simmons accomplished the feat in the first 11 seasons of his career with the A’s and the White Sox from 1924-34. and Pirate outfielder Paul Waner, reaching the milestone for a dozen consecutive seasons beginning in 1926, are the only players with longer streaks than the Boston infielder, who has compiled a .345 average during the past decade.
1995 In Game 3 of the ALDS, Bernie Williams becomes the first major leaguer to hit a home run from each side of the plate in a postseason game. The Yankee outfielder’s second round-tripper, an eighth-inning shot batting left-handed off Bill Risley, is tossed back onto the field by a Mariner fan unaware of the historical value of the souvenir.
1997 After taking an early four-run lead in the Jacobs Field contest, the Indians hold on to beat the defending World Champion Yankees, 4-3, in Game 5 of the ALDS. The Tribe will beat Baltimore for the AL flag but will lose their second Fall Classic in three years when the team drops Game 7 in extra innings to Florida.
2000 Reds’ officials announce that Cinergy Field games will play natural grass during their final two seasons in the ballpark. The surface in Cincinnati has been artificial turf since 1970, when the ballpark debuted as Riverfront Stadium.
2000 Chief executive officer John Harrington puts the Red Sox up for trade. Since Jean Yawkey died in 1992, the team belonged to a trust bearing her name.
2001 With their 116th win, the Mariners tie the 1906 Cubs as the winningest team in major league history. Bret Boone’s 37th home run of the season and the shutout pitching of five Seattle pitchers prove to be the difference in the 1-0 historic win over the Rangers.
2001 At Camden Yards, in front of a full house that includes Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Earl Weaver, Commissioner Bud Selig, and former President Bill Clinton, Cal Ripken plays his 3,001st and final game. After a hitless night, the 41-year-old Cal watches the last out of the team’s 5-1 loss to the Red Sox from the on-deck circle.
2001 With his 151st pinch hit, Lenny Harris breaks the major league mark for career pinch hits established by Manny Mota. Coming off the Met bench to bat for Rey Ordonez, he lines a 1-2 pitch off Expo starter Carl Pavano for a single to become the career leader in pinch hits.
2001 Tony Gwynn, who played his entire 20-year career with San Diego, collects his 3,141st and final hit, playing in his 2,439th game with the franchise.’ Mr. Padre’s last knock is a pinch-hit run-scoring double off Rockies’ southpaw Gabe White in the bottom of the sixth inning in the team’s 10-4 victory at Qualcomm Stadium.
2003 Defeating the A’s, 5-4, the Red Sox become the seventh team to win the last three games of a best-of-five playoff series. Other clubs to overcome a 0-2 deficit include the 1981 Dodgers (Astros-NLDS), 1982 Brewers (Angels-ALCS), 1984 Padres (Cubs-NLCS), 1995 Mariners (Yankees-ALDS), 1999 Red Sox (Indians-ALDS), and the 2001 Yankees (A ‘s-ALDS).
2005 Reds’ outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. (.301, 35, 92) and Yankee first baseman/DH Jason Giambi (.271, 32, 87) are voted the Comeback Players of the Year in their respective leagues. The fans select the award winners for the first time by voting on MLB.com.
2006 After failing to advance past the first round of the American League playoffs in their previous five postseason appearances, the A’s beat the much-favored Twins, 8-3, to complete a three-game ALDS sweep. The victory, the team’s tenth opportunity to win a clinching game, puts Oakland in the ALCS for the first time since 1992.
2007 In Game 2 of the ALDS at Jacobs Field, the Indians score the tying run on a wild pitch thrown by a bug-covered Joba Chamberlain. A rare infestation of insects (midges), which appeared en masse in the eighth inning, impacts the usually reliable rookie Yankees reliever, who suffers his first blown save of the season.
2007 At Wrigley Field, the Diamondbacks beat the Cubs, 5-1, to complete the three-game sweep of their National League division series. The loss for Chicago means the franchise has played for the last 99 years in the Windy City without winning a World Series championship.
