“THE SCOREBOARD”
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SECTIONAL SCHEDULE
SECTIONAL 1
PORTAGE (0-9) AT LAKE CENTRAL (4-5)
LAFAYETTE JEFF (5-4) AT CROWN POINT (9-0)
SECTIONAL 2
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (7-2) AT WARSAW (8-1)
ELKHART (3-6) AT PENN (8-1)
SECTIONAL 3
FISHERS (6-3) AT HOMESTEAD (5-4)
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (7-2) AT FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (1-8)
SECTIONAL 4
WESTFIELD (8-1) AT CARMEL (5-4)
NOBLESVILLE (3-6) AT ZIONSVILLE (3-6)
SECTIONAL 5
BROWNSBURG (9-0) AT BEN DAVIS (8-1)
AVON (2-7) AT PIKE (2-7)
SECTIONAL 6
NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (0-9) AT INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (6-3)
LAWRENCE CENTRAL (4-5) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (6-3)
SECTIONAL 7
PERRY MERIDIAN (2-7) AT WARREN CENTRAL (3-6)
SOUTHPORT (1-8) AT INDIANAPOLIS TECH (0-9)
SECTIONAL 8
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (4-5) AT CENTER GROVE (8-1)
JEFFERSONVILLE (0-9) AT COLUMBUS NORTH (4-5)
SECTIONAL 9
MUNSTER (3-6) AT MERRILLVILLE (7-2)
HAMMOND MORTON (4-4) AT HAMMOND CENTRAL (5-4)
SECTIONAL 10
MICHIGAN CITY (5-4) AT LAPORTE (2-7)
VALPARAISO (7-2) AT CHESTERTON (2-7)
SECTIONAL 11
MISHAWAKA (7-2) AT GOSHEN (1-8)
CONCORD (5-4) AT SOUTH BEND ADAMS (1-8)
SECTIONAL 12
ANDERSON (2-7) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (8-1)
SECTIONAL 13
PLAINFIELD (6-3) AT HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (8-1)
DECATUR CENTRAL (7-2) AT MCCUTCHEON (6-3)
SECTIONAL 14
WHITELAND (5-4) AT TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-9)
FRANKLIN (5-4) AT TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (4-5)
SECTIONAL 15
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (8-1) AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH (9-0)
SEYMOUR (5-4) AT COLUMBUS EAST (3-6)
SECTIONAL 16
EVANSVILLE NORTH (6-3) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (8-1)
CASTLE (6-3) AT NEW ALBANY (2-7)
SECTIONAL 17
NEW PRAIRIE (8-2) AT KANKAKEE VALLEY (5-5)
HIGHLAND (4-6) AT CULVER ACADEMY (4-6)
SECTIONAL 18
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (3-7) AT NORTHWOOD (8-2)
WAWASEE (2-8) AT NORTHRIDGE (8-2)
SECTIONAL 19
FORT WAYNE DWENGER (5-5) AT DEKALB (6-4)
EAST NOBLE (8-2) AT LEO (8-2)
SECTIONAL 20
MISSISSINEWA (10-0) AT COLUMBIA CITY (6-4)
MARION (3-7) AT KOKOMO (8-2)
SECTIONAL 21
LEBANON (5-5) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (5-4)
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (4-6) AT MOORESVILLE (5-5)
SECTIONAL 22
GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (9-1) AT NEW PALESTINE (8-2)
BEECH GROVE (5-5) AT MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (6-4)
SECTIONAL 23
JENNINGS COUNTY (5-5) AT GREENWOOD (5-5)
EAST CENTRAL (10-0) AT MARTINSVILLE (7-3)
SECTIONAL 24
EVANSVILLE REITZ (10-0) AT BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (7-3)
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (7-3) AT JASPER (7-3)
SECTIONAL 25
BOONE GROVE (8-2) AT HANOVER CENTRAL (10-0)
WEST LAFAYETTE (7-3) AT RENSSELAER CENTRAL (6-4)
SECTIONAL 26
FAIRFIELD (6-4) AT JOHN GLENN (6-4)
WEST NOBLE (10-0) AT KNOX (10-0)
SECTIONAL 27
YORKTOWN (5-5) AT DELTA (6-4)
GARRETT (5-5) AT HERITAGE (9-1)
SECTIONAL 28
INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (10-0) AT GUERIN CATHOLIC (8-2)
MACONAQUAH (7-3) AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS (10-0)
SECTIONAL 29
TRI-WEST (9-1) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (6-4)
MONROVIA (8-2) AT SPEEDWAY (3-7)
SECTIONAL 30
PIKE CENTRAL (2-8) AT VINCENNES LINCOLN (7-3)
GIBSON SOUTHERN (8-2) AT WASHINGTON (3-7)
SECTIONAL 31
LAWRENCEBURG (8-2) AT BATESVILLE (9-1)
INDIAN CREEK (7-3) AT FRANKLIN COUNTY (4-6)
SECTIONAL 32
SCOTTSBURG (6-4) AT SALEM (3-7)
HERITAGE HILLS (9-1) AT SOUTHRIDGE (7-3)
SECTIONAL 33
WHEELER (6-3) AT BREMEN (5-5)
LAVILLE (9-1) AT WHITING (4-6)
SECTIONAL 34
ROCHESTER (7-2) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (7-3)
SEEGER (7-3) AT LEWIS CASS (6-4)
SECTIONAL 35
EASTSIDE (7-3) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (7-3)
CENTRAL NOBLE (4-6) AT MANCHESTER (4-6)
SECTIONAL 36
TIPTON (2-8) AT EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (8-2)
EASTBROOK (7-3) AT BLUFFTON (8-2)
SECTIONAL 37
GREENCASTLE (8-2) AT LINTON-STOCKTON (9-1)
CASCADE (6-4) AT SOUTHMONT (5-5)
SECTIONAL 38
EASTERN HANCOCK (6-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (4-6)
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (7-3) AT WINCHESTER (7-2)
SECTIONAL 39
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (9-1) AT TRITON CENTRAL (9-1)
SWITZERLAND COUNTY (6-4) AT EASTERN (PEKIN) (4-6)
SECTIONAL 40
NORTH POSEY (9-1) AT EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (3-7)
FOREST PARK (6-4) AT PAOLI (9-1)
SECTIONAL 41
SOUTH NEWTON (4-6) AT NORTH JUDSON (6-4)
TRITON (7-3) AT CULVER (1-9)
SECTIONAL 42
CLINTON CENTRAL (1-7) AT PARK TUDOR (10-0)
CLINTON PRAIRIE (6-4) AT NORTH VERMILLION (7-3)
SECTIONAL 43
CASTON (2-8) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (10-0)
WEST CENTRAL (8-2) AT TRI-CENTRAL (4-6)
SECTIONAL 44
MADISON-GRANT (7-3) AT NORTH MIAMI (2-8)
ADAMS CENTRAL (10-0) AT SOUTHWOOD (5-5)
SECTIONAL 45
WES-DEL (4-5) AT MONROE CENTRAL (5-5)
INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (4-5) AT SHERIDAN (7-3)
SECTIONAL 46
EDINBURGH (1-8) AT NORTH DECATUR (7-3)
TRI (7-3) AT MILAN (7-3)
SECTIONAL 47
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (8-0) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (9-1)
COVENANT CHRISTIAN (6-3) AT RIVERTON PARKE (5-5)
SECTIONAL 48
WEST WASHINGTON (5-4) AT SPRINGS VALLEY (9-1)
PROVIDENCE (10-0) AT NORTH DAVIESS (5-5)
BRACKETS: 6A Bracket | 5A Bracket | 4A Bracket | 3A Bracket | 2A Bracket | 1A Bracket
INDIANA BOYS AND GIRLS STATE SOCCER FINALS
FRIDAY, OCT. 27
6 PM ET | CLASS 2A GIRLS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
LEO (15-2-3) VS. GUERIN CATHOLIC (15-4-1)
8:30 PM ET | CLASS 1A GIRLS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY (12-8) VS. PARK TUDOR (15-4-1)
SATURDAY, OCT. 28
11 AM ET | CLASS 1A BOYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BETHANY CHRISTIAN (15-4-2) VS. FOREST PARK (15-7)
1:30 PM ET | CLASS 2A BOYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
MISHAWAKA MARIAN (19-2) VS. EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (13-7-1)
4 PM ET | CLASS 3A BOYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
NOBLESVILLE (17-0-5) VS. INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (17-4-2)
6:30 PM ET | CLASS 3A GIRLS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
NOBLESVILLE (16-1-3) VS. BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (18-2-1)
INDIANA VOLLEYBALL SEMI-STATE MATCH-UPS
NORTH
1. HUNTINGTON NORTH
CLASS 1A | FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN (28-8) VS. SOUTHWOOD (30-4) | 1 PM ET
CLASS 3A | NORTHWOOD (32-4) VS. BELLMONT (33-2) | APPROX. 2:30 PM ET
2. FRANKFORT
CLASS 2A | PIONEER (24-13) VS. MUNCIE BURRIS (29-4) | 4 PM ET
CLASS 4A | LAPORTE (32-4) VS. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (31-0) | APPROX. 5:30 PM ET / 4:30 CT
SOUTH
3. COLUMBUS EAST
CLASS 2A | INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (25-11) VS. BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (24-13) | 1 PM ET
CLASS 3A | TRI-WEST HENDRICKS (25-9) VS. PROVIDENCE (29-5) | APPROX. 2:30 PM ET
4. JASPER
CLASS 1A | GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (24-13) VS. TECUMSEH (31-4) | 4 PM ET
CLASS 4A | RONCALLI (30-3) VS. CASTLE (33-3) | APPROX. 5:30 PM ET
INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY STATE FINALS-SATURDAY
SITE: LAVERN GIBSON CHAMPIONSHIP CROSS COUNTRY COURSE, WABASH VALLEY SPORTS CENTER, 599 S. TABORTOWN ROAD, TERRE HAUTE, IN 47803.
TIMES: BOYS AT 12 PM ET FOLLOWED BY THEIR AWARDS CEREMONY; GIRLS AT 2:30 PM ET FOLLOWED BY THEIR AWARDS CEREMONY.
GATES OPEN: 9:30 AM ET / 8:30 AM CT
INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY: HTTPS://IN.MILESPLIT.COM/
COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
WEEK 9
TUESDAY, OCT. 24
NEW MEXICO STATE AT LOUISIANA TECH | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
LIBERTY AT WESTERN KENTUCKY | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 25
JACKSONVILLE STATE AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
UTEP AT SAM HOUSTON | 8 P.M. | ESPN2
THURSDAY, OCT. 26
SYRACUSE AT VIRGINIA TECH | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
GEORGIA STATE AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN2
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
FRIDAY, OCT. 27
BROWN AT PENN | 7 P.M. | ESPNU
FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT CHARLOTTE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN2
SATURDAY, OCT. 28
OKLAHOMA AT KANSAS | 12 P.M. | FOX
INDIANA AT PENN STATE | 12 P.M. | CBS
UMASS AT ARMY | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
UCONN AT BOSTON COLLEGE | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
MARYLAND AT NORTHWESTERN | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SOUTH CAROLINA AT TEXAS A&M | 12 P.M. | ESPN
HOUSTON AT KANSAS STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN2
WEST VIRGINIA AT UCF | 12 P.M. | FS1
TULSA AT SMU | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
HOWARD AT DELAWARE STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
DUQUESNE AT SACRED HEART | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE TECH AT ROBERT MORRIS | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
COLUMBIA AT YALE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
LAFAYETTE AT GEORGETOWN | 12:30 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT EASTERN MICHIGAN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
BUCKNELL AT COLGATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
HOLY CROSS AT FORDHAM | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
UNI AT ILLINOIS STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
PRINCETON AT CORNELL | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
STETSON AT DRAKE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
UT MARTIN AT GARDNER-WEBB | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
CHATTANOOGA AT VMI | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MORGAN STATE AT NORFOLK STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
INDIANA STATE AT NORTH DAKOTA | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
MISSOURI STATE AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
EAST TENNESSEE STATE AT FURMAN | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
MERCER AT WESTERN CAROLINA | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN+
JACKSON STATE AT ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT SOUTHERN UTAH | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN COLORADO AT MONTANA | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE AT HOUSTON CHRISTIAN | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
LINDENWOOD AT TENNESSEE STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE AT NICHOLLS | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
LINCOLN (CA) AT KENNESAW STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
THE CITADEL AT SAMFORD | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
MEMPHIS AT NORTH TEXAS | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA VS. FLORIDA (IN JACKSONVILLE, FLA.) | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
BYU AT TEXAS | 3:30 P.M.
OREGON AT UTAH | 3:30 P.M. | FOX
PITT AT NOTRE DAME | 3:30 P.M. | NBC
MISSISSIPPI STATE AT AUBURN | 3:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
MICHIGAN STATE AT MINNESOTA | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
PURDUE AT NEBRASKA | 3:30 P.M. | FS1
IOWA STATE AT BAYLOR | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
EAST CAROLINA AT UTSA | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN MISS AT APPALACHIAN STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MIAMI (OHIO) AT OHIO | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
ALABAMA A&M VS. ALABAMA STATE (IN BIRMINGHAM, ALA.) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MURRAY STATE AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
USC AT CAL | 4 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
TULANE AT RICE | 4 P.M. | ESPN2
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT FLORIDA A&M | 4 P.M. | ESPNU
NORTH ALABAMA AT AUSTIN PEAY | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN WASHINGTON AT PORTLAND STATE | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
MONTANA STATE AT IDAHO | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
UC DAVIS AT NORTHERN ARIZONA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
DARTMOUTH AT HARVARD | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
UIW AT LAMAR | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
BRYANT AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT WESTERN ILLINOIS | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS STATE AT UL MONROE | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
LOUISIANA AT SOUTH ALABAMA | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
TARLETON STATE AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
MOREHEAD STATE AT SAN DIEGO | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
WYOMING AT BOISE STATE | 5:30 P.M. | FS2
MARSHALL AT COASTAL CAROLINA | 6 P.M. | NFL NETWORK
WASHINGTON AT STANFORD | 7 P.M. | FS1
TENNESSEE AT KENTUCKY | 7 P.M. | ESPN
AIR FORCE AT COLORADO STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
TROY AT TEXAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
OHIO STATE AT WISCONSIN | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
VANDERBILT AT OLE MISS | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
COLORADO AT UCLA | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
WASHINGTON STATE AT ARIZONA STATE | 8 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
CINCINNATI AT OKLAHOMA STATE | 8 P.M. | ESPN2
OLD DOMINION AT JAMES MADISON | 8 P.M. | ESPNU
EASTERN KENTUCKY AT UTAH TECH | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHWESTERN STATE AT MCNEESE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
IDAHO STATE AT SACRAMENTO STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
OREGON STATE AT ARIZONA | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
NEW MEXICO AT NEVADA | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
UNLV AT FRESNO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | FS1
SAN JOSE STATE AT HAWAI’I | 12 A.M. SUNDAY | SPECTRUM SPORTS PPV
FLORIDA STATE AT WAKE FOREST
NORTH CAROLINA AT GEORGIA TECH
DUKE AT LOUISVILLE
CLEMSON AT NC STATE
VIRGINIA AT MIAMI (FLA.)
AP COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL
| Rank | School | Votes | Prev |
| 1 | Georgia (7-0) | 1536 (38) | 1 |
| 2 | Michigan (8-0) | 1504 (19) | 2 |
| 3 | Ohio State (7-0) | 1454 (3) | 3 |
| 4 | Florida State (7-0) | 1408 (3) | 4 |
| 5 | Washington (7-0) | 1325 | 5 |
| 6 | Oklahoma (7-0) | 1267 | 6 |
| 7 | Texas (6-1) | 1150 | 8 |
| 8 | Oregon (6-1) | 1133 | 9 |
| 9 | Alabama (7-1) | 1071 | 11 |
| 10 | Penn State (6-1) | 999 | 7 |
| 11 | Oregon State (6-1) | 922 | 12 |
| 12 | Ole Miss (6-1) | 889 | 13 |
| 13 | Utah (6-1) | 868 | 14 |
| 14 | Notre Dame (6-2) | 718 | 15 |
| 15 | LSU (6-2) | 687 | 19 |
| 16 | Missouri (7-1) | 594 | 20 |
| 17 | North Carolina (6-1) | 506 | 10 |
| 18 | Louisville (6-1) | 420 | 21 |
| 19 | Air Force (7-0) | 395 | 22 |
| 20 | Duke (5-2) | 371 | 16 |
| 21 | Tennessee (5-2) | 306 | 17 |
| 22 | Tulane (6-1) | 248 | 23 |
| 23 | UCLA (5-2) | 243 | 25 |
| 24 | USC (6-2) | 193 | 18 |
| 25 | James Madison (7-0) | 167 | NR |
COACHES FOOTBALL POLL
| Rank | School | Votes | Prev |
| 1 | Georgia (7-0) | 1586 (58) | 1 |
| 2 | Michigan (8-0) | 1522 (4) | 2 |
| 3 | Ohio State (7-0) | 1459 (2) | 3 |
| 4 | Florida State (7-0) | 1426 | 4 |
| 5 | Washington (7-0) | 1333 | 5 |
| 6 | Oklahoma (7-0) | 1283 | 7 |
| 7 | Texas (6-1) | 1150 | 8 |
| 8 | Alabama (7-1) | 1141 | 8 |
| 9 | Oregon (6-1) | 1089 | 11 |
| 10 | Penn State (6-1) | 1056 | 6 |
| 11 | Ole Miss (6-1) | 931 | 12 |
| 12 | Oregon State (6-1) | 892 | 13 |
| 13 | Utah (6-1) | 866 | 14 |
| 14 | Notre Dame (6-2) | 688 | 18 |
| 15 | LSU (6-2) | 677 | 19 |
| 16 | Missouri (7-1) | 604 | 20 |
| 17 | North Carolina (6-1) | 574 | 10 |
| 18 | Louisville (6-1) | 451 | 21 |
| 19 | Air Force (7-0) | 374 | 22 |
| 20 | Tennessee (5-2) | 356 | 15 |
| 21 | Duke (5-2) | 350 | 17 |
| 22 | USC (6-2) | 269 | 16 |
| 23 | Tulane (6-1) | 202 | 24 |
| 24 | UCLA (5-2) | 195 | 25 |
| 25 | James Madison (7-0) | 101 | NR |
NFL WEEK 7 SCORES
CLEVELAND 39 INDIANAPOLIS 38
BALTIMORE 38 DETROIT 6
CHICAGO 30 LAS VEGAS 12
NEW ENGLAND 29 BUFFALO 25
NY GIANTS 14 WASHINGTON 7
ATLANTA 16 TAMPA BAY 13
PITTSBURGH 24 LA RAMS 17
SEATTLE 20 ARIZONA 10
DENVER 19 GREEN BAY 17
KANSAS CITY 31 LA CHARGERS 17
PHILADELPHIA 31 MIAMI 17
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (MON) 7:15P (CT) 8:15P ESPN
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
SUNDAY, OCT. 22
TEXAS 9 HOUSTON 2 (SERIES TIED 3-3)
MONDAY, OCT. 23
AZ @ PHI, GAME 6 TBS
TEX @ HOU, GAME 7 FOX/FS1
TUESDAY, OCT. 24
AZ @ PHI, 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 SCOREBOARD
DETROIT 6 CALGARY 2
BOSTON 3 ANAHEIM 1
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS/NEWS
EOVALDI REMAINS PERFECT, RANGERS SLUG THEIR WAY TO 9-2 WIN OVER ASTROS TO FORCE GAME 7 IN ALCS
HOUSTON (AP) One more Texas-sized matchup to finally settle this Lone Star State showdown.
Nathan Eovaldi remained perfect this postseason, and Mitch Garver and Jonah Heim homered early before a ninth-inning grand slam by Adolis García helped the Texas Rangers avoid elimination with a 9-2 win over the Houston Astros in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series on Sunday night.
Road teams are unbeaten in this series going into the decisive Game 7 on Monday night in Houston. Cristian Javier pitches for the Astros against three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer. Javier beat Scherzer in Game 3 at Texas.
“I’m just proud of how these guys keep bouncing back,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “They’re amazing. They really are. They just don’t let adversity get to them.”
Texas and Houston had identical regular-season records (90-72), with the AL West title going to the Astros on a head-to-head tiebreaker. Now they’re tied once again, and this time the stakes are much higher – with a World Series trip on the line.
Eovaldi, who also won Game 2, yielded five hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings to improve to 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA in the playoffs this year. The wild-card Rangers, one of six major league teams without a World Series title, are trying to return to the Fall Classic for the first time since back-to-back trips in 2010-11.
“Of course, Nate set the tone out there. How many times has he done that?” Bochy said. “And we just had great at-bats throughout the lineup.”
The defending World Series champion Astros were again felled by a subpar start from Framber Valdez and lackluster play at home. Valdez was charged with five hits and three runs while striking out six in five innings to fall to 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA this postseason.
The Rangers led by two before breaking open the game with a five-run ninth, punctuated by the slam from García – who struck out his previous four times up. The slugger was booed throughout the game after being at the center of a bench-clearing scuffle in Game 5 after being hit by a pitch from Bryan Abreu.
When García knocked a pitch from Ryne Stanek into the Crawford Boxes in left field with one out, many of those fans began streaming for the exits after yet another poor showing at home by Houston.
The Astros, who are 5-0 on the road this postseason, won three in a row in Arlington wearing their orange jerseys to move within a win of reaching their third consecutive World Series. But those orange tops didn’t help them carry their road magic home as they fell to 1-4 in Houston this postseason after posting a 39-42 mark at Minute Maid Park in the regular season.
“That doesn’t matter. It’s in the past,” left fielder Michael Brantley said. “We need to turn the page and be ready for tomorrow.”
No team with a losing record at home has ever reached the World Series.
This series joins the 2019 World Series, which Houston lost to Washington in seven games, as the only best-of-seven series in postseason history in which the road team won the first six games.
“Seems a little odd nobody is winning at home,” Garver said. “And I would like for it to stay that way.”
Bochy was at a loss when asked to explain why home has been anything but sweet during this series.
“Wow, I wish I could answer that one,” he said. “That’s the million-dollar question.”
Houston led by one after a first-inning RBI single by Yordan Alvarez. Garver tied it on his solo shot to start the second.
Heim connected off Valdez for the second time this series with a two-run shot with two outs in the fourth that put Texas on top 3-1.
“I think seven out of their nine runs scored were on homers. So you’ve really got to keep them in the ballpark,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said.
