THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023

“SCOREBOARD”

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL REGIONAL TITLE GAMES

PARK TUDOR (12-0) AT NORTH JUDSON (8-4)

ADAMS CENTRAL (12-0) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (12-0)

NORTH DECATUR (9-3) AT SHERIDAN (9-3)

PROVIDENCE (12-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (10-0)

LAVILLE (11-1) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (9-3)

BLUFFTON (10-2) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (9-3)

EASTERN HANCOCK (8-4) AT SOUTHMONT (7-5)

NORTH POSEY (11-1) AT TRITON CENTRAL (11-1)

KNOX (12-0) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (9-3)

INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (12-0) AT DELTA (8-4)….INDIANA SRN BROADCAST

GIBSON SOUTHERN (10-2) AT TRI-WEST (11-1)

HERITAGE HILLS (11-1) AT BATESVILLE (11-1)

NEW PRAIRIE (10-2) AT NORTHWOOD (10-2)

LEO (10-2) AT MISSISSINEWA (12-0)

MOORESVILLE (7-5) AT NEW PALESTINE (10-2)

EAST CENTRAL (12-0) AT EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (9-3)….INDIANA SRN BROADCAST

VALPARAISO (9-2) AT MERRILLVILLE (9-2)

FORT WAYNE SNIDER (10-1) AT MISHAWAKA (9-2)

WHITELAND (7-4) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (9-2)

EVANSVILLE NORTH (8-3) AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (10-1)

CROWN POINT (11-0) AT PENN (10-1)

HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (9-2) AT WESTFIELD (10-1)

BEN DAVIS (10-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (8-3)

WARREN CENTRAL (5-6) AT CENTER GROVE (10-1)

INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL TUESDAY SCORES

ALEXANDRIA	71	DELTA	44
ANDERSON PREP ACADEMY	47	MUNCIE BURRIS	21
ATTICA	43	FRONTIER	42
AVON	81	TERRE HAUTE NORTH	28
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE	62	BLOOMINGTON NORTH	25
BETHANY CHRISTIAN	39	JIMTOWN	27
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN	38	NORTH MONTGOMERY	22
BLACKFORD	61	FORT WAYNE WAYNE	29
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH	61	EDGEWOOD	21
BLUE RIVER	42	CENTERVILLE	33
BLUFFTON	70	NORTHFIELD	46
BORDEN	62	CHRISTIAN ACADEMY	40
BOWMAN ACADEMY	45	SOUTH BEND CLAY	32
BREMEN	60	LAVILLE	39
CARMEL	50	WARREN CENTRAL	48
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE)	55	ANGOLA	27
CASCADE	64	BEECH GROVE	37
CASTLE	60	GIBSON SOUTHERN	46
CASTON	60	PERU	27
CENTRAL NOBLE	48	WHITKO	45
CLARKSVILLE	57	CROTHERSVILLE	16
CLAY CITY	37	CLOVERDALE	29
CLINTON CENTRAL	60	FOUNTAIN CENTRAL	38
COLUMBIA CITY	77	WEST NOBLE	21
CORYDON CENTRAL	81	SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH)	47
CRAWFORD COUNTY	62	SALEM	36
CROWN POINT	67	HAMMOND NOLL	23
DEKALB	41	FORT WAYNE NORTH	32
DELPHI	62	WEST CENTRAL	56
DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN	52	WHITING	43
EAST NOBLE	54	FORT WAYNE DWENGER	36
EASTERN GREENE	47	LOOGOOTEE	45
EASTSIDE	51	FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK	49
ELKHART CHRISTIAN	66	SOUTH BEND CAREER	8
ELKHART	58	CONCORD	26
ELWOOD	52	FRANKFORT	37
EVANSVILLE CENTRAL	47	SOUTH SPENCER	30
EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN	49	EVANSVILLE HOMESCHOOL	29
EVANSVILLE REITZ	66	EVANSVILLE BOSSE	8
FAIRFIELD	44	WAWASEE	27
FLOYD CENTRAL	46	AUSTIN	39
FORT WAYNE SNIDER	61	HUNTINGTON NORTH	29
FRANKLIN COUNTY	31	EAST CENTRAL	26	OT
GARRETT	55	HERITAGE	33
GOSHEN	52	LAKELAND	28
GREENSBURG	67	NORTH DECATUR	35
HAMILTON HEIGHTS	65	FRANKTON	16
HERITAGE HILLS	50	EVANSVILLE MATER DEI	31
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL	54	BREBEUF JESUIT	46
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI	52	COLUMBUS EAST	46
INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE	37	COVENANT CHRISTIAN	34
JAC-CEN-DEL	43	SHAWE MEMORIAL	29
JASPER	47	JEFFERSONVILLE	44
JAY COUNTY	60	FORT WAYNE SOUTH	35
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC	61	LOGANSPORT	32
LAKEWOOD PARK	53	FREMONT	47
LEO	56	CHURUBUSCO	30
LEWIS CASS	55	MANCHESTER	31
MADISON	57	LAWRENCEBURG	52
MCCUTCHEON	67	CLINTON PRAIRIE	18
MONROE CENTRAL	56	DALEVILLE	27
MOORESVILLE	48	COLUMBUS NORTH	37
MORGAN TWP.	52	ILLIANA CHRISTIAN	28
MUNSTER	60	MICHIGAN CITY	49
NEW PRAIRIE	61	WHEELER	12
NORTH KNOX	44	NORTHEAST DUBOIS	34
NORTH PUTNAM	52	CRAWFORDSVILLE	38
NORTHEASTERN	64	MUNCIE CENTRAL	36
NORTHVIEW	55	WHITE RIVER VALLEY	25
NORWELL	56	FORT WAYNE NORTHROP	52
OREGON-DAVIS	65	TRINITY GREENLAWN	44
ORLEANS	36	BARR-REEVE	20
OWEN VALLEY	46	GREENCASTLE	33
PARKE HERITAGE	58	SOUTH PUTNAM	37
PENDLETON HEIGHTS	75	NEW CASTLE	20
PIKE	40	HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE)	36
PLAINFIELD	79	BROWNSBURG	75	2OT
PLYMOUTH	56	MISHAWAKA MARIAN	14
PRINCETON	41	SOUTHRIDGE	34
RENSSELAER CENTRAL	60	HANOVER CENTRAL	38
SCOTTSBURG	68	NEW WASHINGTON	26
SEEGER	49	SOUTH NEWTON	7
SHAKAMAK	55	WASHINGTON CATHOLIC	17
SHELBYVILLE	61	WALDRON	44
SOUTH KNOX	53	WASHINGTON	45
SOUTH RIPLEY	46	MILAN	25
SOUTHMONT	55	NORTH VERMILLION	50
SULLIVAN	52	BLOOMFIELD	26
SWITZERLAND COUNTY	50	SOUTH DEARBORN	48
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH	28	WEST VIGO	27
TIPPECANOE VALLEY	56	CULVER ACADEMY	33
TRI-TOWNSHIP	61	CULVER	16
TRI-WEST	57	PERRY MERIDIAN	47
TRI	52	MORRISTOWN	40
TRITON	46	ARGOS	22
UNION (MODOC)	35	SOUTHERN WELLS	29
VALPARAISO	55	KANKAKEE VALLEY	24
WEST LAFAYETTE	61	NORTHWESTERN	31
WESTERN BOONE	61	ROSSVILLE	45
WESTERN	69	MISSISSINEWA	45
WESTVILLE	53	WINAMAC	50
WHITELAND	48	SPEEDWAY	33
WINCHESTER	66	SOUTH ADAMS	50
YORKTOWN	54	GUERIN CATHOLIC	40
ZIONSVILLE	59	LAWRENCE NORTH	52

INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL POLLS

1. NOBLESVILLE (1-0)

2. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (1-0)

3. BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (1-0)

4. FORT WAYNE SNIDER (2-0)

5. CENTER GROVE (2-0)

6. SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (2-1)

7. LAWRENCE CENTRAL (1-0)

8. HOMESTEAD (0-0)

9. COLUMBIA CITY (1-0)

10. LAWRENCE NORTH (0-0)

1. INDIAN CREEK (2-0)

2. TWIN LAKES (2-0)

3. NORWELL (1-0)

4. HAMILTON HEIGHTS (2-0)

5. EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (0-0)

6. GIBSON SOUTHERN (0-0)

7. CORYDON CENTRAL (0-0)

8. JAY COUNTY (0-0)

9. WEST LAFAYETTE (1-2)

10. GREENSBURG (1-0)

1. NORTH KNOX (2-0)

2. LAPEL (2-0)

3. EASTBROOK (1-0)

4. CARROLL (FLORA) (1-0)

4. EASTERN HANCOCK (2-0)

6. LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (0-0)

7. FORT WAYNE LUERS (1-0)

8. PROVIDENCE (0-0)

8. AUSTIN (1-0)

10. UNIVERSITY (0-0)

10. SOUTH KNOX (1-0)

1. LANESVILLE (2-0)

2. BETHANY CHRISTIAN (1-0)

3. BORDEN (1-0)

4. CASTON (2-0)

5. SPRINGS VALLEY (1-0)

6. FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (1-0)

7. MORGAN TWP. (1-0)

8. TECUMSEH (0-0)

9. JAC-CEN-DEL (0-1)

10. WASHINGTON TWP. (1-0)

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

WEEK 11

TUESDAY

BALL STATE 20 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 17

WESTERN MICHIGAN 38 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 28

OHIO 20 BUFFALO 10

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 8

THURSDAY, NOV. 9

VIRGINIA AT LOUISVILLE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
SOUTHERN MISS AT LOUISIANA | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU

FRIDAY, NOV. 10

NORTH TEXAS AT SMU | 9 P.M. | ESPN2
GRAMBLING AT ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF | 9 P.M. | ESPNU
WYOMING AT UNLV | 10:45 P.M. | FS1

SATURDAY, NOV. 11

MICHIGAN AT PENN STATE | 12 P.M. | FOX
ALABAMA AT KENTUCKY | 12 P.M. | ESPN
TULSA AT TULANE | 12 P.M. | ESPN2
HOLY CROSS AT ARMY | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
MARYLAND AT NEBRASKA | 12 P.M. | PEACOCK
VANDERBILT AT SOUTH CAROLINA | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
VIRGINIA TECH AT BOSTON COLLEGE | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
TEMPLE AT SOUTH FLORIDA | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
NORFOLK STATE AT DELAWARE STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
MORGAN STATE AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
MURRAY STATE AT ILLINOIS STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN AT ROBERT MORRIS | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
YALE AT PRINCETON | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
FORDHAM AT LAFAYETTE | 12:30 P.M. | ESPN+
BROWN AT COLUMBIA | 12:30 P.M. | ESPN+
OLD DOMINION AT LIBERTY | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGETOWN AT BUCKNELL | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
LEHIGH AT COLGATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN ILLINOIS AT INDIANA STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
PENN AT HARVARD | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTH DAKOTA AT SOUTH DAKOTA | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
DAVIDSON AT MOREHEAD STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE STATE AT EASTERN ILLINOIS | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
STETSON AT VALPARAISO | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
EAST TENNESSEE STATE AT WESTERN CAROLINA | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
VMI AT FURMAN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
CORNELL AT DARTMOUTH | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
UCONN AT JAMES MADISON | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
MEMPHIS AT CHARLOTTE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
APPALACHIAN STATE AT GEORGIA STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TROY AT UL MONROE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
UTAH TECH AT AUSTIN PEAY | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
BRYANT AT LINDENWOOD | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
PRESBYTERIAN AT DRAKE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
WOFFORD AT THE CITADEL | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
GARDNER-WEBB AT TENNESSEE TECH | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN+
SAM HOUSTON AT LOUISIANA TECH | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT SOUTHERN | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
TARLETON STATE AT ABILENE CHRISTIAN | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN WASHINGTON AT MONTANA STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
IDAHO AT WEBER STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN COLORADO AT NORTHERN ARIZONA | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
UNI AT MISSOURI STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE AT UT MARTIN | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA LYNCHBURG AT KENNESAW STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
SAMFORD AT MERCER | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
NEW MEXICO STATE AT WESTERN KENTUCKY | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
PITT AT SYRACUSE | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
UAB AT NAVY | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
TEXAS STATE AT COASTAL CAROLINA | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL AT HOWARD | 3:30 P.M. | ESPNU
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
AUBURN AT ARKANSAS | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
WASHINGTON STATE AT CAL | 4 P.M. | ESPN2
EAST CAROLINA AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
LAMAR AT NICHOLLS | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
ST. THOMAS (MINN.) AT SAN DIEGO | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA | 4:30 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS STATE AT SOUTH ALABAMA | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN KENTUCKY AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN UTAH AT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
CAL POLY AT SACRAMENTO STATE | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
UC DAVIS AT IDAHO STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
SAN DIEGO STATE AT COLORADO STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
MICHIGAN STATE AT OHIO STATE | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
MISSISSIPPI STATE AT TEXAS A&M | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN2
RICE AT UTSA | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN AT MCNEESE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
MONTANA AT PORTLAND STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
NEW MEXICO AT BOISE STATE | 10 P.M. | FS1
IOWA STATE AT BYU | 10:15 P.M. | ESPN
FRESNO STATE AT SAN JOSE STATE | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
AIR FORCE AT HAWAI’I | 11 P.M. | SPECTRUM SPORTS PPV
OLE MISS AT GEORGIA
MIAMI (FLA.) AT FLORIDA STATE
UTAH AT WASHINGTON
USC AT OREGON
TEXAS AT TCU
WEST VIRGINIA AT OKLAHOMA
TENNESSEE AT MISSOURI
FLORIDA AT LSU
STANFORD AT OREGON STATE
ARIZONA STATE AT UCLA
TEXAS TECH AT KANSAS
OKLAHOMA STATE AT UCF
BAYLOR AT KANSAS STATE
INDIANA AT ILLINOIS
RUTGERS AT IOWA
MINNESOTA AT PURDUE
NORTHWESTERN AT WISCONSIN
ARIZONA AT COLORADO
GEORGIA TECH AT CLEMSON
DUKE AT NORTH CAROLINA
NC STATE AT WAKE FOREST
CINCINNATI AT HOUSTON
GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT MARSHALL

NFL WEEK 10

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT CHICAGO BEARS (THU) 7:15P (CT) 8:15P PRIME VIDEO

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS VS NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (FRANKFURT) 3:30P (CET) 9:30A NFLN

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

HOUSTON TEXANS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P FOX

GREEN BAY PACKERS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

TENNESSEE TITANS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

ATLANTA FALCONS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS 2:05P (MST) 4:05P CBS

DETROIT LIONS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P CBS

NEW YORK GIANTS AT DALLAS COWBOYS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P FOX

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P FOX

NEW YORK JETS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS 5:20P (PT) 8:20P NBC*

DENVER BRONCOS AT BUFFALO BILLS (MON) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P ESPN

MEN’S TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

#8 CREIGHTON 105 FLORIDA A&M 54

#20 BAYLOR 88 AUBURN 82

WOMEN’S TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

#11 TENNESSEE 93 FLORIDA A&M 64

#23 ILLINOIS 81 MOREHEAD STATE 61

NBA SCOREBOARD

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

NHL SCOREBOARD

CAROLINA 3 BUFFALO 2 OT

TAMPA BAY 5 MONTRÉAL 3

MINNESOTA 4 NY ISLANDERS 2

NY RANGERS 5 DETROIT 3

WINNIPEG 5 ST. LOUIS 2

ARIZONA 4 SEATTLE 3

CALGARY 4 NASHVILLE 2

PITTSBURGH 2 ANAHEIM 0

COLORADO 6 NEW JERSEY 3

SAN JOSE 2 PHILADELPHIA 1

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

ATLANTA 4 COLUMBUS 2

ORLANDO 1 NASHVILLE 0

NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES

NFL NEWS

If Carl Granderson and Terence Steele splurged after joining a short list of undrafted free agents to sign big contracts, they aren’t telling.

The New Orleans edge rusher and Dallas offensive lineman fit the profile of players who wait three days and never hear their names called during the draft, feeling as far as possible from NFL riches.

Humble. Grateful. Mindful of their roots.

“I guess your lifestyle changes a little bit,” said Carolina receiver Adam Thielen, who once followed the same path to a big payday in Minnesota. “You’re not maybe pinching pennies as much. But you still try to have that humble beginning.”

Steele signed an $87 million, five-year extension with $50 million guaranteed about a week before the season started, jumping to second behind former Dallas quarterback Tony Romo ($55 million) in guaranteed money for undrafted players over the past 20 years, according to ESPN.

About three weeks later, Granderson agreed on a $52 million extension with up to $35 million guaranteed with the Saints. He’s fourth on that list.

This season, Steele, who came out of Texas Tech, is playing on a $4.3 million second-round tender. Granderson, a former Wyoming standout who grew up in Northern California, is on a $3.9 million deal.

Their salaries are about to jump three-fold, or more than 10 times what they were making annually as rookies.

“It still doesn’t even feel real, really,” Steele said nearly two months after signing. “The first person I called was my mom and dad. They were super proud of me. All the hard work and all the dedication.”

Suggesting these undrafted players have hit the lottery would seem to put luck over all that hard work and dedication, not to mention the talent necessary to survive all the roster cuts along the way.

But they don’t really scoff at the notion.

“Sometimes I sit and think about how far I’ve come, how no one wanted me 10 years ago and how all the hard work has paid off,” Tampa Bay edge rusher Shaquil Barrett said. “I feel real fortunate for the opportunity to get a four-year deal. Now I just want to do everything I can to show the Bucs I deserved it.”

Barrett’s path was a little different from Steele, Granderson and Thielen’s. Those three signed big contracts with the teams that grabbed them after their respective drafts.

The former Colorado State player picked Denver and was a backup in 2015 on a Super Bowl-winning defense that featured Von Miller and Pro Football Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware.

After four seasons, Barrett signed a $4 million, one-year “prove it” deal with Tampa Bay, led the league with 19 1/2 sacks in 2019 and had the $15.8 million franchise tag slapped on him.

The long-term security finally came in 2021, when Barrett signed a $68.5 million, four-year contract. The 30-year-old is fifth on the list of most guaranteed money over the past 20 years at $34.5 million.

“Of course, I wasn’t happy,” Barrett said of the franchise tag. “I wanted a long-term deal, thought I had earned one. I didn’t like the franchise tag, but you’re talking about $16 or $17 million. That’s more money than I had ever made in my life. And, I understood they wanted to see more.”

Injuries cleared the way for Steele to play all 16 games, with 14 starts at right tackle, as a rookie in 2020. He was one of the few bright spots in a difficult debut season in Dallas for coach Mike McCarthy and now has 48 starts over three-plus seasons.

The 26-year-old hasn’t missed a start this year after tearing a knee ligament in December last season.

Granderson, whose draft stock might have been affected by a sexual misconduct case that led to probation, became a full-time starter this season and should finish with a career high in sacks.

Thielen, who came out of Mankato State, was seldom used for two years by the Vikings before recording 2,649 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns over the next two seasons and signing a $65 million, four-year contract with $33 million guaranteed.

After being released by Minnesota this past offseason, Thielen signed a $25 million, three-year deal with the Panthers with $14 million guaranteed a few months before turning 33.

Much like at the top of the draft, there is a strategy for many teams near the end in the seventh round.

In some cases, players will get drafted because teams don’t want to risk losing the prospect to another team, either through the draft or by that player picking another team as a free agent.

Regardless, there’s always a sense of feeling unwanted, and not really being able to imagine a guaranteed deal north of $30 million.

“The draft’s weird,” Steele said. “You hear it every year. It was between here and a couple of other places. Me and my agent talked it through. We thought this was the best fit. I guess it was.”

In almost every case, those conversations aren’t about money.

“I was just thinking about getting on the field so I could have an opportunity to make plays and that’s all with my thought process,” the 26-year-old Granderson said. “It took five years, and I worked my way up to this point, and I wasn’t even thinking of no contract.”

Now that they have plenty of money, Steele and Granderson say they’re not thinking about how to spend it.

“I don’t need anything,” Steele said. “I’m being smart with it. It’s easy to make money. But it’s even easier to lose it.”

Granderson did say he bought a house in California. Pressed further, he mentioned buying furniture for it. Then finally, offered a hint of self-indulgence, sort of.

“Eventually I do want a Tesla so I can stop paying for gas,” Granderson said. “And then get the little built-in charger for the house.”

Always thinking about ways to save money, these undrafted guys who entered the league without much of it.

STEELERS’ MINKAH FITZPATRICK COULD RETURN TO PRACTICE THIS WEEK AHEAD OF A VISIT FROM THE PACKERS

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick could return to practice this week ahead from a visit from Green Bay.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday there’s a chance Fitzpatrick could test out the hamstring he injured in the first quarter of a loss to Jacksonville on Oct. 29.

“Minkah is improving,” Tomlin said. “We’ll see what the week holds for him and see if there’s a potential for availability of the latter part of the week.”

Pittsburgh (5-3) moved veteran Patrick Peterson to safety in Fitzpatrick’s absence and also moved other members of the secondary around. The Steelers did not allow a passing touchdown in a win over Tennessee on Thursday and picked off Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis in the final minute to seal it.

Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb will miss the rest of the season after sustaining a serious left knee injury against the Titans. Tomlin said he will likely lean heavily on Kwon Alexander and Elandon Roberts with Holcomb out.

The three linebackers had been working in a rotation, which Tomlin called “somewhat of a luxury.” Second-year linebacker Mark Robinson should see an uptick in playing time, but Tomlin stressed the snap count won’t be split three ways the way it essentially was when Holcomb was in the lineup.

Tomlin also downplayed second-year wide receiver George Pickens’ curious actions on social media after the victory, when he briefly deleted all of his Steelers-related content and unfollowed the team’s account as well as the accounts of several teammates (moves which were later rectified for the most part).

“I know it’s a cute story for you (the media), but it is a pebble in my shoe, to be quite honest with you, in terms of the things that I have to do in an effort to get this group ready to play this week,” Tomlin said.

Pickens has just three receptions over the past two weeks after Diontae Johnson returned to the lineup after missing more than a month with a right hamstring injury. The talented 6-foot-4 Pickens caught just two passes for minus-1 yard against the Titans and failed to get a second foot down on what would have been a go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett has praised Pickens’ efforts for drawing double teams, which opens up opportunities for other players, Johnson most notably.

Tomlin echoed those sentiments.

“We appreciate (Pickens’) talents and we respect what people do to minimize his talents,” Tomlin said. “We function as a collective. And there are some benefits for our collective when people make the type of commitment that they made recently to try to minimize his impact on the game.”

VIKINGS, RAIDERS SHOW THAT MIDSEASON MISADVENTURES NEEDN’T RESULT IN GIVING UP ON THE 2023 SEASON

The Minnesota Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders are proof that major midseason upheaval doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to start aiming for the draft instead of the playoffs.

Days after the Vikings acquired him in a trade deadline deal with Arizona following Kirk Cousins’ torn Achilles tendon, Joshua Dobbs was pressed into duty when rookie QB Jaren Hall went out with a concussion in the first quarter Sunday at Atlanta.

Dobbs gathered his offensive linemen on the sideline to go over his cadence, then led the Vikings to three touchdowns, including the game-winning 6-yard throw to Brandon Powell with 22 seconds left to rally the Vikings past the Falcons 31-28.

All this from “a guy who’s still living in a hotel,” marveled Minnesota offensive lineman Dalton Risner, who knows a thing or two about the challenges of joining a team midseason after he signed with the Vikings in late September.

“I can only imagine, bro. I know what it was like to learn this in three weeks and have to get on the field,” Risner said. “His was what? Three days? Just a stud, man.”

Winners of four straight, the Vikings (5-4) are very much in the NFC playoff picture even though Dobbs is still learning everyone’s names.

“I know a lot of nicknames per se, but name names, that’s for this week, that’s the assignment for this week,” he said.

The refreshed Raiders have a lot more teams to leapfrog in the AFC, but at 4-5 there’s a renewed hope they can salvage their season after blowing out the New York Giants 30-6 in interim coach Antonio Pierce’s debut Sunday.

The team played tight under former coach Josh McDaniels’ rigid control, but under Pierce, the former Giants linebacker who replaced the fired McDaniels, there was a noticeable ease in the locker room last week. That carried over to game day and afterward, cigar smoke wafting from the victorious locker room.

“No, it’s the first time,” receiver Davante Adams said when asked if he’d ever experienced such a thing. “But I’ve never been in a predicament like this, so it was warranted.”

The victory cigars were a sign the Raiders were finally enjoying themselves after what had been a trying season that resulted in the firings of McDaniels, general manager Dave Ziegler and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi and the benching of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

All of them had roots in New England and tried to bring the “Patriot Way” to the land of the “Black Hole” only to prove once again that maybe Bill Belichick’s celebrated ingenuity and sustained success had more to do with Tom Brady being his quarterback.

Belichick is 331-171 in his career for a .659 winning percentage. But his record without Brady is 82-96 (.461), a far cry from his 249-75 mark (.656) with Brady.

Of his 10 assistants who have gone on to become head coaches in the NFL, only two had winning records. Al Groh went 9-7 with the Jets in 2000 before returning to the college ranks, and Bill O’Brien, currently his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, went 52-48 with the Texans from 2014-20.

Even Nick Saban (15-17) had a losing record in the NFL and Brian Flores went 24-25 with the Dolphins from 2019-21. With the Giants falling to 2-7 with their loss at Las Vegas, Brian Daboll is 11-13-1.

The other five are way under .500: Joe Judge (10-23), Matt Patricia (13-29-1), McDaniels (20-33), Romeo Crennel (32-63) and Eric Mangini (33-47).

Belichick’s disciples are a combined 219-305-2 for a winning percentage of .416.

McDaniels became the first noninterim coach in the Super Bowl era to be fired by two franchises before the end of his second season. He was fired in Denver in 2010 after compiling an 11-17 record and he went 20-33 in Las Vegas.

McDaniels benched Derek Carr late last season and eventually cut him in the offseason, giving the Raiders no return for a starting quarterback who ended up getting a $150 million contract from New Orleans.

McDaniels brought in Garoppolo, his former pupil in New England, as the new starting quarterback this year and the offense severely regressed. The Raiders became the first team since 2009 to score fewer than 20 points on offense in each of the first eight games of the season.

The last two weeks were particularly humbling as Las Vegas lost 30-12 to Chicago and undrafted rookie former Division II quarterback Tyson Bagent and then looked inept in a 26-14 loss at Detroit.

Although his firing on Halloween night appeared abrupt, tensions had been building for a while and culminated in a contentious team meeting days earlier.

Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported there was an “airing of grievances” between players and coaches at the team meeting and that players “unloaded on Josh McDaniels,” who had Pierce get up and speak on his behalf at the end.

Glazer reported that Pierce referenced the Giants’ Super Bowl upset of New England in 2008 that denied the Patriots a perfect season, a reference that apparently offended McDaniels.

If the Raiders keep winning, Pierce might avoid Rich Bisaccia’s fate in 2021 when he took over for Jon Gruden and led the Raiders to an unlikely playoff berth only to get bypassed for the permanent job. That went to McDaniels, who talked a better game than he coached, never connected with the players and made repeated mistakes in roster building and game-day management.

Another of McDaniels’ former pupils sees a different history repeating itself.

“I feel like Billy O’Brien might be out of there after this year,” former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski said on FanDuel TV’s Up & Adams, suggesting O’Brien will get another head coaching gig just like he did in 2011 when he left for Penn State, which opened the door for McDaniels to return to New England for his second stint under Belichick.

“So if that’s the case,” Gronkowski said, “I think Josh McDaniels comes back as offensive coordinator in New England, that’s for sure.”

There’d be no Brady waiting for him this time.

RAMS EXPECT MATTHEW STAFFORD BACK TO QB1 FOLLOWING BYE

When the Rams return from a brief break for their bye week, the Los Angeles backfield should be close to full strength.

Rams coach Sean McVay said quarterback Matthew Stafford will be ready to return from a thumb injury that forced him to sit out last week’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. Running back Kyren Williams, on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, is one week behind Stafford and targeting to play Week 12.

“Feel really good about Matthew, and how much he’s attacked doing everything in his power to be back and to lead the way for this team,” McVay said.