2007 With their 17th win in 18 games, the Rockies beat the Phillies at Coors Field, 2-1, completing an NLDS three-game sweep of Philadelphia to advance to their first-ever National League Championship Series. The wild-card team will have to beat the Diamondbacks, their Western division foe, to win the pennant and earn a trip to the World Series.
2009 Joe Mauer wins his third batting title, becoming the first player to accomplish the feat in consecutive seasons since Nomar Garciaparra led the league in 1999-2000. The Twins catcher’s .365 mark establishes a major league record for the highest batting average by a backstop.
2009 With one out in the bottom of the 12th inning in the AL Central tiebreaker, the Twins beat the Tigers, 6-5, when Alexi Casilla’s single plates Carlos Gomez from second base with the winning run. The Metrodome victory finishes a remarkable comeback by Minnesota, going 17-4 in the final month to close a seven-game deficit, and completes a colossal collapse for the Tigers, becoming the first big-league team to surrender a three-game lead with only four contests to play.
2010 Rays’ hurler David Price is this year’s recipient of the Oklahoma Sports Museum’s Warren Spahn Award, given annually to the best left-handed pitcher in the big leagues. The honor, named after the winningest southpaw in the game’s history, is awarded based on a point system that evaluates performance based on their wins, strikeouts, and earned run average.
2010 The Cardinals exercised their $16 million option for next season with first baseman Albert Pujols. The 30-year-old superstar, a three-time NL MVP, led the circuit with 42 home runs and 118 RBIs.
2010 At Citizens Bank Park, Phillies right-hander Roy Halladay throws the second no-hitter in postseason history when he beats the Reds, 4-0, in Game 1 of the NLDS. Don Larsen became the first hurler to accomplish the feat by throwing a perfect game in the Yankees’ victory over Brooklyn in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series.
2011 Robin Ventura, seen by many as a surprise choice, is hired by general manager Ken Williams as the White Sox’s new manager. The former All-Star infielder, who played ten seasons in Chicago after being selected as the team’s first-round pick in 1988, replaces a vocal and often-controversial Ozzie Guillen, who left the Windy City to be the Marlins’ new skipper.
2012 With a year remaining on his contract, Jim Tracy resigns as the Rockies manager, a position he has held since his promotion in May of 2009 from the club’s bench coach. During his four-year tenure with Colorado, the former NL Manager of the Year compiled a 294-308 record, including a 64-98 finish last season, setting a franchise mark for losses.
2012 The Orioles eliminate the two-time AL champion Rangers, 5-1, in the American League’s first win-or-go-home wild-card playoff game. The victory sends the surprising Baltimore team into the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, a best-of-five division series against New York.
2012 The Indians name former Boston skipper Terry Francona, rather than Sandy Alomar Jr., who replaced Manny Acta as the interim field boss with six games remaining to be played on the schedule, to be their 42nd manager in franchise history. The 53-year-old’s father, Tito, played with the Tribe from 1959 to 1964.
2020 In Game 2 of the ALDS, the Rays’ pitching staff combine to fan 18 batters, becoming the first team to accomplish the feat in a nine-inning postseason game. Tampa Bay’s accomplishment in their 7-5 victory over the Yankees at Petco Park surpasses the mark shared by five teams with 17 strikeouts.
WORLD SERIES HISTORY
1908 WORLD SERIES
Chicago Cubs (4) vs Detroit Tigers (1)
The fourth official World Series marked the third consecutive postseason championship appearance of the Chicago Cubs. After losing to their cross town rivals, the White Sox in 1906, the reigning National League champs made amends by sweeping Detroit in the 1907 Series. The Tigers had learned a hard lesson and were also determined to make a repeat appearance. They met their goal by winning the American League pennant on the last day of the regular season. The press played up the rematch on both sides as Chicago papers were filled with words like “repeat” while the Detroit papers used “revenge”.