Houston got within 3-2 on a sacrifice fly by Mauricio Dubón in the sixth. But the Rangers got some insurance thanks to an RBI double by Garver in the eighth off Abreu.
It was the first time the Rangers won an elimination game in the postseason since Game 5 of the 2010 AL Division Series at Tampa Bay when Cliff Lee pitched a complete game in a 5-1 Texas victory. They’d lost five straight such games, and Sunday’s win was just their second in eight tries.
The Astros had a shot to cut into the lead late before García’s big swing, but Texas reliever José Leclerc came through after giving up the decisive three-run homer to Jose Altuve in the ninth inning of Game 5.
Josh Sborz walked Alex Bregman to start the Houston eighth and struck out Alvarez before José Abreu singled with one out.
Leclerc took over and walked Kyle Tucker to load the bases before Dubón lined out softly to shortstop. Pinch-hitter Jon Singleton, who entered with one career postseason at-bat, batted for Jeremy Peña and struck out against Leclerc to end the threat.
Houston went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.
“The name of the game is opportunities, and then after that you hope that you come through,” Baker said. “Some days you just don’t get it done.”
Alvarez got Houston’s first hit since the first inning with a one-out single in the sixth. Dubón’s sacrifice fly cut the lead to one.
The Astros looked good early against Eovaldi. Altuve hit a leadoff single and stole second before Brantley walked. There was one out when Alvarez lined a single to make it 1-0. Eovaldi limited the damage when José Abreu lined out before Tucker struck out.
“I felt like I was trying to do a little too much out there,” Eovaldi said of his shaky start. “One run ended up scoring and it’s like, I’ve got to make sure I leave them there, and at that point of time, try to make sure I execute my pitches.”
Garver sent the first pitch of the second inning into the seats in right field to tie it. The ball was caught barehanded by a man in the second row.
Garver, who had three hits, singled with two outs in the fourth, and Heim followed with his opposite-field shot to right field to make it 3-1. The ball sailed just past the glove of a leaping Tucker and into the first row. Heim, who had a career-high 18 home runs in the regular season, also homered off Valdez in Game 2.
Bryan Abreu pitched the eighth for Houston after appealing the two-game suspension he was given by Major League Baseball for intentionally throwing at García.
The reliever’s hearing is Monday before John McHale Jr., special assistant to Commissioner Rob Manfred.
“That could be a huge blow,” Baker said. “You wish you had some final decision about his status. So we took a shot there. Hopefully some of this will be postponed and we’ll have him tomorrow, as well.”
Bryan Abreu struck out García in the eighth before an RBI double by Garver extended Texas’ lead to 4-2.
Corey Seager was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the ninth before García’s slam gave him five homers and 15 RBIs in 11 games this postseason. He has gone deep in each of the past three games.
NFL NEWS
LAMAR JACKSON ALMOST FLAWLESS AS RAVENS ROUT LIONS 38-6 IN A MATCHUP OF DIVISION LEADERS
BALTIMORE (AP) When Lamar Jackson returned to Baltimore to play for new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, this was pretty much the best-case scenario – the star quarterback finding open receivers deep in the secondary, scrambling when needed and guiding the Ravens to touchdown after touchdown.
Baltimore reached the end zone four times before Detroit even managed a first down Sunday, and the Ravens trounced the Lions 38-6 in a matchup of division leaders that was lopsided from the start. Jackson threw for 357 yards and three touchdowns, finishing with a near-perfect passer rating of 155.8. He also ran for a TD.
“Today was lights out,” said tight end Mark Andrews, who caught two TD passes. “I think just by Lamar, obviously Coach Monk, from the top down on the offensive side of the ball. Those two guys were elite.”
Baltimore (5-2) scored on its first four possessions against the NFC North-leading Lions (5-2). It was the most complete performance of the season by the Ravens, and a resurgent Detroit squad fell flat while facing a major test on the road.
“We just didn’t play well. I hate to say it, it’s just one of those games. We could not get out of our own way,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “It’s a credit to those guys. They played outstanding football and rubbed our nose in it.”
Jackson went 21 of 27. He’s completed at least 70% of his passes in every game but one this season, but the Ravens had still been pretty inconsistent offensively until Sunday. Monken was hired in the offseason, and when Baltimore reached a deal with Jackson on a new contract, there was plenty of excitement about their partnership. Now it’s easy to see why.
Jackson had great success with deep passes against Detroit, often finding open receivers with plenty of room to run. Baltimore protected him well, and when that started to break down, his scrambling kept plays going.
Jackson opened the scoring with a 7-yard bootleg on fourth-and-1. On his team’s next possession, he escaped the pocket to the right and extended the play long enough to find Nelson Agholor for a 12-yard touchdown.
An 11-yard TD pass to Andrews made it 21-0, and then Gus Edwards scored on a 2-yard run. At that point, the Lions had only managed three three-and-outs. Baltimore had a 28-0 lead, a 16-0 edge in first downs and a 325-13 advantage in total yards.
Detroit drove all the way to the Baltimore 6 to start the second half but turned the ball over on downs. The Ravens needed only four plays to go almost the entire length of the field. Edwards was so open for a short pass that he rumbled for an 80-yard gain, and Jackson’s 8-yard scoring toss to Andrews gave the AFC North leaders a 35-0 advantage.
Detroit finally scored early in the fourth quarter on a 21-yard run by rookie Jahmyr Gibbs.
Baltimore has allowed a league-low seven touchdowns this season, and although the Ravens have faced some shaky quarterbacks, they made quite a statement against a Detroit team that came in on a roll.
“We just played our style of defense,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “We just knew that they haven’t faced a defense this year like ours.”
The Lions had won four straight – all by at least 14 points – and they’d scored at least 20 points in 15 consecutive games. But they were no match for the Ravens on either side of the ball, and Baltimore had put backup quarterback Tyler Huntley in the game by the end.
Kyle Van Noy, who was drafted by Detroit back in 2014, had two of Baltimore’s five sacks. Geno Stone of the Ravens contributed his fourth interception of the season.
CHUNK PLAYS
The Ravens had eight passing plays of at least 20 yards. Only one team – the Los Angeles Chargers with nine against Minnesota – has had more in a game this season.
“Todd got a game ball with the offensive coaches in there,” coach John Harbaugh said. “Those plays are great plays, but they were executed well. It starts with the quarterback.”
INJURIES
Detroit’s Mohamed Ibrahim was carted off the field in the third quarter with a hip injury after returning a kickoff. He went to the hospital for surgery. Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez injured his ankle. … Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell went down with a hamstring injury.
UP NEXT
Lions: Host Las Vegas on Monday, Oct. 30.
Ravens: At Arizona next Sunday.
ROOKIE TYSON BAGENT LEADS 3 TD DRIVES IN PLACE OF JUSTIN FIELDS, BEARS BEAT RAIDERS 30-12
CHICAGO (AP) Rookie Tyson Bagent led three touchdown drives with Justin Fields sidelined, D’Onta Foreman ran for two scores and caught a TD pass, and the Chicago Bears beat the Las Vegas Raiders 30-12 on Sunday.
The Bears (2-5) won for the second time in three games after dropping 14 in a row. They won a showdown of backup quarterbacks after both teams’ starters were injured the previous week. Fields dislocated his right thumb in a loss to Minnesota, while Las Vegas’ Jimmy Garoppolo exited a win over New England with a back problem.
Brian Hoyer threw for 129 yards and two interceptions, and the Raiders (3-4) got blown out after winning back to back games.
The Bears simplified the game plan and relied on short throws and handoffs with Bagent – undrafted out of Division II Shepherd University in West Virginia – behind center. He completed 21 of 29 passes for 162 yards and a TD, helping Chicago stop a 10-game home losing streak.
Foreman ran for 89 yards on 16 attempts and his first two touchdowns since signing with Chicago in March. He scored from the 2 in the first quarter and the 3 early in the second as the Bears grabbed a 14-0 lead, then caught a 5-yard TD in the third to make it 21-3.
DJ Moore caught eight passes for 54 yards.
Cairo Santos kicked a 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and Jaylon Johnson added two late interceptions. He returned one against Hoyer 39 yards for a touchdown to make it 30-6 and then picked off Chicago-area product Aidan O’Connell, helping the Bears secure their first victory at Soldier Field since Week 3 last season against Houston.
Hoyer completed 17 of 32 passes and posted a 37.1 passer rating. O’Connell was 10 of 13 for 75 yards with a touchdown and interception.
Davante Adams, usually a thorn in the Bears’ side, caught seven passes for 57 yards. He came in with 81 catches for 1,024 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games against Chicago.
Josh Jacobs ran for just 35 yards on 11 attempts.
Daniel Carlson missed a 41-yard field goal wide left on Las Vegas’ first possession of the game, and the Bears went 69 yards for a touchdown, with Foreman barreling in from the 2.
The Bears had a huge opportunity early in the second quarter when Hoyer’s short checkdown pass went off Jacobs’ hands. Tremaine Edmunds picked it off at the 34, and Foreman scored from the 3 to make it 14-0.
Carlson kicked a 40-yarder with just under two minutes left in the half.
The Bears went 88 yards on their first drive of the third quarter, capped by Foreman’s 5-yard TD catch to make it 21-3. Las Vegas then drove to the 5, only to settle for a field goal.
INJURIES
Raiders: LB Divine Deablo (ankle) was hurt defending a quarterback sneak early in the second quarter.
Bears: No injuries reported.
UP NEXT
Raiders: Visit the Detroit Lions on Oct. 30.
Bears: Visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 29.
MAC JONES’ LATE TD PASS LIFTS PATRIOTS OVER BILLS 29-25; BILL BELICHICK IS 3RD COACH WITH 300 WINS
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) Bill Belichick will wait for another day to talk about the latest milestone win of his coaching career.
But his team’s victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday will at the very least quiet the conversation about his coaching future.
Mac Jones threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki with 12 seconds remaining to lift the New England Patriots to a 29-25 win over the Bills, making Belichick the third coach in NFL history with 300 regular-season victories.
Belichick trails only Pro Football Hall of Famers Don Shula (328) and George Halas (318). Including playoffs, Belichick has 331 victories, trailing Shula (347) and ahead of Halas (324).
“I mean, it’s great. I’m really more focused on our team and this year,” Belichick said. “We’ll worry about that later.”
Jones completed 25 of 30 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots (2-5) snapped a three-game skid. It was the second fourth-quarter comeback victory of Jones’ three-year career.
During the Patriots’ losing streak, Jones threw five interceptions and no touchdown passes.
“I always believe in myself,” Jones said. “I’m not going to sit up here and say it every time. But I do believe in myself and I do that through work and all that stuff. … You go as your quarterback goes. For me, it’s continuing to be the same guy every day and just be Mac.”
Ezekiel Elliott rushed for a score and Chad Ryland added three field goals to help the Patriots beat back a second-half rally by Buffalo (4-3), which briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter.
Josh Allen was 27 of 41 for 265 yards with two TDs and ran for a score. He also threw an interception that set up New England’s first touchdown. The Bills struggled on third down and scored touchdowns on only two of their four red-zone opportunities.
Including the 2021 playoffs, the Bills had won the previous four meetings with New England.
“Red zone-wise, offensively, we’re down there, we’ve got to get seven,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “Got to close the game out when it comes down to it.”
Allen said he isn’t sure what has held Buffalo’s offense back from executing over the past three games, during which the Bills have been outscored 63-59 while losing twice. Buffalo has a total of 10 first-half points in those games.
“I wish I knew the exact answer, because we’d have it fixed by now,” Allen said. “Our season’s not over. It’s a long season. It feels pretty bleak right now. But we’re going to figure it out.”
Trailing 22-10 in the fourth, the Bills needed just over two minutes to complete a five-play, 75-yard drive. Allen found Stefon Diggs for a 25-yard touchdown with 5:32 remaining.
On the Patriots’ ensuing series, Jones completed a 9-yard pass to Kendrick Bourne, but Jordan Poyer poked the ball free from behind, giving the Bills the ball at the Patriots 29.
Buffalo converted a fourth-and-2 to set up a first-and-goal at the 4. Allen scored on a sneak two plays later, then connected with Dawson Knox for the 2-point conversion to make it 25-22.
Jones began the decisive drive with a short pass to Rhamondre Stevenson that turned into a 34-yard gain. He hit Hunter Harvey for 14 yards on a third-and-8, and the Patriots had a first-and-goal after six plays. A pass-interference penalty set them up at the Buffalo 1, and Jones connected with Gesicki on second down.
Buffalo trailed 13-3 at halftime. Allen directed an 81-yard scoring drive on the first possession of the second half, finding James Cook for an 8-yard touchdown.
New England led 16-10 early in the fourth quarter when the Bills went for it on fourth-and-2 at the Patriots 33. Ja’Whaun Bentley knocked away Allen’s pass to Dawson Knox.
That set up a nine-play, 66-yard scoring drive for the Patriots. Jones connected with Bourne for a 22-10 lead.
INJURIES
Patriots: LB Anfernee Jennings jogged off the field after being shaken up following a hit on Latavius Murray in the third quarter. … LT Trent Brown left with a knee injury. … RT Vederian Lowe left with an ankle injury.
KEEPING IT CLOSE
The Patriots’ 1-5 start led to chatter about whether Belichick was on the coaching hot seat.
Asked about an NFL Network report that he had signed a contract extension this past offseason, Belichick declined to discuss it.
“I never talk about my contract,” he said. “I focus on the game, try to focus on Buffalo. Then I’ll focus on Miami. Count on that.”
NO PAIN
Allen insisted postgame that he doesn’t have any lingering issues after hurting his throwing shoulder last week.
“No, we’re good to go,” Allen said.
UP NEXT
Bills: Host Tampa Bay on Thursday night.
Patriots: At Miami next Sunday.
GIANTS DEFENSE STIFLES COMMANDERS, MAKES LATE STAND TO END 4-GAME SKID IN 14-7 WIN
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) The way the New York Giants have played defense the past few weeks, their inept offense can take the rest of the season to figure things out and coach Brian Daboll’s team will still have a chance for more victories.
Tyrod Taylor threw two second-quarter touchdown passes and the Dexter Lawrence-led defense had six sacks and made a last-minute stand to help New York snap a four-game skid with a 14-7 victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
Taylor, starting for the second straight week with Daniel Jones sidelined with a neck injury, hit Darren Waller on a 15-yard score and added a 32-yard pass play to Saquon Barkley as New York (2-5) scored its first two offensive first-half touchdowns of the season. He finished 18 of 29 for 279 yards.
Brian Robinson Jr. scored on a 4-yard run for Washington (3-4) early in the third quarter after Giants veteran Sterling Shepard muffed a punt and the Commanders, who were limited to 46 yards in the first half, recovered at the 21.
New York held Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills to 297 total yards in a 14-9 loss last week.
“We’re playing pretty well right now,” said linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, who had 1 1/2 sacks and dropped a sure pick-6 at the Washington 15 in the third quarter. “We’ve held teams to 21 points the last two games. I think guys are doing their jobs and not making it took complicated and getting things done.”
The defensive stats said it all. Washington was held to 273 total yards, including 76 rushing. The Commanders were 1 of 15 on third-down conversions.
Lawrence, who led the Giants with two sacks, six tackles and four quarterback hits, refused to say the defense won the game.
“I think as a team, we have each other’s back,” he said. “One game, the defense might not play well and the offense will have our back. I think it’s just a collective thing. And we just got to continue to fight and grow.”
The Giants, who have been a disappointment after making the playoffs last season, had to make one more stand after Barkley lost a fumble inside the Washington 5. Sam Howell led Washington to a first-and-10 at the New York 12. On fourth and 5 from the 7-yard line, his pass was a little behind Jahan Dotson, and the receiver could not make the catch.
“That last play, I got to make it easier on Jahan,” said Howell, who finished 22 of 42 for 249 yards. “Probably a lot of people are going to say he should have caught it. I’ve got to give him a better ball. He was wide open.”
The loss was the fourth in five games for the Commanders. The game ended when Washington tackle Daron Payne was hurt on a third-down kneel down by Taylor. Since the Commanders had no more timeouts, the clock ran out.
“Being down 0-2 in the division is tough because to make the playoffs, to get to the goals you want to get to, you got to be successful in the division,” said receiver Terry McLaurin, who had all six of his catches in the second half for 90 yards. “Right now, we’re not getting it done.”
Each team blew a field goal chance. Graham Gano missed a 42-yarder for New York in the first quarter and Washington’s Joey Slye had a 27-yarder blocked by Leonard Williams early in the fourth quarter.
The Giants offense ended a 205-minute scoreless streak over three-plus games – more than 14 2/3 quarters – with the third-down strike to Waller 42 seconds into the second quarter. It came after Washington coach Ron Rivera elected to enforce a holding penalty after the Giants were stopped on third down at the 2-yard line. The second TD came on a 32-yard catch-and-run by Barkley after he eluded a tackle by linebacker Jamin Davis after catching a short pass. It came two plays after rookie Deonte Banks intercepted Howell at the Giants 31.
AS THE O-LINE TURNS
With right tackle Evan Neal joining left tackle Andrew Thomas and center John Michael Schmitz among the injured, the Giants changed the starting lineup for the sixth time in seven games.
The new line was Justin Pugh at left tackle, Marcus McKethan at left guard, Ben Bredeson at center, Mark Glowinski at right guard and Tyre Phillips at right tackle. Chase Young had two of Washington’s four sacks
INJURIES
Commanders: MLB Cody Barton left the game in the first half with an ankle injury. LG Saahdiq Charles went out with a calf injury late in the third quarter.
Giants: RB/R Eric Gray (calf) and RB Gary Brightwell (hamstring) left in the first half after being hurt on special teams plays.
UP NEXT
Commanders: Return to FedEx Field for their second game of the season against the Eagles.
Giants: Play the Jets in the game for the bragging rights of MetLife Stadium.
KOO’S GAME-ENDING 51-YARD FG HELPS FALCONS OVERCOME RIDDER’S MISTAKES, BEAT BUCCANEERS 16-13
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Younghoe Koo’s third field goal of the game, a 51-yarder as time expired, bailed out Atlanta quarterback Desmond Ridder and gave the mistake-prone, but now first-place Falcons a 16-13 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
The Falcons (4-3) snapped an eight-game road losing streak and moved atop the NFC South ahead of the Bucs (3-3) despite Ridder losing three fumbles inside Tampa Bay’s red zone, including one that cost him a 12-yard touchdown run that would have put Atlanta up 10 points with less than four minutes to go.
Ridder’s fumble on a sack stopped the Falcons from breaking a 10-10 tie just before halftime. The young quarterback lost another fumble in the third quarter, one play after Drake London’s 13-yard reception gave the Falcons a first down inside the Bucs 1.
The receiver nearly scored on the play, although he appeared to lose possession as he stretched out for the goal line. The Bucs challenged the ruling on the field that London was down by contact before losing possession of the ball.
The ball was placed inside the 1 after a lengthy replay, with officials ruling London’s hand came down out of bounds while he still had control of the ball. Ridder’s fumble on the next play was recovered by Bucs rookie Yaya Diaby.
Ridder, who threw for 250 yards without an interception, moved the Falcons into position for Koo’s winning kick after the Bucs pulled even on Chase McLaughin’s 36-yard field goal with less than a minute remaining.
Kyle Pitts’ 39-yard reception was the biggest play on the winning drive.
Baker Mayfield threw for 275 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Tampa Bay, which scored on Mike Evans’ 40-yard TD reception in the first quarter and field goals of 24 and 36 yards by McLaughlin.
The Falcons played most of the game without rookie running back Bijan Robinson, who played sparingly and had just one carry for 3 yards.
Robinson is averaging 5 yards per carry and leads the Falcons in rushing with 402 yards on 81 attempts. He also has 26 receptions for 189 yards and two TDs.
There was no immediate announcement on why he did not see much playing time.
With the rookie standing on the sideline most of the game, Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson shared the workload as the Falcons finished with 156 yards rushing.
INJURIES
Falcons: LB Tae Davis left the game in the opening quarter to be evaluated for a concussion and was cleared to return.
Buccaneers: S Kaevon Merriweather (ankle) was helped off the field by trainers early in the second quarter.
UP NEXT
Falcons: at Tennessee next Sunday.
Buccaneers: Short week of preparation before traveling to Buffalo to face the Bills on Thursday night.
STEELERS’ OFFENSE AWAKENS IN FOURTH QUARTER, RALLIES FOR A 24-17 VICTORY OVER THE RAMS
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) Both the Steelers and the Rams knew their tight game wasn’t solely decided by one questionable fourth-down spot at the two-minute warning.
That didn’t make Los Angeles any happier about the officials’ decision – and Pittsburgh wasn’t about to apologize for earning a big break in its impressive comeback victory.
Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris rushed for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and the Steelers awoke from a quiet offensive day just in time to grab a 24-17 victory over the Rams on Sunday.
Kenny Pickett passed for 230 yards and ran for another score for the Steelers (4-2), who had just 110 yards in the first three quarters at SoFi Stadium. But much-maligned coordinator Matt Canada’s offense finally found some holes in the Los Angeles (3-4) defense in the fourth quarter, racking up three long drives culminating in two TDs and the chance to run out the clock.
Pickett got that generous spot to convert a fourth-and-1 at the Los Angeles 38 on the final snap before the two-minute warning.
“I was getting it,” Pickett said. “I was doing whatever I could to get it, let’s put it that way.”
Coach Sean McVay couldn’t challenge the spot because the Rams were out of timeouts, and the play occurred just outside the window that would have resulted in a booth review.
“It doesn’t matter what I think,” McVay said. “That was the spot they made. I’m not going to sit here and make any excuses about stuff that didn’t go down. Those plays shouldn’t have come down to that if we executed like we were capable of.”
The spot was the culmination of a strong finish by the Steelers, who have won six consecutive games following a bye week and gone 13-4 after a bye in Mike Tomlin’s coaching career.
Pittsburgh’s only early touchdown came after T.J. Watt stepped in front of Matthew Stafford’s first pass of the second half deep in Rams territory and returned his seventh interception a career-best 24 yards, setting up Pickett’s 1-yard sneak for the Steelers’ first rushing touchdown of the entire season.
“We understand as a defense, we need to bow up in big-time moments and just try to change the tide of the game,” Watt said. “We just want to get that spark so it allows us to get going. We don’t want to be that team that starts games slow, starts second halves slow.”
Stafford passed for 231 yards and hit Tutu Atwell for a 31-yard touchdown right before halftime for Los Angeles, which dropped to 1-3 at home.
