“THE SCOREBOARD”
****INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 3 SCHEDULE****
ALEXANDRIA (2-0) AT BLACKFORD (0-2)
ATTICA (0-2) AT SEEGER (1-1)
AVON (0-2) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (2-0)
BATESVILLE (2-0) AT SOUTH DEARBORN (1-1)
BLOOMINGTON NORTH (2-0) AT TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (0-2)
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (2-0) AT TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-2)
BREBEUF JESUIT (1-1) AT MISHAWAKA MARIAN (1-1)
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (2-0) AT EASTERN (PEKIN) (1-1)
CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (1-1) AT TRI (1-1)
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (1-1) AT FORT WAYNE SOUTH (0-2)
CASTLE (1-1) AT EVANSVILLE BOSSE (1-1)
CASTON (0-2) AT TRITON (1-1)
CENTRAL NOBLE (0-2) AT FAIRFIELD (1-1)
CHESTERTON (0-2) AT MICHIGAN CITY (1-1)
CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL (1-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (0-2)
CHURUBUSCO (0-2) AT GARRETT (0-2)
CINCINNATI MOELLER (OHIO) AT EAST CENTRAL (2-0)
CLARKSVILLE (0-2) AT CHARLESTOWN (1-1)
CLINTON PRAIRIE (2-0) AT CLINTON CENTRAL (0-1)
CLOVERDALE (1-1) AT BROWN COUNTY (0-2)
COLUMBIA CITY (2-0) AT BELLMONT (0-2)
COLUMBUS EAST (0-2) AT SEYMOUR (1-1)
CORYDON CENTRAL (0-2) AT NORTH HARRISON (2-0)
COVENANT CHRISTIAN (1-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (2-0)
CRAWFORD COUNTY (0-2) AT PERRY CENTRAL (0-2)
CRAWFORDSVILLE (0-2) AT WESTERN BOONE (2-0)
DECATUR CENTRAL (2-0) AT WHITELAND (1-1)
DEKALB (2-0) AT NEW HAVEN (2-0)
DELTA (2-0) AT SHELBYVILLE (2-0)
DETROIT KING (MICH.) AT CARMEL (1-1)
EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (0-2) AT CALUMET (0-2)
EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (1-1) AT DELPHI (0-2)
EASTERN GREENE (0-2) AT NORTH DAVIESS (2-0)
EASTERN HANCOCK (2-0) AT CENTERVILLE (2-0)
EDGEWOOD (1-1) AT CASCADE (1-1)
EDINBURGH (0-2) AT SOUTH DECATUR (1-1)
EVANSVILLE HARRISON (0-2) AT EVANSVILLE NORTH (1-1)
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (2-0) AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (0-2)
EVANSVILLE REITZ (2-0) AT JASPER (1-1)
FISHERS (2-0) AT NOBLESVILLE (2-0)
FOREST PARK (2-0) AT TELL CITY (1-1)
FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (0-2) AT ADAMS CENTRAL (2-0)
FORT WAYNE LUERS (0-2) AT FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (0-2)
FORT WAYNE NORTH (0-2) AT FORT WAYNE DWENGER (0-2)
FORT WAYNE SNIDER (2-0) AT FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (0-2)
FRANKLIN (1-1) AT PERRY MERIDIAN (1-1)
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (2-0) AT BROWNSBURG (2-0)
FRANKTON (1-1) AT ELWOOD (0-2)
FREMONT (1-1) AT NORTH CENTRAL (OHIO)
GARY WEST (1-1) AT BOONE GROVE (1-1)
GREENSBURG (0-2) AT CONNERSVILLE (1-1)
GREENWOOD (2-0) AT MARTINSVILLE (1-1)
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (0-2) AT WES-DEL (0-2)
GRIFFITH (0-2) AT HAMMOND CENTRAL (2-0)
GUERIN CATHOLIC (2-0) AT HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (2-0)
HAGERSTOWN (1-1) AT UNION CITY (0-2)
HAMMOND MORTON (1-1) AT ELKHART (0-2)
HAMMOND NOLL (1-1) AT WHITING (1-1)
HANOVER CENTRAL (2-0) AT HIGHLAND (2-0)
HERITAGE HILLS (2-0) AT BOONVILLE (1-1)
HOMESTEAD (0-2) AT FORT WAYNE WAYNE (2-0)
HUNTINGTON NORTH (0-2) AT EAST NOBLE (1-1)
INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (0-2) AT PURDUE POLYTECHNIC (1-1)
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (1-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (2-0)
INDIANAPOLIS TECH (0-2) AT LAFAYETTE JEFF (0-2)
INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (1-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (1-1)
JAY COUNTY (2-0) AT SOUTHERN WELLS (1-1)
JEFFERSONVILLE (0-2) AT BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (0-2)
JOHN GLENN (1-1) AT ANGOLA (0-2)
KANKAKEE VALLEY (1-1) AT ANDREAN (0-2)
KNOX (2-0) AT CULVER (0-2)
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (1-1) AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS (2-0)
LAKELAND (2-0) AT PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-2)
LAWRENCE CENTRAL (1-1) VS. LAWRENCE NORTH (2-0)
LAWRENCEBURG (1-1) AT MILAN (1-1)
LEBANON (0-2) AT DANVILLE (1-1)
LEO (1-1) AT NORWELL (0-2)
LEWIS CASS (1-1) AT PERU (2-0)
LINTON-STOCKTON (2-0) AT MONROVIA (2-0)
LOGANSPORT (0-2) AT KOKOMO (2-0)
LOUISVILLE TRINITY (KY.) AT CENTER GROVE (1-1)
LOWELL (1-1) AT NEW PRAIRIE (1-1)
MACONAQUAH (1-1) AT NORTHFIELD (0-2)
MADISON-GRANT (2-0) AT MISSISSINEWA (2-0)
MARION (1-1) AT HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (1-1)
MCCUTCHEON (0-2) AT MUNCIE CENTRAL (0-2)
MERRILLVILLE (2-0) AT CROWN POINT (2-0)
MISHAWAKA (1-1) AT NORTHRIDGE (2-0)
MONROE CENTRAL (1-1) AT NORTH DECATUR (1-1)
MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (1-1) AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (2-0)
MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (1-1) AT PIKE CENTRAL (1-1)
MUNSTER (1-1) AT HOBART (1-1)
NEW CASTLE (1-1) AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS (2-0)
NOBLESVILLE HOMESCHOOL AT FRONTIER (0-2)
NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) (0-2) AT IRVINGTON PREP ACADEMY (0-2)
NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (0-2) AT WARREN CENTRAL (0-2)
NORTH JUDSON (2-0) AT CULVER ACADEMY (1-1)
NORTH NEWTON (0-2) AT LAKE STATION (0-2)
NORTHVIEW (2-0) AT SULLIVAN (1-0)
NORTHWESTERN (0-2) AT BENTON CENTRAL (1-1)
NORTHWOOD (2-0) AT CONCORD (2-0)
OAK HILL (2-0) AT EASTBROOK (2-0)
OSCEOLA GRACE AT JIMTOWN (0-2)
OWEN VALLEY (1-1) AT INDIAN CREEK (0-2)
PARK TUDOR (1-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (2-0)
PENN (2-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (1-1)
PIKE (0-2) AT BEN DAVIS (2-0)
PIONEER (2-0) AT LAVILLE (2-0)
PLAINFIELD (2-0) AT MOORESVILLE (1-1)
PORTAGE (0-2) AT LAKE CENTRAL (1-1)
PRINCETON (0-2) AT GIBSON SOUTHERN (1-1)
PROVIDENCE (2-0) AT MADISON (0-2)
RENSSELAER CENTRAL (2-0) AT WESTERN (0-2)
RICHMOND (0-2) AT ANDERSON (0-2)
RIVER FOREST (2-0) AT WHEELER (0-2)
RIVERTON PARKE (1-1) AT FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (1-1)
ROCHESTER (1-1) AT WHITKO (1-1)
RUSHVILLE (0-2) AT FRANKLIN COUNTY (1-1)
SCOTTSBURG (1-1) AT SALEM (0-2)
SHENANDOAH (1-1) AT LAPEL (0-2)
SHERIDAN (1-1) AT TRI-CENTRAL (1-1)
SILVER CREEK (1-1) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (1-1)
SOUTH ADAMS (2-0) AT BLUFFTON (2-0)
SOUTH BEND CLAY (0-2) AT CHICAGO CHRISTIAN (ILL.)
SOUTH BEND RILEY (2-0) AT SOUTH BEND ADAMS (1-1)
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (0-2) AT SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (1-1)
SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (1-1) AT BREMEN (1-1)
SOUTH NEWTON (1-1) AT FISHER (ILL.)
SOUTH PUTNAM (2-0) AT NORTH PUTNAM (0-2)
SOUTH SPENCER (1-1) AT NORTH POSEY (2-0)
SOUTHMONT (2-0) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (1-1)
SOUTHPORT (0-2) AT COLUMBUS NORTH (1-1)
SOUTHWOOD (0-2) AT NORTH MIAMI (0-2)
SPEEDWAY (1-1) AT BEECH GROVE (0-2)
SPRINGS VALLEY (2-0) AT PAOLI (1-1)
TAYLOR (1-1) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (2-0)
TECUMSEH (0-2) AT SOUTHRIDGE (1-1)
TRIMBLE COUNTY (KY.) AT SWITZERLAND COUNTY (2-0)
TRITON CENTRAL (2-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (2-0)
TRI-WEST (1-1) AT FRANKFORT (1-1)
TWIN LAKES (2-0) AT TIPPECANOE VALLEY (2-0)
UNION COUNTY (0-2) AT KNIGHTSTOWN (0-2)
VALPARAISO (1-1) AT LAPORTE (1-1)
VINCENNES LINCOLN (1-1) AT EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (1-1)
WABASH (0-2) AT MANCHESTER (1-1)
WARSAW (2-0) AT PLYMOUTH (1-1)
WASHINGTON (1-1) AT NORTH KNOX (1-1)
WAWASEE (0-2) AT GOSHEN (0-2)
WEST CENTRAL (2-0) AT TRI-COUNTY (1-1)
WEST LAFAYETTE (1-1) AT TIPTON (1-1)
WEST NOBLE (2-0) AT EASTSIDE (1-1)
WEST VIGO (0-2) AT GREENCASTLE (0-2)
WEST WASHINGTON (2-0) AT MITCHELL (0-2)
WESTFIELD (2-0) AT ZIONSVILLE (2-0)
WINAMAC (0-2) AT NORTH WHITE (2-0)
WINCHESTER (2-0) AT NORTHEASTERN (2-0)
WOODLAN (1-1) AT HERITAGE (2-0)
YORKTOWN (2-0) AT NEW PALESTINE (0-2)
*****INDIANA VOLLEYBALL SCORES*****
EMINENCE 3 VICTORY COLLEGE PREP 0
KOUTS 3 N. JUDSON 0
SHERIDAN 3 TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN 1
TERRE HAUTE NORTH 3 CRAWFORDSVILLE 0
TRI-CENTRAL 3 PERU 0
TRITON 3 OREGON DAVIS 0
MADISON GRANT 3 NORTHFIELD 0
NEW CASTLE 3 RICHMOND 0
RIVERTON PARKE 3 N. MONTGOMERY 1
RITTER 3 DECATUR CENTRAL 0
NORWELL 3 FORT WAYNE WAYNE 0
CARMEL 3 LAWRENCE CENTRAL 0
WESTERN BOONE 3 SOUTHMONT 0
HIGHLAND 3 WHITING 2
LAWRENCE NORTH 3 NOBLESVILLE 1
SILVER CREEK 3 FLOYD CENTRAL 0
BLOOMFIELD 3 N. CENTRAL 1
ANDREAN 3 MARQUETTE CATHOLIC 0
MUNCIE BURRIS 3 UNIVERSITY 0
DALEVILLE 3 SETON CATHOLIC 0
NEW PALESTINE 3 WARREN CENTRAL 0
CULVER ACADEMIES 3 KNOX 0
******INDIANA BOYS SOCCER SCORES*****
BOONE GROVE 4 M TWP. 0
MUNCIE CENTRAL 2 MUNCIE BURRIS 1
OREGON DAVIS 5 WESTVILLE 1
RISING SUN 1 S. RIPLEY 1
VALPARAISO 4 CHESTERTON 0
TIPTON 4 TAYLOR 3
LAPORTE 7 MERRILLVILLE 1
BELLMONT 5 WOODLAN 0
INDIAN CREEK 1 TRITON CENTRAL 1
EVANSVILLE REITZ 10 EVANSVILLE BOSSE 0
CROWN POINT 4 PORTAGE 0
GLENN 3 SOUTH BEND RILEY 2
NORTHRIDGE 2 NORTHWOOD 0
HOBART 6 LOWELL 0
HERRON 1 GREENWOOD 1
MUNSTER 6 KANKAKEE VALLEY 0
CONCORD 2 WARSAW 1
HANOVER CENTRAL 3 HIGHLAND 1
FORT WAYNE NORTHRUP 9 LEO 0
LAKE CENTRAL 9 MICHIGAN CITY 0
ILLIANA CHRISTIAN 1 CULVER ACADEMIES 1
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI 1 EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN 1
*****INDIANA GIRLS SOCCER*****
WEST LAFAYETTE 2 CENTRAL CATHOLIC 0
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP 1 KOUTS 1
PERU 4 TAYLOR 0
EAST NOBLE 2 ANGOLA 0
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 4 UNIVERSITY 0
SHERIDAN 11 HERRON 0
FORT WAYNE WAYNE 5 NEW HAVEN 2
PLAINFIELD 3 MOORESVILLE 0
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI 1 JASPER 0
NORTH HARRISON 6 SALEM 0
LAWRENCEBURG 4 FRANKLIN COUNTY 0
MARTINSVILLE 2 GREENWOOD 0
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 4 BLOOMINGTON NORTH 0
GUERIN CATHOLIC 9 COVENANT CHRISTIAN 0
MISSISSINEWA 1 EASTERN 0
DELTA 9 ANDERSON 0
WHITE RIVER VALLEY 4 W. VIGO 0
HARRISON 2 MCCUTCHEON 0
BELLMONT 1 FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA 0
FORT WAYNE SNIDER 3 DEKALB 1
WESTFIELD 0 ZIONSVILLE 0
LAWRENCE NORTH 9 BEN DAVIS 0
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 3 TERRE HAUTE NORTH 1
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 2 AVON 1
FRANKLIN CENTRAL 1 PARK TUDOR 0
NOBLESVILLE 2 FISHERS 2
CATHEDRAL 2 BROWNSBURG 2
FRANKLIN COUNTY 2 PERRY MERIDIAN 0
BROWNSBURG 2 CATHEDRAL 2
HAMILTON SE 2 AVON 1
******INDIANA GIRLS GOLF*******
NORTH CENTRAL 223, TRITON CENTRAL 232, SPEEDWAY INCOMPLETE
******INDIANA BOYS TENNIS******
TRITON CENTRAL 3 KNIGHTSTOWN 2
*******BOYS CROSS COUNTRY*****
HAMILTON COUNTY MEET
BOYS
1 CARMEL
2 NOBLESVILLE
3 FISHERS
4 HSE
5 WESTFIELD
6 GUERIN CATHOLIC
7 UNIVERSITY
RESULTS: https://in.milesplit.com/meets/563658-hamilton-county-meet-2023/results
GIRLS
1 HSE
2 CARMEL
3 NOBLESVILLE
4 FISHERS
5 WESTFIELD
6 GUERIN CATHLIC
7 UNIVERSITY
RESULTS: https://in.milesplit.com/meets/563658-hamilton-county-meet-2023/results
INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY NEWS: https://in.milesplit.com/
*****WEEK 1 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE*****
DETROIT LIONS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (THU) 7:20P (CT) 8:20P NBC
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
HOUSTON TEXANS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
TENNESSEE TITANS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
ARIZONA CARDINALS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT CHICAGO BEARS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P FOX
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT DENVER BRONCOS 2:25P (MT) 4:25P CBS
MIAMI DOLPHINS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P CBS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 4:25P (ET) 4:25P CBS
LOS ANGELES RAMS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P FOX
DALLAS COWBOYS AT NEW YORK GIANTS 8:20P (ET) 8:20P NBC
BUFFALO BILLS AT NEW YORK JETS (MON) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P ESPN/ABC
****MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL****
LA ANGELS 10 PHILADELPHIA 8
TORONTO 7 WASHINGTON 0
NY METS 6 TEXAS 5 (10)
TAMPA BAY 3 MIAMI 0 (10)
PITTSBURGH 4 KANSAS CITY 1
CHICAGO WHITE SOX 10 BALTIMORE 5
CLEVELAND 5 MINNESOTA 2 (10)
HOUSTON 7 BOSTON 4
SEATTLE 5 OAKLAND 4
NY YANKEES 6 DETROIT 2
ST. LOUIS 5 SAN DIEGO 4
CHICAGO CUBS 3 MILWAUKEE 2
CINCINNATI 4 SAN FRANCISCO 1
ATLANTA 7 COLORADO 3
LA DODGERS 7 ARIZONA 0
BOX SCORES: http://hosted.stats.com/mlb/scoreboard.asp
STATS: http://hosted.stats.com/mlb/index.asp
PLAYER NEWS: http://hosted.stats.com/mlb/news.asp
****MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL****
BUFFALO 6 INDIANAPOLIS 2
FT. WAYNE 3 SOUTH BEND 2
****WNBA SCOREBOARD****
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
****MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER****
CINCINNATI 2 ATLANTA 1
CHARLOTTE 1 ORLANDO 1
MIAMI 0 NASHVILLE 0
NEW ENGLAND 1 NEW YORK 0
NEW YORK CITY 2 MONTRÉAL 0
TORONTO 3 PHILADELPHIA 1
SEATTLE 2 AUSTIN 1
VANCOUVER 1 CHICAGO 0
HOUSTON 2 COLUMBUS 0
MINNESOTA 3 COLORADO 0
ST. LOUIS 2 DALLAS 1
PORTLAND 2 SALT LAKE 1
LA 3 SAN JOSE 2
*****COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE*****
WEEK 1
THURSDAY, AUG. 31
WAKE FOREST VS. ELON | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
UCF VS. KENT STATE | 7 P.M. | FS1
GEORGIA STATE VS. RHODE ISLAND | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN MICHIGAN VS. ST. FRANCIS (PA) | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UCONN VS. NC STATE | 7:30 P.M. | CBSSN
MINNESOTA VS. NEBRASKA | 8 P.M. | FOX
MISSOURI VS. SOUTH DAKOTA | 8 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
UTAH VS. FLORIDA | 8 P.M. | ESPN
TULSA VS. ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
UAB VS. NORTH CAROLINA A&T | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
ARIZONA STATE VS. SOUTHERN UTAH | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
FRIDAY, SEPT. 1
EASTERN MICHIGAN VS. HOWARD | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MICHIGAN STATE VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 7 P.M. | FS1
MIAMI (FLA.) VS. MIAMI (OHIO) | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
GEORGIA TECH VS. LOUISVILLE (MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM IN ATLANTA) | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
KANSAS VS. MISSOURI STATE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
HAWAI’I VS. STANFORD | 11 P.M. | CBSSN
SATURDAY, SEPT. 2
IOWA VS. UTAH STATE | 12 P.M. | FS1
KENTUCKY VS. BALL STATE | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
LIBERTY VS. BOWLING GREEN | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
MICHIGAN VS. EAST CAROLINA | 12 P.M. | PEACOCK
PURDUE VS. FRESNO STATE | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SMU VS. LOUISIANA TECH | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
TENNESSEE VS. VIRGINIA (NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE) | 12 P.M. | ABC
TCU VS. COLORADO | 12 P.M. | FOX
BOSTON COLLEGE VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
OKLAHOMA VS. ARKANSAS STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN
OLE MISS VS. MERCER | 2 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
IOWA STATE VS. UNI | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TEMPLE VS. AKRON | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
OHIO VS. LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
AIR FORCE VS. ROBERT MORRIS | 2 P.M. | ALTITUDE SPORTS
OREGON VS. PORTLAND STATE | 3 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
INDIANA VS. OHIO STATE | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
AUBURN VS. UMASS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
MARYLAND VS. TOWSON | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
WISCONSIN VS. BUFFALO | 3:30 P.M. | FS1
WESTERN KENTUCKY VS. SOUTH FLORIDA | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
WASHINGTON VS. BOISE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ABC
NOTRE DAME VS. TENNESSEE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | NBC
PITT VS. WOFFORD | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
CINCINNATI VS. EASTERN KENTUCKY | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
TEXAS VS. RICE | 3:30 P.M. | FOX
APPALACHIAN STATE VS. GARDNER-WEBB | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS VS. WESTERN CAROLINA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
MISSISSIPPI STATE VS. SE LOUISIANA | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
NORTH TEXAS VS. CAL | 4 P.M. | ESPNU
SYRACUSE VS. COLGATE | 4 P.M. | ESPN+/ACCNX
GEORGIA VS. UT MARTIN | 6 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
CHARLOTTE VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA ATLANTIC VS. MONMOUTH | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA SOUTHERN VS. THE CITADEL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
JAMES MADISON VS. BUCKNELL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
MARSHALL VS. ALBANY | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL VS. MAINE | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
USC VS. NEVADA | 6:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
TEXAS A&M VS. NEW MEXICO | 7 P.M. | ESPN
UL MONROE VS. ARMY | 7 P.M. | NFL NETWORK
VANDERBILT VS. ALABAMA A&M | 7 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
COLORADO STATE VS. WASHINGTON STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
BAYLOR VS. TEXAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
HOUSTON VS. UTSA | 7 P.M. | FS1
KANSAS STATE VS. SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
OKLAHOMA STATE VS. CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MEMPHIS VS. BETHUNE-COOKMAN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN MISS VS. ALCORN STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TROY VS. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ALABAMA VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
ILLINOIS VS. TOLEDO | 7:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SOUTH CAROLINA VS. NORTH CAROLINA (CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
PENN STATE VS. WEST VIRGINIA | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
WYOMING VS. TEXAS TECH | 7:30 P.M. | CBS
LOUISIANA VS. NORTHWESTERN STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA TECH VS. OLD DOMINION | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
TULANE VS. SOUTH ALABAMA | 8 P.M. | ESPNU
NEW MEXICO STATE VS. WESTERN ILLINOIS | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
UTEP VS. UIW | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
ARIZONA VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
BYU VS. SAM HOUSTON | 10:15 P.M. | FS1
UCLA VS. COASTAL CAROLINA | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
SAN DIEGO STATE VS. IDAHO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
SUNDAY, SEPT. 3
RUTGERS VS. NORTHWESTERN | 12 P.M. | CBS
SAN JOSE STATE VS. OREGON STATE | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
FLORIDA STATE VS. LSU (ORLANDO, FLORIDA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
MONDAY, SEPT. 4
DUKE VS. CLEMSON | 8 P.M. | ESPN
TOP NATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: ASTROS COMPLETE FIRST SWEEP IN BOSTON
The Houston Astros capped their first-ever series sweep at Fenway Park with a 7-4 win over the host Boston Red Sox on Wednesday.
Jeremy Pena hit a double and a triple, scored two runs and drove in another to pace Houston, which scored three runs in both the second and third innings, added another in the fourth and held on for its fifth consecutive victory.
Michael Brantley had two hits, two RBIs and a run, while Alex Bregman and Martin Maldonado each added two hits and an RBI.
Astros starter Framber Valdez (10-9) struck out five across six innings of five-hit ball. He allowed four runs (two earned). Ryan Pressly threw a scoreless ninth to notch his 29th save. Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford (6-7) was tagged for six runs on seven hits across 2 2/3 innings.
Mariners 5, A’s 4
Teoscar Hernandez hit a three-run homer as Seattle rallied past Oakland to remain in a tie for first place in the American League West. It was the Mariners’ 21st victory in August, a franchise record for wins in a month.
Mariners reliever Justin Topa (4-4) earned the victory despite giving up a go-ahead run in one inning pitched, and Andres Munoz pitched the ninth for his 11th save of the season.
J.P. Crawford looped a two-run single off Kirby Snead (1-2) in the seventh inning to turn a one-run deficit into the Mariners’ first lead of the game and proved to be the game-winning hit.
Yankees 6, Tigers 2
Giancarlo Stanton homered and drove in two runs, Gleyber Torres went deep for the third consecutive day and New York once again beat host Detroit. DJ LeMahieu also homered for the Yankees, who have taken the first three games of the four-game series
Yankees starter Gerrit Cole (12-4) gave up two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out seven in six innings. Ian Hamilton pitched the last three innings for his second save.
The Tigers used Brendan White (2-3) as an opener, but he couldn’t get out of the first inning as Detroit dropped its fifth straight.
Dodgers 7, Diamondbacks 0
Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward each hit two-run home runs in the third inning and Los Angeles earned a three-game series sweep of visiting Arizona.
Right-hander Ryan Pepiot (1-0) pitched five scoreless innings after he was recalled earlier Wednesday as the Dodgers improved to 24-4 in August, the third-most victories during a month in franchise history. They have won 25 games in a month twice.
The Diamondbacks entered the series having won 10 of 12 games but had just six hits Wednesday and fell to third place in the National League West, 15 games behind the first-place Dodgers. Arizona right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (1-7) gave up six runs (five earned) on eight hits over four innings with two walks and four strikeouts.
Braves 7, Rockies 3
Kevin Pillar homered among his two hits, and Marcell Ozuna and Orlando Arcia also went deep as Atlanta beat Colorado in Denver.
