THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” FRIDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2024

“THE SCOREBOARD”

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

FRIDAY NOV. 8

6A

SECTIONAL 1

CROWN POINT (10-0) AT PENN (8-2)

SECTIONAL 2

FORT WAYNE SNIDER (8-2) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (8-2)

SECTIONAL 3

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

SECTIONAL 4

FISHERS (6-4) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (7-3)

SECTIONAL 5

BROWNSBURG (9-1) AT BEN DAVIS (5-5)

SECTIONAL 6

INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (6-3) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (10-0)

SECTIONAL 7

PERRY MERIDIAN (5-5) AT WARREN CENTRAL (9-1)

SECTIONAL 8

FRANKLIN CENTRAL (6-3) AT CENTER GROVE (6-4)

5A

SECTIONAL 9

MERRILLVILLE (9-1) AT HAMMOND MORTON (5-4)

SECTIONAL 10

CHESTERTON (6-4) AT VALPARAISO (7-3)

SECTIONAL 11

WARSAW (7-3) AT CONCORD (10-0)

SECTIONAL 12

KOKOMO (5-4) AT LAFAYETTE JEFF (10-0)

SECTIONAL 13

DECATUR CENTRAL (7-2) AT PLAINFIELD (9-1)

SECTIONAL 14

FRANKLIN (4-6) AT EAST CENTRAL (7-3)

SECTIONAL 15

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (6-4) AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH (8-2)

SECTIONAL 16

EVANSVILLE NORTH (5-5) AT CASTLE (8-2)

4A

SECTIONAL 17

HANOVER CENTRAL (9-2) AT NEW PRAIRIE (8-3)

SECTIONAL 18

MISHAWAKA (9-2) AT NORTHWOOD (6-5)

SECTIONAL 19

EAST NOBLE (10-1) AT FORT WAYNE DWENGER (6-5)

SECTIONAL 20

HUNTINGTON NORTH (8-3) AT LEBANON (9-2)

SECTIONAL 21

PENDLETON HEIGHTS (6-5) AT NEW PALESTINE (10-0)

SECTIONAL 22

INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (8-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (6-4)  INDIANASRN.ORG BROADCAST

SECTIONAL 23

GREENWOOD (4-7) AT MARTINSVILLE (10-1)

SECTIONAL 24

BOONVILLE (6-5) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (9-2)

3A

SECTIONAL 25

MISHAWAKA MARIAN (6-5) AT KNOX (8-3)

SECTIONAL 26

GARRETT (11-0) AT WEST NOBLE (10-1)

SECTIONAL 27

MACONAQUAH (11-0) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (8-3)

SECTIONAL 28

MISSISSINEWA (11-0) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (7-4)

SECTIONAL 29

GUERIN CATHOLIC (6-5) AT TRI-WEST (7-4)

SECTIONAL 30

LAWRENCEBURG (10-1) AT BATESVILLE (7-3)

SECTIONAL 31

MADISON (6-4) AT NORTH HARRISON (8-3)

SECTIONAL 32

EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (11-0) AT HERITAGE HILLS (10-1) INDIANASRN.ORG BROADCAST

2A

SECTIONAL 33

BREMEN (7-4) AT ANDREAN (7-4)

SECTIONAL 34

LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (10-0) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (5-6)

SECTIONAL 35

ADAMS CENTRAL (10-1) AT EASTSIDE (6-5)

SECTIONAL 36

EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (7-4) AT TIPTON (7-4)

SECTIONAL 37

MONROVIA (9-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (10-1)

SECTIONAL 38

LAPEL (8-3) AT TRITON CENTRAL (9-2)

SECTIONAL 39

LINTON (9-2) AT GREENCASTLE (5-6)

SECTIONAL 40

BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (11-0) AT TELL CITY (6-5)

1A

SECTIONAL 41

LAVILLE (6-5) AT NORTH JUDSON (11-0)

SECTIONAL 42

TAYLOR (6-5) AT PIONEER (8-3)

SECTIONAL 43

TRITON (8-3) AT NORTH MIAMI (9-2)

SECTIONAL 44

SOUTH ADAMS (6-5) AT MADISON-GRANT (10-1)

SECTIONAL 45

SOUTH PUTNAM (9-2) AT RIVERTON PARKE (8-3)

SECTIONAL 46

CLOVERDALE (5-4) AT SHERIDAN (6-5)

SECTIONAL 47

NORTH DECATUR (10-1) AT MILAN (7-4)

SECTIONAL 48

NORTH DAVIESS (8-3) AT PROVIDENCE (10-0)

INDY STAR’S BIGGEST GAMES

BIGGEST GAMES FRIDAY

1. CATHEDRAL (6-3) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (10-0), CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 6

2. EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (11-0) AT HERITAGE HILLS (10-1), CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 32

3. DECATUR CENTRAL (7-2) AT PLAINFIELD (9-1), CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 13

4. BISHOP CHATARD (8-2) AT RONCALLI (6-4), CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 22

5. BROWNSBURG (9-1) AT BEN DAVIS (5-5), CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 5

6. FISHERS (6-4) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (7-3), CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 4

7. GARRETT (11-0) AT WEST NOBLE (10-1), CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 26

8. FW SNIDER (8-2) AT FW CARROLL (8-2), CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 2

9. WARSAW (7-3) AT CONCORD (10-0), CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 11

10. BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (6-4) AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH (8-2), CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 15

11. FRANKLIN CENTRAL (6-3) AT CENTER GROVE (6-4), CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 8

12. EAST NOBLE (10-1) AT FW BISHOP DWENGER (6-5), CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 19

13. LAPEL (8-3) AT TRITON CENTRAL (9-2), CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 38

14. CROWN POINT (10-0) AT PENN (8-2), CLASS 6A SECTIONAL 1

15. MISSISSINEWA (11-0) AT FW BISHOP LUERS (7-4), CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 28

16. GUERIN CATHOLIC (6-5) AT TRI-WEST (7-4), CLASS 3A SECTIONAL 29

17. MONROVIA (9-2) AT LUTHERAN (10-1), CLASS 2A SECTIONAL 37

18. HUNTINGTON NORTH (8-3) AT LEBANON (9-2), CLASS 4A SECTIONAL 20

19. CHESTERTON (6-3) AT VALPARAISO (7-3), CLASS 5A SECTIONAL 10

20. NORTH DECATUR (10-1) AT MILAN (7-4), CLASS A SECTIONAL 47

INDIANA VOLLEYBALL STATE FINALS

11 AM ET | CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 
TRINITY LUTHERAN (29-8) VS FAITH CHRISTIAN (28-4)  

1:30 PM ET | CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (33-3) VS WESTERN BOONE (25-5)  

4:30 PM ET | CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 
RONCALLI (34-0) VS ANGOLA (32-4)  

7 PM ET | CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 
YORKTOWN (33-2) VS CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (32-3) 

INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL THURSDAY

HOMESTEAD.ORG

ALEXANDRIA	69	SHENANDOAH	41
ANDERSON PREP	53	WES-DEL	45
ARGOS	44	JIMTOWN	33
BATESVILLE	67	TRITON CENTRAL	50
BETHANY CHRISTIAN	37	WEST NOBLE	27
BROWN COUNTY	41	EASTERN GREENE	40
CENTER GROVE	44	FRANKLIN CENTRAL	39
CHESTERTON	59	HIGHLAND	24
CLINTON CENTRAL	56	FRONTIER	37
CLINTON PRAIRIE	30	FOUNTAIN CENTRAL	28
CONNERSVILLE	54	NEW PALESTINE	43
DANVILLE	61	PERRY MERIDIAN	14
DELTA	39	MUNCIE CENTRAL	34
EASTERN HANCOCK	64	MORRISTOWN	40
EASTSIDE	71	FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA	50
EDGEWOOD	73	GREENCASTLE	47
ELWOOD	35	EASTERN (GREENTOWN)	24
FRANKTON	48	TRI-CENTRAL	36
FREMONT	84	FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY	13
GREENFIELD-CENTRAL	48	GREENWOOD	27
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN	66	LAWRENCE NORTH	56
HENRYVILLE	44	SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER)	32
HERITAGE HILLS	55	CRAWFORD COUNTY	22
KOUTS	57	KNOX	35
LAKEWOOD PARK	59	CHURUBUSCO	34
LAWRENCE CENTRAL	88	CARMEL	57
LOGANSPORT	40	TIPTON	13
MANCHESTER	65	TRITON	37
MARQUETTE CATHOLIC	66	SOUTH BEND ADAMS	26
MERRILLVILLE	54	ANDREAN	30
MISSISSINEWA	48	NORTHFIELD	43
MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE)	40	FRANKLIN	32
NEW ALBANY	63	INDIAN CREEK	55
NORTH DAVIESS	55	SHOALS	22
NORTHEAST DUBOIS	42	PAOLI	22
NORTHVIEW	42	BLOOMINGTON NORTH	33
OLDENBURG ACADEMY	61	GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN	18
OREGON-DAVIS	53	VICTORY CHRISTIAN	28
PENDLETON HEIGHTS	70	HAMILTON HEIGHTS	19
PIKE	75	AVON	68	OT
PLYMOUTH	48	NEW PRAIRIE	43
RANDOLPH SOUTHERN	60	MUNCIE BURRIS	18
ROCHESTER	46	NORTH JUDSON	43
ROSSVILLE	57	DELPHI	42
SALEM	34	MITCHELL	30
SEEGER	66	CRAWFORDSVILLE	34
SHAKAMAK	54	WEST VIGO	29
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON	93	GOSHEN	14
SOUTH PUTNAM	54	CLOVERDALE	24
SOUTHERN WELLS	63	COWAN	22
SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBYVILLE)	40	COLUMBUS CHRISTIAN	35
TIPPECANOE VALLEY	46	NORTHWESTERN	38
TRI-TOWNSHIP	42	TWIN LAKES	26
VALPARAISO	70	BOWMAN ACADEMY	2
WEST CENTRAL	48	CASTON	25
WEST WASHINGTON	50	CLARKSVILLE	23
WESTVIEW	44	HAMILTON	11
WESTVILLE	57	WINAMAC	35

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

THURSDAY

COASTAL CAROLINA 38 APPALACHAIN STATE 24

EASTERN CAROLINA 49 FLORIDA ATLANTIC 14

FRIDAY, NOV. 8

6 P.M. | DARTMOUTH AT PRINCETON | ESPNU

8 P.M. | CAL AT WAKE FOREST | ACC NETWORK

9 P.M. | IOWA AT UCLA | FOX

9 P.M. | RICE AT MEMPHIS | ESPN2

10:30 P.M. | NEW MEXICO AT SAN DIEGO STATE | FS1

SATURDAY, NOV. 9

12 P.M. | FLORIDA AT NO. 5 TEXAS | ABC/ESPN+

12 P.M. | NO. 4 MIAMI (FLA.) AT GEORGIA TECH | ESPN

12 P.M. | PURDUE AT NO. 3 OHIO STATE | FOX

12 P.M. | WEST VIRGINIA AT CINCINNATI | FS1

12 P.M. | MINNESOTA AT RUTGERS | NBC

12 P.M. | TEXAS STATE AT UL MONROE | ESPNU

12 P.M. | NAVY AT SOUTH FLORIDA | ESPN2

12 P.M. | SYRACUSE AT BOSTON COLLEGE | CW NETWORK

12 P.M. | WESTERN CAROLINA AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE | ESPN+

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

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

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

12 P.M. | LONG ISLAND AT SACRED HEART | ESPN+

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

1 P.M. | LIBERTY AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE | CBSSN

1 P.M. | UALBANY AT STONY BROOK | FLOSPORTS

1 P.M. | BRYANT AT MAINE | FLOSPORTS

1 P.M. | RHODE ISLAND AT DELAWARE | FLOSPORTS

1 P.M. | ELON AT WILLIAM & MARY | FLOSPORTS

1 P.M. | HAMPTON AT TOWSON | FLOSPORTS

1 P.M. | MONMOUTH AT NEW HAMPSHIRE | FLOSPORTS

1 P.M. | NORTH CAROLINA A&T AT VILLANOVA | FLOSPORTS

1 P.M. | YOUNGSTOWN STATE AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS | ESPN+

1 P.M. | MARIST AT STETSON | ESPN+

1 P.M. | MOREHEAD STATE AT DAVIDSON | ESPN+

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

1 P.M. | LAFAYETTE AT COLGATE | ESPN+

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

1:30 P.M. | EASTERN ILLINOIS AT GARDNER-WEBB | ESPN+

1:30 P.M. | MERCER AT VMI | ESPN+

2 P.M. | TARLETON STATE AT WEST GEORGIA | ESPN+

2 P.M. | CENTRAL ARKANSAS AT EASTERN KENTUCKY | ESPN+

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

2 P.M. | UT MARTIN AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN | ESPN+

2 P.M. | SE MISSOURI STATE AT LINDENWOOD | ESPN+

2 P.M. | TENNESSEE STATE AT WESTERN ILLINOIS | ESPN+

2 P.M. | EASTERN WASHINGTON AT NORTHERN COLORADO | ESPN+

2 P.M. | WOFFORD AT FURMAN | ESPN+

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

2 P.M. | INDIANA STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA | ESPN+

2 P.M. | MISSOURI STATE AT MURRAY STATE | ESPN+

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

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

2:30 P.M. | UCONN AT UAB | ESPN+

3 P.M. | MARSHALL AT SOUTHERN MISS | ESPN+

3 P.M. | NORTH ALABAMA AT SOUTHERN UTAH | ESPN+

3 P.M. | NICHOLLS AT HOUSTON CHRISTIAN | ESPN+

3 P.M. | LAMAR AT UIW | ESPN+

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

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

3 P.M. | ALABAMA STATE AT GRAMBLING | ESPN+

3 P.M. | FLORIDA A&M AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M | ESPN+

3 P.M. | TENNESSEE TECH AT SAMFORD | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | NO. 2 GEORGIA AT NO. 16 OLE MISS | ABC/ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | NO. 19 CLEMSON AT VIRGINIA TECH | ESPN