Rookie sensation Puka Nacua had eight catches for 154 yards, but the Rams struggled for consistent offense after halftime, scoring no points on their final three drives and managing only 20 yards while completing no passes in the fourth quarter. Brett Maher also missed two long field-goal attempts and an extra point.
“It’s just execution,” said Stafford, who failed to complete a pass in a fourth quarter with at least four attempts for only the second time in his 15-year NFL career. “We can’t have chances to make plays that are going to change the game one way or the other and not make those. We’ve got to be more consistent, and the only way to do that is to continue to work.”
Both offenses struggled for sustained possession in the first half until Los Angeles mounted an 88-yard drive shortly before halftime capped by the long TD catch by Atwell, who alertly cut in front of a pass apparently intended for Cooper Kupp from a scrambling Stafford.
The Steelers managed just 91 yards of offense in the first half and failed to convert a third down. They still tied it with 13:49 to play when Diontae Johnson’s 39-yard catch set up Warren’s 13-yard scoring run. Johnson had five catches for 79 yards in his return from injury.
George Pickens made four of his five receptions for 107 yards in the second half of Pittsburgh’s first win over the Rams in Los Angeles, where the Steelers had been 0-10.
PUKA’S RECORDS
Nacua has 58 receptions in his first seven games. That’s an NFL record, and it ties Saquon Barkley’s record for catches in a player’s first eight games before Nacua even takes the field next week. Nacua’s 752 yards receiving put him behind only Ja’Marr Chase (754) for the most yards in a receiver’s first seven games.
NEW RBs
Darrell Henderson rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown in his season debut for Los Angeles, and Royce Freeman got 66 yards on his first carries of the season. Henderson was released last November after 3 1/2 seasons with the Rams, and the Super Bowl winner was out of the league this fall until LA re-signed him last week when its top two running backs went down with injuries late in a win over Arizona.
UP NEXT
Steelers: Host Jacksonville next Sunday.
Rams: At Dallas next Sunday.
SEAHAWKS GET TDS FROM ROOKIES SMITH-NJIGBA, BOBO AND RELY ON DEFENSE TO TOPPLE ARIZONA 20-10
SEATTLE (AP) Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo come from opposite ends of the spectrum for NFL rookies.
Smith-Njigba was a first-round pick carrying the expectations that come with that spot. Bobo was an undrafted rookie just looking for a shot.
The Seattle Seahawks consider themselves fortunate to have landed both.
Smith-Njigba and Bobo both caught first-half touchdown passes, Kenneth Walker III rushed for a season-high 105 yards, and the Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals 20-10 on Sunday.
With DK Metcalf out because of injury and missing the first game of his career, Seattle’s rookie pass catchers connected with Geno Smith on big plays in the first half before its defense was asked to come up with some key stops in the second half after a handful of mistakes by the Seahawks.
“It was huge not only for Jaxon and Bobo but I think it was huge for our overall offense to see those guys continue to step up and make great plays,” Smith said.
Seattle (4-2) rebounded from last week’s loss at Cincinnati that was filled with missed opportunities, but a shaky second-half performance by Smith allowed the Cardinals to hang around into the fourth quarter.
Smith completed 18 of 24 passes for 219 yards. He hit Smith-Njigba on a 28-yard reception in the first quarter for his first NFL touchdown. Bobo made a terrific 18-yard TD catch in the second quarter that included a toe-tap on the sideline.
Smith-Njigba and Bobo each had four receptions and became the first set of Seattle rookies to catch TDs in the same game since 2015.
“With (Metcalf) out we knew we were going to have to step up. Obviously he’ll be back soon, but I was just looking to semi-fill his big shoes and felt like we did a little of that today,” Bobo said.
But the Seahawks missed a chance to put away the Cardinals much earlier. Smith was intercepted at the Arizona 1 in the third quarter by Garrett Williams on an underthrown pass intended for Bobo. Smith later fumbled a snap and Arizona recovered at the Seattle 34 early in the fourth quarter. The Seahawks were able to avoid giving up points on the drive after Matt Prater missed a 34-yard field-goal attempt.
Arizona later attempted a fake punt on fourth-and-9 near midfield with 5:09 remaining, but Michael Wilson was tackled 4 yards short of the first down line on a pass from backup QB Clayton Tune. Seattle kicker Jason Myers hit a field goal from 48 yards with 2:17 left to put the victory away for the Seahawks.
Arizona QB Joshua Dobbs was 19 of 33 for 146 yards and was sacked four times. On the week that Kyler Murray was activated from the physically unable to perform list and rejoined Arizona’s practices, Dobbs was unable to get anything working in the downfield passing game. Dobbs’ longest completion was 21 yards on Arizona’s final possession.
“There were opportunities to get the passing game going quicker and earlier in the game. I feel like that would have put us in a better position to continue to execute throughout the game,” Dobbs said.
Dobbs did run for a 25-yard touchdown in the first half, the longest run play allowed this season by Seattle. That touchdown capped an 80-yard drive, but Arizona finished with 249 yards and 88 yards in the second half.
Seattle’s defense has allowed fewer than 250 total yards in three straight games.
“The consistency showed up with our defense,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “They did a fantastic job again today to go back out after halftime and shut them down and not give anything up.”
EARLY EJECTION
Arizona left tackle D.J. Humphries was ejected in the second quarter for making contact with an official following a wild play where Dobbs was intercepted by Devon Witherspoon in the end zone but the turnover was negated by a roughing the passer penalty against Boye Mafe.
At the end of the interception return there was a scrum where Humphries and Seattle’s Jordyn Brooks both swung hands at each other and made contact with an official. Humphries was ruled to be the guilty party and was disqualified.
FIRST ABSENCE
Metcalf missed the first game of his career because of injuries to his ribs and hip. Metcalf had played in 71 straight games from the start of his career in 2019. Metcalf had been listed as questionable on the final injury report. Seattle was also without starting center Evan Brown (hip) and starting right guard Phil Haynes (calf) leaving rookies Olu Oluwatimi and Anthony Bradford to fill in.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Carroll was 2 for 2 on challenges in the first half, the first time he won two challenges in a game since Dec. 15, 2016, vs. the Rams. The second challenge came on Bobo’s touchdown, which was initially ruled incomplete for being out of bounds.
INJURIES
Seattle edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu suffered a strained pectoral muscle. Carroll did not have an update on his status, but it would be a big loss if Nwosu misses an extended period.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: Host Baltimore next Sunday.
Seahawks: Host Cleveland next Sunday.
P.J. LOCKE SAVES DENVER FROM ANOTHER SECOND-HALF MELTDOWN AS BRONCOS BEAT PACKERS 19-17
DENVER (AP) The end of Denver’s dubious streak of blown halftime leads and the Broncos’ first home victory under coach Sean Payton both came from the most unexpected of sources.
Backup safety P.J. Locke saved the Broncos from another second-half meltdown, intercepting Jordan Love’s deep pass in the closing minutes to preserve a 19-17 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Locke – subbing for safety Kareem Jackson, who was ejected for the second time this season following an illegal high hit earlier in the fourth quarter on tight end Luke Musgrave – picked off the throw intended for Samori Toure just after the two-minute warning.
“I saw the ball in their air, I was like, ‘It’s mine,'” the fourth-year pro out of Texas said of his first career interception, which came in his 50th NFL game, all as a reserve.
On the play, running back A.J. Dillon was wide open for what would have been a big gain underneath, but Love was looking to go deep on third-and-20 from midfield.
The Broncos (2-5) then ran out the clock with Russell Wilson launching a deep heave on fourth-and-9 from his own 26 after taking the shotgun snap with 6 seconds remaining and the Packers (2-4) out of timeouts.
That gave Payton his first win at home in four tries and snapped the Broncos’ streak of losing 10 consecutive games in which they’d taken a lead into halftime.
Payton wasn’t a celebratory mood, saying, “We’re never happy. You know, we work hard, we want it. … I’m happy we won, I am. I think I was happier before I came in here” to the postgame news conference.
Payton said he’s hopeful of much more meaningful milestones, and he bristled when asked about Denver finally making a halftime lead hold up.
“My team hadn’t blown 10 straight,” Payton said. “So, let’s start by saying, ‘The Denver Broncos historically …’”
When the reporter did just that, Payton cut him off: “Yeah, I don’t pay attention to that.”
Three of those blown halftime leads came on Payton’s watch, and the Broncos frittered away a 9-0 advantage at the midpoint Sunday before Wil Lutz’s fourth field goal, from 52 yards out, with 3:50 remaining put Denver back in front for good.
The Packers quickly approached field-goal range for rookie kicker Anders Carlson, but after A.J. Dillon’s 29-yard catch-and-run, things went sideways for Green Bay. Love was facing third-and-20 from his own 46 when his deep pass was picked off.
The Packers took a 17-16 lead on Love’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Reed midway through the fourth quarter that went off Romeo Doubs’ hands.
Doubs had pulled the Packers within 16-10 in the third quarter on a 16-yard touchdown catch that both he and cornerback Patrick Surtain II corralled as they tumbled to the ground.
On the broadcast, CBS rules expert Gene Steratore said he believed the touchdown should have been ruled an interception because Surtain had two feet down before Doubs did. Therefore, Steratore argued, Surtain had completed the catch before Doubs had done so.
“That makes me feel better,” Surtain said, “but at the end of the day it was still a touchdown.”
Payton concurred, saying, “I was surprised” it wasn’t ruled an interception on the field or via the NFL’s standard review of all scoring plays. “I think we’re going to see that was something that should have been called the other way,” Payton said.
Refreee Alex Kemp, however, explained to a pool reporter, “We ruled on the field that the Green Bay receiver controlled the ball while airborne and came to the ground and never lost control of the ball and therefore, by rule, it is a touchdown.”
Kemp said simultaneous possession wasn’t ruled on the field but even if it had been, the play still would have resulted in a touchdown.
NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Walt Anderson said the TD call was confirmed at league headquarters in New York.
“And since the ruling on the field was a touchdown, we reviewed the play for the elements of a catch, which were control and maintaining control when he went to the ground, and then the receiver kept control of the ball,” Anderson said. “There were no views that showed that the receiver ever lost control of the ball from the time he initially possessed it until he completed the catch process on the ground.”
Locke’s interception rendered it a moot point as far as the outcome was concerned.
Wilson rebounded from his worst game as a Bronco a week earlier to throw for 195 yards on 20-of-29 passing with one touchdown, a 18-yarder to Courtland Sutton that gave Denver a 16-3 lead.
JACKSON EJECTION
Jackson, who’s been fined four times already for illegal hits and drew an ejection against Washington in Week 2, was DQ’d after hitting Musgrave in the head after his 18-yard catch along the Packers sideline early in the fourth quarter.
“I think one of the challenges for Kareem is he’s got some priors,” Payton said. “So, you know, when you get pulled over and you’ve had four or five speeding violations, you’re going to spend a little more time on the side of the road.”
Aaron Jones returned from a pulled hamstring and gained 58 yards on 11 touches, not nearly enough to kick-start Green Bay’s stagnant offense.
During their last four games, the Packers have been outscored a combined 63-6 in the first half.
“We just lost to Denver,” cornerback Rasul Douglas said, his voice dripping with disgust. “Not saying they’re terrible, but come on, we’re supposed to win, man.”
INJURIES
Four Packers were injured in the second quarter: DL Devonte Wyatt (knee), S Darnell Savage (calf), CB Eric Stokes (hamstring) and WR Jayden Reed (shin). Musgrave (ankle) left after the illegal hit by Jackson.
UP NEXT
Packers: Host Minnesota next Sunday.
Broncos: Host Kansas City next Sunday.
MAHOMES THROWS FOR 424 YARDS AND 4 TDS, KELCE HAS BIG DAY AS CHIEFS BEAT CHARGERS 31-17
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) If anybody should know how to stop Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, it should probably be the Los Angeles Chargers and the rest of the AFC West, who get two cracks at beating the Kansas City Chiefs every season.
The familiarity hasn’t seemed to help.
Mahomes threw for 424 yards and four touchdowns, Kelce caught 12 passes for 179 yards and a score, and the Chiefs beat the Chargers 31-17 on Sunday to seize command of a division they have won seven straight years. Mahomes also improved to 29-3 against teams from the AFC West, which Kansas City already leads by three games just seven weeks into the season.
“I think both Kelce and Pat, when they’re on the same page, that’s a challenge for any defense,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, whose team became the first Super Bowl champion to lose its season opener and then rip off six straight wins.
“I know they work on it. This isn’t, like, a secret,” Reid continued. “It’s quite a tribute for those two executing the way they do.”
Marquez Valdes-Scantling added three catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, and Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco also caught TD passes for the Chiefs (6-1), who have won four straight against the Chargers dating to their 2021 overtime thriller.
It wasn’t easy Sunday. The Chiefs were leading 24-17 midway through the fourth quarter when Mecole Hardman, who returned to Kansas City just this week in a trade with the New York Jets, brought back a punt 50 yards. That gave them a short field and, six plays later, Mahomes hit Pacheco out of the backfield for the touchdown that put the game away.
“We just didn’t get any rhythm in the second half,” said Chargers coach Brandon Staley, whose team was shut out over the final 30 minutes. “In the first half I thought we were aggressive. In the second half, we kept stalling out.”
The Chargers’ Justin Herbert, who was sacked five times by the league’s No. 2 scoring defense, had 259 yards passing with a touchdown and two picks. Joshua Palmer caught five passes for 133 yards and Joshua Kelley ran for 75 yards and a score.
“They’re a good defense,” Herbert said. “We did our best to move the ball. We just didn’t execute enough.”
The Chiefs had been relying all season on their defense to bail out an offense that had struggled to hit its stride.
Mahomes and Co. finally found it in the first half.
After an opening drive that netted a field goal, the reigning league MVP capped three of the next four with TD passes. The first was a 46-yard strike to Valdes-Scantling, the second to Rice, and the final one – almost fittingly – a flip from the 1-yard line to Kelce, who bulldozed through a group of defenders and into the end zone with 15 seconds left in the first half.
That prompted big cheers from the home crowd, including pop superstar Taylor Swift, who again watched from a luxury suite and celebrated with a personalized handshake with Brittany Mahomes, the quarterback’s wife.
Mahomes had 321 yards passing by that point, the fourth time in his career he had been over 300 before halftime. And Kelce had nine catches for 143 yards and a score, the second week in a row he’d been over 100 by the break.
“The main thing with Travis,” Mahomes explained, “is the way he’s able to recognize coverage and adjust on the fly. We always talk about it, but you can’t take it for granted. He can read the coverages, stop in the windows and be on the same page as me.”
Yet their big half only left the Chiefs leading 24-17, because the Chargers were getting some big plays of their own.
After they evened the score with a field goal of their own, Kelley got loose for a 49-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. And after Herbert connected with Palmer for 60 yards down the middle of the field, the Los Angeles quarterback found tight end Gerald Everett in the end zone for a touchdown.
Given all the first-half offense, the second half was mostly a dud. Both teams put together long drives in the third quarter, and both of them ended up with turnovers, leaving the Chiefs clinging to their 24-17 lead heading into the fourth.
That’s when they were able to put the game away.
SWIFTIES, TAKE NOTE
Swift was seen wearing a friendship bracelet with “87” on it. His failed attempt to give her a bracelet during her Eras Tour led to the tight end’s courtship of the pop star, beginning with an invitation to a game at Arrowhead Stadium. Swift took Kelce up on it and they have been seeing each other ever since.
WELCOME BACK
Chiefs pass rusher Charles Omenihu, who was suspended six games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, made his debut in a big way. He had a sack in the first half and tipped a pass that L’Jarius Sneed picked off in the second.
INJURIES
Chargers: RB Austin Ekeler limped off in the first half but returned to the game. … Everett left in the second with a quad injury.
Chiefs: LB Nick Bolton dislocated his wrist tackling Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Chargers: Play the Bears next Sunday night.
Chiefs: Visit the Broncos next Sunday.
HURTS PASSES FOR 279 YARDS, THROWS A TD AND RUNS FOR ONE IN EAGLES’ 31-17 WIN OVER DOLPHINS
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jalen Hurts needed a brace on his left leg in the second half – then shook off whatever ailed him to stand tall in the pocket and lead a go-ahead scoring drive – before he hobbled off the field after yet another Eagles win.
Hurts is hurting, for sure.
“I don’t want to put his business out there,” wide receiver A.J. Brown said. “But just know he’s a tough individual. He’s putting us in good positions to win.”
Hurts rebounded from a pick-6 to hit Brown with the winning touchdown on the next drive, and he threw for 279 yards and combined for three scores to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a 31-17 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night.
Hurts offered little about what’s wrong. But when asked if it was an injury that could impact the star QB moving forward, Hurts only said, “I hope not.”
Of course, the Eagles hope not, too – they started 13-1 last season before Hurts broke his clavicle and they lost two straight games. Hurts still finished with his 13th career game with a passing and rushing touchdown.
“He played the rest of the game and he played at a really high level,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “Man, he’s a competitor. There’s nobody else I’d rather have as our quarterback.”
The Super Bowl teams from last season, the champion Kansas City Chiefs and Eagles are the only 6-1 teams in the NFL.
Hurts threw two more interceptions but found Brown 10 times for 137 yards – his fifth straight game of 125-plus yards – to get by his former Alabama teammate Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins (5-2).
But the big play that sealed the win came in the fourth quarter from the cornerback nicknamed “Big Play” Slay. Trailing 24-17 in the fourth, Tagovailoa went deep on a pass intended for Raheem Mostert that was picked by Darius Slay near the goal line and returned 16 yards.
With the Eagles wearing throwback Kelly green jerseys, Slay added one more defensive highlight in a fan-favorite team color once worn by Reggie White.
“Yeah, yeah, big play,” Slay said. “I’ve been in this position a lot. Big time, big time moments. Sunday night. I’m making all the plays.”
The Eagles tush-pushed their way toward first downs on a clock-eating drive late in the fourth before Hurts hit Brown for a 42-yard reception and Kenneth Gainwell sealed the win with a 3-yard touchdown run.
As he has been much of the season, Hurts was more erratic than dynamic. Still, Hurts threw a 14-yard TD pass to Brown for a 24-17 lead with 15 seconds left in the third that ended up the winner.
Hurts ran into trouble earlier in the third when he faked a handoff and his short pass was tipped into the hands of linebacker Jerome Baker. Baker returned the pick 22 yards for the score and a 17-all game. Hurts – who threw three interceptions in last week’s loss against the Jets – had only six interceptions a year ago when he was the NFL MVP runner-up.
Tagovailoa was 23 of 32 for 216 yards in his first head-to-head matchup against Hurts in the NFL, the two 25-year-old QBs forever linked by their tenures under coach Nick Saban at Alabama. Tagovailoa replaced Hurts at halftime of the 2017 national championship and threw three touchdowns to lead Alabama to its fifth national title.
Tagovailoa was all out of dramatic rallies in this one.
“If you’re going to lose games, you want it to be against a really good team and you want it to hurt,” coach Mike McDaniel said.
Hurts threw a 19-yard TD pass to Dallas Goedert for a 10-3 lead in the second quarter. The Eagles had a minor scare when Brown spent time in the medical tent. The wideout took a hard hit to the cheek and briefly had blurred vision but seemed fine when he dashed out of the tent and onto the field on fourth-and-3 and hauled in a 32-yard pass that took the Eagles to the 1-yard line.
NFL fans watching were stumped on what the Eagles would do next. Maybe a play-action pass? A trick play?
Uh, no. It was the tush push, of course. Hurts lined up under center, the offensive line surged forward and Hurts got a big push from behind into the end zone for a 17-3 lead.
“People can’t do it like we can do it,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “Don’t ban this play. If everybody could do it, everybody would do it.”
Miami and it’s league-best offense wasn’t out of the game yet.
The Dolphins’ five wins this season have come against teams with a combined record of 8-25. The only team they had faced with a winning record is Buffalo (4-3). Miami lost that game 48-20.
Tagovailoa said ahead of Sunday’s game that playing the NFC champions was a “good opportunity to see where our team stands.”
The Dolphins didn’t fold. Tyreek Hill sped past two defenders and Tagovailoa found him alone in stride for a touchdown with 39 seconds left that pulled them to 17-10.
“You have to feel what it’s like to play such a good team on the road,” McDaniel said. “Your margin for error is so small. It’s an important building block along your progression for the season.”
STRUGGLING DOLPHINS
The Eagles limited the No. 1 offense in the NFL to just 244 total yards. The Dolphins had scored 30-plus points four times this season and the 17 points was a season low.
“We made them one-dimensional,” Sirianni said.
The Dolphins had season lows in the first half with 10 points and 113 yards.
“All of these games help us down the road,” Tagaovailoa said. “To me it felt like this game was a playoff atmosphere type of thing. I think that was a good rep for us early in the season. Leading down the road to when it’s crunch time.”
INJURIES
Dolphins: WR Jaylen Waddle suffered a back injury but later returned. OL Isaiah Wynn left with a quad injury.
Dolphins defenders Jevon Holland and David Long Jr. suffered a helmet-to-helmet collision chasing Hurts in the third quarter but both players went to the sidelines on their own power.
UP NEXT
Dolphins: Return home Sunday to play New England in an AFC East clash.
Eagles: Hit the road for a rematch with the Commanders. Jake Elliott kicked a 54-yard field goal in overtime to lift Philadelphia to a 34-31 win over Washington in October at the Linc.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
AP TOP 25: GEORGIA IS NO. 1 FOR 19TH STRAIGHT POLL, 3RD-BEST STREAK EVER; ALABAMA IN TOP 10 AGAIN
(AP) — Georgia extended its streak of No. 1 rankings in The Associated Press college football poll to 19 straight weeks, the third best in the history of the rankings, and Alabama moved back into the top 10 on Sunday.
The Bulldogs received 38 of 63 first-place votes, their second-lowest total of the season, after an off week but still bested No. 2 Michigan, 1,536 points to 1,504.
Georgia’s No. 1 streak, which started on Oct. 9, 2022, is behind only Miami’s streak of 21 weeks from 2001-02 and Southern California’s 33 in a row from 2003-05.
The Wolverines received 19 first-place votes after their latest blowout, 49-0 against Michigan State on Saturday night. Michigan was unfazed after a week in which it was revealed the program is being investigated by the NCAA for a sign-stealing scheme that allegedly involved impermissible in-person scouting.
Ohio State held steady at No. 3 after winning a top-10 matchup with Penn State. The Nittany Lions slipped three spots to 10th. The Buckeyes received three first-place votes, as did No. 4 Florida State.
No. 5 Washington and No. 6 Oklahoma held their spots after close calls against unranked teams at home. No. 7 Texas and No. 8 Oregon each moved up a spot.