Ozzie Albies had three hits and Austin Riley contributed two to help starter Darius Vines get the win in his major league debut for Atlanta, which won all seven games against the Rockies this season.
Alan Trejo homered and Nolan Jones had two hits for Colorado.
White Sox 10, Orioles 5
Andrew Vaughn, Oscar Colas and Luis Robert Jr. all homered as Chicago avoided a three-game series sweep by defeating host Baltimore.
Eloy Jimenez went 4-for-5 and scored two runs as the White Sox reached the 10-run mark for the third time since the All-Star break. Despite a rough first inning, Chicago starter Dylan Crease (6-7) worked six innings and gave up five runs on six hits.
Anthony Santander homered and doubled for Baltimore, which continues to lead the American League East. Kyle Gibson (13-8) gave up three homers in taking the loss.
Angels 10, Phillies 8
Brandon Drury hit a go-ahead, two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning off Craig Kimbrel to lift Los Angeles over host Philadelphia.
Drury had two hits and Hunter Renfroe also hit a home run, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs.
Eduardo Escobar added two hits and Shohei Ohtani had an RBI single for the Angels, who avoided a three-game sweep.
Guardians 5, Twins 2 (10 innings)
Kole Calhoun hit a two-out, three-run homer in the 10th inning as Cleveland rallied past Minnesota in the deciding game of a three-game series in Minneapolis.
Calhoun, acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash on Aug. 4, smashed a 3-0 fastball by Minnesota reliever Kody Funderburk 433 feet into the second deck in right-center for his third homer of the season, driving in automatic runner Bo Naylor and Jose Ramirez, who was intentionally walked.
Steven Kwan had two hits for the Guardians, including a double with an RBI, and Will Brennan also had two hits as Cleveland moved to within five games of the first-place Twins in the American League Central.
Reds 4, Giants 1
Christian Encarnacion-Strand had four hits, including a home run, Hunter Greene pitched effectively into the sixth inning and Cincinnati won at San Francisco to salvage the last game of a three-game series.
The win allowed the Reds to cap a 5-5 Western swing and lose just one game in the standings to the Giants as they both pursue National League wild-card positions. Encarnacion-Strand was 4-for-4 with three RBIs, including a double and two singles off Giants starter Logan Webb (9-11).
Greene (3-6) allowed just one unearned run and three hits in 5 1/3 innings, with one walk and six strikeouts, before the Reds bullpen carried the club the rest of the way. Alexis Diaz recorded his 35th save.
Cardinals 5, Padres 4
Tommy Edman hit a game-ending, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to push St. Louis past visiting San Diego.
The Cardinals trailed 4-3 with two outs in the ninth when Masyn Winn hit a double off reliever Josh Hader (0-3) to set up Edman’s heroics.
It was Edman’s second game-ending hit off Hader in as many days. He delivered a decisive 10th-inning RBI single off the left-hander in the Cardinals’ 6-5 victory Tuesday.
Cubs 3, Brewers 2
Cody Bellinger hit a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to lift host Chicago over Milwaukee in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Christopher Morel reached on an error to open the inning, and Mike Tauchman followed with a walk. Both runners advanced on Nico Hoerner’s sacrifice bunt, but Morel was then cut down at the plate when Ian Happ hit a sharp grounder to first with the infield drawn in.
With runners on the corners, Bellinger grounded a ball off reliever Joel Payamps’ foot, allowing the winning run to score.
Blue Jays 7, Nationals 0
Alejandro Kirk had three hits and three RBIs and right-hander Chris Bassitt pitched eight shutout innings to help Toronto defeat visiting Washington.
Bassitt (13-7) allowed three hits and one walk while striking out three.
Santiago Espinal added two hits and two RBIs for the Blue Jays in the deciding game of a three-game series. Espinal was playing third base with Matt Chapman (finger) on the injured list. Ernie Clement had two hits and one RBI while playing shortstop in place of injured Bo Bichette (quadriceps).
Mets 6, Rangers 5 (10 innings)
DJ Stewart capped a four-RBI performance by getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 10th inning for host New York, which edged Texas to salvage the finale of a three-game series.
The Mets won for just the third time in 10 games. The Rangers fell to 3-10 since opening August by winning 12 of 14 games.
In the 10th, Pete Alonso was intentionally walked by Aroldis Chapman (5-3), who then walked Francisco Alvarez before plunking Stewart, who earlier hit a pair of homers.
Rays 3, Marlins 0 (10 innings)
Josh Lowe stroked a go-ahead RBI single in the 10th inning as Tampa Bay defeated host Miami.
Randy Arozarena added a two-run single in the 10th to saddle Marlins reliever David Robertson (4-6) with the loss. Following his base hit, Arozarena stole second and third, giving him 20 steals on the year. He has now recorded at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in three consecutive seasons.
Four Rays pitchers combined on the four-hit shutout, with Shawn Armstrong (1-0) throwing 1 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win and Pete Fairbanks notching his 18th save.
Pirates 4, Royals 1
Bryan Reynolds and Jack Suwinski homered, supporting Andre Jackson’s first career victory, as Pittsburgh beat host Kansas City, completing a three-game series sweep.
Jackson (1-1) struck out seven of the first 10 batters faced. He completed 5 2/3 innings, allowing a run on two hits and two walks with the career-high seven strikeouts.
Reynolds opened the scoring with a solo shot in the first inning, his 19th, against Angel Zerpa (1-3). Zerpa was making a spot start in place of Brady Singer, whose scheduled start was skipped due to arm fatigue.
NFL NEWS
BURROW RETURNS TO PRACTICE FOR 1ST TIME SINCE CALF INJURY
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow returned to practice in full pads Wednesday for the first time since suffering a calf injury at the beginning of training camp.
Burrow was carted off the field July 27 after he went down with a non-contact injury when he rolled out of the pocket in practice.
Head coach Zac Taylor said the next day that Burrow would be out “several weeks” due to a calf strain. Burrow has been participating in throwing sessions over the last couple of weeks.
Burrow hasn’t missed a game in the NFL since tearing his ACL in Week 10 of his rookie campaign. Jake Browning is the only other quarterback on the active roster after the Bengals released Trevor Siemian on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old Burrow is looking for a new contract as he enters his fourth season in the NFL. Star quarterbacks Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Herbert signed lucrative deals this offseason.
Burrow has thrown for 11,774 yards and 82 touchdowns in 42 career games. The Bengals kick off their season Sept. 10 against the Cleveland Browns.
MICHAEL THOMAS: MY BODY REJECTED HARDWARE FROM MULTIPLE SURGERIES
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was putting together a Hall of Fame-worthy resume before injuries derailed his promising career in recent years.
Not only did Thomas have to contend with significant ankle and toe ailments, but his recovery from two surgeries was complicated by his body rejecting the hardware used to aid the healing process.
“I don’t want to use this as an excuse,” Thomas told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. “But also, when you get surgeries and they put hardware in, sometimes your body rejects the hardware.”
He added: “Your body responds and healing responds to it. Whatever, I guess is, the 1%? I guess I’m in that category.”
Thomas led the NFL with 1,725 yards (ninth-most all-time) and 149 catches in 2019, earning Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Pro honors. It was his fourth 1,000-yard campaign and third 100-catch year in his first four NFL seasons.
However, the 30-year-old played just seven games in 2020, missed the entire 2021 season with a torn deltoid and other ligaments in his left ankle, and only appeared in three games last year before needing surgery on his toe.
Now seemingly healthy, Thomas returns to a new-look offense spearheaded by free-agent quarterback Derek Carr and sophomore stud receiver Chris Olave.
DAK PRESCOTT AND THE DALLAS COWBOYS ARE READY TO TRY AGAIN IN PURSUIT OF A SUPER BOWL TRIP
DALLAS COWBOYS (13-6)
EXPECTATIONS: The Cowboys are way overdue for their next trip to the NFC championship game. The most recent time Dallas made it that far was the 1995 season, when the franchise won its fifth Super Bowl title. The past two seasons could be considered progress. The Cowboys lost a wild-card game at home to San Francisco two years ago before beating Tom Brady and Tampa Bay in that round last season. The 49ers eliminated Dallas again, this time in the divisional round. Anything short of that will be a setback this season. Mike McCarthy is taking over play-calling duties in his fourth year as Dallas coach, an intriguing development going into QB Dak Prescott’s eighth season. While RB Ezekiel Elliott is gone, WR Brandin Cooks gives Prescott a legitimate deep threat to go with No. 1 receiver CeeDee Lamb. Pass rushing star Micah Parsons is in his third season as the club’s best defensive player. Dallas traded for Cooks and CB Stephon Gilmore, who gives the Cowboys another former All-Pro opposite Trevon Diggs.
NEW FACES: WR Brandin Cooks, CB Stephon Gilmore, QB Trey Lance, OL Chuma Edoga, DT Mazi Smith, TE Luke Schoonmaker.
KEY LOSSES: RB Ezekiel Elliott, TE Dalton Schultz, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, G Connor McGovern, DT Carlos Watkins, rookie LB DeMarvion Overshown (preseason knee injury).
STRENGTHS: The Cowboys probably waited until too late into the 2022 season to upgrade at receiver with the December addition of T.Y. Hilton. They didn’t make the same mistake this season with the addition of Cooks. With the emergence of second-year man Jalen Tolbert in training camp, Dallas has a potentially deep group of four behind Lamb and Cooks. Michael Gallup is now close to two years removed from the ACL injury sustained late in the 2021 season. The Cowboys believe they’ll see the previous version of Gallup, who was an emerging threat before the injury.
WEAKNESSES: The interior defensive line has been an issue basically since McCarthy arrived. He often says that he tells the defensive coaches he would run right at the Cowboys if he were the opposing play-caller. Johnathan Hankins re-signed after a midseason trade last year to bolster the run defense. The Cowboys also targeted that weakness in the first round of the draft, taking Michigan’s Mazi Smith 26th overall. Smith is getting mixed reviews from coaches in camp.
CAMP DEVELOPMENT: Six-time All-Pro RG Zack Martin ended a contract holdout going into the last of four weeks of camp in California. His return erased the last question about the starting offensive line. Tyler Smith is set for LG, replacing McGovern, after a solid rookie season filling in for perennial Pro Bowl LT Tyron Smith. Dallas decided to put the elder Smith back in his old spot after he started late last season on the right side when the 32-year-old returned from a torn hamstring. RT Terence Steele is back after tearing an ACL last season, and C Tyler Biadasz is set for his third season as the starter. The Cowboys finished the preseason by adding QB Trey Lance, the No. 3 overall pick by San Francisco in 2021, in a trade with the 49ers. Lance is expected to be the third-stringer for now.
FANTASY PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Tony Pollard takes the role of lead back from Elliott and is playing on the $10.1 million franchise tag. Pollard was the most explosive player on offense last season before breaking his lower left leg/ankle in the playoff loss to the 49ers. The fifth-year player has been full-go most of camp. He should be a threat as a runner and receiver. The biggest question is pass protection, one of the reasons Elliott kept his job even as his production waned compared with Pollard.
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK SAYS: Win Super Bowl: 13-1. Over/under wins: 9 1/2.
SAUCE GARDNER VOTED TOP CORNERBACK BY PANEL OF AP PRO FOOTBALL WRITERS
Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner piled up plenty of awards in an impressive rookie season for the New York Jets.
Gardner became the first rookie cornerback to earn All-Pro honors in 41 years. He was the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. He even had a sauce named after him by Buffalo Wild Wings.
Gardner, who was named the NFL’s top cornerback by The Associated Press, is striving to be even better this season.
“Everything I did already, I gotta put more work into it,” Gardner said on the AP Pro Football Podcast. “There’s going to be somebody working as hard as I worked last year. I have to take it to the next level.”
A panel of nine AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five players at cornerback, making their selections based on current status entering the 2023 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.
Gardner got six first-place votes. Patrick Surtain II, Jalen Ramsey and Jaire Alexander received the other three.
1. SAUCE GARDNER, New York Jets: Gardner quickly established himself as a shutdown cornerback in the NFL. Quarterbacks posted a 53.9 passer rating throwing his way and only 45.9% of passes thrown at him were caught by the intended receiver.
2. PATRICK SURTAIN II, Denver Broncos: A first-round pick in 2021, Surtain lived up to his top-10 draft status with an All-Pro sophomore season. He consistently lines up against No. 1 receivers and keeps them in check. Surtain allowed fewer than 25 yards receiving in 12 games. He was named on every ballot and easily outdistanced Ramsey.
3. JALEN RAMSEY, Miami Dolphins: The three-time All-Pro will have a delayed start to his first season with the Dolphins after having knee surgery in July. Ramsey, a six-time Pro Bowl pick with the Jaguars and Rams, is considered the best run defender at his position.
4. JAIRE ALEXANDER, Green Bay Packers: Alexander rebounded nicely from an injury-plagued 2021 season by posting a career-best five interceptions last year. He made his second Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro for the second time. Alexander allowed just a 66.2 passer rating.
5. DARIUS SLAY, Philadelphia Eagles: Slay made his fifth Pro Bowl last season and teamed with second-team All-Pro James Bradberry to fortify Philadelphia’s secondary. Only 54.7% of passes thrown at Slay were caught.
JUSTIN JEFFERSON SELECTED TOP WIDE RECEIVER BY PANEL OF AP PRO FOOTBALL WRITERS
Justin Jefferson has been setting records and terrifying defenses since the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
The All-Pro wide receiver already broke four franchise records, including surpassing Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Randy Moss for receptions and yards in a single season. He not only holds the NFL record for most 100-yard receiving games (24) in a player’s first three seasons, but will also have the most through four seasons even if he doesn’t have one such game in 2023.
Jefferson became the youngest player in NFL history to lead the league in yards and receptions last season on his way to earning the AP Offensive Player of the Year award.
It’s no surprise Jefferson was voted No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL by The Associated Press.
A panel of nine AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five players at wide receiver, making their selections based on current status entering the 2023 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.
Jefferson received seven first-place votes. Davante Adams and Cooper Kupp also received first-place votes. Jefferson and Tyreek Hill were the only wideouts named on each ballot.
Ja’Marr Chase, Stefon Diggs, De’Andre Hopkins and CeeDee Lamb also received votes.
1. JUSTIN JEFFERSON, Minnesota Vikings: Hard to believe four wide receivers were drafted ahead of Jefferson. Henry Ruggs III went No. 12 to the Raiders. Jerry Jeudy went at 15 to Denver. Lamb was the 17th pick by Dallas. The Eagles took Jalen Reagor one pick before Jefferson at No. 21, leading to a celebration in Minnesota’s draft room. The Vikings knew what they were getting. Jefferson has exceeded high expectations.
2. DAVANTE ADAMS, Las Vegas Raiders: Adams didn’t miss a step after leaving Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay and going to Las Vegas. He recorded his fourth 100-catch season, had 1,516 yards and 14 TDs while earning All-Pro honors. Adams easily outdistanced Hill for second place.
3. TYREEK HILL, Miami Dolphins: There was no letdown for Hill after leaving Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City. The four-time All-Pro had career highs in receptions (119) and yards (1,710) in his first season in Miami.
4. COOPER KUPP, Los Angeles Rams: Kupp, the 2021 Super Bowl MVP, had 75 catches for 812 yards in just nine games last year before an injury ended his season. He was halfway to matching his impressive totals from 2021 when he had 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and six TDs while earning AP Offensive Player of the Year honors.
5. JA’MARR CHASE, Cincinnati Bengals: The 2021 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year had an excellent sophomore season, catching 87 passes for 1,046 yards and nine TDs in only 12 games. Chase is a two-time Pro Bowl pick with plenty of potential to climb up the rankings. He finished one point behind Kupp.
PANTHERS’ BRYCE YOUNG IS AT THE TOP OF THE NFC SOUTH’S DRAMATIC MAKEOVER AT QUARTERBACK
ATLANTA (AP) — Only three years after the NFC South featured three of the NFL’s top 10 all-time passers, a transformation at quarterback should help define a new era for the division.
Carolina’s Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick of this year’s NFL draft, is at the top of the division’s makeover at quarterback.
Entering the 2020 season, the NFC South featured Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady, New Orleans’ Drew Brees and Atlanta’s Matt Ryan. Dan Quinn, the Dallas defensive coordinator who was then the Falcons coach, called the division “Quarterback South.”
Brady and Brees are the NFL’s all-time leaders in passing yards and Ryan ranks seventh. Cam Newton had just completed a nine-year run with Carolina and would return to the Panthers for one year in 2021.
Now, following a 2022 season in which the division had no team with a winning record, the turnover atop the four teams’ quarterback charts has been dramatic.
Atlanta’s Desmond Ridder, who has only four starts entering his second season, has the most seniority as a starter with his current team.
One year after the Buccaneers won the division at 8-9 and the other three teams finished 7-10, it’s difficult to identify the favorite in the NFC South. The team which enjoys the smoothest transition at quarterback seems likely to emerge as the division winner.
While the Panthers and Falcons are leaning on draft picks, the Saints, with Derek Carr, and the Buccaneers, with Baker Mayfield, plan to start recycled veterans.
BAYOU BOUNCE-BACK HOPES
Carr is looking for a fresh start in New Orleans. He was released by the Las Vegas Raiders after a 2022 season he acknowledges was not his best.
If Carr returns to his top form, he could give New Orleans the division’s most accomplished passer. He posted four consecutive 4,000-yard seasons from 2018 to 2021.
The Saints are optimistic they can return to the top spot in the division they won in four straight seasons from 2017-2020.
“There’s a little more swagger on all of us,” said Saints linebacker Demario Davis. “… We got reasons that are undisclosed why we’re excited. … Everybody’s going to see it when it’s time. If you believe in the Saints and you’re a fan of the Saints, or you’re ‘Who Dat’ nation, you should be excited right now. That’s all I’ll say.”
Saints running back Alvin Kamara was suspended for three games by the NFL for his role in a February 2022 fight in Las Vegas. That creates opportunities for third-round pick Kendre Miller.
YOUNG ERA BEGINS
There was no quarterback drama in Charlotte. As training camp opened, coach Frank Reich selected Young as the team’s starter for the Sept. 10 opener against the Falcons. It was no surprise. Young’s status as the starter seemed clear after he took over first-team reps from veteran Andy Dalton during organized team activities in June.
Young completed 7 of 12 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers’ final preseason game on Friday night, a 26-17 loss to Detroit.
“Having these games under my belt now it’s great to be able to take that and then translate to playing against others,” Young said. “Obviously, I haven’t played in a regular-season game before, and it’s going to present challenges that I haven’t faced yet, but I’m excited for that and I understand the challenge that comes with it.”
RUNNING WITH RIDDER
The Falcons have added rookie Bijan Robinson to a running game that already ranked as one of the league’s best with Tyler Allgeier, who ran for more than 1,000 yards as a rookie, and Cordarrelle Patterson.
Robinson’s versatility as a runner and receiver out of the backfield should help Ridder. The second-year quarterback also will throw to 2022 first-round pick Drake London and 2021 first-rounder Kyle Pitts, the tight end who is returning from knee surgery that limited him to 10 games in 2022. The Falcons signed Mack Hollins as the likely No. 2 receiver behind London.
Ridder was 2-2 in his four-game audition as a starter to close last season. The Falcons signed veteran Taylor Heinicke to be Ridder’s backup.
General manager Terry Fontenot said the perception of a wide-open division doesn’t put more pressure to win in coach Arthur Smith’s third season.
“We have a lot of confidence in our team,” Fontenot said. “We don’t look at it like OK, this is where this division is and it’s time.”
MAYFIELD RETURNS TO DIVISION
Mayfield beat out Kyle Trask for the starting job in Tampa Bay. The 28-year-old Mayfield is returning for a second tour of duty in the division after posting a 1-5 record in six starts with Carolina last season.
“Now I’ve just got to lead like I know how,” Mayfield said. “The real thing is around the corner. It’s an exciting time. … I just feel I’m in good command of the offense right now.”
The Bucs are running a new offense installed by offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who was credited with helping Geno Smith improve his game last year in Seattle.
Bucs wide receiver Russell Gage was lost for the season with a right knee injury in camp. Gage, who had a career-high five touchdowns with Tampa Bay in 2022, was expected to be the No. 3 wide receiver behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Buccaneers
TENNESSEE TITANS TRYING TO AVOID REBUILD IN CHASING JAGUARS TO RETAKE AFC SOUTH TITLE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons has never even thought of his Tennessee Titans as rebuilding, especially not under coach Mike Vrabel.
“I want to win, and I know Vrabes and them want to win,” Simmons said. “So I’m sure it’s never crossed their mind.”
The Jacksonville Jaguars are the defending AFC South champs, and it’s a title that the Tennessee Titans want back as soon as possible. The Titans lost out to their oldest division rival in the final minutes of the regular-season finale on a scoop and score while starting a quarterback signed around Christmas.
That was the seventh straight loss to end a season where Tennessee still had a chance at a third straight AFC South title despite leading the NFL in most players used because of injuries.
The Jaguars see a bright future for themselves with Trevor Lawrence after his first season with coach Doug Pederson.
So what if they squeaked into the postseason with a five-game winning streak? They then beat the Chargers and stood toe-to-toe with the eventual champs before losing 27-20 to the Chiefs in the divisional round. There’s a huge comfort level, especially with wide receiver Calvin Ridley now on board.
“It’s just encouraging for everybody, everybody feels like they can go play free,” Lawrence said. “I like where we’re at right now.”
THIRD TIME THE CHARM?
The Titans have led the NFL in most players used each of the past two seasons because of injuries with 137. They placed 31 on injured reserve after the final roster cutdown in 2022, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill missed five games himself. They tied for third in the NFL with rookies playing 145 games.
Tennessee has a new general manager who cleared a bunch of salary cap space by cutting Titans who couldn’t stay healthy. That’s why Vrabel will have new offensive line with Aaron Brewer the only returning starter, and he’s moved right a spot to center.
Ran Carthon also signed three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins before training camp. Now Tannehill and three-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry, both in the final year of their contracts, have some help for an offense that was 30th in passing last year.
DUUUVAAAL
The Jaguars go into their second season with Pederson along with 21 returning starters. Now the defending AFC South champs must prove they can stand up to the attention and schedule that goes to a division winner after going 9-8 last season.
They get to host the Chiefs, 49ers, Cincinnati and Baltimore. But they visit defending AFC East champ Buffalo after flying home from London and a “home” game against Atlanta. They also visit Pittsburgh, and the regular-season finale will be in Tennessee — a place they’ve won just twice in the past 11 games.
Jacksonville also has to give Lawrence and the offense some help. The Jaguars managed only 35 sacks last season, better than only six other teams. They need much more from Travon Walker, the No. 1 overall pick last season, and it could help that Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson are in contract years.
FRESH START
Houston is starting over once again, this time with DeMeco Ryans making his head coaching debut as the Texans’ fourth different coach in as many seasons.
At least Ryans is very familiar with this franchise where he started his NFL career as a linebacker. He also has C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft and the starter at quarterback. Ryans also has the third pick overall in defensive end Will Anderson Jr. from Alabama to help anchor the defense.
REVOLVING QUARTERBACK DOOR
Richardson won’t have Jonathan Taylor’s help in the backfield for at least the first four games starting Sept. 10 when the Colts host Jacksonville. Indianapolis placed the 2021 NFL rushing leader on the reserve/physically unable to perform list Tuesday.
Taylor not only wants to be traded or a pricey new contract with his rookie deal paying him only $4.3 million this season, he needed offseason surgery on an injured ankle that kept him out of six games last year when he had his worst season yet as Indy went 4-12-1.
Richardson and first-time head coach Shane Steichen certainly could use Taylor as a big piece in their rebuilding project.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Titans, Jaguars, Texans, Colts.
THE 49ERS LOOK TO GET OVER NFC TITLE GAME HUMP AFTER LOSSES THE PAST 2 YEARS
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (15-5)
EXPECTATIONS: After back-to-back losses in the NFC title game, nothing short of a Super Bowl appearance could be considered a success in San Francisco. The 49ers have a star-studded roster with seven players who were picked as first-team All-Pros at least once in the past four seasons. The defense led by Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner was the stingiest in the league last season and added another interior pass rusher in Javon Hargrave to boost one of the only weak spots. Bosa has been holding out all summer but the Niners are hopeful they will sign him to an extension before the start of the season. Brock Purdy emerged from the last pick in the draft to become a viable starting QB, winning his first seven starts before getting hurt in the NFC championship game and posting an impressive 108 passer rating. With Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle as playmakers, Purdy doesn’t have to do much to make coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense click.
NEW FACES: Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, DT Javon Hargrave, QB Sam Darnold, K Jake Moody, DL Clelin Ferrell, S Ji’Ayir Brown, CB Isaiah Oliver, WR Ronnie Bell, OL Jon Feliciano, OL Matt Pryor.
KEY LOSSES: Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, RT Mike McGlinchey, QB Jimmy Garoppolo, QB Trey Lance, DB Jimmie Ward, LB Azeez Al-Shaair, K Robbie Gould, DL Samson Ebukam, DL Charles Omenihu, CB Emmanuel Moseley, DL Jordan Willis, OL Daniel Brunskill.
STRENGTHS: While the defense has been stellar of late, there might not be any team with the quality of offensive playmakers that the Niners have. McCaffrey is the league’s most versatile back with the ability to run between the tackles or line up wide as a receiver. Samuel can shift from wideout to running back and is dangerous any time the ball is in his hands. Aiyuk had his first 1,000-yard season last year and is by far the best route runner of the bunch. Kittle excels as a blocker and receiver and had a career-high 11 TD catches last season, including seven in Purdy’s first five starts. Even fullback Kyle Juszczyk is a threat as a receiver.