3:30 P.M. | MICHIGAN AT NO. 8 INDIANA | CBS

3:30 P.M. | NO. 17 IOWA STATE AT KANSAS | FS1

3:30 P.M. | NO. 18 ARMY AT NORTH TEXAS | ESPN2

3:30 P.M. | DUKE AT NC STATE | ACC NETWORK

3:30 P.M. | SAN JOSE STATE AT OREGON STATE | CW NETWORK

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

3:30 P.M. | RICHMOND AT CAMPBELL | FLOSPORTS

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

4 P.M. | NO. 21 COLORADO AT TEXAS TECH | FOX

4 P.M. | TEMPLE AT TULANE | ESPNU

4 P.M. | KENNESAW STATE AT UTEP | ESPN+

4 P.M. | ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT AUSTIN PEAY | ESPN+

4 P.M. | IDAHO AT PORTLAND STATE | ESPN+

4:15 P.M. | SOUTH CAROLINA AT NO. 24 VANDERBILT | SEC NETWORK

4:30 P.M. | JACKSONVILLE STATE AT LOUISIANA TECH | CBSSN

4:30 P.M. | STEPHEN F. AUSTIN AT TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE | ESPN+

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

6 P.M. | WESTERN KENTUCKY AT NEW MEXICO STATE | ESPN+

7 P.M. | MARYLAND AT NO. 1 OREGON | BIG TEN NETWORK

7 P.M. | MISSISSIPPI STATE AT NO. 7 TENNESSEE | ESPN

7 P.M. | UCF AT ARIZONA STATE | ESPN2

7 P.M. | OKLAHOMA STATE AT TCU | FS1

7 P.M. | NORTHWESTERN STATE AT SE LOUISIANA | ESPN+

7:30 P.M. | FLORIDA STATE AT NO. 10 NOTRE DAME | NBC

7:30 P.M. | NO. 11 ALABAMA AT NO. 14 LSU | ABC/ESPN+

7:45 P.M. | OKLAHOMA AT MISSOURI | SEC NETWORK

8 P.M. | WASHINGTON AT NO. 6 PENN STATE | PEACOCK

8 P.M. | NEVADA AT NO. 12 BOISE STATE | FOX

8 P.M. | VIRGINIA AT NO. 23 PITT | ACC NETWORK

8 P.M. | NORTHERN ARIZONA AT CAL POLY | ESPN+

9 P.M. | UNLV AT HAWAI’I | CBSSN

9:45 P.M. | FRESNO STATE AT AIR FORCE | FS1

10:15 P.M. | NO. 9 BYU AT UTAH | ESPN

10:15 P.M. | UC DAVIS AT MONTANA | ESPN2

10:30 P.M. | UTAH STATE AT NO. 20 WASHINGTON STATE | CW NETWORK

NFL

WEEK 10

THURSDAY, NOV. 7

BALTIMORE 35 CINCINNATI 34

SUNDAY, NOV. 10

NEW YORK GIANTS VS CAROLINA PANTHERS (9:30A NFL NETWORK, MUNICH)

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT CHICAGO BEARS (1:00P FOX)

BUFFALO BILLS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (1:00P CBS)

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1:00P FOX)

DENVER BRONCOS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1:00P CBS)

ATLANTA FALCONS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1:00P FOX)

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (1:00P FOX)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (1:00P CBS)

TENNESSEE TITANS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (4:05P FOX)

NEW YORK JETS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (4:25P CBS)

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT DALLAS COWBOYS (4:25P CBS)

DETROIT LIONS AT HOUSTON TEXANS (8:20P NBC)

MONDAY, NOV. 11

MIAMI DOLPHINS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (8:15P ESPN)

WEEK 11

THURSDAY, NOV. 14

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8:15P PRIME VIDEO)

SUNDAY, NOV. 17

GREEN BAY PACKERS AT CHICAGO BEARS (1:00P FOX)

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT DETROIT LIONS (1:00P CBS)

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (1:00P CBS)

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1:00P FOX)

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1:00P FOX)

BALTIMORE RAVENS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1:00P CBS)

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT TENNESSEE TITANS (1:00P CBS)

ATLANTA FALCONS AT DENVER BRONCOS (4:05P FOX)

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4:05P FOX)

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT BUFFALO BILLS (4:25P CBS)

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (4:25P CBS)

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT NEW YORK JETS (8:20P NBC)

MONDAY, NOV. 18

HOUSTON TEXANS AT DALLAS COWBOYS (8:15P ESPN)

WEEK 12

THURSDAY, NOV. 21

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (8:15P PRIME VIDEO)

SUNDAY, NOV. 24

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (1:00P CBS)

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT CHICAGO BEARS (1:00P FOX)

TENNESSEE TITANS AT HOUSTON TEXANS (1:00P CBS)

DETROIT LIONS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (1:00P FOX)

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (1:00P CBS)

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT NEW YORK GIANTS (1:00P CBS)

DALLAS COWBOYS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (1:00P FOX)

DENVER BRONCOS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (4:05P CBS)

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (4:25P FOX)

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4:25P FOX)

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (8:20P NBC)

MONDAY, NOV. 25

BALTIMORE RAVENS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (8:15P ESPN)

WEEK 13

THURSDAY, NOV. 28 (THANKSGIVING)

CHICAGO BEARS AT DETROIT LIONS (12:30P CBS)

NEW YORK GIANTS AT DALLAS COWBOYS (4:30P FOX)

MIAMI DOLPHINS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (8:20P NBC)

FRIDAY, NOV. 29

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (3:00P PRIME VIDEO)

SUNDAY, DEC. 1

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS (1:00P CBS)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (1:00P CBS)

HOUSTON TEXANS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1:00P FOX)

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1:00P FOX)

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1:00P CBS)

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT NEW YORK JETS (1:00P FOX)

TENNESSEE TITANS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (1:00P CBS)

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (4:05P FOX)

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4:05P FOX)

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (4:25P CBS)

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT BUFFALO BILLS (8:20P NBC)

MONDAY, DEC. 2

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT DENVER BRONCOS (8:15P ESPN)

WEEK 14

THURSDAY, DEC. 5

GREEN BAY PACKERS AT DETROIT LIONS (8:15P PRIME VIDEO)

SUNDAY, DEC. 8

NEW YORK JETS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (1:00P CBS)

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

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT NEW YORK GIANTS (1:00P FOX)

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1:00P FOX)

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1:00P CBS)

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (1:00P CBS)

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT TENNESSEE TITANS (1:00P CBS)

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (4:05P CBS)

BUFFALO BILLS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (4:25P FOX)

CHICAGO BEARS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4:25P FOX)

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (8:20P NBC)

MONDAY, DEC. 9

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT DALLAS COWBOYS (8:15P ESPN/ABC)

NBA SCORES

MINNESOTA 135 CHICAGO 119

MILWAUKEE 123 UTAH 100

SAN ANTONIO 118 PORTLAND 105

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25

#21 FLORIDA 81 JACKSONVILLE 60

ELSEWHERE:

INDIANA STATE 93 EUREKA 48

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25

#18 MARYLAND 70 COPPIN STATE 47

#22 KENTUCKY 70 NORTHERN KENTUCKY 41

#15 NORTH CAROLINA 77 NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON 50

ILLINOIS 83 #19 FLORIDA STATE 74

#2 CONNECTICUT 86 BOSTON 32

#11 DUKE 83 LIBERTY 67

HARVARD 72 #25 INDIANA 68 OT

#8 IOWA STATE 64 INDIANA STATE 42

#13 KANSAS STATE 82 BELMONT 56

#12 BAYLOR 85 INCARNATE WORD 33

#24 ALABAMA 84 ALABAMA A&M 59

NHL SCORES

FLORIDA 6 NASHVILLE 2

NY ISLANDERS 4 OTTAWA 2

BOSTON 4 CALGARY 3 OT

CAROLINA 5 PITTSBURGH 1

NEW JERSEY 5 MONTRÉAL 3

BUFFALO 6 NY RANGERS 1

PHILADELPHIA 2 TAMPA BAY 1

WINNIPEG 1 COLORADO 0

UTAH 4 ST. LOUIS 2

DALLAS 3 CHICAGO 1

VANCOUVER 4 LOS ANGELES 2

MINNESOTA 5 SAN JOSE 2

MLS PLAYOFFS

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

TOP NATIONAL SPORTS HEADLINES/NEWS RELEASES

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

NO. 11 ALABAMA MEETS NO. 14 LSU IN A SHOWCASE OF HOW THE NEW CFP MEANS MORE HIGH-STAKES GAMES

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The annual Alabama-LSU rivalry is Exhibit A this weekend for how the expanded College Football Playoff has changed what constitutes a high-stakes game in November.

Both teams have two losses and neither has a top-10 ranking in the AP Top 25, yet the winner of Saturday night’s clash in Tiger Stadium will remain on track to become one of the 12 teams who’ll compete for a national title in January.

“We’re right in the middle of it,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “There’s so much football to be played that the initial (CFP) rankings is just the horses getting into the gates.

“It would be nice to be on that inside track and be No. 1, but certainly there’s a lot of race ahead of us,” Kelly continued. “Now, you’ve got to play well for the remaining four weeks of the season.”

No. 14 LSU (6-2, 3-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 15 CFP) did not play particularly well during the second half of its previous game at Texas A&M on Oct. 26. The Tigers went into halftime with a 17-7 lead, only to leave College Station with a deflating 38-23 loss.

The No. 11 Crimson Tide (6-2, 3-2 SEC, No. 11 CFP) stumbled a little earlier in the season at Vanderbilt and at Tennessee, but rebounded two weeks ago with a resounding 34-0 demolition of Missouri.

“You saw our response, I think, with the Missouri game,” first-year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “That’s just more experiences that you have together, backs to the wall. There’s different things that different teams respond well to.”

As usual, both teams had a bye in the week leading up to their traditional early November showdown, giving them a chance to be a little healthier and better prepared for what has long been one of the biggest match-ups on either team’s slate.

Milroe vs. LSU

It was perhaps the first game when the college football world realized just how dangerous Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe was as a runner. Milroe ran for 155 yards and four touchdowns against LSU last season while passing for 219 yards.

Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed ran for three touchdowns against LSU’s defense, and Milroe presents another quarterback who can run.

“That’s just hard for any defense to go against,” Milroe said. “It’s just hard for any defense to stop the element of the pass and the run.”

Riding the “Nuss bus”

Junior QB Garrett Nussmeier, playing the never-easy role of successor to a Heisman Trophy-winning QB, spent most of the season on a promising, upward trajectory — until the second half of his previous game. He threw three second-half interceptions in LSU territory at Texas A&M — a major factor in the Tigers’ stunning collapse against the Aggies.

Despite that, he still ranks No. 2 in the SEC and No. 8 nationally in TDs passing with 20. His 328.4 yards passing per game ranks second in the league and fifth nationally.

“He’s a coach’s kid; you can tell he’s been very well trained,” Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said, referring to the fact that the LSU QB’s dad is former NFL QB and current Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier.

“He’s as good as we’ve seen this year — aggressive with the ball,” Wommack said. “I know sometimes that’s gotten him in trouble, but it’s also created a lot of explosive plays.”

Road Bama

Alabama has dropped its last two road games, at Vanderbilt and at Tennessee. A common denominator: Slow starts before a hostile crowd. The Commodores scored two touchdowns in the first seven minutes, including a pick six. It wasn’t that bad in Knoxville, but Alabama did have two punts and an interception on its first three offensive series.

“You just can’t dig yourself a hole, especially giving the opponent momentum in an environment like we’re going to see at LSU,” DeBoer said. “So it’s critical. We preach it every day.”

No Nick

The presence of Nick Saban, who coached LSU’s 2003 team to a national title, on Alabama’s sideline from 2007 to 2023 gave this already storied rivalry an extra-juicy layer.

Although Saban is now retired, his influence on Alabama — where he won six national titles — endures and remains a factor this year, Kelly asserted.

“This football team still resembles the building blocks of coach Saban,” Kelly said. “Kalen took over a program that was in great shape, right? So, a lot of the underpinnings are still there and certainly a very talented team.

“So, there’s still that sense that there’s the man behind the curtain, if you will,” Kelly said. “You sense that in terms of the overall program.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK: ALABAMA VS. LSU

ALABAMA NOTES:

Overall: 89th Meeting (Alabama leads, 56-27-5) In Baton Rouge: Alabama leads, 29-10-2 Current Streak: Alabama, Won 1 Last Meeting: Nov. 4, 2023 – Tuscaloosa (W, 42-28) Series Notes: Alabama and LSU will meet for the 89th time in history when the two teams square off on Saturday in Baton Rouge. The Crimson Tide holds the all-time series advantage with a 59-27-5 mark, including a 29-10-2 record at Tiger Stadium. UA earned a 42-28 win in the last matchup between the schools on Nov 4, 2023, in Tuscaloosa. Alabama fell 32-31 in the latest pairing in Baton Rouge on Nov. 5, 2022. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has never faced the Tigers during his head coaching career, while LSU head coach Brian Kelly is 1-3 against the Crimson Tide.

ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY: The Crimson Tide will be making its 60th appearance overall (38-21, .644) on ESPN’s College GameDay when the popular pregame show airs live from Baton Rouge this Saturday. Including Saturday’s appearance prior to the matchup with LSU, Alabama trails only Ohio State for the most appearances on GameDay by any one program in the show’s history. The Crimson Tide’s 38 wins entering Saturday stand as the second-most when appearing on the show, trailing only the 41 victories by the Buckeyes.

ALABAMA REACHES 1K: With the Oct. 26 victory over then-No. 21/17 Missouri, Alabama reached 1,000 onfield wins. The Crimson Tide became only the second program in NCAA Division I history to record 1,000 wins, joining Michigan, who entered the 2024 campaign with 1,003. The Tide’s record, as recognized by the NCAA, stands at 970-339-43, accounting for vacated and forfeited victories. The next closest team on the list is Ohio State with 981 on-field wins (969 NCAA). BEAR BRYANT WATCH LIST: On Oct. 16, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer was named to the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award Watch List. The award is given each January to a college football coach to recognize his contributions that make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life – both on and off the field. A Crimson Tide head coach has won the award twice in its 39-year existence, including Nick Saban (2020) and Gene Stallings (1992). DEBOER AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS: Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is 14-3 across 17 career matchups with teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, including an impressive 5-1 mark against top-10 teams. Added to those totals was the Crimson Tide’s 34-0 win over then-No. 21 Missouri on Oct. 26 and a 41-34 win over then-No. 2 Georgia on Sept. 28. DeBoer’s first career matchup against a top-25 foe at the FBS level came at Fresno State on Sept. 4, 2021, with the Bulldogs falling at No. 11 Oregon. Following the loss to the Ducks, DeBoer-led teams at Fresno and Washington proceeded to reel off 12 straight wins against ranked foes, including six victories in 2023. The winning streak was snapped following Washington’s 34-13 loss to top-ranked Michigan in last season’s CFP National Championship.

BEATING THE BEST: The Crimson Tide is 82-23 (.780) against the Associated Press Top 25 since the start of 2008. That record includes the Tide’s 34-0 win over then-No. 21 Missouri on Oct. 26 and the 41-34 win over No. 2 Georgia on Sept. 28. Alabama owned a 4-2 mark in 2023 with wins against then-No. 15 Ole Miss on Sept. 23, then-No. 17 Tennessee on Oct. 21, then-No. 13 LSU on Nov. 4 and finally against then-No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 2. Since 2007, Alabama has 25 wins over AP top-five teams, the most in the country. LSU has produced the next-closest win total with 12. ALABAMA IN THE AP POLL: Alabama’s No. 11 ranking in the Week 11 edition of the Associated Press Poll marked the 272nd consecutive week that the Crimson Tide has appeared in the poll. That streak is the longest active streak in college football. The 272 weeks more than doubles second-place Georgia with the Bulldogs appearing in the poll for 125 consecutive weeks. Alabama’s 272 straight weeks tops the Crimson Tide’s previous program-long streak of 105 consecutive weeks under head coach Gene Stallings in the mid-1990s. ALABAMA IN THE AP SINCE 2008: Alabama began the 2008 season at No. 24 in the Associated Press Preseason Poll. The Crimson Tide opened the year with a dominant 34-10 win over then-No. 9 Clemson in Atlanta, and since that win over the Tigers, UA has not been ranked lower than No. 17 in 271 polls that have followed. According to the College Poll Archive, the Tide is the only team to be represented on all 272 editions of the poll from the start of the 2008 season to the current week. The next closest team is Ohio State with 257 appearances followed by Oklahoma at 244. Alabama has spent 94.1 percent of the 17-plus years ranked in the top 10. A whopping 80.9 percent of that time Alabama has been ranked in the top five. The Crimson Tide has also been ranked No. 1 a total of 110 times since 2008. Only 14 other teams have earned the No. 1 ranking over that time, with the second-most appearances coming from Georgia at 40 and Clemson in third at 23. ALABAMA HAS THE MOST WINS SINCE 2008: Dating back to the start of the 2008 season, Alabama has won 205 games, which is the most in the Football Bowl Subdivision. That sum is 20 more than Georgia and Ohio State, the next-closest win totals over that stretch at 185.

ALWAYS IN THE HUNT: Since the 2008 season, Alabama has played in 192 of 198 regular season games that have had national championship implications. The final three games of the 2010 campaign and the final three weeks of the 2022 schedule marked the only six regular season contests without direct national championship implications over the last 17 seasons. HONORING A LEGEND: Prior to Alabama’s Sept. 7 game against USF, The University of Alabama formally dedicated Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium with pregame and halftime ceremonies honoring former head coach Nick Saban. Under Saban’s guidance, Alabama was nearly unbeatable at its home stadium that now bears his namesake. Across his 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa, Saban’s teams went 108-9 (.923) when playing at home. Of those nine losses, only one was by more than seven points. 2024 TEAM CAPTAINS: The Crimson Tide’s 2024 team captains were announced after practice on Aug. 20. As selected by their teammates, Tyler Booker, Deontae Lawson, Jalen Milroe and Malachi Moore were each named team captains for the season. It marked the second year in a row for Milroe and Moore, as the duo were voted permanent team captains by their teammates at the end of the 2023 regular season.

OFFENSIVE NOTES:

MILROE vs. THE BEST: As Alabama’s starter each of the last two seasons, Jalen Milroe has played some of his best football against the top competition. He has guided the Crimson Tide to six wins over Associated Press Top 25 teams, including the Tide’s 34-0 victory on Oct. 26 over then-No. 21 Missouri and Alabama’s 41-34 win on Sept. 28 over then-No. 2 Georgia to go with four wins a season ago. In nine total contests against AP Top 25 foes across the last two seasons, Milroe has completed 64.8 percent (157-242) of his passes for 2,055 yards while accounting for 17 total touchdowns (10 passing, seven rushing). He has accumulated 2,555 total yards in those matchups. PILING UP THE POINTS: Jalen Milroe has accounted for 25 total touchdowns in eight games of action this season, including 13 passing and 12 rushing. His 25 total scores lead the SEC and are the fifth-most in the FBS, while his 152 points are also the fifth-best total in the country. Milroe’s 12 rushing scores are the third-most among quarterbacks in Division I, while his 13 passing touchdowns are tied for fifth-most in the SEC. THROWING THE BOMB: Through eight games this season, Jalen Milroe has completed 137-of-203 passes for 1,937 yards. Entering Alabama’s matchup with LSU, Milroe is averaging 9.54 yards per pass attempt, the seventh-best mark in the country. He has also accumulated 14.14 yards per completion which ranks second in the conference and 11th in Division I. HOME RUN HITTER: Jalen Milroe’s passing touchdowns have typically come in the form of a big play during his time as QB1 at Alabama. Across 21 starts the last two seasons, he is averaging 35.1 yards per passing touchdown, accumulating 1,263 total yards on 36 scores. This season alone, the Katy, Texas, native has thrown for 13 total touchdowns with all but one score coming from at least 16 yards or better. He has also recorded four touchdowns of 55-plus yards, highlighted by an 84-yarder in the season opener with Western Kentucky. As the starter in 2023, Milroe averaged 33.1 yards per score across his 23 passing touchdowns.

DEFENSIVE NOTES:

HERE’S TO YOU, MR. ROBINSON: Linebacker Que Robinson currently leads Alabama in sacks (4) and tackles for loss (7), including a career-high three tackles for loss on Oct. 5 at Vanderbilt. According to Pro Football Focus, Robinson’s 91.2 pass rush is tied for the third-best mark among all Division I edge rushers. FALL ON THE BALL: Through eight games, the Alabama defense has forced nine fumbles with seven recoveries (77.7 percent). The Crimson Tide’s seven recovered fumbles are tied for the fourth-most in the SEC and the fifth-most in the FBS. CREATING CHAOS: The Crimson Tide have forced 18 total turnovers (seven fumbles, 11 interceptions) in its first eight games, tied for the most in the SEC. Alabama is one of just 13 teams to have forced at least 18 turnovers in 2024. TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS: Alabama has forced at least one turnover in 119 of the last 135 contests (dating back to the start of the 2015 season). During the current run, Alabama has forced 213 turnovers (136 interceptions, 77 fumbles) and returned 42 of those miscues for touchdowns. SHUTOUTS SINCE 2007: Since 2007, Alabama has recorded 28 shutouts, including 13 in Southeastern Conference play. The Crimson Tide has produced two shutouts in 2024, including Alabama’s 34-0 win over then-No. 21/17 Missouri on Oct. 26 and UA’s 63-0 win over Western Kentucky on Aug. 31. The Crimson Tide defense has 13 more shutouts than its nearest competitor, with Ohio State’s 15 shutouts the next-closest total in that span. CAGED THE TIGERS: The Crimson Tide’s 34-0 win over then-No. 21/17 Missouri on Oct. 26 stands as Alabama’s first conference shutout since Oct. 31, 2020, when UA held Mississippi State off the scoreboard in a 41-0 victory. HARD TO FIND THE END ZONE AGAINST THE TIDE: Since the start of the 2009 season, no team has allowed fewer touchdowns than the Crimson Tide. Alabama has surrendered only 387 touchdowns over the last 216 games. That is 46 fewer than second-place Iowa (433).

LSU NOTES:

LSU Brings 14-Game Tiger Stadium Winning Streak Into Alabama Game LSU (6-2, 3-1 SEC) welcomes Alabama to Tiger Stadium on Saturday for the first of three home games during the month of November for the Tigers. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on ABC with Chris Fowler (pxp), Kirk Herbstreit and Ben (analyst), along with Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) on the call. Both teams had an open date last week. LSU is coming off a 38-23 setback at Texas A&M in its last outing, while Alabama beat Missouri, 34-0. LSU brings a 14-game Tiger Stadium winning streak into the contest. The Tigers are also 13-0 under Brian Kelly in night games in Tiger Stadium, which includes a 32-31 OT win over Alabama in 2022. LSU enters the game ranked No. 13 in the Coaches poll and No. 14 in the AP Top 25, while Alabama is No. 11 in both polls. It’s the third straight year both teams are ranked in the top 15 for the matchup and the 19th time since 2002 both are ranked in the Top 25 for the contest. LSU enters the game averaging 32.8 points and 448.0 total yards per game (115.3 rushing, 332.8 passing). Defensively, LSU is allowing 22.8 points and 360.8 total yards per game (130.8 rushing, 230.0 passing). Junior QB Garrett Nussmeier ranks No. 2 in the SEC and No. 8 in the FBS in passing TDs with 20. In 9 career starts, Nussmeier has thrown for at least 2 TDs 8 times. His 328.4 passing yards per game ranks No. 2 in the league and No. 5 nationally. In 8 games, Nussmeier has completed 208-of333 passes for 2,627 yards, 20 TDs and 9 interceptions. Freshman Caden Durham leads the Tigers in rushing with 397 yards and 6 TDs on 73 carries. LSU has 4 players with at least 29 receptions led by WR Kyren Lacy (41-618-6) and TE Mason Taylor (39-369-2). LBs Whit Weeks (75 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks) and Greg Penn (59 tackles) lead the Tiger defense. DEs Bradyn Swinson (8 sacks, 10.5 TFL, 2 FF) and Sai’vion Jones (4.5 sacks, 5.5 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR) have the most impact plays for the Tiger defense. LSU Coach Brian Kelly: Winningest Active Coach In NCAA Football Brian Kelly, in his third season with the Tigers, has guided LSU to a 26-9 overall mark. He entered 2024 riding a streak of seven straight 10-win seasons. Kelly is the winningest active coach in NCAA football (no matter division) with an on-field record of 310-106-2. After inheriting a roster with only 39 scholarship players, Kelly quickly turned LSU into a 10-win team in his first season in 2022 as the Tigers went 10-4 overall, beat Top 10 teams in Ole Miss and Alabama and won the SEC Western Division. Kelly, the most accomplished hire in LSU football history when he was named to the position in December of 2021, took over the program after 12 years and 113 wins at Notre Dame. His coaching resume includes 12 10-win seasons at the FBS level (7 at Notre Dame, 3 at Cincinnati, 2 at LSU), along with 15 bowl/CFP playoff appearances and 3 National Coach of the Year honors. He won two Division II National Championships at Grand Valley State.