No. 9 Alabama returned to the top 10 after falling out in mid-September, which snapped a streak of 128 top-10 appearances that dated back to 2015. The Crimson Tide beat Tennessee for their sixth straight victory.
“The challenges are great. I enjoy coaching this team,” Tide coach Nick Saban said after the game. “That’s not to say that they’re not taking years off my life, but I’m OK with that. It’s fun. They’ve got a good spirit about them.”
The Volunteers dropped four spots to No. 21.
While Washington, Oklahoma and Texas all survived scares against unranked foes, North Carolina was not so fortunate.
The Tar Heels lost to Virginia, the Cavaliers’ first win of the season against an FBS team, to become just the second top-10 team to lose to an unranked team this season. The other was then-No. 9 Clemson in Week 1 at Duke.
North Carolina dropped seven spots to No. 17.
Clemson has not been ranked since the second week of the season and after losing its third Atlantic Coast Conference game, to Miami on Saturday night, the Tigers received no points in Sunday’s poll. It is just the fourth time in the last 197 polls that Clemson has been totally shut out by voters.
The number of major upsets to Top 25 teams overall in college football this season remains minimal. The current Top 25 has lost a total of 23 games. Of those losses, 19 have been to other teams that currently are ranked.
Iowa dropped out of the Top 25 after its second loss of the season and was replaced by No. 25 James Madison.
The Dukes (7-0) made a brief appearance at No. 25 in early October of last year before going on a three-game losing streak.
JMU is in its second season playing in the Bowl Subdivision, the highest level of Division I, leaving the Dukes ineligible to play for the Sun Belt Conference title and a bowl game. NCAA rules require a two-year transition period for schools moving up a level.
James Madison gives the Sun Belt a ranked team for the first time this season and also three non-Power Five conference teams in the poll, joining No. 19 Air Force of the Mountain West and No. 22 Tulane of the American Athletic Conference.
Air Force (7-0) has its highest ranking since being No. 18 on Oct. 13, 2002.
SEC – 6 (Nos. 1, 9, 12, 15, 16, 21).
Pac-12 – 6 (Nos. 5, 8, 11, 13, 23, 24).
ACC – 4 (Nos. 4, 17, 18, 20).
Big Ten – 3 (Nos. 2, 3, 10).
Big 12 – 2 (Nos. 6, 7).
Mountain West – 1 (No. 19).
American – 1 (No. 22).
Sun Belt – 1 (No. 25).
Independent – 1 (No. 14).
No. 8 Oregon at No. 13 Utah. This will be the fifth straight meeting dating back to 2018 with both teams ranked. The Ducks and Utes have split the last four.
No. 20 Duke at No. 18 Louisville. Basketball powers have played only three times in football, despite the Cardinals joining the ACC in 2014. This will be the first game where both are ranked.
ARKANSAS FIRES OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DAN ENOS
Arkansas fired offensive coordinator Dan Enos on Sunday, one day after the Razorbacks lost to Mississippi State 7-3.
“Arkansas Head Coach Sam Pittman has relieved offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dan Enos of his duties and he is no longer a member of the Razorbacks’ program effective immediately,” the Arkansas athletic department said in a statement.
Wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton will take over as the Razorbacks’ play-caller for the rest of the season.
Enos lasted less than one season in his second stint on the job after he was hired in January to replace Kendal Briles, who departed Arkansas for the same role at TCU. Enos previously served in the same roles at Arkansas from 2015-17.
Arkansas (2-6, 0-5 Southeastern Conference) has averaged 26.5 points over its eight games. Its losing streak extended to six Saturday, when the offense totaled just 200 yards and went 5-for-17 on third down against Mississippi State.
Guiton, a former Ohio State quarterback, ascends into a play-calling role for the first time.
UTAH QB CAM RISING (KNEE) WON’T PLAY THIS SEASON
Utah starting quarterback Cam Rising, sidelined due to a knee injury sustained in the Rose Bowl in January, will not play in 2023.
Coach Kyle Whittingham made the announcement following Utah’s win over Southern California on Saturday night.
Utah entered the game ranked No. 14 and led by quarterback Bryson Barnes, who completed 14 of 23 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns in the 34-32, last-second win over the Trojans. He added 57 rushing yards and a touchdown.
In an interview in October, Rising detailed the injuries to his left knee.
“I wasn’t really expecting to do this, but I think it’s important that I just let everybody know that I didn’t just tear my ACL,” Rising said during an appearance on “The Bill Riley Show,” a sports talk radio program and podcast in Utah.
“I tore my ACL, meniscus, MPFL and MCL,” he said. “There was a big surgery, and it’s not an easy comeback. I’ve been working my tail off.”
While there had been optimism Rising would play this season for the Utes (6-1), Whittingham shut down that option.
Rising potentially could return for the 2024 season, when he’d be 25. He redshirted at Texas in 2018, sat out 2019 as he transferred to Utah, then played in just one game in 2020 due to injury.
As Utah’s starter in 2021 and ’22, he amassed an 18-6 record as a starter, tallying 15 career games with 200-plus passing yards, including two 300-yard games and one 400-yard-game. He was a Pac-12 All-Conference first-team selection in 2021.
Whittingham also said tight end Brant Kuithe, who continues to recover from an ACL injury, also won’t play this season. Both Kuithe and Rising could apply to the NCAA for a medical redshirt.
“We’ve been hoping for ’em each week, but the medical staff was the ones who made that call,” Whittingham said. “And we’re not going to question that at all. That’s just not how we operate. So it was a medical decision for the rest of the year — it’s probably the safest thing to do for them, gives them the best chance to get back to 100 percent. So I’m 100 percent on board with that.”
NBA NEWS
MEMPHIS CENTER STEVEN ADAMS NEEDS SEASON-ENDING KNEE SURGERY FOR SHORT-HANDED GRIZZLIES
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Grizzlies center Steven Adams needs season-ending knee surgery, the team announced Sunday.
Adams will have surgery on his right posterior cruciate ligament. Other nonsurgical rehabilitation didn’t resolve the ongoing instability of his knee, the Grizzlies said.
Adams hurt the knee in late January and missed the remainder of the season, including the playoffs. The 6-foot-11 Adams had been a strong rebounder and defender for the team. He seemed on target to return this season until the surgery announcement.
The Grizzlies already are short-handed without guard Ja Morant – serving a 25-game league suspension for flashing a handgun on social media for the second time in three months – and power forward Brandon Clarke (Achilles tendon).
Adams joined the Grizzlies at the start of the 2021-22 season after one season in New Orleans. He played in Oklahoma City his first seven years in the league. The 30-year-old Adams has averaged 9.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in his 10-year career.
REPORT: WIZARDS GIVE F DENI AVDIJA 4-YEAR EXTENSION
Forward Deni Avdija and the Washington Wizards agreed to a four-year, $55 million extension, per an ESPN report Sunday.
The ninth pick in the 2020 draft, Advija landed his rookie scale contract extension before Monday’s deadline for members of his draft class.
Avdija, 22, averaged career highs in points (9.2), rebounds (6.4) and assists (2.8) in 76 games (40 starts) for the Wizards last season.
In three seasons with the Wizards, Avdija has averaged 8.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 212 games (80 starts).
A native of Israel, Avdija holds dual citizenship in Israel and Serbia and played for Maccabi Tel Aviv from 2017-20.
NHL NEWS
ALEX DEBRINCAT NOTCHES HAT TRICK AS THE RED WINGS WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT BY DOWNING FLAMES 6-2
DETROIT (AP) Alex DeBrincat continued his hot start with his fifth career hat trick and the Detroit Red Wings extended their winning streak to five games by defeating road-weary Calgary 6-2 on Sunday.
DeBrincat, acquired in an offseason trade with Ottawa, increased his season goal total to a league-high eight.
“I’ve played with a lot of great players in my career, and I’ve tried to watch them and see where they go and learn some things from all of them,” DeBrincat said. “I think it is a little bit of that and a little bit of natural instincts. I was always smaller than everyone else, so I had to find different ways to score other than powering to the net.”
Joe Veleno scored his third goal in two games and Dylan Larkin supplied a goal and an assist. Jake Walman scored his first goal this season, while Justin Holl and Lucas Raymond added three assists apiece. James Reimer made 29 saves for the Red Wings.
Detroit was playing the second game of a back-to-back after winning at Ottawa on Saturday afternoon.
“I don’t want to say this was a trap, but after such an emotional game yesterday and playing back to back, an inexperienced team might have come out flat,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “I challenged our guys not to do that and they came out with a pretty good effort.”
Andrew Mangiapane and Yegor Sharangovich scored for Calgary. Dan Vladar stopped 24 shots for the Flames, who finished 1-3-1 on a five-game road swing.
“Six games in and a lot of hockey left to be played but we’ve got to pick it up,” Flames center Mikael Backlund said. “We don’t want to fall behind here. We want to say within the race.”
DeBrincat’s first goal of the game came off a pass by Holl 1:59 into the game. Veleno scored midway through the first period when he deflected a Ben Chiarot shot from the point.
Detroit made it 3-0 two minutes into the second period. DeBrincat made a circle-to-circle pass to Larkin, who lifted a shot over Vladar’s right shoulder.
Calgary got on the board with 7:48 left in the period when Mangiapane knocked in a rebound of a Backlund shot. Detroit quickly responded when Larkin set up DeBrincat for a one-timer that beat Vladar on the stick side.
“Cat’s hockey sense is off the charts,” Larkin said. “Everyone knows he can score, but it is how he finds space and how he finds pockets. It honestly took a little bit to get used to playing with a player who is looking for spots where most guys can’t score.”
Sharangovich cut the Wings’ lead to two late in the second period on a shot from the point.
Shortly after Walman’s goal, DeBrincat collected his hat trick with 16:16 remaining on a blast from the left circle that beat Vladar on the short side.
“If you turn over as many pucks as we did, you’re asking for it,” Calgary coach Ryan Huska said. “Then it’s just a steady dose of odd man rushes coming back against. That’s not a recipe for winning at any level.”
ICE CHIPS
Flames D Rasmus Andersson served the first game of his four-games suspension. The league handed down the suspension for a charging penalty committed at Columbus on Friday. … DeBrincat set a franchise history by scoring eight goals in his first six games with the club. Ed Litzenberger held the previous record with six goals in his first six games with Detroit in 1961. … Larkin has 16 points in 15 career games against Calgary.
UP NEXT
Flames: Host New York Rangers on Tuesday.
Red Wings: Host Seattle on Tuesday.
BRUINS RALLY PAST DUCKS, EXTEND SEASON-OPENING WIN STREAK TO FIVE
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Matthew Poitras scored his first two NHL goals in the third period and the Boston Bruins beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 Sunday for their season-opening fifth straight win.
The 19-year-old Poitras, playing in his fifth career game, scored at 6:29 of the final period to erase the Ducks’ lead and then got the go-ahead goal nearly 4 minutes later when he stuffed home the rebound of Jake DeBrusk’s shot.
Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal and Linus Ullmark made 32 saves as the Bruins remained one of three undefeated teams along with Vegas and Colorado. Marchand extended his points streak to five games while David Pastrnak saw his four-game goal-scoring streak come to an end.
“It was a good win and we just kind of stayed together and stuck with it,” Poitras said. “It was maybe not our best, but we were able to get the job done.”
Mason McTavish scored the lone goal for the Ducks, who lost their third straight and fourth in five games this season. John Gibson made 25 saves.
Anaheim lost despite a 31-26 advantage in shots on goal, but Ducks coach Greg Cronin hardly was satisfied. Cronin said his team should have put at least 40 shots on goal, if not more, in a refrain of what he has been preaching in the early part of the season.
“At this point, it’s going to be like a value system,” said Cronin, who insisted that simple math says more shots on goal will yield more goals. “We’re going to just shoot pucks. I don’t care if it’s from the (opposite) goal line. Just put them at the goalie’s pads.”
The Ducks were the first to break through in the scoreless game as McTavish scored on a rush with Ryan Strome at 5:05 of the third period. Strome’s shot on Ullmark rebounded into the slot and McTavish got enough on his shot to slide in the goal off the left post for his second of the season.
Poitras needed just 1:24 to even the score when he took a centering pass from Morgan Geekie from the left side of goal and scored out front past Gibson, who was late to get back into position from the left post. It was a goal Poitras said he had been dreaming about, “my whole life, really.”
“Especially a lot more the last couple of weeks and knowing that I’m playing here.” Poitras said. “Maybe I was a little tired at the start of the third (period) but to see that one go in, it felt great.”
Piotras was later in perfect position when DeBrusk’s shot rebounded off Gibson’s chest. Piotras cleaned up the loose puck for his second goal and a 2-1 advantage at 10:20.
Marchand’s fourth goal of the season came with 2:34 remaining after the Ducks pulled Gibson for an extra skater.
The Bruins missed a prime chance to take an early lead on DeBrusk’s short-handed breakaway just over a minute into the game, but his shot on Gibson hit the left post. DeBrusk returned to action after being held out from Saturday’s victory over Los Angeles for being late to a meeting.
Boston had a 13-8 advantage on shots in the first period, while Anaheim forced the issue in the second period with a 10-4 advantage.
“I have a lot of faith in my boys in front of me, making the right plays and keeping their guys to the outside” Ullmark said. “That’s what we have to do. … We did all the things in the right way there in the third when we had the lead.”
Bruins forward Trent Federic went to the locker room late in the second period after he absorbed a hip check from the Ducks’ Radko Gudas in the lower abdomen.
Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk made his return to Anaheim and received a short tribute video in the first period after playing the previous three seasons in Anaheim.
REST STOP
Ducks rookie Leo Carlsson was an observer Sunday as a healthy scratch following a road game Saturday against Arizona. Carlsson, the No. 2 overall selection in this year’s NHL Draft, made his NHL debut Thursday and scored a goal on his first career shot against Dallas. He did not register a point in 22 minutes against the Coyotes. The Ducks are expected to keep the 18-year-old forward on a moderate early workload as he adapts to the NHL.
UP NEXT
Bruins: At Chicago on Tuesday night to finish a four-game trip.
Ducks: At Columbus on Tuesday night to open a four-game trip.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW: BIG 10…MICHIGAN STATE
| 2022-23: | 21-13, 11-8 (4th, Big Ten) |
| NCAA Tournament – Sweet 16 | |
| Location: | East Lansing, MI |
| Coach: | TOM IZZO (29th Season) |
| Homecourt: | BRESLIN CENTER (14,797) |
| Key Departures: | JOEY HAUSER (14.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.8 apg) |
| Key Newcomers: | XAVIER BOOKER (freshman, Cathedral HS) |
| JEREMY FEARS, JR. (freshman, Joliet West HS) | |
| COEN CARR (freshman, Legacy Early College) | |
| GEHRIG NORMAND (freshman, Birdville HS) |
ROSTER
| # | Player | Pos. | Listed | Year | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PT% | |
| 11 | A.J. Hoggard | G | 6-4 | Sr. | 30.6 | 12.9 | 3.7 | 5.9 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 41.7 | 32.9 | |
| 2 | Tyson Walker | G | 6-1 | Gr. | 33.9 | 14.8 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 45.9 | 41.5 | |
| 3 | Jaden Akins | G | 6-4 | Jr. | 27.4 | 9.8 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 42.0 | 42.2 | |
| 25 | Malik Hall | F | 6-8 | Gr. | 25.7 | 8.9 | 4.3 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 43.6 | 32.7 | |
| 22 | Mady Sissoko | C | 6-9 | Sr. | 21.4 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 61.2 | – | |
| 34 | Xavier Booker | F | 6-11 | Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1 | Jeremy Fears, Jr. | G | 6-0 | Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 55 | Coen Carr | G/F | 6-7 | Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 7 | Gehrig Normand | G | 6-6 | Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 0 | Jaxon Kohler | F | 6-9 | So. | 10.8 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 50.5 | 0.0 | |
| 5 | Tre Holloman | G | 6-2 | So. | 8.6 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 38.6 | 23.1 | |
| 15 | Carson Cooper | C | 6-11 | So. | 6.6 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 73.1 | – | |
FROM THE COACH
“We have a real chance this year. Last year, everyone was on me because we didn’t go to the portal, but we developed these guys. I’m trying to build a program, and I hope this year it’ll pay dividends.”
—Tom Izzo
THE SCOOP
The past three seasons, Tom Izzo’s record in Big Ten games is a shocking 31-28. Izzo is known as Mr. March, but the last three exits have come in the First Four, the second round and the Sweet 16 — not exactly what fans have been accustomed to around East Lansing.
The Sparty faithful are clamoring to be relevant again nationally, and they want to be fighting for banners rather than just getting into the tourney. This year, Michigan State has the blend of experience, talented young guys and depth — especially on the perimeter — to win the Big Ten and also make a Final Four run.
Izzo has been to the sport’s final weekend eight times, and the 69-year-old head coach is looking for another berth to the Final Four. Maybe even a national title.
“We’ve got a chance,” Izzo said. “You’ve got to be knocking on the door before you get in.”
ROAD TO SUCCESS
Izzo has no shortage of perimeter guys and plenty of experience. Those will be the strengths of this year’s Michigan State team.
“We’re old,” Izzo said matter-of-factly.
Former Northeastern Husky Tyson Walker struggled mightily in his first season in East Lansing but led the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) in Year 2 while shooting 42% from 3 and stepping it up on the defensive end. Walker could become an All-American this season.
Look for Jaden Akins to join Walker as the other go-to guy when the game is on the line. The 6-4 junior wing battled injuries early last season, but wound up averaging 9.8 points in league play while shooting 43% from long range. The key for Akins will be expanding his offensive game and also helping out on the glass.
A.J. Hoggard is also back. The 6-4 senior has made steady progress each season and averaged 12.9 points and 5.9 assists last year. But he’ll need to improve his consistency and leadership — as well as his perimeter shot after making just 28% of his 3s in his college career.
In case that consistency doesn’t come, Izzo has some other options in the backcourt: 6-2 sophomore Tre Holloman and talented freshman Jeremy Fears (No. 31 recruit). Holloman is a big-time athlete who needs to prove he can make shots from deep while Fears is a strong, tough, high IQ guard who reminds Izzo of Mateen Cleaves.
Malik Hall will be returning from minor surgery on his left foot, but he’s another veteran who brings versatility to the table and can space the court. The fifth-year player battled through injuries last season but shot 43% from 3 two years ago.
The post will once again be a three-headed monster that all bring something different.
Mady Sissoko is the veteran. He started 33 games last year and gives the Spartans toughness and a physical presence in the paint. Jaxon Kohler is super-skilled and could take a jump as a sophomore as long as he improves on the defensive end, and fellow sophomore Carson Cooper is an Izzo favorite because he plays hard and usually makes the right decisions.
The prize of the freshman class, at least in terms of the rankings, is Xavier Booker (No. 14). The 6-10 center comes in with a ton of natural ability, but he might take a year or more to develop. Booker is long, skilled and tantalizing, but he also needs to gain strength and learn to play hard on a consistent basis. Michigan State also brings in forward Coen Carr (No. 33), a freak athlete who brings energy, toughness and ferociousness on the offensive glass – but will need to work on extending his range.
POTENTIAL POTHOLES
There just aren’t many holes with this Michigan State team. The Spartans have eight of their top 10 players back from last season, a plethora of perimeter players, and some young, high-end talent. Not to mention one of the best coaches the sport has ever seen.
Izzo said he wants to see improved leadership with this group — especially from the backcourt duo of Hoggard and Walker. Hoggard has been vocal and is coming off his best summer, but he needs to be consistent with his approach. Izzo raves about Walker’s work ethic and wants him to take on more of a leadership role.
Then there’s the lack of a post presence.
“I don’t think we have a great post-up game,” Izzo said. “But then again, who does anymore?”
Sissoko showed flashes, but the guards can’t throw it into him for an automatic bucket. Cooper is solid, but he’s not ready for that, either. Kohler has terrific footwork and low-post moves, but the concern is his ability to defend. Booker is a wild card — he can be a lob threat and runs the floor well, but he’s not necessarily someone who can go get a basket in the post.
Michigan State also lost Joey Hauser, the team’s best pure shooter, in the offseason. That will put pressure on guys like Walker and Akins to make sure they don’t regress in that department.
Staying healthy is always important for Izzo who has definitely adapted over the years, but he demands plenty of his players and goes harder with his practices than most.
But these are minor concerns compared to what most of the rest of the country is facing. In truth, Izzo has just about everything he needs at his disposal this season: talent, depth, experience, perimeter play.
“I’m going to play a little differently than we have lately,” Izzo said. “I’m not going to press-press, but we’re going to pressure the ball a lot more. We have the personnel to be able to do it. I’m going to try and wear other teams out. We’ve got some guys that can really get after it and defend.”
THE X-FACTOR
This one is easy: It’s Hoggard and Hall.
When Hoggard plays well, Michigan State has been extremely difficult to beat. But when he doesn’t, the Spartans have been vulnerable.
In the regular season, Hoggard had near triple-doubles against Villanova early in the season and against Maryland in Big Ten play. But in the loss to Ohio State in last year’s Big Ten tourney, Izzo pulled him after he was completely ineffective. A few games later, in the Spartans’ overtime loss to Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament, Hoggard put up a career-high 25 points to go along with six assists.
It’s been almost Jekyll and Hyde when it comes to Hoggard. Izzo doesn’t know what he’s going to get on any given night.
One aspect that could contribute to a more consistent Hoggard is having competition behind him in the form of Fears. The freshman is regarded as a tireless worker; he’s poised, smart and tough. He might help Hoggard’s focus.
Hall is also a major X-factor for Michigan State. He wasn’t himself physically last season, and it showed. He averaged 8.9 points for the second-consecutive season but was far less efficient shooting the ball. He shot 55% from the field and 43% from 3 as a junior, and those numbers dropped to 48% and 33% from deep last year. If he can get back to 100%, make shots, do a little bit of everything and defend multiple positions, he can take this team to another level and plug a significant hole.
“He was hurt all season,” Izzo said of Hall. “He can really shoot it, he puts it on the floor, he’s athletic and is tough. He’s just one of those hybrid guys who does a lot for us.”
THE OUTLOOK
There aren’t many glaring holes with this Spartans team.
Guard play? Check. A collection of solid bigs? Check. Experience, youth, a Hall of Fame head coach? Check, check, check.
This is one of those years where it’ll be a bit disappointing if Michigan State isn’t fighting for the Big Ten regular-season title. Equally disappointing would be another early exit from the NCAA Tournament.
Izzo has what just about everyone wants these days: Perimeter guys with experience who can shoot it and make plays, multiple point guards, athleticism, guys who defend, quality chemistry, and big men who fill a role.