The Rams return from this week’s bye to face the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 19. The Rams defeated Seattle 30-13 in Week 1. Williams is first eligible to return from IR the following week at Arizona. The Rams beat the Cardinals, 26-9, in Week 6.

Williams remains the team’s leading rusher by a considerable margin with 456 yards on 97 carries and six touchdowns. He last played in the Oct. 15 win over the Cardinals and rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.

Stafford was diagnosed with a UCL sprain in his throwing thumb after making contact with a helmet while throwing in the 43-20 loss to the Cowboys on Oct. 29.

Stafford, 35, has thrown for 2,070 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games this season.

Backup quarterback Brett Rypien replaced Stafford against the Cowboys after he was injured and completed 5 of 10 passes for 42 yards. He started Sunday’s game against the Packers and was 13 of 28 for 130 yards with an interception and no touchdowns.

STEELERS’ MIKE TOMLIN CALLS WR DRAMA ‘PEBBLE IN MY SHOE’

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters they are guilty of following storylines on social media and ignoring reality in determining George Pickens’ role in the offense.

Pickens had two receptions for -1 yard on five targets Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans and caught one pass for 22 yards the week before against the Jaguars.

Tomlin said he wants players who “want the ball” and has an open door if players are frustrated. Tomlin said that would be an apt description of Pickens.

“Heck yes, he expresses his frustration all the time. He wants to be significant,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “He wants to be a reason why we’re successful. I want guys who want the football. I want guys who want to be central to our success. That’s a non-issue.”

The day after beating the Titans, Pickens posted “free me” on Instagram and scrubbed references to the Steelers from his account.

Tomlin said Pickens taking his frustration to Instagram isn’t the preferred approach but said the conversation between coach and player took place in-house and has been extinguished. He said the perceived issue is nothing compared to the big picture of preparing for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

“I know it’s a cute story for you guys, but it is a pebble in my shoe to be quite honest with you compared to the things I have to do. Our focus in on the Green Bay Packers and what we have to do in this football game. I can’t state it any plainer than that. It’s like reality television the way you guys follow social media and write stories about it,” Tomlin said.

Pickens has been targeted 58 times with 30 receptions for 521 yards and three touchdowns in 2023.

A bigger storyline Sunday from Tomlin’s vantage point would be the return of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Nowhere near certain to play this week, Fitzpatrick is “improving”, Tomlin said, and working past the hamstring injury he sustained in Week 8 against the Jaguars.

Tomlin said he won’t rule out Fitzpatrick after erasing him as an option early last week ahead of the Thursday game against Tennessee.

REPORTS: QB JACOB EASON WORKING OUT WITH GIANTS

The New York Giants, short-handed at quarterback, are working out Jacob Eason on Tuesday, per multiple reports.

Starter Daniel Jones is lost for the season with a torn right ACL, suffered in Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor is on injured reserve with a rib injury, leaving just undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito and veteran Matt Barkley in the Giants quarterback room.

Eason, 25, doesn’t have the experience of Barkley, 33, who has appeared in 19 games (seven starts) since the Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Eason was a fourth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2020 but has bounced around, also spending time with the Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.

He has appeared in relief in two games — one with the Colts in 2021, the other with the Panthers in 2022 — and has completed five of 10 passes for 84 yards. He has been intercepted twice and has no touchdown passes.

The Giants (2-7) play at Dallas on Sunday.

Head coach Brian Daboll has yet to name a starter nor has he committed to DeVito. In his Monday news conference, he said he and general manager Joe Schoen needed to talk things through.

“I think Tommy did a good job, but again I’m not going to give you one thing and it’s a different thing,” Daboll said. “I have confidence in Tommy. He’s done a good job. But I’ll sit down and talk with Joe and figure out what’s next.”

DeVito replaced Jones at quarterback against the Raiders but threw two interceptions in his first three pass attempts before finishing with 174 yards passing and a touchdown.

REPORT: RAMS SIGNING WENTZ AMID STAFFORD INJURY CONCERNS

The Los Angeles Rams are signing veteran free-agent quarterback Carson Wentz, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Wentz’s signing comes amid injury concerns with Matthew Stafford after the quarterback missed last Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers with a thumb injury. Stafford suffered a UCL sprain in his right thumb during a Week 8 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys.

The L.A. stop will mark Wentz’s fourth team in as many years after stints with the Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, and Washington Commanders. The former 2016 No. 2 overall pick has struggled to cement himself since enjoying a hot start to his career with the Eagles. He was replaced by Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia in 2020 before the Colts and Commanders decided to cut ties in the following years after just one season.

Wentz started seven games for Washington in 2022 but struggled, going 2-5 with 11 touchdowns to nine interceptions. He wasn’t re-signed.

The 30-year-old provides insurance if Stafford remains sidelined. L.A. went with Brett Rypien under center against the Packers last week, but he could only muster 13 completions on 28 attempts for 130 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

With Wentz joining the Rams, head coach Sean McVay will now have coached both of the first two picks of the 2016 NFL Draft after previously overseeing top selection Jared Goff from 2017-2020.

The Rams are in the midst of their bye week and hold a 3-6 record after losing three straight.

TITANS NAME LEVIS STARTING QB; TANNEHILL TO BE BACKUP

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel announced Will Levis as the team’s starting quarterback going forward, according to Ben Arthur of Fox Sports.

“We’re gonna go with Will,” Vrabel said. “We think that’s the best opportunity for our football team right now and see where he’s at. I think Ryan (Tannehill) will progress through here this week … to be a backup for us and prepare as a starter.”

Levis has started the last two games for the Titans as Tannehill has been recovering from an ankle injury he suffered in Week 7. The 24-year-old Levis is 1-1 in two starts, throwing for 500 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.

Tennessee’s offense exploded in Levis’ first start. The team racked up 375 yards of total offense against an Atlanta Falcons defense ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed per game. It was the second-highest yardage output from the Titans’ offense this season.

Tannehill started the first six games, going 2-4 while throwing for 1,128 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions. The veteran signal-caller has been the starting quarterback for Tennessee since midway through the 2019 campaign.

The 35-year-old Tannehill signed a four-year, $118-million contract with the team in March 2020. He has a $36-million cap hit in 2023, according to Over the Cap. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Tennessee selected Levis with the 33rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was the starting quarterback for Kentucky his last two years in college, throwing for 5,232 yards and 43 touchdowns in 24 games.

The Titans will face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10.

NFL PREVIEW: THE STARTING 11 – YOUNG QUARTERBACKS TAKING CENTER STAGE AS NFL REACHES HALFWAY POINT OF SEASON

Learn as you go with your hair on fire.

That’s how Minnesota quarterback JOSHUA DOBBS described his experience after entering last week’s game in the second quarter, just five days after the Vikings acquired him in a trade-deadline deal.

“You’re taking AP Spanish on Tuesday and someone told you that you have an AP French exam on Sunday,” said Dobbs, who’d taken zero practice reps leading up to his Vikings debut. “You’ve got to go execute, and someone’s going to talk to you in Spanish, and then translate it into the French.”

In any language, Vikings coaches and players turned in a phenomenal effort to earn their fourth straight win last week, helping Dobbs throw two touchdown passes, including the game-winning score with 22 seconds remaining. Dobbs, who also ran for a touchdown in Minnesota’s 31-28 comeback win, became the first player in NFL history to combine for three passing and rushing touchdowns in consecutive weeks with different teams. Now, along with learning his new teammates’ names, Dobbs will become the Vikings’ third starting quarterback in as many weeks when MINNESOTA (5-4) hosts NEW ORLEANS (5-4) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

Dobbs isn’t alone. With nine chapters completed and nine remaining in the 2023 NFL season, the stellar play of several quarterbacks has stood out in the first half.

C.J. STROUD, who engineered a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the final minute to lead the Texans to a 39-37 win last week, passed for 470 yards – a single-game NFL rookie record – and five touchdowns. Stroud (22 years, 33 days old) became the youngest player ever to pass for 450 yards, surpassing JACKY LEE (22 years, 94 days) of the Houston Oilers, Oct. 13, 1961. This week, HOUSTON (4-4) travels to CINCINNATI (5-3) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

TUA TAGOVAILOA, whose Dolphins are on a bye this week, leads the NFL in passing yards (2,609), touchdown passes (19) and passer rating (106.4). Only four players since the 1970 league merger have finished a season leading the league in those three categories: TOM BRADY (2007), JOHN BRODIE (1970) and Pro Football Hall of Famers DAN MARINO (1984) and KURT WARNER (2001).

Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s JALEN HURTS (8-1), Baltimore’s LAMAR JACKSON (7-2) and Kansas City’s PATRICK MAHOMES (7-2) – quarterbacks who are, respectively, 25, 26 and 28 years old – have led their teams to the NFL’s top three records through the first half.

No question, for both the second half of the 2023 season and the second half of this decade, the NFL’s future is radiantly bright. That future starts with Week 10 on Thursday.

The Starting 11 entering Week 10…

1. ON STROUD NINE: Last week, Houston’s C.J. STROUD became the second rookie in NFL history with 400 passing yards and five touchdown passes in a game, joining MATTHEW STAFFORD (422 passing yards, five touchdown passes, Nov. 22, 2009). What’s more, among all players, he became only the sixth ever to reach 450 passing yards and five touchdown passes with no interceptions in a game, joining JARED GOFF (Sept. 27, 2018), Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (Sept. 5, 2013), DONOVAN MCNABB (Dec. 5, 2004), BEN ROETHLISBERGER (Oct. 26, 2014) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Y.A. TITTLE (Oct. 28, 1962).

HOUSTON (4-4), which squares off with CINCINNATI (5-3) on Sunday at Paycor Stadium (1 p.m. ET, CBS), has an NFL-low five giveaways this year – and Stroud has an NFL-low one interception, two fewer than any other qualifying passer. Earlier this season, Stroud recorded 191 pass attempts prior to his first interception, the most to begin a career in NFL history and the second-longest such streak by a rookie at any point all-time, trailing only KYLER MURRAY (211 attempts in 2019). Stroud enters this week having thrown 279 passes prior to his second interception, also the longest stretch ever.
- Cincinnati’s JOE BURROW will be in the corner opposite Stroud this week. Burrow has guided the Bengals to four straight wins as Cincinnati is bidding to become the first team in league history to begin 0-2 in consecutive seasons and reach the playoffs each year. Burrow has 10 touchdown passes during the four-game winning streak.
- Cincinnati is averaging 4.63 penalties per game, fewest in the NFL this season, and is tied with the Chargers for the league lead with a plus-nine turnover margin.

2. NUMBER OF THE WEEK – 722: Passing yards registered by the Commanders’ SAM HOWELL since the beginning of Week 8, first in the NFL. Howell, who leads WASHINGTON (4-5) into the state of Washington to meet SEATTLE (5-3) on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), also ranks second in the league this season with 2,471 passing yards. In franchise history, only KIRK COUSINS (2,716 in 2016 and 2,474 in 2017) has passed for more yards through Washington’s first nine games of a season.

3. TOP DEFENSES COLLIDE IN CHARM CITY: Sunday’s AFC North clash between CLEVELAND (5-3) and BALTIMORE (7-2) at M&T Bank Stadium (1 p.m. ET, FOX) features the NFL’s top two defenses. The Browns are allowing a league-best 234.8 yards per game, while the Ravens are giving up 262.6 per contest, second in the league. Baltimore (13.8 points allowed per game) also leads the NFL in scoring defense while Cleveland (17.4) is third. Cleveland (145.0 passing yards allowed per game) is first in passing defense while Baltimore (170.7) is second. The Ravens pace the league with 35 sacks.

The Ravens have matched their best start in franchise history (also 7-2 in 2006, 2012 and 2019; the team also advanced to 8-2 in each of those seasons).
- Baltimore leads the NFL with 115 net points (239 points scored, 124 points allowed), 35 more net points than the next-closest team, Buffalo (80).

4. SPOTLIGHT – INDIVIDUAL MATCHUP: Saints cornerback PAULSON ADEBO and first-place NEW ORLEANS (5-4) face a key interconference test at MINNESOTA (5-4) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX). Adebo, who ranks tied for second in the NFL with four interceptions and third with 11 passes defensed, figures to draw Vikings rookie wide receiver JORDAN ADDISON this week. Addison leads all rookies and is tied for second in the NFL with seven receiving touchdowns.

Vikings linebacker DANIELLE HUNTER, who leads the NFL with 10 sacks, has a sack in six consecutive home games.
- Minnesota owns the NFC’s longest winning streak, four games. The Vikings have used three quarterbacks in the streak, KIRK COUSINS, JAREN HALL and JOSHUA DOBBS, who’s expected to start this week. Minnesota is also 5-2 in the conference, a key playoff tiebreaker. Only the Eagles (6-0 in NFC) and Chiefs (5-1 in AFC) have better conference records.
- New Orleans, meanwhile, leads the NFL with 12 interceptions. The Saints also are tied for the league lead with 18 takeaways.
- Quarterback TAYSOM HILL last week became the second player ever with 25 rushing touchdowns, 10 touchdown passes and 10 receiving touchdowns, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer FRANK GIFFORD.
- Saints wide receiver RASHID SHAHEED leads qualifying NFL players with 19.3 yards per reception.

5. SPOTLIGHT – TEAM MATCHUP: DALLAS (5-3) looks to make up ground this week against the NEW YORK GIANTS (2-7) on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX). The Giants own the NFL’s third-best defense on third down (33.9 percent, 39-for-115) while the Cowboys enter the game with the league’s third-best offense on third down (46.9 percent, 53-for-113).

Dallas has not lost at AT&T Stadium since the first game of the 2022 season, having won 11 consecutive home games. No other NFL team owns a longer active home winning streak.
- Cowboys wide receiver CEEDEE LAMB needs 10 catches and 150 receiving yards to become the first player in NFL history to reach those marks in three consecutive games.
- The Giants’ TOMMY DEVITO could become the NFL’s 10th rookie to start a game at quarterback this year. Excluding the 1987 strike season and since at least 1950, the NFL has never had 10 rookies start at quarterback over a full season.

6. STREAK SPEAK: NFL teams wearing throwback uniforms have won five consecutive games (victories by the Giants and Eagles in Week 7, as well as the Dolphins, Seahawks and Titans in Week 8). This week, PITTSBURGH (5-3) will don classic uniforms when the Steelers host GREEN BAY (3-5) at Acrisure Stadium (1 p.m. ET, CBS). Next week, the Packers will break out their classic uniforms.

7. DID YOU KNOW?: In Week 8, Lions running back JAHMYR GIBBS posted a career-best 189 scrimmage yards (152 rushing, 37 receiving) and became the fourth rookie in Detroit franchise history to rush for 150 yards and a touchdown, joining KEVIN JONES (2004), Pro Football Hall of Famer BARRY SANDERS (1989) and BILLY SIMS (1980). Both Sanders and Sims earned AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in those respective seasons.

This week, DETROIT (6-2) heads west to meet the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (4-4) on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS). Lions wide receiver AMON-RA ST. BROWN, who this week enters his 41st career game with 253 catches, is the fourth player in history to reach 250 receptions in his first 40 contests. ODELL BECKHAM JR., ANQUAN BOLDIN and MICHAEL THOMAS are the only other players to accomplish the feat.
- Since Week 9 of the 2022 season, Detroit quarterback JARED GOFF is 14-4 (.778). That’s the fourth-highest winning percentage among starting quarterbacks behind JALEN HURTS (15-2, .882), PATRICK MAHOMES (16-3, .842) and JOE BURROW (13-3, .813), with a minimum of two starts. Also in that span, Goff owns the NFL’s best touchdown-interception ratio (4.8, 29 touchdown passes, six interceptions) among quarterbacks who’ve started games in both 2022 and 2023.
- Detroit’s SAM LAPORTA has 43 receptions, third all-time among rookie tight ends through their first eight NFL games. Only KEITH JACKSON (48 in 1988) and JORDAN REED (44 in 2013) have more.
- In the Chargers’ Week 9 win, wide receiver KEENAN ALLEN had eight catches for 77 yards and eclipsed 10,000 career receiving yards. Allen reached the milestone in his 134^th NFL game, fourth-fastest among active players behind JULIO JONES (104 games), DEANDRE HOPKINS (126) and MIKE EVANS (132).
- Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT has 34 games with two-or-more touchdown passes, tied for second in NFL history for the most such games in a player’s first four seasons. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (43) has more.
- Los Angeles is tied with Cincinnati for the NFL lead with a plus-nine turnover margin. The Chargers’ defense is also tied for second in the league with 31 sacks.

8. UNDER-THE-RADAR STORYLINE: Sunday’s matchup between INDIANAPOLIS (4-5) and NEW ENGLAND (2-7) at Frankfurt Stadium in Germany (9:30 a.m. ET, NFLN) marks the final international game on the 2023 NFL schedule. It’s the league’s 50^th regular-season game played outside the United States and 109^th overall. The Colts this season are 3-1 away from home while New England can become the first NFL team to win each of its first four international games.

9. TREND TIME: Only three coaches in NFL history have been named Sean, and all three are active in 2023. Two of those, Denver’s SEAN PAYTON and Buffalo’s SEAN MCDERMOTT, will square off on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC). The Rams’ SEAN MCVAY, on a bye week, is the third. A fourth Sean, Philadelphia defensive coordinator SEAN DESAI, is a candidate to earn a future head-coaching role.

Denver, fresh off its bye week after a win over Kansas City in Week 8, has won two straight games and three of its last five. Broncos quarterback RUSSELL WILSON has not thrown an interception in four of those five games. Overall this season, Wilson ranks fifth in the NFL with a 101.7 passer rating, the best mark through eight games by a Denver quarterback since Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING opened 2014 with a 112.0 rating.
- Since 2021, the Broncos are 6-4 in games when JUSTIN SIMMONS records an interception. Since the safety entered the league in 2016, he and XAVIEN HOWARD are tied for the NFL lead with 29 interceptions.
- Since Week 5, the Broncos’ defense leads the NFL in red-zone touchdown percentage (18.8 percent; 16 opponent possessions, three touchdowns allowed).
- Highmark Stadium is the NFL’s toughest road trip since the beginning of the 2020 season. In that span, quarterback JOSH ALLEN and the Bills are 23-5 (.821) on their home field in Orchard Park, N.Y. Allen has passed for 7,062 yards and 64 touchdowns in those 28 games.

10. NEXT GEN STAT OF THE WEEK: CHASE YOUNG and NICK BOSA are expected to play on the same defensive line for the first time since 2018 at Ohio State when SAN FRANCISCO (5-3) meets JACKSONVILLE (6-2) on Sunday at EverBank Stadium (1 p.m. ET, FOX). The acquisition of Young (40 quarterback pressures) combined with Bosa (41) gives the reunited teammates 81 combined pressures this season. Had they played together all season, that total would rank second among NFL teammates behind the 92 compiled by the Philadelphia tandem of JOSH SWEAT (49) and HAASON REDDICK (43).

Since Nov. 1, 2022, only Kansas City (16-3, .842) owns a better record than the 49ers (14-3, .824).
- Led by head coach DOUG PEDERSON, who is 2-0 in his career against San Francisco and 2-0 this season against the NFC, Jacksonville enters with the NFL’s longest active winning streak, five. It’s the team’s second five-game winning streak since Pederson took the reins of the team last season. Prior to 2022, Jacksonville had not won five consecutive games in the same season since 2005. This week, the team can extend the streak to six and reach the franchise’s longest in a season since the Jaguars won 11 straight in 1999.
- Jacksonville running back TRAVIS ETIENNE ranks tied for third in the league with seven rushing touchdowns and tied for third with eight scrimmage touchdowns this season. The Jaguars have won each of the last seven games in which Etienne has reached the end zone.
- In Week 8, Jaguars tight end EVAN ENGRAM – who has 51 catches for 434 yards – joined JEREMY SHOCKEY as the only tight ends with at least 40 receptions and 400 receiving yards in each of their first seven seasons in NFL history.
- San Francisco quarterback BROCK PURDY, the last overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, is expected to start against a former No. 1-overall quarterback for the third time in his career and second straight game. Purdy defeated MATTHEW STAFFORD (No. 1 overall in 2009) and the Rams in Week 2 before a setback against JOE BURROW (2020) and the Bengals in his last game. This week, Purdy faces TREVOR LAWRENCE (2021).
- Dating back to Week 13 of the 2022 season and including the postseason, San Francisco running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY has scored a touchdown in 17 straight games. This week, he can break a tie with Pro Football Hall of Famer LENNY MOORE (17 consecutive games from 1963-64) for the longest streak of scoring touchdowns of any kind, including the postseason, in the 104-year history of the National Football League. McCaffrey leads the NFL with 598 rushing yards this season. He’s also tied for the league lead with 13 scrimmage touchdowns and ranks second with nine rushing touchdowns.

11. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Titans quarterback WILL LEVIS is expected to make his third career start when TENNESSEE (3-5) visits TAMPA BAY (3-5) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS). This season, Levis has passed for 500 yards and four touchdowns with one interception over his first 68 NFL passes. With 225 passing yards on Sunday, Levis will become the first player in franchise history to reach that mark in each of his first three games.

His counterpart on Sunday, the Buccaneers’ BAKER MAYFIELD, owns the NFC’s top passer rating in the fourth quarter (96.9) and the NFL’s second-best passer rating on third down (112.3).

NFL’S YOUTH MOVEMENT AT QUARTERBACK REACHES NEW MILESTONE

The generational shift at quarterback in the NFL reached a new milestone last week.

For the first time ever, every player who threw a pass in the NFL in Week 9 was born in 1990 or later, with 15 of the 28 starting quarterbacks last week age 25 or younger.

The run of quarterbacks born in the 1970s ended with Tom Brady’s retirement after last season. Injuries to Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins and Ryan Tannehill, and a bye week for Russell Wilson kept the QBs born in the 1980s off the field last week. This was the first time since Week 6 of the 2002 season that no quarterback born in the 1980s took the field.

There were seven rookie starters last week — one shy of the non-replacement player record set in Week 16 of the 2019 season — with Arizona’s Clayton Tune and Minnesota’s Jaren Hall getting their first career starts. That raised the total of rookie starting QBs this season to nine, tying the non-replacement record set in 2019.

If Tommy DeVito gets the start this week for the Giants after Daniel Jones’ season-ending injury, the 10 rookie QBs would be the most since starts began being tracked in 1950.

The youth movement at quarterback has played a role in the struggles on offense across the league in the first half of the season with scoring at its lowest mark through nine weeks since 2007.

More than 70% of games so far this season have featured at least one quarterback age 25 or younger with the 126 total starts by quarterbacks that young the most ever through nine weeks.

While many of the young QBs have struggled, Houston rookie C.J. Stroud has looked like a polished veteran. He threw for a rookie-record 470 yards in a comeback win over Tampa Bay last week with five TDs and no interceptions.

His 147.8 rating was the highest ever for a rookie with at least 30 attempts and Stroud became the sixth player ever to throw for at least 450 yards with five TDs and no interceptions, joining Jared Goff, Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, Ben Roethlisberger and Y.A. Tittle.

HISTORIC PERFORMANCES

There were a few other notable performances from Week 9, including one that put New Orleans’ do-everything tight end Taysom Hill in Hall of Fame company.

Hill caught his 10th career TD pass and threw his 12th in a win over Chicago to go along with the 26 he has on the ground. He became the first player since Hall of Famer Frank Gifford to record at least 10 touchdowns passing, rushing and receiving.

Gifford reached that milestone in 1957 while the only other players to do it reached those marks in the earlier days of the NFL with Hall of Famers Charley Trippi, Red Grange and Jimmy Conzelman the others in the club.

Minnesota’s Joshua Dobbs did something that hadn’t been accomplished since 1947 when he threw TD passes in his debut for the Vikings a week after doing the same for the Cardinals.

Dobbs was the fifth player since 1947 to throw a pass for two teams in two weeks, according to Sportradar, and joined Paul Governali as the only ones to throw at least two TD passes in both games. Governali did it for the Boston Yanks and the New York Giants.

Stroud’s teammate, Dare Ogunbowale, had another noteworthy performance. With Ka’imi Fairbairn injured, Ogunbowale came on in emergency duty and kicked a 29-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

He became the first non kicker or punter to make a field goal in a game since Wes Welker did it on Oct. 10, 2004, for Miami against New England, and the first running back to do it since Tony Galbreath kicked two for New Orleans against Green Bay on Sept. 9, 1979.

DIVISIONAL DOINGS

For the first time since the start of the eight-division era in 2002, every AFC East team left the week a loser.

Miami, Buffalo, the New York Jets and New England all lost this week. The AFC East had been the only division not to have an 0-4 week since 2002. Every division other than the AFC West (two) had at least five of those weeks led by the NFC West with 10.

The AFC North swept the week with Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati all winning to improve to 5-3 or better — the first time every team in a division had a winning percentage of .600 or better heading into Week 10.

It was the fifth 4-0 week for the AFC North since realignment. The AFC West has the most with 10.

It was a rough week for NFC West teams other than idle San Francisco. Seattle lost 37-3 to Baltimore, Arizona lost 27-0 to Cleveland and the Rams lost 20-3 to Green Bay.

The six points were the fewest scored by a division playing at least three games in a week since the 2002 realignment, beating the previous low of 20 points in three games for the NFC North in Week 14 of the 2012 season.

NEW YUCK, NEW YUCK

The performance so far this season for the New York teams has been rather offensive.

The Jets and Giants are the bottom two teams in the NFL in points scored on offense with the Giants at 10.4 offensive points per game and the Jets at 14.1.

Both teams scored only eight offensive touchdowns in their first eight games of the season. The only other teams to do that in the past five seasons were the Jets in both 2020 (seven TDs) and 2019 (eight).

The Giants and Jets have combined for 207 points scored on offense so far this season — a mark reached by six other teams individually.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

BIG 10 FOOTBALL THIS WEEK

• With just three weekends remaining in the regular season, all 14 Big Ten teams will take the field this week. The action opens on Saturday at noon ET and features seven conference games and four divisional matchups. The complete schedule can be found to the right.

• Michigan and Ohio State sit atop the East Division standings with matching 6-0 Big Ten records, while Penn State is third at 5-1 in conference play. Iowa leads the West Division with a 4-2 Big Ten record, followed by Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin in second at 3-3.

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

• The Big Ten had three teams included in the College Football Playoff’s first rankings of the season on Oct. 30: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 3 Michigan and No. 11 Penn State. The CFP will release its next top 25 rankings on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

• There are just seven undefeated teams remaining in the FBS, including two Big Ten teams: Michigan (9-0) and Ohio State (9-0). The Wolverines travel to Happy Valley this weekend to face Penn State, while the Buckeyes welcome Michigan State.

• Michigan and Penn State currently rank among the top 10 nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Wolverines lead the nation in scoring defense (6.7 points per game), while ranking No. 5 nationally in scoring offense (40.7 points per game). The Nittany Lions rank No. 3 nationally in scoring defense (11.9 points per game), while ranking sixth in scoring offense (40.2 points per game).

• Five additional Big Ten teams rank in the top 25 in terms of scoring defense: Ohio State (2nd, 10.7 points per game), Iowa (4th, 13.7 points per game), Rutgers (20th, 17.9 points per game), Nebraska (22nd, 18.8 points per game) and Wisconsin (24th, 19.1 points per game).

• The Iowa defense has allowed just one touchdown in their last 12 quarters and three touchdowns over their last 20 quarters (five games). The Hawkeyes have given up one touchdown or less in seven of nine games this season. The unit has allowed one touchdown or less in 16 of the last 22 contests and has held eight teams without a touchdown since the start of the 2022 season.

• Michigan and Penn State will meet for the fourth time with both teams entering the game ranked in the top 10 of the polls. The Nittany Lions won the first match-up, a 31-24 victory at Michigan Stadium in 1994. The Wolverines claimed victories in the previous two top-10 match-ups, a 34-8 victory at Beaver Stadium during the 1997 national championship season, and a 41-17 win at Michigan Stadium last year.

• With a 35-16 victory against Rutgers last weekend, Ohio State improves to 20-1 in road games under Ryan Day, the best record of any FBS coach this century with a minimum 20 games. They’ve held all nine opponents to 17 points or fewer, their longest streak since 2007. The Buckeyes improve to 37-2 in Big Ten play under Ryan Day and have won a FBS-high 37 straight games against unranked teams.