WEAKNESSES: The Niners roster is loaded but if something holds them back it most likely would be the offensive line. Unproven Colton McKivitz is stepping in at right tackle to replace McGlinchey and there are no solid options behind him if that doesn’t work. While Trent Williams is perhaps the top left tackle in the game, the interior of the line could still be a question mark with Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel and Spencer Burford having only one year of starting experience.
CAMP DEVELOPMENT: The biggest question coming into camp was the health of Purdy after he underwent elbow surgery in March. He was cleared to throw at the start of camp and worked his way back to full participation over the past few weeks. His arm strength looks back to where it was pre-injury and there is no doubt that he will enter the season as the starter in San Francisco. With Darnold in place as the backup, the Niners traded away Lance less than three years after trading three first-round picks to draft him third overall.
FANTASY PLAYER TO WATCH: McCaffrey averaged 114.8 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown a game since stepping into the starting lineup for San Francisco last season following a midseason trade from Carolina. He once again has established himself as one of the top running backs in the league after two injury-filled seasons. A chance at a second season with at least 1,000 yards rushing and receiving isn’t out of the question if he stays healthy.
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK SAYS: Win Super Bowl: 10-1. Over/under wins: 10 1/2.
BROWNS EXPECTING BIG THINGS WITH DESHAUN WATSON ON FIELD FROM START AFTER SUSPENSION-ALTERED SEASON
CLEVELAND BROWNS (7-10)
EXPECTATIONS: Everything hinges on QB Deshaun Watson, who begins his first full on-field season with Cleveland after serving an 11-game NFL suspension in 2022 following accusations by more than two dozen women of sexual harassment when he played in Houston. Watson looked rusty in six games following a long layoff, but the Browns believe their investment — three first-round draft picks and a $230 million contract — will pay off. The pressure is on coach Kevin Stefanski, now in his fourth year, to design an offense that complements Watson’s unique skillset. The defense has been rebuilt and handed to new coordinator Jim Schwartz, whose scheme helped Philadelphia win a Super Bowl and should allow All-Pro end Myles Garrett to thrive. There’s no doubt that Cleveland’s got the talent to compete in the AFC. For the Browns, it’s usually something else that derails them.
NEW FACES: WR Elijah Moore, DE Za’Darius Smith, S Juan Thornhill, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DT Shelby Harris, Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz, K Dustin Hopkins, TE Jordan Akins, DE Ogbo Okoronkwo, S Rodney McLeod, CB Mike Ford, DT Maurice Hurst.
KEY LOSSES: QB Jacoby Brissett, DE Jadeveon Clowney, K Cade York, S John Johnson, RB Kareem Hunt, S Ronnie Harrison, T Chris Hubbard, RB D’Ernest Johnson, DE Chase Winovich, DT Perrion Winfrey.
STRENGTHS: Nick Chubb. The offense will run through Watson, but it’s hitched to Chubb, one of the NFL’s best running backs who could be poised for another big season after rushing for a career-best 1,525 yards in 2022. The Browns have been careful not to wear out the 27-year-old, who may also benefit by having a mobile QB with him since defenses won’t be able to key on him as much. Cleveland could also have some new wrinkles in its running game (see Philadelphia) with Watson. Chubb is also running behind one of the league’s top lines, led by All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio.
WEAKNESSES: Linebacker. Injuries decimated this group last season, and so did opposing offensive lines. The Browns’ issues in stopping the run can be partly attributed to having undersized LBs ill equipped to step in the hole and make a tackle. Anthony Walker Jr.’s return is vital as his leadership was sorely missed in ’22. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah needs to stay healthy and make a jump after being limited by injuries a year ago.
CAMP DEVELOPMENT: Schwartz likes his defense to play aggressively, and Cleveland’s was flying around all summer. The most noticeable differences from last season are the D-line’s speed and ability to push the pocket deeper, and a secondary that seems much better connected.
Kicker Cade York’s continued struggles throughout the exhibition season forced the Browns to trade for veteran Dustin Hopkins, who spent the past two seasons with the Chargers.
FANTASY PLAYER TO WATCH: Moore has the skillset — quick, elusive — that Cleveland’s offense was missing and he seems to be an ideal target for Watson. The Browns will lean on their running game, but Moore gives them an underneath option who could turn short throws into big gains.
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK SAYS: Win Super Bowl: Plus-3,000. Over/under wins: 9 1/2.
49ERS AND SEAHAWKS ENTER SEASON AS NFC WEST FAVORITES THANKS IN PART TO QBS PURDY AND SMITH
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Geno Smith came into last season a bit of a mystery, eight years removed from his last chance at being a full-time starter.
Brock Purdy was a complete unknown as the final pick in the draft fortunate to just solidify a roster spot as a rookie.
The two untested quarterbacks played a big part in helping their teams make the playoffs in 2022 with Smith earning Pro Bowl honors after lifting Seattle into the postseason and Purdy winning his first seven starts to get San Francisco to the NFC championship game.
How those two quarterbacks follow up those seasons will go a long way in determining whether the Seahawks or 49ers get top billing in the NFC West.
“We’re not worried about Brock,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Brock’s the real deal. He knows how to play and we just have to have our team keep getting better and we’ll keep getting better as we go.”
With the Los Angeles Rams undergoing a youth movement as they re-set the roster following years of going all-in and the Arizona Cardinals appear to be in the midst of a full rebuild under a new regime of GM Monti Ossenfort and coach Jonathan Gannon, the 49ers and Seahawks appear to be the class of the NFC West for a second straight season.
The Niners won the division and knocked out their rivals in the wild-card round last season with Purdy outplaying Smith and getting much more help.
Purdy was outstanding as a rookie after being drafted last overall in 2022. He stepped into the lineup after Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt in December. He led the Niners to a win in relief in his first outing and then seven more in a row before hurting his elbow in the NFC title game loss at Philadelphia.
Purdy underwent offseason surgery, but is back at full strength with one of the league’s most talented rosters in support.
But if he can’t come close to matching his performance from last season, the Niners could fall short in the regular-season race against an improved Seahawks squad.
Seattle fortified the defensive line, brought back star linebacker Bobby Wagner for a second stint and should be better in the secondary with a healthy Jamal Adams and rookie Devon Witherspoon. The offense added a key piece in rookie slot receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
But the key will be if Smith can build on last year’s performance when he threw 30 TD passes after starting just five games the nine previous seasons.
“We’ve got to put the work in,” Smith said. “We got a lot of great guys. We’ve got a lot of great players. But we have to prove it.”
HAPPY RETURN
The Seahawks went into the offseason needing to improve a defense that was the team’s weak spot last season and went into their past to do just that.
Wagner, a key part of the Super Bowl-winning defense a decade ago, returned to Seattle following a one-year stint with the Rams and should provide a needed boost at middle linebacker.
With cornerback Riq Woolen looking to build on a strong rookie campaign, Adams returning after going down with a season-ending injury in the opener last year and a few key additions on the defensive line, Seattle should be in a better spot to slow down San Francisco after allowing 41 points in the playoff loss to the Niners.
DOMINANT DEFENSE
While the biggest question about the 49ers maybe whether Purdy can back up his remarkable rookie season, there are a few questions about a defense that was the stingiest in the league last season.
Coordinator DeMeco Ryans parlayed that success into a head coaching job in Houston and San Francisco hired Steve Wilks to take his spot. Wilks is keeping the structure of the defense in place, but whether he will be able to match the success of Ryans remains to be seen.
San Francisco fortified the interior of the defensive line with free agent Javon Hargrave, but is thinner on the edge and still dealing with a holdout from Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa.
TRANSITION TIME
The Rams still have some of the key pieces that helped them win the Super Bowl just over 18 months ago with quarterback Matthew Stafford, defensive star Aaron Donald, receiver Cooper Kupp and coach Sean McVay looking to bounce back from last season’s injury-plagued 5-12 campaign.
Most of the rest of the roster is filled with rookies and other unproven players in what GM Les Snead has called a remodel instead of a rebuild, making it difficult for Los Angeles to be able to contend even in a watered-down conference.
WAITING FOR KYLER
The Cardinals are in a tough spot entering their first season under coach Jonathan Gannon with a depleted roster that will be missing star QB Kyler Murray for at least the start of the season.
Murray went down with a season-ending knee injury late last season and the timing of his return remains uncertain. Arizona also traded away star receiver DeAndre Hopkins and defensive lineman J.J. Watt retired and is in rebuild mode under a new regime.
With an extra first-round draft pick next season, Arizona could be in good shape down the line, but should be in for a difficult 2023 season.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Seahawks, 49ers, Rams, Cardinals.
CHIEFS HAVE RULED AFC WEST FOR SEVEN YEARS BUT THERE’S PLENTY OF NEW FACES IN KANSAS CITY THIS YEAR
DENVER (AP) — Frank Clark brought his second Super Bowl ring and a little secret from Kansas City to Denver when he signed with the Broncos after his release from the Chiefs in a salary dump.
The Chiefs, he said, don’t view their AFC West foe as a rival.
“I wouldn’t call it a rivalry. A rivalry is competitive,” Clark said when asked about switching sides in the one-sided series.
“We didn’t call it a rivalry” in Kansas City, he added.
The only players on the Chiefs roster who were around in 2015 when they last lost to the Broncos are tight end Travis Kelce and long snapper James Winchester.
Not a single player on Denver’s roster has beaten the Chiefs while wearing a Broncos uniform.
This series hasn’t been competitive since Peyton Manning was wrapping up his Hall of Fame career in 2015. The Broncos beat K.C. 31-24 in Week 2 of that season, and the Chiefs won the rematch in Denver on the day Manning broke Brett Favre’s NFL career record for passing yards and tore a ligament in his left foot.
Manning would return to guide the Broncos to a triumph in Super Bowl 50, but the torch had been passed in the AFC West.
The Chiefs have won all seven division titles since then and their 15-game winning streak against Denver is the fourth longest by one team over a single opponent in league history.
Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes have guided the Chiefs to three AFC titles in the past four years and two Super Bowl wins, including last year’s 38-35 thriller over Philadelphia.
The Broncos have churned through six head coaches and seven starting quarterbacks while missing the playoffs each of the past seven seasons.
The other teams in the division haven’t fared much better than Denver: the Las Vegas Raiders are 1-9 against Kansas City over the past five seasons and the Los Angeles Chargers are 3-7, with two wins and overtime defeats coming with Justin Herbert under center.
Despite the lopsided nature of the division, many of the Chiefs’ wins have come in one-score games as they always seem to come up big in crunch time on offense, defense and special teams.
That’s because the Chiefs don’t allow complacency to set in, Mahomes said.
“There’s a lot of parity in this league. Anybody can beat anybody,” Mahomes insisted. “And so we have to have that mentality every single day or we will get beat. Especially in the division and the AFC in general. Every single week, every opponent we play is going to play us to the best of their ability, so we have to make sure we go out there with that mentality.”
The Chiefs overcame the departure of speedster Tyreek Hill last year to win it all. This year they’ll have to deal with star defensive tackle Chris Jones’ protracted holdout and an exodus of talent in free agency, including both starting offensive tackles and two of Mahomes’ top targets.
And Clark, who always came up huge in the playoffs but was let go just a year after signing a two-year, $30 million extension. He signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal to bolster the Broncos’ pass rush.
“What we did in Kansas City was special,” Clark said, “… but at the end of the day all good things come to an end.”
The question again this year is: Will the Chiefs’ division dominance end any time soon?
RUSSELL’S REBOUND
Job No. 1 for Sean Payton in Denver is resuscitating Russell Wilson’s career after he nosedived under the tutelage of Nathaniel Hackett last season.
Clark said he has no doubt Wilson, whom he played with in Seattle from 2015-18, will bounce back in a big way in 2023.
“He’s still dangerous. Don’t get it twisted,” Clark said. “Don’t think a bad season’s going to shake a guy like Russ. Naw, bro, we start fresh every year. Every summer’s a fresh start.”
RECHARGED CHARGERS
Fresh off signing his five-year, $262.5 million contract extension, Justin Herbert is looking to lead the Chargers to consecutive playoff appearances for the first time since 2009, and he has plenty of help.
New offensive coordinator Kellen Moore promises to dial up more deep throws with Quentin Johnston joining Keenan Allen and Mike Williams to give these Chargers a modern-day “Air Coryell” vibe.
“To get them the ball,” Herbert said, “I think that’s my main priority.”
RUNNIN’ RAIDERS
Just like Saquon Barkley, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs signed a one-year deal worth a little bit more than the $10.1 million franchise tag tender. Unlike Barkley, Jacobs didn’t sign until training camp was over.
Jacobs, who led the league in rushing last season with 1,653 yards, “meant a lot to our team last year, is going to mean a lot to our team this year,” coach Josh McDaniels said.
McDaniels has said Jacobs likely would receive a similar workload as last season, when he had nearly 400 touches between rushing and receiving, but he might have to be eased into a heavy workload.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, Raiders.
BROWNS HOPING FIRST FULL SEASON WITH QB DESHAUN WATSON MOVES THEM UP IN BALANCED, BRUTAL AFC NORTH
Deshaun Watson’s impact on the AFC North has been negligible. He hasn’t had time to really make a dent.
The Browns are counting on that changing.
Cleveland’s polarizing quarterback heads into his first full season inside perhaps the NFL’s most competitive and balanced division after serving an 11-game suspension in 2022 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Signed to a controversial $230 million contract following a blockbuster trade, Watson was punished after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions while in Houston.
When he returned for six games, Watson was rusty and then some.
The former Pro Bowler went 1-2 against Baltimore, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, 3-3 overall and didn’t look anything like the league’s 2020 passing leader as the Browns staggered to a 7-10, last-place finish.
It’s a critical season for Cleveland and for the Browns to climb and contend, Watson must play on the same level as the North’s two other star QBs — Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, who appeared to be leaving before patching things up with the Ravens a nd signing a five-year, $260 million contract.
In Pittsburgh, the Steelers believe QB Kenny Pickett can build on a promising rookie season and keep them competitive.
The Browns, who haven’t won a division title since 1989, will find out quickly how they stack up in the North. They open at home with the Bengals on Sept. 10, visit the Steelers in their first road game the following Monday and host the Ravens in Week 4.
“No one else is going to see their division three times in the first four weeks,” said Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski, 15-19 since making the playoffs in his first year. “We look at that as a great opportunity.”
Watson needs to make the most of it.
TOP CATS
Burrow’s training camp ended July 27 when he was carted off with a strained right calf. Coach Zac Taylor won’t talk about whether he’ll be ready for the opener, but all indications point to him being OK.
With Burrow running the show a nd throwing to a top-shelf trio of receivers, the Bengals, who went 12-4 and won the division last season, will shoot for another Super Bowl, two seasons removed from an improbable run to the title game.
Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd give Burrow a trifecta as good as any in the league.
Chase, the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021, has shown a commitment this summer to reaching another level.
“Some guys get tired and go through the motions,” wide receivers coach Troy Walters said. “Ja’Marr has been elite every day. It comes down to fine tuning route running. Adding nuance to it.”
Linebackers Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt, and edge rushers Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard anchor an underrated defense.
The secondary has some questions after safeties Jessie Bates III, Vonn Bell and cornerback Eli Apple left as free agents. Cincinnati’s best cornerback, Chidobe Awuzie, is expected back after tearing an ACL last season.
ALL SYSTEMS GO
Along with long-term financial security, the Ravens gave Jackson a couple of new receivers and a new offensive coordinator.
Baltimore signed Odell Beckham Jr. and drafted Zay Flowers in the first round in an attempt to upgrade a receiving group that was substandard a year ago.
“Let’s get these guys the ball and let them do them,” Jackson said. “We have the guys that will make stuff happen, get yards after the catch.”
The big question is how coordinator Todd Monken, who won two national titles with Georgia, will alter Baltimore’s offense to try to get the most out of Jackson’s unique skill set.
The Ravens were a stout team defensively by the end of last season thanks to the linebacker tandem of Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen. But there are injury concerns in the secondary heading into this season. Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey needed surgery for a lingering foot issue.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
While Watson’s suspension created a massive void in the 2022 season, Cleveland’s defense was a bigger hole.
Communication breakdowns in the secondary led to the Browns giving up big plays, and they couldn’t stop anyone on the ground.
Enter Jim Schwartz, the team’s new defensive coordinator, who has arrived with a Super Bowl ring from Philadelphia, a proven scheme and aggressive attitude.
The Browns rebuilt their defensive front, trading for end Za’Darius Smith and signing free agent tackles Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris to play alongside All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett.
The linebacking group remains suspect with Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takitaki returning from injuries. Safety Juan Thornhill won a title with Kansas City last season and brings experience and playmaking.
STILL THE STEELERS
Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game in six years, the franchise’s longest drought of the Super Bowl era. The Steelers believe they’ll return to contention after essentially rebuilding the offense on the fly following Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.
Pittsburgh has been transparent about the need for Pickett and wide receivers George Pickens and Diontae Johnson to create more noise downfield for an offense that finished 26th in scoring.
“We want to get yards in chunks,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “But we also want to possess the ball and control the flow of the game, and so we’ve got to do all things if we want to be a dominant group, and that’s a component of it.”
Still, the Steelers have built a team that may be the physical yin to the dazzling yang found in places such as Kansas City, Cincinnati and Buffalo.
Pittsburgh invested heavily in bolstering the offensive and defensive lines, and for all the buzz around Pickett, the Steelers look like a team designed to control the ball with running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.
It’s an approach that would keep a defense anchored by star outside linebacker T.J. Watt fresh enough to wreak havoc late. And if that means Pickett hands it off 40 times a game instead of throwing it 40 times a game, so be it.
___
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Bengals, Ravens, Browns, Steelers.
EAGLES, COWBOYS ARE THE START OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT CONTENDERS IN THE NFC EAST
The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys have an NFC East title apiece while both clubs reached the playoffs each of the past two seasons.
Naturally, the conversation in the division starts with the teams led by MVP runner-up Jalen Hurts, coming off a trip to the Super Bowl, and Dak Prescott, seeking the same breakthrough.
Hurts has all his key contributors back, along with one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, while the Cowboys traded for receiver Brandin Cooks.
Even with two-time rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott gone in a cost-cutting move and with the defending NFC champion in his division, Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones harbors Super Bowl hopes.
Dallas hasn’t even been to an NFC championship game since the 1995 season. The Eagles have two conference titles and a Super Bowl victory over the past six seasons.
“I’m reluctant to use comparatively, the best chance, comparatively,” Jones said. “But I will say that Philadelphia, and if you will the Giants and Washington, they need to be on their game because we are. We’re going to be on our game.”
Daniel Jones signed a $160 million, four-year contract after helping the New York Giants win their first playoff game since the last of the franchise’s four Super Bowl titles to finish the 2011 season.
Washington has new ownership as it tries to move on from the chaos of the Dan Snyder era, and a new offensive coordinator. Eric Bienemy spent the past five years in that role with Kansas City, winning two Super Bowls with Patrick Mahomes.
The Commanders’ seemingly constant search for a quarterback settled on 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell, who started the finale last season. He is set to be Washington’s seventh different season-opening starter in as many years.
“He’s basically met the challenge that we talked about, and that was seeing the growth and improvement from OTAs and minicamp,” coach Ron Rivera said. “Then talked about going into training camp and continuing to grow and show us what he’s capable of.”
After setting a franchise record with 14 victories, the Eagles added what many considered the top prospect in the draft when they traded up one spot to get Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter at No. 9.
Philadelphia will try to be the first repeat winner in the NFC East since taking four consecutive division titles from 2001-04. And there will be plenty of Super Bowl chatter after last season’s 38-35 loss to Kansas City.
“The goal right now, right this second, is not to get back to the Super Bowl,” coach Nick Sirianni said at the start of training camp. “I know everyone is like, ‘That’s a crazy thing to say.’ Our goal is get better today. You can’t win two games unless you win one.”
TAG TEAM
New York’s Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard of Dallas were two of the three running backs to get the franchise tag this offseason along with NFL rushing champ Josh Jacobs of Las Vegas.
Pollard was the only one to sign the $10.1 million tender. Barkley signed a one-year deal worth close to that amount at the start of training camp, while Jacobs waited until the end of the preseason to agree on a one-year contract that could pay $12 million.
“I had an epiphany,” Barkley said early in camp. “Now, the reality of it is, I kind of just followed my heart.”
Pollard is the least proven of the three. He is taking over for Elliott, although his production and playmaking surpassed his former teammate last season.
Whenever Pollard handles the ball in the opener against Barkley and the Giants, it will be his first touch since breaking his lower left leg in a divisional playoff loss to San Francisco last season.
THE RUSH IS ON
Two of the top seven on the 2022 sacks list are in the division: Philadelphia’s Hassan Reddick (16 sacks) and Micah Parsons of Dallas (13 1/2).
That’s without mentioning one of the best defensive lines in the league in Washington. If Chase Young can regain his 2020 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year form nearly two years removed from ACL surgery, the group that includes edge rusher Montez Sweat and tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne will be formidable.
While the Commanders were the only team in the division to miss the playoffs last season, they did finish third in defense.
NEW VOICES IN THE HEADSET
There are two headlining changes in play-calling in the division: Bienemy and Mike McCarthy of the Cowboys taking over that role in his fourth season as coach. It’s the first time for McCarthy to call plays since he was fired midseason in 2018 in Green Bay.
While he once gave up play-calling with the Packers and said he would never do that again after retaking the role, McCarthy decided to keep Kellen Moore as the offensive coordinator when Dallas hired him.
They mutually agreed to part ways after another uneven performance from the offense in a second consecutive postseason loss to San Francisco.
REMEMBER THE GIANTS
Third-place New York was the other NFC East playoff team last season, and all three won at least one playoff game. It was the first time since the most recent realignment in 2002 that three teams from the same division played in the divisional round.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Eagles, Cowboys, Giants, Commanders
BILLS STILL REIGN ATOP THE AFC EAST, BUT RODGERS’ JETS AND TUA’S DOLPHINS ARE ON THE HUNT
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills were considered Super Bowl favorites by many a year ago, the reigning kings of the AFC East with loads of playmakers on both sides of the football.
Things have changed a bit since another playoff disappointment ended their season.
The Bills are still talented and dangerous, but are no longer viewed by some as the class of their conference. And maybe not even their own division.
“Whooooo cares?” Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins said. “Who cares?”
Well, people who like to make predictions, of course.
And those who see the New York Jets getting Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback as a potential shift in power in the AFC East.
“We embrace being a team that may have a target on its back,” Jets coach Robert Saleh acknowledged.
Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins are banking on a healthy Tua Tagovailoa keeping them playoff contenders. And Bill Belichick is still in charge of the New England Patriots, who are looking to bounce back from their second losing season in three years.
Then there are the Bills, who have three straight division titles, but aren’t the fashionable pick they once were to reach the Super Bowl out of the AFC.
“There are people that sit at their desk, eat Twinkies and eat all type of stuff, order DoorDash and never been on a football field,” Dawkins said. “Some have. Respect it, but who cares? I don’t care.
“Like, look, bro, we’re in the now. You can honestly only focus on the now.”
And block out outside opinions.
“We don’t have to be your favorite,” Dawkins said, “but we’re going to be our favorite and we’re going to win games.”
But how many will it take to claim the AFC East? The Jets, Dolphins and Patriots are improved, making the division potentially one of the toughest in the NFL.
“If you’re trying to actually get to the AFC championship, if you’re trying to win the AFC championship, if you’re trying to win the Super Bowl, all those things, you better be a very good team and battle tested,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “And our division should help us do that, but it’s going to be stressful.”
MR. RODGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD
Since being acquired from Green Bay in April after 18 seasons with the Packers, Rodgers has embraced the Big Apple spotlight.
The four-time NFL MVP has made it clear he came to New York to win. While he insists he’ll be with the Jets multiple years, Rodgers believes they have the talent to not only snap their 12-year postseason drought — the longest active skid in the NFL — but make a deep run through the playoffs.
“You want to be a part of a place that has high expectations and there is a lot of positivity around here, which I think is a good thing,” Rodgers said. “It’s a long season, it’s a journey.”
And it’ll begin when the Jets host the Bills on “Monday Night Football” to open the season on Sept. 11.
BUFFALO BOUNCEBACK
The Bills are coming off a 13-3 regular season, with their three losses by a combined eight points. Their season ended with their latest playoff flop, a 27-10 loss to Cincinnati in the AFC divisional round.
They might have also led the league in dealing with adversity.
In May 2022, the team and city were rocked by a racially motivated supermarket shooting that left 10 Black people dead. Two games were affected by major snowstorms that had the Bills scrambling. And there were a few significant injuries, including safety Damar Hamlin going into cardiac arrest and needing to be resuscitated on the field in Cincinnati.
“Those experiences you take with you from a learning standpoint and a wisdom standpoint,” coach Sean McDermott said. “Whether it’s Damar’s situation or many other things that we went through, I think it makes you stronger as you go forward.”
PROTECTING HIMSELF
Much of Miami’s success will hinge on the success of Tagovailoa, the fourth-year quarterback who was diagnosed with two concussions last year.
Tagovailoa bulked up in the offseason and trained in the martial art of jiu-jitsu to better protect himself.
He has already put that training into practice during the preseason by rolling on the ground after a hit — helping prevent his helmet from striking the turf.