QUICK NOTES:

LSU has won 14 straight games in Tiger Stadium, a streak that started with a win over Ole Miss in October of 2022. LSU is 17-1 overall in Tiger Stadium under Brian Kelly. • LSU is 13-0 under Brian Kelly in Saturday night games in Tiger Stadium. • LSU is 23-2 under Brian Kelly when reaching the 30-point mark. LSU is 5-0 this year after going 10-1 in 2023 and 8-1 in 2022 when scoring at least 30 points in a game. LSU has won 12 straight games when scoring at least 30 points. • LSU is 7-1 in games immediately following a loss under Brian Kelly. The Tigers have lost back-to-back games only one time under BK – that coming in 2022 when LSU fell to Texas A&M in the regular-season finale and then lost to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. • LSU is 6-2 under Brian Kelly in November games (3-1 in 2022, 3-1 in 2023), and dating back to 2018, Kelly’s teams are 22-2 in games played during the month of November. • LSU leads the SEC and ranks No. 10 in the nation in third-down conversion percentage at 49.0 (53-of-108). • QB Garrett Nussmeier ranks No. 2 in the SEC and No. 8 nationally with 20 passing TDs. Nussmeier has topped the 300-yard mark 6 times this year and 7 times in 9 career starts. • In 9 career starts, Nussmeier has led LSU to a 7-2 mark. He’s guided the Tigers to fourth quarter comebacks in 3 of his 9 starts, including South Carolina and Ole Miss this year. • WR Kyren Lacy is coming off 5 receptions for 106 yards vs. Texas A&M. Lacy has 3 100-yard receiving games this year and leads the Tigers in receptions (41), yards (618) and TDs (6). • LSU’s offense features 4 players with at least 29 receptions led by WR Kyren Lacy (41-618-6). Others include: TE Mason Taylor (39-369-2), WR Aaron Anderson (36-614-4) and WR CJ Daniels (29-342-0). • TE Mason Taylor is the first player at his position in LSU history to catch 100 passes and have 1,000 receiving yards. Taylor has 113 career receptions for 1,131 yards and 6 TDs. • LB Whit Weeks ranks No. 2 in the SEC in tackles per game (9.38). He’s recorded double-digit tackles in 3 of LSU’s 4 conference games, including a career-best 18 in the win over Ole Miss. • LSU has recorded 26 sacks in its last 6 games (5 vs. South Carolina, 5 vs. UCLA, 3 vs. South Alabama, 6 vs. Ole Miss, 3 vs. Arkansas, 4 vs. A&M). LSU’s ranks third in the SEC and No. 10 in the nation in total sacks (28). • 15 players have been credited with at least a half-sack this year with DE Bradyn Swinson leading the Tigers with 8, which ranks No. 3 in the SEC and No. 8 in the FBS. • LSU’s starting offensive line has combined for 138 career starts at LSU. LT Will Campbell, a preseason All-America, and RG Miles Frazier lead the way with 34 starts apiece. RT Emery Jones (32), LG Garrett Dellinger (30) and C DJ Chester (8) round out the lineup. • LSU has allowed only 4 sacks all year, No. 1 in the SEC and No. 2 nationally. • LSU is riding back-to-back 10-win seasons, the first for LSU since going 10-3 in 2018 followed by a 15-0 mark and the national championship in 2019. LSU still reached the 10-win mark in both 2022 and 2023 after opening the season with losses.

LSU Hosts Alabama for Primetime Matchup on ABC LSU, winners of 14 straight games in Tiger Stadium, returns to action on Saturday when the Tigers host Alabama at 6:30 p.m. on ABC. Both teams are coming off open dates and resume one of college football’s most anticipated annual matchups in early November. LSU, ranked No. 13 in the Coaches Poll and No. 14 in the AP Top 25, is 6-2 overall and 3-1 in league action. The Tigers are among 5 teams in the SEC with one loss. LSU is coming off a 38-23 setback to Texas A&M in College Station in its last action on Oct. 26. Alabama is 6-2 overall and 3-2 in conference play and ranked No. 11 in both polls. The Crimson Tide beat Missouri, 34-0, in their last action before the open date. Last year, Alabama posted 42-28 win over LSU in Tuscaloosa. In the last meeting between the teams in Tiger Stadium, LSU used a gutsy 2-point conversion call in overtime to win, 32-31. LSU’s Tiger Stadium Winning Streak Is Nation’s Third-Longest LSU brings the nation’s third-longest home winning streak into the Alabama game on Saturday. The Tigers have won 14 consecutive games in Death Valley, a streak that dates back to a 45-20 win over then-No. 7 Ole Miss on Oct. 22, 2022 and also includes a 32-31 OT win over Alabama that year. LSU’s 14-game Tiger Stadium winning streak trails only Georgia (28) and Washington (19) nationally. LSU’s last home loss came against Tennessee on Oct. 8, 2022 by a 40-13 count. Here are some Tiger Stadium streaks to note heading into the Alabama game: • 13 consecutive night game wins under Brian Kelly o LSU is 13-0 in night games in Tiger Stadium under BK • 14 consecutive wins overall o Streak started with a 45-20 win over then-No. 7 Ole Miss on Oct. 22, 2022 o Last Tiger Stadium loss; Oct. 8, 2022 vs. Tennessee (40-13) o 11 of the 14 wins have come by double-digits o 2 of the wins have been decided on the final play of the game 1. 32-31 OT win over Alabama in 2022 2. 29-26 OT win over Ole Miss in 2024 3. Other victory decided with 5 seconds left in 34-31 win over Arkansas (2023) on a 20-yard Damian Ramos field goal • 15 consecutive wins at night o Dates back to November, 20, 2021 with a 27-14 win over Louisiana-Monroe o Last Tiger Stadium loss at night: Nov. 13, 2021 vs. Arkansas (16-13 OT).

LSU is 13-0 In Night Games Under BK; 17-1 Overall In Death Valley Under Kelly In addition to its 14-game winning streak in Death Valley, the Tigers are 13-0 in night games in Tiger Stadium under Brian Kelly. Overall, LSU has won 15 consecutive night games in Death Valley. The Tigers won all four of their night games in 2022, followed by a 6-0 mark in 2023. This year, LSU has night game wins in Tiger Stadium over Nicholls, South Alabama, and Ole Miss. LSU last lost a night game in Tiger Stadium on Nov. 13, 2022 when Arkansas kicked a field goal in overtime to win, 16-13. LSU’s current 15-night game winning streak started a week later when the Tigers beat LouisianaMonroe, 27-14. LSU’s only home loss under Brian Kelly came during the day when then-No. 8 Tennessee posted a 40-13 win over the Tigers on Oct. 8, 2022. LSU-Alabama: Must See TV on Primetime ABC LSU and Alabama meet on ABC for the 15th time since the network first aired the Tigers and Crimson Tide at night in 1971 when Alabama posted a 24-3 victory in Baton Rouge. In 14 matchups on ABC, LSU and Alabama met once in the 60s, 7 times in the 70s, 3 times in the 80s, and 3 times in the 90s. The 2024 contest on primetime ABC will mark the first game on the network between the teams since 1995 (Alabama won, 10-3). The Tigers lone victory on ABC against Alabama came on Nov. 7, 1970, when LSU won 14-9. LSU’s win was clinched by QB Buddy Lee when he connected with Jimmy LeDoux on a 2-yard TD pass to give LSU the 14-3 lead early in the 3Q. In LSU’s last game on CBS, the Tigers and Crimson Tide drew the No. 1 viewership in America. It was the fifth-most watched game of the 2023 college football season, and it was the highest-rated LSU-Alabama game since the Tigers beat the Tide in Tuscaloosa in 2019. 8.82 million people tuned in to watch the LSU and Alabama battle in 2023.

NO. 16 OLE MISS FACES MUST-WIN GAME AGAINST NO. 2 GEORGIA IN MATCHUP OF SEC, PLAYOFF CONTENDERS

No. 2 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC, No. 3 CFP ) at No. 16 Mississippi (7-2, 3-2 SEC; No. 16 CFP), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Georgia by 2-1/2.

Series record: Georgia by 33-13-1.

What’s at stake?

The Bulldogs head into their final road game riding a four-game winning streak and well-positioned to contend for another Southeastern Conference championship — and a return to the playoffs after missing the smaller field last season. They could probably survive another loss and make the 12-team playoffs this time. The Rebels are in a must-win situation on both counts. They’ve already suffered three-point losses to both Kentucky and LSU and get a litmus test of how well they stack up to one of college football’s top programs.

Key matchup

Ole Miss has one of the best pass rushes in the country, behind Suntarine Perkins and Princely Umanmielen. A Bulldogs offensive line led by Tate Ratledge has been pretty good at protecting quarterback Carson Beck. Georgia ranks 29th, allowing 1.25 sacks per game despite some injury issues. The Ole Miss defense ranks second nationally, averaging 4.56 sacks per game, and the Rebels’ average of 10.1 tackles for loss leads the way. Perkins (nine sacks) and Umanmielen (7.5) both rank among the Top 10 nationally in sacks per game.

Players to watch

Georgia: QB Carson Beck is in the spotlight as he tries to end a troubling stretch of three consecutive games with more than one interception, including back-to-back games with three interceptions in wins over Texas and Florida. For the season, Beck has passed for 17 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

Ole Miss: QB Jaxson Dart set Ole Miss records for passing yards (515) and total offense (562) against Arkansas. His six touchdown passes tied the school mark. Dart will have to step up again with leading rusher Henry Parrish Jr. out and star wide receiver Tre Harris doubtful with injuries.

Facts & figures

It’s the sixth time these teams have met when both were ranked, and the third in a row. … The Bulldogs will play at Ole Miss for the first time since 2016. Georgia is 10-6 in Oxford. … This is Georgia’s fourth game against a Top 25 team, with all of them away from home. … Georgia compiled 611 total yards in last year’s 52-17 home win over Ole Miss. … Georgia’s senior class is 49-3, with all three losses against Alabama, including a 43-1 regular-season record since 2021. … The Rebels are 25-3 at home since 2021 and 11-1 since the start of last season.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK: GEORGIA VS. OLE MISS

GEORGIA NOTES:

#2/2 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) vs. #16/12 Ole Miss (7-2, 3-2 SEC) Oxford, Miss., Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (64,038) Nov. 9, 2024, 3:30 PM ET – ABC-TV (Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath) UGA Coach: Kirby Smart (101-17, 9th year); OM: Lane Kiffin (102-51, 13th year; 41-17/5th@OM) National Radio: ESPN Sirius XM: 80 (Marc Kestecher, Kelly Stouffer, Ian Fitzsimmons) Local Radio: Georgia Bulldog Sports Network (Learfield): Scott Howard (PxP), Eric Zeier (Analyst), D.J. Shockley (Sideline); Satellite Radio: SiriusXM (81) & on the SiriusXM App SEC Network Re-Air: TBA; Series History: UGA leads 33-13-1 SEC Nation: (Laura Rutledge, Paul Finebaum, Roman Harper, Jordan Rogers & Tim Tebow); Also, Marty Smith & Ryan McGee will be live on the road with SEC Nation On The Road Again Second-ranked Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) has its final road game of the regular season this Saturday at No. 16/12 Ole Miss before finishing with three games Between The Hedges. The Bulldogs have played an SEC-low three home games at this point of the season where they are 3-0. Georgia is 2-1 on the road and 2-0 at neutral sites (Atlanta & Jacksonville) this year. Also of note, the traveling SEC road show “SEC Nation” will be in Oxford for this Saturday’s matchup. In their last true road game coming on Oct. 19, the Bulldogs knocked off top-ranked Texas 30-15 in front of a record crowd of 105,215 in Austin. Georgia entered the Texas game with 11 sacks on the season and tallied seven against the Longhorns plus had three fumble recoveries to give them five on the year. After an open date, Georgia outlasted Florida 34-20 in Jacksonville this past Saturday. The Bulldogs trailed 13-6 at the half, and it was 20-all with 7:29 left in the contest when Georgia pulled away. The go-ahead scoring drive covered 75 yards in seven plays including two third down conversions, the last a 10-yard TD strike from Carson Beck to Dominic Lovett. The final score came after an impressive CJ Allen interception, the first of his career, set the Bulldogs up at the Gator 7. Meanwhile, Ole Miss blasted Arkansas 63-31 in Fayetteville last Saturday to tie a school mark for most points ever against an SEC opponent, matching a 63-28 triumph over Vanderbilt in 1979. The Rebels tallied 694 yards of offense against Arkansas including a school record 562 passing yards by Jaxson Dart. His top target, Jordan Watkins, set school marks with 254 yards and five TDs on just eight catches. He scored twice from 62 yards and once from 66. Aiming To Be Elite Against One Tough Slate On Tuesday, the first set of College Football Playoff rankings will be announced. Georgia’s best debut was No. 1 in 2017 and 2021 when it had an 8-0 mark at that point. Last year, the Bulldogs began at No. 2 with an 8-0 record and made it to No. 1 for three weeks before finishing at No. 6 after the SEC Championship Game loss dropped them to 12-1 on the year. The Bulldogs opened the 2024 season ranked No. 1 in the AP and US LBM Coaches poll for the third time in school history (2008, 2023). Georgia dropped to No. 2 in the AP poll after its 13-12 road win over Kentucky on Sept. 14 and remained there for another week before falling to No. 4 Alabama on Sept 28. Georgia checked in at No. 5 in the AP poll for the next three weeks until climbing to No. 2 on Oct. 21 after its road win over top-ranked Texas. Georgia was No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches poll until its first loss when it dropped to No. 5 and then moved up a spot to No. 4 for a couple of weeks before going up to No. 2. Currently, the Bulldogs are at No. 2 in both polls for the third straight week. The Bulldogs have the longest active streak of being ranked in the AP top 10 (60 straight polls).

SMART Football: Streaks ‘n Stuff *Georgia is 53-3 in its last 56 games. A school record streak of 42 consecutive regular-season victories ended Sept. 28 this year with a 41-34 defeat at No. 4 Alabama. Also, Georgia had an SEC and school record streak of 28 consecutive SEC regular season wins snap that night. *Georgia’s 2024 Senior Class is an FBS-leading 49-3 (43-1 in the regular season) since 2021. The next best in this span belongs to Michigan (45-7) and Alabama (42-8). Georgia’s only three losses since 2021 have come to Alabama. Georgia’s 2023 Senior Class set the school record at 50-4 with two national titles, an SEC crown plus going 6-0 in bowl/CFP games. *Georgia is the only team to have finished in the top 7 of the final AP poll in each of the past 7 seasons. *Head coach Kirby Smart is unbeaten against all active head coaches over the past five years except Kalen DeBoer (Alabama). Georgia is 69-7 in that span. The coaches no longer active who have wins over Georgia during this stretch: Nick Saban (3) along with Will Muschamp, Ed Orgeron and Dan Mullen. *Georgia is riding a school-record 28-game home winning streak dating to 2019, which leads in FBS. *Georgia owns the nation’s longest active bowl streak at 27 seasons and has won its last seven matchups. *In the Smart era, the Georgia defense has ended the year ranked in the top five nationally in Scoring Defense five times including leading the nation twice (2019 at 12.6 ppg & 2021 at 10.2 ppg). Also, Georgia has been ranked in the final top 10 in Scoring Offense from 2021-23.