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

• Seven Big Ten Conference programs appear in the top 20 of the latest NCAA attendance rankings, including the nation’s top three schools: No. 1 Michigan (109,864 fans per game), No. 2 Penn State (108,579), No. 3 Ohio State (103,399), No. 12 Nebraska (86,920), No. 18 Wisconsin (75,876), No. 19 Michigan State (70,211) and No. 20 Iowa (69,250). Additionally, Big Ten teams own 13 of the top 15 single-game attendance highs this season, including the top nine spots.

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

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

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

Saturday, November 11, 2023 Football
Away	Home	Time	Location	Links
Maryland	Nebraska	12:00 P.M.	Lincoln, NE (Conf.)	Stats Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network Audio Video
Indiana	Illinois	12:00 P.M.	Champaign, Ill. (Conf.)	TV: Big Ten Network Stats Radio: Indiana Sports Radio Network
Michigan	Penn State	12:00 P.M.	State College, Pa. (Conf.)	TV: FOX Stats Radio: Penn State Sports Network Video
Minnesota	Purdue	3:30 P.M.	West Lafayette, Ind. (Conf.)	TV: NBC Stats Radio: WAZY (96.5 FM) Video
Northwestern	Wisconsin	3:30 P.M.	Madison, WI (Conf.)	TV: FS1 Stats Radio: Badger Sports Network
Rutgers	Iowa	3:30 P.M.	Iowa City, Iowa (Conf.)	TV: Big Ten Network Stats Radio: WFAN 660-AM/101.9-FM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 385, SXM app, Audacy app, Scarlet Knights app Video
Michigan State	Ohio State	7:30 P.M.	Columbus, Ohio (Conf.)	TV: NBC Radio: Spartan Media Network

ILLINOIS, INDIANA AND IOWA EARN WEEKLY FOOTBALL HONORS

Following Week 10 contests, the Big Ten Conference Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Player of the Week, and the Freshman of the Week were announced this morning. Below are this week’s honorees:

Offensive Player of the Week
Isaiah Williams, Illinois
WR – Jr. – St. Louis, Mo. – Trinity Catholic

Posted 13 receptions, the most by a Big Ten player this season and tied for the fifth-most by any FBS player in 2023, for 131 yards and two touchdowns in Illinois’ 27-26 win at Minnesota
Recorded the game-winning 46-yard touchdown catch with 50 seconds remaining in the game and Illinois trailing by five points
Kept Illinois alive with a 22-yard reception on 4th-and-11 from the Minnesota 15-yard line with 1:25 remaining
Earns his first career Offensive Player of the Week award
Last Illinois Offensive Player of the Week: Chase Brown (Oct. 17, 2022)

Defensive Players of the Week
Aaron Casey, Indiana
LB – Sr. – Douglasville, Ga. – Alexander

Piled up nine tackles with seven coming in the fourth quarter to hold Wisconsin scoreless in the final frame and seal the Hoosiers’ 20-14 win
Added 4.0 tackles for loss, the most by a Hoosier since 2016, which included 2.0 sacks, with all four tackles for loss coming in the second half, with three in the fourth quarter
Forced a fumble in the fourth quarter, which led to IU’s first recovered fumble of the season
Earns the first Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career
Last Indiana Defensive Player of the Week: Micah McFadden (Dec. 7, 2020)

Special Teams Player of the Week
Drew Stevens, Iowa
K – So. – North Augusta, S.C. – North Augusta

Made a 53-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining to give the Hawkeyes a 10-7 victory over Northwestern at Wrigley Field
The kick put Iowa alone at the top of the Big Ten West Division standings with three weeks to play
The game-winner is the second of Stevens’ career (at Minnesota, 2022), it is tied for the second longest of his career and it is his fourth career make from 50+ yards
Garners the first Special Teams Player of the Week honor of his career
Last Iowa Special Teams Player of the Week: Tory Taylor (Oct. 16, 2023)

Freshman of the Week
Kaden Feagin, Illinois
RB – Atwood, Ill. – ALAH

Recorded a career-high 148 yards of offense in Illinois’ 27-26 win at Minnesota
Added 22 carries for 89 yards on the ground, highlighted by a 54-yard touchdown reception for the first receiving score of his career to give Illinois a 21-20 lead in the third quarter
His 54-yard touchdown catch was the longest reception by an Illini this season and led all players in the game with 148 yards of offense
Earns the second Freshman of the Week honor of his career
Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: Kaden Feagin (Oct. 16, 2023)

MICHIGAN PREPARED TO TAKE BIG TEN TO COURT IF PUNISHED WITHOUT FULL INVESTIGATION, AP SOURCE SAYS

Michigan is preparing to take possible legal action if the Big Ten Conference punishes the Wolverines’ football program before a full investigation into allegations of an impermissible scouting and sign-stealing scheme, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The potential for a court fight has increased in recent days as the Big Ten and NCAA weigh details and possible evidence in the case that has dogged Michigan for the past two weeks and shadowed its pursuit of another trip to the College Football Playoff. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because Michigan is not discussing its strategy publicly, and did not provide details of its potential next moves.

Michigan and the Big Ten have both confirmed the school was notified of potential discipline from the conference. The conference gave the school until early this week to respond to allegations and evidence it has been presented.

All this is playing out as the second-ranked Wolverines (9-0) prepare to face their toughest test of the season at No. 9 Penn State (8-1) on Saturday.

The NCAA is investigating Michigan, too, but its process is slower and is likely to stretch well past the season. Big Ten’s rules allow for swifter action and coaches and athletic directors in the league have been pushing Commissioner Tony Petitti to discipline Michigan under the conference’s bylaws that cover sportsmanship and competitive integrity.

Michigan and its supporters say the conference is rushing to judgment and Petitti, a former Major League Baseball executive who took the job six months ago, is being pushed to act in a way not supported by league bylaws. Former Michigan star and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard said in an email response to AP such a situation wouldn’t happen in the Southeastern Conference.

“I can’t imagine (commissioner) Greg Sankey — or Mike Slive before him — allowing themselves to be publicly bullied into circumventing the NCAA investigative process by coaches and ADs who insist on immediate punishment before a full investigation is conducted,” said Howard, who has been an analyst for ESPN’s “College GameDay” since 2005. “Especially if a potential national championship is on the line for the conference.”

The NCAA doesn’t outlaw sign-stealing, but it has rules against in-person scouting of opponents and using electronic equipment to steal signs. The allegations against Michigan suggest a far more robust approach to gathering signs.

Big Ten bylaws allow for the commissioner to hand down a two-game suspension and a fine of up to $10,000, though more severe penalties can be imposed with approval of the joint group executive committee, comprised of leaders from other Big Ten schools.

Petitti met last week with Big Ten ADs, who discussed possible penalties. Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh, who served a school-imposed, three-game suspension earlier this season for an unrelated NCAA infractions case, has denied any knowledge of the scheme.

Michigan could seek a court order from a judge that would put any punishment from the Big Ten on hold.

“It’s designed to be quick but temporary and it is very difficult to get temporary or injunctive relief. Courts rarely grant it,” Tulane sports law professor Gabe Feldman said.

“Michigan could argue that, yes, they agreed to give the conference power to discipline schools, but the conference has abused their power in this case by disciplining without sufficient evidence and without sufficient process,” he added.

A low-level staffer at the center of the investigation, Connor Stalions, resigned last week. Through his attorney, Stalions said that, to his knowledge, none of the Michigan coaches told anyone to break rules or were aware of improper conduct when it came to advance scouting.

Michigan says it is cooperating with the NCAA. The person with knowledge of the situation told the AP the NCAA has not shared any evidence with the Big Ten that shows Harbaugh or his assistant coaches knew or were involved with a sign-stealing scheme.

WHAT TO WATCH: GEORGIA, ALABAMA CAN CLINCH SPOTS IN SEC TITLE GAME, NO. 2 MICHIGAN AT NO. 9 PENN ST

It’s that time of the college football season when clarity arrives for many of the conference races.

No. 1 Georgia and No. 8 Alabama can clinch spots in the SEC title game on Saturday, No. 13 Utah is fighting for survival in its bid for a third straight Pac-12 title and No. 9 Penn State needs a win against No. 2 Michigan in the Big Ten East.

Georgia hosts No. 10 Mississippi at night and will go into the game as East champion if No. 16 Missouri beats No. 14 Tennessee earlier in the day. Otherwise, the Bulldogs win the East by beating the Rebels.

If Tennessee wins and Georgia loses — which would end its 37-game regular-season win streak — it would set up a huge East showdown in Knoxville next week.

Alabama visits Kentucky and will win the West if it beats a Wildcats team that has dropped two straight home games.

No. 5 Washington can take a big step toward its first Pac-12 championship game (and title) since 2018 with a win over No. 13 Utah in Seattle. The Utes would be out of the race with a loss. No. 6 Oregon, which hosts Southern California, has the inside track for the second spot in the Pac-12 title game.

If No. 11 Louisville beats Virginia at home Thursday, the Cardinals will move closer to a matchup with No. 4 Florida State in the ACC championship game. The Seminoles host Miami, which would be eliminated with a loss or a Louisville win.

No. 7 Texas and No. 15 Oklahoma State, the Big 12 co-leaders, both have manageable remaining games and are on a collision course to meet for the championship. The Longhorns visit TCU and the Cowboys are at UCF.

BEST GAME

No. 2 Michigan (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) at No. 9 Penn State (8-1, 5-1), Saturday, noon ET (Fox)

This top-10 matchup is part of the three-team round robin that will decide the East champion, assuming there are no upsets.

Michigan has kept rolling off wins amid the sign-stealing scandal threatening to blow up its season. This will be the toughest test to date for the Wolverines, whose best-in-the-nation defense will be tasked with stopping an offense averaging better than 40 points per game.

If Michigan wins, the East would come down to the Wolverines’ home game against No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 25. If Penn State wins and Ohio State beats the Wolverines, the Buckeyes win the division outright.

If Penn State wins out and Michigan beats the Buckeyes, the three teams would be tied and the East representative in the Big Ten title game would be determined by a comparison of non-divisional opponents’ conference records. Penn State currently holds that tiebreaker.

HEISMAN WATCH

The top five contenders are all quarterbacks: Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Oregon’s Bo Nix, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Florida State’s Jordan Travis and Georgia’s Carson Beck, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Penix (plus-140) and Nix (plus-200) are the top betting favorites by a wide margin. All five play key games this week and will have ample opportunities to make impressions.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

1/133 — Air Force is first in the nation in rushing. Hawaii, its opponent, is last.

4 — Navy’s starting quarterbacks this season, most in the nation.

30 — Texas has scored at least this many points in each of its first nine games, a program first.

100 — Years since Pittsburgh and Syracuse met in the first college football game in Yankee Stadium. The teams square off in the new Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

188 — Consecutive pass attempts without an interception by Florida’s Graham Mertz, 15 behind Tim Tebow’s school record (2007-08).

UNDER THE RADAR

Duke (6-3, 3-2) at North Carolina (7-2, 3-2), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (ACC Network)

Both are among the five teams tied for fourth in the ACC and likely playing for a best possible bowl.

It’s an intriguing quarterback matchup. Drake Maye is projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, so this likely will be the third-year sophomore’s last Victory Bell Game. True freshman Grayson Loftis, who led Duke to a win over Wake Forest last week, is in line to start again in place of the injured Riley Leonard and Henry Belin IV.

HOT SEAT

Jimbo Fisher’s seat at Texas A&M could become intolerably hot if the Aggies don’t beat Mississippi State at home. Texas A&M was less than five minutes from pulling out a huge road win against Mississippi but lost 38-35 after giving up a late touchdown and having a field-goal try partially blocked.

The Aggies’ best win is against Auburn and those close losses to Alabama and Tennessee are still losses. Here come the Bulldogs, who are 1-5 in the SEC.

QB JAYDEN DANIELS MIGHT MISS FLORIDA GAME FOR NO. 19 LSU

LSU won’t know if star quarterback Jayden Daniels will be available to play on Saturday until later in the week.

Daniels sustained a concussion last weekend during LSU’s loss to Alabama, so the No. 19 Tigers are getting Garrett Nussmeier prepared to play in case he needs to make the start on Saturday against Florida in Baton Rouge, La.

Nussmeier has never started a college game and would have big shoes to fill with Daniels enjoying a monster campaign for LSU (6-3, 4-2 Southeastern Conference).

Daniels took a brutal hit from Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner in the fourth quarter of the Tigers’ 42-28 defeat to No. 8 Crimson Tide and missed the remainder of the game.

Tigers coach Brian Kelly said Daniels is day to day and going through the concussion protocol. The senior didn’t practice on Tuesday.

Kelly wasn’t sure if he would have Daniels on the field against the Gators (5-4, 3-3).

“This is a process that we’ll just have to see how it plays out from day to day, but I can tell you he’s made some progress,” the coach said.

Kelly was not pleased with the hit Daniels absorbed.

“We sent it into the league office because we felt like it checked all the boxes,” Kelly said. “Again, we want to protect the quarterback here, obviously.”

Daniels has passed for 2,792 yards, the fifth-highest total in the nation, and 27 touchdowns with four interceptions. He also has a team-leading 684 rushing yards and six scores on the ground. Daniels accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one running) against Alabama while throwing for 219 yards and one interception and rushing for 163 yards.

Nussmeier completed 5 of 10 passes for 53 yards after entering the contest. He has thrown for 1,325 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions in three college seasons.

Florida coach Billy Napier isn’t waiting to see what quarterback decision LSU makes.

“I think we’ll prepare for both,” Napier said. “They’re definitely different players, but they’re both very capable. And I think ultimately, they do a nice job distributing the ball to the skill they have.”

Star LSU wideout Malik Nabers had 10 receptions for 171 yards and one touchdown against Alabama, and he leads the nation with 1,152 receiving yards to go with 66 catches and 10 touchdowns. Nabers joins Josh Reed (2000, 2001) as the only LSU players to post multiple 1,000-yard receiving campaigns.

Florida has dropped two straight games, turning up the heat on Napier, who is 11-11 in two seasons.

A special teams gaffe helped lead to a 39-36 overtime home loss to Arkansas last week.

The field-goal unit ran on the field while the offense was preparing to spike the ball in the final seconds of regulation, prompting a 5-yard penalty. The ensuing 44-yard field-goal attempt by Trey Smack was wide to the right.

The critics were out in full force after the Gators lost in OT.

“It’s not my job to preach patience,” Napier said. “It’s my job to coach the team. When you lose games, there’s going to be criticism. I understand it. I’ve grown up in this profession. It comes with the territory. We knew this was going to be a challenge, and we’re right in the middle of it.”

Gators quarterback Graham Mertz passed for 282 yards and matched his season best of three touchdowns against the Razorbacks. He has thrown for 2,409 yards, 17 touchdowns and two interceptions this season.

LSU has won the past four meetings and 10 of the past 13.

FLORIDA STATE RECEIVER JOHNNY WILSON RETURNS TO PRACTICE AND COULD PLAY AGAINST RIVAL MIAMI

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State standout receiver Johnny Wilson returned to practice Tuesday, giving the fourth-ranked Seminoles more hope that he will be able to play against rival Miami.

Wilson missed FSU’s last two games, lopsided road wins against Wake Forest and Pittsburgh, because of an undisclosed injury. The 6-foot-7 junior, widely considered a second-day NFL draft pick in April, has 25 catches for 415 yards and two touchdowns this season.

The Seminoles (9-0, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who already clinched a spot in the league title game next month, also played without star receiver Keon Coleman against the Panthers as well as backups Hykeem Williams and Deuce Spann. Coleman leads Florida State with 38 receptions for 538 and nine touchdowns. Williams and Spann have five catches combined.

The status of that trio for Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes remains uncertain.

FSU coach Mike Norvell expressed optimism Monday that his receiving corps would be closer to full strength against Miami.

“I do see us being in a much better spot,” Norvell said. “… What that means, we’ll see. As we go through the week, we’ll get a great perspective on where guys are.”

Jordan Travis threw for a season-high 360 yards against Pitt despite missing many targets.

IOWA LOOKS TO EXTEND NOVEMBER REIGN VS. RUTGERS

Iowa knows a thing or two about peaking at the right time.

The Hawkeyes have won 15 of their past 16 games in the month of November and will look to improve on that impressive record Saturday when they face Rutgers in Big Ten Conference action in Iowa City, Iowa.

After falling 12-10 to Minnesota in its final game of October, Iowa (7-2, 4-2) flipped a switch with the arrival of the new month to beat Northwestern 10-7 last Saturday at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

“If you’re in college football, the month of November really defines you,” Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz said. “You find out what’s what and who’s who, and that’s usually how you get remembered. So somehow, some way, you got to find a way in November.”

Scarlet Knights coach Greg Schiano called Iowa’s track record in November “astounding,” making it that much harder to escape Iowa City with a victory.

“We certainly are going into one of the toughest places to play in America against a team that’s leading the Big Ten West,” Schiano said. “We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us.”

Rutgers (6-3, 3-3) hits the road looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 35-16 loss to Ohio State. The Scarlet Knights outgained the Buckeyes 361-328 but had trouble putting up six points, settling for field goals on three drives in which they worked inside the Ohio State 5-yard line.

It won’t be any easier to find the end zone on Saturday, as the Hawkeyes allow the fourth-fewest points per game (13.7) among FBS teams.

Jay Higgins and Cooper DeJean headline Iowa’s defense, and both are among the best in the nation at their respective positions.

Higgins was named a semifinalist for the Dick Butkus Award, given to the country’s top linebacker. Meanwhile, DeJean is in the running for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented to college football’s best defensive back.

Rutgers’ defense has been stout, too, ranking 20th in the nation in scoring defense (17.9 points allowed per game) and 10th in total defense (282.4 yards allowed per game).

The Scarlet Knights are 0-3 all-time vs. the Hawkeyes.

NEBRASKA LOOKING TO EXTEND MARYLAND’S MISERY

Nebraska may be headed in the right direction, but last weekend’s loss still got coach Matt Rhule fired up.

Either Nebraska or visiting Maryland will achieve bowl eligibility when they face off Saturday in Big Ten action in Lincoln, Neb.

The Cornhuskers (5-4, 3-3) had won three straight before a 20-17 loss at Michigan State. While claiming his program isn’t made up of “excuse-makers,” Rhule bemoaned officiating in his team’s close losses to Minnesota and Michigan State while getting in a dig at scandal-plagued Michigan, which beat Nebraska 45-7 in September.

“I feel bad for our players,” Rhule said Monday. “We’re sticking with 5-4, we own 5-4 (as a record), but we had one game where the team scouted us and we’ve had two games where replay was wrong.”

Replay officials did not intervene to review a called fumble on Nebraska quarterback Heinrich Haarberg at the end of Saturday’s game. Haarberg’s arm appeared to already be in a throwing motion, and had the call been changed to an incompletion, Nebraska could have had more time for a last-ditch play before the buzzer.

All the same, the Huskers possess their best record in seven years. One more win will make them eligible for a bowl for the first time since a nine-win campaign in 2016 led to a loss in the Music City Bowl.

Rhule said Nebraska is sticking with Haarberg, the team’s leading passer (967 yards) and rusher (477). He had two interceptions and lost a fumble against the Spartans.

Maryland (5-4, 2-4) has gone backward since a 5-0 start. The Terrapins have allowed 37 points per game during a four-game skid, exacerbated by last Saturday’s 51-15 drubbing at home to then-No. 11 Penn State.

“Of the four losses we’ve had, this one is one that is not even worth (players) watching the tape, because we came nowhere close to the standard that we have come to expect for our program,” coach Mike Locksley said Tuesday.

Taulia Tagovailoa was sacked six times, threw one interception and lost a fumble. Maryland’s 16 rushing attempts against Penn State netted a loss of 49 yards.

“Our inability to run the ball just comes with our inability to execute, and we’ve struggled with the interior part of our run game,” Locksley said. “… We’re going to work real hard this week to figure out how the best way is for us to run the football.”

WISCONSIN HOPING OFFENSE WAKES UP VS. NORTHWESTERN

Wisconsin will try to regain its offensive stride against visiting Northwestern on Saturday as the Badgers look to remain in contention in the Big Ten West.

The Badgers (5-4, 3-3) will return to Madison after a 20-14 setback last Saturday at Indiana, their third loss in four games. Northwestern (4-5, 2-4) lost to Iowa 10-7 at Wrigley Field the same day on a field goal with 14 seconds left.

Wisconsin is tied with Nebraska and Minnesota, its final two opponents, a game behind first-place Iowa in the West. In their three recent losses, the Badgers have just 30 points, including only 10 in the first half.

Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai has missed the last three games after breaking his throwing hand. Senior running back Chez Mellusi suffered a season-ending broken leg in the fourth game. And against Indiana, leading rusher Braelon Allen (ankle) and senior wide receiver Chimere Dike (leg) were out.

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell was not sure Monday of the status of Allen and Dike, although both were listed first on this week’s depth chart.

“It’s hard to tell, the pace you are at on a Sunday — what does that translate to a Tuesday, Wednesday, and even push it through to a Saturday,” Fickell said. “So I wish I knew more.”

Redshirt freshman Braedyn Locke completed 21 of 41 passes for 243 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions against Indiana in his third start.

Northwestern quarterback Ben Bryant has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. Brendan Sullivan has completed 40 of 65 passes for 522 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions over the last three games, but he threw for just 81 yards against Iowa.

Northwestern interim coach David Braun said Monday that Bryant continues to improve but remains uncertain for Saturday.

“Each day we’ll know more, but I’m not willing to sit up here and say he’s not going to be available,” Braun said. “With the progression that he’s shown over the last couple of weeks, I think there’s a possibility that he’s ready to go.”

Wisconsin has won five of the last seven meetings with Northwestern, including 42-7 last season.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS

NO. 4 MICHIGAN ST. ON STRUGGLE BUS AFTER SHOCKING UPSET IN OPENER

No. 4 Michigan State never expected a losing record at any point this season.

But the Spartans are 0-1 as they prepare for a visit from Southern Indiana on Thursday.

A stunner in the season opener on Monday sent head coach Tom Izzo into a somber march, feeling from a 79-76 loss in overtime to a James Madison team that was picked to win the Sun Belt Conference this year and had the look of a mid-major team that could be a force.

“They outplayed us. They played harder than us. They played smarter than us,” Izzo said after the Spartans went 1 of 20 from 3-point range and 23 of 40 from the free throw line. “They deserved to win. I didn’t think it would go like that.”

Michigan State tries to get right against Southern Indiana with a showdown against No. 2 Duke looming on Tuesday in Chicago.

Izzo refused to call the loss a “wake-up call” for his team but he struggled searching for positives.

“To me, wake-up calls are for programs that all of a sudden came out of the ashes,” Izzo said. “When you’ve been a solid program, there should be no wake-up calls. So I take responsibility for that. There’s no reason for a wake-up call. There’s gonna be some changes. There’s no reason for a wake-up call.”

Southern Indiana competed in Division I for the first time last season, going 16-17 overall. However, a lot of production has to be replaced off of the 2022-23 team, with nine new players in the fold. The Screaming Eagles lost their opener to St. Louis University, 75-63, on Monday.

Guard Ryan Hall, a junior who redshirted last season, and guard Jack Campion made 13 starts last year as a freshman but the Spartans don’t have to worry about anything near the level of experience and maturity they did against James Madison.

“With nine new guys, it’s hard as a coach to get everything going as fast as you want it to,” Southern Indiana head coach Stan Gouard said. “But I think these guys are very good in terms of taking coaching and applying it to the game of basketball. We compete at a high level. They listen and they want to win, but there are some things to do in order to win a ballgame.”

The Screaming Eagles were picked to finish ninth in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll.

The biggest key to staying in the game for Southern Indiana might be how well it can contain Michigan State senior guard Tyson Walker, who went off for 35 points in the loss to James Madison.

“I hope they respond by being ticked off,” Izzo said of his team. “I hope they respond by playing a little harder, more physical. I don’t know what to say about the free throws. I harp on it every day, and we have shot well from the line at practice. It just happened.”

This will be the first ever meeting between Southern Indiana and Michigan State.

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

JA’KOBE WALTER SHINES AS NO. 20 BAYLOR RALLIES PAST AUBURN

Ja’Kobe Walter set a program record for a freshman with 28 points and RayJ Dennis and Yves Missi made huge plays down the stretch to help lift No. 20 Baylor to an 88-82 come-from-behind win over Auburn on Tuesday in Sioux Falls, S.D., in the season opener for both teams.

The Tigers led by nine points at halftime but could not create any real separation in the second half.

Baylor eventually tied the game at 77 on a 3-pointer by Dennis with 3:02 to play. Missi gave the Bears the lead with a dunk on the ensuing possession and went high to block a layup by Denver Jones to allow them to remain in front.

Missi added a pair of free throws with 2:10 left and Dennis made a jumper 44 seconds later to extend the Bears’ lead to six points.

Walter scored the most points by a freshman in his Baylor debut. Dennis added 15 points, Jalen Bridges had 13 and Missi, a freshman, scored 10 points in the win.

Aden Holloway led the Tigers with 19 points off the bench while Johni Broome scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Jones had 13 points.

Holloway’s 3-pointer at the 15:18 mark of the first half leapfrogged the Tigers to a 9-7 lead, but Baylor bounced back with a 10-2 run capped by Miro Little’s layup with 12:21 to play in the first half.

Auburn rallied to within 22-21 after a free throw by Broome with 8:56 remaining. The Bears’ Josh Ojianwuna pushed the lead to three points via a putback layup on the ensuing possession, but Auburn rattled off five straight points to jump back in front.

The Tigers’ surge continued throughout the rest of the half, as a 3-pointer by Jones with 23 seconds left produced a 43-34 advantage for Auburn at the break.

Walter led all scorers with 13 points before halftime. Jones paced the Tigers with eight points.

Walter put his game into overdrive in the early minutes of the second half, scoring the Bears’ first eight points before Dennis’ layup at the 17:50 mark brought Baylor to within 45-44.

NO. 8 CREIGHTON CRUSHES FAMU, WINS 29TH STRAIGHT HOME OPENER

Trey Alexander scored 18 of his 20 points in the first half to lift No. 8 Creighton to a convincing 105-54 season-opening victory over Florida A&M on Tuesday in Omaha, Neb.

Alexander made 7 of 8 shots from the floor — including 2 of 3 from 3-point range — as the Bluejays seized control early en route to winning their 29th straight home opener.

Utah State transfer Steven Ashworth scored 17 points and Baylor Scheierman collected 15 points and eight rebounds for Creighton. Ashworth sank five 3-pointers and Scheierman added three for the Bluejays, who had eight different players convert at least once from beyond the arc.

Creighton shot a robust 56.7 percent from the floor (38 of 67), hit 47.4 percent of its shots from beyond the arc (18 of 38) and held a decided 55-22 advantage in rebounds.

The Bluejays didn’t need much from Ryan Kalkbrenner, however. An all-Big East preseason first-team pick and two-time Big East defensive player of the year, Kalkbrenner scored just nine points while playing in his 100th career game.

Kalkbrenner recorded his 200th career block early in the first half after denying Hantz Louis-Jeune’s bid for a layup.

Keith Lamar scored 16 points for the Rattlers, who made just 1 of 7 attempts from 3-point range.

Florida A&M held an 8-6 lead just 3:18 into the game before Creighton claimed control of the contest. Ashworth drained a 3-pointer and Scheierman sank two from beyond the arc to ignite a 22-4 run by the Bluejays.

Hantz Louis-Jeune made a layup to halt the momentum; however, Ashworth and Alexander each drained two 3-pointers and Scheierman added one to fuel Creighton to a 56-27 lead at halftime.

The Bluejays held a 19-0 advantage in second-chance points in the first half.

The Rattlers scored four quick points to start the second half before Creighton responded with the next 16 to push its lead to 72-31. Mason Miller made two 3-pointers, Ashworth had one and Kalkbrenner capped that sequence with a three-point play.

The outcome was not in doubt the rest of the way.

MAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

FULL 2023-24 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE TELEVISION SCHEDULE

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023

Toledo at James

Toledo at James Madison, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023
Northern Illinois at Arkansas State, 12:00 PM (ESPN+)
Central Michigan at South Alabama, 8:00 PM (ESPN+)

Friday, Nov. 10, 2023
Western Michigan at Georgia State, 6:30 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023
Eastern Michigan at Georgia Southern, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ohio at Appalachian State, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Bowling Green at Texas State, 3:00 PM (ESPN+)
Akron at Southern Miss, 3:00 PM (ESPN+)
Buffalo at Old Dominion, 4:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at Troy, 4:33 PM (ESPN+)
Miami at Louisiana at Monroe, 8:00 PM (ESPN+)

Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023
Northern Illinois at Western Illinois, 2:00 PM
Central Michigan at Bradley, 3:00 PM
Kent State at Louisiana, 4:00 PM (ESPN+)
Toledo at Gonzaga, 5:00 PM (ESPN+)

Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023
Kent State at LSU, 12:00 PM (SEC Network+)
Niagara at Buffalo, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at Chicago State, 6:00 PM
Concordia-Ann Arbor at Central Michigan, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023
Akron at Robert Morris, 11:00 AM (ESPN+)

Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023
Western Michigan at Youngstown State, 5:00 PM (ESPN+)
Dayton at Ohio, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Northern Illinois at Southern Indiana, 8:00 PM (ESPN+)

Friday, Nov. 17, 2023
Stonehill at Buffalo, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023
Northern Iowa at Ball State, 11:00 AM (ESPN+)
Western Kentucky at Miami, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Bowling Green at Xavier, 2:00 PM (FloSports)
Central Michigan at Cleveland State, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
SIU Edwardsville at Eastern Michigan, 3:30 PM (ESPN+)

Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023
Cincinnati at Toledo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023
Lindenwood at Northern Illinois, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kent State at Xavier, 7:00 PM (FloSports)

Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023
Bowling Green vs Mercer, 12:00 PM
St. Bonaventure at Buffalo, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ohio at Morehead State, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at IUPUI, 2:00 PM

Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023
Bowling Green vs Lehigh, 9:00 AM

Friday, Nov. 24, 2023
Akron vs Wichita State, 11:00 AM (FloSports)
Northern Illinois vs Radford, 12:00 PM
Eastern Michigan at Michigan, 1:00 PM (B1G+)
Toledo vs SMU, 3:00 PM (ESPN+)
Notre Dame at Ball State, 5:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kent State vs Chattanooga, 5:45 PM
Western Michigan vs Campbell, 7:30 PM

Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023
Toledo vs North Dakota State, TBA
Northern Illinois vs Indiana State, 12:00 PM
Central Michigan at UW-Milwaukee, 12:00 PM
Akron vs Pittsburgh, 1:15 PM
Western Michigan vs UNC Asheville, 5:00 PM
Kent State vs Missouri, 5:45 PM

Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023
IUPUI at Ohio, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kutztown at Buffalo, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)

Monday, Nov. 27, 2023
Duquesne at Bowling Green, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Xavier at Miami, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023
Longwood at Ohio, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Coppin State at Kent State, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Valparaiso Beacons at Western Michigan, 7:00 PM
Northern Illinois at Wisconsin, 7:30 PM

Friday, Dec. 1, 2023
Eastern Michigan at North Dakota State, 8:00 PM

Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023
Davenport at Western Michigan, 12:00 PM
Indiana State at Central Michigan, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Buffalo at Stony Brook, 1:00 PM
Bowling Green at Iowa, 1:30 PM

Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023
Northern Illinois at SIU Edwardsville, 2:00 PM
Miami at Michigan State, 2:00 PM
Tennessee State at Akron, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kent State at Florida State, 2:00 PM
Eastern Michigan at North Dakota, 2:00 PM
Ball State at Saint Louis, 3:00 PM

Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023
Ohio at Ohio State, 7:00 PM

Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023
Detroit Mercy at Western Michigan, 7:00 AM
Miami at Eastern Kentucky, 12:00 PM
Michigan at Toledo, 5:00 PM (CBS Sports Network)
Akron at Youngstown State, 6:30 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at UConn, 7:00 PM

Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023
Eastern Michigan at Lindenwood, 7:00 PM

Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023
Syracuse at Ohio, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Dayton at Miami, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Eastern Michigan at Southern Indiana, 2:00 PM
Buffalo at Drexel, 2:00 PM
Central Michigan at Oakland, 2:00 PM

Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023
Ball State at Western Kentucky, 12:00 AM
Akron at Cleveland State, 2:00 PM
Kent State at Duquesne, 2:00 PM
Detroit Mercy at Northern Illinois, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Loyola Maryland at Toledo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)

Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023
Bowling Green at Wright State, 11:00 AM

Friday, Dec. 15, 2023
Eastern Michigan at IUPUI, 7:00 PM

Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023
Miami at Michigan, 12:00 AM
Le Moyne at Buffalo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)

Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023
Indiana State at Ohio, 1:00 PM (EPN+)
Purdue Fort Wayne at Western Michigan, 2:00 PM
Central Michigan at Michigan State, 2:00 PM
Toledo at Oakland, 7:00 PM

Monday, Dec. 18, 2023
Eastern Illinois at Northern Illinois, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)

Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023
Lake Erie at Kent State, 11:00 AM
Ball State at Pittsburgh, 12:00 PM
South Carolina at Bowling Green, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023
Toledo at Duke, 7:00 PM
Central Michigan at North Dakota State, 8:00 PM

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023
Ball State at Georgia, 12:00 PM
Ohio at Butler, 1:00 PM
Bellarmine at Akron, 4:00 PM (ESPN+)
Miami at Oakland, 7:00 PM
Western Michigan at Notre Dame, 7:00 PM

Friday, Dec. 22, 2023
Bowling Green at Indiana, 6:00 PM

Friday, Dec. 29, 2023
Saginaw Valley at Eastern Michigan, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023
Maryland Eastern Shore at Buffalo, 12:00 PM (ESPN+)
La Roche at Kent State, 1:00 PM
Ohio at Bellarmine, 1:00 PM
Akron at Canisius, 1:00 PM
Miami at Austin Peay, 2:00 PM
Hillsdale at Toledo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Concordia (Chicago) at Northern Illinois, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Oakland City at Ball State 3:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024
Kent State at Buffalo. 6:00 PM (ESPN+)
Akron at Ohio, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at Western Michigan, 7:00 PM
Bowling Green at Central Michigan, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Toledo at Miami, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024
Ohio at Kent State, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Toledo at Eastern Michigan, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Buffalo at Central Michigan, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Western Michigan at Bowling Green, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at Akron, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Miami at Northern Illinois, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024
Buffalo at Ball State, 6:30 PM (ESPN+)
Central Michigan at Akron, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Eastern Michigan at Bowling Green, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kent State at Miami, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Northern Illinois at Ohio, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Western Michigan at Toledo, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024
Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Bowling Green at Ball State, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Akron at Buffalo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ohio at Toledo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Miami at Western Michigan, 3:00 PM

Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024
Northern Illinois at Kent State, 6:00 PM (CBS Sports Network)

Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024
Toledo at Kent State, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at Central Michigan, 11:00 AM (ESPN+)
Akron at Bowling Green, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Buffalo at Northern Illinois, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Miami at Eastern Michigan, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ohio at Western Michigan, 7:00 PM

Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024
Bowling Green at Miami, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Eastern Michigan at Ohio, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kent State at Akron, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Western Michigan at Buffalo, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Central Michigan at Northern Illinois, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)

Sunday, Jan. 21
Central Michigan at Chicago State, 3:00 PM
Toledo at Ball State, 6:00 PM (CBS Sports Network)

Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024
Bowling Green at Buffalo, 11:00 AM (ESPN+)
Miami at Ball State, 6:30 PM (ESPN+)
Eastern Michigan at Kent State, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ohio at Central Michigan, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Akron at Western Michigan, 7:00 PM
Northern Illinois at Toledo, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024
Western Michigan at Central Michigan, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at Eastern Michigan, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Miami at Ohio, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Akron at Northern Illinois, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kent State at Bowling Green, 4:00 PM (ESPN+)
Buffalo at Toledo, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024
Kent State at Ball State, 6:30 PM (ESPN+)
Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Central Michigan at Miami, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Buffalo at Ohio, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Toledo at Akron, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Northern Illinois at Bowling Green, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024
Central Michigan at Kent State, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ohio at Ball State, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Bowling Green at Toledo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Miami at Akron, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Eastern Michigan at Buffalo, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024
Western Michigan at Kent State, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Akron at Eastern Michigan, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at Northern Illinois, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ohio at Bowling Green, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Buffalo at Miami, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Toledo at Central Michigan, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024
MAC-Sun Belt Challenge, TBA

Sunday, February 11
MAC-Sun Belt Challenge – 21 Day wildcard selection, 2 pm ET (CBS Sports Network)
*Matchup of highest ranked teams from MAC & Sun Belt

Wednesday, Feb. 14
Western Michigan at Northern Illinois, 12:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Feb. 17
Northern Illinois at Eastern Michigan, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at Ohio, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Western Michigan at Miami, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kent State at Central Michigan, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Buffalo at Akron, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Toledo at Bowling Green, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Feb. 21
Northern Illinois at Buffalo, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)
Central Michigan at Ball State, 6:30 PM (ESPN+)
Bowling Green at Akron, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kent State at Ohio, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan, 7:00 PM
Miami at Toledo, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Feb. 24
Akron at Kent State, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Central Michigan at Western Michigan, 12:00 PM
Eastern Michigan at Miami, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Bowling Green at Northern Illinois, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at Toledo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ohio at Buffalo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Feb. 28
Akron at Ball State, 6:30 PM (ESPN+)
Buffalo at Bowling Green, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Miami at Central Michigan, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kent State at Eastern Michigan, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Toledo at Northern Illinois, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Western Michigan at Ohio, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Mar. 2
Buffalo at Kent State, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Eastern Michigan at Ball State, 11:00 AM (ESPN+)
Central Michigan at Ohio, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Toledo at Western Michigan, 1:00 PM
Miami at Bowling Green, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Northern Illinois at Akron, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Mar. 6
(21-day wildcard selection, 5 pm ET, ESPNU)
Ohio at Akron, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)
Central Michigan at Buffalo, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)
Ball State at Kent State, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Northern Illinois at Miami, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Bowling Green at Western Michigan, 7:00 PM
Eastern Michigan at Toledo, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)

Saturday, Mar. 9
Akron at Central Michigan, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Bowling Green at Eastern Michigan, 1:00 PM
Ohio at Miami, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Northern Illinois at Western Michigan, 1:00 PM
Ball State at Buffalo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Kent State at Toledo, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)

Wednesday, Mar. 13
MAC Tournament Women’s Quarterfinals #1, Time TBA (ESPN+)
MAC Tournament Women’s Quarterfinals #2, Time TBA (ESPN+)
MAC Tournament Women’s Quarterfinals #3, Time TBA (ESPN+)
MAC Tournament Women’s Quarterfinals #4, Time TBA (ESPN+)

Friday, Mar. 15
MAC Tournament Women’s Semifinals, Time TBA (ESPN+)
MAC Tournament Women’s Semifinals, Time TBA (ESPN+)

Saturday, Mar. 16
MAC Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship Game, 11 AM ET (CBS Sports Network)

NHL NEWS

NHL ROUNDUP: COYOTES’ CONNOR INGRAM STOPS KRAKEN IN SO

Connor Ingram made 35 saves through overtime and then didn’t allow a goal in the shootout as the Arizona Coyotes defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-3 on Tuesday in Tempe, Ariz.

Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist and Nick Schmaltz added two helpers for the Coyotes. Matias Maccelli and Barrett Hayton also scored for Arizona, and Nick Bjugstad was the only player to tally in the shootout for either team.

Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and an assist for Seattle, and Justin Schultz and Jaden Schwartz also tallied goals. Matty Beniers had two assists, and goaltender Joey Daccord, a former Arizona State standout, stopped 24 of 27 shots.

In the second round of the shootout, Bjugstad cruised down the left wing, deked Daccord and lifted a forehand shot over the prone goalie.

Keller had forced overtime by scoring at 1:58 of the third period to tie things at 3-3.

Hurricanes 3, Sabres 2 (OT)

Martin Necas scored 90 seconds into overtime to give Carolina a victory against Buffalo in Raleigh, N.C.

It was the second overtime winner at home this season for Necas. He tipped in the puck from near the crease after the Sabres controlled the puck for most of the first minute of the extra session.

Defensemen Tony DeAngelo and Brady Skjei scored the first two Hurricanes goals. Buffalo’s goals came from Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin. The Sabres were aiming for their fourth win in five games.

Lightning 5, Canadiens 3

Tampa Bay erupted for four goals in the game’s first 13:50, helping goaltender Matt Tomkins post his first NHL victory in a win against host Montreal.

Starting for the third time in his career, the 29-year-old Tomkins — a former netminder at Ohio State — recorded 23 saves on 26 shots. Nikita Kucherov continued to sizzle on the offensive end, providing the game’s first goal and later adding an assist. He has four markers and seven helpers in the past three games.

Nick Suzuki, Michael Pezzetta and Christian Dvorak scored for the Canadiens.

Wild 4, Islanders 2

Kirill Kaprizov scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period for Minnesota, which beat New York in Elmont, N.Y.

Joel Eriksson Ek added an insurance goal just 42 seconds later for the Wild, who have won two straight following a four-game losing streak. Pat Maroon and Vinni Lettieri also scored for Minnesota. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 saves.

Noah Dobson and Oliver Wahlstrom scored for the Islanders, who have lost three of their past four games (1-1-2). Goalie Semyon Varlamov recorded 27 saves.

Rangers 5, Red Wings 3

Artemi Panarin scored and added an assist during New York’s four-goal second period to extend his season-opening point streak to 12 games as the host Rangers surged ahead before holding on for a victory over Detroit.

Panarin finished with his seventh multi-point game this season as the Rangers improved to 7-0-1 in their past eight games. Vincent Trocheck scored New York’s first goal and netted his second tally during a second-period power play. Chris Kreider scored on a power-play tip-in to start the Rangers’ outburst at 7:31 of the second, and Trocheck followed with a man-advantage tally 44 seconds later.

Detroit’s Ville Husso allowed five goals on 32 shots. Michael Rasmussen and Klim Kostin scored 20 seconds apart in the third and Andrew Copp tallied later in the period for the Red Wings, who dropped to 2-4-1 in their past seven games.

Jets 5, Blues 2

Kyle Connor scored two goals and added an assist as visiting Winnipeg defeated St. Louis.

Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists for the Jets, who have earned points in seven of their past eight games (5-1-2). Alex Iafallo earned four assists, Josh Morrissey had two assists and Neal Pionk and Cole Perfetti scored for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck made 20 saves to earn the victory.

Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn scored and Jordan Binnington made 32 saves for the Blues, whose two-game winning streak ended.

Flames 4, Predators 2

Nazem Kadri collected a goal and an assist while Noah Hanifin and Blake Coleman added third-period goals to lead host Calgary to a comeback victory over Nashville.

Dillon Dube also scored for the Flames, who won consecutive games for the first time this season by finishing the contest with four unanswered goals. Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom made 16 saves, while defenseman Nick DeSimone and Yegor Sharangovich collected two assists apiece.

Michael McCarron and Kiefer Sherwood scored for the Predators, who led 2-0 after the first period. Nashville’s Juuse Saros stopped 35 shots.

BASEBALL NEWS

ORIOLES’ MIKE ELIAS NAMED MLB EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

Mike Elias, the Baltimore Orioles’ executive vice president and general manager has been selected MLB Executive of the Year.

Representatives from the 30 major league clubs did the voting before the start of the postseason.

The Orioles finished the 2023 season with a 101-61 record, the most wins since their 102 in 1979. The total is the fourth-most in a season in club history.

Despite leading the American League in wins, the Orioles were swept by the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series.

Elias has held his dual roles since Nov. 16, 2018, and has been credited with overhauling the team’s player development system and international scouting.

Baltimore has some of the finest young players in the game, including All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman and infielder Gunnar Henderson, named the team MVP. Both were drafted during Elias’ time in his position.

Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, could be in Baltimore as soon as next season.

Baseball America, ESPN and MLB Pipeline ranked the Orioles as having the No. 1 farm system in 2023.

Atlanta Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos was the runner-up in the voting. Mike Hazen, general manager of the National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks, finished third.

STEINBRENNER: ‘EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE’ FOR YANKEES IN FREE AGENCY

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner isn’t putting any limitations on what the team might do this offseason.

“Everything is on the table when it comes to free agents,” Steinbrenner said Tuesday in reference to the club adding another nine-figure contract, according to The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner.

The Yankees currently have Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, and Carlos Rodón signed to nine-figure contracts.

New York has been connected to trade rumors surrounding San Diego Padres star outfielder Juan Soto this offseason. Soto is scheduled to hit free agency at the conclusion of the 2024 campaign and is widely expected to land a contract well into nine figures.

The Yankees had MLB’s second-highest payroll in 2023 at over $278 million. They have $202 million in payroll commitments for next season.

Steinbrenner says the franchise can’t have another disappointing season.

“It was awful,” Steinbrenner said of the Yankees’ performance in 2023, according to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty. “We accomplished nothing.”

WOMEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER

BIG TEN CONFERENCE RECORD NINE SCHOOLS EARN BIDS TO 2023 NCAA WOMEN’S SOCCER TOURNAMENT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference will have nine schools participating in the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship. Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers and Wisconsin earned berths to this year’s 64-team NCAA Tournament, which begins this weekend at campus sites around the country. The 42^nd annual NCAA Women’s College Cup will be played on Dec. 1 and 4 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

The nine NCAA Tournament selection sets the Big Ten Conference record for the most postseason selections in a given season. Five of the nine Big Ten programs earned top-six seeds in their respective quadrants of the bracket and will play host to first-round matches later this week. As the No. 2 seed, Penn State would also serve as the host for the second-and-third round matches on Nov. 17 & 19, should the Nittany Lions advance this weekend.

With the announcement, the Big Ten has now had at least four of its current women’s soccer programs advance to the NCAA Tournament for 29 consecutive seasons.

Indiana (12-3-4) earned a draw with Atlantic 10 Champion and six-seed Saint Louis. It will be Indiana’s fifth NCAA appearance in program history and first since 2013. The Hoosiers advanced to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2019, falling to No. 4 Penn State in the quarterfinals, 3-0. Forward Paige Webber led the Hoosiers with 12 goals this season, earning a spot on the Big Ten First Team alongside goalkeeper, Jamie Gerstenberg.

Following its second-ever Big Ten Tournament title, Iowa (12-4-4) was an automatic qualifier into this year’s NCAA Tournament and fourth time overall. Iowa won the Big Ten title as the first-ever eight seed to win the tournament. Fifth-year defender Samantha Cary was named Defensive Player of the Tournament after anchoring a defensive effort that surrendered just one goal throughout the tournament, upsetting three, top-12 ranked opponents. The fifth-seeded Hawkeyes meet Bucknell in Iowa City this week and will play the winner of No. 5 Georgia/Liberty should they advance to the second round.

Michigan (7-6-4) secured its-at-large bid vs. seventh-seeded Princeton in the first round. The berth is the 16^th time in program history and first since the Wolverines’ advanced to the tournament’s quarterfinals in 2021. With a win, Michigan will play the winner of No. 2 seed Texas Tech and FGCU.

Michigan State (12-4-3) shared the Big Ten regular season title and advances to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in program history and second consecutive season. The Spartans will open NCAA Tournament play later this week welcoming MAC Champion Ohio to East Lansing, Mich., the second time in program history that Michigan State will host an NCAA postseason match. With a win, the Spartans would take on either No. 4 seed Harvard or first-time NCAA qualifier, Maine.

Nebraska (14-3-3) paced the Big Ten in goals, assists and points this season, helping the No. 5 seeded Huskers to a postseason berth for the 13^th time in program history and first time since 2016. The Huskers won a share of the Big Ten regular season title with a 7-1-2 mark in the conference and fell, 3-1, in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals to Wisconsin.

Ohio State (9-7-2) advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth-straight year and will head to No. 7 seed Pittsburgh for the opening round of the tournament. Should the Buckeyes win, they will meet the winner of No. 2 seeded Arkansas/Grambling.

Penn State (13-2-4) heads to the NCAA Tournament for the 29^th consecutive time since their first appearance in 1995. The Nittany Lions’ selection-streak became the second-longest active streak among all Division I women’s soccer teams. Penn State was selected as the No. 2 seed and welcomes NEC Champion Central Connecticut State to Jeffrey Field on Friday. With a win, Penn State would play No. 7 seed Santa Clara or Arizona State in the second round at home.

Rutgers (9-6-4) earned the program’s 18^th NCAA Tournament berth and 12^th consecutive appearance, facing No. 8 seed Columbia in the opening round. A first round win would advance Rutgers into a second-round matchup with either No. 1 seed Clemson or Radford. The Scarlet Knight defense has tallied 10 shutouts this season, with goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer ranking 16^th in the NCAA with nine shutouts.

Wisconsin (13-4-4) earned the No. 4 seed in this year’s tournament and will face Milwaukee this week after falling 1-0 in the Big Ten Championship match on Sunday. It will be the Badgers’ 24^th NCAA appearance and first since 2021. With a win, Wisconsin will meet the winner of No. 5 seed Texas and Lamar University.

Dates, times and television coverage for NCAA Tournament matches prior to the semifinals will be announced soon. The NCAA College Cup semifinals and national championship will be televised live on ESPNU.

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL

NEBRASKA, WISCONSIN, MICHIGAN STATE AND OHIO STATE EARN BIG TEN WEEKLY VOLLEYBALL HONORS

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced this week’s Volleyball Weekly Awards for the week of October 31 – November 5.

Player of the Week
Merritt Beason, Nebraska
Jr. – Opposite Hitter – Gardendale, Ala. – Gardendale – Major: Child, Youth, and Family Studies

Beason had a career weekend for the Huskers, averaging 6.00 kills per set on .447 hitting with 1.75 digs per set and 1.00 blocks per set
Beason totaled 48 kills with just six errors on 94 swings this weekend in wins at No. 16 Penn State and Rutgers
In a 3-2 reverse sweep of the Nittany Lions, Beason had a career-high 27 kills (including six in the decisive fifth set) on .426 hitting with five digs and three blocks and one ace
Beason followed up that career performance with 21 kills on a .475 hitting percentage with nine digs and five blocks.
Her 21 kills in Sunday’s sweep tied Kelsey Robinson for the most by a Husker in a three-set match in the 25-point rally-scoring era (since 2008)
Last Nebraska Player of the Week: Merritt Beason (10/23/23)

Defensive Player of the Week
Carter Booth, Wisconsin
So. – Middle Blocker – Denver, Colo. – Cherry Creek – Major: Undeclared

Booth helped the Badgers to a 2-0 weekend with wins over No. 19 Purdue and Illinois
Led all blockers in both matches, tallying seven against No. 19 Purdue and 10 against the Fighting Illini, for a total of 17 blocks
The six-foot-seven MB averaged 2.43 blocks per set, and helped the Badgers set a program record for most blocks (17) in a 3-set match over the Illini
She also added 16 kills (2.29 kills/set), hitting .406 (16-3-32), with an assist and two digs.
Last Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week: Caroline Crawford (10/9/23)

Setter of the Week
Bergen Reilly, Nebraska
Fr. – Setter – Sioux Falls, S.D. – O’Gorman – Major: Business Law

Ddddd Reilly led the Huskers to a 3-2 reverse sweep at No. 16 Penn State and a 3-0 sweep at Rutgers over the weekend by averaging 11.88 assists per set and 3.13 digs per set
Piled up 52 assists and 13 digs in the 3-2 comeback win at Penn State on Friday
Followed it up on Sunday with 43 assists and 12 digs at Rutgers
Last Nebraska Setter of the Week: Bergen Reilly (10/23/23)

Co-Freshmen of the Week
Taylah Holdem, Michigan State
Fr. – Outside Hitter – Christchurch, New Zealand – Burnside – Major: Kinesiology

Finished the weekend #8 in the B1G in kills/set at 4.33, hitting .281, in a pair of MSU wins
Led the Spartans in kills in each of their wins on the weekend
Posted over 3.00 digs/set as a six rotation outside hitter for the Spartans, notching her eighth double-double of the season on Friday night
Instrumental in Michigan State securing its best B1G record since 2017 with a pair of must-win matches over the weekend
Last Michigan State Freshman of the Week: Biamba Kabengele (10/28/22)

Mia Tuman, Ohio State
Fr. – Setter – Sewickley, Pa. – North Allegheny – Major: Exploration

Averaged 11.63 assists/set and 2.25 digs/set this past weekend
In Saturday’s win over Indiana, Tuman totaled a career-high 56 assists despite the match only taking four sets, moving up to 17th in program history with 767 career assists, and added 11 digs for her seventh double-double of the season
Totaled 37 assists and seven digs in the four-setter against Minnesota on Friday
Her 9.59 assists/set this season ranks fifth in the Big Ten and her 179 total digs is tied for third on the Buckeyes’ roster as she averages 2.24/set this season.
Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Kylie Murr (11/11/23)

COLLEGE HOCKEY

MICHIGAN STATE, MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN AWARDED THREE STARS

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Three Stars of the Week for hockey games played Nov. 3-5.

First Star
Gavin O’Connell, Michigan State
Fr. – F – Plymouth, Minn. — Waterloo Black Hawks

Scored multiple goals in back-to-back games, helping Michigan State to a pair of wins at No. 13/13 Ohio State on Nov. 3-4
Netted the game-winning goal in the series opener and finished with four goals on seven shots as the No. 12/12 Spartans earned their first road conference sweep since 2016
Secures the first Big Ten weekly award of his career
Last Michigan State Star honoree: Joey Larson (Second Star, Oct. 17, 2023)

Second Star
Rhett Pitlick, Minnesota
Jr. – F – Plymouth, Minn. — Chaska HS

Produced a four-point (goal, three assists) weekend as No. 6/6 Minnesota recorded a win and overtime tie versus #14/14 Minnesota Duluth
Scored in the series opener and provided two assists on the road; compiled seven shots, a plus-two rating and two blocks against the Bulldogs
Collects Star honors for the second time in his career
Last Minnesota recipient: Justen Close (First Star, Oct. 24, 2023)

Third Star
Owen Lindmark, Wisconsin
Gr. – F – Naperville, Ill. — U.S. National Team Development Program

Tallied two goals, including the game-winner with 3:46 left in regulation, to spark Wisconsin’s 5-4 come-from-behind victory over No. 4/3 Michigan on Nov. 3
Followed the next night with four shots, a 58.8 percent faceoff percentage and a game-high five blocked shots in Wisconsin’s 2-1 win at the Kohl Center
Receives a weekly Star award for the first time in his career
Last Wisconsin selections: Mathieu De St. Phalle (Third Star, Oct. 24, 2023)

COLLEGE WRESTLING

MAC ANNOUNCES WRESTLERS OF THE WEEK

West Wrestler of the Week
Garrett Thompson, Ohio, Redshirt Sophomore, 165 lbs
Garrett Thompson was the individual champion for the 165-pound weight class in the Open Division at the Southeast Open this weekend. The redshirt sophomore had a remarkable run en route to the title, knocking of North Carolina’s Marcus Murabito and Life University’s Kieshaun Stephens in the opening two rounds. Thompson would then beat Jaxon Garoutte from Utah Valley by way of a 5-0 decision. In the semifinals, Thompson would face off with Peyton Hall from West Virginia. A reigning All-American and tenth-ranked in the WrestleStat’s 165-pound rankings, Hall would undoubtedly test Thompson’s abilities. The Bobcat did not back down, defeating the All-American with an 8-5 decision. Thompson would then face Oregon State’s Kekana Fouret in the final who entered the match with a 6-0 record to begin the year. Thompson would give Fouret his first loss of the year, earning the individual championship with a 7-1 decision. The win gave Thompson the first championship of his collegiate career.