“Everything that I did this offseason entailed to what would keep me on the field for the entirety of the season,” said Tagovailoa, who set career highs with 3,548 yards passing and 25 TDs in 13 starts. “We understand that freaky things can happen. It’s football. It’s a physical sport. Not everything that you prepare for is what you’re going to get. So, I did the best that I could to get myself ready and prepped for this season, as far as injuries go.”
RETURN OF THE MAC
Patriots quarterback Mac Jones’ development took a step back last year, so Belichick brought back former offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to replace Matt Patricia and try to get Jones headed back on the right path.
New England also tried to give Jones more playmakers at receiver, including adding Juju Smith-Schuster.
Jones will essentially be playing for his long-term future this season. Either the Patriots will feel content they have their quarterback or will have to search for the next person to replace Tom Brady.
“I just think overall, he’s a way better quarterback,” safety Adrian Phillips said of Jones. “He took last year on the chin. He’ll be the first one to tell you that’s not how he wanted to play. … He’s coming out here every single day and he’s trying to light our defense up. Like, literally, light us up. I’m talking bombs, anything that he can do. You just love to see that.”
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Bills, Jets, Dolphins, Patriots.
REPORT: BENGALS SIGN EX-COWBOYS QB WILL GRIER TO PRACTICE SQUAD
The Cincinnati Bengals signed quarterback Will Grier to their practice squad after his release by the Dallas Cowboys, ESPN reported Wednesday.
Grier, 28, becomes QB3 on the Bengals after they released Trevor Siemian. Grier could get called up to the active roster in Week 1 to back up Jake Browning if All-Pro QB Joe Burrow (calf) isn’t yet ready to return.
The Cowboys reportedly informed Grier he would be released prior to the team’s final preseason game against Las Vegas. He played the entire game, throwing for 305 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for two scores.
Grier became expendable when the Cowboys acquired Trey Lance from San Francisco last week.
Grier was selected in the third round of the 2019 draft by the Carolina Panthers. He started two games — losing both — for the Panthers as a rookie in 2019.
REPORT: QB BAILEY ZAPPE SIGNED TO PATRIOTS PRACTICE SQUAD
Quarterback Bailey Zappe is returning to the New England Patriots, choosing to sign with the practice squad on Wednesday, NFL Network reported.
The move comes the day after Zappe’s surprising cut from the team. Zappe cleared waivers and fielded offers from seven other teams, opting instead to rejoin the Patriots, per the report.
The Patriots are carrying just one QB on their active roster, starter Mac Jones. The team also cut rookie Malik Cunningham.
Zappe, who started two games last season, had a relatively ineffective 2023 preseason. He finished the team’s final tune-up game against Tennessee, going 8-for-15 for 57 yards and suffering four sacks.
Zappe, 24, was a fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky by New England in the 2022 draft and appeared in four games last season, connecting on 65 of his 92 pass attempts for 781 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions.
REPORTS: BRONCOS SIGNING VETERAN WR PHILLIP DORSETT
The Denver Broncos are signing veteran wide receiver Phillip Dorsett to their practice squad, per multiple reports.
The former first-round pick was released by the Las Vegas Raiders in their final cuts on Tuesday.
Dorsett, 30, played briefly with Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson during the 2021 season in Seattle.
He has 151 catches for 2,001 yards and 12 touchdowns in 92 games (19 starts) with the Indianapolis Colts (2015-16), New England Patriots (2017-19), Jacksonville Jaguars (2021), Seahawks (2021) and Houston Texans (2021-22).
The Colts drafted Dorsett with the 29th overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft.
REPORTS: STEELERS SIGNING EX-TEXANS CB DESMOND KING
The Pittsburgh Steelers will sign former All-Pro defensive back Desmond King, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.
The Houston Texans released the 28-year-old veteran on cut-down day Tuesday.
King recorded 89 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries in 17 games (13 starts) with Houston in 2022.
He has registered 426 tackles, nine interceptions and 8.5 sacks in 95 games (53 starts) with the Los Angeles Chargers (2017-20), Tennessee Titans (2020) and Texans (2021-22).
King earned All-Pro honors with the Chargers in 2018 as a punt returner and defensive back.
AGENT: VIKINGS SIGNING EX-DOLPHINS RB MYLES GASKIN
The Minnesota Vikings are adding former Miami Dolphins running back Myles Gaskin to the active roster, his agents told ESPN on Wednesday.
ESPN also reported that Minnesota is waiving wide receiver and return specialist Jalen Reagor, a former first-round draft pick.
Gaskin, released by Miami on Tuesday, will be reunited with Brian Flores, the former Dolphins head coach who now is the defensive coordinator for the Vikings. Agents Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha confirmed the agreement.
Gaskin, 26, joins a running back room in Minnesota that is trying to replace four-time 1,000-yard rusher Dalvin Cook, who was released in June and signed with the New York Jets earlier this month.
Gaskin was limited to 10 carries in four games in 2022 after recovering from a knee injury. The 2019 seventh-round pick rushed for 1,355 yards and seven touchdowns and caught 101 passes for 701 yards and six scores in 38 games (17 starts) with the Dolphins.
Reagor, 24, was Philadelphia’s first-round pick in 2020. He was drafted 21st overall, one spot ahead of Vikings All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson.
The Eagles traded Reagor to the Vikings last August and he caught eight passes for 104 yards and one TD in 17 games, adding 26 punt returns for 167 yards and four carries for 25 yards.
Reagor has gained 1,656 all-purpose yards and scored five touchdowns in 45 games (24 starts) with Philadelphia and Minnesota.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS: MARATHON KICKOFF WEEKEND INCLUDES MARQUEE MATCHUPS AND LOTS OF MISMATCHES
The opening weekend of college football — the full opener, not the Week 0 appetizer — is a five-day immersive course to get you prepared for an intense and unpredictable 14-week class.
The final is due on Jan. 8. Everybody gets an A just for showing up.
This season feels like the end of an era in college football, but when the games kick off all the off-the-field messiness drifts away.
Week 1 is light on marquee matchups and heavy on potential mismatches. Twelve ranked teams are favored by at least 20 points against FBS opponents.
Only one game matches ranked teams, but it’s a really big one and easily the most intriguing of Labor Day weekend: No. 5 LSU faces No. 8 Florida State in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday night.
The Seminoles won a wild Week 1 game last year in New Orleans against the Tigers. Neither was ranked at the time, but they both went on to have big seasons to set up this top-10 matchup.
Quarterbacks Jayden Daniels for LSU and Jordan Travis for Florida State are two of the most exciting players in the country, both getting Heisman Trophy buzz. Each side has a preseason All-America game-wrecker on defense: linebacker Harold Perkins for LSU and defensive end Jared Verse for LSU.
The Labor Day weekend Sunday night game has a history of being highly entertaining and everything sets up for this to be a good one. The line, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, is LSU by 2 1/2. Our pick: Florida State, 28-24.
Florida at No. 14 Utah, Thursday
The Utes lost to Anthony Richardson and the Gators in a Gainesville thriller last year. It turned out to be the highlight of the season for Florida and its future first-round NFL draft pick.
Utah seems primed for payback, but injury questions hang over the two-time defending Pac-12 champion. QB Cam Rising’s status after a knee injury is uncertain and his back-up is banged up, too. It is also unclear whether star TE Brant Kuithe (knee) will play.
For Florida, Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz takes over at quarterback.
LINE: Utah by 6 1/2. PICK: Utah, 24-20.
Boise State at No. 10 Washington, Saturday
QB Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies have big expectations after a turnaround in 2022. They face a real test in the opener against a Broncos team that is favored to win the Mountain West, but hasn’t in recent years had many of those upsets against Power Five teams they used to be famous for.
LINE: Washington by 14 1/2. PICK: Washington, 35-27.
South Alabama at No. 24 Tulane, Saturday
A matchup of teams that had double-digit wins last year that could turn out to be pivotal in the race to determine which Group of Five champion earns a New Year’s Six bowl bid.
LINE: Tulane by 6. PICK: South Alabama, 23-20.
Colorado at No. 17 TCU, Saturday
Coach Prime unveils his new-look Buffaloes. Who knows how good they will be — projections suggest not at all — but finding out is must-see TV.
LINE: TCU by 20 1/2. PICK: TCU, 52-24.
Other Top 25 Games
(lines from FanDuel Sportsbook, FCS walkovers not included)
SATURDAY
East Carolina at No. 2 Michigan (minus 36)
First game of coach Jim Harbaugh’s three-game suspension … MICHIGAN, 49-10.
No. 3 Ohio State (minus 30 1/2) at Indiana
Buckeyes debut a new quarterback in Kyle McCord against a team they have beaten 28 straight times … OHIO STATE, 45-10.
Middle Tennessee at No. 4 Alabama (minus 39 1/2)
Crimson Tide’s quarterback competition will likely continue through at least Week 1 … ALABAMA, 56-14.
Nevada at No. 6 Southern California (minus 38 1/2)
Trojans freshman Zachariah Branch was the breakout star of Week 0 … USC, 52-10.
West Virginia (plus 20 1/2) at No. 7 Penn State
Renewal of an old-school Eastern rivalry that hasn’t been played since 1992 … PENN STATE, 31-14.
Rice (plus 35 1/2) at No. 11 Texas
Longhorns tune-up for next week’s trip to Alabama … TEXAS, 38-10.
No. 12 Tennessee (minus 28 1/2) vs. Virginia at Nashville, Tennessee
It’s QB Joe Milton’s show for the Vols now … TENNESSEE, 45-13.
Buffalo at No. 19 Wisconsin (minus 28)
Badgers debut Dairy Raid offense… WISCONSIN, 42-10.
Arkansas State at No. 20 Oklahoma (minus 35 1/2)
Sooners trying to bounce-back from first losing season in more than two decades … OKLAHOMA, 48-10.
No. 21 North Carolina vs. South Carolina (plus 2 1/2) at Charlotte, North Carolina
Tar Heels star QB Drake Maye gets an early test from QB Spencer Rattler and the Gamecocks … SOUTH CAROLINA, 31-28.
New Mexico at No. 23 Texas A&M (minus 38)
Aggies unveil their new offense under coordinator Bobby Petrino … TEXAS A&M, 42-3.
Utah State at No. 25 Iowa (minus 25)
Drive for 325, the number of points the Hawkeyes need to score this season for offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz to keep his job, begins … IOWA, 34-7.
SUNDAY
No. 18 Oregon State at San Jose State (plus 16 1/2)
Clemson transfer DJ Uiagalelei is latest quarterback seeking fresh start in Pac-12 … OREGON STATE, 31-17.
MONDAY
No. 9 Clemson (minus 13 1/2) at Duke
In line with a theme of opening weekend, Tigers are another ranked team rolling out a new offense … CLEMSON, 31-14.
TWITTER REQUESTS
Miami, Ohio at Miami, Florida (minus 17 1/2), Friday — @BrandonOCook.
Only the second meeting of the Miami’s, and first since 1987 … HURRICANES, 42-14.
Fresno State (plus 4 1/2) at Purdue, Saturday — @zachdavis_nd
Bulldogs pull the upset in debut of Boilermakers coach Ryan Walters … FRESNO STATE, 27-21.
UTSA (minus 1) at Houston, Saturday — @CapstoneCowboy
New AAC vs former AAC. Score one for the new guys … UTSA, 26-20.
Northwestern (plus 6 1/2) at Rutgers — @KnightFan27
After a tumultuous offseason, Wildcats get to work … RUTGERS, 23-17.
NEBRASKA AND MINNESOTA GET BIG TEN PLAY GOING RIGHT AWAY IN RHULE’S DEBUT WITH HUSKERS
Nebraska at Minnesota, Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT (Fox).
Line: Minnesota by 7, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Minnesota leads 36-25-2.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Matt Rhule makes his Huskers debut, the sixth head coach of the once-dominant program in the 26 seasons since Tom Osborne retired on top with a third national title in four years. Nebraska’s best record in five seasons under Scott Frost was 5-7. Athan Kaliakmanis is the first new starting QB to open a season for Minnesota since 2018. Kaliakmanis started five games last year for the injured Tanner Morgan.
KEY MATCHUP
Rhule and defensive coordinator Tony White vs. Fleck and Minnesota co-offensive coordinators Greg Harbaugh and Matt Simon. White spent the past three seasons as defensive coordinator at Syracuse. Fleck has not revealed who will call the plays. He said the Gophers were “preparing for ghosts” with all the strategic unknowns that come with the new staff at Nebraska.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nebraska: QB Jeff Sims came from Georgia Tech as one of 20 incoming transfers this year and will lead offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield’s pro-style spread system. The Huskers need Sims to be a more polished passer than he was in 23 starts over three seasons for the run-heavy Yellow Jackets. The offensive line is a question mark, so don’t be surprised if the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Sims takes off running when the pass rush comes.
Minnesota: RB Sean Tyler rushed for 2,820 yards over four years at Western Michigan and ranked ninth in the FBS last season with an average of 147 all-purpose yards per game. Don’t expect a workload like the program’s all-time leading rusher Mohamed Ibrahim had, though. Freshmen Zach Evans and Darius Taylor are well-regarded prospects, and Bryce Williams is back for his sixth year.
FACTS & FIGURES
Nebraska starts the season with consecutive road games for the first time since 1995, with a visit to Colorado on Sept. 9. Rhule’s home debut is against Northern Illinois on Sept. 16. … Rhule, who was head coach of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers from 2020-22, spent three years at Baylor prior to that. He went 1-11, 7-6 and 10-3. … Minnesota is 7-5 against Nebraska since 2011 when the Huskers joined the Big Ten. Head coach P.J. Fleck is 5-1. … This is the 11th time in the program’s 140 seasons that Minnesota opens against a conference opponent. … Only Michigan (25-3) and Ohio State (22-4) have a better overall record among Big Ten teams than the Gophers (18-8) over the past two years. … Minnesota has allowed 16 points or less in 18 games over the last two seasons, second-most in the FBS behind back-to-back national champion Georgia.
NO. 19 WISCONSIN EAGER TO SHOW ITS DEFENSE CAN STAY ELITE WITH NEW COORDINATOR IN CHARGE
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — This isn’t the first time Wisconsin defensive coordinator Mike Tressel has faced the challenge of building on the accomplishments of a popular predecessor.
That doesn’t make the task any easier.
Tressel is taking over for Jim Leonhard, whose Wisconsin defenses annually ranked among the nation’s best. Tressel is following the same advice that worked for him at his last job.
“You have to be yourself,” said Tressel, the nephew of former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. “Even when I came into the University of Cincinnati, (I was) following up a coordinator players loved and who did a great job. That’s a challenge. But authenticity, that’s recognized.”
Tressel became the defensive coordinator on Luke Fickell’s Cincinnati staff in 2021 following the departure of Marcus Freeman, who left for the same position at Notre Dame and eventually became the Fighting Irish head coach. Cincinnati improved from eighth to fifth in scoring defense and from 13th to 10th in total defense during Tressel’s first season as the Bearcats reached the College Football Playoff.
Now he again is working alongside Fickell at a new program.
While much of the attention surrounding No. 19 Wisconsin heading into Saturday’s season opener with Buffalo has focused on new offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s Air Raid scheme, an equally big issue is whether the defense can maintain its elite status.
Leonhard grew up in Wisconsin, joined the Badgers as a walk-on safety and developed into an All-American before playing 10 seasons in the NFL. Wisconsin ranked among the nation’s top five teams in total defense and top 10 teams in scoring defense four times in his six seasons as defensive coordinator.
After the midseason firing of Paul Chryst last year, Leonhard went 4-3 as Wisconsin’s interim head coach. Plenty of players wanted Leonhard to get the permanent head coaching position that instead went to Fickell. Leonhard is now an analyst at Illinois.
“I’m going to be myself,” Tressel said. “I’m not going to try and be Jim Leonhard. I respect the heck out of him. They respect the heck out of him. But that doesn’t take away from the relationship that I’m going to have with our guys.”
His players learned to embrace the new approach.
“There’s an element of just the reality of, hey, this is what it is,” linebacker Maema Njongmeta said. “Coach Leonhard’s not here.”
Then it was a matter of believing what this new defense could accomplish.
“Trust is a big thing,” safety Hunter Wohler said. “He came in and he explained that to us himself. He said that we’re not going to be a good team if you don’t trust the guys around you and you don’t trust us as coaches.”
Tressel’s track record made it easier to develop that trust.
Tressel worked on playoff teams at both Cincinnati (2021) and Michigan State (2015). Cincinnati allowed the fourth-fewest yards per play of any Football Bowl Subdivision team in 2021 and ranked sixth in that category last year.
“The staff being able to say, ‘If you buy into this, this is what will be the result,’ I think guys really liked what they were pitching us,” Njongmeta said. “That made it really easy to buy into.”
Njongmeta had a team-high 95 tackles last season for a defense that must find new playmakers following the exits of nose tackle Keeanu Benton and Associated Press All-America third-team outside linebacker Nick Herbig. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Benton in the second round and Herbig in the fourth.
Tressel has discussed “meshing the elite” by combining what worked at Wisconsin and at Cincinnati in recent seasons. He often used a 3-3-5 defense at Cincinnati. Wisconsin occasionally has shown a “dollar package” including six defensive backs this preseason.
“There were some elite things that have been done here in the past and also that Coach Fick and our defensive staff have done in the past,” Tressel said. “Our guys are handling them really well and are truly excited about it. It’s fun to watch.”
That excitement is evident on the practice field. The Badgers expect it to carry over to the games.
“When he comes in every day with the juice he brings and the knowledge of the game he brings, it’s hard not to trust him,” Wohler said. “As you become more and more comfortable with the coaching staff and Coach Tress himself, you build that trust. So now coming into Saturday, there’s no issues at all. Whatever he calls is what we’re going to run.”
WORLD CUP BASKETBALL
USA BLOWS OUT JORDAN TO GO PERFECT THROUGH ROUND 1 AT WORLD CUP
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Another game, another blowout for the U.S. at the Basketball World Cup. And now the competition figures to get considerably tougher.
Anthony Edwards scored 22 points and the Americans completed an easy march through the group stage Wednesday, beating Jordan 110-62 to improve to 3-0 and finish atop Group C. Second-round play for the U.S. starts Friday against Montenegro.
“Staying aggressive, staying confident, it’s just something that I do,” Edwards said. “It paid off today.”
Bobby Portis scored 13 for the U.S., which led by 19 after one quarter and 62-33 at the half. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 12 and Jalen Brunson added 10.
“It’s always fun when everybody gets to play and contribute,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr said.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson — the only player with any NBA experience on Jordan’s roster — led his team with 20 points and seven rebounds. Jordan finished group play 0-3 and will play in the classification round for non-second-round teams starting Thursday.
The U.S. improved to 8-0 overall this summer, counting five exhibitions played on the way to Manila. They’re one of three teams that won all three group-stage games by at least 20 points — joining Group H winner Canada and Group D winner Lithuania, which will face the Americans in the second-round finale on Sunday.
This one was the easiest of the three for the U.S., which beat New Zealand by 27 in its opener and Greece by 28 on Monday.
“We tried to slow them down as much as possible,” Jordan coach Wesam Al-Sous said. “We failed. They scored 110 points.”
Hollis-Jefferson has tried to fashion his game — not to mention his current haircut, it seems, since there is a striking similarity — after Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, even wearing No. 24 on his jersey for Jordan this summer.
If this was his audition to get back to the NBA, after not playing in the league since June 2021, it wasn’t bad. He had 66 points in Jordan’s first two games at the World Cup, then shot 6 for 16 on Wednesday — while again getting the occasional “Kobe! Kobe!” chants from some in the crowd in Manila.
Hollis-Jefferson spent a short stint with Edwards and Minnesota before the start of the 2020-21 season. Hollis-Jefferson never played a real game with the Timberwolves, but Edwards remembered their time together.
“He was kind of like my vet when I was a rookie,” Edwards said. “We haven’t seen each other since then, so it was fun to catch up.”
TIP-INS
USA: The U.S. also won all its group games by at least 20 points at the 2014 tournament, when there were five games in that round and not three.
Jordan: It was the first time Jordan played the U.S. in a senior men’s competition. U.S. teams beat Jordan in World University Games matchups in 1979 and 1985 (both times by exactly 110 points, not a typo), and by 10 at the U19 world championship in 1995. … After playing Egypt on Thursday, Jordan finishes its World Cup stay against Mexico on Saturday.
LINEUP CHANGE
For the first time this summer, the U.S. had a different starting five. Brandon Ingram was out and Josh Hart was in, joining Brunson, Edwards, Jackson Jr. and Mikal Bridges — who celebrated his 27th birthday.
EVERYBODY IN
All 12 U.S. players had scored by the end of the third quarter. The Americans also got everybody into the scoring column in Monday’s win over Greece.
UP NEXT
USA: Faces Montenegro in a second-round game Friday in Manila.
Jordan: Faces Egypt in in a classification game Thursday in Manila.
AUTO RACING NEWS
HEAD-AND-NECK RESTRAINTS AND SOFT WALLS TOP LIST OF NASCAR’S BIGGEST SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Chris Buescher caught a glimpse of a mangled car in the infield grass at Daytona International Speedway. He didn’t think much about it at first. Then, as he circled the track under caution, he saw a slow-motion replay of the crash on a giant video board.
It was close friend Ryan Preece’s No. 41 Ford. Buescher refused to watch anymore.
“It’s a dangerous sport. We know that getting in,” Buescher said. “Sometimes you push it a little too far to the back of our minds.”
Preece provided everyone a stark reminder when his car lifted off the ground and flipped uncontrollably in the waning laps of the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale at Daytona on Saturday night. Gasps, groans, tears — and eventually sighs of relief and applause — followed.
Preece was able to climb out his window with help before being taken to a hospital for overnight observation. He was released the next morning and cleared to fly home to North Carolina. He will be back behind the wheel soon, another testament to the countless safety improvements that have become mainstays in NASCAR.
Head-and-neck restraints — the HANS device — and SAFER barriers. The two advancements rank as the most significant in NASCAR history.
As part of the celebration of NASCAR’s 75th season, The Associated Press interviewed 12 veteran contributors to the industry on topics ranging from the most memorable race to key challenges ahead. Eight of the 12 contributors said HANS devices were the top safety enhancement.
“The first thing that comes to my mind is the HANS device,” said Edsel Ford II, great-grandson of Henry Ford and a longtime executive of the family’s motor company. “It sparked a revolution in safety and eventually led to NASCAR mandating that all drivers had to wear one. Today, we see it as just another piece of equipment, but quite frankly I believe it’s one of the most important.”
Added Eddie Wood, co-owner and president at Wood Brothers Racing: “There was a time before they became mandatory that Ford would buy any Ford driver a HANS device if you would wear it. That’s how important they knew it was.”
NASCAR’s darkest day came in 2001, when seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt was killed in the final turn of the season-opening Daytona 500. Earnhardt was the fourth national series driver killed in nine months.
NASCAR never stopped after the deaths of Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin Jr. and Tony Roper, but losing Earnhardt forced the racing series to confront safety issues it had been slow to acknowledge.
The dramatic upgrades since have saved multiple lives — NASCAR hasn’t suffered a racing death in its three national series since — and are the hallmark of Earnhardt’s legacy.
NASCAR mandated the use of head-and-neck restraints in late 2001. Drivers had resisted using the U-shaped device made of carbon fiber because they found it cumbersome and restrictive.
“Unfortunately, it takes a death for new safety equipment/measures to be implemented,” said longtime motorsports writer Deb Williams.
Williams pointed to the deaths of Joe Weatherly, Glenn Roberts Jr., Jimmy Pardue and Billy Wade between 1964 and ’65, saying they led to six-point harnesses, tire inner liners and fire-retardant uniforms.
The next wave of progress followed the deaths of Petty, Irwin, Roper and Earnhardt.
“The most important one was the HANS device,” Williams said. “Drivers have suffered concussions, but since the HANS device was required, there hasn’t been a fatality in NASCAR’s top three series from a basal skull fracture.”
Voting for the HANS device was far from unanimous. Three of the 12 contributors, including three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and NASCAR executive Steve O’Donnell, called SAFER barriers the No. 1 advancement.
“Without them, we would have far more concussions, far more broken bones,” Hamlin said.
The Steel And Foam Energy Reduction Barrier was designed to absorb and reduce kinetic energy during high-speed crashes. Also dubbed “soft walls,” they have been gradually added to nearly every NASCAR track.
“If you look at the industry coming together, it was a unified effort in the name of safety,” O’Donnell said. “Without question, this enhancement has saved countless lives. There was full collaboration from key stakeholders not only within NASCAR, but the entire motorsports community as a whole.”
Winston Kelly, executive director at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, said SAFER barriers “transcend all forms of motorsports.”
Several contributors considered HANS devices and SAFER barriers equally critical to NASCAR’s technology breakthroughs. Other safety innovations that received votes: fuel cells, carbon-fiber seats, padding around drivers’ helmets, insulation inside the cockpit and window nets.
All of them came into play during Preece’s crash. They helped make his car undoubtably the safest in NASCAR history.
“Certainly looked very violent and very airborne,” said Buescher, who compared it to his ferocious rollover at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2022. “It beats you up. I haven’t seen it, so I don’t know how big of a sudden stop or one major impact along the way. I just know that it was painful in the fact that it’s knocking you around so many different directions so quickly. It just doesn’t feel good. There’s no way to go about it.
“Appreciative of how safe our race cars are. I think as an industry sometimes we forget that it is dangerous still, and that can certainly lead to some of our wilder moments.”
TOP INDIANA PRESS RELEASES
COLTS FOOTBALL
REPORT: PACKERS EYED TRADE FOR COLTS RB JONATHAN TAYLOR
The Green Bay Packers engaged in trade talks with the Indianapolis Colts about running back Jonathan Taylor, ESPN reported Wednesday.