It’s difficult to imagine Sparty not being in the hunt when it matters most come March. Maybe Izzo can finally hang another national title banner at the Breslin Center.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW: MAC….BOWLING GREEN
| 2022-23: | 11-20, 5-13 (9th, MAC) |
| No Postseason | |
| Location: | Bowling Green, OH |
| Coach: | TODD SIMON (1st Season) |
| Homecourt: | STROH CENTER (4,350) |
| Key Departures: | LEON AYERS (16.5 ppg, 4 rpg, 3.1 apg) |
| SAMARI CURTIS (12.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.1 apg) | |
| KADEN METHENY (10.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.6 apg) | |
| CHANDLER TURNER (8.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.1 apg) | |
| Key Newcomers: | D.J. SMITH (transfer, Little Rock) |
| TREY THOMAS (transfer, Vanderbilt) | |
| DA’SHAWN PHILLIP (transfer, UMES) | |
| JASON SPURGIN (transfer, Southern Utah) | |
| P.J. EDWARDS (transfer, UCF) | |
| MARCUS HILL (transfer, Southern Union State) | |
| DAJION HUMPHREY (transfer, Garden City CC) |
ROSTER
| # | Player | Pos. | Listed | Year | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PT% | |
| 2 | D.J. Smith* | G | 6-0 | Jr. | 30.3 | 10.3 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 40.0 | 30.3 | |
| 1 | Trey Thomas* | G | 6-0 | Sr. | 23.1 | 5.8 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 31.3 | 30.1 | |
| 5 | Da’Shawn Phillip* | G | 6-5 | Sr. | 28.0 | 9.8 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 40.4 | 33.1 | |
| 12 | Rashaun Agee | F | 6-8 | Sr. | 18.1 | 9.9 | 5.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 52.8 | 24.0 | |
| 7 | Jason Spurgin* | F | 6-11 | Sr. | 27.5 | 10.0 | 6.0 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 60.1 | 5.0 | |
| 14 | Sam Towns | F | 6-9 | Sr. | 18.9 | 6.1 | 4.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 55.7 | 20.0 | |
| 4 | P.J. Edwards* | G | 6-4 | R-So. | 6.6 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 37.1 | 26.1 | |
| 0 | Marcus Hill* | G | 6-4 | Jr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 3 | DaJion Humphrey* | G | 6-4 | Jr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 13 | EJay Greer | F | 6-8 | Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 10 | Anthony McComb | G | 6-3 | So. | 7.3 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 23.3 | 5.3 | |
| 11 | Jamai Felt | F | 6-10 | R-Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 17 | JZ Zaher | G | 6-0 | So. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 8 | Greg Spurgin | F | 6-7 | So. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
FROM THE COACH
“The bottom line is: We want to get more great shots than the other team. Maintaining shot discipline and taking care of the ball is critical, especially at the tempo we want to play at.”
—Todd Simon
THE SCOOP
Let’s just rip the Band-Aid off and get it over with:
1968. That’s the last time the Falcons played in the NCAA Tournament. As Toledo Blade beat writer Nick Piotrowicz ominously wrote, Bowling Green basketball is “haunted by the Ghosts of Tournaments Past.”
All historical curses in sports are broken eventually. It often starts with a brand-new identity, with new management, new coaches, new players — anything not contaminated by old scar tissue.
Michael Huger took the Falcons to the brink of a breakthrough in 2019. Naturally, one of the best MAC teams ever — the Nate Oats-coached Buffalo Bulls — slammed the door shut on BGSU’s hopes and dreams in the MAC Championship game.
Since then, Bowling Green has been trending in the wrong direction. It was time for a change, and that put the wheels in motion for the Falcons to move on from Huger and usher in new head coach Todd Simon.
ROAD TO SUCCESS
The former Southern Utah head coach brings a modern offense with pro-style concepts to Bowling Green. BGSU fans are likely more interested in his defensive philosophy in the wake of last year’s disappointments on that end, but the Falcon offense will be a fun brand of basketball to buy into.
Putting points on the board is one thing, but doing so efficiently is entirely different. At Southern Utah, Simon’s teams did both. In three consecutive seasons, his Thunderbirds posted top-100 ranks in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom, fueled by breakneck pace and ample space.
Simon lured a calvary of potent perimeter players to the fold this year. They should give the Falcons an abundance of depth at guard and on the wing.
“We have seven legitimate guys in the mix for three guard spots, but we can play smaller too and stretch that to four, as needed,” said Simon, describing the depth at his disposal.
Two JUCO products, Marcus Hill and DaJion Humphrey, may not be given immediate starting spots, but they’ll provide instant offense regardless of where they fall in the pecking order.
Hill, a 6-3 Chicago native, averaged a gaudy line of 26.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.9 steals at Southern Union State last year. Humphrey, meanwhile, played two D1 seasons for Holy Cross before his JUCO year with Garden City. Last season, he led his new team in scoring (17.2 ppg) while knocking down 43.5% of his 3-pointers (193 3PA).
As for how they will fit in with the Falcons, Simon has seen enough from both this summer — and he’s sold.
“Marcus Hill’s ability to score jumps off the page,” Simon declared. “He can get to the rim whenever he wants to. DaJion Humphrey can really shoot it and also brings some D1 experience. His intangibles are there, too.”
Four more D1 transfers — D.J. Smith (Little Rock), Trey Thomas (Vanderbilt), Da’Shawn Phillip (UMES), and P.J. Edwards (UCF)— will provide invaluable, translatable experience to this overhauled backcourt.
Smith comes equipped with that roadrunner gear Simon will hope to harness in the open floor. The Little Rock import is shifty off the bounce and usually gets to where he wants on the court. Thomas, another smaller guard, can really stroke it from distance; however, his pinpoint accuracy went by the wayside last year. After shooting 39% and 41% from 3-point range against conference foes the two years prior, that number dipped below 30% last year. Still, guys who clock 20-plus minutes a game against SEC competition are bound to find the floor at BGSU.
Phillip and Edwards are bigger bodies off the ball and should compete for high-leverage minutes at the 2 and 3. Phillip is a diamond in the rough from UMES, where very few witnessed how impactful his motor and length can be on both ends of the floor. Edwards is a serious breakout candidate with three-star pedigree; now, he finally has room to spread his wings.
Finally, true freshman Ejay Greer is the sleeping giant of the group. He’s effectively a guard in a wing’s body at 6-8, and Simon believes he holds the highest upside of anyone on the roster. If Greer pops, look for him to leapfrog into the primary rotation as well.
POTENTIAL POTHOLES
Here’s the cold hard truth: The Falcons were downright dreadful at defending their basket last season.
MAC opponents converted 63% of their near-proximity shots last year, per Haslametrics, placing BGSU squarely in the bottom 50 nationally. Not only did opponents score with ease when they got to the rim, but they also got there far too often.
Subpar rim protection can be mitigated by a stingy first line of defense on the perimeter. This is where Simon feels he has a leg up on last year’s group with the players he brought in. Phillip in particular carries a reputation as a defensive demon, but Simon highlighted multiple other Falcons in this light as well.
“We found a lot of guys who are interested in that end of the floor,” he explained. “Guys like Trey Thomas, who played starter-level minutes in the SEC guarding that caliber of player. PJ Edwards, another top-150 guy, big, physical athlete. Our length, size and speed at all positions is tailored to defend at a high level.”
Up front, Sam Towns and Rashaun Agee are the only two holdovers from the prior regime. They split time at the center position, but they aren’t entirely to blame for last year’s defensive woes. They just need more help, and it likely comes from Jason Spurgin, who followed Simon from Cedar City to Bowling Green. Spurgin’s 6.5% block rate ranked in the top 100 nationally last season (KenPom), an astronomical clip against formidable competition.
Above all, Simon underscored the importance of bringing a player from Southern Utah to help usher in the concepts and terminology on defense. Spurgin will act as an extension of Simon on the floor, serving as the quarterback of the defense from the back end.
THE X-FACTOR
On the other end, Simon is quite calculated in how he deploys his offense. Yes, he wants to dial up the tempo and attack on the break when the opportunity arises, but not at the cost of throwing caution to the wind.
He said he’ll emphasize ball security and decision-making to all of his perimeter playmakers. In other words: play fast, but don’t get sped up.
All eyes will be on Smith, who could wind up being the primary ball-handler from the jump. When he shared those duties at Little Rock, however, he occasionally struggled with ball security. For instance, Smith turned it over 14 times in the team’s final three games, tallying three more giveaways than assists.
Hill and Thomas must also answer the call of duty. Taking a committee approach would alleviate the burden on one primary initiator and could work in the Falcons’ favor.
The enticing wrinkle in Simon’s offense is how he weaponizes bigs as passers and shot creators. His pro-style approach enables the skill and decision-making to shine in forwards like Spurgin, who he’ll need more from on the offensive end this year.
“We think we’re going to be able to play through Spurgin more,” Simon divulged. “He wasn’t a primary focal point at Southern Utah because we had multiple 1,500-point scorers.”
Simon is a big proponent of maximizing floor spacing, and Spurgin’s skill set should unlock that.
THE OUTLOOK
Simon spent the past seven seasons lifting up a soul-searching basketball program at the margins of national relevance, and he turned it into a WAC frontrunner. His turnaround success at Southern Utah should stoke optimism that he can do the same thing at Bowling Green.
But Simon understands that these things take time, and he won’t be taking any shortcuts in implementing his overall system and culture.
“To change your system in the short term, you can steal wins from the future,” he said.
However, his retooled roster is off and running this summer, and he likes what he sees.
“We’re going to be quick and athletic, and we have pretty good size up front. I’m really pleased with how well-rounded we look.”
It may not be long until the city of Bowling Green is screaming “Ay Ziggy Zoomba Zoomba Ze!” at the top of their lungs.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25 PREVIEW: #24 NORTH CAROLINA
| 2022-23: | 20-13, 11-9 (7th, ACC) |
| No Postseason | |
| Location: | Chapel Hill, NC |
| Coach: | HUBERT DAVIS (3rd Season) |
| Homecourt: | DEAN E. SMITH CENTER (21,750) |
| Key Departures: | CALEB LOVE (16.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.8 apg) |
| PETE NANCE (10.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.1 bpg) | |
| LEAKY BLACK (7.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.3 spg) | |
| PUFF JOHNSON (4.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 0.4 apg) | |
| Key Newcomers: | CORMAC RYAN (transfer, Notre Dame) |
| HARRISON INGRAM (transfer, Stanford) | |
| ELLIOT CADEAU (freshman, Link Academy) | |
| PAXSON WOJCIK (transfer, Brown) | |
| JAMES OKONKWO (transfer, West Virginia) | |
| JAE’LYN WITHERS (transfer, Louisville) | |
| ZAYDEN HIGH (freshman, Compass Prep) |
ROSTER
| # | Player | Pos. | Listed | Year | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PT% | |
| 2 | Elliot Cadeau | G | 6-1 | Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 4 | RJ Davis | G | 6-0 | Sr. | 34.9 | 16.1 | 5.1 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 43.8 | 36.2 | |
| 3 | Cormac Ryan | G | 6-5 | Gr. | 33.9 | 12.3 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 40.9 | 34.4 | |
| 55 | Harrison Ingram | F | 6-7 | Jr. | 27.9 | 10.5 | 5.8 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 40.8 | 31.9 | |
| 5 | Armando Bacot | F/C | 6-11 | 5th | 30.3 | 15.9 | 10.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 55.4 | 0.0 | |
| 7 | Seth Trimble | G | 6-3 | So. | 9.8 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 45.5 | 16.7 | |
| 13 | Jalen Washington | F | 6-10 | So. | 5.7 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 45.7 | 0.0 | |
| 8 | Paxson Wojcik | G | 6-5 | 5th | 34.6 | 14.9 | 7.2 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 46.1 | 38.0 | |
| 24 | Jae’Lyn Withers | F | 6-9 | R-Sr. | 25.0 | 8.9 | 5.3 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 43.3 | 41.7 | |
| 1 | Zayden High | F | 6-9 | Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 32 | James Okonkwo | F | 6-8 | Jr. | 11.0 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 57.4 | 0.0 | |
FROM THE COACH
“The biggest thing for us this year is approaching it as we and not me. This is about us.”
—Hubert Davis
THE SCOOP
It was a season to forget in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels entered the season as the de facto No. 1 team in the country, fresh off a shocking national title game appearance in 2022. They had everyone back of note besides Brady Manek and added Northwestern transfer Pete Nance in an effort to fill that role.
North Carolina made history, going from preseason No. 1 to not even making the NCAA Tournament. It was a complete disaster.
Armando Bacot opted to take advantage of the extra COVID year, and RJ Davis is back for his senior campaign. Nance and Leaky Black graduated, and leading scorer and enigmatic guard Caleb Love transferred to Arizona. Most of the other reserves are also gone: Puff Johnson and D’Marco Dunn went to Penn State; Tyler Nickel to Virginia Tech; Dontrez Styles to Georgetown; Will Shaver to UAB; and Justin McKoy to Hawaii.
Hubert Davis and his staff brought in five transfers and added one reclassified freshman that will hope to get the program back on track after last year’s disappointment.
ROAD TO SUCCESS
It will start with Bacot and Davis — who should be two of the top players in the country. Bacot’s production was still impressive (15.9 ppg, 10.4 rpg) but fell off from a stellar junior campaign. He will need to provide better leadership and be more of a factor on defense. To that end, he has worked on being in better shape to play the fast-paced style UNC is hoping to employ.
Davis’ production was also impressive on the surface: He averaged 16.1 points and shot 36% from 3, but the 6-foot point guard didn’t make the jump that many were anticipating from his sophomore season — especially on defense.
Staying in the backcourt, could the departure of Love actually be addition by subtraction? Only time will tell. Love led the team in scoring, but he also shot a putrid 38% from the field — 30% from 3 — and didn’t take much pride on the defensive end.
Don’t be surprised to see freshman Elliot Cadeau, who reclassified in the summer, playing alongside Davis. Cadeau is an elite passer with tremendous court vision who has a similar feel to former Tar Heels floor leader Kendall Marshall but with more speed and athleticism.
Former Notre Dame guard Cormac Ryan is one of five transfers that UNC brought in from the portal, and he’s the most likely to make a major impact. Ryan averaged 10.5 points and shot 36% from 3 in his three years in South Bend.
“He can shoot it, he can score and he’ll also bring leadership,” Davis said. “He’s blown me away in the way he prepares. He just sets the right tone for the program.”
Harrison Ingram is the other big-name transfer to arrive in Chapel Hill. The 6-7 forward arrived at Stanford in 2021 as a heralded recruit but wound up being a solid piece (10.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg) in his two seasons in Palo Alto.
“I need him to be a dude,” Davis said. “He can guard multiple positions, and from an offensive standpoint, he can be a matchup nightmare.”
Ingram’s shooting has been questionable, but Davis and the staff have done a nice job adding perimeter shooting with Ryan and Brown transfer Paxson Wojcik — a career 36% 3-point shooter.
It’ll be interesting to see what holdovers Seth Trimble and Jalen Washington do this season. The 6-3 Trimble played sparingly as a freshman, but look for him to get on the court for his ability to defend at a high level on the perimeter. The 6-10 Washington didn’t play much, but he’s finally healthy and should get time coming off the bench.
UNC also added a couple of frontline transfers, including talented forward Jae’Lyn Withers, who just hasn’t lived up to the expectations of his natural ability in his three seasons playing at Louisville. The 6-8 forward looks the part of an athletic four-man who can score in a variety of ways, but he hasn’t been able to showcase it consistently on the court. The Tar Heels kept working late into the summer and brought in West Virginia transfer James Okonkwo, a 6-8 shot-blocker who averaged 2.5 points, for frontcourt depth.
POTENTIAL POTHOLES
Bacot and Davis have shown that they are really good college players but just haven’t displayed high-level leadership yet. If that duo doesn’t start to utilize their experience and their voices, then it could well become a repeat of last season. They will need to hold both themselves and their teammates accountable.
There’s obviously a concern that Cadeau will be the latest example of a player reclassifying and struggling during his freshman season. He can be a game-changer for North Carolina because of his ability to push the ball, and he’ll make life easier not just for Bacot and Davis, but also for shooters like Ryan and Wojcik. However, it generally takes time for guys who opt to go to college a year early — and the Tar Heels need Cadeau this season.
There’s also the worry that this group of transfers comes in without much success from a winning standpoint. Ryan has gone to the NCAA Tournament once in his career, while Ingram, Withers and Wojcik have not played in a single tourney game. The goal is to add players from winning programs, and that’s not what the Tar Heels did this past offseason.
Another question: Who is going to be the go-to guy with the game on the line?
Whether for better or worse, Love was fearless and wanted the ball in his hands in that situation. Obviously, Bacot is a threat down low, but Davis needs to fill that role because he has the ability to get a bucket, and also to create something for one of his teammates.
“From an offensive standpoint, RJ doesn’t need to change much at all,” Hubert Davis said. “We need him to score and distribute, and to make plays.”
Then there’s the macro question of whether Davis is the right head coach for this program. He was handpicked by Roy Williams a couple of years ago, but besides that one month in March of 2022, his resume is mediocre — at least by UNC standards. Davis’ positivity is unlike most other coaches, but there are questions about whether he is too lenient and concerns about his on-court coaching decisions.
THE X-FACTOR
Will North Carolina get back to playing with pace?
Last year the Tar Heels didn’t look like North Carolina in that they weren’t pushing the ball and weren’t getting much in transition. The Tar Heels played methodically and slowly, and Davis has vowed to get back to Carolina basketball this season.
“That’s who we are, and that’s how we need to play,” Davis said.
With two point guards in RJ Davis and Cadeau who can push it and find their teammates, there should be plenty of opportunities. Bacot said he’s healthy and in much better shape in preparation for the way that North Carolina intends to play this season. Guys like Ingram and Withers will thrive in transition, and Ryan and Wojcik can provide shooting on the wings.
Playing fast may also help solve one of Carolina’s issues: a lack of energy. Often, this core group hasn’t played with intensity and passion. But getting up and down the court, and getting some easy baskets and transition dunks should help bring the energy level up. We’ll also see if the departure of Love will help in terms of ball movement and overall shot selection — because those weren’t exactly Love’s strengths while he was in Chapel Hill.
This team will need positive energy and chemistry, and Hubert Davis will also need to play his bench in order to effectively employ the fast-paced style he is hopeful of playing. That means guys like Trimble, Washington and Withers will be critical for the second unit.
THE OUTLOOK
The truth of the matter is that North Carolina has had one great month over the past two seasons — and nine semi-average months.
A year ago, guys like Bacot, Davis and Love were getting their asses kissed after their improbable March run that included a pair of unforgettable wins over rival Duke: one in Coach K’s final game at Cameron and the other in the Final Four.
Now, there isn’t any ass-kissing. Instead, there are questions about whether March 2022 was a fluke. With Bacot and Davis focused and willing to become better leaders, the Tar Heels should have the star power to get back to the NCAA Tournament. But will this team be more like the one a March ago, more like the one last season or something in-between?
NASCAR NEWS
CHRISTOPHER BELL WINS 4EVER 400, CLAIMS CHAMPIONSHIP 4 SPOT
Christopher Bell passed William Byron inside a 25-lap dash and punched his ticket into the title race next month, winning NASCAR’s 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1 playoff race at Homestead-Miami Speedway Sunday afternoon.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver restarted third on Lap 242 after teammate Denny Hamlin hit the wall for the fifth caution.
In his No. 20 Toyota Camry, the 28-year-old Bell moved by Byron with 15 laps to go and went on to record his sixth career Cup win and second of 2023 (Bristol dirt race) by 1.651 seconds.
Bell’s triumph advanced him to the Championship 4 in two weeks at Phoenix Raceway, where he will join Kyle Larson and two other drivers to be determined by next week’s Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway’s short track.
Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Byron and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top five.
Larson and Bell’s wins top the standings, followed by Byron and Blaney.
Four drivers reside under the cut line: Reddick, Martin Truex Jr., Hamlin and Chris Buescher.
To open the 267-lap race, 2017 champion Truex led the field after winning his first-ever pole at Homestead and 22nd of his career.
After Ricky Stenhouse Jr. brought out the first caution by hitting the Turn 2 wall, Larson captured Stage 1’s bonus points — his eighth stage win in 2023 — under the yellow flag by beating Brad Keselowski.
In an uneventful Stage 2 that had drivers battling a tight condition on their cars, Larson dominated almost completely, but Team Penske driver Blaney passed him with his No. 12 Ford with three laps to go for his fifth segment win.
Disaster struck for Larson with 54 laps left in the day’s most bizarre incident.
Trailing Blaney as they came to pit road, Larson rode in hot, made slight contact with Blaney as the Ford driver slowed and drilled the sand-filled barrels buttressing the pit-road wall to cause a red-flag period.
With 32 laps to go, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Hamlin hit the Turn 1 wall hard then teammate Truex lost an engine, ending the day for both.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER
2023 BIG TEN WOMEN’S SOCCER TOURNAMENT BRACKET RELEASED
2023 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Tournament Central
ROSEMONT, Ill. – With the conclusion of today’s conference matches, the field is set for the 2023 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Tournament. The eight-team, single-elimination tournament will begin on Sunday, Oct. 29 with four quarterfinal matches on campus sites. The action will move to Columbus, Ohio for the semifinals and championship rounds on Nov. 2 and 5, respectively.
Michigan State and Nebraska shared the Big Ten title after posting matching 7-1-2 conference records, earning both programs their second conference titles. By virtue of a tiebreaker, Michigan State claimed the number one seed, with the Cornhuskers securing the number two spot.
Michigan State will play host to No. 8 seed Iowa (3-4-3 Big Ten) in Sunday’s quarterfinal round, while fourth-seeded Penn State will welcome No. 5 seed Indiana (6-2-2) to State College, Pa.
Nebraska and No. 7 seed Ohio State (5-4-1) will meet in Lincoln, Neb., with No 3 seed Wisconsin and No. 6 seed Rutgers squaring off in Madison, Wis. to complete the bracket.
One of Sunday’s four quarterfinal matches, along with both semifinals and the championship will be broadcast on Big Ten Network and can be streamed via the web, smartphones, tablets and connected devices through the FOX Sports App, while the three remaining first round games can be found on B1G+.
Start times for Sunday’s quarterfinal round matches will be announced later this week.
MICHIGAN STATE, NEBRASKA CLAIM SHARE OF BIG TEN WOMEN’S SOCCER TITLE
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The 2023 Big Ten Women’s Soccer championship came down to the final day of the season, and with all of the matches completed, Michigan State and Nebraska will share the crown.