Game 1 recalled memories of the previous year’s opener as the Tigers held a surprise lead going into the ninth inning. Once again, the Tigers watched their advantage fade away, although this year the game would not be called at a tie. Detroit pitcher, Ed Simmons continued to look strong going into the ninth as he retired Johnny Evers to open the inning. The twenty-four game winner was two outs away from Series leading victory, when suddenly everything folded. In what must have seemed like a recurring bad dream, Simmons yielded six consecutive hits resulting in five runs. Chicago snatched the lead and never looked back en route to a 10-6 triumph, using Orval Overall and Mordecai Brown in relief roles behind Ed Reulbach.
Chicago’s Orval Overall was given the start for Game 2, having only served in a relief role in the Series opener and was paired up against the Tiger’s ace Bill Donovan. Both pitchers went head-to-head for four innings straight with neither allowing a single hit in a 0-0 standoff. Three innings later, the Tigers had managed three hits and the Cubs had one. The game remained scoreless going into the eighth inning with both teams waiting for the other to blink. Donovan blinked first and ran into trouble in the bottom of the inning. Joe Tinker started the rally with a two run homer to right field and before the inning was over, the Cubs had four more hits and four more runs. Ty Cobb tried to generate some momentum with a run-scoring single in the ninth, but once again, Chicago prevailed, winning 6-1. The Cubs were on a roll and won their sixth consecutive Series game against the Tigers.
Detroit was finally able to break Chicago’s post-season winning streak in Game 3 with a stellar performance on the mound by George Mullin. The Tigers’ ace dominated the Cubs line-up allowing only seven hits in an 8-3 victory. The win appeared to breathe some life back into the perennial losers, but their renewed fervor didn’t last long. In Game 4, they recorded a miserable four-hit effort in a 3-0 loss against Brown and they would never recover. Overall, who had performed so magnificently Game 2, was even better in Game 5. The twenty-seven year-old right hander allowed only three hits and struck out ten batters in the 2-0 triumph and back-to-back Series winner. The Tigers’ embarrassment was dulled by the lack of witnesses in the stands as only 6,210 fans witnessed the finale in Detroit, the smallest crowd in Series history.
The Cubs became the first team to record three consecutive World Series appearances and two consecutive World Series victories with both championship wins coming off the heels of a record one-hundred sixteen victory season of 1906. In 1908, Chicago’s West Side franchise was more than just a winning baseball team, they had just become sports first official “dynasty”.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
October 6, 1983 – The New York Jets franchise announced to the media that they would be leaving the confines of Shea Stadium to play future home games at the Meadowlands, sharing the stadium with their NFC counterparts the New York Football Giants.
October 6, 1996 – Nick Lowery of the New York Jets ties legendary kicker Jon Stenerud with 373 career NFL field goals. Lowery booted two FG’s and an extra point in a loss to the Oakland Raiders 34-13.
SEC battle
October 6, 2012 – The 6th ranked University of South Carolina upsets the 5th ranked University of Georgia 35-7. The battle was much anticipated in the SEC Eastern Division as both teams were favorites to be in the end. The results of the SEC East were somewhat surprising after this game as Georgia won the division with a 7-1 record, just ahead of a 7-1 Florida. South Carolina meanwhile suffered lossed to Florida and at number 9 LSU to post a conference record of 6-2.