The Georgia-Ole Miss Series This Saturday’s road game with the Rebels marks just the 17th trip to Oxford and the first since 2016. Overall, Georgia leads the series 33-13-1 including 10-6 in Oxford. The teams first met in 1940 in Athens, a 28-14 Rebel victory. Over the years, the teams have squared off in Memphis, Jackson, and Atlanta along with the on-campus contests. Lately, it’s the Bulldogs with the upper hand as they have won 12 of the past 13 meetings. Georgia is 1-1 against Ole Miss under Kirby Smart. After a 3-0 start in 2016, the Rebels handed Smart and the Bulldogs their first loss, 45-14. It would be seven years before they met again. Last year, second-ranked Georgia whipped then ninth-ranked Ole Miss 52-17 on Senior Night Between the Hedges. Georgia Versus Ole Miss Since 2016 2016 in Oxford: #23 Ole Miss d. #12 Georgia 45-14 2023 in Athens: #2 Georgia d. #9 Ole Miss 52-17 2023 Georgia-Ole Miss Flashback The Bulldog offense produced a season-high 611 yards on just 61 plays, extending a 28-14 halftime advantage into a 52-17 victory. Ole Miss struck first on its opening drive with a TD. The Bulldogs answered with a pair of first-quarter scores for a 14-7 edge. The Rebels reached the end zone just once more in the second quarter before being held to a field goal in the second half. Georgia’s Carson Beck finished 18-for-25 for 306 yards and two TDs while Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart went 10- for 17 for 112 yards and no TDs. The Bulldogs piled up 300 rushing yards on 35 attempts and were led by Kendall Milton (9-for-127, 2 TDs). Bulldog freshman CJ Allen led all tacklers with nine stops. Georgia’s senior class finished with a perfect 22-0 career record on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium.

OLE MISS NOTES:

This is the 48th meeting all-time between Ole Miss and Georgia dating back to 1940, the first in Oxford since 2016. • Georgia leads the all-time series 33-12-1 … The original series record is 33-13-1 with Ole Miss’ 2016 win vacated. • This will be the sixth-ranked meeting on the field between the Rebels and Bulldogs, the third in a row. • Ole Miss is 25-3 at home since 2021, which includes an 11-1 mark since the start of 2023. • Head coach Lane Kiffin (102) is one of three active SEC head coaches with 100 FBS wins (Brian Kelly, 192; Kirby Smart, 101) … Kiffin (41-17) recently became the fastest coach to 40 wins in Ole Miss history. • The Rebels are 36-12 overall since 2021 and rank third among all SEC schools in wins in that span. • Ole Miss broke 13 school records vs. Arkansas, including the 4th-best team passing game in SEC history (562). • QB Jaxson Dart set Ole Miss records for passing yards (515), and total offense (562) and tied the record for passing TD (6) … Dart is the only QB in SEC history with 500 yards and 6 TD passing vs. an SEC defense. • Dart also became Ole Miss’ winningest QB of the modern era (25-9) and broke Bo Wallace’s career total offense record, currently sitting at 10,805 … He’s currently 36 yards shy of the all-time SEC top-10. • Dart leads the FBS in total offense (384.9), passing yards (3,210), efficiency (192.4) and yards/attempt (11.6). • WR Jordan Watkins broke Ole Miss records in receiving yards (254) and touchdowns (5) against Arkansas … Watkins is one of two in SEC history with 250 yards and 5 TD against an SEC defense (DeVonta Smith). • Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks FBS top-10 in 13 offensive categories, leading the FBS in passing (377.1 ypg). • Ole Miss leads the FBS in TFL (94) and sacks (41) … The Rebels average 10.4 TFL for 44.2 yards lost per game. • DE Suntarine Perkins leads the SEC in sacks (9.0) and is already tied for seventh in Ole Miss single-season history.

LAST FIVE AGAINST GEORGIA

Nov. 11, 2023 • Athens, Ga. • #1 Georgia 52, #9 Ole Miss 17 Ole Miss got two touchdowns from Quinshon Judkins to make it tight early, but was unable to keep pace with a powerful Georgia team in a 52-17 loss. The Rebels made it a fight early on, but the two-time defending national champions Georgia took command of the game with a 14-0 run to close the half and ultimately a 31-0 run from the end of the second quarter to the beginning of the fourth. Sept. 24, 2016 • Oxford, Miss. • #21 Ole Miss 45, #21 Georgia 14 The Rebels scored the first 45 points of the game, as No. 21 Ole Miss dominated No. 11 Georgia 45-14 in front of 65,843 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Ole Miss posted 510 yards of total offense against Georgia and forced two Bulldogs turnovers, as the Rebels scored their most points ever against UGA. Nov. 3, 2012 • Athens, Ga. • #6 Georgia 37, Ole Miss 10 Ole Miss led 10-0 in the first half, but No. 6 Georgia responded with 37 unanswered points as the Rebels fell 37-10 at Sanford Stadium. Bo Wallace threw a 51-yard pass to tight end Ferbia Allen to set up Bryson Rose’s 34-yard field goal on the Rebels’ opening drive. Sept. 11, 2011 • Oxford, Miss. • Georgia 27, Ole Miss 13 The Bulldogs held Ole Miss to just 183 total yards and a single offensive touchdown in a 27-13 victory on Saturday. Zack Stoudt completed just 7 of 23 passes for 71 yards and an interception. Randall Mackey completed 3 of 7 passes for 78 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Sept. 29, 2007 • Athens, Ga. • #15 Georgia 45, Ole Miss 17 Ole Miss struck early and came within an inch of a two-touchdown lead in the first quarter but could not hold off the Georgia rushing attack in a 45-17 defeat to the No. 15 Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Rebel running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis registered his second 100-yard rushing game and sixth of his career with 108 on 22 carries with a touchdown.

OLE MISS HEAD COACH LANE KIFFIN Lane Kiffin is in his fifth season at Ole Miss and has led the Rebels to four consecutive bowl berths, including two New Year’s Six appearances, under his guidance since 2020. In 11 years at the NCAA level, Kiffin has posted a record of 102-51, including a 41-17 mark at Ole Miss. Kiffin led the 2023 Rebels to the best season in Ole Miss history in terms of wins, notching an 11-2 overall record capped by a 38-25 Peach Bowl victory over Penn State. The Rebels finished No. 9 in both final versions of the AP and Coaches polls, the highest finish overall since 2015 (No. 9 Coaches) and their highest in the final AP poll since 1969 (No. 8). In 2022, Kiffin led the Rebels to the Texas Bowl, thanks to another dynamite offense that ranked No. 3 nationally in rushing offense (256.6) and No. 8 in total offense (496.4) in 2022. Kiffin guided the Rebels to a 10-3 record in 2021, the first 10-win regular season in school history. The Rebels finished the season ranked No. 11 in both the AP and AFCA Coaches Poll, its highest final ranking since 2016. Ole Miss ranked top-20 in the FBS in nine different offensive categories in his first season in 2020. In December 2016, Kiffin took over an FAU program that had won a total of nine combined games over the previous three seasons. Kiffin proceeded to take the Owls to new heights over the last three years, including two conference titles and two 10-win seasons. In his head coaching stops at USC, Tennessee, and FAU, Kiffin has shown a propensity to help turn programs around. Kiffin graduated from Fresno State in 1998 after playing quarterback for three seasons (1994-96) for the Bulldogs. He began his coaching career as a student assistant at Fresno State under Pat Hill in 1997 and 1998.

GEORGIA HEAD COACH KIRBY SMART Kirby Smart is in his ninth season as head coach at Georgia, holding a record of 101-17 during his stint in Athens. In his time at the helm, Smart led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national titles (2021, ’22), 2017 CFP title game appearance, Southeastern Conference Championships in 2017 and 2022, six SEC Eastern Division titles, and eight bowl victories. Smart took over the Bulldogs in December 2015 while still serving as Alabama’s defensive coordinator through the end of the season. In nine seasons in Tuscaloosa, including seven as the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator, Smart helped Alabama win four national championships and three SEC championships. Other coaching stops for Smart include Georgia (2005), Miami Dolphins (2006), LSU (2004), Florida State (2002-03), and Valdosta State (2000-01).

BULLDOG SCOUTING REPORT Georgia heads into the matchup with the Rebels ranked No. 2 in both the AP poll AFCA Coaches rankings. The Bulldogs are 47-3 over their last 50 games and haven’t lost more than one game in a season since 2020. Offensively, Georgia averages just over 430 yards per game, with 299 yards per game coming through the air. Redshirt senior Carson Beck continues to lead the Bulldogs at quarterback, ranking top 25 nationally in passing yards (2,302), passing touchdowns (17), and completions per game (23.75). Four Bulldog receivers have hauled in three or more receiving TDs this season. Arian Smith leads Georgia with 503 receiving yards on 31 catches. On the ground, Georgia is led by Florida transfer, Trevor Etienne, and true freshman, Nate Frazier. Etienne and Frazier average 65 and 41 yards rushing per game respectively. Defensively, the Bulldogs rank No. 12 in FBS, allowing just 295.3 yards per game. Georgia limits its opponents to just a 28 percent conversion rate on third down, No. 6 in the country. Malaki Starks leads the Bulldogs in tackles, with 43 total stops. Linebacker Jalon Walker is the best Georgia player at getting to the quarterback with 4.5 sacks on the season.

REPORTS: TEXAS WR JOHNTAY COOK ENTERING TRANSFER PORTAL

Former five-star wide receiver Johntay Cook is no longer with No. 5 Texas, multiple outlets reported Thursday.

The 6-foot sophomore from DeSoto, Texas, plans to enter the transfer portal after 20 games with the Longhorns.

Cook was the No. 3 wideout and No. 29 player nationally by the 247Sports composite in the Class of 2023.

Cook last played in the Oct. 12 win against rival Oklahoma. He caught eight passes for 137 yards and two scores in six games this season for the Longhorns (7-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference).

Cook appeared in 14 games as a freshman in 2023, catching just eight passes for 136 yards.

He compiled 2,965 receiving yards and 50 touchdowns in his final three seasons at DeSoto High School, winning a state championship as a senior.

NFL NEWS

REPORT: JAGS QB TREVOR LAWRENCE (SHOULDER) DOUBTFUL

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is unlikely to play Sunday against the visiting Minnesota Vikings due to a shoulder injury, NFL Network reported Thursday.

Lawrence, 25, is considered day-to-day as he continues to get treatment on his left shoulder, per the report. He is said to be weighing his options, which could include surgery down the road.

Lawrence was limited in Wednesday’s practice, with coach Doug Pederson saying his signal-caller is “sore.” He was listed on the injury report hours later with a left shoulder injury.

Asked whether Lawrence would be on the field Sunday for the Jaguars (2-7) against the Vikings (6-2), Pederson said he “can’t answer that today.”

On Wednesday, backup Mac Jones worked with the first-team offense and Jacksonville signed C.J. Beathard off the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Lawrence has completed 61.3 percent of his passes for 2,004 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions through nine starts in 2024.

PANTHERS RB CHUBA HUBBARD SIGNS 4-YEAR EXTENSION

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard signed a four-year contract extension on Thursday that spans through the 2028 season.

Financial terms were not disclosed by the team. NFL Network reported it was worth $33.2 million with a maximum value of $37.2 million and $15 million fully guaranteed.

Hubbard, 25, ranks fifth in the NFL with 665 rushing yards on a career-high 5.0 yards per carry in nine games (all starts) this season. The Alberta native has matched a career high with a team-leading six total touchdowns (five rushing, one receiving).

Hubbard has 638 carries for 2,645 yards and 17 touchdowns in 58 career games (33 starts) since being selected by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma State. He has 104 catches for 686 yards and two scores.

NFL WEEK 10 CAPSULES

NEW YORK GIANTS (2-7) VS. CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-7)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 9:30 AM ET | Allianz Arena — Home of FC Bayern Munich | Referee: Shawn Hochuli

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: Series tied, 6-6 (NYG won past 2)

Postseason: CAR leads series, 1-0

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 9/18/22: CAR 16 at NYG 19

Postseason: NFC-WC 1/8/06: CAR 23 at NYG 0

GIANTS NOTES:

QB DANIEL JONES completed 20 of 26 atts. (season-high 76.9 pct.) for 174 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 119.7 rating & rushed for 54 yards & 1st rush TD of season last week. Is 1 of 3 NFC QBs (Jared Goff & Baker Mayfield) with 2+ TD passes & 0 INTs in 4 games in 2024. Completed 21 of 27 atts. (77.8 pct.) & had 254 yards (217 pass, 37 rush) & 100.2 rating in his only career international start (10/9/22 vs. GB at Tottenham). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Car. with TD pass & 0 INTs. • RB TYRONE TRACY rushed for 66 yards last week & leads all rookie RBs with 442 rush yards. Has 65+ scrimmage yards in 4 of his past 5. • WR MALIK NABERS (rookie) had 9 catches for 55 yards last week. Ranks tied-3rd in NFL with 55 catches & became 2nd player ever (Puka Nacua) with 50+ catches in 1st 7 career games. • WR WAN’DALE ROBINSON has 5+ catches in 6 of his past 7. Has 51 catches in 2024, his 2nd-straight 50+ catch season. • TE THEO JOHNSON (rookie) had career-high 51 rec. yards & 1st-career TD catch in Week 9. • DL DEXTER LAWRENCE ranks 2nd in NFL with career-high 9 sacks. Had sack in only career international game (10/9/22 vs. GB at Tottenham). Had FF in last meeting. • LB BRIAN BURNS was selected No. 16 overall by Car. in 2019 NFL Draft & had 59 TFL, 46 sacks, 13 PD & FF in 80 games (2019-23) with team, incl. 7.5+ sacks in each season. Is 1 of 2 (Alontae Taylor) with 7+ TFL (7) & 7+ PD (7) in 2024. • LB AZEEZ OJULARI has 5 sacks in his past 4 & aims for his 5th in row with TFL. Had 2.5 sacks & 3 TFL in last meeting. • LB BOBBY OKEREKE aims for his 9th in row with 5+ tackles. • LB MICAH MCFADDEN led team with 11 tackles last week.