The Spartans and Cornhuskers closed their conference slates with matching 7-1-2 records.
No. 14 Michigan State (12-3-3, 7-1-2 Big Ten) claimed their second consecutive Big Ten title with a 3-0 win over Iowa this afternoon in East Lansing.
The Spartans grabbed an early lead, as Maggie Illig scored her first career goal in the fourth minute of action. The score remained 1-0 until the 53rd minute, when Bella Najera found the back of the net. Michigan State closed the scoring with Celia Gaynor’s 74th minute penalty kick.
Meanwhile, No. 25 Nebraska (13-2-3, 7-1-2 Big Ten) closed its season with a 4-2 victory at Illinois, earning the program’s second Big Ten championship and first since 2013.
The Cornhuskers seized control of the game in the first half, netting all four of their goals. Abby Schwarz opened the scoring in the 20th minute, while Eleanor Dale doubled the score nine minutes later. Lauren Anglim added a 34th minute tally to her two first half assists before Sarah Walker capped Nebraska’s scoring five minutes before the halftime break.
The Big Ten Tournament will kick off Oct. 29 with quarterfinal matches on the campuses of the top four seeds. The semifinals and championship game will be played Nov. 2 & 5 at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio, home of the two-time Major League Soccer champion Columbus Crew.
Big Ten Network and the FOX Sports app will televise one quarterfinal, as well as both semifinals and the championship match, while the remaining three quarterfinals will be broadcast on B1G+.
INDIANA RELEASES/TOP HEADLINES
COLTS FOOTBALL
KAREEM HUNT’S LATE TD HELPS BROWNS RALLY PAST COLTS 39-38 IN TOPSY-TURVY GAME
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Kareem Hunt scored on a 1-yard touchdown plunge with 15 seconds left Sunday, capping an 80-yard touchdown drive that gave the Cleveland Browns a 39-38 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
P.J. Walker used all but 15 seconds of the final 2:35 to rally the Browns for the second consecutive week, this time taking advantage of debatable back-to-back defensive penalties against the Colts, an illegal contact and a defensive pass interference call on cornerback Darrell Baker Jr.
The first call nullified a fumble recovery by the Colts. The second put the ball at the 1-yard line, setting up Hunt’s fourth-down score. He had 10 carries for 31 yards and two TDs.
It’s the second straight week Walker has rallied Cleveland (4-2). This time it was in relief of Deshaun Watson, who started his first game since Sept. 24 but left in the first quarter after taking a big hit that left him sprawled on the turf for several minutes.
Watson was cleared after being evaluated for a head injury but did not return to avoid hurting his already injured right shoulder.
The Colts (3-4) lost their second straight as Gardner Minshew committed four more turnovers – three of which Cleveland turned into scores and the last sealing the victory. Somehow, though, Minshew still had Indy in position for the win after hooking up with Michael Pittman Jr. on a 75-yard TD pass to give the Colts a 38-33 lead.
They just couldn’t hold it.
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett dominated the game, recording nine tackles, two strip-sacks and blocking a 60-yard field goal attempt. Cleveland’s Dustin Hopkins broke the NFL record by making a field goal of 50 or more yards in a fifth straight game. He converted two 54-yarders and a 58-yarder.
Jerome Ford opened the scoring with a 69-yard TD run on the game’s third play.
Minshew answered with a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Down on Indy’s first possession.
Ford had 11 carries for 74 yards and Walker finished 15 of 32 with 178 yards and one interception.
Minshew was 15 of 23 for 305 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for a career-high two scores. Jonathan Taylor had 18 carries for 75 yards and his first score of the season. Downs had five receptions for 125 yards, while Pittman had two catches for 83 yards.
INJURY REPORT
Browns: In addition to Watson, DE Alex Wright and CB Denzel Ward both were evaluated for head injuries and Ford left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.
Colts: Rookie CB JuJu Brents left with a quad injury in the first half and did not return. Receiver Isaiah McKenzie was evaluated for a concussion in the second half.
UP NEXT
Browns: Head to Seattle next Sunday.
Colts: Play their fourth home game in five weeks next Sunday against New Orleans.
INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
INDIANA 5-STAR FRESHMAN MGBAKO ARRESTED ON MISDEMEANOR CHARGES
Indiana five-star freshman Mackenzie Mgbako was arrested on Sunday morning, according to The Indianapolis Star’s Zach Osterman.
Mgbako was booked on two misdemeanor charges – criminal trespass and resisting law enforcement, according to an officer at the Monroe County jail. He was released after posting bond.
“IU Athletics is aware of the situation,” said a Hoosiers athletic department spokesman. “We will continue to gather facts, cooperate with and monitor the legal process, and take further action as the evolving situation warrants.”
Mgbako, the No. 9 recruit in ESPN’s Class of 2023 rankings, originally committed to Duke, but he re-opened his recruitment soon after Blue Devils star Kyle Filipowski decided to remain in college rather than head to the NBA.
Mgbako chose Indiana over Kansas the second time around. He is projected to start alongside former five-star sophomores Malik Reneau and Kel’el Ware.
INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER BIG TEN TOURNAMENT BRACKET SET; INDIANA EARNS NO. 5 SEED
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Indiana women’s soccer (12-2-4, 6-2-2 B1G) earned the fifth seed in the Big Ten Tournament after concluding the season with a 2-0 shutout win over Maryland.
The Hoosiers will travel to No. 4 seeded Penn State on Sunday, Oct. 29. Kickoff will air live on B1G+ with the game time still to be announced.
IU will appear in their first Big Ten Tournament since 2019 where they fell 1-0 against No. 2 seeded Rutgers in the first round.
The tournament bracket along with ticket information can be found here: Tournament Central
NO. 19 IUWS SETS SINGLE-SEASON SHUTOUT RECORD, CLINCHES FIFTH SEED IN B1G TOURNAMENT IN ROAD WIN OVER MARYLAND, 2-0
COLLEGE PARK, MD. – No. 19 Indiana (11-2-4, 5-2-2 B1G) shutout Maryland, 2-0, at Ludwig Field to set the single-season shutout record with their 10th cleansheet this season. The win clinched IU the fifth seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
KEY MOMENTS
• The Hoosiers put on the pressure early with pair of shots on goal from senior midfielder Sofia Black in the 10th minute followed by another chance from junior defender Camille Hamm in the 12th minute but were unable to convert.
• Graduate forward Paige Webber got the job done on a breakaway down the stretch. Senior midfielder Anna Bennett skipped one down the left side of the field as Webber took a few dribbles before striking the right side of the net for the goal.
• Black saw another opportunity in the 23rd minute, but the Terps back line would step in for the save.
• In the 28th minute, Abbey Iler saw another dangerous opportunity as she headed one right inside the goalie box making Maryland’s keeper jump for the save.
• Junior defender Lauren Costello scored on a free kick from Anna Bennet in the 67th minute. Bennett sent a cross into the box while four Hoosiers went for the goal, but Costello was able to get to it as she knocked into the far-right side of the net.
HOOSIER POINTS
GOALS: Webber (16′), Costello (67′)
ASSISTS: Bennett (2)
NOTABLES
• The Hoosiers finish the season with a 12-2-4 record and a 6-2-2 finish in the Big Ten. With the win, IU clinches a spot in the Big Ten Tournament, their first since 2019.
• Indiana’s six conference wins ties the program record which has been accomplished in 1998, 2013 and the 2020-21 seasons.
• The Hoosiers finished the season with only two losses and earned the most points in program history with 20.
• IU outshot the Terrapins 17-5, 7-1 in shots on goal.
• The Hoosiers also held a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks.
• Webber netted her 12th goal of the season and the 18th of her career. She has tallied five game winning goals on the season.
• Costello scored her second goal on the year.
• Bennett’s two assists give her nine on the season, tallying 14 on her career. Her nine assists is the second most in a single-season tied with Rebecca Candler (2013). Candler set the record with 10 in the 2012 season.
• Gerstenberg and the Hoosiers earned their 10th shutout this season to set the single-season shutout record. She picked up one save on the afternoon while Indiana’s backline helped hold the Terrapins to only one shot on goal.
• The Birkenwerder, Germany, native is ranked in the top-10 with 131 career saves. She holds the career shutout record with 25 and is tied fifth with 22 career victories.
INDIANA FIELD HOCKEY
INDIANA FIELD HOCKEY DROPS CLOSE BATTLE AT NO. 9 MARYLAND
COLLEGE PARK, Md. ––– Indiana lost in a tight game at No. 9 Maryland, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon.
The Hoosiers went toe-to-toe with the Terrapins, going back and forth with the possession battle and trading scores in an intense game.
Ultimately, the Hoosiers fell short with the team’s season record dropping to 5-12 overall and 0-7 in Big Ten play.
KEY MOMENTS
• Maryland’s Margot Lawn would open the scoring with a goal in the ninth minute to put Maryland up 1-0.
• Indiana dominated the possession battle in the second quarter, outshooting Maryland, 5-1, and had three penalty corners compared to Maryland’s zero, but could not score.
• Indiana broke through in the third quarter on four straight penalty corners that concluded with a goal from junior Sofia Arrebola Garcia to tie the game, 1-1. Senior Jemima Cookson and freshman Inés Garcia Prado were credited with the assist.
• Maryland took the lead back and scored the game’s final goal in the 39th minute off a Maci Bradford shot.
NOTABLES
• Arrebola Garcia’s goal was her first of the season.
• Five different Hoosiers took a shot in the game.
• Indiana outshot Maryland, 12-10.
• Indiana had the advantage in penalty corners, 9-6.
• Arabella Loveridge recorded six saves in the game.
UP NEXT
• Indiana will be back at home for the final weekend of the regular season. On Friday, Oct. 27, the Hoosiers will host No. 16 Penn State.
PURDUE VOLLEYBALL
#19 PURDUE SERVES UP 3-1 VICTORY AT #11 PENN STATE
UNIVERSITY PARK , Pa. – The No. 19 Purdue Boilermakers earned its fourth top-25 victory of the year with a 3-1 (18-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-22) win at No. 11 Penn State.
The win, sparked by Chloe Chicoine’s 20 kills and Eva Hudson’s 19, led to Purdue’s first win at Rec Hall since 2021.
The Boilermakers improve to 13-6 (7-3 Big Ten) with the win, while the Nittany Lions fall to 14-5 (8-2 Big Ten). Purdue remains fourth in the Big Ten standings, one win behind Penn State.
Up next, the Boilermakers will face the No. 16 Minnesota Golden Gophers on Thursday night at home. The top-25 showdown will air on Big Ten Network at 7 p.m. ET and will serve as the fourth top-25 matchup in Holloway this year. Then, Purdue will have a quick turnaround as they travel to Illinois for a Saturday evening match at 7 p.m. ET.
Quick Hits
The Boilermakers improve to 4-2 vs. top-25 teams this season and 7-3 against teams ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA poll.
Purdue has won three consecutive matches and are 5-1 over the last six.
The victory was Purdue’s first over a top-15 program since taking down No. 8 Minnesota, 3-0 in the 2022 Big Ten season-opener (9/23/22). Meanwhile, it was the first top-15 road win since the 3-1 win at No. 8 Minnesota in 2021 (11/14/21).
Purdue earned its fifth win ever in Rec Hall (5-29), including fourth since 2018 (last: W, 3-1 on 3/5/21).
Chloe Chicoine totaled 20 kills, leading the team, with a .405 attack %. The performance was a Big Ten season-high in kills and most since setting a career-high vs. then-#19 Kentucky (9/9). Meanwhile, it was the second match the freshman has hit over .400.
Purdue improved each set, beginning the match with 11 attack errors (-.031 attack %) and closing it out with one error and a .485 hitting % in Set 4.
As a team, Purdue committed just one error in the fourth set, led by Chicoine’s six kills on nine swings (.667%). Additionally, Anderson served up 16 assists in the set, marking the fifth straight match the Boilermaker has posted as many in a single game. Moreover, it was the third straight match it’s come in the final set.
In Set 2, Chicoine totaled seven kills while Eva Hudson produced six, including Purdue’s final three points to win the game.
Despite 13 tied scores in Set 2, including Penn State tying it up at 20-19, 22-21 and again at 24-23, Purdue maintained its composure, with Hudson putting away the set-winning kill.
Purdue found its groove in the final two sets, posting a .324 attack % in Set 3 followed by a .485 efficiency in the fourth.
Penn State spread out its attack zones, leading to five Boilermakers with four or more digs.
Libero Maddie Schermerhorn led the back row with 19 digs.
Setter Taylor Anderson dished out 47 assists in the four-setter, knocking on the door of a double-double with seven digs.
It was just the second time this season Purdue has won in four after dropping the first set, including the first during Big Ten play this year.
BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER
BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER JUMPS AHEAD EARLY BUT FALLS AT GEORGETOWN
WASHINGTON D.C. – The Butler women’s soccer team held a 2-0 lead over (rv) Georgetown early in the match, but the league-leading Hoyas ultimately stormed back and took all three points with a 4-2 victory. The Bulldogs (5-7-6, 1-3-5 BIG EAST) scored two goals within a four-minute span, but Georgetown (10-1-7, 6-0-4 BIG EAST) leveled the score by the break, with a pair of goals in a two-minute span, and added two more goals in the second half for the final margin.
Key Moments
10′ | Butler earns a corner kick. Abigail Isger’s service is headed from a crowd by Caitlin O’Malley toward the goal, and Lucia Englund knocks the ball to the back of the net. The Bulldogs are up, early, 1-0.
13′ | Aliya Diagne carries up the left side and sends a low cross into the area. Arianna Jalics gathers the ball, maneuvers around the defense, and sends a diagonal ball back to the center. Norah Jacomen strikes with one touch, and the ball slides into the goal, just inside the near post. Dawgs up, 2-0.
34′ | Georgetown crosses from the left side, and a header, just under the bar, brings the Hoyas to within one at 2-1.
35′ | The Hoyas strike again, quickly. Off a short corner, a feed from the end line sets up a second goal from 12 yards out. The match is level, 2-2.
**HALFTIME**
74′ | Georgetown’s Eliza Turner carries across midfield, continues down the center of the pitch, and strikes a long shot that arches over Butler’s keeper. The Hoyas lead for the first time in the match, 3-2.
78′ | The Hoyas are able to connect passes at the top of the area and take advantage of an open opportunity. Georgetown leads, 4-2.
Butler Points Summary
GOALS: Lucia Englund, Norah Jacomen
ASSISTS: Abigail Isger, Caitlin O’Malley, Arianna Jalics
Bulldog Bits
Lucia Englund’s goal was her second of the season.
Norah Jacomen’s goal was her eighth of the season.
Abigail Isger’s assist was her fourth of the season and the 18th of her career. She is now tied for ninth on Butler’s all-time list for career assists.
Caitlin O’Malley’s assist was the first of her career.
Arianna Jalics’ assist was her second of the season and the fifth of her career.
Addie Marshall saw her second start of the season in goal. She matched her career high with three saves.
Up Next
Butler hosts Creighton on Thursday, Oct. 26, for the final regular-season match on the schedule.
IUPUI WOMEN’S GOLF
JAGUARS TO CAP FALL SCHEDULE AT TERRIER INTERCOLLEGIATE
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The IUPUI women’s golf team will close out the fall portion of its schedule this week when the Jaguars participate in Wofford’s Terrier Intercollegiate at Carolina County Club on Monday (Oct. 23) and Tuesday (Oct. 24).
The Jaguars come in with a 301.50 team scoring average, keyed by Annaliese Fox (73.83) and Shelby Busker (74.50). Madeleine Pape is just off their pace at 76.33 and Nerea Lancho owns a 77.33 scoring average, having played nine of the team’s 12 rounds.
IUPUI finished tenth of 17 teams at last year’s Terrier Intercollegiate, carding 932 for the week. Lancho led the way, tying for tenth overall at 226 (77-72-77) and Fox shot 232 (83-75-74) for the week.
FORMAT: Teams will play 5-count-4 format with two rounds on Monday (Oct. 23) and a final round on Tuesday (Oct. 24).
THE COURSE: Carolina Country Club is set to play par 72 and 6,056 yards this week. The course was established in 1910 and is considered among the nation’s best private clubs.
THE FIELD: The field will include Appalachian State, Bowling Green, The Citadel, Elon, Gardner-Webb, IUPUI, Lamar, Presbyterian, Samford, Tennessee Tech, USC Upstate, Western Carolina, Winthrop and Wofford.
RANKINGS: Initial rankings for the fall have yet to be released.
LINEUP:
No. 1 – Annaliese Fox – (12 rounds / 73.83 scoring average / 2 top-10 finishes)
No. 2 – Shelby Busker (12 rounds / 74.50 scoring average / 1 top-10 finishes)
No. 3 – Nina Wojtczak – (6 rounds / 79.50 scoring average)
No. 4 – Yanah Rolston – (9 rounds, 80.11 scoring average)
No. 5 – Nerea Lancho – (9 rounds / 77.33 scoring average)
LAST TIME OUT: IUPUI finished sixth of 11 teams at the Flyer Invitational with a 54-hole 900 at NCR Country Club. The Jaguars carded rounds of 297, 300 and 303 while Fox earned a top-5 finish at 7-over 217 (73-73-71). Busker was next in line at 227 (76-75-76).
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER
#12 IRISH SECURE THE 1-0 ROAD WIN AT NC STATE
RALEIGH – The No. 12 Notre Dame women’s soccer squad can control its own destiny in getting a top-2 seed in the ACC Tournament and a straight shot to the semifinal round. The mission – win its last two games including the one they had on Sunday at the Dail Soccer Complex.
The Fighting Irish (10-2-4, 6-1-2) did just that by securing the 1-0 victory at NC State (3-8-6, 2-4-3). Now the final leg of the mission – knock off No. 8 Clemson at home on Thursday, Oct. 26.
Leah Klenke scored today’s game-winner, marking her second goal of the season. The sophomore bumped her season points total to a career-best 13.
The Irish scored off of a corner in the 66th minute. Morgan Roy took the kick and placed it on Eva Gaetino’s head who then found Klenke posted up in front of the Wolfpack goalie. It marked both Roy’s and Gaetino’s third assists on the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish had a few near misses in a first half in which they outshot the Wolfpack 14-3. Two that came the closest were Kristina Lynch and Charlie Codd – both of whom had fantastic Octobers for the Irish. In the 25th minute, Lynch had a header that went just high and hit the crossbar straight on.
In the 36th minute, Mercado dribbled the baseline left of the goal and dished to Codd at the top-middle of the six. Codd, who has scored three times over the last four games, looked like she was poised for yet another, but a Wolfpack defender slid in at the last second for the deflection.
The Irish went into the half scoreless and knowing they needed the three points. All it took was a corner kick in the 66th minute. It marked their sixth goal scored off a corner this season and seventh off of a set piece.
Freshman Atlee Olofson started in goal yet again for the Irish. She needed just two saves to record the shutout.
UP NEXT
One last ACC regular season game awaits and it’ll be hosted inside the friendly confines of Alumni Stadium. Notre Dame will get another crack at a top-10 ranked team when No. 8 Clemson visits on Thursday, Oct. 26. First touch is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
BALL STATE FIELD HOCKEY
FIELD HOCKEY ENDS WEEKEND ON A HIGH NOTE AFTER 7-0 SHUTOUT WIN OVER QUEENS UNIVERSITY
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Ball State field hockey team ended its two-game weekend on a high note after a dominating 7-0 victory over Queens University (0-15) on Sunday afternoon at Trager Stadium. It was the Cardinals third shutout win of the season and marked the highest number of goals scored this year for BSU against an opponent.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 7-9 on the season for the second time under second-year head coach Caitlin Walsh. Before the 2022 season the seven victories under Walsh hadn’t been done by a Ball State field hockey program since 2016.
Leading the way for the Cardinals offensively was Michaela Graney and Kerrianne McClay each scoring two goal apiece while Fleur Knopert had eight shot attempts and four shots on goal. Libby Kraus turned in a season and career high in assists after dishing out three.
Defensively, Hannah Johnston earned her seventh win on goal with three saves.
After a scoreless opening 15 minutes of play, McClay capitalized off a penalty corner with the help from Emma Hilton and Libby Kraus for the first goal of the game.
About three minutes later, Hilton and Kraus found Graney off another penalty corner to give the Cardinals the 2-0 lead over the Royals heading into the contests 10-minute intermission.
McClay found the back of the cage for the second time at the 44:34 mark of the third quarter of play to give BSU the 3-0 advantage.
The Cardinals then tacked on four more goals in the final stanza from Graney, Knopert, Paloma Gomez Rengifo, and Christine Ditizio to seal one of Ball State’s most successful offensive showings of the season.
The Ball State field hockey team returns to Mid-American Conference action Friday when it plays at Miami in Oxford, Ohio. The game is slated for a 3 p.m. ET start.
BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
SOCCER FALLS TO BOWLING GREEN IN FINAL-MINUTE STUNNER
MUNCIE, Ind. – – Lightning is not supposed to strike twice, unfortunately, it did to the Ball State soccer team Sunday afternoon as Bowling Green scored with 27 seconds left on the clock to escape the Briner Sports Complex with a 2-1 victory.
It is the second consecutive match the Cardinals (7-7-3; 5-2-3 Mid-American Conference) have suffered heartbreak in the final minute, as NIU also stunned BSU in the 90th minute of Thursday’s 1-0 setback in DeKalb.
“I hope today’s result continues to light a spark and fuel our team to put together 90 minutes,” head coach Josh Rife said. “Right now, we’re going to postseason play and we have to find a way to score winners. So over time, however long it takes, are we committed to digging in and getting it done?”
While Ball State was able to register the first shot Sunday against the Falcons (9-5-2; 7-1-2 MAC), BGSU collected the match’s first goal as Brynn Gardner tallied her first of a brace in the final second of the 18th minute.
Ball State countered, however, taking advantage of a Falcons’ foul to even the score in the 30th minute. Junior defender Alex McPhee served a brilliant free kick into the penalty area, finding the head of sophomore forward Emily Roper who deposited the ball into the back of the net to tie the score in the 30th minute.
It was Roper’s sixth goal of the season and McPhee’s second assist of the year.
Unfortunately, despite nine saves and another solid effort from Ball State redshirt junior goalkeeper Bethany Moser, the Falcons were able to add the match-winner from Gardner right before the final horn.
Despite the loss, the Cardinals have secured a berth in the six-team MAC Women’s Soccer Championship which starts Sunday, Oct. 29 with quarterfinal play for teams seeded 3-6. Ball State will be one of the four programs playing on the day, with an opponent and the site of the contest to be determined after Thursday’s action.