East Wrestler of the Week
John Meyers, Clarion, Junior, 285 lbs
Meyers was the Clarion Open Runner-up this weekend. He worked his way to the finals, including an upset win over his bracket’s top seed. Meyers started the day with an 8-3 decision over Kent State’s Brentan Simmerman, and a major decision over Michigan State’s James Campbell. The quarterfinal bout with Columbia’s Nolan Neves was a tight one, with neither man recording anything other than an escape through the first six minutes. At that point Neves came in on a single leg and elevated, attempting to drive Meyers back and to the mat. Meyers kept his balance and used Neves’ momentum against him, spinning around and throwing him to his back for a quick third period fall. Meyers then authored what was perhaps the biggest upset of the day for any Golden Eagle, beating Bucknell’s Dorian Crosby in the semifinal. Crosby – ranked 24th in FloWrestling’s opening rankings and a 2023 NCAA qualifier – could not manage a takedown against Meyers, but the latter was able to ride him down in a thunderous takedown early in the second period to take a 4-0 lead. Meyers held on for a 4-3 decision for the upset victory, though he fell by decision in the final to another nationally-ranked opponent, Ohio State’s Nick Feldman.

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL

2023 HCAC VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

CARMEL, Ind. – The 2023 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Volleyball Championships field is set, with opening rounds slated to start November 8 and the semifinals and championship to be contested on November 11-12.

2023 HCAC Volleyball Championship Page

Mount St. Joseph University claimed the HCAC regular season title, finishing with a record of 9-0 in league play, grabbing the No. 1 seed and first round bye. The Lions were the only HCAC team to defeat Transylvania University in the regular season. The Pioneers conference mark of 8-1 earned them the No. 2 seed and the other first round bye.

Hanover College nabbed the No. 3 seed after finishing with a 7-2 mark in HCAC play. The Manchester University Spartans earned the No. 4 seed, with a 6-3 record in league action. Snagging the final two spots in the postseason were Earlham College (4-5) and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (4-5), who picked up the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds, respectively.

The No. 3 seed Hanover will host the No. 6 seed Rose-Hulman on November 8 at 7 PM, with the winner advancing to play the No. 2 seed Transylvania on Nov. 11. Manchester, the No. 4 seed, also earned hosting rights, and will face No. 5 Earlham on November 8, also slated for 7 PM. The winner of that matchup will face the No. 1 seed Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati on Nov. 11.

Mount St. Joseph is slated to host the semifinal and final rounds on Nov. 11-12. The HCAC’s Tournament Champion will advance to the 2023 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, earning the conference’s automatic qualifying bid.

For more information on HCAC volleyball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC’s home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the “HCAC DIII” Facebook page.

HCAC ANNOUNCES 2023 WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL ALL CONFERENCE AWARDS

CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced the Volleyball All-Conference and marquee awards winners on Tuesday.

Earning the title of Player of the Year is Grace Ward (Edgewood, Ky.) from Transylvania University. The senior had a stellar campaign for the Pioneers, helping to lead them to an 8-1 record in 2023. The setter averaged 11.48 assists in conference play and with her 11.08 average assists overall, ranks her in the top 5 in the country. Ward also amassed an impressive 1,115 assists in 2023 and 316 in conference play. Ward added 2.10 digs per set.

Leading the charge defensively and picking up the title of Defensive Player of the Year, from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, was Lily Ebright (Wichita, Kan.). In 2023, Ebright led the league in digs per set with a 6.53 average, which has consistently ranked top-3 in the country in digs per set and ranked as high as #1 for consecutive weeks earlier in the season. She has been named the HCAC Defensive Player of the week five times in 2023, sprawling for 588 digs over the course of the conference season. The defensive specialist helped lead the Fightin’ Engineers to a No. 6 seed in the 2023 Volleyball post-season.

The HCAC recognizes an athlete in their first year of athletic competition who stands out, and in a vote of league coaches, Mount St. Joseph University’s Emma Sicking (Fairfield, Ohio) was selected as the Newcomer of the Year. The hitter boasts an impressive 75 kills in 2023, behind a .406 hitting percentage, the third best total in the league.

After leading the Lions to an unblemished 9-0 mark in conference play and a regular season title championship, Mount St. Joseph’s John Spinney was named the 2023 HCAC Coach of the Year. Spinney helped guide Mount St. Joseph to the No. 1 seed and boast a 23-1 overall record, while also ranking as No. 14 in the Division III volleyball.

Player of the Year – Grace Ward, Transylvania University
Defensive Player of the Year – Lily Ebright, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Newcomer of the Year – Emma Sicking, Mount St. Joseph University
Coach of the Year – John Spinney, Mount St. Joseph University

The HCAC also honors an All-Conference First Team and Second Team. The members of those teams are selected by a vote of league coaches and are listed below.

All Conference First Team (14)

Name	POS	Institution
Erin Androne	L	Mount St. Joseph University
Jasmine Butler	S	Mount St. Joseph University
Carley Camp	MB	Manchester University
Lily Ebright	L	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Allie Fults	MH	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Kayden Holcomb	MB	Transylvania University
Joy Maze	OH	Manchester University
Abbey McCoy	OH	Hanover College
Isabella Myers	OH	Transylvania University
Maddie Robertson	MH/MB	Hanover College
Cate Scheper	OH	Transylvania University
McKenzee Wagener	MH	Mount St. Joseph University
Grace Ward	S	Transylvania University
Grace Young	MH	Mount St. Joseph University

All Conference Second Team (14)

Name	POS	Institution
Avery Ball	OH	Manchester University
Caylee Brandes	OH	Earlham College
Shelby Clements	OH/DS	Defiance College
Casey Dunn	L	Hanover College
Jillian Gregg	S	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Hope Moring	OH	Franklin College
Shaylen Perry	MH	Anderson University
Paige Ricica	OH	Anderson University
McKenzie Schroeder	OH	Franklin College
Molly Schwarzkopf	MH/MB	Hanover College
Tiffany Watterson	L	Manchester University
Miranda Wilson	OH	Franklin College
Kate Wood	OH	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Maria Young	RS/OH	Earlham College

First-Year Team (6)

Name	POS	Institution
Caylee Brandes	OH	Earlham College
Abbey McCoy	OH	Hanover College
Paige Ricica	OH	Anderson University
Kasey Sager	MH	Bluffton University
Emma Sicking	OH	Mount St. Joseph University
Tiffany Watterson	L	Manchester University

For more information on HCAC Women’s Volleyball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC’s home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the “HCAC DIII” Facebook page.

MAC ANNOUNCES WEEK 11 VOLLEYBALL AWARD WINNERS

East Division Offensive Player of the Week
Kat Mandly, Bowling Green, Outside Hitter
Kat Mandly led the BGSU attack to back-to-back sweeps over the Akron Zips with a team-high 30 kills in the two matches while maintaining an impressive .385 hitting percentage. In Friday’s win, Mandly landed 19 kills, setting a new season-high and matching her career-high, while recording a season-best .471 attack percentage. Mandly followed it up with 12 kills on Saturday, second on the team, with a .290 attack percentage.

East Division Defensive Player of the Week
Alex Laboy, Bowling Green, Libero
Alex Laboy led the Falcons in digs in both matches against Akron as BGSU tallied two 3-0 victories. Laboy began the weekend with 17 digs in the first match against the Zips, while being perfect in serve receive on five attempts. Laboy followed it up with 15 digs in the second match while landing two aces, tied for the team lead in the match.

East Division Setter of the Week
Mandy Leigh, Buffalo, Setter
Mandy Leigh had another outstanding weekend for the Bulls against the Miami RedHawks. Her performance helped the Bulls to improve to a MAC East leading 12-3 and 22-5 overall on the season. Over the weekend, the Bulls secured their spot in the MAC Tournament. Against the RedHawks, she totaled 79 assists, good for 13.17 per set. Leigh had 79 of the Bulls’ 86 assists on the weekend. She added three kills, three aces, eight digs, one block, and 6.5 points on the weekend.

West Division Offensive Player of the Week
Maggie King, Western Michigan, Outside Hitter
Maggie King had another huge week, totaling 37 kills (5.29/set) on a .297 hitting percentage to help Western Michigan clinch at least a share of the MAC Regular Season Title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Volleyball Championship. The Cincinnati native opened the weekend with 18 kills on a .280 hitting percentage and added eight digs in a four-set victory over Ball State. She then celebrated her Senior Day with a match-high 19 kills on a .317 hitting percentage in a straight-set victory over the Cardinals to secure WMU’s 10th regular season title, and first since 2008.

West Division Defensive Player of the Week
Andelyn Simkins, Western Michigan, Libero
Andelyn Simkins was integral to WMU’s defensive effort in a pair of victories against Ball State over the weekend, collecting 40 digs (5.71/set) and going a perfect 36-for-36 on serve receive. In Friday’s four-set win over the Cardinals, Simkins racked up 26 digs, and was a perfect 20-for-20 on serve receive. On Saturday, she totaled 14 more digs and successfully handed all 16 BSU serves sent her way to help the Broncos clinch a share of the MAC Regular Season Title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament..

West Division Setter of the Week
Logan Case, Western Michigan, Setter
Logan Case handed out 98 assists (14.00/set) to help the Western Michigan attack hit .291 in its weekend sweep of Ball State. The senior also added 22 digs (3.14/set), registering double-digit digs in both matches for a pair of double-doubles. Case tied her season high with 56 helpers and tallied 12 digs in Friday’s four-set victory over the Cardinals, and followed that up with 42 assists and 10 digs in Saturday’s straight-set victory. Her 42 assists on Saturday helped the Broncos hit .326 on their way to clinching the MAC Regular Season Title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Championship.

RIVER STATES CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS CHOSEN FOR NOV. 6, 2023

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio – River States Conference Player of the Week awards have been selected for this past week. See below for the awardees announced at RiverStatesConference.com.

Wells earns RSC Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year, Week

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Hannah Wells from Indiana University Kokomo earned 2023 River States Conference Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year and followed that up with RSC Runner of the Week for Oct. 30-Nov. 5)

Wells, a junior from Indianapolis, Ind., won the RSC individual championship at the conference meet this past weekend. She did so with a time of 23 minutes, 36 seconds on the 6,000-meter course.

That earned wells RSC Runner of the Year and RSC Newcomer of the Year in her first conference meet since transferring to IU Kokomo. Wells also earned individual qualification to the NAIA National Championship with her performance.

Jenkins earns RSC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year, Week

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Tyler Jenkins from University of Rio Grande (Ohio) is the 2023 River States Conference Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year and thus the RSC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week Oct. 30-Nov. 5.

A sophomore from Barnesville, Ohio, Jenkins made good on his several RSC Runner of the Week honors this year by winning the RSC individual championship and RSC Runner of the Year at the conference meet this past weekend.

He posted a school-record time of 24 minutes, 36 seconds at the 8,000-meter course hosted by Midway (Ky.) University at the Falling Spring Cross Country Course. That performance earned him individual qualification to the NAIA National Championship.

Kash selected RSC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Hannah Kash from Alice Lloyd (Ky.) College is the first River States Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week of the season. The award is for all games played through Nov. 5.

A senior guard from Campton, Ky., Kash produced four 20-point games in four outings so far. She is averaging 20.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game as the Eagles are 3-1.

Kash had 20 points each versus Johnson (Tenn.), Welch (Tenn.) and Johnson (Tenn.) again. She finished up with 23 points in another matchup with Welch (Tenn.). She shot 54 percent overall and 10 for 23 from long range in those games.

Newman picked for RSC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Max Newman from Indiana University Kokomo is the first River States Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week of the season. The award is for all games played through Nov. 5.

Newman, a junior forward from Monrovia, Ind., averaged 17.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in two wins for the Cougars. He is shooting 70 percent from the field.

He had a big game of 22 points and 11 rebounds on 10 for 13 from the floor in a win over No. 19 William Penn (Iowa). He had another double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds in an opening win over Governor’s State.

Tatai earns another RSC Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Orsi Tatai from Point Park (Pa.) University is the River States Conference Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.

The senior center back from Budapest, Hungary, claimed the award for the second time. She was the main defensive presence in Point Park’s RSC quarterfinal playoff win over Midway (Ky.).

The No. 2 seed Pioneers led 3-0 and gave up only a late goal. Tatai made nine tackles as the Eagles got only three shots on goal. The Pioneers move on to the semifinals hosting No. 3 Rio Grande (Ohio) on Nov. 8.

Hoopingarner selected RSC Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week again

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Keely Hoopingarner from Indiana University Kokomo is the River States Conference Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.

The senior forward from Noblesville, Ind., won the award for the third time this year. She produced a hat trick in the Cougars’ RSC quarterfinal win over WVU Tech.

Hoopingarner powered IU Kokomo to the 6-0 victory with her three goals and one assist for seven points. The No. 1 seed Cougars move on to the semifinals hosting No. 5 Shawnee State (Ohio) on Nov. 8.

Davis secures RSC Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Bobby Davis from Oakland City (Ind.) University is the River States Conference Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.

The freshmen defender for the Mighty Oaks led the back-line defense in a playoff victory. With Davis at the helm, No. 4 seed Oakland City posted a 4-0 shutout of No. 5 Shawnee State (Ohio).

There was just one shot allowed with Davis controlling things on defense. The Mighty Oaks are on to the RSC semifinals at No. 1 WVU Tech on Nov. 8.

McInnes picked for RSC Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Joe McInnes from No. 6 University of Rio Grande (Ohio) is the River States Conference Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.

The senior for the RedStorm had four goals in the RSC quarterfinal win over IU East. Three of those came in the first half to send the No. 2 seed Rio Grande on its way to the win.

McInnes’ eight points on six shots put the RedStorm into the RSC semifinals hosting Point Park on Nov. 8.

Strawsma named RSC Volleyball Attacker of the week again

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Audrey Strawsma from No. 14 Indiana University Kokomo is the River States Conference Volleyball Attacker of the Week for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.

It is the second time this year the right-side hitter from Fowler, Ind., won the award. This time, she averaged 3.33 kills and 1.83 digs per set to power the Cougars to two wins.

She had 10 kills both matches with victories of 3-0 over Midway (Ky) and IU Southeast. That clinched the RSC regular-season title for IU Kokomo and an NAIA national bid.

Madjarevic picks up RSC Volleyball Defender of the Week again

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Dunja Madjarevic from Oakland City (Ind.) University is the River States Conference Volleyball Defender of the Week for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.

The senior libero earned the award for the third time this season. Madjarevic continued her defensive dominance with 47 digs in six sets for an average of 7.83. That led the Mighty Oaks to 3-0 sweeps of Midway (Ky.) and Brescia (Ky.).

She had 21 digs versus Midway and 26 more at Brescia. She had 32 service receptions total with only one error.

Anastasiadi gets RSC Volleyball Setter of the Week

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Mariana Anastasiadi from Oakland City (Ind.) University is the River States Conference Volleyball Setter of the Week for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.

A senior, she claimed the award for the second time this year. Anastasiadi put up 11.00 assists and 3.50 digs per set while hitting .421 on the attack. She totaled 66 assists in two matches, which were 3-0 sweeps of Midway (Ky.) and Brescia (Ky.).

Anastasiadi had a double-double of 30 assists and 14 digs along with five kills versus Brescia. There also were 36 assists, seven digs and four kills versus Midway.

TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS

INDIANA PACERS

GAME PREVIEW: PACERS VS JAZZ

When the Indiana Pacers tip off against the Utah Jazz at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday night, the rims might still be warm.

Indiana (4-3) enters its midweek matchup with Utah (2-6) after a 152-111 shellacking against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. The 152 points matched the most points ever scored in a single NBA game by the Blue & Gold, with six Pacers finishing in double-digit scoring and 14 different players recording points in the game.

The Pacers have been getting buckets in bunches all season.

As of Wednesday night, the Pacers were leading the NBA in points per game (124.9), field goals made per game (47.3) and assists per game (31.9). At home, the Pacers have put up dominant offensive numbers, averaging 129 points per game on 47.4 percent shooting and 32.2 assists.

While seven total players are currently averaging double-digits in points for the Pacers, two centerpieces have continued to lead the way.

Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton having another All-Star-level season, averaging 24 points on 49 percent shooting, 11.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds through five games played. Center Myles Turner has also played well as of late, posting double-digit points in all but one game this season and averaging 16.4 points and 8.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks across 26.3 minutes.

In the win against the Spurs, the Pacers dropped 86 first-half points before leading 119-87 at the end of the third quarter. Despite resting the starters in the final frame, the Blue & Gold outscored the visitors 33-24 in the last 12 minutes. Overall, Indiana shot a season-best 57.9 percent overall, including 20-for-38 from 3-point.

On Wednesday, Utah will play its third game in a four-game road trip while the Pacers host game four of a five-game homestand.

Utah enters the game on the other end of a blowout, as the Jazz lost to the Chicago Bulls (3-5) 130-113 at United Center on Monday. The Jazz trailed by 14 points at half and 20 points going into the fourth quarter as they were dealt a third-straight loss.

The Jazz boast one of the tallest frontcourts in the NBA, with John Collins (6-foot-9), Lauri Markkanen (7-0), and Walker Kessler (7-1) all in the starting unit, and 6-11 veteran Kelly Olynyk on the bench. Talen Horton-Tucker, who was traded to the Jazz from the Los Angeles Lakers in August, and 2021 Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson make up the Jazz’s starting backcourt.

This season, despite their record, the Jazz have found success in the paint and beyond the arc, ranking third in rebounding average (47.4 per game) and total 3-pointers made (94). Utah is second in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game, currently averaging 15.0, which could play a key factor, as the Pacers are just 21st in rebounding overall.

As a team, the Jazz are averaging 111.6 points per game.

While both teams can score in a hurry, they can also rapidly give points up.

The Jazz and Pacers have two of the worst defensive ratings in the league thus far, with the Pacers ranked 27th (117.2) and the Jazz 26th at 116.2 (26th).

Markkanen, who was named an NBA All-Star for the first time and as the league’ s Most Improved player in 2023, leads this Jazz squad, averaging 23.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Markkanen isn’t just a threat from close range, as he’s currently third in the league in made 3-pointers.

Clarkson has stayed solid for the Jazz again this season, averaging 14.1 points, 4.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds. Collins, a Utah native who was traded to the Jazz in July from Atlanta, is averaging 14.9 points on 49.4 percent shooting, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

Projected Starters

Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Bruce Brown, F – Bennedict Mathurin, F – Obi Toppin, C – Myles Turner

Jazz: G – Jordan Clarkson, G – Talen Horton-Tucker, F – John Collins, F – Lauri Markkanen, C – Walker Kessler

Injury Report

Pacers: None

Jazz: TBA

Last Meeting

Feb. 13, 2023: The Utah Jazz held off a late rally by the Indiana Pacers in a 123-117 series-sweeping victory over the Blue & Gold in Salt Lake City.

Indiana trailed by 12 points with just over five minutes remaining, but the Pacers got it down to a two-point game with 1:13 remaining thanks to a pair of clutch jump shots by Tyrese Haliburton.

After Jordan Clarkson drained a pullup jumper with 54.2 seconds remaining to make it 117-113, the Jazz made six free throws in the final 25 seconds to seal it.

Lauri Markkanen posted 29 points and 11 rebounds, and Clarkson also finished with 29 points – 22 of which game in the second half – on six made 3-pointers. Veteran big Kelly Olynyk also posted a double-double for the Jazz, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pacers, missing starting center Myles Turner due to lower back soreness, were led by Haliburton’s 30 points and 12 assists and Aaron Nesmith’s 19 points and six rebounds. Then-rookie Bennedict Mathurin added 21 points off the bench.

Both teams shot a hair over 50 percent, but the Jazz drained 15 threes to the Pacers’ 11 treys. Utah dominated the rebounding margin 46-32, including 35-24 on the defensive glass.

After the Jazz, the Pacers will have little time to rest as they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday for a Central Division contest.

Noteworthy

The Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz are 48-48 all-time against each other.

Pacers sharpshooter Buddy Hield is three 3-pointers away from passing Carmelo Anthony (1,731) for the 27th most 3-pointers all-time.

Pacers center Myles Turner is two blocks away from passing Horace Grant (1,136) for 72nd on the all-time blocks list. Turner played in his 500th Pacers game on Monday.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle earned his 900th win on Monday night, which is 14th-most in league history. Carlisle is currently at 245 wins as the head coach of the Pacers, trailing just Frank Vogel (250) and Slick Leonard (529) for the most in the franchise’s history.

Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton and Jazz guard Jalen Horton-Tucker were collegiate teammates at Iowa State during the 2018-19 season.

Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)

TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)

Tickets

The Pacers host Lauri Markkanen and the Utah Jazz at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7:00 PM ET.

COLTS NEWS

COLTS RELEASE UNOFFICIAL DEPTH CHART FOR WEEK 10 GAME VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

OFFENSE

» WR: Michael Pittman Jr.

» LT: Bernhard Raimann

» LG: Quenton Nelson, Arlington Hambright

» C: Ryan Kelly, Wesley French, Jack Anderson

» RG: Will Fries, Josh Sills

» RT: Braden Smith, Blake Freeland

» TE: Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree

» TE: Kylen Granson, Will Mallory

» WR: Josh Downs, Isaiah McKenzie

» WR: Alec Pierce, Juwann Winfree

» QB: Gardner Minshew II, Sam Ehlinger

» RB: Jonathan Taylor, Zack Moss, Trey Sermon

Smith (hip/wrist) was inactive in Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers due to injury.
Taylor scored his first receiving touchdown of the season last Sunday. It was his fourth touchdown grab.

DEFENSE

» DE: Kwity Paye, Tyquan Lewis, Jake Martin

» DT: DeForest Buckner, Adetomiwa Adebawore

» NT: Taven Bryan, Eric Johnson II

» DE: Samson Ebukam, Dayo Odeyingbo, Isaiah Land

» WLB: Shaquille Leonard, Grant Stuard

» MLB: Zaire Franklin, Segun Olubi

» SAM: E.J. Speed, Cameron McGrone

» CB: JuJu Brents, Ameer Speed

» FS: Rodney Thomas II, Trevor Denbow

» SS: Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross

» N: Kenny Moore II, Tony Brown

» CB: Jaylon Jones, Darrell Baker Jr.

Brents missed the Colts’ Week 9 game due to a quad injury.
Against the Panthers last weekend, Moore II became the first player in Colts history to have two pick-sixes in the same game.

SPECIALISTS

» P: Rigoberto Sanchez

» PK: Matt Gay

» H: Rigoberto Sanchez

» LS: Luke Rhodes

» KR: Isaiah McKenzie, Josh Downs

» PR: Isaiah McKenzie, Josh Downs

INDY FUEL

INDY FUEL PIT STOP: WEEK 3

INDY FUEL WEEK THREE RESULTS: 0-2-0-0
INDY FUEL OVERALL RECORD: 2-4-0-0 (6th in Central Division)

GAME 5 – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3 AT KALAMAZOO – 2-1 L

The Fuel headed to Kalamazoo to take on the K-Wings in their third straight matchup this season. The Fuel could not dig themselves out of an early hole and fell to Kalamazoo in a high-shooting, low-scoring affair 2-1.

GAME 6 – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4 AT TOLEDO – 5-3 L

The Fuel played their first game against the Toledo Walleye this year on Saturday night and looked to win their first over Toledo since before last year’s playoffs. Despite leading through two periods, the Fuel ultimately fell 5-3.

OIL DROPS

Jon Martin, despite ending his goal streak, has continued to be a top scoring player. He scored his 5th goal of the season on Saturday.
Andrew Bellant and Kirill Chaika scored their first goals of the season over the weekend.
Goalie Zach Driscoll is still on the league leaderboard. He is ranked 4th with a save percentage of .932.

TEAM NOTES

The Fuel continue to have low penalty minutes, with an average of 10.33 minutes per game.
The Fuel are ranked 12th in the league on the power play and 19th on the penalty kill. The Fuel are stronger on penalty kills when playing at home.
The Indy Fuel’s strongest period on average is the second, with 70 shots on goal across six games.
Getting on the scoreboard, the Fuel average three goals per game.

INDY FUEL WEEK 3 SCHEDULE

GAME 7 – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 VS. CINCINNATI
GAME 8 – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11 AT CINCINNATI

BROADCAST

Don’t miss a moment of the action! Get your tickets to an Indy Fuel game or tune in live!

UPCOMING FAN EXPERIENCES AND EVENTS

Get ready for lots of fun at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in 2023! Check out some of our upcoming promotions and special fan experiences!

Friday, November 10 – The Indy Fuel will honor veterans and those who currently serve our country for Military Appreciation Night. This night is in partnership with the Indiana Army National Guard and Financial Center. After the Fuel’s contest with the Cincinnati Cyclones, there will be post-game autographs with select players. Plus donate to recieve a campfire mug.
Friday, November 17 – Get your hands on special giveaways and challenges all night long on Survivor Night, with special guest four-time Survivor challenger, Rupert Boneham, as the Fuel tries to vote the Wheeling Nailers off the island!

ABOUT THE INDY FUEL

The Indy Fuel, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks and the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs, have returned to Indiana Farmers Coliseum for their ninth season. Check out all the Fuel’s promotions, theme nights and get your tickets now HERE.

INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

INDIANA TOPS FLORIDA GULF COAST IN SEASON OPENER

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –Mike Woodson is – always — a defense-first coach.

And when the Hoosiers needed a spark Tuesday night, when Florida Gulf Coast was having its offensive way for a six-point second-half lead at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, in came freshman guard Gabe Cupps.

Matched with fellow guards Xavier Johnson and Trey Galloway, plus forwards Malik Reneau and Kel’el Ware, the lineup change delivered a game-altering 14-0 run that set up a 69-63 season-opening victory.

“He’s a winner,” coach Mike Woodson said of Cupps. “This was the first time I had the opportunity to play him and X (Johnson) extended minutes together at crunch time.

“I felt comfortable with Gabe. I’d seen him enough. He’s capable of making plays. He was tremendous on both ends.”

With potential defeat looming, the Hoosiers attacked with defense. They swarmed. They hit the floor with nothing-matters-more urgency.

One Eagle turnover became two, then three, then four. That six-point IU deficit became an 11-point cushion capped by Cupps’ first college 3-pointer.

IU would hold on.

“I liked our fight when we got down six,” Galloway said. “We made that run with intensity and defense. It’s good knowing we have guys willing to fight when things aren’t going well.

“We have to be better at not getting in that position, but to climb out of that was huge for us.”

Added Woodson: “It was our defense coming down the stretch. The fans got into it. It was enough to bring it home.”

Galloway had a team-leading 16 points, with Reneau (15), and Johnson (14) right behind.

In his Hoosier debut after transferring from Oregon, Ware had 13 points and 12 rebounds. He had three blocks in the first half, four assists in the second.

“He plugged the hole for us,” Woodson said. “He got blocks. He rebounded. I don’t need him to do much more. Keep doing that.”

A pause as Woodson considered Ware’s 8-for-12 free-throw shooting.

“Make his (darn) free throws. That’s what it’s all about.”

Cupps finished with five points, two rebounds, two steals, and an assist in 19 minutes, but his impact went way beyond numbers.

“He did a great job stepping up at a big-time moment,” Galloway said. “He was good at talking and staying poised. We know we can rely and trust him in crunch time.”

Even ex-IU All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis, now a rookie with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, tweeted his appreciation.

“Man, I love Gabe’s game lol.”

Florida Gulf Coast had the advantage in offensive rebounds (13-7) and on second-chance points (15-8). It also had 13 3-pointers to the Hoosiers’ four.

Woodson noticed.

“You fix it by reps,” he said. “You do it over and over. That’s the only way you learn it. Right now, we’re guessing. We’re thinking too much. That’s on me.”

Florida Gulf Coast was coached by Pat Chambers, the ex-Penn State head coach whose teams were known for their tough-minded play. It had a state of Indiana connection in guard Isaiah Thompson, a Zionsville High School graduate, and the younger brother of current Purdue assistant coach P.J. Thompson. An injury sidelined him for Tuesday’s game.

IU hit four of its first five shots to take a 9-8 lead. Galloway had five of the points. The Hoosiers made it 6-for-7 to push ahead 13-8.

IU was drawing fouls and getting free throw opportunities but struggled to take advantage. Johnson muscled in a layup to put IU ahead 22-16 with 5:24 left in the half.

The Eagles responded with five straight points. The Hoosiers countered with a Ware 3-pointer for a 25-21 Indiana edge.

Florida Gulf Coast took advantage of poor IU free throw shooting for a 26-25 lead. Forward Anthony Walker came through with a pair of free throws. Ware added one. It was enough for a 28-26 Indiana lead.