The Story of the Houston Texans
October 6, 1999 – The NFL awarded the Houston Texans franchise a spot as the 32nd team in the League. Businessman Bob McNair and his Houston contingent went on a wild ride filled with patience, persistence and a little bit of luck. McNair and others in June of 1997 tried to obtain an NHL franchise for Houston but that failed. A couple of weeks later the Texas city learned that their beloved NFL team, the Oilers were leaving for Tennessee, this started Bob McNair and his partners to change gears and petition for a new NFL franchise. In 1998 Cleveland was awarded the 31st franchise by the League offices in New York and everyone knew that the NFL desired to have an even number of teams for scheduling balance. McNair and his group pushed hard to get the franchise rights but found a disappointing result when the League approved Los Angeles with the 32nd team. All hope was not lost though as the LA award had a contingent clause that stated a suitable ownership group and stadium by the deadline of September 15, 1998. This deadline was not met and in the spring of 1999, NFL owners voted that McNair and Houston were the next city up and on October 6, 1999 the NFL officially announced the Texans as their newest expansion team!
George Pfann
October 6, 1902 – George Pfann was a former legendary quarterback from Cornell University. How many college quarterbacks in college history can claim that they were never beaten and never tied? According to the National Football Foundation’s website, not many, but George Pfann did achieve this feat. Pfann, along with Big Red backfield mate Hall of Famer Eddie Kaw, helped Cornell dispatch every opposing team they faced in 1921 through the 1923 seasons. The Cornell teams of this period outscored opponents by a whopping margin of 1051-81! The box scores of these games showed finals such as 110-0, 55-0, 59-0 and even more lopsided contests. During the 1923 season George scored 15 touchdowns in just 8 games! After graduation from Cornell, Pfann became a Rhodes Scholar after completing more studies at Oxford University in England and then returned to the States to coach a bit at Cornell and Swarthmore College. He also served as a U.S. Attorney in New York State and during World War II was on the staff of General George S. Patton as a lieutenant colonel! The National Football Foundation enshrined him into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1957.
Bob Fenimore and Les Richter
October 6, 1925 – Bob Fenimore played halfback for the Oklahoma State University football team during the seasons of 1943 through 1946 . He was known as the original “Blonde Bomber” (slide over Terry Bradshaw, LOL) due to his triple threat abilities on display. The website footballfoundation.org informs us that Homer Cooke of the National Collegiate Athletic Bureau labeled Fenimore as “the greatest one-man offense in college football history.” In 1943, as a freshman, Bob led his Oklahoma A&M team in passing, rushing and scoring! The next season in 1944 Fennimore led the nation in total offense, accounting for a stellar average 195 yards of total offense per game! The trend continued in the 1945 season and Bob was at the top of the nation in both rushing and total offense and he was recognized with All-American honors in both 1944 and 1945 for his performance. Unfortunately his senior season only saw him take the field in five games, due to injury, but when he was finally done he had set records for the college game in career total offense. The National Football Foundation voted Bob into their College Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
October 6, 1930 – Les Richter was a linebacker from the University of California that eventually played in the NFL for the LA Rams. It was a crazy path for Richter to get to the Rams. He was actually picked in the 1952 NFL draft by the New York Yanks franchise but a couple days after the draft the Yanks franchise folded! Profootballhof.com explains that Les’s NFL rights were then transferred to the new expansion team, the Dallas Texans. The Rams ended up trading 11 players to the Texans to get the rights of Richter a short time later. The Rams waited patiently for a couple seasons for Les to complete a military obligation and then the coveted player gave the franchise 9 exciting seasons where he made 8 straight Pro Bowls and was voted as an All-Pro on 6 of them! Besides playing linebacker , Richter also spent some time as a kicker and playing center for the Rams when needed. The Pro Football Hall of Fame selected Les Richter to be a part of their 2011 enshrinement class.