NFL Network reported Tuesday that the Colts received “significant interest” from two teams, believed now to be the Miami Dolphins and Packers.
No deals came to fruition before the Colts’ self-imposed deadline of Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, and the 2021 NFL rushing champion will open the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.
Taylor, 24, who requested a trade on July 30 over the lack of contract extension talks, is ineligible to play the season’s first four games while on the PUP list.
The NFL trade deadline is Oct. 31.
A deal with Green Bay would have brought Taylor back to Wisconsin, where he posted back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons with the Badgers in 2018 and 2019.
Taylor has rushed for 3,841 yards and 33 touchdowns and added 104 catches for 802 yards and three scores in 43 games (41 starts) since the Colts drafted him in the second round in 2020.
Zack Moss, Deon Jackson and Evan Hull are the running backs on the Colts’ 53-man roster to open the season.
The Packers have running backs Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon and undrafted rookie Emanuel Wilson on the roster.
COLTS SIGN 16 TO PRACTICE SQUAD
LB Liam Anderson
S Henry Black
S Marcel Dabo
RB Jake Funk
S Ronnie Harrison Jr.
RB Jason Huntley
WR D.J. Montgomery
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad
LB Donavan Mutin
WR Amari Rodgers
DT Caleb Sampson
T Dan Skipper
WR Mike Strachan
CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart
CB Kevin Toliver II
WR Juwann Winfree
COLTS CLAIM T-RYAN HAYES, DE-ISAIAH LAND AND G-JOSH SILLS OFF WAIVERS
Indianapolis – The Indianapolis Colts today claimed tackle Ryan Hayes (from Miami), defensive end Isaiah Land (from Dallas) and guard Josh Sills (from Philadelphia) off waivers. The team also waived defensive tackle McTelvin Agim, waived guard/tackle Carter O’Donnell and released wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie.
Hayes, 6-7, 305 pounds, participated in the Dolphins’ 2023 offseason program and training camp. He was selected by Miami in the seventh round (238th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. Collegiately, Hayes played in 40 games (30 starts) at left tackle at Michigan (2018-22). He earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors in each of his last two seasons. Hayes was part of a Wolverines’ offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award for the nation’s top offensive line in back-to-back seasons (2021 and 2022).
Land, 6-4, 225 pounds, participated in the Cowboys’ 2023 offseason program and training camp. He was signed by Dallas as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2023. Collegiately, Land appeared in 30 games at Florida A&M (2018-22) and compiled 89 tackles (62 solo), 42.5 tackles for loss, 29.0 sacks, eight passes defensed, one interception, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2021, he earned Associated Press First Team All-America honors and the Buck Buchanan Award as the best defensive player in the FCS after leading the nation in tackles for loss (25.5) and sacks (19.0).
Sills, 6-6, 325 pounds, participated in the Eagles’ 2023 offseason program and training camp. As a rookie in 2022, he saw action in one game with Philadelphia after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent on May 6, 2022. Collegiately, Sills saw action in 52 career games (47 starts) at Oklahoma State (2020-21) and West Virginia (2016-19). He earned numerous accolades, including First Team All-Big 12 (2021) recognition and Second Team All-Big 12 (2018) honors.
Agim, 6-3, 300 pounds, was originally signed to the Colts practice squad on December 15, 2022. He spent Weeks 1-14 of last season on the Denver Broncos practice squad. From 2020-21, Agim played in 17 games with the Broncos and compiled 12 tackles (four solo), 1.0 tackle for loss, 1.5 sacks and two passes defensed. He was originally selected by Denver in the third round (95th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.
O’Donnell, 6-5, 305 pounds, spent the entire 2022 season on Indianapolis’ Injured Reserve list. In 2021, he spent time on the team’s active roster and practice squad but did not see game action. As a rookie in 2020, O’Donnell spent the entire season on the Colts practice squad after originally signing with the team as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2020. Collegiately, he played four seasons at the University of Alberta in Canada and earned First Team All-Canadian honors in 2019 and Second Team All-Canadian honors in 2018. O’Donnell was a Canada West All-Star in 2018 and 2019.
McKenzie, 5-8, 173 pounds, was signed by the Colts as a free agent on March 22, 2023. He has played in 80 career games (26 starts) in his time with the Buffalo Bills (2018-22) and Denver Broncos (2017-18) and has compiled 141 receptions for 1,345 yards and 11 touchdowns. McKenzie has also registered 47 carries for 230 yards and four touchdowns. He has totaled one passing touchdown, two special teams tackles, 50 kickoff returns for 1,112 yards (22.2 avg.) and 58 punt returns for 518 yards (8.9 avg.) and one touchdown. McKenzie was originally selected by the Broncos in the fifth round (172nd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.
INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL BREAKDOWN: WEEK 1
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Big Ten Volleyball season is off and running in 2023. Perhaps the nation’s deepest conference, the Big Ten offers a wide variety of physical and skillful teams that have a shot at making the NCAA Tournament this year.
After one week of action, here’s how thing shake out in the conference.
BIG TEN WEEK IN REVIEW
• An up-and-down weekend for the Big Ten saw seven teams go undefeated including Indiana who swept its own invitational.
• Minnesota and Wisconsin both defeated Baylor and Wisconsin at the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in Minneapolis.
• Northwestern closed out its weekend in Hawaii by defeating No. 13 San Diego in four sets.
• Nebraska and Indiana were perfect in their respective invitationals.
• Penn State was defeated by both Georgia Tech and Florida while Purdue lost to Creighton and Loyola (Chicago).
• Ohio State won three matches at Northern Kentucky including a five-set win over Bowling Green.
AT A GLANCE
• Six Big Ten teams are ranked in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll including four in the top-12 (Wisconsin, Nebraska, Minnesota, Ohio State)
STAT LEADERS (Indiana)
Team
• Opp. Hitting Percentage (1st, .054)
• Aces Per Set (2nd, 2.89)
• Total Aces (1st, 26)
• Total Blocks (3rd, 24)
#10 Haworth, Camryn
• Aces Per Set (1st, 0.89)
• Total Aces (1st, 8)
#16 Geddes, Morgan
• Hitting Percentage (1st, .750)
• Aces Per Set (3rd, 0.67)
# 18 Rammelsberg, Kaley
• Hitting Percentage (3rd, .565)
#11 Vickers, Ava
• Blocks per Set (3rd, 1.83)
WEEKLY AWARDS
August 28th
• Player of the Week: Emily Londot, OH/OPP (Ohio State)
• Defensive Player of the Week: Kylie Murr, L (Minnesota)
• Setter of the Week: Mia Tuman, S (Ohio State)
• Freshman of the Week: Harper Murray, OH (Nebraska)
THIS WEEK IN THE BIG TEN
Tuesday, August 29th
Western Michigan at Michigan (6:00 PM)
Valpo at Illinois (7:00 PM)
Texas at Minnesota (8:00 PM)
Wednesday, August 30th
Wisconsin at Arkansas (8:00 PM)
Omaha at Nebraska (8:00 PM)
Thursday, August 31st
Rutgers vs. Winthrop (2:00 PM)
Purdue at Kansas (7:30 PM)
Wisconsin at Arkansas (8:00 PM)
Indiana at Long Beach State (10:00 PM)
Friday, September 1st
Georgia Tech at Ohio State (TBD)
Maryland vs. Old Dominion (4:00 PM)
Purdue vs. Marquette (4:00 PM)
Rutgers vs. NC State (6:00 PM
Wichita State vs. Illinois (6:00 PM)
Illinois State vs. Northwestern (6:00 PM)
Western Kentucky vs. Penn State (6:00 PM)
Indiana vs. UCLA (7:00 PM)
Middle Tennessee vs. Iowa (7:00 PM)
Saturday, September 2nd
Georgia Tech at Ohio State (TBD)
Belmont vs. Michigan State (10:00 AM)
Rutgers vs. Howard (1:00 PM
Colgate vs. Penn State (2:00 PM)
Maryland vs. Utah Valley (2:30 PM)
Michigan vs. Colorado State (3:00 PM)
Syracuse vs. Michigan State (7:00 PM)
Kent State vs. Iowa (7:00 PM)
Indiana vs. Washington (7:00 PM)
Saturday, September 2nd
Minnesota at Florida (12:00 PM)
Michigan at Arkansas (12:00 PM)
Delaware State at Michigan State (1:00 PM)
James Madison at Penn State (2:00 PM)
Illinois State at Illinois (2:00 PM)
Tennessee at Wisconsin (2:00 PM)
Maryland at Navy (2:00 PM)
South Dakota State at Iowa (3:00 PM)
Nebraska at Kansas State (5:00 PM)
INDIANA MEN’S TENNIS
INDIANA MEN’S TENNIS ANNOUNCES FALL SCHEDULE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. —– Indiana Men’s Tennis head coach Jeremy Wurtzman has announced the team’s 2023 fall schedule.
The Hoosiers will travel to four different invitationals starting in September and finishing in November.
Indiana will open the fall slate in the ITA All American Championship on Sep. 30 in Tulsa, Okla. and then compete in the Bobby Bayliss Invitational the following weekend on Oct. 6-8 in South Bend, Ind.
The Hoosiers will also compete in the ITA Ohio Valley Regional on Oct. 12-16 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The fall schedule will conclude with the Big Ten Singles and Doubles Championships on Nov. 2-5 in Madison, Wis.
Indiana Men’s Tennis 2023 Fall Schedule
Saturday, Sep. 30-October 8 | ITA All-American Championship | All Day
Oct. 6-8 | Bobby Bayliss Invitational | TBD
Oct 12-16 | ITA Ohio Valley Regional | All Day
Nov. 2-5 | Big Ten Singles and Doubles Championship | All Day
INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY
HOOSIERS WELCOME 31 STUDENT-ATHLETES TO CROSS COUNTRY, TRACK AND FIELD PROGRAMS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana director of Cross Country and Track and Field head coach Ed Bethea and staff announce the addition of 31 student-athletes to the Hoosier’s Cross Country and Track and Field programs for the 2023-2024 season on Wednesday afternoon.
The cross-country class will feature seven freshman and two transfers too both the men’s and women’s squads.
Cross Country
“Coach (Andrew) Poore did a fantastic of putting this class together,” head cross country coach Eric Heins said. “We have a great group of women that are talented, enthusiastic and team oriented. I am looking forward to seeing how they fit into the program and grow as individuals over the coming years. I feel very fortunate to step into a program with such a great incoming class.”
Amelia Dodds | Distance | Hamilton, Ontario, CA | St. Thomas More
Personal Bests:
800: 2:08.27
400: 56.25
“Amelia had a great finish to her senior track season. She is a very determined individual and willing to put in the work to improve. She can be an immediate contributor at the Big Ten Championships in the middle-distance events.”
Veronica Hargrave | Distance | Plainfield, Ind. | Plainfield
Personal Bests:
800: 2:15
1600: 4:57
5K XC: 18:25
“An all-state performer in the 1600m, Veronica has shown great range from 800m to cross country. She has natural speed and is a true competitor. With consistent training, Veronica has all the tools to become a fantastic runner in the Big Ten.”
Jasmine Klopstad | Distance | Carmel, Ind. | Carmel
Personal Bests:
3200: 11:06
800: 2:17
5k XC: 17:55
“Jasmine was a significant contributor on Carmel High School’s Cross-Country team all four years of high school. Her team never finished lower than third place, including a team title in 2020. She understands what successful teams look like and her experience will be invaluable to the continued development of our program.”
Catie McCabe | Distance | Hinsdale, Ill. | Hinsdale Central
Personal Bests:
800: 2:12
1600m: 4:52
3 Mile XC: 16:58
“Catie had a stellar high school career in the state of Illinois. Posting runner up finishes in the 800m and 1600m as well as strong showings at the Illinois Cross Country Championships. Catie will be a great addition to the program with her ability to run everything from 800m to 5k.”
Lily Myers | Distance | Bloomington, Ind. | Bloomington South
Personal Bests:
800: 2:13
1600: 4:54
3200: 10:36
5K XC: 17:48
“Lily has had a fantastic progression throughout high school. She has improved her times each year setting personal bests in the 800m, 1600m and 3200m in her senior year. She has a quiet confidence about her that coupled with her love of running will help her continue that progression throughout her collegiate career. As a Bloomington native, she is IU through and through.”
Addison Price | Distance | Centennial, Colo. | Cherry Creek
Personal Bests:
800: 2:14
1600: 4:50
3200: 10:48
5K XC: 16:53
“Addison has been a consistent performer at the Colorado State Championships for the past few years. Most of her races have been run at altitude, but when given the opportunity to run at sea-level she has put up some fast times. We are really excited to see what Addison can do with a consistent year of training.”
Grace Tyson | Distance | Wildwood, Mo. | Lafayette
Personal Bests:
1600: 4:54
2 Mile: 10:30
5K XC: 17:42
“Grace had an excellent senior year, winning the Missouri Cross Country State Championships in the fall and runner up finish at 1600m in the spring. She is a tremendous competitor with a passion for the sport that is hard to beat. Grace can contribute this fall as a true freshman.”
Andi VanMeter| Distance | Jasper, Ind. | Jasper/Louisville
Personal Bests:
3200: 10:47
5k XC: 18:04
“Andi has had a tremendous summer of training and is looking to make in impact at IU in her first semester. She has maintained a positive attitude through a series of unfortunate injuries and will add valuable depth to the women’s cross-country group. She will work as hard as anyone I have ever coached.”
Emma Everhardt-Deckard| Distance | Rockford, Mich. | Rockford/Grand Valley State
Personal Bests:
5K: 17:05
10K: 34:53
“Emma ran for NCAA D-2 powerhouse Grand Valley State before coming to IU for Law School. She is a national qualifier at 10,000 meters. Her experience at the National Championships and running for GVSU will be a nice addition to a relatively young team.”
Men:
“This recruiting class is a very deep group,” Heins said. “It includes some of the best runners from the State of Indiana as well as a few men from around the region. Great cross-country programs need depth, and it takes time for runners to develop into good 8k and 10k runners. We feel that this group of incoming freshmen will be able to do lead the program into the future.”
Freshman:
Owen Forberg | Distance | Oak Lawn, Ill. | Richards
Personal Bests:
1600: 4:12, 3 Mile XC: 15:02
“Owen had a breakthrough Junior year earning All-State in the 1600m. He has a great work ethic and positive attitude towards training, which will lead to the ability to contribute in events from 1500m to cross country.”
Clayton Guthrie | Distance | Columbus, Ind. | Columbus North
Personal Bests:
1600: 4:20
5K: 15:04
“Clayton comes out of a very good high school program and understands the team concept of cross country. He missed some time due to injury but is motivated to put in the work necessary to be a scoring member of IU’s cross-country team.”
Stefan Haug | Distance | Niwot, Colo. | Niwot
Personal Bests:
2 Mile: 9:14
“Stefan is another one of our recruits that was part of a great high school program. Being around great runners on his high school team will help his transition to college running. He comes from a family of runners and has a ton of potential at events like the 3000-meter steeple chase as well as add depth to the cross-country roster.”
Brayden Henkle | Distance | Indianapolis, Ind. | Franklin Central
Personal Bests:
Mile: 4:14
3200: 9:13
5K XC: 15:16
“Brayden was a top ten finisher at the Indiana State Cross Country Championships and competed well on the track over 1600 meters and 3200 meters. He is another freshman that I believe will benefit from increased mileage and consistent training with teammates. He shows a lot of potential at Cross Country and some of the longer events on the track.”
Nate Killeen | Distance | Indianapolis, Ind. | North Central
Personal Bests:
800: 1:51
1600: 4:13
3200: 9:13
5K XC: 15:09
“Nate has incredible range for a distance runner. Finishing top ten at the Indiana State Cross Country Championships and winning the 800m State title in the same year. Nate is someone that has only begun to scratch the surface of what he can do.”
Aaron Lord | Distance | New Albany, Ind. | New Albany
Personal Bests:
1600: 4:07
3200: 9:08
5k XC: 15:30
“Aaron had a terrific senior season starting with a top 10 finish at the Indiana State Cross Country Championships and finishing with a 6th place finish in the 1600m at the State Championships. Aaron has the footspeed to run a good mile, but also the endurance to be competitive in the longer events on the track.”
Aidan Lord | Distance | New Albany, Ind. | New Albany
Personal Bests:
Mile: 4:14
3200: 9:11
5k XC: 15:00
“Aidan had a great senior season of cross country winning 5 straight races. He was running really well last fall but was unable to finish the state championship race due to an injury. He put in the work to get back into shape for the track season but still missed a lot of time. I look forward to seeing what Aidan can do with a full season of training.”
Transfers:
Nolan Satterfield | Distance | Fishers, Ind. | Hamilton Southeastern/Louisville
Personal Bests:
800: 1:52
1500: 3:52
“A transfer from the University of Louisville, Nolan gained valuable experience racing at the ACC Championships in cross country and outdoor track and field. Nolan is one of those runners that has great closing speed but is also able to run competitive cross country and provide depth to the top 7.”
Martin Segurola | Distance | San Sebastian, Spain | St. Edward’s University
Personal Bests:
800: 1:52
1500: 3:48
“Martin is someone that got into running late in his high school career and has shown a lot of potential in the middle-distance area. Martin’s season was cut short last year due to an injury but has had a great summer and will be a great addition to the 800-1500 group. He will be able to help that group with their longer workouts and he will benefit from running with them during their shorter workouts.”
Track
On the track side, the women add seven newcomers while the men welcome six to the 2023-24 class.
Women
Symone Adams I Sprints-Jumps I Aurora, Colorado I Cherokee Trail
60m – 7.61
100m – 11.91
200m – 24.32
Long Jump – 18’6
“Symone had a breakout junior year and did a great job of overcoming obstacles her senior to arrive on campus healthy and ready to go. I’m looking forward to getting her into our system.”
Zoe Arvanitis I Pole Vault I Plainfield, Indiana I Plainfield
Pole Vault-12’3
“Zoe will continue to grow as a vaulter in our program. She brings a positive work ethic to the team.”
Bridget Beyer I Throws I Zionsville, Indiana I Zionsville Community
Shot Put – 41’8
Discus – 75’11
Hammer – 82’5.75
“Bridget is a great team player. She works hard on and off the field. Her attitude and mindset brings a great amount of energy to the team. We look forward to her success in the future.”
Kenisha Phillips | Sprints | Georgetown, Guyana | Chase’s Academic Foundation/Austin Peay
60m – 7.49
100m – 11.58
400m – 52.44
200m – 23.28
“Kenisha brings a wealth of experience on the collegiate level, with a lot of range as a complete sprinter. She currently holds 4 individual records, and the 4x4meter relay school record for Austin Peay State, along with the ASUN indoor and Outdoor Conference 400meter records. We are looking forward to her continued growth as well as someone who will bring experience, and some leadership qualities within our program.”
Libby Saloga I Pole Vault I Aurora, Illinois I Aurora (Rosary)
Pole Vault – 12’6
“Libby comes a pole-vaulting family and is eager to continue the family tradition. I am looking forward to her development and growth this season.”
Kristina Vincic I Sprints-Jumps I Pickering, Ontario, CA I Ancaster
60m – 7.56
100m – 11.67
200m – 24.27
400m – 55.30
Long Jump – 18’9
“Kristina has tremendous range. She will add much needed depth to our sprint crew. I am looking forward to seeing her progress in our program.”
Cambell Wamsley I Sprints I Carmel, Ind. I Carmel
400m – 56.80
“Cambell will bring a great work ethic along with a contagious positive attitude. She will be a great addition to the group.”
Men
Drew Franklin I Decathlon I Carmel, Ind. | Carmel
Shot Put – 57’7
Discus – 188’5
“Drew is coming to us after a standout senior track season at Carmel. He too is very athletic and eager to learn more about the decathlon.”
Max Grangier I Decathlon I Georgetown, Ind. | Floyd Central
300m – placed seventh at State Meet
“Max is an all-around good athlete. He qualified multiple times in multiple events and show great promise in becoming a decathlete.”
Zach Greller I Sprints I Greenwood, Ind. I Center Grove
200m – 22.54
400m – 48.65
“Zach has tremendous potential. He comes for a tough Center Grove program and understands the meaning of hard work.”
Deepak Laungani I Northville, Mich. I Northville
High Jump – 6’7.25
“Deepak comes to us with tremendous potential in the high jump. His athletic ability and inexperience in the event allow for his development into a solid contributor for the team.”
Garrett Messer I Decathlon I Greenwood, Ind. I Center Grove
Shot Put – 57’6.50
Discus – 185’9.50
Javelin – 153’9
“Garrett has great throwing ability, athleticism, and attitude to make him a great decathlete.”
Transfer
Novo Onovwerosuoke I St. Louis, Missouri I MICDS High School/Tulsa University
200m – 21.43
400m – 47.63
“Novo made great strides in his first year at Tulsa. He will add much needed depth to our sprint group. He is the best kept secret of the class.”
INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
HOOSIERS TRAVEL TO NO. 25 TENNESSEE, HOST HUSKIES IN WEEK THREE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana women’s soccer team heads to Knoxville for a match against No. 25 Tennessee at Regal Stadium before returning home to host Northern Illinois on Sunday, Sept. 3.
STREAMING
• Kick off at Regal Soccer Stadium is slated for 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ with Will Boling (PxP) and Tori Beeler-Watson (Analyst) on the call.
• Sunday’s home match against Northern Illinois will be broadcasted on B1G+ at 7 p.m. ET.
ABOUT THE VOLS
• No. 25 Tennessee (3-1-0) is coming off a 2-1 loss against Southern Methodist. Graduate midfielder Sizzy Lawton recorded her first career goal for the equalizer before the Mustangs found the net again in the 84th minute.
• Sophomore forward Kameron Simmonds leads the attack with four goals, totaling eight points in 208 minutes played.
• Head coach Joe Kirt enters his 17th season with the Lady Vols and his second with the reins of the program. In 2022, he led the Vols to their third straight SEC East Division Championship.
• Tennessee finished second in the league with 22 points and 10 shutouts.
• Redshirt sophomore Ally Zazzara has earned two victories with four saves for a .667 save percentage. Zazzara has totaled 180 minutes between the posts along with 1.00 goals against average.
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
• Northern Illinois (2-1-1) will face the Hoosiers after a week off. The Huskies played Oakland to a nil-nil draw on Sunday, Aug. 27 after the defense held the Grizzlies to only one shot in the match.
• Freshman midfielder Isabel Struble leads the team with two goals and five shots for a .800 shot on goal percentage. Junior defender Lea Gruennagel follows with one goal, two assists and four shots.
• Redshirt senior goalkeeper Sadie McGille has started in all four games in goal totaling six saves. She holds a .857 save percentage along with three shutouts.
• Through four games, NIU has given up one goal in 19 shot attempts.
• Head coach Michael O’Neill enters his second season at the helm of the Huskie’s program. In his first season, he led NIU to six wins, the most since 2017 and finished with a 6-8-4 record.
SERIES HISTORY
• It’s been over a decade since the two squads took the pitch against each other.
•The Hoosiers lead the series against the Vols, 1-0. The two squads last saw each other on Aug. 29, 2008, when IU defeated No. 14 ranked UT, 2-0, in the Aggie Soccer Invitational in College Station, Texas.
• Indiana will face Northern Illinois in their first ever match up.
RANKED OPPONENTS
• Indiana has seven teams that are ranked second edition of the United Soccer Coaches rankings, highlighted by three top-20 Big Ten opponents in No. 10 Penn State, No. 17 Michigan State, No. 18 Northwestern and RV Virginia Tech and Rutgers.
• In the non-conference slate, Indiana will face Virginia Tech who is currently receiving votes as well as Big Ten foe Rutgers.
• Since rankings were tracked during the 2001 season, Indiana has not played more than five ranked opponents in a single season. The Hoosiers took on five ranked foes in 2007, 2009 and 2015.
• The Hoosiers last toppled a ranked opponent on Sept. 8, 2017, with a 1-0 triumph over No. 23 SMU in Dallas, but did earn a result after a 0-0 draw against No. 7 Michigan on Oct. 3, 2021, and against No. 8 Penn State on Sept. 18, 2022.
#IUWS PROMOTIONS
• Pups at the Pitch – Bring your furry friend to Bill Armstrong Stadium as we host the Northern Illinois Huskies on Sunday, Sept. 3. Fans will receive one Indiana script doggie bag dispenser per pup.
HOOSIER POINTS
GOALS:
Anna Bennett (20′), Paige Webber (60′), Lauren Costello (74′) vs. Illinois State on Aug. 17
Sydney Masur (10′), Paige Webber (46′), Piper Coffield (69′) vs. Morehead State on Aug. 24
Marisa Grzesiak vs. Evansville on Aug. 27
ASSISTS:
Anna Bennett, Lauren Costello (2), Piper Coffield, Paige Webber vs. Illinois State on Aug. 17
Anna Bennett, Lauren Costello vs. Morehead State on Aug. 24
Anna Bennett vs. Evansville on Aug. 27
LAST TIME OUT
• Indiana (3-0-1) came out firing as they took 15 shots in the first half before scoring early in the 18th minute.
• The Hoosiers capitalized on a corner kick from senior midfielder Anna Bennett she crossed one into the 18-yard box. Junior defender Lauren Costello’s header was swatted by the keeper. Grzesiak’s netted the goal on a second chance header from Costello sending it into the far-right corner of the net.