The Hoosiers opened the second half by attacking inside. In the first four minutes, Reneau had three layups, Galloway had one and Mackenzie Mgbako had an inside jumper.

The problem — it was only enough for a 38-34 lead.

The Eagles tied it at 40-40 with 13:35 left on their eight three-pointer. They pushed ahead 48-42 with a 10-4 edge on offensive rebounds and a 10-2 advantage in second-chance points.

Woodson called a timeout and put in Cupps with Johnson and Galloway. The result was that defense-fueled 14-0 run. Cupps’ three-pointer made it 61-50.

Galloway’s spinning layup restored a double-digit lead, but IU needed three late Johnson free throws to seal the victory.

“We did a good job down the stretch of finding ways to get stops,” Galloway said, “but we’ve got to be better the whole game. We know what we need to do. Find ways to be better.”

As seniors and team captains, Galloway and Johnson are expected to lead the way.

“We have the experience,” Galloway said. “We know what it takes to win at the highest level. We know it won’t be easy, just like it wasn’t tonight. We have to focus on the task at hand.”

Next up is a Sunday night home game against Army.

“Every night come out and play hard and try our best to win,” Ware said. “Show the fans what this team is capable of.”

INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER

IU WELCOMES WOLVERINES FOR BIG TEN SEMIFINAL

BLOOMINGTON — Appearing in its 27th Big Ten Tournament Semifinal, No. 1-seeded Indiana men’s soccer will welcome No. 5-seeded Michigan to Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium Wednesday (Nov. 7) night.

The Big Ten Network will broadcast the match with kickoff set for 8 p.m. ET.

The victor will play the winner of No. 2-seeded Penn State and No. 6-seeded Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament Final on Sunday.

Admission is free for Indiana University students, faculty and staff that present a valid Crimson Card.

KICKING OFF

• Indiana is the Big Ten Tournament’s winningest program, both by wins (45) and number of titles (15). The Hoosiers have a 45-11-13 (.744) record in the conference tournament.

• A win would mark IU’s seventh consecutive trip to the Big Ten final and No. 23 overall.

• Indiana has won seven of its last eight, averaging two goals per game in that span.

• Senior defender and captain Joey Maher was selected to the College Soccer News Team of the Week on Monday after helping the Hoosiers to a 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Wisconsin, converting a penalty and leading the back-line.

• The Hoosiers are 8-1-2 at home this season, posting four clean sheets while conceding four goals in 11 matches (0.36 goals against average).

ABOUT THE WOLVERINES

• Michigan owns a 5-5-7 record, was 2-1-5 in the Big Ten and has a 1-4-3 mark in road matches.

• The Wolverines are led by 12th-year head coach Chaka Daley, who owns a 95-85-41 record during his time in Ann Arbor and a 90-111-27 mark over 24 seasons as a head coach.

• Freshman forward Alex Waggoner leads the Wolverines in scoring with six goals. Senior midfielder Bryce Blevins has a team-high three assists as well as four goals.

SERIES HISTORY

• Indiana has dominated the all-time series with Michigan, owning a 23-4-5 record against the Wolverines.

• IU is 5-0 against Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament including ties broken by penalty kicks. In Indiana’s run of three straight tournament titles between 2018-20, the first two finals were against the Wolverines.

• The two teams met on September 29 of this year at Bill Armstrong Stadium, settling for a scoreless draw. Indiana fired 19 shots, seven on goals, while holding Michigan to just seven total attempts.

INDIANA FOOTBALL GAME NOTES

GAME NOTES: AT ILLINOIS

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A push to the finish continues for the Indiana football program with a trip to Illinois on the docket for Week 11 of the 2023 season. The Hoosiers travel to the Fighting Illini’s Memorial Stadium on Saturday (Nov. 11) for a noon kickoff on Big Ten Network as both teams look to take one more step towards a bowl berth.

INDIANA (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten) at ILLINOIS (4-5, 2-4 Big Ten)

Memorial Stadium (Champaign, Ill.)

Saturday, Nov. 11 | Noon ET

TV: Big Ten Network | RADIO: Indiana Hoosiers Sports Network

Setting the Scene

• The fifth-most played opponent in program history, Indiana will play Illinois for the 74th time in program history in Champaign. The Fighting Illini lead the all-time ledger 45-26-2, but the Hoosiers have won four straight in the series.

• Indiana led 16-10 at halftime of the 2022 season opener versus Illinois, but the Illini scored the first 10 points of the second half to hold a 20-16 edge with just 2:16 to play in the game. The Hoosiers engineered a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to grab the win.

• Illinois has done most of its damage in the series in Champaign, with a 30-10-1 record on its home turf.

• This will be just the third meeting between the two programs since the formation of the East/West divisions, with IU winning the previous two, including a 2017 game at Illinois’ Memorial Stadium.

By The Numbers

9 – Tackles by true freshman Jordan Shaw in his first career start – second career appearance – against Wisconsin to tie a team best.

24 – Quarterback hurries by Andre Carter per Pro Football Focus over the first 10 weeks to rank tied for No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 47 nationally. MORE ON PAGE 13

7 – Sacks allowed by the Indiana offensive line per Pro Football Focus, which is tied for No. 2 in the Big Ten. MORE ON PAGE 11

19 – Of the 23 scholarship transfer student-athletes made their Indiana debut on the season. Of those, 18 appeared in the season opener and 10 have made at least one start in 2023.

News & Notes

• The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week landed in Bloomington after Aaron Casey piled up 4.0 tackles for loss with 2.0 sacks as part of a nine-tackle effort in the win over Wisconsin in Week 10. His 4.0 TFLs are the most by a Hoosier since 2016 and rank tied for No. 9 in a single game in 2023.

• With 78 tackles, Casey ranks No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 34 nationally entering Week 11. His 13.5 tackles for loss lead the Big Ten and rank No. 7 in the FBS, while his 16 tackles for loss or no gain lead the Big Ten and the Power 5 per Pro Football Focus.

MORE ON PAGE 15

• The Indiana special teams units blocked its first kick of the 2023 season at Maryland to move its streak to 12 straight seasons with at least one blocked kick. Special teams coordinator Kasey Teegardin’s crew has blocked at least one kick in each of his four seasons as the corps leader.

INDIANA GAME NOTES: https://static.iuhoosiers.com/custompages/pdf/fb/2023/23-11-11-Notes_Illinois.pdf

ILLINOIS GAME NOTES: https://fightingillini.com/documents/2023/11/6/20231111_Illinois_Indiana.pdf

BALL STATE FOOTBALL

COURVILLE GAME-WINNER LIFTS CARDINALS PAST NIU TO RETAIN BRONZE STALK TROPHY

DeKALB, Ill. – Freshman placekicker Jackson Courville missed a 50-yard field goal early and missed his first attempt this season inside 50 yards early in the fourth period – but when Ball State needed him most, he booted a 36-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Cardinals past Northern Illinois, 20-17 on Tuesday night.

Ball State (3-7, 2-4 MAC) won for the second time in three games and captured its first road game of the season, while dealing the Huskies (4-6, 3-3 MAC) their second straight defeat.

Courville’s game-winner sparked a postgame celebration that Ball State has waited on for two months. Capturing their first road win in Week 11 of a season filled with challenges, the Cardinals hoisted their Bronze Stalk rivalry trophy at midfield of Huskie Stadium, rejoicing after their defense forced a season-high three turnovers and their remade offense scored the game’s last 10 points.

Following a tie score at intermission and a scoreless third period, Courville had an opportunity to put Ball State back into the lead, but his 37-yard field goal attempt on the first snap of the fourth quarter was wide right. It was his first miss out of 10 tries inside of 50 yards this season, and it led to more Ball State adversity when, on the ensuing possession, NIU receiver Trayvon Rudolph took a handoff and sprinted 35 yards to give the Huskies their first lead of the game – 17-10 with exactly 10 minutes remaining.

The Cardinals punted after four plays, but won the game over the course of the next three possessions. A fumble recovered by Mikhari Sibblis put the ball back in Ball State’s hands and quarterback Kiael Kelly threw the first touchdown pass of his career, a 6-yard strike to Tanner Koziol, to tie the score at 17. With the clock ticking under four minutes, Sibblis added a sack and Kyron Mimms recovered another Huskie fumble to set the stage for Courville’s game-winner.

Ball State began its final possession with 2:13 to play, and eight plays later Courville trotted from the sidelines with the ball on the NIU 19-yard line. Moments later, the Cardinals’ sideline erupted with the hard-fought victory in hand.

Ball State started the evening in fast fashion, going 65 yards on the game’s first seven plays to take a 7-0 lead after a six-yard touchdown run by Kelly. It was the Cardinals’ first touchdown on an opening drive this season and got momentum from Marquez Cooper’s 21-yard burst on the game’s first play.

NIU knotted the score when Huskies’ QB Rocky Lombardi matched Kelly with a four-yard TD run early in the second period. And after Jackson Courville’s 37-yard field goal put Ball State back into the lead, the Huskies’ Kanon Woodill answered with a 27-yarder to tie the score on the final play of the first half.

Kelly finished the game 15-of-25 passing for a career-high 115 yards. He threw for one score and ran for another among his 66 rushing yards. in his four late-season starts, the Cardinals are now 2-2 with their losses totaling just 10 points.

Helping Kelly carve Ball State’s new identity on the ground, Cooper added 93 yards while maintaining his quest to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a third straight season – rising within 233 yards of the milestone with two home games remaining.

Sibblis was the Cardinals’ defensive standout, registering the fourth quarter sack and recovery to help turn the game. Damion Charity added seven tackles, one tackle for loss and a deflected pass.

The Cardinals are off until Saturday, Nov. 18 when they host Kent State (2 p.m.) at Scheumann Stadium to begin a two-game homestand to close the regular season.

BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men’s basketball team rode a 27-0 scoring run to end the first half to a 48-14 advantage at the break, cruising to a 101-40 win over Goshen College Tuesday night at Worthen Arena.

The Cardinals (1-0) obliterated the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics member Maple Leafs, but let only 21-14 at the 8:26 mark of the opening period. Goshen would not score before going into the locker room, and Ball State shot 7-for-12 (58.3 percent) from beyond the arc in the first half to create a comfortable advantage.

More of the same would follow early in the second half as junior forward Basheer Jihad scored 14 points in the first 6:45 of the half on his way to a game-high 21. Micah Bell (14 points), Jalin Anderson (10) and Jurica Zagorsak (10) also scored in double figures for the host Cardinals.

Ball State got nine points each from Davion Bailey, Mason Jones and Mickey Pearson Jr. with Trent Middleton Jr. adding eight and seven assists.

The stingy Cardinal defense limited Goshen’s leading scorers Karson Jenkins and Judah Simfukwe to a combined six points on 2 of 11 shooting. The Maple Leafs managed to shoot only 29.2 percent (14-48) from the floor and 15.0 percent (3-20) on 3-pointers.

Ball State finished shooting 53.6 percent (37-69) from the field, including 52.4 percent (11-21) from distance and dominated on second chance points (19-2), points in the paint (44-16) and points off turnovers (44-3).

Up next for the Cardinals is a battle with Old Dominion at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Worthen in their first game against a Division I foe of the regular season.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL

MASTODONS OPEN SEASON WITH 82-74 VICTORY AT DEPAUL

CHICAGO – Four of five starters finished in double-digits in Purdue Fort Wayne’s 82-74 victory at DePaul on Tuesday (Nov. 7) evening.

Quinton Morton-Robertson had a game-high 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting including a perfect 4-of-4 from three. Rasheed Bello scored 15 points with six rebounds and three assists in his first game at the Division I level. Anthony Roberts added 13 points and four steals. Jalen Jackson made his Mastodon debut with 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

The Mastodons used a 14-2 run down the stretch starting at the 3:57 mark to take a 76-70 lead with 42 seconds left. Five different ‘Dons scored in the game-changing stretch that turned a six-point deficit into a six-point lead. Corey Hadnot II drained a big triple with 2:31 left to put the ‘Dons ahead at 71-68.

The ‘Dons finished the game holding a lead for better than 29 minutes after controlling the first half. Purdue Fort Wayne forced 14 turnovers in the first 20 minutes and only committed four. Bello scored 10 points. The ‘Dons scored 11 straight early in the game to take an 11-4 lead. They put together another double-digit run later in the half, this time a 10-0 run to go up 24-11 with 10:27 remaining in the half. One of the highlights of the first 20 minutes was a steal and dunk by Hadnot to go up 37-26 and force a DePaul timeout. It was his first collegiate steal, field goal and dunk.

DePaul responded in the second half by taking a 55-53 lead with just under 10 minutes left. It was their first lead since the score was 4-2. The Blue Demons would go up 58-53, before the ‘Dons scored seven straight to take the lead again. Maximus Nelson had a trey in the stretch.

Purdue Fort Wayne finished the game shooting 44.4 percent (28-of-63) overall and 9-of-18 from three. The ‘Dons made 17-of-20 from the free throw line. Purdue Fort Wayne finished the game forcing 22 Blue Demon turnovers and only committing 10.

Chico Carter Jr. led the Blue Demons with 18 points.

DePaul is 0-1. The ‘Dons are 1-0 and host Andrews on Thursday (Nov. 9).

PURDUE FT. WAYNE VOLLEYBALL

THREE ‘DONS POST DOUBLE-DOUBLES IN TUESDAY LOSS

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Three Mastodons finished Tuesday (Nov. 7) night’s match with double-doubles, but Purdue Fort Wayne women’s volleyball fell to Cleveland State in four sets (17-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-19).

Ashby Willis led the Mastodons with 18 kills while Panna Ratkai contributed 17 kills to her team’s effort. Wills had 15 digs while Ratkai added 16 as the pair each registered a double-double. Taya Haffner finished the match with 48 assists and 12 digs.

Purdue Fort Wayne won the first set by eight points. Joanna Larsen tied with Ratkai for the team lead with four kills in the first set as the ‘Dons started out with the early advantage.

Willis and Ratkai combined for 12 kills in the second set. The ‘Dons rallied to come back and tie the score at 21 and forced Cleveland State to take a timeout. The Vikings regrouped out of the timeout and managed to get the final three kills and with the second set.

Willis led the ‘Dons with six kills in the third set with Ratkai adding four. But Cleveland State got out to a 7-1 lead early in the set, and despite a late comeback that cut the lead to one, never lost the lead and claimed the third set.

Ratkai added four kills to her total in a close fourth set, but wasn’t able to gain an edge over the Vikings, who finished out the fourth set to win the match.

Liberty Torres led Cleveland State with 19 kills, but the ‘Dons held her to a meager .111 hitting percentage.

The ‘Dons fall to 10-18 and 5-10 in the Horizon League. Cleveland State improves to 15-12 and 8-7 in the HL. Purdue Fort Wayne will be back in the Gates Sports Center against Wright State on Friday (Nov. 10).

EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER

ACES WOMEN’S BASKETBALL DROPS FIRST GAME TO LIPSCOMB 77-58

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The University of Evansville women’s basketball team faced a tough test in its first game of the season in a 77-58 loss to the Lipscomb Bison.

Competing against a team that returned all its leading scorers, the Purple Aces held the Bison below their 2022-23 average in the first half on Tuesday night. UE’s standout player was sophomore guard Kynidi Mason Striverson scoring 13 points with four rebounds, four assists, and six fouls drawn. Graduate student center Barbora Tomancova also made it to double figures with 10 points and led Evansville in rebounds with six.

“I thought in the first half especially we got good shots but we just didn’t make them,” said Head Coach Robyn Scherr-Wells following the game. “We had opportunities and we were getting more looks, we just didn’t quite capitalize on them. There were some things defensively that we didn’t do well that were part of our game plan. We knew some of the things that they were going to do and we just didn’t execute well enough on the defensive end of the floor.

“So you put together not making enough shots when getting good looks with a few too many easy buckets down the middle of the floor. It just made for a tough night. We just need to clean some things up. But there are still enough positives for us to take from that game. I think we grew in our offensive chemistry and flow. We just didn’t make enough shots but I still think we had some positives on offense.”

It was a back-and-forth game early between the Aces and Lipscomb with three buckets in the first minute. The lead changed four times in the first eight minutes with UE having their largest lead out of the media timeout with under three minutes to go. Evansville took the lead on a jump shot from forward Celine DuPont while Tomancova made a jump shot off a turnover two minutes later. But a six-point run gave the Bison the lead for the rest of the quarter. Mason Striverson ended the first on offense for the Aces making two free throws for only a four-point deficit.

UE struggled early in the second as Lipscomb made the first two baskets in two minutes. An early timeout for Evansville provided some life with a quick second-chance layup from Tomancova. But brief interruptions from the Bison made it difficult for Evansville to get a rally going. The Aces excelled at the line in the second quarter making four shots in two trips early to keep Lipscomb within single digits. But eight points from the Bison to close out the first half had UE down by 14 after 20 minutes.

Evansville’s defense began to click in the second half, keeping Lipscomb from making any sort of run down the stretch of the third quarter. With a double-digit deficit, the Aces tried to match the Bisons shots but couldn’t get more than a four-point run going at any one time. UE did close out the quarter on a run, making it only a 14 point game with 10 minutes left on the clock.

In the final frame, Evansville had its best offensive quarter of the night making eight of its 14 shots. This included a six-point run early in the quarter from the Aces posts players. But Lipscomb responded with a six-point run of their own, making it an almost 20 point game. Another brief run from the Bison put the game out of reach for UE, ending the game in a 77-58 loss.

Overall the Aces were 22 of 26 from the floor for 34.9% shooting while excelling at the charity stripe missing only one free throw. Evansville saw plenty of production from its bench with non-starters scoring 21 of UE’s 58 points. On defense, the Aces pulled down 36 boards with six steals and three blocks while having nine assists on the offensive side of the ball.

Evansville faces its first true road test of the season this weekend. The Aces make the trip over the border to Edwardsville, Ill. to take on the SIUE Cougars. Tip-off from First Community Arena is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12.

EVANSVILLE MEN’S SOCCER

PHILLIP AND HERNANDEZ EARN POSTSEASON ALL-MVC HONORS

ST LOUIS — Two members of the University of Evansville men’s soccer team have been honored with postseason awards by Missouri Valley Conference Head Coaches.

Senior forward Kai Phillip and freshman midfielder David Hernandez were recognized for their play in the 2023 season for the Purple Aces by the MVC. Leading UE on offense, Phillip earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team after being named to the Second Team only a year ago. Hernandez finished his first season with Evansville as a consistent starter and stalwart for the middle four while being the Aces go-to for corner kicks on the right side.

This season, Phillip led UE in most statistical categories including goals (10), points (21), shots (36), shots on goal (17), and games started (16). At the end of the season, the forward ranked 28th in the nation in goals per game and 3rd in the Missouri Valley Conference averaging 0.62 goals a game. He also was top of the Valley in goals and points, sitting third behind MVC Player of the Year Dylan Sing and All-Conference First Team selection Charlie Sharp. Phillip was also only one of six players in the Valley to have multiple braces during the season. Phillip scored two goals in a match against both Southern Indiana and Northern Illinois.

Hernandez in his first season with the Purple Aces played in all but one game and started 73% of the time. For the season, the midfielder recorded one goal against UIC and tallied three assists over the course of 15 games. Hernandez was sixth in minutes played for Evansville with 1,000 minutes on the pitch and led all freshmen and newcomers on UE’s roster.

SOUTHERN INDIANA SWIMMING

EAGLES SWIM AND DIVE TAKE ON THE A3 PERFORMANCE INVITE

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – After two weekends off, the University of Southern Indiana Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving travel to Carbondale, Illinois to compete in the A3 Performance Invitational, hosted by Southern Illinois University on November 9-11.

The Screaming Eagles will compete against Southern Illinois University, the University of Evansville, Bellarmine University, Eastern Illinois University (women), Valparaiso University, and the University of Nebraska-Omaha. This will be the Eagles second year competing in the invite.

USI Men

In their last weekend of competition, USI Men’s Swimming and Diving placed fourth out of ten teams at the Indiana Intercollegiate Meet hosted by Purdue University on Saturday. The Eagles also took on the University of Illinois at Chicago at Indiana State University, falling 200-98 on Friday night.

Freshman Camden Richardson (Spring Hill, Tennessee) showed a consistent increase in his 100 yard backstroke time placing first both Friday (53.33) and Saturday (53.29). Freshman Cole Baker dazzled at Purdue in the 50 yard freestyle (21.18) which ranks him second in the record book.

Season Performance Leaders

Of the 16 recorded individual events, the Eagles have nine different swimmers who are leading the team in an event. Freshman Sam Smith (Trafalgar, Indiana) leads the team with four events in the 500 yard freestyle, 1000 yard freestyle, 100 yard butterfly, and the 200 yard butterfly. Sophomore Garrett Crist (Bargersville, Indiana) leads the team in the 50 and 100 yard backstroke. Sophomore Gabriel Groves (New Carlisle, Indiana) claims two events in the 100 yard freestyle and the 200 yard individual medley. Sophomore Caleb Davis (Spring, Texas) leads the squad in the 50 and 100 yard breaststroke.

The current one-meter diving season leader is sophomore Lane Pollock (Boonville, Indiana) recording a score of 244.20 at the UE Tri-Meet. Freshman Nathan Deputy (Evansville, Indiana) leads the Eagles in the three-meter dive with a score of 246.45 at the IUPUI meet.

USI Women

USI Women’s Swimming and Diving placed sixth out of ten teams at their last meet in the Indiana Intercollegiate Invite at Purdue University. The Eagles also competed in a quad meet at Indiana State University going 0-3.

Freshman Hayden Shurtz (Ft. Wayne, Indiana) went on a tear all weekend breaking her own school record in the 100 yard backstroke (1:05.37). Her previous record time was (1:06.66). At the same meet, Shurtz broke the school record in the 200 yard breaststroke (2:25.44). Sophomore Sarah-Catherine Dawson (Prospect, Kentucky) keeps improving meet by meet shattering her own school record in the 100 yard butterfly (58.50).

Freshman Maranda Uttke (Grafton, Wisconsin) excelled in both diving events on Friday. Uttke broke her own school records in the one-meter event (211.50 pts) and the three-meter event (200.90 pts).

Season Performance Leaders

The Eagles have eight different leading swimmers in the 16 recorded individual events. Shurtz is the leader of the pack with four events including the 100 yard breaststroke, 200 yard breaststroke, 100 yard individual medley, and the 400 yard individual medley. Four others lead two events including freshman Caiya Cooper (LaPorte, Indiana) in the 200 and 500 yard freestyle, freshman Reagan Holmes (Henderson, Nevada) in the 100 and 1000 yard freestyle, sophomore Sarah-Catherine Dawson (Prospect, Kentucky) in the 100 and 200 yard butterfly, and sophomore Kate Hilgarth (Indianapolis, Indiana) in the 100 and 200 yard backstroke.

Uttke’s brilliant performance at the Indiana State Quad Meet vaulted herself into the season lead in both the one and three meter diving events.

A3 Performance Invitational

The prelims will start at 10 a.m. each day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Finals start at 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 4 p.m on Saturday. Watch the live stream through the SIU Rec Center Facebook page.

Stay updated with the live statistics on the MeetMobile App.

SOUTHERN INDIANA VOLLEYBALL

EAGLES FACE LIONS IN FINAL ROADTRIP

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (10-15, 6-8 OVC) will hit the road one last time in 2023 to battle former GLVC and NCAA Division II rival, Lindenwood University (13-12, 9-5), in a critical matchup on Thursday at 6 p.m. and Friday at 5 p.m. at Hyland Arena. The Screaming Eagles are fighting for an Ohio Valley Conference Championship berth for the first time in program history.

Game Coverage

Information about USI Volleyball, including live stats, video, and audio broadcasts, is available on USIScreamingEagles.com.

Tickets

Tickets to USI vs. Lindenwood at Hyland Arena are free.

Screaming Eagles Headlines:

Eagles Downed by Tennessee Tech. The Screaming Eagles dropped both matches last weekend against a red-hot Tennessee Tech group. USI fell in the first match, 3-2, before losing Saturday’s Senior Day match, 3-1. The Eagles have now lost six of their last seven matches and are looking to clinch their first OVC Championship berth.

You Have To #OVCit. USI will battle a solid team of Lindenwood who is third in the conference standings. The Eagles stand in a four-way tie for fifth in the OVC. USI and Lindenwood have been facing off since their GLVC and DII days with the Eagles holding a 5-1 all-time record against the Lions dating back to 2019.

Magic Number 4. USI’s number to clinch a tournament spot is four as the Eagles only need to be a top-eight team in the conference to earn a berth. To clinch as of Monday, USI has to either win all four matches or hope for losses from Tennessee Tech, Little Rock, and Tennessee State who are on the outside looking in.

Nearing 1,000 Again. Junior Carly Sobieralski has 934 assists this season and is closing in on 1,000 assists in 2023. Only five USI setters since 2000 have earned 1,000 assists in a season. Earlier this season, Sobieralski nabbed 1,000 career assists.

Anderson’s Double Life. Senior Leah Anderson has earned 10 double-doubles this season and has posted five straight and six in her last seven matches. She has also nabbed 22 double-digit kill matches along and 11 games with double-digit digs.

Party Like It’s 2005. In the match against Western Illinois, junior Carly Sobieralski put up 62 assists and 22 digs which marks the first time since Stephanie Wilson in 2005 that a USI setter has earned at least 60 assists and 20 digs in a match.

Assisting the Nation. Junior Carly Sobieralski nabbed a career-high 65 assists in the win against Western Illinois. Sobieralski’s 65 assists were the most in a four-set match in the OVC and NCAA DI. With 127 total assists over a two-match span, Sobieralski was rightfully named OVC Setter of the Week on October 23.

Anderson On The Rise. Senior Leah Anderson is the fourth Screaming Eagle to rank in the top five in three categories in USI Volleyball history. She currently ranks second in aces and kills while being fourth in digs all-time at USI. Anderson joins an elite group that includes Leeanne Gross, Sheri Kaiser, and Shannon Wells.

Blocking The Haters. Junior Paris Downing has excelled at the net this season, securing a league and team-leading 108 blocks. She has already surpassed her season-high after earning 92 blocks last season.

OVC Leaderboard. Within the OVC, USI ranks fourth in service aces per set (1.61) and blocks per set (2.12) while being fifth in opponent hitting percentage (.198) and digs per set (15.70). In conference matches only, the Eagles stand second in total blocks (131) and third in services aces (90).

OVC Leaders. Senior Leah Anderson has her name in three categories, nabbing second in points/set (4.25), fourth in kills/set (3.57), and seventh in aces/set (0.39). Senior Abby Bednar sits eighth in points/set (3.93), fifth in aces/set (0.39), and eighth in kills/set (3.19). Junior Carly Sobieralski ranks fourth in assists/set (9.53) while junior Paris Downing posts the second-most blocks/set (1.10). Sophomores Keira Moore and Bianca Anderson round out the leaders with Moore standing eighth in digs/set (3.92) and Anderson 10th in hitting percentage (.272).

About Lindenwood. The Lions enter the weekend boasting a 13-12 overall record and a 9-5 OVC record. Lindenwood has scored an OVC win in every weekend series of the conference season. This will be the Lions’ final home matchup of the season and will be looking to clinch an OVC Championship berth with one win. Lindenwood has posted a league-best 100 aces in conference action and is top-five in the OVC in hitting percentage (.196), points/set (16.10), assists/set (11.75), kills/set (12.75), opponent aces/ set (1.35), opponent digs/set (15.94), and aces/set (1.66).

Leading the Lions. Jessie Seidel has been the leader for the Lions this season, posting a fifth-best 4.69 digs/set margin along with a team-leading 36 aces. Allie Otten stands eighth in the league in assists/set (6.51) while Rebecca Janke ranks seventh in hitting percentage (.294).

More Information. For more information about USI Volleyball and Athletics, go to USIScreamingEagles.com or follow USI Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

EAGLES FINISH OPENING ROAD TRIP AT #4 MICHIGAN STATE

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball completes its season-opening road swing Thursday with a visit to fourth-ranked Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. (CST) and will air live on the Big Ten Network (Spectrum Cable 39/528/920; Astound Cable 372/686).