PANTHERS NOTES:

QB BRYCE YOUNG passed for 171 yards & TD vs. INT in Week 9. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD pass. • QB ANDY DALTON has 2+ TD passes in 3 of his 5 starts in 2024. Has TD pass in each of his 3 career international starts (2 w/ Cin., 1 w/ NO). • RB CHUBA HUBBARD rushed for 72 yards & 2 TDs last week, his 2nd-career game with 2 rush TDs. Has 3rd career season with 5+ rush TDs in 2024. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 16 of his past 17 & aims for his 9th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. • WR XAVIER LEGETTE had 4th TD catch of season last week, tied 3rd-most among rookies. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. • TE JA’TAVION SANDERS (rookie) had career-high 87 rec. yards in Week 9. Has 45+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4. • LB JOSEY JEWELL has 5+ tackles in each of his 6 games this season & aims for his 9th in row overall with 5+ tackles. Had FF & PD in his only career game vs. NYG (9/12/21 w/ Den.). Had 9 tackles & 2 TFL in his only career international game (10/30/22 w/ Den. vs. Jax. at Wembley). • LB JADEVEON CLOWNEY had 2 sacks in his last international game (10/15/23 w/ Bal. vs. Ten. at Tottenham) & aims for his 3rd international game in row with 2+ TFL. Has TFL in 2 of his past 3. • LB CHARLES HARRIS had season-high 2 TFL & 3rd sack of season last week. • CB JAYCEE HORN has PD in 5 of his past 6 & has career-high 9 PD in 2024. • S DEMANI RICHARDSON (rookie) led team with career-high 12 tackles & had 1st-career PD last week. Is 1 of 2 NFC DBs (Budda Baker) with 2 games of 11+ tackles in 2024 & can become 3rd rookie DB in past 15 seasons (Jalen Pitre & Alterraun Verner) with 10+ tackles in 3 straight games.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-7) AT CHICAGO BEARS (4-4)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 1:00 PM ET | Soldier Field | Referee: Land Clark

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: NE leads series, 10-4 (won 5 of past 6)

Postseason: CHI leads series, 1-0

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 10/24/22: CHI 33 at NE 14

Postseason: SB XX 1/26/86: CHI 46 vs. NE 10

PATRIOTS NOTES:

QB DRAKE MAYE (rookie) set season highs in completions (29), comp. pct., (70.7) & rush yards (95) with game-tying TD pass as time expired in regulation last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 45+ rush yards. Ranks 3rd among AFC rookies with 209 rush yards this season. • RB RHAMONDRE STEVENSON had 54 scrimmage yards (38 rec., 16 rush) & 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) last week, 5th-career game with 2 TDs. Has 50+ scrimmage yards & TD in 3 of past 4. Had 98 scrimmage yards (59 rec., 39 rush) & rush TD with 8 catches in last meeting. Ranks tied-3rd in AFC with career-high 6 rush TDs this season. • RB ANTONIO GIBSON has 50+ scrimmage yards in each of 2 career games vs. Chi. • TE HUNTER HENRY had 7 catches for team-high 56 rec. yards last week. Aims for 4th in row with 5+ catches & 45+ rec. yards. Aims for 3rd in row on road with 7+ catches & 55+ rec. yards. • TE AUSTIN HOOPER has TD catch in 2 of 3 career games vs. Chi. • WR DEMARIO DOUGLAS had 7 catches last week, 4th game this season with 6+ catches. • WR KENDRICK BOURNE had season-best 41 rec. yards in Week 9. • LB JAHLANI TAVAI led team with season-high 11 tackles & had 1st INT of season last week. Aims for 6th in row with 5+ tackles. Has TFL in 5 of his past 6 on road. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Chi. with 5+ tackles. • LB ANFERNEE JENNINGS aims for 8th in row with 5+ tackles. • DE DEATRICH WISE had 3rd sack of season in Week 9. Has TFL in 2 of past 3. Had sack in last road meeting. • DT DAVON GODCHAUX had 4 tackles & TFL last week. Had 7 tackles in last meeting. • CB CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ had 2 PD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with PD.

BEARS NOTES:

QB CALEB WILLIAMS (rookie) is 3-0 with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 95.4 rating in 3 career starts at Soldier Field. Aims for his 4th in row at home with TD pass & 100+ rating. • RB D’ANDRE SWIFT had 6 catches & 82 scrimmage yards (51 rush, 31 rec.) last week & aims for his 6th in row with 80+ scrimmage yards. Has rush TD in 4 of his past 5. Has 505 rush yards in 2024, his 5th-straight season with 500+ rush yards. • WR DJ MOORE has 3 rec. TDs in his past 3 at home & aims for his 3rd in row at home with TD catch. • WR KEENAN ALLEN has 925 catches in 145 games & can surpass Antonio Brown (928) for most receptions by player in 1st 150 career games in NFL history. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NE with 50+ rec. yards & 4th in row vs. NE with 5+ catches. • WR ROME ODUNZE (rookie) led team with 104 rec. yards last week & became 1st Bears rookie since 1983 (Willie Gault) with multiple 100+ rec. yard games. • S KEVIN BYARD had 5th-career sack & 6th-career FR last week. Aims for his 8th in row with 5+ tackles. Had 12 tackles & sack in his last game vs. NE (11/28/21 w/ Ten.). • DL MONTEZ SWEAT has 3.5 sacks & 5 TFL in his past 5. • DL JACOB MARTIN had 1st sack of season last week & aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. • LB TREMAINE EDMUNDS has 5+ tackles in 6 of his past 7. Has 5+ tackles in each of his 10 career games vs. NE. • LB T.J. EDWARDS has 6+ tackles in 7 of his 8 games this season. • DB TYRIQUE STEVENSON has 24 PD in 23 career games. Aims for his 4th in row with PD. Has 5+ tackles in 8 of his past 9.

BUFFALO BILLS (7-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-5)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 1:00 PM ET | Lucas Oil Stadium | Referee: Scott Novak

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: BUF leads series, 37-33-1 (IND won past 2)

Postseason: BUF leads series, 1-0

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 11/21/21: IND 41 at BUF 15

Postseason: AFC-WC 1/9/21: IND 24 at BUF 27

BILLS NOTES:

QB JOSH ALLEN passed for 235 yards & 3 TDs vs. INT with 95.6 rating last week, 4th-straight game with 2+ TD passes & 95+ rating. Has 0 INTs in 4 of 5 road games this season. Passed for 209 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. Is 1 of 2 QBs (Lamar Jackson) with 15+ TDs (17) & 3-or-fewer (2) INTs this season. • RB JAMES COOK has 65+ scrimmage yards in 3 of past 4. Has 6 TDs (5 rush, 1 rec.) in his 4 road games this season, with 95+ scrimmage yards & TD in 3 of 4. Ranks tied-3rd in NFL with career-high 8 TDs (7 rush, 1 rec.) in 2024. • RB RAY DAVIS led team with 90 scrimmage yards (career-high 70 rec., 20 rush) & had 1st-career TD catch last week, most rec. yards by a rookie RB in a game this season. Is 1 of 2 rookie RBs (Bucky Irving) with 400+ scrimmage yards (411) & 3+ TDs (3) this season. • WR KHALIL SHAKIR aims for 4th in row with 6+ catches & 50+ rec. yards. Has 50+ rec. yards in 3 of 4 road games this season. • WR AMARI COOPER has 4+ catches in 5 of his past 6. • WR KEON COLEMAN (rookie) has 70+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. • WR MACK HOLLINS had season-high 5 catches & 3rd rec. TD of season last week. • TE DALTON KINCAID has 4+ catches in 3 of past 4. • TE QUINTIN MORRIS had 1st TD catch of season in Week 9. • LB DORIAN WILLIAMS led team with 12 tackles last week, 6th game this season with 10+ tackles, tied-most in NFL. • DE GREG ROUSSEAU had season-high 7 tackles with 3 TFL & sack in Week 9, 3rd game this season with 2+ TFL, tied 3rd-most in NFL. Has TFL in 4 of 5 road games in 2024. Had 7 tackles in last meeting. • CB TARON JOHNSON had 1st FF of season last week. • S DAMAR HAMLIN tied season high with 10 tackles in Week 9.

COLTS NOTES:
QB JOE FLACCO has 2+ TD passes in 2 of 3 starts this season & in 7 of his past 8 starts overall. Can make 1st home start of season. Is 3-1 in 4 career starts vs. Buf., with 2+ TD passes in 3 of 4 starts. • RB JONATHAN TAYLOR aims for 6th in row with 55+ scrimmage yards. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 4 of his past 5. Aims for his 7th in row at home with rush TD. Had 204 scrimmage yards (185 rush, 19 rec.) & career-high & franchise-record 5 TDs (4 rush, 1 rec.) in last meeting. • WR JOSH DOWNS led team with 6 catches for 60 yards last week. Has 60+ rec. yards in 5 of past 6. • WR MICHAEL PITTMAN aims for 3rd in row at home with 60+ rec. yards. Has 4+ catches in 3 of 4 home games this season. • WR ALEC PIERCE had 41 rec. yards in Week 9. • LB E.J. SPEED led team wth 12 tackles & 2 TFL last week, 6th game this season with 10+ tackles, tied-most in NFL. Aims for 3rd in row with 10+ tackles & TFL. Has TFL in 4 of his past 5. • LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN had 8 tackles & 2nd-career INT in Week 9, 9th game this season with 8+ tackles, tied-most in NFL. Had INT in last meeting. Leads NFL with 95 tackles in 2024 & can record 100+ tackles for 3rd-straight season. • DT DEFOREST BUCKNER had 6 tackles & sack last week & has sack in 3 of his 4 games this season. Has 2 sacks & FR in 2 career games vs. Buf. • DT GROVER STEWART had career-high 2 sacks & 2nd-career FF in Week 9. Aims for 4th in row with TFL. Had 5 tackels & PD in last meeting. • DE KWITY PAYE had sack last week. Had sack & FF in last meeting. • S NICK CROSS had 10 tackles & 2nd INT of season last week. Aims for 5th in row with 7+ tackles. Ranks 2nd among DBs with 86 tackles in 2024.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-2) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-7)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 1:00 PM ET | EverBank Stadium | Referee: Adrian Hill

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: MIN leads series, 6-1 (won past 5)

Postseason: —

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 12/6/20: JAX 24 at MIN 27 (OT)

Postseason:

VIKINGS NOTES:

QB SAM DARNOLD completed 28 of 24 atts. (season-high 82.4 pct.) for 290 yards & 3 TDs with 107.1 rating in Week 9, his 7th-career game with 3+ TD passes. Aims for his 4th in row on road with 110+ rating & has 100+ rating in 7 of his past 8 overall. Ranks 4th in NFL in rating (107.8) & tied-4th in TD passes (17). • RB AARON JONES had 82 scrimmage yards (64 rush, 18 rec.) in Week 9 & has 80+ scrimmage yards in 5 of his past 6. Had 5 catches & 95 scrimmage yards (49 rec., 46 rush) in only career game vs. Jax (11/15/20 w/ GB). Aims for his 6th in row on road with 95+ scrimmage yards. • WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON had 7 catches for season-high 137 yards in Week 9. Needs 103 rec. yards to surpass Torry Holt (6,784) for most rec. yards by player in his 1st 5 seasons in NFL history. Had 9 catches for 121 yards & TD in last meeting. Has TD catch in 3 of his past 4 on road. Aims for his 3rd in row overall with 7+ catches & 115+ rec. yards. • WR JORDAN ADDISON had 5 catches & 2nd rec. TD of season last week. • TE JOSH OLIVER had career-high 5 catches for season-high 58 yards & TD in Week 9. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. • LB IVAN PACE led team with 6 tackles last week & has aims for his 7th in row on road with 5+ tackles. • LB JONATHAN GREENARD had 2 sacks & 10th-career PD in Week 9. Aims for his 3rd in row with PD & 4th in row with TFL. Is 1 of 3 in NFC with 7+ sacks this season. • CB BYRON MURPHY had 3rd INT of season last week & aims for his 3rd in row with INT. • S HARRISON SMITH had FR & PD last week. Had half sack & INT in last meeting & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Jax. with PD.