• The Hoosiers held Evansville to only two shots in the first half. The Aces saw one opportunity on goal in the 54th minute, but junior goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg would make the grab.
• IU continued to bring the pressure firing off seven more shots in the second half with the backline holding strong in the remaining minutes.
THE COFFIELD, COSTELLO CONNECTION
• Lauren Costello, a junior transfer from LaSalle, and freshman Piper Coffield has made an immediate impact for the Hoosiers.
• The Pennsylvania natives have combined for two goals, five assists and nine points.
• Costello scored her first career goal and tallied two assists in the first week of the season as IU flew past Illinois State with a 3-1 win to open the season.
• They have started in 4-of-4 matches for Indiana and have aided in three cleansheets while holding the backline strong in a nil-nil draw against a tough ACC opponent in Virginia Tech.
B1G WEEKLY AWARDS
• Junior defender Lauren Costello and freshman defender Piper Coffield earned their first Big Ten Weekly Awards on Tuesday, Aug. 29 after the Hoosiers posted two cleansheets against Morehead State and Evansville in week two of the regular season. The defenders anchored the Hoosier’s backline holding Morehead State and Evansville to only four shots each. The eagles had only three chances on goal with the Aces seeing only one.
FRESHMEN ON THE PITCH
• Freshman defender Piper Coffield earned her first career start, playing a full 90 minutes on the pitch and added her first career assist against Illinois State. She has started in 4-4 games with 360 minutes on the pitch.
• Freshmen Elle Britt, Kennedy Neighbors, Mary Kate Sullivan and Paige Droner also made their first collegiate debuts against Illinois State.
• Britt and Neighbors earned their first career starts against Virginia Tech on Aug. 20.
BENNETT AND WEBBER – DYNAMIC DUO
• Senior midfielder Anna Bennett and graduate forward Paige Webber are on the attack combining for three goals, four assists and 10 points and 22 shots.
• Bennett scored the first goal of the season in the 20th minute against Illinois State on an assist from Webber while Webber netted the Hoosiers’ second goal on an assist from junior defender Lauren Costello in the 54th minute.
GERSTENBERG IN GOAL
• Junior goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg has tallied three shutouts this season bringing her career total to 18. Six more shutouts would surpass former teammate Bethany Kopel (2017-22) who holds the career record with 23 cleansheets.
• The Birkenwerder, Germany, native surpassed Sarah Stone (2012-15) for most career victories as she moves into the top-10 with 13 wins.
1. Merit Elzey 1994-97 35
2. Bethany Kopel 2017-22 30
3. Shannon Flower 2010-13 24
4. Shaunna Daugherty 2000-03 23
5. Lauren Hollandsworth 2007-10 22
6. Ashley Davis 1996-99 21
7. Lindsay Campbell 2008-11 17
8. Stacey Van Boxmeer 2003-06 15
9. Lauren Fabbro 2003-05 14
10. Jamie Gerstenberg 2021-pr. 13
11. Sarah Stone 2012-15 12
PURDUE FOOTBALL
GAME 1 PREP: FOOTBALL BEGINS 100TH SEASON AT ROSS ADE, KICKS OFF WALTERS ERA
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue opens its 136th season of football, including the 100th at Ross-Ade Stadium, by hosting Fresno State in a non-conference matchup. The battle against the reigning Mountain West champs kicks off at noon on BTN.
The Boilermakers and Bulldogs are meeting for the first time in history, and it is just the fourth time Purdue has faced a current member of the Mountain West Conference.
Ryan Walters makes his debut as head coach of the Boilermakers. The 37-year old became the 37th head coach in Purdue Football history on December 13, 2022 after serving as coordinator for the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense throughout the 2022 season.
Purdue enters the 2023 season as the reigning Big Ten West champions, capturing the division title for the first time in school history. The Boilermakers won eight regular season games, including six conference matchups, reaching both win totals in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1997-1998 when Joe Tiller served as Purdue’s head coach.
A NEW ERA
• Ryan Walters, considered one of the nation’s fastest rising young coaches, was named the 37th head football coach at Purdue.
• In his second season as defensive coordinator for Illinois in 2022, Walters emerged as one of the nation’s best defensive play callers by guiding the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense (12.3) and No. 2 defense in yards allowed per game (263.8).
• Behind Walters’ defense, the Illini recorded five wins holding their opponents under seven points and seven wins at 10 points or fewer.
• Leading the Illini defense to Top 10 national rankings in 17 different defensive categories, Walters was named 247Sports Defensive Coordinator of the Year and On3 Coordinator of the Year.
A CENTURY OF MEMORIES
• The Boilermakers celebrate their 100th season at Ross-Ade Stadium with a new south end zone stand for students and the Tiller Tunnel that connects back to the Kozuch Football Performance Center.
• The Boilermakers enter the season with a 297-201-15 record at Ross-Ade Stadium.
• Purdue will become the eighth school from the Big Ten to amass 300 wins at their current stadium. That spot will be 10th when Washington and USC join the conference next year.
• Ross-Ade Stadium has played host to titanic clashes throughout the years as Purdue sent 11 AP top-5 teams home with a loss, including No. 2 Ohio State in 2018, No. 1 Michigan in 1953 and No. 1 Notre Dame in 1965.
• From the Cradle of Quarterbacks to the Den of Defensive Ends, countless legends of Purdue and college football have trod across the natural-grass field, including Boilermakers names like Len Dawson, Leroy Keyes, Joe Tiller, Drew Brees, Otis Armstrong and Jack Mollenkopf.
REIGNING B1G WEST CHAMPS
• Purdue enters the 2023 season as the reigning Big Ten West champions, capturing the division title for the first time in school history.
• The Boilermakers won three straight games to finish 6-3 in conference play, winning six B1G games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 1997 and 1998 seasons under Joe Tiller.
• Purdue won eight regular season games in consecutive seasons for the first time since those same two Tiller teams as well.
TEAM CAPTAINS
• After having game-by-game captains for the past three seasons, Purdue will have season captains for the 2023 campaign.
• QB Hudson Card, C Gus Hartwig, DB Sanoussi Kane, OLB Nic Scourton and WR TJ Sheffield were voted captains by their teammates.
HONORARY CAPTAIN
• Mike Alstott will serve as Purdue’s honorary captain for the season opener.
• The bruising fullback enjoyed a stellar career, becoming one of the most-decorated and most-accomplished players ever to don the Old Gold and Black.
• He holds school record for rushing yards in a season (1,436 in 1995) and career (3,635) and most 100-yard rushing games in a season (9 in 1995) and career (16).
• As a senior, Alstott was named an All-American and placed 11th in voting for the Heisman Trophy, widely regarded as the nation’s top fullback.
• Selected in the second round (No. 35 overall) of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Alstott spent his entire 12-year National Football League career with that franchise from 1996 to 2007. He ended his career as Tampa Bay’s career leader with 71 touchdowns (58 rushing and 13 receiving) and second with 5,088 rushing yards. He helped the Buccaneers win Super Bowl XXXVII 48-21 over the Oakland Raiders, scoring the first Super Bowl touchdown by a Purdue alum. Alstott was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at Raymond James Stadium on Oct. 4, 2015.
• Alstott was inducted into the Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER
• The Purdue coaching staff has brought some energy with them to West Lafayette as one of the youngest in the country.
• The average age of the staff is 39.
• Head coach Ryan Walters turned 37 in January.
• Outside linebackers coach Joe Dineen, named to the annual 30 Under 30 list by 247Sports, is the youngest on staff at age 27.
• DL coach Brick Haley (57) is the veteran of the group with 31 years of coaching experience.
OPPONENT SNAPSHOT
• Purdue faces Fresno State for the first time in history.
• The Bulldogs are coming off a 10-win season in which they captured the Mountain West Championship with a 28-16 victory over Boise State in the conference title game.
• Fresno State lost quarterback Jake Haener to the NFL Draft but returns Logan Fife, who threw for 892 yards last season.
• Jeff Tedford enters his fifth season as the head coach of his alma mater, including his second straight season in his second stint as the program’s leader.
• Tedford guided Fresno State from 2017-19 before returning as head coach for the 2022 campaign. He has led the Bulldogs to three 10-win seasons (2017, 2018, 2022).
WHAT CAME BACK
• Entering the 2023 campaign, Purdue returns 61 of 108 letterwinners from a season ago.
• The Boilermakers brought back five starters on offense in Devin Mockobee, TJ Sheffield, Tyrone Tracy, Mahamane Moussa, Marcus Mbow and Gus Hartwig.
• On the defensive side, Kydran Jenkins, Sanoussi Kane, OC Brothers and Cam Allen are the lone starting returners.
• The Boilermakers return one full-time specialist in third-year starter Jack Ansell, while Ben Freehill will take over field goal duties following last season as the kickoff specialist. Nic Taylor will make his starting debut in the long snapping spot.
THROWING IT BACK
• Starting a new era of Purdue Football, the Boilermakers will give a nod to its past by wearing black throwback jerseys this season.
• The uniforms mirror the ones worn during the 2000 season, when quarterback Drew Brees and head coach Joe Tiller led Purdue to a Big Ten title and into the Rose Bowl.
• Purdue last wore the jerseys against Illinois, Walters’ former team, in 2021.
A DAUNTING SCHEDULE
• Purdue faces one of the toughest schedules in the country, starting with the season opener against a Fresno State team that won 10 games in 2022.
• The difficult non-conference slate continues with ACC opponents Virginia Tech (Sept. 9) and Syracuse (Sept. 16), making the Boilermakers one of only five Power 5 teams to play non-conference games against Power 5 opponents in back-to-back weeks (Colorado, Pitt, Utah, Virginia Tech).
• In conference play, Purdue faces a pair of opponents who made the College Football Playoff last season; the Boilermakers host Ohio State (Oct. 14) and travel to Michigan (Nov. 4).
PURDUE WOMEN’S SOCCER
ROAD TRIP BEGINS AT NO. 19 USC
LOS ANGELES – The Purdue soccer team takes to the road for the first time this season with a trip that begins at No. 19 USC on Thursday, August 31, in Los Angeles.
Kickoff is at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT at McAlister Field.
USC will have a live stream of the contest, and live stats are available at USCTrojans.com. Updates from Los Angeles also can be found by following and connecting with @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
Thursday is a rematch of a memorable season-opening win for the Boilermakers over the No. 15-ranked Trojans last season. In front of a then-record crowd of 3,296 fans at Folk Field, Purdue upset USC, 3-0. This year’s non-conference matchup in Los Angeles also comes one year before USC joins the Big Ten Conference.
As the Boilermakers play away from Folk Field for the first time this season, they are 2-2-0 after a 2-0 loss to Wake Forest on Sunday. The defeat snapped a two-game win streak where Purdue scored 12 goals. The Trojans, ranked No. 19 nationally, are 2-1-0 and return home after a 3-1 win at No. 4 Duke and a 4-0 loss at No. 3 North Carolina.
Purdue ranks No. 11 nationally with 13 assists, No. 20 with 37 points and No. 23 with 12 goals. The Boilermakers have 63 shots, 30 on goal, and have allowed four goals for a 1.00 goals-against average. Eight of Purdue’s 12 goals have come from different players, and four of those are first career goals.
Individually, senior midfielder Emily Mathews is 14th in the NCAA with three assists. Junior forward Gracie Dunaway leads the team with three goals, 17 shots and seven shots on goal. She shares the team lead of six points with sophomore forward Kayla Budish, who has a pair of goals and two assists. Senior goalkeeper Charlotte Cyr has made 13 saves and allowed four goals for a .765 save percentage and a 1.06 goals-against average.
SCOUTING NO. 19 USC
No. 19 USC is 2-1-0 through the first two weeks of the season. The Trojans are coming off facing a pair of top-4 sides in North Carolina, with a 3-1 victory at No. 4 Duke on August 24 and a 4-0 loss at No. 3 North Carolina on August 27. The season began with a 1-0 win over Michigan. USC is ranked No. 19 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News also have the Trojans at No. 19 this week.
The Trojans have scored four goals on 26 shots with three assists through three games. They have allowed five goals on 40 shots. Kayla Colbert leads the team with four points, with a goal and two assists. Hannah Poulter has started all three games and has allowed two goals with six saves for a .750 save percentage and a 0.85 goals-against average.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE TROJANS
Purdue is 1-2-0 all-time against USC after last season’s home win. The two previous meetings took place in 2010 and 2011. The Trojans earned a 1-0 win in 2010 in Fullerton, California, and followed it up with a 2-1 triumph in overtime in West Lafayette the following year. Thursday’s game marks the first matchup between the two sides in Los Angeles.
The 2022 victory over USC occurred on August 18 and was the Boilermakers’ highest-ranked home win since 2006. It came in front of 3,296 fans, then the largest home crowd in program history by more than 1,000.
In a matchup between two NCAA Tournament, top-25 and conference runners-up from a year ago, Purdue took a 1-0 lead late in the first half on a goal by Naomi Splittorff. Dunaway added two goals in the second half to seal the top-15 victory while Budish registered two assists.
A complete recap from the match, including box score, postgame comments from coach Drew Roff and highlights, can be found at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
LAST TIME OUT: HOMESTAND ENDS WITH LOSS
Purdue lost to Wake Forest, 2-0, on Sunday afternoon at Folk Field. On a warm and sun-soaked day, the Boilermakers saw their two-game win streak snapped, while the Deamon Deacons remained unbeaten in their last 20 non-conference games. Wake Forest found their goals in the 44th and 79th minutes, and while Purdue had good chances in the final third throughout the game, the Old Gold and Black could not get a goal.
In the first-ever matchup between the two programs, Purdue out-shot Wake Forest 12-10, though the visitors had the edge in shots on target, 7-4. The home team earned all five corner kicks in the contest. The Boilermakers were called for 12 fouls and the Deamon Deacons committed 14. Six yellow cards were issued, three to each side.
Freshman forward Lauren Omholt had a game-high four shots, one on goal. Mathews and sophomore forward Brooke Haarala, off the bench, each had three shots, one on target. Cyr had a season-high-tying five saves.
A complete recap from the game is available at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
UP NEXT: OFF TO COLORADO
Purdue’s weekend concludes at Colorado on Sunday, September 3, at 2 p.m. ET / noon MT. The contest will be broadcast live on the Pac 12 Network.
PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
BOILERMAKERS RELEASE NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women’s basketball team released the remainder of its 2023-24 non-conference campaign Wednesday. The Boilermakers are set for a challenging slate ahead of Big Ten play that will feature six home games and five matchups with Power 5 opposition.
The Boilermakers already announced four games this summer. Purdue will travel to future Big Ten foe UCLA for an opening night contest Nov. 6, ahead of a trip to The Bahamas for the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship to face Florida (Nov. 20) and Georgia (Nov. 22).
Purdue will rekindle its rivalry with Notre Dame for the first time in the regular season since 2012-13 with a Dec. 17 bout at Purcell Pavilion.
The Boilermakers will welcome Texas A&M to Mackey Arena on Nov. 16. Purdue outlasted the Aggies 59-53 in College Station last year, a game that was rescheduled after both teams pulled out of a tournament in Las Vegas. The Boilermakers own a 4-1 series lead.
The Boilermakers will meet two clubs for the first time in 2023-24 in Southern and Southern Indiana. Purdue will square off with Southern in the home opener on Nov. 12, before returning to Mackey Arena after the trip to The Bahamas to play Southern Indiana on Nov. 26.
Following a road trip to Dayton on Dec. 1, Purdue will return to Mackey Arena for bouts with Valparaiso on Dec. 3 and Southeast Missouri State on Dec. 6 ahead of the game at Notre Dame.
The non-conference campaign wraps up Dec. 20 when Purdue plays Indiana State at Mackey Arena.
Head coach Katie Gearlds enters her third campaign at the helm of her alma mater after guiding Purdue to back-to-back postseason appearances. Five returners lead a roster that features eight newcomers.
The freshmen class of Mary Ashley Stevenson, Rashunda Jones, McKenna Layden, Sophie Swanson and Emily Monson were tabbed No. 21 in the nation before top-60 recruit Amiyah Reynolds committed to play in West Lafayette in May.
BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER
BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER BEGINS HOME STAND VS. IUPUI
The Butler women’s soccer team begins a five-match homestand, hosting IUPUI in Thursday evening. The Bulldogs (1-3-0, 0-0-0 BIG EAST) are coming off a 1-0 loss at Western Michigan, while the Jaguars (3-1-0, 0-0-0 Horizon League) most recently lost, 2-3, at SIUE.
Bulldog Bits
(as of 8/28/23)
Norah Jacomen’s three goals rank second in the BIG EAST and 34th nationally, and her seven total points rank second and 39th.
Anna Pierce’s save percentage of 0.909 ranks fourth in the BIG EAST and 39th nationally.
vs. Western Michigan
Leila Lister’s lone shot on goal for the Bulldogs was her second on-frame shot at Butler.
Becky Dean and Talia Sommer were additional Bulldogs to produce a shot in the match.
Anna Pierce (1-1-0) played the full 90 minutes in goal for Butler, making six saves.
The Matchup
SERIES RECORD: Butler leads, 14-3-1
LAST MEETING: Butler won, 1-0, in Indianapolis, Sept. 2, 2021
Butler is currently on a seven-game winning streak in the series, starting in 2013.
IUPUI’s most recent win in the series was a 3-1 victory at IUPUI in 2010.
IUPUI won four of the five matches from 2006-2010.
Scouting IUPUI
Previous match: at SIUE L, 2-3
IUPUI has wins over Southern Indiana (2-0), Southern Illinois (2-0), and Bellarmine (3-0).
Individual Statistics
Offensive standouts for IUPUI include:
#27 Caroline Kelley (3g)
#9 Shannon Ott (3g)
#2 Emma Antoine (3a)
#1 Ashton Kudio (3-0) is the primary keeper for the Jaguars. With four starts, she has allowed two goals and has made 11 saves. #00 Cailynn Junk (0-1) has three appearances, making two saves and giving up one goal.
BUTLER FOOTBALL
BUTLER FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW: BACKFIELD
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler will move Bulldogs all over the backfield throughout the 2023 season. This group of quarterbacks, running backs, fullbacks and tight ends will move the chains for the offense and keep the defense guessing.
Under center, Butler has six quarterbacks on the roster highlighted by the 2022 Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Year Bret Bushka. The Bulldog offense thrived under Mike Uremovich in his first season at the helm and Bushka was the man orchestrating the offense.
Bushka passed for 2,377 yards and 20 touchdowns while also leading the team with 627 rushing yards and five scores. He is one of 35 players to make the Preseason Watch List for the 2023 Walter Payton Award and is a Preseason All-PFL selection.
Eddie Schott, Brady Preston, and Reagan Andrew all return to the BU locker room this year and the coaching staff added Landon Hochstein and Sage Shindler to the program during the off-season. Schott came to Butler as a Ball State transfer and appeared in four games last year. Both Preston and Andrew took a redshirt year in 2022.
Joey Suchy, Brody Reder, and Kwesi Kyei-Fordjour saw snaps for the Bulldogs a year ago and are in line to contribute again this season. Suchy took over 100 handoffs last season and came up with 441 yards and four rushing touchdowns. Reder matched that effort with four TD’s on the ground and Kyei-Fordjour saw some drives to find the end zone twice for BU.
Ershod Jasey II, Griffin Caldwell and newcomer Jyran Mitchell are three more Bulldogs in the running back room. Jasey II and Caldwell each took a redshirt year in 2022, although Jasey II saw action in three games. Grad transfer Jyran Mitchell played wide receiver at Eastern Kentucky, but will help the Bulldog offense in multiple ways. Mitchell appeared in 21 games at EKU (2021-22) after a three-year career at Northern Illinois.
Different formations will call for different players to join the huddle for BU in 2023. Cameron Heald will certainly be in the mix after starting in five games for the Bulldogs in 2022. The All-PFL honorable mention selection will be joined on the field by three transfers, two returners and a newcomer. William Enneking came to Butler from Cornell, Grant Edwards is an Eastern Illinois transfer and Ryan Lezon traveled South to Indianapolis from Ball State. TJ Winston and Ethan Malafa will look for expanded roles this season and Beck Vermilion will also compete for playing time.
IUPUI CROSS COUNTRY
MEN’S XC PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN #HLXC POLLS; WOMEN PEGGED FOURTH
INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI men’s cross country team has been picked to finish second in the Horizon League according to the #HLXC Preseason Polls, released on Wednesday (Aug. 30). The women’s team has been picked to finish fourth by the league’s coaches.
Youngstown State earned nine of the 10 possible first-place votes to earn the top spot in the men’s poll while Milwaukee collected seven of the 11 possible first-place votes in the women’s poll to take the top spot.
Head coach Justin Roeder’s men’s team is coming off a runner-up finish at the 2022 #HLXC Championships and returns the bulk of last year’s roster, including all-league performers Grant Moon (1st team), Eric Petersen (1st team) and Nick Perkins (2nd team). Mitchell Gits just missed an all-league finish a year ago as well. The Jaguars’ will be buoyed by the return of Nate Kaiser from a redshirt last season and the addition of Purdue Fort Wayne-transfer Andrew Whitinger. Whitinger was a second team all-league finisher last season, placing tenth at the Horizon League Championships.
Head coach Antonio McDaniel’s women’s team returns the core of a team that finished fourth at last year’s Horizon League Championships. Senior Ellie Cates was a first team all-league finisher last season and classmate Madison Fry earned second team honors. Other key returners include Hannah Sale, Laci Provenzano and Julie Smith, all of whom were among the team’s top five finishers at last year’s league championships.
Both teams will begin their campaigns on Friday (Sept. 1) when they compete in Wright State’s Mike Baumer XC Classic at Fairborn (Ohio) Community Park, site of the 2023 #HLXC Championships. The men’s race will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by the women’s race at 6:45 p.m.
IUPUI MEN’S GOLF
MEN’S GOLF TO OPEN 2023-2024 SEASON AT EKU COLONEL CLASSIC
RICHMOND, Ky. – The IUPUI men’s golf team will open up its 2023-2024 campaign this week when the Jaguars compete in the EKU Colonel Classic at the University Club at Arlington. The Jaguars initial lineup of the season consists of five returners from a year ago with two true freshmen playing in the individual spots.
Head coach Jamie Broce’s squad brings back its top six players from a season ago, keyed by Sam McWilliams (74.03 average) and Taylor Gardner (74.20) at the top of the lineup. Senior Kevin Tillery (75.87) also played all 30 rounds a season ago, bringing stability to the group. Junior Morgan Tournemire was next in line with 19 rounds played and a 77.00 scoring average while junior Colten Girgis played 18 rounds with a 75.89 mark.
Other returners include Josh Yoder (75.50), Brock Aten (76.33), Harry Ward (78.17) and Noah Kirsch (78.56). The three person recruiting class consists of Titus Boswell (Monrovia), Greg Miller (Tippecanoe Valley) and Brady Schier (Center Grove). Boswell and Schier will play this week as individuals, each making their collegiate debuts. McWilliams will be absent from the Jaguars’ starting group as he recovers from an injury.
FORMAT: The tournament will be a 5-count-4 event with 36 holes on Thursday (Aug. 31) and Friday (Sept. 1).
THE COURSE: University Club is one of the region’s best 18-hole golf courses, spread over 200 acres. The course includes tree lined zoysia grass fairways and bent grass greens and is consistently one of the top courses in Central Kentucky.
THE FIELD: The field will consist of Alabama State, Austin Peay, Bellarmine, Butler, Campbellsville, Harrodsburg, Chicago State, EKU, Northern Kentucky, Purdue Fort Wayne, Robert Morris and Tennessee State.
RANKINGS: According to Spikemark, this year’s initial rankings will not drop until Oct. 15.
LINEUP:
No. 1 – Taylor Gardner (74.63 career average / 71 rounds)
No. 2 – Kevin Tillery (76.07 career average / 43 rounds)
No. 3 – Morgan Tournemire (76.75 career average / 40 rounds)
No. 4 – Colten Girgis (76.92 career average / 36 rounds)
No. 5 – Noah Kirsch (78.56 career average / 9 rounds)
Ind. – Titus Boswell (college debut)
Ind. – Brady Schier (college debut)
LAST TIME OUT: IUPUI closed out the 2022-23 campaign with a fourth-place finish at the Horizon League Championships with a 54-hole 901 (304-298-299). McWilliams was the team’s top individual at 6-over 222 (75-75-72), tying for tenth overall.
UP NEXT: IUPUI will compete at Ball State’s Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational on Sept. 9-10.
BALL STATE CROSS COUNTRY
CROSS COUNTRY PREPARES FOR SEASON OPENER
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State cross country team is gearing up to host its first home meet in two years. The We Fly Ball State Cross Country Challenge will take place in Anderson, Indiana, on the grass fields at Mounds State Park Friday, Aug. 30. Park admission is $7 per car and will be enforced all day.
The Cardinals are set to host Austin Peay and Lindenwood in its season-opener. Racing will begin at 5:30 p.m. ET with the women’s 5K, followed by the men’s 8K at 6:15 p.m. ET.
Last season, the Cardinals finished ninth at the MAC Cross Country Championships and 22nd at the NCAA Division I Great Lakes Region Cross Country Championships. Sarah Mahnensmith led BSU in both meets and she will look to continue her streak of success on Friday.
“We brought in a really good class that’s going to contribute in different ways,” head coach Adrian Wheatley said. “It’s our first [home] cross country meet in two years, so we’re excited about having that opportunity.”
Following the We Fly Ball State Cross Country Challenge, the Cardinals will head to Bowling Green, Ohio to compete in the Mel Brodt Collegiate Open on Friday, Sept. 15.
INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
SYCAMORES BACK ON ROAD WITH THURSDAY AFTERNOON CONTEST AT ROBERT MORRIS
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State continues the road trip this week as ISU heads to Moon Township, Pa. and the North Athletic Complex for a 4 p.m. ET kickoff against Robert Morris University. The match will be carried live on ESPN+.
ISU (0-0-4) enters the Thursday afternoon contest sitting as one of just two teams in the NCAA Division I to earn draws over each of their first four contests as the Sycamores remain unbeaten the Paul Lawrence coaching era. The Sycamores battled to a pair of scoreless draws at both Louisville and Miami University to open the year, before posting 1-1 ties this past week against Marshall and Eastern Illinois.
Indiana State has had athletes recognized on back-to-back MVC Athlete of the Week award lists with goalkeeper Maddie Alexander (Goalkeeper) and defender Maddie Helling (Defensive) both earning recognition from the conference office.
Alexander earned the Goalkeeper of the Week recognition for the first week of the season following back-to-back shutouts against Louisville and Miami to open the year. Helling followed up earning Defensive Player honors following strong play against both Marshall and EIU that included her first collegiate goal, while also helping limit the Panthers to just one shot this past Sunday.
Indiana State put together arguably their most complete offensive effort to date with 15 shots with six on target in the nonconference matchup at EIU. Helling put two on net, including the first goal of her ISU career, while Brooklyn Woods added three shots on free kicks in the match as ISU battled back after surrendering an early goal to the Panthers
ISU answered an early EIU goal in the 33rd minute as Alexa Mackey collected a free ball and took it up the right sideline. Her cross into the box deflected off Helling and split the defenders in front of the net. Helling beat EIU keeper Lexi Prusow to the ball and chipped it into the goal from five yards out to even the match at 1-1.
Helling became the second Sycamore to score in the 2023 season joining Chloe Tesny (vs. Marshall) in the goals column on the season. Both Carlie Jensen and Alexa Mackey have assists on the year for ISU.
ISU’s attack has been balanced featuring seven players posting multiple shots to date paced by Mackenzie Kent’s team-leading five. Ella Gorrie continues to pepper the net with four attempts on the year, while Anna Chor and Woods have three apiece.
Alexander remains the lone Sycamore to line up in the goal in the 2023 season. The senior goalkeeper is tied for the national lead for minutes played (360:00) on the year and sits 23rd in the country with two shutouts. Her 0.895 save percentage is also top-50 in the country heading into the match against the Colonials.
Robert Morris enters the match with a 4-0 record on the season. The Colonials opened the year with three consecutive road shutouts at VMI (3-0), Hampton (1-0), and Akron (3-0), before closing out their road trip with a 4-1 win over St. Francis. The Colonials have outscored their opponents 11-1 heading into their 2023 home opener.
Lidia Nduka has scored in every match for RMU including a two-goal contest against Akron. The graduate student striker has a team-high five goals over 12 shots on the year. Renae Mohrbacher is the team leader with three assists on the season, while four players have multiple assists to support the RMU offense that has outshot the opposition 37-19 in 2023.
Goalkeeper Brenna Murray has earned all four starts in goal for the Colonials with 18 saves against 50 shots faced. She’s posted a trio of shutouts with a 0.947 save percentage.
INDIANA STATE FOOTBALL
SYCAMORES SET TO MAKE 2023 DEBUT THURSDAY NIGHT AGAINST EASTERN ILLINOIS
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State opens the 2023 season with a Thursday night contest underneath the lights of Memorial Stadium as the Sycamores welcome visiting Eastern Illinois to the field on August 31. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Panthers is set for 6 p.m. and will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Game Day Information and Activities
Youth Football Night
Indiana State Football looks forward to welcoming all local youth football players. Kids 8th grade and under wearing their team’s youth football jersey get in the game for free, while family and friends who arrive with the youth player receive a ticket for $5. A table will also be set up outside the stadium where kids can sign up to join our Kid’s Club presented by Dentistry Just For Kids. The first 30 kids who sign up will receive a signed Indiana State Football Schedule Poster.
Blue Out
Indiana State Football opens up their season in their blue tops for a Blue Out at Memorial Stadium. Greeks Pizza Season Opener T-Shirts to be handed out to first 50 Forest members at the student entrance.
PS We Love You
Indiana State Football will be kicking off the “PS We love you” campaign, designed to help raise money and tackle childhood cancer, taking donations outside the stadium.
Honoring 2023 Indiana State Baseball Team
Indiana State will honor the Sycamore baseball team in an on-field ceremony as ISU recognizes the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference and Terre Haute Regional Champions during the contest.
ISU Koozie Giveaway
Zink Distributing is providing ISU themed Koozies to handout to fans as they walk into the stadium.
Postgame Fireworks
The first game of the season will also feature a postgame fireworks show at Memorial Stadium presented by Country Financial Schofield Agency.
Tailgating and Clear Bag Policies
Indiana State Athletics announced updated tailgating and clear bag policies for the 2022-23 athletic year. The policies are consistent with other members in both the Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Tailgating Policies | Clear Bag Policy
2023 Indiana State Football Season Tickets On Sale
For more information on Indiana State 2022 football tickets, fans can contact Assistant Manager of Athletic Ticketing Austin Bishop by phone at 812-237-8972 or via email at Austin.Bishop@indstate.edu. Fans can also call 877-ISU-TIXS or email ISU-Tickets@indstate.edu.
Fans have the opportunity to also buy or renew season tickets online by clicking HERE. Fans will also have the option to get their season tickets printed for an additional $5 charge.
Quick Notes
Home Opening Stats
Indiana State is 45-53-5 all-time in their season opening game dating back to the 1898 season. The Sycamores have opened play at home 42 separate times including each of the last two seasons. Indiana State has posted a 29-11-2 overall record in their home openers overall including last year’s 24-17 overtime win over North Alabama, and the 26-21 win over Eastern Illinois to open the 2021 season.
2023 Captains Announced
The Sycamores announced their 2023 captains at the end of the fall camp slate. Cade Chambers (QB), Dakota Caton (WR), Lucas Hunter (DL), and Gianini Belizaire (DL) were all selected to the captaincy for the first time as voted on by their teammates. All four Sycamores receive their first captaincy nods as voted on by the team earlier Sunday evening.
Sycamores on the Preseason All-MVFC
Eight Sycamores were honored on the Missouri Valley Football Preseason All-Conference teams, while Indiana State was selected 10th overall in the Valley poll as voted on by the league’s head coaches, media members, and SIDs.
Justin Dinka (RB) and Rylan Cole (DB) represented the Sycamores on the All-MVFC First Team, while Jose Vazquez IV (OL), Lucas Hunter (DL), and Geoffrey Brown (LB) were all selected to the Second Team. Gianini Belizaire (DL), Keagen Trost (OL), and Johnathan Edwards (DB) were all honored on the MVFC Honorable Mention squad.
On This Date
Indiana State has played four games all-time on August 31 dating back to their first contest against Mars Hill. ISU has lined up against Eastern Illinois twice on the date coming in the opening games of both the 2000 and 2018 seasons. ISU last competed on August 31 back in 2019 at Kansas with the Sycamores falling 24-17 to the Jayhawks.
1995 – vs. Mars Hill – W, 31-0
2000 – vs. Eastern Illinois – L, 42-24
2018 – vs. Eastern Illinois – L, 22-20
2019 – at Kansas – L, 24-17
About Eastern Illinois
Eastern Illinois will open its 118th season of football on Thursday night when the Panthers travel to Terre Haute to face Indiana State. The series between the Panthers and Sycamores is the second most played in EIU program history with the schools first meeting in 1901. They have played 87 times, the last meeting in 2021 for the season opener. The two schools have played in EIU’s season opener 27 times including every season between 1956-1970. ISU leads in those contests 15-11-1.
Eastern Illinois had ten players featured on that list, second most among the ten league schools. Selected to the preseason watch list were Chad Strickland (OT), Juwon Farri (RB), Justin Thomas (WR), Elijawah Tolbert (LB), Nick Coates (NICK), Russell Dandy (DB), Stone Galloway (K), Mark Aitken (KR), Cooper Willman (PR) and Jack Valente (LS).
PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S SOCCER
‘DONS WELCOME EASTERN ILLINOIS AND VALPARAISO TO HEFNER
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer team will play host to a pair of non-league foes this week when Eastern Illinois and Valparaiso visit the Hefner Soccer Complex.
Game Day Information (Thursday)
Who: Eastern Illinois Panthers
When: Thursday, August 31 | 5 PM
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Match Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Eastern Illinois
Game Day Information (Sunday)
Who: Valparaiso Beacons
When: Sunday, September 3 | 1 PM
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Match Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Valparaiso
Know Your Foes
• Eastern Illinois is 1-2-1, coming off a 1-1 draw against Indiana State. The Panthers have played two true road games at Valparaiso (2-1 loss) and Northern Illinois (3-0 loss). Freshman Abby Reinl has scored two goals this season to lead the Panthers.
• Valparaiso is 2-1-1 and will have a game against Chicago State before coming to the Summit City. The Beacons are still seeking their first road win, but are 0-1-1 with a loss at Purdue and a draw at Kentucky. Nicole Norfolk is the team’s leader with two goals.
Series Histories
• Eastern Illinois leads the all-time series against the ‘Dons 4-2-1, which includes a win and a draw in the last two seasons, respectively. Jenna Little, who scored both goals against the ‘Dons in that 2-0 game, transferred to Central Michigan. The Mastodons last won 1-0 in 2019.
• Valparaiso leads the series 13-5-1, but the Mastodons have won the last three meetings. This included a 1-0 win last season, when Samantha Castaneda had a walk-off save on a penalty kick with no time remaining.
Hello Old Friend
Eastern Illinois assistant coach Deanna Hecht is a 2019 graduate from Purdue Fort Wayne. She played in 60 games with 30 starts, scoring nine goals in her career (2015-18).
Give Me Some Mo
Morgan Reitano is a top-10 goal scorer in program history.
1. Kristin Macdonald – 25 (2000-03)
2. Lisa Underwood – 23 (2009-11)
3. Shacina Hersey – 21 (2000-03)
4. Anika Apar – 18 (2004-06)
5. Tara O’Toole – 16 (2008-11)
6. Lindsay Williamson – 13 (2002-05)
7. Morgan Reitano – 11 (2019-23)
Kristin Mahoney – 11 (2003-04)
All-Time Leader
Head coach Jason Burr became the program’s all-time leader in wins on August 27 when Purdue Fort Wayne beat Southern Indiana. With the 37th win of his career, he passed Terry Stefankiewicz, who had 36 from 2000-06. One win prior, he passed Margaret Saurin, who had 35 wins from 2007-13.
On the Saint Francis Win…
In the Mastodons’ win over Saint Francis (IN) on August 20, the Mastodons tied a pair of program records. The ‘Dons allowed just one shot on goal, which ties a Division I era record, and scored seven goals, which ties an all-time record.
All Eyes on Sam
Samantha Castaneda was selected to the United Soccer Coaches Players to Watch List in early August. She was one of nine goalkeepers in the country on the list.
Set Expectations
The Mastodons were picked third in the Horizon League preseason poll. This is the second-highest a Mastodon women’s soccer team has ever been picked to finish in a league preseason poll. The ‘Dons were picked to finish second in the Summit League in 2013.
Familiar Faces
Nine Mastodons return for 2023 that started at least 17 of the 19 games last season.
Shut Down and Shut Out
Purdue Fort Wayne had eight shutouts last season, which was a program-best.
Brick Wall Castaneda
Samantha Castaneda owns a 1.02 career goals against average, which is the best in program history among those that played at least 750 minutes in the net. This beats out the second-best of 1.68 from Sam Pavlika (2012-14). Her mark of 0.74 GAA in 2022 is the best for a year-long average, topping Pavlika’s 1.07 in 2012. Castaneda’s 12 shutouts in her career is also a program-best.
Last Time Out
The Mastodons topped former GLVC rival Southern Indiana 1-0 in Evansville. Rylee Vruggink scored off an assist from Bella Reitano.
Coming Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will play against Eastern Michigan at the Hefner Soccer Complex on September 7 before traveling up to Mount Pleasant, Michigan to play Central Michigan.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S GOLF
GOLF IS BACK! MASTODON MEN’S GOLF SET FOR COLONEL SHOOTOUT THIS WEEK
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s golf team is back in action this week for the first time since their NCAA Regional appearance in May. The Mastodons are taking on 11 teams at the Colonel Shootout in Richmond, Kentucky on Thursday and Friday (Aug. 31-Sept. 1).
Event: Colonel Shootout
Host: Eastern Kentucky
When: August 31 – September 1
Where: Richmond, Ky.
Course: The University Club at Arlington
Par: 70
Format: Play 5, take 4
Live Results: Link
About the Course
The University Club at Arlington boasts one of the region’s finest 18-hole golf courses located on 200 picturesque acres with rolling hills, mature trees, and beautiful water features. Golfers of any skill level will enjoy the tree-lined zoysia grass fairways and perfect bent grass greens. The playing conditions are consistently the best in Madison county and among the best in Central Kentucky.
Meet the Field
Alabama State, Austin Peay, Bellarmine, Belmont, Butler, Campbellsville Harrodsburg, Chicago State, Eastern Kentucky, IUPUI, Northern Kentucky, Purdue Fort Wayne and Robert Morris.
Mastodon Lineup
Kasey Lilly, Hunter Mefford, Burke Pitz, Nick Bellush and Jadden Ousley will compete for the team score. Nick Holder and AJ Agnew will play as individuals.
Last Time Out
The Mastodons wrapped up the 2022-23 season with an appearance at the Bath NCAA Regional in May. Nick Holder led the Mastodons with a 223.
Coming Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will head to Huntington, West Virginia to play in the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational on September 11-12.
SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER HEADS BACK TO OHIO TO BATTLE REDHAWKS
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer returns to the state of Ohio for the second consecutive week, as the Screaming Eagles take on Miami University (Ohio) Thursday at 6 p.m. CT. Thursday’s meeting will be the first all-time between the two programs.
USI (0-3-1) is coming off a narrow 1-0 home loss against Purdue Fort Wayne University on Sunday. The Screaming Eagles put together a solid performance on both sides of the field, but a 47th-minute goal by the Mastodons proved to be the difference on the scoreboard. The two sides battled, and even though the Screaming Eagles had a flurry of second-half shots that put pressure on the Mastodons’ defense, USI could not find a breakthrough.
Both teams tallied 10 shots in the game, as Purdue Fort Wayne had six on goal and USI put five on target. Freshman midfielder Lydia Bordfeld (Evansville, Indiana), freshman forward Pilar Torres (Chula Vista, California), and sophomore midfielder Peyton Murphy (Bargersville, Indiana) each had two shots in the contest. Sophomore keeper Anna Markland (Hoover, Alabama) had a season-high five saves for USI.
Southern Indiana is making another trip to Ohio after visiting Wright State University last Thursday. USI fell short 2-1 against the Raiders. After falling behind 2-0, USI answered with a first career goal from Torres.
On the season, Torres and junior midfielder Maggie Duggan (Defiance, Missouri) have each of USI’s goals, pacing the team with two points each. Both have three shots on goal on five attempts. Murphy tops the squad with eight shots. Between the posts, Markland has snagged 12 saves and posted a 1.63 GAA in four starts.
Miami (OH) (1-2-1) earned its first victory of the season last time out, claiming a 1-0 win at home against the University of Illinois Chicago. After being shut out in their first three matches, the RedHawks finally found the back of the net against the Flames. Miami had 15 shots in the contest.
Junior midfielder Makenna Morrison recorded the tally against the Flames, leading the team with 13 shots this season. Morrison tied for the team lead with five goals in 2022 and registered a team-best 23 shots on goal and 52 total attempts. In goal, freshman keeper Dominique Popa has made four starts, posting a 1.14 GAA with 15 saves.
Live stats links are on the USI Women’s Soccer schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
VALPO WOMEN’S TENNIS
SEASON PREVIEW: TENNIS SET TO EMBARK ON FALL SLATE
The Valparaiso University tennis team has announced its schedule for the 2023 fall season, which features three home matches and a pair of invitationals prior to the Missouri Valley Conference Individual Championships and ITA Midwest Regional.
The Beacons will host Holy Cross (Sept. 3, 9 a.m.), Huntington (Sept. 11, 3 p.m.), Purdue Northwest (Sept. 23, 9 a.m.) and Indiana Wesleyan (Sept. 23, 3 p.m.) at The Valpo Tennis Complex this fall. The team will take part in the BGSU Invitational hosted by Bowling Green (Sept. 15-17) and the Illinois State Invitational (Sept. 29 – Oct. 1). The fall culminates with postseason play, as the MVC Individual Championships will be hosted by Missouri State in Springfield, Mo. (Oct. 6-8) and the ITA Midwest Regional will be hosted by Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. (Oct. 12-14).
Head coach Bob Modesto’s team posted its highest winning percentage since 2006 last season and finished with 11 wins for the second straight season, equaling the program’s highest win total since 2007.
“We’re really excited about our returning players,” Modesto said. “They are all playing really well. We have a baseline to build on from last year, and I feel like across the board, everybody is playing better than they were at the end of last season.”
The group of returning players features fifth-year Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy), senior Mia Bertino (Lockport, Ill. / Joliet Catholic), sophomore Moira Silva (Houston, Texas / Houston Tennis Academy) and sophomore Elizabeth Sobieski (Muskego, Wis. / Muskego).
Czerwonka, the 2022 MVC Player of the Year and a Fall 2021 MVC champion in both singles and doubles, finished the season with 63 career singles wins, two shy of tying and three shy of breaking the program record. Silva won the MVC Flight 2 Singles title as a rookie last fall.
“Mia has been playing really well; she has been playing a lot of challenge matches and is at the top of her game,” Modesto said. “We are excited about her senior year. Moira, our defending conference champion, is just on fire. She’s working hard and playing three times per day. We are expecting big things from her this season. We are excited to watch Elizabeth play this year. Olivia is quite simply Olivia; it doesn’t get much better than that. We are excited about all four returners; that’s a good place to be.”
That core will be joined by a trio of newcomers – freshmen Jolene Fernandes (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) and Lillian Kelly (Fullerton, Calif. / Fullerton Union) plus sophomore transfer Sydney Stone (Brisbane, Australia / Tyler JC). Stone was a junior college All-American last season.
“Sydney is looking really strong,” Modesto said. “We’re excited about our first lefty, Jolene. We feel like Lillian is going to have a great college career. We’re excited about our newcomers this fall and know they will parlay that into the spring.”
The top of the singles lineup will feature Czerwonka and Silva. Bertino and Stone will play in the middle of the lineup, with Sobieski, Fernandes and Kelly comprising the group that rounds out the lineup. Czerwonka/Silva will play No. 1 doubles, Sobieski/Stone at No. 2 and Bertino/Fernandes at No. 3, with Kelly also working into the doubles mix as well.
“Our players are putting in the time and the work this fall,” Modesto said. “We’ve had days with hot temperatures and our players are still committed to coming out and hitting three times per day. It’s not me pushing them to do that, but it’s them doing it on their own. When they call me and ask to get an individual session in, I’m hard pressed to say no when they are motivated and asking for it.”
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
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
*****MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STANDINGS*****
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Baltimore | 83 | 50 | .624 | – | 42 – 26 | 41 – 24 | 26 – 15 | 20 – 8 | 16 – 10 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| Tampa Bay | 82 | 52 | .612 | 1.5 | 45 – 23 | 37 – 29 | 22 – 15 | 20 – 6 | 13 – 12 | 8 – 2 | W 4 |
| Toronto | 73 | 61 | .545 | 10.5 | 35 – 30 | 38 – 31 | 12 – 25 | 19 – 10 | 14 – 11 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Boston | 69 | 65 | .515 | 14.5 | 36 – 33 | 33 – 32 | 19 – 14 | 16 – 10 | 14 – 15 | 3 – 7 | L 4 |
| NY Yankees | 65 | 68 | .489 | 18 | 36 – 33 | 29 – 35 | 16 – 26 | 15 – 10 | 16 – 13 | 5 – 5 | W 3 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 69 | 65 | .515 | – | 40 – 29 | 29 – 36 | 12 – 17 | 24 – 21 | 14 – 9 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| Cleveland | 64 | 70 | .478 | 5 | 33 – 33 | 31 – 37 | 12 – 13 | 21 – 22 | 13 – 12 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| Detroit | 59 | 74 | .444 | 9.5 | 28 – 40 | 31 – 34 | 5 – 23 | 25 – 15 | 10 – 15 | 3 – 7 | L 5 |
| Chi White Sox | 53 | 81 | .396 | 16 | 28 – 37 | 25 – 44 | 9 – 19 | 19 – 17 | 12 – 21 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Kansas City | 41 | 94 | .304 | 28.5 | 23 – 43 | 18 – 51 | 6 – 18 | 13 – 27 | 6 – 19 | 1 – 9 | L 6 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Seattle | 76 | 57 | .571 | – | 39 – 29 | 37 – 28 | 12 – 15 | 20 – 13 | 24 – 12 | 8 – 2 | W 1 |
| Houston | 77 | 58 | .570 | – | 35 – 31 | 42 – 27 | 15 – 12 | 13 – 12 | 26 – 17 | 7 – 3 | W 5 |
| Texas | 75 | 58 | .564 | 1 | 42 – 24 | 33 – 34 | 14 – 11 | 18 – 8 | 21 – 15 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| LA Angels | 64 | 70 | .478 | 12.5 | 32 – 33 | 32 – 37 | 13 – 13 | 14 – 8 | 18 – 22 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Oakland | 39 | 95 | .291 | 37.5 | 20 – 45 | 19 – 50 | 7 – 22 | 11 – 14 | 7 – 30 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 87 | 45 | .659 | – | 44 – 22 | 43 – 23 | 27 – 8 | 16 – 6 | 18 – 11 | 7 – 3 | W 3 |
| Philadelphia | 74 | 59 | .556 | 13.5 | 41 – 26 | 33 – 33 | 16 – 19 | 14 – 8 | 16 – 14 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| Miami | 66 | 67 | .496 | 21.5 | 38 – 31 | 28 – 36 | 15 – 21 | 13 – 10 | 12 – 16 | 2 – 8 | L 2 |
| Washington | 62 | 72 | .463 | 26 | 29 – 36 | 33 – 36 | 15 – 24 | 12 – 14 | 14 – 14 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| NY Mets | 61 | 73 | .455 | 27 | 33 – 32 | 28 – 41 | 18 – 19 | 12 – 17 | 15 – 13 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Milwaukee | 74 | 59 | .556 | – | 38 – 27 | 36 – 32 | 10 – 9 | 25 – 14 | 13 – 19 | 8 – 2 | L 2 |
| Chi Cubs | 71 | 62 | .534 | 3 | 37 – 31 | 34 – 31 | 11 – 17 | 26 – 16 | 9 – 8 | 7 – 3 | W 2 |
| Cincinnati | 69 | 66 | .511 | 6 | 31 – 34 | 38 – 32 | 13 – 16 | 16 – 23 | 18 – 14 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Pittsburgh | 61 | 73 | .455 | 13.5 | 32 – 36 | 29 – 37 | 10 – 10 | 17 – 23 | 16 – 15 | 6 – 4 | W 3 |
| St. Louis | 58 | 76 | .433 | 16.5 | 30 – 38 | 28 – 38 | 11 – 15 | 14 – 22 | 12 – 17 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| LA Dodgers | 83 | 49 | .629 | – | 46 – 21 | 37 – 28 | 13 – 8 | 19 – 14 | 26 – 12 | 8 – 2 | W 4 |
| San Francisco | 69 | 64 | .519 | 14.5 | 38 – 31 | 31 – 33 | 13 – 18 | 20 – 10 | 18 – 11 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Arizona | 69 | 65 | .515 | 15 | 35 – 32 | 34 – 33 | 13 – 15 | 14 – 11 | 25 – 22 | 6 – 4 | L 3 |
| San Diego | 62 | 72 | .463 | 22 | 35 – 33 | 27 – 39 | 15 – 14 | 9 – 20 | 17 – 22 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
| Colorado | 49 | 84 | .368 | 34.5 | 28 – 36 | 21 – 48 | 14 – 20 | 11 – 13 | 8 – 27 | 1 – 9 | L 3 |
*****TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY*****
1915 In the first game of a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds, Cubs’ right-hander Jimmy Lavender no-hits the hometown Giants, 2-0. Next season, the 31-year-old knuckleballer will stymie New York again, tossing a one-hitter, allowing only an infield safety to Benny Kauff.
1935 In addition to stroking a three-run triple, 28-year-old White Sox Vern Kennedy becomes the sixth rookie to throw a no-hitter. The right-hander’s 5-0 gem against the Indians is the first hitless game thrown in Comiskey Park.
1937 Rudy York belts his 17th and 18th homers of the month, establishing a major league record that lasts until 1998 when Sammy Sosa hits 19 in June. The rookie catcher’s round-trippers help the Tigers maul the Senators at Navin Field, 12-3.
1946 With two singles in the Red Sox’ 4-2 victory over Philadelphia, Johnny Pesky collects 53 hits in August, the highest monthly total in franchise history. In 1950, Dom DiMaggio, a close friend of the shortstop, ties the mark, also accomplishing the feat in August.
1950 In front of 14,226 fans, Gil Hodges becomes the fourth major leaguer in the century to hit four home runs in one game, en route to tying the major league record of 17 total bases. The Dodger first baseman’s quartet of round-trippers, hit off different Boston pitchers and with Carl Furillo aboard each time, contributes to Brooklyn’s 19-3 rout of the Braves at Ebbets Field.