“I still believe wholeheartedly in this group,” Rife added. “It’s frustrating to know we put so much work and so much effort into almost being there. But if you want to be a champion, you can’t almost do it, you have to go do it.”
The Cardinals close the regular season on Thursday by hosting Central Michigan at 3 p.m. at the Briner Sports Complex.
INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S GOLF
INDIANA STATE HEADS TO BRAUN INTERCOLLEGIATE TO CLOSE OUT FALL SEASON SLATE
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State heads to the Braun Intercollegiate this week as the Sycamores close out the 2023 fall slate this week down in Evansville, Ind. The two-day, two-round event will be held at the Oak Meadow Country Club over October 23-24 with an 11 a.m. ET shotgun start for each round.
The Sycamores will send two teams into competition over the week as ISU will have all 10 members of the squad competing for the first time this season. Indiana State’s two teams are part of the 12-team field that features host Evansville, Alabama State, Bellarmine, Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, Northern Iowa, Purdue Fort Wayne, Southern Illinois, Southern Indiana, and Tennessee State.
“We’re going to give everyone an opportunity to play this week,” head coach Greg Towne said. “One thing we have lacked so far this season is consistent play in the starting lineup. Last week, our low scorer played as an individual and was not in the starting lineup. Thanks to the close proximity of our event this week, we are going to divide the team into two squads that will play and count for the event. It’s the first time we have done this, but I believe it is a great opportunity for each player to demonstrate their ability to play as a counting member of the team.”
Team A on the course will consist of Kristen Hobbs, Molly Lee, Briana LeMaire, Iyoun Chew, and Yang Tai. The second team will consist of Chelsea Morrow, Eliza Baker, Sophia Florek, Rosalie DiNunzio, and Grace Welty.
The Sycamores have had success at Oak Meadow all-time, but the course does present challenges to the tournament field this week.
“We have won this event at Oak Meadow before, but it requires a lot of attention to detail in negotiating some difficult holes and pin locations,” Towne said. “The weather will be windy and dry and that sets the course up as a big challenge.”
The Sycamores have posted a trio of top-10 finishes this fall including their most recent tournament at the Loyola Invitational over October 9-10 at The Merit Club in Libertyville, Ill. Indiana State finished 10th overall in the field finishing with a three-round 966 (+102) on one of the top courses in the country.
Lee was ISU’s leader on the course as the senior finished tied for 26th overall in the field while competing as an individual. The Kaohsiung, Taiwan native finished with five birdies overall to pace the Sycamores marking one of her top tournaments to date so far this fall season.
Hobbs was one stroke behind her teammate finishing 29th overall. The Anderson, Ind. native has been among ISU’s top players so far this fall finishing either first or second on the team in every tournament to date in the 2023 season.
LeMaire has come on strong this season as the sophomore has made strides into becoming a consistent scorer in the Sycamore lineup this fall. The Cedar Park, Texas native has finished in the top three consistently in the ISU lineup this season and posted a mostly clean final round with ISU’s low-round 76 on the final day in Libertyville.
Morrow, Tai, Florek, Baker, and Chew have all been in and out of the Sycamore lineup this season as the Sycamores continue to put together their lineup heading into the final tournament this fall. This week features the 2023 debuts of DiNunzio and Welty to the tournament field. DiNunzio was a five-time letter-winner at Clarence High School and was the 2022 New York State High School Section VI Champion during her prep career. Welty has lined up several times over her ISU career playing in both the ISU Spring Invite and the Nevel Meade Intercollegiate this past spring.
INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
JENSEN SCORES LATE TO SECURE 1-1 DRAW WITH MURRAY STATE IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Carlie Jensen scored in the 89th minute to help guide Indiana State to a 1-1 draw against visiting Murray State on Sunday afternoon as the Sycamores closed out the 2023 regular season against the Racers.
With the tie, Indiana State (2-6-10, 1-4-5) saw their season come to an end as the Sycamores were unable to move past Evansville in the final Missouri Valley standings to secure a place in next week’s MVC Championships.
Murray State took the 1-0 lead in the 65th minute as Mary Hardy received the pass in the box from Audrey Henry and Ava Roberson. Hardy’s shot from eight yards out went upper right and into the net to give the Racers the one-goal advantage in the second half.
The Sycamores never stopped battling and it was fitting that the seniors put together the match-tying goal in the 89th minute. Alexa Mackey and Audrey Stephens set up Jensen inside the box and the senior put the tying goal at the 88:39 mark to knot the score up at 1-1.
Indiana State continued to press late with Katie Yankey battling for the ball near midfield in the closing seconds, but ISU was unable to get the ball into the offensive third for a game-winning attempt late in settling for the tie.
The Sycamores and Racers (5-8-5, 3-2-5) battled through a chippy first half as both teams played for the win on Sunday afternoon. Murray State posted five shots in the opening half, while the Sycamores were called for 10 fouls over a physical 45 minutes.
The match started to open up in the second half, but the physical play continued as the teams were called for a combined four yellow cards on the afternoon.
ISU goalkeeper Maddie Alexander posted a save in the 60th minute as the Racers provided a lot of traffic in the goal box, before Hardy scored Murray State’s go-ahead goal in the 65th minute.
The Sycamores continued to battle with Maddie Helling putting two shots toward the net before ISU broke through in the 89th minute to tie the match.
Isabella Hunter and Chloe Tesny had two shots apiece to pace the Sycamore offense in addition to Jensen’s goal. Caitlin Mullen also added a shot as ISU posted seven overall in the match.
Alexander wrapped up her ISU career with four saves giving her 246 career saves over her four-year career with the Sycamores. She finishes up fourth all-time in ISU history in career saves.
EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER FALLS TO BEARS, BUT ADVANCES TO MVC TOURNAMENT
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women’s soccer team did not get the result it wanted on the field on Sunday, but thanks to another result around the Missouri Valley Conference, the Purple Aces will advance on to the 2023 MVC Tournament. UE will face fifth-seeded Murray State on Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Chicago, Illinois in the first round.
Missouri State, which finished second in the MVC regular-season standings, used a 24th minute goal by Gracie English on Sunday to grab control of the match at Evansville, and the Bears tacked on two goals in the second half to spoil UE’s ‘Senior Day.’ Evansville honored squad members Maria Alexopoulos, Nicole Benati, Myia Danek, Jasmine Hauser, Georgia Katsonouri, Josie Kremzar, Abbi Lenk, Rachel Rosborough and Emily Wiebe in pre-game festivities prior to Sunday’s match.
The Purple Aces were still able to finish in the eighth and final playoff spot on Sunday, thanks to a 1-1 draw between Indiana State and Murray State in Terre Haute. With both results, Evansville finished the regular-season with nine points in the Valley standings, while Indiana State finished with eight.
Evansville will now face a Murray State squad on Thursday which it played to a 0-0 draw against in Murray, Kentucky on September 24. In that match, Murray State held a slight 12-10 advantage in shots on Evansville, but Danek recorded six saves to help Evansville post one of its five shutouts on the season. The winner of Thursday’s match between Evansville and Murray State will advance on to face fourth-seeded UIC in Chicago on Sunday for the right to advance on to the MVC semifinals.
All matches of the 2023 MVC Tournament can be seen live on ESPN+.
SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’ SOCCER
USI FALLS 2-1 AT EIU, CLAIMS NO. 4 SEED ON SUNDAY
CHARLESTON, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer finished the 2023 regular season with a 2-1 loss on the road at Eastern Illinois University Sunday afternoon.
Entering Sunday’s contest, the Screaming Eagles (4-7-7, 3-2-4) had already clinched their 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament berth. USI sought to improve and solidify its postseason seeding against Eastern Illinois (4-8-4, 3-4-2) on Sunday, looking to host first-round and quarterfinal-round matchups.
After a tame start to the match, action in the attacking thirds picked up in the middle of the first half. Each team tallied one shot in the first 15 minutes before Eastern Illinois jumped on the scoreboard in the 19th minute. The Panthers’ Espi Logan scored on a second-chance opportunity off a corner kick to give EIU a 1-0 lead. Nearly two minutes later, USI’s freshman midfielder Pilar Torres (Chula Vista, California) had a potential game-tying shot hit off the crossbar.
Late in the first half, USI started to grab some momentum in the offensive end. Southern Indiana racked up four shots in a 10-minute span, including two from sophomore midfielder Peyton Murphy (Bargersville, Indiana) and a shot on goal each by junior midfielder Adriana Berruti (Berwyn, Illinois) and senior defender Alexis Schone (Galena, Ohio). A minute before halftime, the attacking momentum paid off when sophomore forward Payton Seymour (Louisville, Kentucky) scored her second goal of the season on an assist from Murphy to even the contest, 1-1.
Out of the break, USI got back on the attack and received two early second-half shots from freshman midfielder Greta Ohlwein (Chicago, Illinois) that were kept out of the net. Unfortunately, Eastern Illinois went back the other way in the 55th minute to retake the lead, 2-1, on a goal by Zenaya Barnes. USI tried to respond quickly with a pair of shots near the 60th minute but was held off by the Panthers’ defensive unit.
Coming down the stretch, the Eagles did not go quietly with four shots in the last 10 minutes. Around the 80-minute mark, sophomore forward Shy Iles (Demossville, Kentucky) had a shot saved before another chance by Torres that was off the mark. Minutes later, freshman defender Kamryn Bea (O’Fallon, Missouri) had a shot miss wide. Inside the final minute, Ohlwein gave USI one last opportunity at a tying goal with a shot that ended up being saved.
Southern Indiana mounted 17 shots in the contest, holding Eastern Illinois to six. USI had seven shots on target compared to the Panthers’ three. Individually, Ohlwein led USI with three shots and two on goal. Berruti placed both of her shots on frame. Murphy and freshman midfielder Grace Bamber (Chesterton, Indiana) had two shots each. In goal, redshirt freshman goalkeeper Anna Markland (Hoover, Alabama) had a single save.
By the end of the afternoon Sunday, the OVC Championship field was set with Tennessee Tech University claiming the 1-seed after capturing a second consecutive regular-season championship. Morehead State University earned the No. 2 seed, joining Tennessee Tech with a double-bye into the semifinals. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was awarded the No. 3 seed due to tiebreaking procedures after tying Southern Indiana with 13 points in the OVC standings. With SIUE as the 3-seed and USI as the 4-seed, the two programs earned a bye and will host a first-round and quarterfinal-round matchup on their respective sides of the bracket. The rest of the field wound up with the University of Tennessee at Martin as the 5-seed, Eastern Illinois as the No. 6, Southeast Missouri State University as the 7-seed, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as the No. 8.
For the Screaming Eagles, USI will host and await the winner on Sunday, October 29, of the first-round 5/8 matchup between UT Martin and Little Rock on Friday, October 27. Both days are slated for 1 p.m. kickoffs from Strassweg Field. The semifinals and championship are scheduled for November 2 and 5, respectively, at Tennessee Tech.
All games of the 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Championship Tournament can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. Additional coverage for USI can be found on usiscreamingeagles.com with full tournament coverage on the OVC website at ovcsports.com.
VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER
SOCCER FALLS AT UIC IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE
The regular season came to a close for the Valpo soccer team Sunday afternoon in Chicago, Ill., as host UIC used a second-half goal to earn a 1-0 win. The Beacons will be the sixth seed for the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference tournament and will open tournament play at UNI against seventh-seeded Belmont Thursday afternoon.
How It Happened
Valpo attempted five shots and UIC seven in an even first half, with both sides putting two shots on goal as the match went into intermission scoreless.
The Flames took the lead on a sharp-angle effort from Sophia Jaime in the 63rd minute.
Valpo put a pair of shots on goal in search of an equalizer, but was unable to find the back of the net.
Inside the Match
Both sides finished with 13 shot attempts, with UIC putting five on goal to Valpo’s four. Goalkeeper Nikki Coryell (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) made four saves for the Beacons.
Center backs Nicole Norfolk (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) and Anna Cup (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) and midfielder Allie Anderson (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South [Xavier]) all went the full 90 minutes on Sunday.
Norfolk played all 1,620 regular season minutes in the field for the Beacons, while Coryell played all 1,620 minutes in goal.
Cup and senior Aubrey Ramey (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School [DePaul]) joined Norfolk and Coryell in starting all 18 regular season fixtures.
Next Up
Valpo (7-5-6, 3-3-4 MVC) opens up the conference tournament against Belmont Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
UINDY WOMEN’S SOCCER
GREYHOUNDS AND BULLDOGS BATTLE TO SCORELESS DRAW
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – In their final road trip of the year, the University of Indianapolis women’s soccer team battled Truman State in a 0-0 draw in Kirksville, Mo. The Greyhounds now stand at 4-7-4 on the year with a complimentary 3-5-3 GLVC-mark.
The Greyhound defense, led by defensive trio Maddy Theis, Rochelle Maxson and Lyza Shamy, was outstanding, limited the Bulldogs to just six shots on their home turf.
Sabrina Shaw recorded her second consecutive clean sheet, making two saves in the match.
INS & OUTS
The defense dominated early on, with 12 minutes of action elapsing before either team recorded a shot; the Bulldogs took that honor. The home team followed that up four minutes later, but quality defensive play kept the shot from going in.
The Hounds reciprocated the offensive attack with a pair of shots by Chloe Noon and Stephanie Brady, neither finding the net. A shot at the 33rd minute by Truman solidified the defensive nature of the first half.
Sarah Wegener initiated action going in the second, launching the first shot of goal for the Hounds, just five minutes after the break. UIndy pressed their attack throughout the second half, registering six shots – with all three on goal coming in that period. Wegener once again found her chance to break the deadlock at the 88th minute, receiving a beautiful free kick from Theis, but the Bulldogs thwarted the attempt, ensuring the game remained goalless.
INSIDE THE BOX
– Wegener added two shots on goal during contest, boosting her team-leading total.
– With the shutout, Shaw’s goals-against average has dropped to 0.96
– The Hounds only utilized three substitutions within the contest, with eight of the Hounds starting 11 staying in the entire match.
UP NEXT
It is the regular season finale for the Greyhounds this coming Friday and Sunday as they welcome in both Quincy and Illinois Springfield to the Circle City. The Hounds are set to face off with the Hawks on Friday Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. The Hounds will then celebrate their seniors on the following Sunday, Oct. 29 against the Prairie Stars.
UINDY MEN’S SOCCER
FIVE HOUNDS SCORE IN 5-0 SHUTOUT OVER TRUMAN
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Five different Greyhounds scored during UIndy’s 5-0 shutout win over Truman. The Sunday afternoon win allowed the Hounds to improve to 9-1-4.
INS & OUTS
In the beginning minutes of the match the Greyhounds and the Bulldogs moved the ball up and down the field.
Roman Beko made their first goal of the game for the Hounds. His goal assisted by Pierre Lurot was scored at the 20-minute mark. Less than two minutes later Jona Hogle kicked the ball into the back of the net with help from Beko. These back-to-back goals allowed UIndy to secure an early 2-0 lead over the Bulldogs.
Truman was held to only three shots, one on goal, during the first 45 minutes of play. UIndy finished the half with eight shots, four on goal.
The second half started similarly to the first. Both squads continued to move the ball between each goal trying to get a chance to score.
Halfway through the second half Carl Ringstrom scored. Hogle assisted Ringstrom in the getting the ball into the net. Five minutes later August Abrahamsen notched UIndy’s fourth goal of the game. Owen Atkison was the man to get Abrahamsen the chance to score.
At the 85-minute mark, Atkison faked out the goalie with help from Abrhamsen to earn UIndy their fifth goal of the match.
UIndy continued to maintained control of the ball for the rest of the half securing their shutout win.
INSIDE THE BOX
– Kieran Brown protected the UIndy goal for the entirety of the match. They Australian native finished the game with three saves and earning himself his eight shutouts of the season.
– Niklas Thanhofer, Bobby Turner, and Lurot remained in the UIndy backfield for the whole match. This Trio has become an important presence in the backfield for the Greyhounds.
– UIndy finished the contest with a total of 16 shots, eight on goal.
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds return to Key Stadium on Friday Oct. 27 to celebrate the team’s senior class. The contest versus Quincy is set for 7:30 p.m.
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 | ||
| Miami Dolphins | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 0.0 | 240 | 187 | 3-0-0 | 2-2-0 | 3-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Buffalo Bills | 4 | 3 | 0 | .571 | 1.0 | 198 | 118 | 3-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 2-3-0 | 1-2-0 | 1 L | |
| New York Jets | 3 | 3 | 0 | .500 | 1.5 | 113 | 119 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 W | |
| New England Patriots | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | 3.0 | 101 | 177 | 1-3-0 | 1-2-0 | 2-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 1 W | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 6 | 1 | 0 | .857 | 0.0 | 178 | 105 | 3-1-0 | 3-0-0 | 4-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 6 W | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | 3.0 | 112 | 161 | 2-1-0 | 1-3-0 | 2-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 2 | 4 | 0 | .333 | 3.5 | 144 | 155 | 1-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| Denver Broncos | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | 4.0 | 148 | 217 | 1-3-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-4-0 | 0-2-0 | 1 W | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Baltimore Ravens | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 0.0 | 171 | 97 | 2-1-0 | 3-1-0 | 4-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 2 W | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 4 | 2 | 0 | .667 | 0.5 | 103 | 127 | 2-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 3-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Cleveland Browns | 4 | 2 | 0 | .667 | 0.5 | 134 | 115 | 3-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 3-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 2 W | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 3 | 3 | 0 | .500 | 1.5 | 100 | 127 | 2-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-3-0 | 0-2-0 | 2 W | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 0.0 | 173 | 146 | 2-2-0 | 3-0-0 | 3-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 4 W | |
| Houston Texans | 3 | 3 | 0 | .500 | 1.5 | 135 | 113 | 2-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Indianapolis Colts | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | 2.0 | 178 | 191 | 1-3-0 | 2-1-0 | 3-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 2 L | |
| Tennessee Titans | 2 | 4 | 0 | .333 | 2.5 | 104 | 117 | 2-1-0 | 0-3-0 | 2-3-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 L | |
| National Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | 6 | 1 | 0 | .857 | 0.0 | 186 | 141 | 3-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 4-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 4 | 2 | 0 | .667 | 1.5 | 154 | 100 | 2-0-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Washington Commanders | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | 3.0 | 140 | 190 | 1-2-0 | 2-2-0 | 2-3-0 | 0-2-0 | 1 L | |
| New York Giants | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | 4.0 | 85 | 174 | 1-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 2-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | 5 | 1 | 0 | .833 | 0.0 | 184 | 87 | 3-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 4-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Seattle Seahawks | 4 | 2 | 0 | .667 | 1.0 | 144 | 118 | 2-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 4-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | 2.5 | 155 | 141 | 1-3-0 | 2-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1 | 6 | 0 | .143 | 4.5 | 127 | 182 | 1-2-0 | 0-4-0 | 1-5-0 | 0-3-0 | 4 L | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Detroit Lions | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 0.0 | 174 | 151 | 2-1-0 | 3-1-0 | 4-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 2 | 4 | 0 | .333 | 2.5 | 129 | 135 | 0-3-0 | 2-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Green Bay Packers | 2 | 4 | 0 | .333 | 2.5 | 130 | 132 | 1-1-0 | 1-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 L | |
| Chicago Bears | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | 3.0 | 158 | 188 | 1-3-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 0-2-0 | 1 W | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Atlanta Falcons | 4 | 3 | 0 | .571 | 0.0 | 115 | 133 | 3-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 3-2-0 | 2-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | 3 | 0 | .500 | 0.5 | 103 | 104 | 1-3-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| New Orleans Saints | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | 1.0 | 133 | 127 | 1-2-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 6 | 0 | .000 | 3.5 | 112 | 186 | 0-2-0 | 0-4-0 | 0-5-0 | 0-2-0 | 6 L | |
NHL STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| Atlantic Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| Boston Bruins | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 16 | 7 | 2-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 5-0-0 | |
| Detroit Red Wings | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 30 | 15 | 3-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 5-1-0 | |
| Ottawa Senators | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 21 | 15 | 3-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 3-2-0 | |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 19 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 3-2-0 | |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 24 | 2-0-1 | 0-2-1 | 2-2-2 | |
| Montreal Canadiens | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 2-1-0 | 0-0-1 | 2-1-1 | |
| Florida Panthers | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 17 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 2-3-0 | |
| Buffalo Sabres | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 15 | 2-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 2-3-0 | |
| Metropolitan Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| Philadelphia Flyers | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 2-0-0 | 1-1-1 | 3-1-1 | |
| New York Rangers | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 1-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 3-2-0 | |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 2-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 3-2-0 | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 28 | 30 | 1-0-0 | 2-3-0 | 3-3-0 | |
| New York Islanders | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 2-0-1 | 0-1-0 | 2-1-1 | |
| New Jersey Devils | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 15 | 1-1-1 | 1-0-0 | 2-1-1 | |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 16 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 2-3-0 | |
| Washington Capitals | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-1 | 1-2-1 | |
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| Central Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| Colorado Avalanche | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 21 | 8 | 2-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 5-0-0 | |
| Dallas Stars | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 2-0-0 | 1-0-1 | 3-0-1 | |
| Arizona Coyotes | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 1-0-0 | 2-2-0 | 3-2-0 | |
| Nashville Predators | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 18 | 16 | 2-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 3-3-0 | |
| St. Louis Blues | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 2-1-0 | 0-0-1 | 2-1-1 | |
| Minnesota Wild | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 21 | 1-1-1 | 1-1-0 | 2-2-1 | |
| Winnipeg Jets | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 21 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-3-0 | |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 18 | 0-1-0 | 2-3-0 | 2-4-0 | |
| Pacific Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| Vegas Golden Knights | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 11 | 3-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 6-0-0 | |
| Vancouver Canucks | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 20 | 13 | 1-0-0 | 2-2-0 | 3-2-0 | |
| Los Angeles Kings | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 21 | 19 | 0-2-1 | 2-0-0 | 2-2-1 | |
| Calgary Flames | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 23 | 1-0-0 | 1-3-1 | 2-3-1 | |
| Edmonton Oilers | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 20 | 0-1-1 | 1-2-0 | 1-3-1 | |
| Seattle Kraken | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 21 | 1-2-0 | 0-2-1 | 1-4-1 | |
| Anaheim Ducks | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 15 | 1-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 1-4-0 | |
| San Jose Sharks | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 20 | 0-3-1 | 0-1-0 | 0-4-1 | |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1910 Jack Coombs wins his third game of the World Series when he goes the distance to beat the Cubs at Chicago’s West Side Grounds, 7-2. In addition to winning Game 5 to give Philadelphia the world championship, the A’s right-hander also had complete-game victories in Games 2 and 3 of the Fall Classic.