Tony Dungy
October 6, 1955-Tony Dungy played football as a Minnesota Golden Gopher. He was a good athlete and so much so that he made it onto the roster of the 1977 & 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers, during their dynasty run as a defensive back and then played a third season as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. His play was not where his NFL greatness shined through but after his playing career was over he took the lessons he learned from coaching greats such as Chuck Noll , Bill Walsh and Dennis Green to move into a defensive coordinator position with his alma mater the University of Minnesota. In 1981 he returned with the Steelers where he worked his way up to eventually be the defensive coordinator. He then moved on to be an assistant with Kansas City before taking over the defense of the Minnesota Vikings. In 1996 Tony received his big break as he became the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach. Dungy spent 6 years in that role, taking the Bucs to the playoffs in four of them. In 2002 he was relieved of his duties with the organization. After only 8 days of being unemployed, the Indianapolis Colts came calling to hire Tony as their head man and what great timing that was for all involved. Dungy and the Colts in 2006 defeated New England in the AFC Championship 38-34 and then snatched victory in Super Bowl XLI over the Chicago Bears to become the first African American Head Coach to lead an NFL team to the Title! He was voted as the NFL’s Coach of the year in 2005 and made the all decade team as the coach for the 2000’s. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Tony Dungy in 2016.
Napoleons Runs are Dynamite
October 6, 1963 – Napoleon McCallum was a former running back of the Navy Midshipmen. Napoleon was dynamite in his running style as he led the nation in all purpose yards in both 1983 and 1985 per the National Football Foundation. McCallum was a two time consensus All-American and made the fans of Navy proud. The prolific runner was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002. Due to his Naval commitments he put his professional career on hold for a bit, but he did eventually play for the NFL’s LA Raiders for five seasons.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
32 – 22 – 5 – 35 – 8 – 3
October 6, 1911 – Boston Rustlers’ future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young’s MLB farewell appearance is a letdown; loses 13-3 to Brooklyn Dodgers in his 906th game
October 6, 1919 – Chicago White Sox catcher Ray Schalk is the 2nd man ejected from a Baseball World Series in Game 5 vs Cincinnati Reds; angered when pitchers Eddie Cicotte & Lefty Williams refuse to follow his signals during 5-0 loss
October 6, 1920 – The1st brothers oppose each other in World Series, Cleveland’s Wheeler Johnston pinch-hits as brother Jimmy Johnston played 3rd base for Brooklyn
October 6, 1923 – The 1st NL unassisted triple play occurred when Ernie Padgett did it with the Boston Braves against the Philadelphia Phillies
October 6, 1926 – Babe Ruth becomes first MLB player to hit 3 home runs in a World Series game as NY Yankees beat St. Louis Cardinals, 10-5 in Game 4 at Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis
October 6, 1945 – The start of the Billy Goat Curse.Tavern owner Billy Goat Sianis bought a ticket for a seat for his goat for Game 4 of Baseball World Series, is escorted out and casts goat curse on Chicago Cubs. The Cubs did not appear in another World Series until they won the title in 2016. So I guess Mr. Sianis and his pet got their almost 70 years of revenge on the Chicago NL club.
October 6, 1963 – Baseball World Series: LA Dodgers edge NY Yankees, 2-1 at Dodger Stadium for 4-0 series sweep. The Series MVP was Dodgers pitcher Number 32, Sandy Koufax
October 6, 1966 – Baltimore Orioles pitcher Number 22, Jim Palmer at 20 years old, became the youngest to record a World Series shutout as Baltimore beats LA Dodgers, 6-0 in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium
October 6, 1978 – KC Royals’ Number 5, George Brett hits 3 HRs, Yanks win championship game 3, 6-5
October 6, 1983 – New York Islander’s Number 22, Mike Bossy’s 25th career hat trick