Following the season-opening road trip, the Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of Screaming Eagles Arena for the home opener Sunday when they host Chicago State University for a 3:30 p.m. contest. USI, which is slated to host 14 home games this year at Screaming Eagles Arena, has single-game tickets on sale now on USIScreamingEagles.com.

The Eagles opened the 2023-24 campaign with a tough loss at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, Monday night. USI went point-for-point with SLU in the second half, but could not overcome the 12-point opening half deficit, and lost 75-63. Junior guard

Jordan Tillmon

Jordan Tillmon led the way for the Eagles with 15 points and eight rebounds.

Michigan State, which is ranked fourth in the Associated Press and the USA Today Top 25 polls and second in the Big Ten 2023-24 preseason poll, also opened this year’s campaign with a loss after falling in overtime to James Madison University at home, 79-76. Graduate guard Tyson Walker led the Spartans with 35 points.

Chicago State, which hosts Mercer University Thursday before visiting USI, began the season by losing at Bowling Green State University, 70-41. The Cougars took the first meeting with the Eagles last year in Chicago, 78-61.

The USI-Chicago State match-up is the start of a two-game homestand for the Eagles that will conclude November 14 when they host Tiffin University for a 7 p.m. contest. USI has a 6-0 series lead over the Dragons all-time.

All USI men’s basketball home games can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+.

VALPO FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL TO SALUTE SENIORS BEFORE SATURDAY’S HOME FINALE

Stetson (3-6, 1-5 PFL)

at Valparaiso (2-7, 1-5 PFL)

Game #10 Saturday, Nov. 11, Noon CT

Brown Field (5,000) – Valparaiso, Ind.

This Week in Valpo Football: The Valparaiso University football team will close out the home portion of the 2023 campaign on Saturday as Stetson comes to town for a noon kickoff. This will be Senior Day at Brown Field as 25 student-athletes will be recognized prior to the contest. Valpo will look to make it back-to-back wins to close out the home slate.

Previously: Valpo’s best statistical defensive performance in a Pioneer Football League game in 15 years propelled the Beacons past visiting Dayton 21-7 last week at Brown Field. The Beacons allowed just 175 yards of total offense, while Solomon Davis made a highlight-reel touchdown grab and Ryan Mann battled back from a back injury that cost him the first half to turn in a standout second half.

Series Notes: Stetson and Valpo have played just five times since the Hatters relaunched their football program and joined the Pioneer Football League prior to the 2013 campaign. Valpo has grabbed three of the five meetings between the two teams including the most recent showdown, a 19-10 win on Oct. 26, 2019 that represented Landon Fox’s first victory as a head coach. Valpo is 2-1 at home against Stetson having also bested the Hatters 27-24 on Sept. 30, 2017.

Following the Beacons: Like all Valpo football home games, Saturday’s contest will be carried on ESPN+. Legendary Valpo voice Todd Ickow (play-by-play) and Valpo Athletics Hall of Famer Tom Byrne (analyst) will have the call. In addition, the radio commentary will air on 95.1 FM WVUR, The TuneIn Radio App and ValpoAthletics.com. For in-game updates, follow @valpoufootball on Twitter. Links to live video, audio and stats will be available on ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach Landon Fox: Landon Fox (16-34) is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Valparaiso University football program in 2023. Over the last three seasons, Fox has led Valpo to 12 Pioneer Football League victories, the most in a three-year period in program history. The program finished with a PFL record of .500 or better for a third consecutive season in 2022, the first time that has occurred since 1998-2000. Prior to that, Valpo had not had a stretch of three straight years with a league record of .500 or better since 1961-1964. The program won four PFL games in the same season just once in the 26 seasons prior to Fox’s arrival. Now, the program has reached that threshold in three straight seasons and three of the first four years under his direction (Spring 2021, Fall 2021, 2022). During his four years in charge of the program, Valpo has boasted 43 All-PFL honorees and 22 academic all-PFL selections. During his second season at the helm in Spring 2021, Fox was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award – which is presented annually to the FCS National Coach of the Year – after guiding Valpo to its best winning percentage since 2003 and tying for the squad’s best winning percentage since 1999. He led his team to Pioneer Football League runner-up honors, the program’s highest finish in the league standings since the PFL championship season of 2003. Fox’s defensive roots paid dividends on that side of the football in his second year at the helm, as the team enjoyed its best defensive season in four decades. Valpo held opponents to 283.3 yards per game, the program’s best total defense in the last 40 years. In Year 1 of the Fox Era in 2019, Valpo ranked in the Top 5 in the PFL in scoring defense (32.0, fifth), total defense (381.6, fourth), rushing defense (184.2, fourth) and passing defense (197.3, fifth). After spending the previous 11 seasons as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the University of Dayton, Fox was named the head football coach at Valpo prior to the 2019 season. He helped the Flyers finish with 10 winning seasons in his 11 years on staff and guided a defensive backfield that produced one All-American, four Academic All-Americans, two PFL Special Teams Players of the Year and three corners who were invited to NFL Rookie Minicamp. Prior to joining Dayton’s staff, Fox served as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Wayne State University in Detroit from 2005-2007. He also spent time as a defensive graduate assistant at Ball State University (2004), Dayton (2002-2003) and Lakeland College (2001). Fox began his coaching career as an assistant varsity coach at Preble Shawnee High School in Camden, Ohio during the 2000 season. During his playing days, Fox was a team captain and all-conference performer at Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio from 1995-1999 and graduated with a degree in physical education and health in May 2000 before earning his master’s degree in education from Lakeland in May 2002.

Defense Dominates Dayton

Valpo held Dayton to 175 yards of total offense on Nov. 4, the fewest yards gained by a Valpo opponent since Oct. 11, 2014, when Missouri Baptist was limited to 122 yards.

The game against the Flyers marked the fewest yards permitted by Valpo in a Pioneer Football League game since Nov. 15, 2018 at Campbell, when the Fighting Camels mustered up just 158 yards of total offense.

Dayton was held to 68 yards on the ground, the sixth time in nine games this season that a stingy Valpo rushing defense has kept the opposition under 80 rushing yards.

Valpo’s three best performances of the season in terms of passing defense have come over the last three weeks. Valpo allowed over 150 passing yards in each of the first six games of the season but has permitted under that threshold in each of the last three weeks including 107 on Nov. 4 vs. Dayton.

The Valpo defense has put together a first-half shutout in back-to-back weeks, holding Butler off the scoreboard in the first half on Oct. 28 before doing the same to Dayton on Nov. 4. The Valpo defense has enjoyed a shutout half on three occasions this season, with the first of those coming in the first half on Sept. 30 vs. Southwest Minnesota State.

The seven points were the fewest allowed by Valpo since a 47-3 win at Butler on Nov. 13, 2021.

Soaring Past the Flyers

Two of Valpo’s five all-time wins over Dayton have come in the last three seasons. Valpo head coach Landon Fox is 2-2 against Dayton, where he served as defensive coordinator before his arrival at Valpo.

Before Fox, Valpo was 2-25 all-time against Dayton in a series that started in 1988. Fox owns as many wins over the Flyers in just four meetings as every coach in Valpo history before his arrival had against that opponent in 27 all-time matchups.

The Brown Field fans have become used to cliffhangers as the 21-7 Valpo victory over Dayton on Nov. 4 represented the team’s most lopsided home win since its previous home faceoff with the Flyers on Oct. 23, 2021, a 45-28 triumph.

Valpo’s two victories over Dayton during the Fox Era have come by margins of 17 and 14. Prior to Fox, the margins for Valpo’s two wins over Dayton were one (2017) and five (2003).

Before Fox took over Valpo’s program in 2019, the team was 1-14 in its last 15 matchups with Dayton with an average margin of defeat of 32.9 points per game in those losses.

Fox’s 50th

The Nov. 4 game vs. Dayton was Landon Fox’s 50th as Valpo head coach.

The win over the Flyers allowed Fox to have an identical record to his predecessor Dave Cecchini through 50 games at Valpo. Cecchini beat Butler 35-17 in his 50th game on Oct. 13, 2018.

The win allowed Fox to tie for the most victories by a Valpo head coach through the first 50 games of a tenure since the late Bill Koch coached his 50th game on Sept. 18, 1982 at Wisconsin Eau Claire.

The win over the Flyers also helped Fox surpass Stacy Adams on Valpo’s all-time wins list. He is one victory away from tying Dave Cecchini’s final win total.

Valpo in Home Finales

Valpo hopes to snap a two-game skid in home finales. The Beacons fell 24-0 vs. Drake last season and 51-38 to Morehead State in 2021.

The Beacons last won a home finale on April 17, 2021, beating San Diego 20-19.

The team has not finished the home portion of a traditional fall season with a win since beating Jacksonville 48-30 on Nov. 10, 2018.

Senior Salute

Valpo will recognize 25 seniors as part of a Senior Day pregame ceremony.

Four sixth-year players will be recognized – Jeffrey Jackson, Kobey Fitzgerald, Ousmane Dabo and Evan Matthes.

Eight fifth years / redshirt seniors will be part of the festivities – Johnny Foley, Kalil Brown, Tyler Geiman, Evan Annis, Solomon Davis, Austin Chilton, Patrick Oliva and Jashon Butler.

Seven fourth-year seniors include Mohamed Kamara, Cam Livingston, Moise Tezzo, Garner Jones, Tyler Eberhart, Carter Woody and Kurt Kessen.

Six redshirt juniors include Tytus Ragle, Diego Del Castillo, Darius Lane, Keith Szczepanski, Jake Vickers and Sam Hafner.

Going Back-to-Back

A win on Saturday vs. Stetson would allow Valpo to possess back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

Valpo’s last set of consecutive wins were Sept. 24, 2022 vs. San Diego (W 28-21) and Oct. 8, 2022 at Presbyterian (W 41-21).

This marks unique scheduling as Valpo plays back-to-back PFL home games. This is the first time Valpo has played a league game at home in consecutive weeks since March 20, 2021 vs. Drake and March 27, 2021 vs. Butler. This is the first time this has occurred during a normal fall season since October 2015, when the Brown & Gold hosted these same opponents in consecutive weeks, Dayton on Oct. 17 and Stetson on Oct. 24.

Matthes Receives Recognition

Punter Evan Matthes became the first Valpo player this season to receive a Pioneer Football League honor when he was tabbed PFL Special Teams Player of the Week on Nov. 5 for his performance in the Nov. 4 win over Dayton.

Matthes played a key role in the field position battle, pinning Dayton deep on a regular basis in the 21-7 win over the Flyers.

He averaged 41.7 yards per punt on seven attempts with a long of 53, pinning five of his seven boots inside the 20 including three inside the 10 and two inside the 5.

Matthes, who leads the PFL and ranks 18th nationally in punting average at 42.8, would rank fourth in single-season program history in punting average if the season ended today.

Other Notes Wrapping Up Nov. 4: Valpo 21, Dayton 7

Ryan Mann ran for 68 yards on 11 carries, all in the second half after his comeback from the back trouble that plagued him during warmups and throughout the first half. He also had two catches for 34 yards.

Solomon Davis hauled in a team-high four catches for 25 yards including a touchdown, his fifth receiving TD (sixth total TD) this season and his ninth career receiving score (10th total).

Rowan Keefe went 15-of-21 through the air for 126 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Jake Vickers’ TD catch was his second this season and the fourth of his career.

Jashon Butler ran for his first touchdown in a Valpo uniform.

Evan Annis achieved a team-high 10 tackles, while Sam Hafner and Austin Chilton chipped in eight apiece. Hafner had a big day that featured two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Max Samuel picked up his first career fumble recovery and his second big play of the season to go along with a blocked kick.

Notes Wrapping Up Oct. 28: Butler 17, Valpo 7

Jimmy Pouba notched his first forced fumble and fumble recovery with the Brown & Gold.

Butler converted eight third downs and went 4-for-4 on fourth down.

Valpo accumulated 289 yards of total offense, edged by Butler’s 335 in that category. The Beacons out-passed the Bulldogs 172-89.

Quarterback Rowan Keefe went 11-of-19 passing for 172 yards in his first collegiate start.

Running back Ryan Mann accrued 47 yards on 10 carries.

Among PFL and National Leaders

Valpo leads the league and ranks 14th nationally in kickoff return average at 23.73.

Jashon Butler ranks second in the PFL and sixth nationally in combined kickoff return yards at 575. He is first in the league and third in the nation in kickoff return average at 31.9.

Tyler Geiman leads the league and ranks third nationally in passes defended per game at 1.7.

Evan Matthes leads the league and ranks 18th in the nation in punting average at 42.8.

Scouting the Hatters

Coming off a 61-41 loss to Davidson last weekend.

Lone PFL victory occurred on Oct. 7 at Presbyterian by a 28-24 score.

Under the direction of head coach Brian Young.

Picked to finish ninth of 11 in the PFL preseason poll.

VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER

SOCCER READIES FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT AT NOTRE DAME

Valparaiso (11-5-6, 3-3-4 MVC)

2023 NCAA Tournament – First Round

Saturday, Nov. 11, 5 p.m. CT at #9 Notre Dame (11-3-4, 7-1-2 ACC)

Next Up in Valpo Soccer: After a dramatic run to claim the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship last weekend, the Valpo soccer team heads to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history. The Beacons open NCAA play Saturday evening at #9 Notre Dame, the third seed in the region.

Previously: Sixth-seeded Valpo concluded its dramatic run through the MVC Tournament with two more wins last weekend, taking down second-seeded Missouri State in extra time, 1-0, before topping regular season champion Drake in the tournament final by an identical 1-0 final.

Looking Ahead: The winner of the Valpo-Notre Dame first-round matchup takes on the winner of LSU-Memphis in the second round.

Following the Beacons: Valpo’s first-round tournament match against Notre Dame will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Links for the live video and live stats can be found at ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach John Marovich: In his 16th season at the helm of the Valpo program, John Marovich holds a 132-117-48 (.525) record both overall and at Valpo as a head coach. The 2014 Horizon League Coach of the Year and the head of the 2022 MVC Coaching Staff of the Year, Marovich holds Valpo’s all-time records for both victories and winning percentage.

Series Notes: Despite the proximity of the two campuses, this will be just the fourth time in program history Valpo and Notre Dame have matched up in a fixture that counts. The last matchup between the two sides was the only regular-season matchup in series history, a 6-0 win by the Fighting Irish to open the 2015 season.

Scouting the Opposition: Notre Dame enters the NCAA Tournament with a 11-3-4 overall record and went 7-1-2 in ACC play. Most recently, the Fighting Irish dropped a 3-2 decision to Clemson in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. Notre Dame had four players earn All-ACC honors this year, highlighted by the selection of Eva Gaetino as ACC Defender of the Year for a second straight season. Kiki Van Zanten, who was part of the Jamaica side which advanced to the knockout stages of last summer’s World Cup, was a First Team All-ACC selection as well.

Back in the Dance: This year marks Valpo’s third all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, with exactly nine years passing in between the program’s first and second appearance as well as the second and third appearance. Notre Dame is a familiar tournament foe, as in all three of Valpo’s NCAA Tournament trips (2005, 2014, 2023), it has been the quick journey east to take on the Fighting Irish in first-round action.

Claiming Tournament Hardware: The 2023 MVC Tournament championship for the Beacons was the third conference tournament title in program history, all three of which have come in different conferences. The first conference tournament championship came in the 2005 Mid-Continent Conference Tournament, while Valpo culminated a perfect run through the Horizon League in 2014 with a pair of shutout victories to earn the HL Tournament title.

A Dramatic Run to the Crown: This year’s tournament journey was easily the most dramatic of the program’s three tournament championships. The Beacons won all four of their tournament fixtures by 1-0 finals – the first time in program history Valpo has won four matches in a single postseason, and the first time in program history the team has strung together 1-0 wins in four straight matches. In three of those four matches, it took the Beacons until after halftime to find their lone goal, including one match that went to extra time scoreless. As the sixth seed in the MVC Tournament, Valpo became the lowest seed ever to win the Valley title and was the first team outside the top-two to claim the championship since 2007.

Any Back Four Will Do: What makes the four tournament clean sheets even more impressive is the fact that, due to injuries, Valpo did not start the same back four in any of the four matches:

Belmont – White-Cup-Ramey-Gountounas

UNI – White-Ramey-Cup-Boardman

Missouri State – White-Cup-Norfolk-Ramey

Drake – White-Norfolk-Ramey-Boardman

Looking at the MVC Tournament: Here’s a brief look back at all four matches from sixth-seeded Valpo’s tournament run:

Oct. 26 – #6 Valpo 1, #7 Belmont 0 (Cedar Falls, Iowa)

The only one of Valpo’s four tournament wins in which it netted a first-half goal, Lindsey DuSatko headed home a Kelsie James corner from right on the goal line in the eighth minute with what proved to be the match’s lone tally. Nikki Coryell made five saves in goal, including back-to-back point-blank stops midway through the first half. The win was a measure of revenge for the regular season matchup, which Belmont had won 2-0 in Valpo – it was the first time since 2009 Valpo has beaten a team in the postseason it lost to in the regular season.

Oct. 29 – #6 Valpo 1, #3 UNI 0 (Cedar Falls, Iowa)

The Beacons edged out the Panthers on UNI’s home field, the lone blemish at home for UNI all season as it had entered the second-round matchup a perfect 10-0-0 in Cedar Falls. Daisy Boardman headed a ball off the post and away in the 54th minute in a scramble following a UNI corner kick to keep the match scoreless. 10 minutes later, a throw-in led to the match’s lone goal, as Lindsey DuSatko and Allie Anderson hit first-time balls to set up Kelsie James for a first-time volley for the match’s lone goal. Coryell made four saves to blank UNI for the second time in 10 days, an impressive feat against a prolific attack which racked up 45 goals for the year.

Nov. 2- #6 Valpo 1, #2 Missouri State 0 [a.e.t.] (Des Moines, Iowa)

It took until the 97th minute to ensure the dramatic run through the MVC Tournament would continue for the Beacons, with the decisive tally coming directly from a corner kick by Abby White. Valpo successfully saw out the last 12-plus minutes of action to ensure its stay in Iowa would last three more days. Nikki Coryell made seven saves for the 27th shutout of her career, matching the MVC career record in the category. The win came over a Bears squad which had surrendered just one goal in 10 Valley regular season matches, was unbeaten in MVC regular season play this season (7-0-3) and whose only loss of the season to that point had come versus Missouri.

Nov. 5 – #6 Valpo 1, #1 Drake 0 (Des Moines, Iowa)

The celebration kicked off at just after 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, as the clock hit 0:00 and confirmed that Valpo was indeed the 2023 MVC Tournament Champions. The title match looked destined for extra time until the 82nd minute, when a rebound off the post from an Addy Joiner free kick ricocheted right to Allie Anderson in the center of the box, who smashed it home to give the Beacons the lead and set up the ensuing celebration. Coryell made four saves in goal to become the outright MVC career shutouts leader with 28 career clean sheets. The win came over a Drake side which entered the match 13-3-3 on the year, won the MVC regular season with an 8-1-1 record – including a 2-1 regular season win over the Beacons – and which been shut out just once in its first 19 matches of the year.

Winning Valley Titles: The soccer program has been the standard bearer in terms of success among Valpo Athletics teams since the move to the Missouri Valley Conference prior to the 2017-18 school year. Last season, the 2022 Beacons side became the first Valpo team to win an MVC team championship when they claimed the MVC regular season title. This season’s MVC Tournament championship is the first tournament title by a Valpo team since joining the Valley.

A Tremendous Senior Class: This year’s senior class has been perhaps the most successful four-year class in program history. The quintet of Nikki Coryell, Lindsey DuSatko, Cassidy Eckstein, Kelsie James and Chase Ray – who were joined by Aubrey Ramey this season – has racked up 34 wins in their four years. They’ve posted a 19-7-10 record in Valley play – the best winning percentage by a four-year class in league action in program history – and did not finish worse than third in the MVC standings in their four years. They’re the first four-year class in program history to advance to conference tournament semifinals all four years, and of course, they were part of sides that won the MVC regular season title in 2022 and the MVC Tournament title in 2023. Maybe most importantly, this senior class has also excelled tremendously in the classroom, boasting a cumulative 3.69 GPA.

Double-Digit Wins: The Beacons enter the NCAA Tournament with 11 victories on the season, the 11th time in program history the Beacons have won 10 or more matches in a season. The 11 wins are tied for fourth-most in a single season in program history, with only the 2005, 2006 and 2014 teams winning more matches.

Strong Nonconference Record: The Beacons finished nonconference play with a 4-2-2 record. This year’s side is the first Valpo team to finish above .500 in nonconference action since the 2017 squad went 6-5-0 outside of Valley play. It is the program’s best nonconference record since going 4-1-4 in 2014. One of those two draws came at a Kentucky side which eventually reached as high as #18 in the nation.

Notable Streaks This Season: This year’s Valpo side had a number of notable streaks that came to an end:

Home Success – Started season 3-0-3 through six home matches before falling to Belmont; second time in program history going unbeaten through first six home matches (2005)

Unbeaten Streak – Seven matches without a loss (2-0-5) Sept. 8-Oct. 5; sixth unbeaten streak of at least seven matches in program history

MVC Play – 11-match unbeaten streak in Valley action (5-0-6) Oct. 6, 2022-Oct. 5, 2023

Strong Defense – 15 consecutive MVC matches surrendering one goal or fewer Sept. 17, 2022-Oct. 5, 2023

Perhaps the most impressive item which was snapped in Valpo’s Oct. 8 loss at Drake was the fact that the Beacons lost a match in which they held a lead. The last time prior to Drake Valpo had the lead in a match and didn’t come away with at least a draw was way back on Sept. 28, 2019 at Missouri State. Valpo had won or tied 34 consecutive matches in which it held a lead before falling to the Bulldogs.

Fit to Be Tied: This season has featured a record number of ties for the Beacons. Valpo drew four times in MVC play and six times overall, both the highest single-season marks in program history. The 2010, 2011 and spring 2021 seasons all featured five deadlocks overall, while the 2003 and spring 2021 squads tied three times in conference action.

Starting Every Time Out: Four players started every match of the regular season for Valpo: goalkeeper Nikki Coryell, center backs Nicole Norfolk and Anna Cup and right back Aubrey Ramey. Coryell and Norfolk both played all 1,620 minutes in the regular season, while Cup nearly did so, ending the regular season with 1,607 minutes played. Norfolk’s streak of consecutive starts came to a close when she missed out on the MVC Tournament first-round match due to injury, leaving Coryell – who has now started 32 straight matches – as the only Valpo player with a consecutive start streak dating beyond this season. Cup missed out for the first time in her career in Sunday’s championship match against Drake due to injury.

Coryell Adds Another Honor: Four clean sheets in as many tournament matches led to an easy call to dub senior goalkeeper Nikki Coryell the Most Valuable Player of the 2023 MVC Tournament. Coryell made 23 saves across the four matches for a flawless 380 minutes of action in goal, in the process tying (against Missouri State) and setting outright (against Drake) the Valley record for shutouts in a career, as she now has 28 career clean sheets.

All-Tournament Accolades: Coryell was one of four Valpo representatives on the MVC Tournament All-Tournament Team. Fifth-year midfielder Allie Anderson played all 380 minutes in the center of the park and contributed the match-winning goal in the title match. Junior Abby White played all 380 minutes of the tournament at left back, helping to keep all four of Valpo’s opponents off the board while also scoring the match-winner in the semifinal. Last but not least, senior Aubrey Ramey – who had played the entire regular season at right back – shifted to center back for three of the four tournament matches and was instrumental in helping the Beacons post shutouts in all four matches.

Norfolk the Stalwart: Fifth-year center back Nicole Norfolk has been a steady presence in the center of the back line since the moment she stepped on campus in the fall of 2019, and was honored this year as a First Team All-MVC recipient. It is the second straight season Norfolk earned First Team accolades and her third All-MVC recognition in all. Norfolk played every minute of the regular season at center back for one of the conference’s top defensive sides, while getting involved in the attack as well with three goals and four assists. She had a night to remember Oct. 19 against UNI, as when the match started, she became Valpo’s all-time leader in both matches played and matches started. Norfolk went on to score the eventual match-winning goal in the 52nd minute and later added an assist on the insurance goal.

Coryell the GOAT: Senior goalkeeper Nikki Coryell picked up Second Team All-MVC honors this season, and combined with her three previous MVC Goalkeeper of the Year awards, became just the fourth player in program history to earn All-Conference accolades four times, joining Lori Moore, Emily King and Jackie Thomas. Playing every minute in goal, Coryell is now the Valley’s all-time leader with 28 career shutouts, nine of which have come this season – fourth-most in a single season in program history and tied for fourth in a season in MVC history. Her current GAA (0.81) and save percentage (.832) would both rank sixth in a single season in program history, while her 89 saves this year are the most in a season by a Valpo goalie since 2002. She enters the NCAA Tournament first in program history in career save percentage (.830), second in career shutouts and third in both career GAA (0.86) and career saves (298).

Holding Down the Midfield: Fifth-year midfielder Allie Anderson earned her second All-MVC award this season, picking up Third Team honors after being a Second Team choice in 2022. A stalwart in the midfield since coming to campus, Anderson has played all 90 minutes in 19 fixtures this year. She has three goals and two assists this season, including match-winning goals versus Eastern Illinois and in the MVC Tournament championship versus Drake.

Scoring the Goals: Junior forward Addy Joiner has picked up MVC postseason awards in back-to-back seasons, as she was a First Team choice last year and a Third Team choice this season. She is likely to lead the Beacons in goals for a second straight season, finding the back of the net eight times this year — tied for ninth-most in a single season in program history and just one off the MVC high. With another full season remaining in her career, Joiner is already tied for sixth in program history with 18 career goals and tied for seventh with 40 career points.

Creating and Scoring: It’s three straight seasons of postseason honors for senior forward Lindsey DuSatko, as she was a Second Team honoree in 2021 and a First Team honoree in 2022 prior to receiving Third Team recognition this year. DuSatko has paced the Beacons and is tied for fourth among all Valley players with five assists this season – tied for fourth in a single season in program history. With 11 career assists, she is tied for fifth all-time at Valpo in that category. She has also scored a quartet of goals, most recently finding the back of the net for the match-winner in the first-round MVC Tournament win over Belmont.

Rookie Right at Home: Freshman center back Anna Cup earned postseason recognition as well, as she was named to the MVC All-Freshman Team. Cup slotted in immediately at center back from the whistle of the very first regular season match, as she started the first 21 matches of the season and played all but 13 minutes prior to missing out due to injury in the MVC Tournament championship match. Cup has helped anchor a defensive unit which boasts a 0.81 GAA and has registered nine shutouts on the season.

Senior Stepping Up: Senior forward Kelsie James was instrumental in Valpo advancing in the early round of the MVC Tournament. It was James’ corner kick early in the first-round match with Belmont which was headed home to give Valpo a lead it would not relinquish, and then it was James on the back end of a set piece against UNI in the second round, scoring to help send the Beacons through to the semifinals. James enters the NCAA Tournament tied for third in program history with 12 career assists and tied for 10th with 38 points.

A Sudden Nose for Goal: Senior Chase Ray went the first 56 minutes of her collegiate career without a goal, but the midfielder found the scoring touch in Valley play, scoring in three of the Beacons’ 10 MVC fixtures. Ray opened her collegiate account with the tying goal at Evansville, scored the early match-winner in the second minute at Indiana State and opened the scoring in Valpo’s win at Southern Illinois.

Looking Back at 2022: Valpo’s journey up the MVC table over the last few years culminated in 2022 with a dramatic final day of the regular season which saw the Beacons emerge with the MVC regular season championship – Valpo’s first team title in any sport since joining the Valley. The Beacons finished the season with an 8-7-4 overall record, including a 7-1-2 mark in MVC action to claim the regular season crown. Nikki Coryell was named MVC Goalkeeper of the Year for a third straight season, while John Marovich, Brianne Barnes and Noah Smith were honored as the Valley Coaching Staff of the Year. Nicole Norfolk was named a Third Team All-Region honoree as well.

Who’s Back: Valpo returned 18 letterwinners, including nine starters, from last year’s squad which claimed the MVC regular season title. The returnees accounted for 16 of the Beacon’s 19 goals and 17 of their 18 assists in Valley play in 2022.