1945 Dodger President Branch Rickey announces that the team has signed two black players, shortstop Jackie Robinson and pitcher Johnny Wright, to play with Brooklyn’s Triple-A team in Montreal. The 26-year-old Negro League infielder will be the first black player to play in organized baseball since 1884.
1951 The Associated Press selects Giants skipper Leo Durocher as the Manager of the Year. Under his leadership, the Giants rallied from a 13½ game deficit in mid-August to win the pennant, beating the Dodgers in a three-game playoff series best remembered for Bobby Thomson’s fabled home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of the deciding game at the Polo Grounds.
1952 The Pacific Coast League announces its teams will play a reduced 176-game schedule next season. However, the PCL clubs will continue to play 180 contests next season, similar to the past two years.
1958 The Associated Press names Danny Murtaugh as its major league Manager of the Year. In his first full year in the Pirates’ dugout, the team improves by 22 games, 14 games over .500, finishing in second place, eight games behind Milwaukee.
1973 Boston trades first baseman Ben Ogilvie to the Tigers in exchange for Dick McAuliffe. The former Detroit shortstop will hit only .210 in 100 games for his new team next season, but in 1975 the Hartford native will become the manager of the club’s Double-A farm team, the Bristol Red Sox, located in his home state of Connecticut.
1985 After months of debate, King County Executive Randy Revelle and team owner George Argyros sign a new lease calling for the Mariners to play in the Kingdome through the 1996 season. The deal contains a provision that allows the M’s to leave Seattle after the 1987 season if attendance stays below 1.4 million and season ticket sales fall under the 10,000 mark.
1986 In Game 5 of the World Series at Fenway Park, Bruce Hurst throws a complete game to beat the Mets, 4-2, earning his second victory of the Fall Classic and bringing the team within one win of ending their 68-year World Championship drought. New York will dash the Red Sox Nation’s hopes with two come-from-behind wins at Shea Stadium.
1993 “Touch ’em all Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life” – Tom Cheek, radio voice of the Blue Jays. Thanks to Joe Carter’s dramatic ninth-inning three-run homer over the left-field wall, the Blue Jays beat the Phillies 8-6 to win their second consecutive World Championship. The Toronto outfielder becomes the second player to end the World Series with a home run, joining Bill Mazeroski, whose Forbes Field’s round-tripper beat the Yankees in 1960.
1993 Mike Piazza, the sixty-second round pick of the 1988 draft, is the BBWAA’s unanimous choice for the Rookie of the Year award in the National League. The Dodger catcher is the first player to hit over .300 (.318), connect for more than 30 homers (35), and drive in at least 100 runs (112) in the Senior Circuit as a freshman since Wally Berger accomplished the feat in his initial major league season with the Braves in 1930.
1995 Former Astros GM Bob Watson is named the Yankees’ new general manager, replacing Gene Michael. Watson will stay in the position for just two seasons, but during his tenure, the team will win its first World Series since 1978, establishing the groundwork for the very successful Bronx Bomber clubs of the late 1990s.
1996 After the Yankees lose the first two games of the Fall Classic at the Stadium, David Cone limits the Braves to four hits and one run in six innings en route to New York’s 5-2 win. The contest marks the first of 14 consecutive World Series victories en route to the Bronx Bombers’ four titles in five years.
1998 The Dodgers hire Davey Johnson to manage the second-place club, taking over the reins from Bill Russell. The former Mets, Reds, and Orioles skipper, who has finished first with every team he has ever led, will see his streak end in LA when he compiles a 163- 161 (.503) record.
2000 Although lacking big league managerial experience, Pirates hitting coach Lloyd McClendon is named the team’s skipper, replacing the recently-fired Gene Lamont. During the new manager’s five-year tenure in the Pittsburgh dugout, the struggling Bucs will compile a 336-446 (.430) record.
2002 Cal Ripken Jr. breaking Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak in 1995 is voted as baseball’s most memorable moment by the fans participating in the Major league Baseball and MasterCard promotion. Hank Aaron’s 715th homer to pass Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier, Mark McGwire breaking Roger Maris’ single-season home run record, and Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech round out the top five events selected by the fans.
2002 Joining Roberto Clemente and Thurman Munson, Darryl Kile will become the third player to appear on the 2003 Hall of Fame ballot before the mandatory five-year waiting period. The 33-year-old Cardinal pitcher, a victim of heart disease, was found dead in his Chicago hotel room in June.
2002 In Game 4 of the World Series, the Angels intentionally walk Barry Bonds three times, setting a new record for a Fall Classic game. Halos’ starting pitcher John Lackey, who issues all the free passes to the Giants’ left fielder, does not factor in the decision in San Francisco’s 4-3 victory at Pac Bell, which deadlocks the series at two.
2005 For the 14th time in World Series history, a walk-off home run ends the contest when Scott Podsednik’s ninth-inning blast in Game 2 at Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field beats the Astros, 7-6. Bill Mazeroski remains the only player to accomplish the feat in the seventh game of the Fall Classic.
2005 On the verge of the first World Series game in Texas, much to the Astros’ chagrin, MLB rules Houston must play Game 3 of the Fall Classic with its Minute Maid Park roof open. The team had a much better record (38-17) in the enclosed ballpark during the regular season than in games started in the open air (15-11).
2006 Extending his scoreless streak to 24.1 postseason innings, dating back to 2003 with the Twins, Kenny Rogers blanks the Cardinals for eight innings when the Tigers beat the Cardinals 3-1 to even the World Series at a game apiece. The “Gambler’s” recent playoff success comes under suspicion as TV cameras spot a dark substance on the right-hander’s pitching hand in the first frame, which he claims to be only mud.
2010 The Giants capture their twenty-first National League flag when they defeat the Phillies, 3-2, in Game 6 of the NLCS at Citizens Bank Park. The decisive blow is Juan Uribe’s two-out tie-breaking home run off Ryan Madson in the eighth inning.
2012 “I love Fidel Castro, I respect Fidel Castro. You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that m**r is still here.” – OZZIE GUILLEN, praising the Cuban dictator during an interview with Time magazine. With three seasons and $7.5 million remaining on their skipper’s four-year contract, the Marlins dismiss their controversial manager Ozzie Guillen, who had verbal feuds with Nationals’ rookie Bryce Harper and his players, including closer Heath Bell during a disappointing last-place finish. The 48-year-old Venezuelan-born skipper did not endear himself to the Miami fan base after praising Fidel Castro in an early-season interview, which led to a five-game suspension by MLB for his comments about the Cuban dictator.
2014 After aggressively trying to sign their manager to a third contract extension, the Rays announce Joe Maddon has exercised his contract’s opt-out clause. During his nine-year tenure with Tampa Bay, a franchise perceived as perennial losers before his arrival, the popular skipper compiled a 754-705 record, leading the team to the playoffs four times, including winning two AL East titles and one appearance in the World Series.
2015 The Royals win their second straight American League flag when they eliminate the Blue Jays in Game 6 of the ALCS played at Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City scores the go-ahead run in their 4-3 victory in the bottom of the eighth inning when Lorenzo Cain races home from first base on Eric Hosmer’s RBI single.
2018 The Dodgers become the first team to use an all-right-handed lineup in a World Series game due to the dominance of Red Sox southpaw starter Chris Sale facing left-handed swingers, who batted a paltry .170 against him during the regular season. The strategy proves effective when Los Angeles pounds out five hits and scores three runs during the left-hander’s four innings of work, but the team still loses Game 1 of the Fall Classic at Fenway Park, 8-4.
WORLD SERIES HISTORY
1924
Washington Senators (4) vs New York Giants (3)
After struggling to beat the Brooklyn Dodgers for the National League pennant by only 1½ games, the New York Giants once again found themselves competing in their eighth World Series in fourteen years. Their challengers, the Washington Senators, had topped the American League and were determined to bring home a championship to the nation’s capital.
Game 1 promised a great Series as league-standout Walter Johnson and veteran Art Nehf went head-to-head in a twelve-inning nail-biter that ended in a 4-3 Giants victory. Although Johnson had struck out twelve New Yorkers, “The Big Train” had allowed fourteen hits and six walks. After winning two out of the next three, Washington was pounded in Game 5 when Johnson surrendered thirteen more hits including four by Freddie Lindstrom on the way to a devastating 6-2 loss. The Senators’ ace was now 0-2 and they were one game away from elimination.
Washington managed to stay afloat thanks to a solid performance at the plate by Bucky Harris (who knocked a two-run single in the fifth) and the arm of Tom Zachary, who held the Giants in tow for a crucial 2-1 win that tied the Series at three games each.
Game 7 at Griffith Stadium provided a perfect backdrop for the Senators “Grand Finale”. Although the Giants looked to add yet another title to their resume (with a 3-1 lead going into the bottom of the eighth) a critical fielding error by the Giants’ eighteen-year-old third baseman Freddie Lindstrom (on a routine grounder) netted two runs and a last minute tie. The stalemate continued until the twelfth thanks to “big” relief from “The Big Train”.
Once again, the Giants committed two major fielding errors including a replay of the missed grounder to third and a dropped foul by catcher Hank Gowdy, who tripped over his mask. Fittingly, it was Walter Johnson who had turned his game around (after two poor outings) in a 4-3 triumph that gave the Senators their first world championship.
The 1924 contest was John McGraw’s last championship appearance (although he would manage the Giants until 1932) and he would end it with a 3-6 Series record. Despite losing twice as many match-ups, the Giants skipper is currently tied (with Joe McCarthy) for second all-time for World Series appearances (behind Casey Stengel with ten).
FOOTBALL HISTORY
Iron Bowl VIII
October 23, 1903 – Montgomery, Alabama – The 8th installment of the famed Iron Bowl took place as the Alabama Crimson Tide knocked off the Auburn Tigers 18-6. The victory helped head Coach W.B. Blount’s Alabama team reach a 3-4 record for the season, while Auburn coached by Billy Bates on the other hand ended up 4-3 on the season according to sports-reference.com records.
Drama of Packers first NFL game
October 23, 1921 – Hagemeister Park, Green Bay, Wisconsin – Green Bay Packers played in their very first NFL game against the Minneapolis Marines. The website Packershistory.net enlightens us with just how dramatic of an ending that first Green Bay NFL game had. With time running out in the fourth quarter the Marines had the ball and a 6-0 lead over the Packers. Then in one of the moments that teams on the bottom side of the score dream of, defensive end Dave Hayes of the Pack recovered a fumble at the Minneapolis 35 yard-line! Halfback Buff Wagner made a spectacular catch of a Curly Lambeau pass to advance the ball to the 14 to keep the comeback alive. Then with little time remaining in the contest, running back Art Schmaehl eventually plunged over from the 1 and Lambeau’s extra point proved to be the game winner in the 7-6 come from behind victory. The story gets more interesting as years later historian Jack Rudolph, a colleague of Packers co-founder George Whitney Calhoun, wrote that it was rumored and some believed the Packers were admitted to the loosely-organized league, formed in a Canton automobile showroom, on a conditional basis and if they hadn’t beaten the Minneapolis Marines they would have been dropped from what was then the American Professional Football Association. Remember that most teams in that era, including the Packers essentially scheduled their league games from week to week. Talk about your must win games! Of course Green Bay went on to win the most NFL titles including Championships and Super Bowls than any other team, earning them the right to be called “Title Town.”
Monday Night Miracle
October 23, 2000 – Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey – The “Monday Night Miracle” took place on ABC’s Monday Night Football! The Miami Dolphins were not the most polite of guests of the New York Jets as they had outscored their hosts 30-7 at the end of the third quarter. The New York Jets would not lie down quietly in their house though as they pulled together an improbable comeback with 4 touchdowns and a field goal in the fourth quarter, and tied the game twice in the final stanza. The Green and White kept on scrapping and eventually defeated the Miami Dolphins 40-37 in overtime on a John Hall 40 yard field goal.
Holy War XVI
October 23, 2004 – South Bend, Indiana – 16th College Football Holy War between the only two Roman Catholic Universities in the U.S. playing Division 1 football, Boston College and Notre Dame. The Eagles and the Irish battled all game long in this one as the game came down to a play in the final minute. According to an ESPN.com account of the game With 54 ticks of the clock remaining, BC quarterback Paul Peterson dropped back and then fired a 30-yard touchdown strike to Tony Gonzalez to give Boston College a 24-23 come-from-behind victory over the Irish. Notre Dame had been undefeated and ranked in the top 25 teams in the nation prior to the loss to their unranked opponent. It was not the first time Boston College had the better of the Golden Domers, as a matter of fact it was the Eagle’s fourth consecutive victory over the Fighting Irish!
9 OTs!
October 23, 2021 – The University of Illinois and the Penn State University teams gave football fans watching the Big Ten matchup more for their money as the game went to a record 9 overtime sessions. Sloppy play filled with dropped passes filled the session for both teams as the unranked Illini escaped with a 20-18 victory over the number 7 Nittany Lions.
HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR OCTOBER 23
Heisman
October 23, 1869 – Cleveland, Ohio – John Heisman, American football coach who was one of the top innovators for the game of football in history. Heisman along with Walter Camp, Alonzo Stagg and Pop Warner took football in their era and made it a much better and safer sport with innovations, rules revisions and great procedural items that evolved and translated to our modern game of American football at all levels. Heisman is credited per the NFF’s website with helping to legalize the forward pass, originated the center snap, innovated the “hike” cadence to initiate a snap and for which the Heisman Trophy is named. John coached at various schools including Oberlin, Akron, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Penn, Washington and Jefferson, Auburn and RIce. He played every line position while he was a student athlete at Brown University. The National Football Foundation selected John Heisman to enter into their College Football Hall of Fame in 1954. Heisman passed suddenly at the age of 66 just as he was preparing to write a book on the history of football. It’s too bad we never got to see that masterpiece as I am sure it would have been.
Executive – Joe Carr
October 23, 1879 – Columbus, Ohio – Joseph Francis Carr was born. Who was Joe Carr you may ask? Joe was the NFL’s President from 1921 through 1939, taking the League from its infancy in an era before games were televised and transformed it from a small town localized event into the major cities across the country. Before the NFL had formed Joe helped revive the Columbus Panhandles in 1907 with Railroad workers and helped the team become one of the initial teams to join the AFPA, two seasons before it became known as the NFL. He was also one of the founders and president of the American Basketball League (ABL) from 1925 to 1927 and had some dealings in making minor league baseball stronger. Joe Carr was one of the 17 inaugural inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
Bruiser Kinard
October 23, 1914 – Pelahatchie, Mississippi – Frank “Bruiser” Kinard a tackle from the University of Mississippi was born. Bruiser was voted in as an All-American in both 1936 & 1937, the first player from the state of Mississippi to be selected to the honor. The National Football Foundation’s bio tell how Frank seldom would leave a game, even when injured, proven by his 1936 season when he played 708 minutes of the total 720 his team was on the field. After college Kinard went into the professional ranks of football and was an All-Pro as he played 9 seasons for the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees football franchises. The National Football Foundation selected Bruiser Kinard to enter into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.
Tom Brahaney
October 23, 1951 – Midland, Texas – Tom Brahaney from Oklahoma University arrived into the world. Tom played the position of center. During the 1971 season, the Sooners led the nation in rushing, total offense and scoring due in part to the great blocking by Brahaney. Footballfoundation.org tells us that as a senior, Tom was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, and repeated as a consensus All-America choice. The National Football Foundation selected Tom Brahaney to enter into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. After graduation Tom entered the NFL playing nine seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Doug Flutie
October 23 , 1962 – Manchester, Maryland – Doug Flutie a quarterback from Boston College had his father handing out cigars upon his arrival. After high school, Doug stood 5-foot-9-inches tall and was considered by some to be too short to play quarterback in the major division of college football. What he lacked in size, he had in heart, smarts and natural ability on the gridiron. Boston College gave Doug a scholarship late, coercing the youth to choose BC over the University of New Hampshire. According to the NFF Flutie would not give up on his dream of being the Eagle’s quarterback, even though he was fifth on the depth chart as a freshman. Through hard work and determination by week 6 of the season Doug Flutie was the starting QB of Boston College and ended up number 9 in the nation in passing. By the time he was a senior he had won the Heisman trophy and took Boston College to multiple Bowl games, when they had been absent from them for over four decades. Doug Flutie entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. After college Flutie embarked on a long and hard fought road in a 21 year professional football career as he played in the USFL, NFL and CFL, he was a six-time CFL player of the Year. before returning to the NFL.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
42 – 9 – 26 – 8 – 40 – 19 – 11
October 23, 1923 – Legendary Yankees slugger Babe Ruth made a postseason exhibition appearance in a rival New York Giants uniform as the Big Apple squad dropped the Baltimore Orioles, 9-0 in a benefit game for former Giants owner John Day
October 23, 1945 – Trailblazing baseball player Jackie Robinson signs contract with Montreal Royals, minor league farm team of Brooklyn Dodgers. We know Mr Robinson wore Number 42 as a Dodger in the Majors but did you know that he wore Number 9 as a Montral Royal player? In fact the future Hall of Fame player would play 124 games for Montreal before the famous ground breaking signing with Brooklyn.
October 23, 1974 – Chicago Cubs trade 6-time MLB All Star outfielder Billy Williams, Number 26 to Oakland A’s for second baseman Number 8, Manny Trillo and 2 pitchers
October 23, 1984 – ChicagoCubs Number 40, Rick Sutcliffe, selected as a unanimous choice as NL Cy Young
October 23, 1993 – World Series: Defending champion Toronto Blue Jays beat Philadelphia Phillies, 8-6 at the SkyDome, Toronto to clinch series, 4-2; The Most Valuable Player for the Series was Blue Jays infielder Paul Molitor, Number 19
October 23, 2008 – Joe Sakic, Number 19 scored his final career goal (#625) against the Edmonton Oilers
October 23, 2019 – All Star point guard Number 11, Kyrie Irving lit up the scoreboard with 50 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves, setting a new NBA record for points on a debut with a new team the Brooklyn Nets. Irving and the Nets fell by the score 127-126 at home to the Minnesota.
TV SPORTS
MONDAY
| MLB PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| NLCS Game 6: Arizona at Philadelphia | 5:07pm | TBS |
| ALCS Game 7: Texas at Houston | 8:03pm | FOX |
| NFL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| San Francisco at Minnesota | 8:15pm | ESPN |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Montréal at Buffalo | 7:00pm | MSG-BUF Sportsnet |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| Serie A: Udinese vs Lecce | 12:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Serie A: Fiorentina vs Empoli | 2:45pm | Paramount+ |
| EPL: Tottenham Hotspur vs Fulham | 3:00pm | USA |
| La Liga: Valencia vs Cádiz | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Estudiantes vs Sarmiento | 6:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Vélez Sarsfield vs Banfield | 8:00pm | Paramount+ |
What to Watch: Monday, 10/23/23
| MLB PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| ALCS Game 6: Arizona at Philadelphia | 5:07pm | TBS |
The Arizona Diamondbacks leads 3-2 in the National League Championship Series versus the Philadelphia Phillies. Last time the Phillies lost in a National Leage Championship Series was in 2010 versus the San Franciso Giants in game 6. The Diamondbacks have been to the National Championship series twice in history which they won one series in 2001 and lost one series in 2007.
| ALCS Game 7: Texas at Houston | 8:03pm | FS1 |
The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers American League Championship Series game 7 will be played if necessary. The Rangers last loss on the road was the last game of the regular season versus the Mariners at Seattle and the Astros are 5-14 at home since September 1st.
| NFL | TIME ET | TV |
| San Francisco at Minnesota | 8:15pm | ESPN |
The San Francisco 49ers leads all time series 25-23-1 versus the Minnesota Vikings. Last time both teams met was in 2021 which the 49ers won 34-26 at home versus the Vikings. Since 1994 the Vikings are 6-0 at home versus the 49ers. San Francisco last win versus the Vikings at Minnesota was in 1992.
| NHL | TIME ET | TV |
| Montréal at Buffalo | 7:00pm | NHLN MSG-BUF Sportsnet |
The Buffalo Sabres leads all time series 151-145-31 versus the Montréal Canadiens. Last season the Canadiens were 2-1 versus the Sabres during the regular season. The Sabres are 77-51-19 at home all time versus the Canadiens. Montréal has not won a regular season series since the 2017-18 NHL season.
TUESDAY, 10-24-23
| COLLEGE FOOTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| New Mexico State at Louisiana Tech | 7:00pm | CBSSN |
| Liberty at WKU | 7:30pm | ESPNU |
| MLB PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| NLCS Game 7: Arizona at Philadelphia | 8:07pm | TBS |
| NBA REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| LA Lakers at Denver | 7:30pm | TNT |
| Phoenix at Golden State | 10:00pm | TNT |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Toronto at Washington | 6:00pm | ESPN NBCS-WSH Sportsnet |
| Anaheim at Columbus | 6:30pm | Bally Sports |
| Buffalo at Ottawa | 6:45pm | MSG-BUF Sportsnet |
| Carolina at Tampa Bay | 7:00pm | Bally Sports |
| New Jersey at Montréal | 7:15pm | MSGSN Sportsnet |
| Dallas at Pittsburgh | 7:30pm | ATTSN-PIT Bally Sports |
| San Jose at Florida | 7:45pm | NBCS-CA Bally Sports |
| Seattle at Detroit | 8:15pm | Root Sports Bally Sports |
| Boston at Chicago | 8:30pm | ESPN NESN NBCS-CHI |
| St. Louis at Winnipeg | 8:45pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
| Edmonton at Minnesota | 9:00pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
| Vancouver at Nashville | 9:15pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
| NY Rangers at Calgary | 9:45pm | MSG Sportsnet |
| Arizona at Los Angeles | 10:30pm | Bally Sports |
| Philadelphia at Vegas | 11:00pm | ESPN NBCS-PHI ATTSN-RM |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| UEFA Champions League: Internazionale vs Salzburg | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Champions League: Galatasaray vs Bayern München | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Champions League: Sporting Braga vs Real Madrid | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Champions League: Sevilla vs Arsenal | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Champions League: Lens vs PSV | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Champions League: Union Berlin vs Napoli | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Champions League: Benfica vs Real Sociedad | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Unión Santa Fe vs Defensa y Justicia | 4:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Racing Club vs Boca Juniors | 6:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Argentinos Juniors vs Huracán | 8:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Instituto vs Rosario Central | 8:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Liga MX: Guadalajara vs Mazatlán | 11:00pm | Universo |