1954 Closing in on the professional home run record of 69, established by Joe Hauser (Minneapolis-1938) and equaled by Bob Crues (Amarillo-1948), Joe Bauman blasts four home runs in the Roswell Rockets’ 15-9 victory over the Wichita Falls/Sweetwater Spudders to bring his total to 68. The 32-year-old slugging first baseman finishes the season with 72 homers, a record that will last until Barry Bonds surpasses the mark by one round-tripper in 2001. (Ed. note: Ron Skrabacz, born on this date, inspired this entry. His dad was a teammate of Joe’s on the 1949 Elk City Elks.)
1957 Gus Triandos, considered one of the slowest baserunners in baseball history, hits an inside-the-park home run in the Orioles’ 4-1 victory against Boston at Memorial Stadium. The Baltimore backstop circles the bases when his vicious line drive off the outfield wall caroms 100 feet past left fielder Ted Williams, allowing the 27-year-old catcher to complete his improbable round-tripper standing up.
1957 Oriole minor league fireballer Steve Dalkowski strikes out 24 Bluefield players but issues 18 walks, hits four batters, and uncorks six wild pitches. The New Britain, Connecticut native’s wildness costs him the game when Kingsport loses in an Appalachian League contest, 9-8.
1959 Sandy Koufax fans 18 batters to establish a new National League record for a nine-inning game in the Dodgers’ 5-2 win over San Francisco at the LA Memorial Coliseum. The left-hander’s performance equals the major league mark established in 1938 by Indians fireballer Bob Feller during a 4-1 loss to Detroit.
1963 With two outs in the bottom of the ninth at Wrigley Field, Ellis Burton hits an ultimate grand slam (a walk-off bases-loaded homer when a team is down three runs) off Houston hurler Hal Woodeshick, giving the Cubs a dramatic 6-5 victory. Chicago had been trailing 5-2 before the switch-hitting center fielder hit his Sayonara Slam, the most memorable of his 17 career round-trippers.
1965 Boston’s backstop Russ Nixon ties a major league mark when he hits three run-scoring sacrifice flies. The catcher’s three fly-ball outs are the difference in the Red Sox’s 8-5 victory over the Senators at D.C. Stadium.
1968 Elroy Face ties Senators’ Walter Johnson’s mark for appearances with one team when he enters a game for the 802nd time for the Pirates, replacing Steve Blass, who remains in the game in left field and returns to the mound after the reliever retires one batter to equal the record. Before the final out in Pittsburgh’s 8-0 victory over the Braves, an announcement informs the crowd that Detroit has bought the Bucs’ veteran right-handed record-breaker.
1969 Morganna, a well-endowed fan dressed in a mini dress, jumps onto the Atlanta Stadium field and kisses Clete Boyer on the cheek as he is batting. The Braves’ third baseman then promptly ends a 1-for-17 slump with an RBI single and goes on an 8-for-15 tear.
1974 In a Class A minor league contest, Mavericks’ manager Frank Peters rotates his starting nine allowing each player to take a different position on the field for every inning. The innovative strategy works as Portland posts an 8-7 victory over the Tri-Cities Ports, their Northwest League opponents.
1984 Trailing by five runs in the bottom of the ninth, the Rangers score six times to beat the Brewers, 7-6. With two runs in and two out, Milwaukee shortstop Robin Yount’s error on Gary Ward’s ground ball loads the bases, setting the stage for Buddy Bell’s ‘sayonara slam’ over the left-field wall off Pete Ladd.
1990 On the final day of the season, reliever Mariano Rivera starts a game of a doubleheader for the Gulf Coast Yankees, giving him enough innings to qualify for GCL’s ERA title, an accomplishment that carries a contractual bonus. The Sandman responds by hurling a seven-inning no-hitter against Bradenton to finish the season with a 0.17 ERA, 0.46 WHIP, 58 strikeouts in 52 innings, and $500 richer.
1990 Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr. become the first father and son to appear in the same major league lineup. The 40-year-old left fielder and his 20-year-old offspring score a run in the Mariners’ 5-2 victory over the Royals at the Kingdome.
1990 Refusing to part with Triple-A third baseman Scott Cooper to get Larry Andersen from the Astros for the stretch run, Red Sox general manager Lou Gorman trades the Eastern League’s MVP Jeff Bagwell for the right-handed relief pitcher. The University of Hartford standout will win the National League Rookie of the Year Award (1991), becoming the league’s MVP the same year Andersen, who hurled only 21 innings in 15 games during his time in Boston, retires from the Phillies (1994).
1992 The A’s trade Jose Canseco to the Rangers for Ruben Sierra, Bobby Witt, and Jeff Russell and an undisclosed amount of money. Baseball’s bad boy will hit 45 home runs and bat .269 during his three-year tenure in Texas.
1995 Albert Belle hits an extra-inning walk-off home run in two consecutive games when he goes deep off Jimmy Rogers in the tenth, giving the Indians a 6-4 victory over the Blue Jays at Jacobs Field. The Cleveland left fielder ended yesterday’s contest in the 14th frame with a round-tripper to deep left-center field off Toronto’s Tony Castillo for a 4-3 win.
1997 Braves’ outfielder Andruw Jones hits the club’s tenth grand slam this year, breaking the National League mark for four-run round-trippers in a single season. Ironically, the team sets the record in an American League park when Atlanta defeats the Red Sox at Fenway, 7-3.
1997 In front of a crowd of 55,707, the Yankees add Don Mattingly’s uniform number 23 to the list of retired numbers on the wall at Monument Park. The former Bronx Bomber first baseman, who served as captain of the team from 1991 to 1995, is the first Yankee to have his uniform number retired without playing in a World Series.
2000 The Red Sox trade two minor league pitchers, prospect John Curtice and their 1996 first-round pick (34th overall) Chris Reitsma, to the Reds for Dante Bichette. The 36-year-old veteran outfielder will be Boston’s designated hitter, batting .287 for his new team before retiring at the end of next season.
2001 Upon learning Danny Almonte, star pitcher of the LLWS, is 14 years old, not 12 as required by the organization’s rules, the Little League strips the Rolando Paulino All-Stars of all its wins. The team, which had captured the heart of the community, finished third in Williamsport, was given a parade in New York, and a pregame ceremony honored the squad at Yankee Stadium.
2001 Former major league catcher Crash Davis, 82, whose name was the inspiration for the main character of the 1988 hit movie Bull Durham, dies after a yearlong bout with cancer. In the film, which was ranked #1 as the greatest sports film of all time by Sports Illustrated, Kevin Costner portrays “Crash” as the veteran backstop of the Durham Bulls brought in to help a rookie pitcher reach the big leagues by sharing his experiences on and off the field.
2002 Losing their 13th consecutive game at Shea Stadium, the Mets complete the worst month at home in National League history. With the 1-0 loss to Randy Wolf and the Phillies, the Amazins’ join the Seattle Pilots (August-1969) and the Tigers (September-1996) as teams that have not won a home game in a calendar month with at least ten games.
2004 Omar Vizquel becomes the first player in the 81-year history of Yankee Stadium to collect six hits in a game. The Indians shortstop’s 6-for-7 performance, four singles and two doubles, helps pace the Tribe’s 22-0 dismantling of the Bronx Bombers.
2004 Equaling the largest shutout margin of victory in baseball history, the Indians rout the Yankees, 22-0. The biggest defeat in the Bronx Bombers’ 101-year history matches the 1975 Pirates’ record-setting performance against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
2005 On the third pitch he sees in the bigs, Jeremy Hermida becomes only the second player to hit a grand slam in his first major-league at-bat. The Marlin rookie pinch-hitter joins Phillies hurler Bill Duggleby, who accomplished the same feat in 1898.
2006 With his major league-leading 49th home run, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard establishes a new club record for home runs in a single season. Last year’s Rookie of the Year’s fourth-inning long ball at RFK Stadium puts him ahead of Hall Famer Michael Schmidt, who hit 48 dingers in 1980.
2006 A.J. Pierzynski’s sixth-inning blast makes the White Sox the first club in major league history to hit at least 200 home runs for seven consecutive seasons. The catcher’s two-run homer isn’t enough as Chicago loses to the Devil Rays at Comiskey Park, 5-3.
2007 Tony La Russa becomes the winningest manager in franchise history when the Cardinals defeat Cincinnati at Busch Stadium, 8-5. The Redbird skipper surpasses Red Schoendienst, who compiled a 1,041-955 managerial record with St. Louis.
2007 After walking the leadoff hitter John Buck in the ninth to spoil his perfect game, Scott Baker gets an out, then yields a single to pinch-hitter Mike Sweeney two outs shy of a no-hitter. The Twins’ 25-year-old right-hander from Shreveport settles for a one-hitter, blanking the Royals at the Metrodome, 5-0.
2008 Greg Dobbs breaks the Phillies’ 95-year-old club record for pinch hits in a season. The Californian’s seventh-inning pinch-hit game-tying double, his 21st hit off the bench, breaks the mark established by Doc Miller in 1913.
2008 David Eckstein is traded by the Blue Jays to the Diamondbacks for minor league pitching prospect Chad Beck. The 33-year-old infielder, who played a pivotal role for the 2002 World Champions Angels and was named the 2006 World Series MVP playing for the Cardinals, is obtained by Arizona to provide postseason leadership and experience.
2010 Jeff Francoeur is traded to the Rangers by the Mets in exchange for infielder Joaquin Arias. The rifle-armed right fielder will be a right-handed bat off the bench and defensive replacement for the playoff-bound Texas team.
2010 Aroldis Chapman makes his much-anticipated major league debut, tossing a perfect inning in the Reds’ 8-4 victory over Milwaukee. The 22-year-old Cuban defector lives up to the hype, throwing four pitches at 100 mph or better.
2010 The Dodgers swap a player to be named (infielder Tony Abreu) to the Diamondbacks for starter Jon Garland. The 31-year-old right-hander will post a 3-2 record with a 2.72 ERA in his six late-season starts with the team before signing as a free agent with San Diego.
2011 Craig Kimbrel sets a rookie record with his 41st save when he retires the side in order in the Braves’ 3-1 victory over Washington at Turner Field. The 23-year-old Atlanta closer, who will finish the season with 46, surpasses Neftali Feliz’s saves record established last season with the Rangers.
2011 In a stretch-run trade with Pittsburgh, the Braves acquired Matt Diaz for a player to be named and cash considerations. The 33-year-old outfielder, who played with Atlanta for five years, left the organization after the 2010 season when he inked a two-year, $4.25 million free-agent deal with the Pirates.
2011 The Diamondbacks set a team record with their 12th consecutive victory at home when they beat Colorado at Chase Field, 4-2. The streak surpasses the mark established by the 2000 and 2003 clubs.
2012 Bob Uecker, known for his humor on and off the diamond, is honored by the Brewers in a light-hearted dedication ceremony outside Miller Park that unveils a seven-foot bronze statue of the team’s popular broadcaster. The sculpture, depicting the smiling “Mr. Baseball” with his hands in his pockets, joins the likenesses of Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Robin Yount, and Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig in front of the ballpark.
2014 In the Japanese National High School Rubber Baseball Tournament semifinals, Chukyo finally breaks the scoreless tie that had captured a nation’s attention, tallying three runs in the 50th inning to beat Sotoku High School. Both starting pitchers, Chukyo’s Taiga Matsui and Jukiya Ishioka of Sotoku, go the distance, throwing 709 and 689 pitches in the contest that takes four days to complete and avoiding the winner being decided with a random drawing if the tie remains after 54 innings.
2014 At the waiver deadline, the White Sox trade Adam Dunn to the A’s for 23-year-old minor-league pitcher Nolan Sanburn, who is 3-1 with a 3.28 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 71.1 innings hurling for Class A Stockton. Oakland hopes their new slugger, a 34-year-old two-time All-Star with 460 career homers, can provide some offensive punch for the contending team, which recently has been slumping.
2019
The Rangers retire seven-time All-Star infielder Michael Young’s uniform #10. During his 12 years in the Texas lineup, the second baseman turned shortstop becomes the franchise’s career leader in runs, hits, doubles, triples, and total bases.
2022 With Timmy Trumpet playing his entrance song, Narco, a five-year-old tune by the Aussie horn player and the Dutch EDM duo Blasterjaxx, Edwin Díaz jogs to the mound for the Mets, creating one of the most memorable moments in franchise history. The New York closer lives up to the hype, retiring the side in order on nine pitches to earn the save in the team’s 2-1 victory over the Dodgers at Citi Field.
*****BASEBALL HALL OF FAME******
CASEY STENGEL
Manager
“Casey (Stengel) knew his baseball. He only made it look like he was fooling around. He knew every move that was ever invented and some that we haven’t even caught on to yet.” – Sparky Anderson
Casey Stengel’s 54 distinguished years in baseball spanned everything from the Dead Ball Era to Mickey Mantle’s booming home runs. Through it all, Stengel’s colorful personality and instantly quotable remarks made him one of baseball’s most beloved characters.
Stengel’s first full major league season as a player began in 1913 as the first Brooklyn player to bat, and later homer, at Ebbets Field. After nine big league seasons in Brooklyn, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Stengel was traded to the New York Giants midway through the 1921 season. The young player was already gaining attention for his zany antics on the diamond.
The Kansas City native found a home at the Polo Grounds when he became Hall of Fame manager John McGraw’s protégé and unofficial assistant coach. From 1922-23, Stengel hit .355 as a platoon outfielder with the Giants and homered in Game 1 of the 1923 World Series. Stengel hit another home run in Game 3 and thumbed his nose at the New York Yankees bench while rounding third base. Baseball commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis was in attendance that day and promptly fined Stengel for his antics.
After two more seasons in the major leagues, Stengel spent several seasons managing in the minor leagues. This included a memorable moment when Stengel released himself as a player, fired himself as a manager and resigned as owner of Boston’s minor-league Worcester affiliate club to manage Triple-A Toledo.
Stengel eventually earned a big league shot as manager of the Dodgers (1934-36) and the Boston Braves (1938-43) with middling success. “I became a major league manager in several cities and was discharged,” Stengel later recalled. “We call it discharged because there is no question I had to leave.”
After five seasons more seasons as a minor league manager – during which he led his teams to 100-win seasons three times – Stengel was named the Yankees manager in 1949.
“There is less wrong with this team than any team I have ever managed,” Stengel said.
Featuring stars like Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto and later a young Mickey Mantle, Stengel’s Yankees found immediate success and became the first team to win five consecutive World Series championships from 1949-1953. Stengel is often credited with reviving the practice of platooning his players when he took over the the Yankees, a tactic he learned from McGraw during his days with the Giants.
When asked to divulge his managerial strategy, Stangel deadpanned: “Keep the five guys who hate you away from the five who are undecided.”
While his team hogged the baseball spotlight, Stengel took the opportunity to expand his repertoire of odd sayings that would later be affectionately dubbed ‘Stengelese.’ His famous sayings included everything from the obvious (“You got to get twenty-seven outs to win”) to the head-scratchers (“There comes a time in every man’s life, and I’ve had plenty of them”).
The Yankees dismissed Stengel following a loss in the 1960 World Series, citing Stengel’s advancing age. In his 12 seasons with the team. Stengel led the Bronx Bombers to 10 American League pennants and seven World Series titles.
In 1962, Stengel returned to the Big Apple to manage the expansion Mets – and captured the hearts of New Yorkers all over again. Celebrated as baseball’s lovable losers, the Mets lost 404 games in Stengel’s three and a half years at the helm, prompting the old skipper to ask, “Can’t anybody here play this game?”
Stengel finally retired in 1965. His seven World Series titles left him tied with fellow Yankees manager Joe McCarthy for the most all-time.
Stengel was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1966. He passed away on Sept. 29, 1975.
*****FOOTBALL HISTORY*****
August 31, 1934 – The very first Chicago Charities College All-Star Game is played in the city of Chicago, Illinois. Over 79,000 fans watched on as the Chicago Bears and the All-Stars tied in a scoreless game! This would set a tradition of an annual game that would last for over four decades!
August 31, 1938 – The College All-Stars win over the Washington Redskins in the 5th Annual Chicago Charities All-Star Game by the score of 28-16 with a paid attendance of 74,250 looking on. Cecil Isbell the running back from Purdue becomes the very first crowned MVP of the exhibition series for the collegians.
August 31, 1997 – The NFL’s Oilers play their very first game in Tennessee after leaving the city of Houston. The teams running back Eddie George rushed for 216 yards and a TD as the Oilers overcame the Oakland Raiders in overtime 24-21 at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.
Hall of Fame Birthdays for August 31
August 31, 1906 – Bill Spears was a former Vanderbilt University Commodore quarterback that played from 1925 through 1927. His nickname was “Bounding Bill Spears”. The speedster threw very few interceptions and was said that he would have been a shoe-in to win the Heisman Trophy had the award been given back in 1927. Spears was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1962.
August 31, 1918 – Kenny Washington was a tailback hailing from UCLA. Washington has the distinction of being the first African American player to sign a contract in the NFL in the common era (after World War II) with the L.A. Rams after playing in the Pacific Coast League with the Hollywood Bears. As a collegian Kenny Washington rushed for 9,975 yards which was a Bruin record for over 56 years! He was also UCLA’s very first ever consensus All-American in 1939. Mr. Washington was enshrined in the College Football hall of Fame in 1956.
August 31, 1927 – Jim Finks was a former defensive back and quarterback that played for the University of Tulsa. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 12th round of the 1949 NFL Draft. He played in Pittsburgh until 1955 when he retired. His big contribution to football came as an executive. He served as an assistant coach at Notre Dame and then moved into the CFL as the Calgary Stampeders General Manager where he helped turn the team around into winning ways. In 1964 he returned to the NFL as the GM of the Minnesota Vikings and helped ignite the franchise to appear in 4 Super Bowls in 14 seasons as he put together the “Purple People Eaters”. He later spent time with the Bears and Saints front offices. The Pro Football Hall of Fame recognized his talents and placed him in their museum of legends in Canton.
August 31, 1946 – Dennis Byrd was a former defensive tackle at North Carolina State. Byrd was a consensus 1st team All-American in 1967. He was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010’s class of entries. Dennis Byrd was drafted by the Boston Patriots in 1968 but due to an injury in his senior year at NC State he only was able to play one year in the league.
August 31, 1952 – Gary Johnson was a former defensive tackle from Grambling State University. The College Football Hall of Fame selected him to enter the confines of collegiate gridiron legends in 2010’s class if entrants. In the 1975 NFL Draft the San Diego Chargers drafted him 8th overall and he played with the for most of his career. He was able to play on the San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XIX winning team and gave Miami QB Dan Marino fits all game which prompted Sports Illustrated to dub him the ‘unofficial defensive MVP” of the game.
*****INDIANA FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME*****
IVAN ALBRIGHT
Mishawaka
Player
Mishawaka, IN
1931
All-State in football 1930; participated in four sports.
Central Normal College, Danville, IN
1958
Captain football team; Honorable Mention All-State; played four years.
Received Letterman Club Award for contribution to Plainfield Athletics; received Ben McDonald Memorial Sportsmanship Award 1976; coached Allison Patrol Service Basketball Team to two city championships and a 50- 4 season; recognized at National Athletic Directors Conference 1975 for contribution to Girls Athletics; played independent basketball and football.
Wife, Veda (deceased); sons, Jim and Jack; 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
Professional Athletic Background: Training Camp (7 weeks) with Columbus Bulls, Columbus, OH; left to serve in WWII.
Coaching Experience: 4 years Indiana Boys School with record of 20-12; football coach 17 years at Plainfield HS; coached 4 sports and was Athletic Director; football record was 98-57-9; only 3 losing seasons; retired 1976.
Coaching Honors: Recognition Plaque at National AD Conference for Contribution to Interscholastic Athletics; Mid-State Conference Athletic Director of the Century 1976; Indiana High School Athletic Directors Plaque for Outstanding Service Award and Lifetime of Dedication to Athletics.
******FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME******
FORREST BEHM
Position: Tackle
Years: 1938-1940
Place of Birth: Lincoln, NE
Date of Birth: Jul 31, 1919
Place of Death: Corning, NY
Date of Death: Jun 29, 2015
Jersey Number: 33
Height: 6-4
Weight: 225
High School: Lincoln, NE (Lincoln HS)
When Forrest E. Behm, Jr. was only five years old, his chances of playing football were slim. He was badly burned in a brush fire, and doctors wanted to amputate a leg. His father, Forrest E. Behm, Sr., refused to allow this. For a year, the young Behm could not walk, but his parents persevered and gave him daily massage, and Forrest regained the use of all his muscles. By 1940 he was a tackle on the Nebraska Rose Bowl team and named All America by the NEA (Newspaper Enterprise Association). At 6-4 and 225-pounds he was the biggest man on the team. He was more than a football player. He was class president, ROTC Cadet Colonel, honor student, member of the college choir and a recipient of a Harvard Fellowship for graduate study. He served in the Army Signal corps and rose to the rank of major. In 1946 he joined Corning International Corporation, rising through the ranks as foreman, sales manager, plant manager and president. He retired in 1985. Behm received the 1967 Native Nebraska Centennial Award and in 1986, an honorary degree, doctor of laws, from the University of Nebraska. He became a management consultant to six companies and two non-profit organizations
******NUMBERS IN SPORTS******
24 – 14 – 18 – 32 – 17 – 22 – 43 – 30 – 7 – 23 – 27
August 31, 1894 – Philadelphia’s Billy Hamilton stole 7 bases in a single game
August 31, 1900 – Brooklyn Dodgers’ pitcher, Brickyard Kennedy walked 6 straight Phillies
August 31, 1903 – New York Giants future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Joe McGinnity won his 3rd doubleheader of month, beating the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-1 and 9-2 at the Polo Grounds
August 31, 1909 – A. J. Reach Co. patented a cork-centered baseball
August 31, 1915 – Chicago White Sox hurler Jimmy Lavender threw a masterpiece no-hitter versus the NY Giants line-up, aiding in a 2-0 victory
August 31, 1935 – Chicago White Sox veteran pitcher Vern Kennedy, who wore Number 24 that season, tossed a whale of a game as he no-hit the Cleveland Indians, resulting in a 5-0 win for the Chisox.
August 31, 1950 – Brooklyn Dodger Gil Hodges, Number 14 smacked 4 home runs and then added a single in a game vs the Braves
August 31, 1954 – Cincinnati Reds 1st baseman Number 18, Ted Kluszewski hit two home runs in a 9-3 loss v Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium, Philadelphia; 1st Redleg to ever hit 40 MLB HRs, en route to season total 49
August 31, 1959 – Sandy Koufax (Number 32) of the Los Angeles Dodgers broke Dizzy Dean’s (Number 17 with the Cardinalsand Number 22 of the Cubs)National League mark of 18 strikeouts in a game.
August 31, 1990 – Dennis Eckersley, Number 43 saved his 40th game of the season
August 31, 1990 – Like father, like son.Baseball outfielders Ken Griffey (Number 30) and Ken Griffey Jr. (Number 24) became the first father and son to play on same team (Seattle Mariners) in the same game. The pair hit back-to-back singles in the first inning and both scored in an impressive MLB family reunion.
August 31, 1991 – University of HoustonQuarterback, David Klingler wearing Number 7, set an NCAA record with 6 touchdown passes in the 2nd quarter as the Cougars clobbered Louisiana Tech 73-3
August 31, 1997 – Don Mattingly’s Number 23 was retired by New York Yankees
August 31, 1997 – Number 27, Eddie George rushed for 216 yards on 35 carries and scores a touchdown as the Oilers, playing their first NFL game in Tennessee, beat Oakland 24-21 in overtime at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis
******TV THURSDAY******
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
7 p.m.
ACCN — Elon at Wake Forest
FS1 — Kent St. at UCF
7:30 p.m.
CBSSN — NC State vs. UConn
8 p.m.
ESPN — Florida at Utah
FOX — Nebraska at Minnesota
SECN — South Dakota at Missouri
10 p.m.
PAC-12N — S. Utah at Arizona St.
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)
8 p.m.
ESPNU — Wisconsin at Arkansas
GOLF
7:30 a.m.
GOLF — DP World Tour: The Omega European Masters, First Round, Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, Crans-Montana, Switzerland
6 p.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Portland Classic, First Round, Columbia Edgewater Macan Course, Portland, Ore.
HORSE RACING
1 p.m.
FS2 — Saratoga Live: From Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
MLB BASEBALL
1 p.m.
MLBN — NY Yankees at Detroit
10 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Atlanta at LA Dodgers OR San Francisco at San Diego (9:30 p.m.)
RUGBY (MEN’S)
5:55 a.m. (Friday)
FS2 — NRL: Sydney at South Sydney
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
12 p.m.
CBSSN — The French Cup: Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid, Third-Place Game, Toulouse, France
3 p.m.
CBSSN — The French Cup: Paris Saint-Germain vs. AC Milan, Final, Toulouse, France
TENNIS
12 p.m.
ESPN — ATP/WTA: The U.S. Open, Second Round, Flushing, N.Y.
6 p.m.
ESPN2 — ATP/WTA: The U.S. Open, Second Round, Flushing, N.Y.
7 p.m.
ESPN2 — ATP/WTA: The U.S. Open, Second Round, Flushing, N.Y.
WNBA BASKETBALL
7 p.m.
PRIME VIDEO — Phoenix at Connecticut
10 p.m.PRIME VIDEO — Washington at Las Vegas