UINDY MEN’S SOCCER

HOUNDS NAMED #13 IN NEW COACHES POLL

KANSAS CITY, MO – The UIndy men’s soccer team was named No. 13 in the newest United Soccer Coaches DII poll, released Tuesday. The Greyhounds are currently 11-1-5 going into week two of the GLVC Tournament.

The Hounds advanced to the semifinals after beating Truman, 2-1, in quarterfinals on Sunday at home. The semifinals will take place on Friday with the finals on Sunday. All contests will be in East Peoria, Ill. at Corwin Clatt Stadium.

United Soccer Coaches DII Poll

Rank	School	Prev	W-L-T
1	Franklin Pierce University	1	15-0-1
2	Midwestern State University	2	16-0-1
3	University of Charleston	3	16-1-0
4	California State University-Los Angeles	4	15-1-1
5	Florida Tech	7	10-1-4
6	Cal Poly Pomona	5	12-1-4
7	Gannon University	5	16-0-2
8	Wingate University	10	11-3-2
9	University of Illinois-Springfield	8	12-1-5
10	Fort Lewis College	12	11-3-4
11	Post University	9	11-1-5
12	California State University Chico	11	11-1-7
13	University of Indianapolis	14	11-1-5
14	Limestone University	15	12-2-2
15	Barry University	19	10-4-1
16	Colorado State University-Pueblo	15	14-4-2
17	Southern Nazarene University	17	12-4-2
18	Mercyhurst University	18	14-3-1
19	Clayton State University	23	13-3-0
20	Tiffin University	22	12-2-3
21	California State University Monterey Bay	25	12-3-4
22	University of West Florida	RV	9-1-5
23	Lynn University	24	10-2-5
24	Colorado Mesa University	21	10-4-5
25	Rogers State University	RV	11-5-2

MARIAN MEN’S BASKETBALL

SECOND HALF SURGE LEADS MARIAN’S VICTORY OVER WILBERFORCE

INDIANAPOLIS – Backed by a 58-point second half, the Marian men’s basketball team erased a three-point halftime deficit and coasted to a 90-64 win over Wilberforce University on Tuesday night in the PE Center. Marian’s win improves the team to 2-0 on the young season.

It took nearly three minutes to take the lid off of the basket, as the Knights and Bulldogs combined for an 0-8 start from the field before Brody Whitaker scored the first points of the game. Wilberforce answered with a 7-0 run and pulled ahead to a 9-4 lead as the game reached it’s first media timeout. After the stoppage Dylan Moles briefly halted the Bulldogs momentum with his first points of the game, but back to back three’s from the visitors gave helped them to a 15-8 lead.

The Knights slowly worked back into the game and drew to an even 15-15 score after three consecutive makes, but after the second media timeout were unable to keep their foot on the pedal as the Bulldogs broke through Marian’s defense from outside. Wilberforce ended the first half with seven made three point shots, using their outside game to lead by as many as five in the final 10 minutes of the first half. The likes of Moles, Whitaker, and Nolan Foster kept Marian in the game and prevented the lead from getting out of reach, as the Knights entered halftime trailing 35-32.

The second half started back and forth as Jackson Ames and Whitaker scored to bring the game even, but Wilberforce continued to hold their own as they held a 42-38 lead at the under-15 minute timeout. Gus Etchison buried a three on Marian’s first possession after the timeout, and started a run as the defensive stops began to mount. Ben Henderson gave Marian the lead for good with 13:57 remaining as his second-chance points provided a 44-43 lead, while Etchison and Whitaker continued to build the advantage.

The run ended with five unanswered points from Whitaker, as the Knights managed a 20-4 run in a 5:20 stretch, giving them a 58-47 lead with 9:51 to play in the game. Marian continued to attack inside as they drew foul multiple trips to the free throw line, with the outside game following as back to back treys from Henderson and Etchison gave Marian a 74-50 lead with 5:25 to play. The surge allowed Marian to slow their pace and control the clock for the final five minutes of the game, leading by as many as 28 points in the final minute before ending the game with a 90-64 victory.

Marian’s defense made their presence felt in the second half, allowing one made three compared to the seven that Wilberforce made in the first half. Conversely, Marian turned their 1-10 first half performance from three into an 8-12 in the final 20 minutes of the game. Whitaker ended the game with two of Marian’s makes from deep as he scored a game-high 31 points to go with six rebounds, while Etchison finished with 23 points on a 4-9 performance from outside. Maximus Gizzi led the team with five assists, and Gavin Foe grabbed a team-best nine rebounds. Henderson finished the game with nine points.

The Knights will stay at home as they get set to host the Marian Classic on Thursday and Friday of this week. Marian’s first game of the weekend will come against Cumberland University on Thursday night, as they tip at approximately 8 p.m. St. Francis (Ind.) and East-West will tip prior to the start of Marian’s game at 6 p.m.

TAYLOR ATHLETICS | SPIEGEL CLAIMS NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sam Spiegel was named the NAIA Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday afternoon for his shutout at No. 5 Grace Saturday night, Nov. 4, which led to the Trojans’ first draw versus a ranked team since Sep. 7, 2019. The national award was based on performances between October 30-November 5.

The Crossroads League Quarterfinals match Saturday between seventh-seeded Taylor (5-11-2, 2-6-1 CL) and second-seeded, No. 5 Grace (13-3-2, 7-1-1) came down to a penalty-kick shootout with the game scoreless after a full 90 minutes of regulation time and two 10-minute overtime periods. Spiegel and the Trojans’ defense faced a plethora of shots from the highly rated Lancer attack, but the junior’s six saves – all of which came after halftime – forced an unlikely shootout in TU’s upset bid.

Spiegel’s NAIA weekly award is the first of his career, and the first such honor any Trojan has had across all sports in the 2023-2024 season.

ANDERSON VOLLEYBALL

VOLLEYBALL: SHAYLEN PERRY, PAIGE RICICA EARN SECOND-TEAM ALL-HCAC HONORS

Anderson University volleyball standouts Shaylen Perry and Paige Ricica both earned second-team all-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) honors, which was announced by the conference on Tuesday.

Ricica was also selected to the HCAC All-Newcomer Team.

“We are very proud to have two players represent AU in the HCAC conference awards,” Coac Tami Miller said.

Shaylen Perry (Sr., 5-9 Middle Hitter, Eaton, Ohio/Eaton)

Four-time all-conference selection (Sr.-Second Team, Jr.-First Team, So.-Honorable Mention, Fr.-Honorable Mention)

Selected to Rose-Hulman Invitational All-Tournament Team

Conference-Only Stats – .280 Hitting Percentage (8th in HCAC), 2.21 Kills Per Set, 0.61 Blocks Per Set, 73 Kills, 24 Attack Errors, 175 Attacks, 33 Sets

Overall Stats – .309 Hitting Percentage (3rd in HCAC), 2.13 Kills Per Set, 0.57 Blocks Per Set, 0.23 Service Aces Per Set, 183 Kills, 53 Attack Errors, 421 Attacks, 86 Sets

Named HCAC Offensive Player of the Week during junior season

Coach Tami Miller’s Comments – Shaylen has been a tremendous player for our program for her four years and this season has been no exception. Her .309 hitting percentage is a great accomplishment. Her offensive prowess will be missed as well as the leadership she brought to the team this year.

Paige Ricica (Fr., 5-8 Outside Hitter/Middle Hitter, Bryan, Ohio/Fairview)

Received all-conference honors in her debut season.

Named to HCAC All-Newcomer Team

Conference-Only Stats – 3.16 Kills Per Set (4th in HCAC), 2.45 Digs Per Set, .230 Hitting Percentage, 98 Kills, 32 Attack Errors, 287 Attacks, 31 Sets

Overall Stats – 2.71 Kills Per Set (6th in HCAC), 2.55 Digs Per Set, .202 Hitting Percentage, 0.26 Service Aces Per Set, 241 Kills, 90 Attack Errors, 746 Attacks, 89 Sets

Coach Tami Miller’s Comments – We are excited for Paige being named to the all-conference second team and the all-newcomer team. WE knew that she had great potential coming in as a freshman and she did not disappoint. She is well deserving of both honors and we are looking forward to her future with AUVB.

VU BASKETBALL OFFERING FREE ADMISSION TO VETERANS THIS SATURDAY

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Athletic Department will be offering free admission to Veterans for the McDonald’s Classic games on Veteran’s Day, Saturday, Nov. 11.

The No. 6-ranked Vincennes University men’s basketball team will be taking on No. 25-ranked Monroe College Saturday at 7 p.m. eastern, with defending NJCAA National Champion and No. 4-ranked John A. Logan taking on Richard J. Daley College at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Saturday is the second day of VU’s two-day McDonald’s Classic, which will tip-off Friday, Nov. 10 with No. 4 John A. Logan taking on No. 25 Monroe College at 5 p.m. eastern, with No. 6 VU squaring off against Richard J. Daley College at 7 p.m. eastern.

Veterans in attendance will be recognized at halftime of the VU game Saturday for their service.

Saturday’s Veteran’s Day game will also feature members of the Lincoln High School JROTC presenting the colors before the VU men’s game at 7 p.m.

VU men’s and women’s basketball season tickets are still on sale at: https://connect.vinu.edu/register/varsityclub or by contacting VU Athletic Office Manager Lesa Tucker at (812) 888-4511.

Season tickets that have already been purchased will be available for pick up this weekend at the main gate.

Tickets for the McDonald’s Classic start at just $5, children 12 and under get in for free and all VU students get in free with valid Student ID.

The Vincennes University Athletic Department and the VU Men’s Basketball invite everyone to come out this weekend for an exciting weekend of college basketball at the Physical Education Complex.

McDonald’s Classic Game Schedule

Friday, Nov. 10

No. 4 John A. Logan vs. No. 25 Monroe College – 5 p.m. eastern

No. 6 Vincennes University vs. Richard J. Daley College – 7 p.m. eastern

Saturday, Nov. 11

No. 4 John A. Logan vs Richard J. Daley College – 5 p.m. eastern

No. 6 Vincennes University vs. No. 25 Monroe College – 7 p.m. eastern

SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

NBA STANDINGS

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Pct

Home

Road

Div

Conf

Last 10

Streak

Boston

.833

—

2-0

3-1

2-0

5-0

5-1

1 L

Philadelphia

.833

—

4-0

1-1

2-0

3-1

5-1

5 W

Brooklyn

.429

2.5

0-3

3-1

0-1

3-3

3-4

2 L

New York

.429

2.5

1-2

2-2

0-1

2-3

3-4

1 W

Toronto

.429

2.5

2-2

1-2

0-2

1-3

3-4

1 W

Central Divison

Pct

Home

Road

Div

Conf

Last 10

Streak

Milwaukee

.667

—

3-1

1-1

–

4-2

2 W

Indiana

.571

0.5

3-2

1-1

2-1

3-3

4-3

1 W

Cleveland

.429

1.5

1-3

2-1

0-2

2-3

3-4

1 W

Chicago

.375

2.0

2-2

1-3

1-1

2-2

3-5

1 W

Detroit

.250

3.0

1-3

1-0

2-1

2-6

5 L

Southeast Division

Pct

Home

Road

Div

Conf

Last 10

Streak

Atlanta

.571

—

2-1

2-2

1-1

2-2

4-3

1 L

Orlando

.571

—

2-1

2-2

–

4-3

1 L

Miami

.429

1.0

3-1

0-3

1-0

2-3

3-4

2 W

Charlotte

.333

1.5

1-2

1-0

2-2

2-4

1 L

Washington

.167

2.5

1-1

0-4

0-2

0-5

1-5

4 L

Western Conference

Northwest Division

Pct

Home

Road

Div

Conf

Last 10

Streak

Denver

.875

—

5-0

2-1

6-1

7-1

3 W

Minnesota

.667

2.0

4-0

0-2

2-0

4-2

3 W

Oklahoma City

.571

2.5

2-3

2-0

0-1

0-3

4-3

1 W

Portland

.429

3.5

1-2

2-2

–

1-2

3-4

1 L

Utah

.250

5.0

2-2

0-4

0-2

2-4

2-6

3 L

Pacific Division

Pct

Home

Road

Div

Conf

Last 10

Streak

Golden State

.750

—

1-1

5-1

2-1

5-1

6-2

1 W

LA Clippers

.500

2.0

3-0

0-3

0-1

2-2

3-3

2 L

LA Lakers

.429

2.5

3-0

0-4

2-1

2-2

3-4

2 L

Phoenix

.429

2.5

1-2

2-2

1-1

2-3

3-4

1 W

Sacramento

.333

3.0

1-1

1-3

1-2

2-4

3 L

Southwest Division

Pct

Home

Road

Div

Conf

Last 10

Streak

Dallas

.857

—

3-0

3-1

2-0

2-1

6-1

2 W

New Orleans

.571

2.0

2-2

2-1

1-0

2-2

4-3

2 L

Houston

.500

2.5

3-1

0-2

0-1

2-2

3-3

3 W

San Antonio

.429

3.0

1-2

2-2

1-1

3-2

3-4

2 L

Memphis

.143

5.0

0-3

1-3

0-2

1-5

1-6

1 W

NFL STANDINGS

American Football Conference

East Division

Pct

Home

Road

vs. Conf

vs. Div

Streak

Miami Dolphins

.667

0.0

285

225

4-0-0

2-3-0

4-2-0

2-1-0

1 L

Buffalo Bills

.556

1.0

240

160

4-1-0

1-3-0

2-4-0

1-2-0

1 L

New York Jets

.500

1.5

132

156

2-3-0

2-1-0

2-3-0

1-1-0

1 L

New England Patriots

.222

4.0

135

228

1-4-0

1-3-0

2-3-0

2-2-0

2 L

West Division

Pct

Home

Road

vs. Conf

vs. Div

Streak

Kansas City Chiefs

.778

0.0

208

143

4-1-0

3-1-0

5-1-0

2-1-0

1 W

Los Angeles Chargers

.500

2.5

201

174

2-2-0

2-3-0

1-1-0

2 W

Las Vegas Raiders

.444

3.0

156

193

3-1-0

1-4-0

2-3-0

1-1-0

1 W

Denver Broncos

.375

3.5

172

226

2-3-0

1-2-0

1-4-0

1-2-0

2 W

North Division

Pct

Home

Road

vs. Conf

vs. Div

Streak

Baltimore Ravens

.778

0.0

239

124

3-1-0

4-1-0

4-2-0

2-1-0

4 W

Pittsburgh Steelers

.625

1.5

133

163

3-2-0

2-1-0

4-2-0

2-0-0

1 W

Cleveland Browns

.625

1.5

181

139

4-1-0

1-2-0

3-2-0

1-2-0

1 W

Cincinnati Bengals

.625

1.5

155

162

3-1-0

2-2-0

1-3-0

0-2-0

4 W

South Division

Pct

Home

Road

vs. Conf

vs. Div

Streak

Jacksonville Jaguars

.750

0.0

193

156

2-2-0

4-0-0

4-2-0

2-1-0

5 W

Houston Texans

.500

2.0

187

165

3-1-0

1-3-0

2-2-0

1-1-0

1 W

Indianapolis Colts

.444

2.5

232

242

1-4-0

3-1-0

3-3-0

2-2-0

1 W

Tennessee Titans

.375

3.0

148

160

3-1-0

0-4-0

2-4-0

0-1-0

1 L

National Football Conference

East Division

Pct

Home

Road

vs. Conf

vs. Div

Streak

Philadelphia Eagles

.889

0.0

252

195

4-0-0

4-1-0

6-0-0

3-0-0

3 W

Dallas Cowboys

.625

2.5

220

148

3-0-0

2-3-0

1-1-0

1 L

Washington Commanders

.444

4.0

191

245

1-3-0

3-2-0

2-4-0

0-3-0

1 W

New York Giants

.222

6.0

101

217

1-3-0

1-4-0

2-3-0

1-1-0

2 L

West Division

Pct

Home

Road

vs. Conf

vs. Div

Streak

San Francisco 49ers

.625

0.0

218

140

3-1-0

2-2-0

4-1-0

2-0-0

3 L

Seattle Seahawks

.625

0.0

171

175

3-1-0

2-2-0

4-1-0

1-1-0

1 L

Los Angeles Rams

.333

2.5

178

204

1-3-0

2-3-0

2-4-0

2-1-0

3 L

Arizona Cardinals

.111

4.5

151

240

1-3-0

0-5-0

1-5-0

0-3-0

6 L

North Division

Pct

Home

Road

vs. Conf

vs. Div

Streak

Detroit Lions

.750

0.0

200

165

3-1-0

4-1-0

1-0-0

1 W

Minnesota Vikings

.556

1.5

206

190

1-3-0

4-1-0

5-2-0

2-0-0

4 W

Green Bay Packers

.375

3.0

160

159

2-2-0

1-3-0

3-3-0

1-2-0

1 W

Chicago Bears

.222

4.5

188

242

1-3-0

1-4-0

0-2-0

2 L

South Division

Pct

Home

Road

vs. Conf

vs. Div

Streak

New Orleans Saints

.556

0.0

195

171

2-2-0

3-2-0

2-2-0

1-1-0

2 W

Atlanta Falcons

.444

1.0

166

192

3-2-0

1-3-0

3-3-0

2-0-0

2 L

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

.375

1.5

158

167

1-3-0

2-2-0

3-3-0

1-1-0

4 L

Carolina Panthers

.125

3.5

140

226

1-3-0

0-4-0

0-5-0

0-2-0

1 L

NHL STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
Boston Bruins	12	10	1	1	21	9	39	23	5-0-1	5-1-0	8-1-1
Tampa Bay Lightning	13	6	3	4	16	6	50	45	4-0-2	2-3-2	5-1-4
Detroit Red Wings	13	7	5	1	15	7	48	42	4-2-1	3-3-0	5-4-1
Toronto Maple Leafs	12	6	4	2	14	5	42	42	3-3-0	3-1-2	4-4-2
Florida Panthers	11	6	4	1	13	6	31	32	4-1-0	2-3-1	6-3-1
Buffalo Sabres	13	6	6	1	13	6	41	41	3-4-0	3-2-1	5-4-1
Montreal Canadiens	12	5	5	2	12	4	36	44	4-3-0	1-2-2	4-5-1
Ottawa Senators	10	4	6	0	8	4	38	35	3-4-0	1-2-0	4-6-0

Metropolitan Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
New York Rangers	12	9	2	1	19	9	39	27	3-1-0	6-1-1	8-1-1
Carolina Hurricanes	13	8	5	0	16	7	45	44	4-0-0	4-5-0	6-4-0
New Jersey Devils	12	7	4	1	15	7	46	45	3-2-1	4-2-0	6-4-0
New York Islanders	11	5	3	3	13	5	29	31	3-2-3	2-1-0	4-3-3
Washington Capitals	10	5	4	1	11	3	21	30	4-3-0	1-1-1	5-4-1
Columbus Blue Jackets	12	4	5	3	11	4	32	39	3-3-1	1-2-2	3-4-3
Philadelphia Flyers	13	5	7	1	11	5	38	41	3-4-0	2-3-1	3-6-1
Pittsburgh Penguins	11	5	6	0	10	5	38	31	2-4-0	3-2-0	5-5-0

Western Conference
Central Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
Colorado Avalanche	11	8	3	0	16	7	38	31	4-0-0	4-3-0	7-3-0
Dallas Stars	11	7	3	1	15	6	32	29	3-2-0	4-1-1	6-3-1
Winnipeg Jets	12	6	4	2	14	6	41	41	2-2-1	4-2-1	5-3-2
Arizona Coyotes	12	6	5	1	13	4	41	35	4-2-0	2-3-1	5-4-1
Minnesota Wild	12	5	5	2	12	4	44	49	3-2-1	2-3-1	4-4-2
St. Louis Blues	11	5	5	1	11	4	27	33	4-2-0	1-3-1	5-5-0
Nashville Predators	12	5	7	0	10	5	34	36	3-2-0	2-5-0	4-6-0
Chicago Blackhawks	11	4	7	0	8	4	26	38	1-3-0	3-4-0	3-7-0

Pacific Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
Vegas Golden Knights	13	11	1	1	23	8	52	28	7-0-1	4-1-0	8-1-1
Vancouver Canucks	12	9	2	1	19	9	54	24	5-0-1	4-2-0	7-2-1
Los Angeles Kings	11	7	2	2	16	7	47	33	1-2-2	6-0-0	7-1-2
Anaheim Ducks	12	7	5	0	14	7	37	34	3-3-0	4-2-0	6-4-0
Seattle Kraken	13	4	6	3	11	4	34	46	2-3-0	2-3-3	4-4-2
Calgary Flames	12	4	7	1	9	4	32	43	2-3-0	2-4-1	3-6-1
Edmonton Oilers	11	2	8	1	5	2	29	47	1-4-1	1-4-0	2-7-1
San Jose Sharks	12	1	10	1	3	1	14	56	1-5-1	0-5-0	1-9-0

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

3 – 8 – 16 – 21 – 20 – 19 – 44 – 77

November 8, 1950

November 8, 1950 – Walt Dropo, Number 3 of Boston Red Sox selected AL Rookie of Year

November 8, 1951 – New York Yankees catcher Number 8, Yogi Berra won 1st of his 3 MVP awards

November 8, 1961 – Whitey Ford, Number 16 of the New York Yankees was voted Cy Young Award winner over Number 21, of the Milwaukee Braves, Warren Spahn

November 8, 1966 – Frank Robinson, Number 20 of the Baltimore Orioles outfielder, was selected as AL MVP. He was the first player to win the MVP award in both leagues.

November 8, 1970 – Tom Dempsey, Number 19 of New Orleans Saints kicks NFL record 63 yard field goal

November 8, 1990 – Darryl Strawberry signs 5-year contract with LA Dodgers. He wore the Number 44 in Dodger Blue.

November 8, 1991 – Paul Coffey, Number 77 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, set an NHL defenseman scoring mark with 311th goal

TV SPORTS WEDNESDAY

NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Washington at Charlotte	7:00pm	NBCS-WSH Bally Sports
Utah at Indiana	7:00pm	ATTSN-RM Bally Sports
Boston at Philadelphia	7:00pm	NBCS-BOS NBCS-PHI
San Antonio at New York	7:30pm	Bally Sports MSG
LA Clippers at Brooklyn	7:30pm	YES Bally Sports
Phoenix at Chicago	8:00pm	NBCS-CHI Bally Sports
LA Lakers at Houston	8:00pm	Spectrum ATTSN-SW
Miami at Memphis	8:00pm	Bally Sports
Detroit at Milwaukee	8:00pm	Bally Sports
New Orleans at Minnesota	8:00pm	Bally Sports
Cleveland at Oklahoma City	8:00pm	Bally Sports
Toronto at Dallas	8:30pm	SportsnetBally Sports
Golden State at Denver	10:00pm	ESPN
Portland at Sacramento/td>	10:00pm	Root Sports NBCS-CA
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Ottawa at Toronto	7:00pm	Sportsnet
Florida at Washington	7:30pm	TNT
Los Angeles at Vegas	10:00pm	TNT
COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
Akron at Miami (OH)	7:00pm	ESPNU
Bowling Green at Kent State	7:00pm	CBSSN
Eastern Michigan at Toledo	7:30pm	ESPN2
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Brevard at Winthrop	4:00pm	ESPN+
Maine-Presque Isle at Maine	6:00pm	ESPN+
Florida Atlantic vs. Loyola Chicago	7:00pm	Barstool
Fisk at LIU	7:00pm	NEC
PSU Brandywine at Fairleigh Dickinson	7:00pm	NEC
Canisius at Syracuse	7:00pm	ACCNx
Troy at Ohio	7:00pm	ESPN+
Curry at New Hampshire	7:00pm	ESPN+
Bucknell at Penn	7:00pm	ESPN+
Defiance at Cleveland State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Morrisville State at Cornell	7:00pm	ESPN+
Fisher at Bryant	7:00pm	ESPN+
Shawnee State at Morehead State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Western Illinois at SMU	7:00pm	ESPN+
Goldey-Beacon at Delaware	7:00pm	FloSports
Lincoln (MO) at Saint Louis	8:00pm	Bally Sports
Lipscomb at Drake	8:00pm	–
Mount Marty at North Dakota State	8:00pm	–
Northern New Mexico at Northern Colorado	8:00pm	ESPN+
Monmouth (IL) at Eastern Illinois	8:00pm	ESPN+
A&M-Commerce at Texas Tech	8:00pm	ESPN+
Dakota Wesleyan at South Dakota State	8:00pm	Summit League Network
Lewis & Clark at Portland	9:00pm	ESPN+
Sul Ross at NM State	9:00pm	ESPN+
Mississippi State vs. Arizona State	9:30pm	Barstool
Southern at UNLV	10:00pm	–
Utah Tech at Santa Clara	10:00pm	ESPN+
Prairie View A&M at Seattle U	10:00pm	ESPN+
Jackson State at San Diego	10:00pm	ESPN+
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
UEFA Champions League: Napoli vs Union Berlin	12:45pm	Paramount+
UEFA Champions League: Real Sociedad vs Benfica	12:45pm	Paramount+
UEFA Champions League: Bayern München vs Galatasaray	3:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Champions League: København vs Manchester United	3:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Champions League: Arsenal vs Sevilla	3:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Champions League: Real Madrid vs Sporting Braga	3:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Champions League: Salzburg vs Internazionale	3:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Champions League: PSV vs Lens	3:00pm	Paramount+
Argentina Primera División: San Lorenzo vs Boca Juniors	5:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: Internacional vs Fluminense	5:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: América Mineiro vs Coritiba	5:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: Athletico-PR vs Fortaleza	6:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: Cruzeiro vs Vasco da Gama	6:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: São Paulo vs RB Bragantino	6:00pm	Paramount+
MLS: New England vs Philadelphia Union	7:00pm	FS1
Brasileirão: Flamengo vs Palmeiras	7:30pm	Paramount+
SOCCER – MEN’S COLLEGE	TIME ET	TV
ACC Tournament Semifinals	6:00pm	ACCN
Big Ten Semifinals	6:00pm	BTN
ACC Tournament Semifinals	8:00pm	ACCN
Big Ten Semifinals	8:00pm	BTN
TENNIS	TIME ET	TV
Metz-ATP & Sofia-ATP Early Rounds Billie Jean King Cup Finals Group Stage	4:00am	TENNIS
Metz-ATP & Sofia-ATP Early Rounds Billie Jean King Cup Finals Group Stage	12:00pm	TENNIS
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
New Orleans vs Oklahoma State	12:00pm	ESPN+
Park University vs Idaho State	12:00pm	ESPN+
Presbyterian vs Wichita State	12:00pm	ESPN+
Life Pacific vs UC San Diego	2:00pm	ESPN+
Norfolk State vs Drexel	6:00pm	FloSports
St. Bonaventure vs Niagara	6:00pm	ESPN+
Oakland vs Michigan State	6:30pm	B1G+
Xavier vs Youngstown State	6:30pm	ESPN+
UMES vs Virginia	7:00pm	ACCNX
Gettysburg vs UMBC	7:00pm	ESPN+
Maryland-Eastern Shore vs Virginia	7:00pm	ACCNX
Nicholls vs Tulane	7:00pm	ESPN+
Susquehanna vs Navy	7:00pm	ESPN+
Texas College vs Lamar	7:00pm	ESPN+
Dayton vs UConn	7:00pm	SNY
Toledo vs James Madison	7:00pm	ESPN+
Gardner-Webb vs North Carolina	7:00pm	ACCNX
Northwestern State vs Kansas	7:30pm	ESPN+
Texas A&M-Kingsville vs TCU	7:30pm	ESPN+
Southern vs Texas	8:00pm	LHN
Cal Poly vs Idaho	8:00pm	ESPN+
Long Island vs Minnesota	8:00pm	B1G+
Eastern Washington vs Southern Utah	8:30pm	ESPN+
Biola vs Long Beach State	9:00pm	ESPN+
WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL	TIME ET	TV
CSU Northridge vs UC Davis	6:00pm	ESPN+
Eastern Kentucky vs Bellarmine	6:00pm	ESPN+
St. John’s vs Seton Hal	6:30pm	FloSports
South Carolina vs Mississippi State	9:00pm	SECN