JAGS NOTES:

QB TREVOR LAWRENCE rushed for 2 TDs last week, 3rd-career game with 2 rush TDs. Aims for 3rd in row with rush TD. Has 90+ rating in 4 of past 5. Aims for 3rd in row in Jax. with 300+ pass yards. • RB TRAVIS ETIENNE aims for his 7th in row in Jax. with 50+ scrimmage yards. Has rush TD in 2 of his past 3 in Jax. • RB TANK BIGSBY has 75+ rush yards in 2 of past 3. Aims for his 3rd in row in Jax. with 85+ scrimmage yards. • WR BRIAN THOMAS JR. (rookie) has 60+ rec. yards & TD catch in 2 of past 3. Has rec. TD in 2 of 3 games in Jax. Leads rookies with 595 rec. yards, ties for lead with 5 rec. TDs & ranks tied-3rd with 35 catches. • WR GABE DAVIS had 6 catches for 93 yards & TD in only career game vs. Min. (11/13/22 w/ Buf.). Has rec. TD in 3 of his past 4 vs. NFC North. • WR PARKER WASHINGTON aims for 3rd in row with 40+ rec. yards. • TE EVAN ENGRAM had 5 catches last week & aims for 5th in row with 4+ catches. Had 6 catches in only career game vs. Min. (10/6/19 w/ NYG). • DE JOSH HINES-ALLEN had season-high 2 sacks in Week 9, 11th-career game with 2+ sacks. Has 0.5+ sacks in 3 of past 4. Has 6 sacks in his past 4 vs. NFC. • DE TRAVON WALKER had 7 tackles, 2 TFL & 35-yard FR-TD last week, 1st-career TD. Has 0.5+ sacks in 2 of past 3. Has 3.5 sacks in 3 games in Jax. this season. • DT JEREMIAH LEDBETTER aims for 3rd in row with 5+ tackles. Has TFL in 2 of past 3. • DE JORDAN JEFFERSON (rookie) had 1st-career sack last week. • LB DEVIN LLOYD has 8+ tackles in 3 of past 4. Has TFL in 2 of past 3 vs. NFC. • LB FOYESADE OLUOKUN has 8+ tackles in 4 of his 5 games this season. Had 6 tackles, TFL & INT in his last game vs. Min. (10/18/20 w/ Atl.).

DENVER BRONCOS (5-4) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (8-0)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 1:00 PM ET | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium | Referee: Brad Allen

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: KC leads series, 72-55 (won 16 of past 17)

Postseason: DEN leads series, 1-0

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 10/29/23: KC 9 at DEN 24

Postseason: AFC-D 1/4/98: DEN 14 at KC 10

BRONCOS NOTES:

QB BO NIX (rookie) totaled 261 yards (223 pass, 36 rush, 2 rec.) last week, becoming 3rd rookie starting QB with TD catch since 1960. Has 0 INTs in 3 of past 4 on road. Aims for 3rd in row vs. division with 2+ TD passes. Ranks 2nd among rookies with 1,753 pass yards & 4th with 295 rush yards this season. • RB JAVONTE WILLIAMS had 84 scrimmage yards (42 rush, 42 rec.) last week. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 5 of past 6. Aims for 4th in row on road with 80+ scrimmage yards. Had 98 scrimmage yards (85 rush, 13 rec.) & TD catch in last meeting. Has 392 scrimmage yards (98 per game) in 4 career games vs. KC. • WR COURTLAND SUTTON led team with 7 catches for season-high 122 yards last week, 7th-career 100-yard game. Aims for 3rd in row with 7+ catches & 100+ rec. yards. Has 60+ rec. yards in 3 of past 4 on road. Had TD catch in both games vs. KC last season. Has rec. TD in 6 of his past 8 vs. division. • DE ZACH ALLEN has TFL in 7 games this season, tied-most in NFL. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. KC with 0.5+ sacks. Has 0.5+ sacks in each of 2 games vs. division this season. Ranks tied-5th in NFL with 10 TFL in 2024. • DE JOHN FRANKLIN-MYERS had sack last week & has sack in 2 of past 3. Aims for 5th in row on road with sack & has TFL in each of 5 road games this season. • LB NIK BONITTO aims for 7th in row with TFL. Has TFL in 7 games this season, tied-most in NFL. Has sack in 3 of past 4 on road. Aims for his 4th in row vs. division with sack. Had PD in last meeting. • LB JONATHON COOPER had half sack & FR in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. KC with 0.5+ sacks. • LB CODY BARTON had 7 tackles last week & has 7+ tackles in 5 of past 6. • CB PAT SURTAIN II has PD in 4 of past 5. Had PD in last meeting. • CB JA’QUAN MCMILLIAN had 5 TFL, 2 PD & INT in 2 games vs. KC last season.

CHIEFS NOTES:

CHIEFS are 8-0 for 3rd time in franchise history (2013, 2003). Can become 5th defending SB champion ever to begin season 9-0. • QB PATRICK MAHOMES set season highs in completions (34), comp. pct. (77.3), TD passes (3) & rating (116.8) last week, 39th-career game with 3+ TD passes, 2nd-most ever by player in 1st 8 seasons. Aims for 3rd in row with 2+ TD passes & 95+ rating. Has 70+ comp. pct. in each of 4 home games this season. Is 6-0 with 100.2 rating in 6 career home starts vs. Den. • RB KAREEM HUNT rushed for season-high 106 yards & 5th TD of season last week. Aims for 5th in row with rush TD. Has TD in 3 of his past 4 vs. Den. • RB SAMAJE PERINE had 1st TD catch of season last week. Totaled 693 scrimmage yards (455 rec., 238 rush) in 2023 with Den. • TE TRAVIS KELCE had career-high 14 catches for season-high 100 yards in Week 9, 12th-career game with 10+ catches, 2nd-most ever by TE. Has 7+ catches & 70+ rec. yards in 3 of past 4. Aims for 3rd in row with 10+ catches & 90 rec. yards. Aims for his 10th in row vs. division with 5+ catches. • WR DEANDRE HOPKINS set season highs in catches (8), rec. yards (86) & rec. TDs (2) last week, 14th-career game with 2 rec. TDs, 4th-most among active players. Has 120+ rec. yards & rec. TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. Den. • DT CHRIS JONES had TFL in last meeting & has sack in 3 of his past 4 vs. Den. • DE GEORGE KARLAFTIS aims for 4th in row with sack & 3rd in row with PD. Had 2.5 sacks & FF in last meeting & has 5 sacks in 4 career games vs. Den. • LB DRUE TRANQUILL aims for 3rd in row with 6+ tackles & 0.5+ sacks. Had sack & FF in last meeting & has sack in 3 of his past 4 vs. Den. • LB NICK BOLTON has 5+ tackles in 7 of 8 games in 2024. Had INT in last home meeting. • S JUSTIN REID had TFL & PD last week. Had INT in last home meeting.

ATLANTA FALCONS (6-3) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-7)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 1:00 PM ET | Caesars Superdome | Referee: Carl Cheffers

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: Series tied, 55-55 (Home team won past 4)

Postseason: ATL leads series, 1-0

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 9/29/24: NO 24 at ATL 26

Postseason: NFC-WC 12/28/91: ATL 27 at NO 20

FALCONS NOTES:

QB KIRK COUSINS passed for 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 144.8 rating in Week 9 & has 11 career games with 3+ TD passes & 140+ rating, 5th-most all-time. Can become 1st player since 2011 (Aaron Rodgers) with 3+ TD passes & 140+ rating in 3 straight games. Has 886 pass yards (295.3 per game) & 7 TDs vs. INT for 108.2 rating in 3 career starts at NO. • RB BIJAN ROBINSON had season-high 145 scrimmage yards (86 rush, 59 rec.) in Week 9. Aims for his 3rd in row with 7+ catches. Aims for his 5th in row on road & 5th in row overall with 100+ scrimmage yards. Had 7 catches, 131 scrimmage yards (career-high 103 rec., 28 rush) & TD catch in last road meeting. Aims for his 4th in row vs. NO with 70+ scrimmage yards. • RB TYLER ALLGEIER had 2nd rush TD of season last week. Had 80 scrimmage yards (60 rush, 20 rec.) in Week 4 meeting. • WR DRAKE LONDON had career-high 6th TD catch of season last week, tied 2ndmost in NFL this season. Has 50 catches for 552 yards in 2024, his 3rd-straight 50+ catch, 500+ rec. yard season. Has 5+ catches in 4 of his 5 career games vs. NO. • WR DARNELL MOONEY had 5 catches for team-high 88 yards & career-high 5th rec. TD of season last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. • TE KYLE PITTS needs 70 rec. yards for 3rd-career 500+ rec. yard season. • S JESSIE BATES had 5th PD of season last week & has 5+ PD in 6 of his 7 career seasons. Has 5+ tackles in 8 of his 9 games in 2024. • CB A.J. TERRELL aims for his 3rd in row on road with INT. • DL GRADY JARRETT had sack last week & has TFL in 3 of his past 4. • LB KADEN ELLISS led team & tied his career high with 13 tackles & had 2 TFL & sack in Week 9. Aims for his 4th in row with 10+ tackles. • LB NATE LANDMAN aims for his 11th in row with 5+ tackles.

SAINTS NOTES:

QB DEREK CARR passed for 236 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs for 92.9 rating in Week 9. Completed 28 of 36 atts. (77.8 pct.) in Week 4 meeting. Has 18 TDs vs. 5 INTs for 101.1 rating in 10 home starts with NO since 2023, incl. 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 145.5 rating in last home meeting. • RB ALVIN KAMARA had 6 catches & career-high 215 scrimmage yards (155 rush, 60 rec.) in Week 9 & has 1,027 scrimmage yards in 2024, his 8thstraight 1,000-yard season since entering NFL in 2017. Has 551 receptions & surpassed HOFer Marshall Faulk (548) for most catches by RB in 1st 8 seasons all-time. Can become 1st RB with 5+ catches in 7 straight games since 2019 (Christian McCaffrey). Aims for his 4th in row vs. Atl. with 100+ scrimmage yards. Needs 33 rec. yards to become 5th RB ever with 400+ rec. yards in 8 career seasons. • TE TAYSOM HILL had 60 scrimmage yards (41 rec., 19 rush) & 3rd rush TD of season last week, his 30th-career rush TD. Is 1 of 2 all-time (HOFer Frank Gifford) with 30+ rush TDs (30), 10+ rec. TDs (11) & 10+ TD passes (11). Had 2 rush TDs in Week 4 meeting. • TE FOSTER MOREAU had 3rd rec. TD of season in Week 9. • LB DEMARIO DAVIS aims for his 8th in row with 5+ tackles. Has 106 tackles (7.6 per game) & 10 TFL in 14 career games vs. Atl. • LB PETE WERNER led team with 8 tackles & had TFL last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with TFL & 6th in row with 5+ tackles. • CB ALONTAE TAYLOR had 3 PD last week, his 4th-career game with 3+ PD. Has 10 PD in 2024, his 3rd-straight 10+ PD season. Aims for his 5th in row with PD. Had INT in last home meeting. • S TYRANN MATHIEU had INT in last home meeting.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-4) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-5)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 1:00 PM ET | Raymond James Stadium | Referee: Shawn Smith

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: SF leads series, 20-6 (won past 3)

Postseason: TB leads series, 1-0

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 11/19/23: TB 14 at SF 27

Postseason: NFC-D 1/12/03: SF 6 at TB 31

49ERS NOTES:

QB BROCK PURDY had 316 yards (260 pass, 56 rush) & 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs for 114.3 rating in Week 8. Has 17 games with 110+ rating since 2022, 2nd-most in NFL (Jared Goff – 18). Aims for his 3rd in row with rush TD. Has 17 TDs vs. INT for 131.7 rating in his past 6 on road & aims for his 7th in row on road with 100+ rating. • RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY can make season debut. Led NFL in scrimmage yards (2,023) & rush yards (1,459) & ranked tied-1st in scrimmage TDs (21) in 2023. Has 10 TDs (6 rush, 4 rec.) in 9 career games vs. TB. • RB JORDAN MASON has 65+ scrimmage yards in 7 of 8 games this season & ranks 4th with career-high 685 rush yards. • RB ISAAC GUERENDO (rookie) had career-high 102 scrimmage yards (85 rush, 17 rec.) & 1st-career rush TD in Week 8 & has 95+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3. • TE GEORGE KITTLE had 6 catches for season-high 128 rec. yards & 6th TD catch of season in Week 8, his 18th-career 100-yard game. Has 503 rec. yards in 2024 & became 3rd TE ever (Rob Gronkowski & HOFer Ozzie Newsome) with 500+ rec. yards in each of his 1st 8 seasons. Has 500 catches in 105 games & became 4th-fastest TE all-time to 500 receptions. Had rec. TD in last meeting. • WR DEEBO SAMUEL had 86 scrimmage yards (71 rec., 15 rush) in Week 8. Has 9 TDs (6 rec., 3 rush) in his past 7 on road. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with 100+ scrimmage yards. • LB FRED WARNER had 8 tackles, TFL & PD in Week 8. Has 3 FFs in 3 road games in 2024. Aims for his 4th in row on road with PD. Has 34 tackles (8.5 per game), 4 PD & 2 FFs in 4 career games vs. TB. • DL NICK BOSA had 58th-career sack in Week 8. Has sack in 2 of his 3 career games vs. TB. Has 5 TFL in his past 4 on road. • DL SAM OKUAYINONU had 3rd sack of season in Week 8 & aims for his 3rd in row on road with sack. • CB DEOMMODORE LENOIR had 6th-career INT & 1st-career FF in Week 8. Aims for his 3rd in row with INT & 6th in row with PD.