October 6, 1985 – New York Yankees knuckleballer Number 35, Phil Niekro becomes 18th pitcher to win 300 games; at 46 becomes oldest to pitch a shut-out, beating Toronto 8-0
October 6, 1991 – NY Met Number 44, David Cone tied a NL record by striking out 19 Phillies
October 6, 1996 – NY Jet Number 8, Nick Lowery tied Jan Stenerud who famously wore Number 3 for much of his NFL career, with 373 NFL field goals
| TV FRIDAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Kansas State at Oklahoma State | 7:30pm | ESPN |
| Nebraska at Illnois | 8:00pm | FS1 |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| DP World: Alfred Dunhill Links | 7:00am | GOLF |
| PGA Junior League Championship | 2:00pm | ESPN2 |
| PGA: Sanderson Farms | 4:00pm | GOLF |
| LPGA: The Ascendant | 7:30pm | GOLF |
| NHL PRESEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Pittsburgh vs Buffalo | 7:00pm | NHLN |
| Calgary vs Vancouver | 10:00pm | NHLN |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| Serie A: Empoli vs Udinese | 12:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Bundesliga: Borussia M’gladbach vs Mainz 05 | 2:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Serie A: Lecce vs Sassuolo | 2:45pm | Paramount+ |
| La Liga: Athletic Club vs Almería | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Strasbourg vs Nantes | 3:00pm | beIN Sports |
| Primera División: Rosario Central vs Huracán | 7:30pm | Paramonut+ |
| NWSL: Racing Louisville FC vs Orlando Pride | 7:30pm | Paramonut+ |
| NWSL: OL Reign vs Washington Spirit | 8:00pm | Paramonut+ |
| TV SATURDAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Texas State at Louisiana | 3:30/4pm | ESPN2/U |
| USF at UAB | 3:30/4pm | ESPN2/U |
| Boston College at Army | 12:00pm | CBSSN |
| LSU at Missouri | 12:00pm | ESPN |
| Maryland at Ohio State | 12:00pm | FOX |
| Rutgers at Wisconsin | 12:00pm | Peacock |
| Western Michigan at Mississippi State | 12:00pm | SECN |
| William & Mary at Virginia | 12:00pm | ACCN |
| Oklahoma vs Texas | 12:00pm | ABC |
| Toledo at UMass | 12:00pm | ESPNU |
| Marshall at NC State | 2:00pm | CW |
| UTSA at Temple | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Central Michigan at Buffalo | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Howard at Northwestern | 3:00pm | BTN |
| Washington State at UCLA | 3:00pm | PAC12N |
| Kent State at Ohio | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| North Texas at Navy | 3:30pm | CBSSN |
| NIU at Akron | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Ball State at Eastern Michigan | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Bowling Green at Miami (OH) | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Virginia Tech at Florida State | 3:30pm | ABC/ESPN |
| Wake Forest at Clemson | 3:30pm | ACCN |
| Syracuse at North Carolina | 3:30pm | ABC/ESPN |
| Purdue at Iowa | 3:30pm | Peacock |
| Alabama at Texas A&M | 3:30pm | CBS |
| UCF at Kansas | 4:00pm | FOX |
| Arkansas State at Troy | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Vanderbilt at Florida | 4:00pm | SECN |
| UConn at Rice | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Tulsa at Florida Atlantic | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Colorado at Arizona State | 6:30pm | PAC12N |
| Kentucky at Georgia | 7:00pm | ESPN |
| Old Dominion at Southern Miss | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| South Alabama at ULM | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Arkansas at Ole Miss | 7:30pm | SECN |
| Michigan at Minnesota | 7:30pm | NBC |
| Notre Dame at Louisville | 7:30pm | ABC |
| Texas Tech at Baylor | 8:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Fresno State at Wyoming | 8:00pm | FOX/FS2 |
| Colorado State at Utah State | 8:00pm | MWN |
| San Jose State at Boise State | 8:00pm | CBSSN |
| TCU at Iowa State | 8:00pm | FOX/FS2 |
| Georgia Tech at Miami (FL) | 8:00pm | ACCN |
| Oregon State at California | 10:00pm | P12N |
| Arizona at USC | 10:30pm | ESPN |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| DP World: Alfred Dunhill Links | 7:00am | GOLF |
| PGA Junior League Championship | 11:00am | ESPNews |
| PGA: Sanderson Farms | 4:00pm | GOLF |
| LPGA: The Ascendant | 7:30pm | GOLF |
| LPGA : NW Arkansas Championship | 2:00pm | GOLF |
| MLB PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| ALDS Game 1: Texas at Baltimore | – | FOX/FS1 |
| ALDS Game 1: Minnesota at Houston | – | FOX/FS1 |
| NLDS Game 1: Philadelphia at Atlanta | – | TBS |
| NLDS Game 1: Arizona at LA Dodgers | – | TBS |
| MOTORSPORTS | TIME ET | TV |
| Qatar Grand Prix Sprint Shootout | 8:55pm | ESPN2 |
| Xfinity: Drive for the Cure 250 | 3:00pm | NBC |
| NBA PRESEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Dallas vs Minnesota | 12:00pm | NBATV |
| LA Lakers vs. Golden State | 8:30pm | NBATV |
| NHL PRESEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Vegas vs Los Angeles | 4:00pm | NHLN |
| Toronto vs Detroit | 7:00pm | NHLN |
| Chicago vs St. Louis | 8:00pm | NHLN |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| EPL: Luton Town vs Tottenham Hotspur | 7:30am | USA |
| La Liga: Mallorca vs Valencia | 8:00am | ESPN+ |
| Serie A: Internazionale vs Bologna | 9:00am | Paramount+ |
| Bundesliga: Stuttgart vs Wolfsburg | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Augsburg vs Darmstadt 98 | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: RB Leipzig vs Bochum | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund vs Union Berlin | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| EPL: Manchester United vs Brentford | 10:00am | USA |
| EPL: Burnley vs Chelsea | 10:00am | Peacock |
| EPL: Everton vs AFC Bournemouth | 10:00am | Peacock |
| EPL: Fulham vs Sheffield United | 10:00am | Peacock |
| La Liga: Mallorca vs Valencia | 10:15am | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Metz vs Nice | 11:00am | beIN Sports |
| Serie A: Juventus vs Torino | 12:00pm | Paramount+ |
| EPL: Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest | 12:30pm | NBC |
| La Liga: Mallorca vs Valencia | 12:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Werder Bremen vs Hoffenheim | 12:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Serie A: Genoa vs Milan | 2:45pm | Paramount+ |
| La Liga: Sevilla vs Rayo Vallecano | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Reims vs Monaco | 3:00pm | beIN Sports |
| Brasileirão: Goiás vs Bahia | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Primera División: San Lorenzo vs Newell’s Old Boys | 3:30pm | Paramount+ |
| NWSL: Portland Thorns vs NJ/NY Gotham FC | 5:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Brasileirão: Vasco da Gama vs São Paulo | 5:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Primera División: Estudiantes vs Godoy Cruz | 6:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Primera División: Lanús vs Defensa y Justicia | 6:00pm | Paramount+ |
| NWSL: North Carolina Courage vs San Diego Wave | 7:00pm | Paramount+ |
| MLS: Orlando City SC vs New England | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: New York RB vs Toronto FC | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: CF Montréal vs Portland Timbers | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Philadelphia Union vs Nashville SC | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS:Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: DC United vs New York City | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Inter Miami vs Cincinnati | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| NWSL: Kansas City Current vs Chicago Red Stars | 8:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Brasileirão: Corinthians vs Flamengo | 8:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Primera División: Central Córdoba SdE vs Tigre | 8:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Primera División: Argentinos Juniors vs Independiente | 8:30pm | Paramount+ |
| MLS: Minnesota United vs LA Galaxy | 8:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Houston Dynamo vs Colorado Rapids | 8:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Dallas vs SJ Earthquakes | 8:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Chicago Fire vs Charlotte | 8:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Austin vs Los Angeles FC | 8:30pm | MLS Pass |
| Liga MX: Guadalajara vs Atlas | 9:05pm | Telemundo |
| MLS: Real Salt Lake vs Sporting KC | 9:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Seattle Sounders FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps | 10:30pm | MLS Pass |