BUCS NOTES:

QB BAKER MAYFIELD passed for 200 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 112.3 rating in Week 9. Leads NFL in TD passes (23) & ranks 2nd in pass yards (2,389) & 7th in rating (105.6) in 2024. Aims for his 7th in row with 2+ TD passes & 90+ rating. Aims for his 4th in row at home with 300+ pass yards. • RB RACHAAD WHITE had 1st rush TD of season last week. Aims for his 4th in row with TD. Had rush TD in last meeting. Has 5+ catches in 4 of his past 5 at home. • RB BUCKY IRVING (rookie) has 50+ scrimmage yards in 6 of his past 7 & aims for his 6th in row at home with 50+ scrimmage yards. Ranks 2nd among rookies in scrimmage yards (593) & 3rd in rushing yards (419). • TE CADE OTTON led team with 8 catches & 77 rec. yards & had 4th rec. TD of season last week. Can become 1st TE since 2020 (Travis Kelce) with 8+ catches & 75+ rec. yards in 4 straight games. Aims for his 3rd in row overall with TD catch & 5th in row at home with 6+ receptions. • WR STERLING SHEPARD had season-high 69 scrimmage yards (48 rec., 21 rush) in Week 9. • LB LAVONTE DAVID has 8+ tackles in 6 of his past 7. Aims for his 4th in row at home with TFL. Had 3 TFL & sack in last meeting & aims for his 5th in row vs. SF with TFL. • NT VITA VEA had career-high 10 tackles & 4th-career game with 2 sacks last week. Has 7 TFL in his past 6. Had sack & 2 TFL in last meeting. • DL CALIJAH KANCEY had 1st-career 2 sack game in Week 9. Has 3 sacks & 5 TFL in 4 games this season. • S ANTOINE WINFIELD JR. had season-high 12 tackles last week. Had career high 16 tackles in last meeting.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-2) AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (7-2)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 1:00 PM ET | Northwest Field | Referee: Brad Rogers

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: WAS leads series, 43-33-3 (PIT won 6 of past 7)

Postseason: —

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 12/7/20: WAS 23 at PIT 17

Postseason: —

STEELERS NOTES:

QB RUSSELL WILSON completed 20 of 28 atts. (71.4 pct.) for 278 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs with 114.9 rating in Week 8, his 4th-straight game with 0 INTs. Has pass TD in 21-straight games, longest active streak in NFL. Has 1,174 pass yards (234.8 per game) & 11 TDs (10 pass, 1 rush) in his 5 career games vs. Was, with 240+ pass yards, 2+ pass TDs & 105+ rating in each of past 2. • RB NAJEE HARRIS led team with season-high 131 scrimmage yards (114 rush, 17 rec.). Aims for 4th in row with 100+ rush yards. Has rush TD in 2 of past 3. Has 75+ scrimmage yards in each of 3 games vs. NFC this season. • RB JAYLEN WARREN had 59 scrimmage yards (46 rush, 13 rec.) in Week 8. Aims for 3rd in row with 55+ scrimmage yards. • WR GEORGE PICKENS led the team with 74 rec. yards in Week 8. Aims for 4th in row with 50+ rec. yards. • WR VAN JEFFERSON had 4 catches for 62 yards in Week 8. • WR CALVIN AUSTIN had 73-yard PR-TD and rec. TD in Week 8. • DT CAMERON HEYWARD had 6 tackles & PD in Week 8. Has PD in each of past 2. Had PD in last meeting. • DT LARRY OGUNJOBI has TFL in 4 of past 5. Had TFL in his only career game vs. Was. (9/27/20 w/ Cle.) • LB ALEX HIGHSMITH had 2 sacks in Week 8. • LB PATRICK QUEEN had 8 tackles in Week 8. Has 5+ tackles in 5 of past 6. • LB T.J. WATT had 7 tackles, 2 sacks, FF & FR in Week 8, 5th game with a sack, tied 2nd-most in NFL this season. Has FF in 3 of past 4. Had sack & FF in last meeting. • CB BEANIE BISHOP (rookie) had 3rd career INT last week, tied 2nd-most among rookies in 2024. • CB JOEY PORTER JR. led team with 9 tackles in Week 8.

COMMANDERS NOTES:

QB JAYDEN DANIELS (rookie) had 244 yards (209 pass, 35 rush) & 2 TD passes vs. 0 INTs for 128.8 rating in Week 9. Is 1 of 3 NFC QBs (Sam Darnold & Baker Mayfield) with 7+ games (7) with 90+ rating & ranks 3rd in NFL in comp. pct. (71.5) & 5th in rating (106.7) in 2024. Leads all rookies & ranks 2nd among QBs with 459 rush yards this season. Is 4-0 in his 1st 4 career home starts. & can become 4th rookie QB since 1950 to win each of his 1st 5 career home starts. • RB BRIAN ROBINSON has 3 rush TDs in his past 3 at home & has 70+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his 4 home games this season. • RB AUSTIN EKELER had 83 scrimmage yards (42 rush, 41 rec.) & 2nd rush TD of season last week. Has 8,769 career scrimmage yards & can surpass Arian Foster (8,873) for 2nd-most scrimmage yards by undrafted RB since 1967. Had 115 scrimmage yards (65 rec., 50 rush) & career-high 4 TDs (2 rush, 2 rec.) in his last game vs. Pit. (11/21/21 w/ LAC). • WR TERRY MCLAURIN had 4th-career game with 2 rec. TDs last week. Aims for his 4th in row at home with 95+ rec. yards. Needs 8 catches for 6thstraight 50+ catch season. • LB BOBBY WAGNER had 7 tackles & 11th-career FR last week Has 12+ tackles in 3 of his 4 career games vs. Pit. Is 1 of 3 (Zaire Franklin & Logan Wilson) with active streak of 20+ games (21) with 5+ tackles. • LB FRANKIE LUVU has 3.5 sacks & 4 TFL in his past 3 at home. • LB DANTE FOWLER had 2 sacks & FF last week & has 5 sacks in his past 5. Had FR-TD in his last game vs. Pit. (11/10/19 w/ LAR). • S JEREMY CHINN led team with season-high 12 tackles & had 2 TFL & PD in Week 9. Had career-high 14 tackles in his only career game vs. Pit. (12/18/22 w/ Car.).

TENNESSEE TITANS (2-6) AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (5-3)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 4:05 PM ET | SoFi Stadium | Referee: Craig Wrolstad

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: LAC leads series, 28-16-1 (Home team won past 8)

Postseason: TEN leads series, 4-1 (Away team 2 of past 3)

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 9/17/23: LAC 24 at TEN 27 (OT)

Postseason: AFC-WC 1/6/08: TEN 6 at SD 17

TITANS NOTES:

QB WILL LEVIS has pass TD in 4 of 5 starts this season. • QB MASON RUDOLPH completed 20 of 33 atts. (60.6 pct.) for 240 yards & 2 TDs vs. INT with 90.5 rating in Week 9. Has 215+ pass yards & pass TD in each of his 3 starts this season. • RB TONY POLLARD led team with 154 scrimmage yards (128 rush, 26 rec.) last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 115+ scrimmage yards. Has 85+ scrimmage yards in 4 of his past 5 on road. Has 250 scrimmage yards (125 per game) & rush TD in each of his 2 career games vs. LAC. • WR CALVIN RIDLEY led team with 73 rec. yards in Week 9. Aims for 3rd in row with 5+ catches & 70 rec. yards. Had 8 catches for 124 yards & TD in only career game vs. LAC (12/13/20 w/ Atl.). • WR NICK WESTBROOK-IKHINE had 5 catches for 50 yards & TD last week, 4th-straight game with rec. TD. Had rec. TD in last meeting. • TE NICK VANNETT had 2nd TD catch of season last week. • DT JEFFERY SIMMONS had sack & 1st FR of season in Week 9. Aims for 3rd in row with sack. Has sack in each of 3 career games vs. LAC. • DE SEBASTIAN JOSEPH-DAY had 56 tackles, 9 TFL, 2 sacks, FF, FR & INT with LAC in 2022. • LB JACK GIBBENS led team with career-high 14 tackles & had half sack in Week 9. • LB ARDEN KEY had sack & FF in Week 9. Aims for 4th in row with sack. • LB HAROLD LANDRY had 5 tackles, sack & PD last week. Has PD in 2 of past 3. Had sack in last meeting. • CB JARVIS BROWNLEE (rookie) had career-high 7 tackles last week. Has 5+ tackles in 4 of past 5. • S AMANI HOOKER has career-high 2 INTs last week.

CHARGERS NOTES:

QB JUSTIN HERBERT completed 18 of 27 atts. (66.7 pct.) for 282 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 125.8 rating, 29th career game with 2+ pass TDs, tied 2ndmost games by QB in 1st 5 seasons (Deshaun Watson). Has pass TD in 7 of 8 games this season, with 2 pass TD in each of past 2. Has 300+ pass yards in each of 2 career games vs. Ten. • RB J.K. DOBBINS led team with 85 rush yards & 2 rush TDs in Week 9. Has rush TD in 3 of past 4. Had rush TD in only career game vs. Ten. (11/22/20 w/ Bal.). • WR QUENTON JOHNSTON led team with career-high 118 rec. yards & rec. TD last week, his 1st career game with 100+ rec. yards. • WR LADD MCCONKEY (rookie) had 5 catches for 64 yards last week. Aims for 6th in row with 4+ catches. • WR JOSHUA PALMER had 1st rec. TD of season in Week 9. Aims for 4th in row with 60+ rec. yards. • DL MORGAN FOX had 2 sacks & PD last week. Had sack in last meeting. • LB JOEY BOSA has 2 sacks in each of his past 2 vs. Ten. • LB DAIYAN HENLEY led team with career-high 13 tackles & had TFL & PD in Week 9. Aims for 4th in row with PD & 3rd in row with 10+ tackles. • LB KHALIL MACK had sack & FF last week. Aims for 3rd in row with sack. Has 5+ tackles & PD in each of past 2 vs. Ten. • LB TULI TUIPULOTU had career-high 2.5 sacks last week, 2nd-straight game with sack. Had 7 tackles & sack in last meeting. • S DERWIN JAMES had 7 tackles & 2 PD in Week 9. Aims for his 4th in row with 6+ tackles. Had 8+ tackles in each of his past 2 vs. Ten. • CB ELIJAH MOLDEN had 3rd INT of season last week. Had 137 tackles, 8 PD, 5 TFL, 2 FF, 2 FR & 2 INT (both returned for TDs) in 3 seasons with Ten. (2021-23).

NEW YORK JETS (3-6) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-4)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 4:25 PM ET | State Farm Stadium | Referee: John Hussey

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: NYJ leads series, 6-4 (ARI won past 2)

Postseason: —

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 10/11/20: ARI 30 at NYJ 10

Postseason: —

JETS NOTES:

QB AARON RODGERS completed 22 of 32 atts. (68.8 pct.) for 211 yards & season-high 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 118.1 rating last week, 83rd-career game with 3+ TD passes, 4th-most all-time. Has 2+ TD passes in 4 of past 5. Had 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs in his last game vs. Ari. (10/28/21 w/ GB). • RB BREECE HALL aims for 5th in row with 85+ scrimmage yards. Ranks 2nd in AFC with 829 scrimmage yards (502 rush, 327 rec.) this season. Is 1 of 2 RBs (Alvin Kamara) with 325+ rec. yards. • WR GARRETT WILSON had 9 catches for 90 yards & season-high 2 TDs last week, 7th-straight game with 5+ catches, 2nd-longest active streak in NFL. Aims for 6th in row with 60+ rec. yards. Leads NFL with 60 catches in 2024. • WR DAVANTE ADAMS had 7 catches for 91 yards & TD in Week 9. Aims for 3rd in row with 50+ rec. yards. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Ari. with TD catch. • TE TYLER CONKLIN has TD catch in 2 of past 3. • DL QUINNEN WILLIAMS aims for 3rd in row with 1.5+ sacks. Has sack in 3 of past 4. • EDGE WILL MCDONALD IV had 1st FR of season last week. Has 5 sacks in his past 4 on road. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 8 sacks in 2024. • DE MICHAEL CLEMONS had career-best 2 sacks & 2nd-career FF last week. • DE SOLOMON THOMAS had sack in Week 9. • LB QUINCY WILLIAMS aims for his 19th in row with 5+ tackles. Aims for 3rd in row on road with TFL. • LB JAMIEN SHERWOOD had 7 tackles & career-high 2 sacks in Week 9. Aims for 7th in row with 7+ tackles & 3rd in row with TFL. • CB SAUCE GARDNER had PD last week & has PD in 2 of past 3. • CB D.J. REED had 5 tackles, PD & 1st sack of season last week. Has PD in 6 of his 7 games this season. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Ari. with 5+ tackles.

CARDS NOTES:

QB KYLER MURRAY completed 27 of 37 atts. (73 percent) for 380 yards & TD vs. INT for 103.4 rating & rushed for 31 yards & TD in last meeting. Has pass TD in 7 of his past 8 at home. Is 1 of 3 QBs (Jayden Daniels & Lamar Jackson) in 2024 with 350+ rush yards. • RB JAMES CONNER led team with 107 rush yards last week, his 3rd in row at home with 100+ rush yards. Aims for his 4th in row at home with 110+ scrimmage yards & has 65+ scrimmage yards in 5 of his past 6 overall. • RB EMARI DEMERCADO had career-high 80 scrimmage yards (59 rush, 21 rec.) & 1st rush TD of season in Week 9, his 3rd-career rush TD. • RB TREY BENSON (rookie) had career-high 55 scrimmage yards (37 rush, 18. rec.) & 1st-career rush TD last week. • WR MARVIN HARRISON JR. has 5 rec. TDs, tied-most among rookies. • TE TREY MCBRIDE had 1st-career rush TD in Week 9. Has 5+ catches & 50+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5. Has 14 games with 5+ receptions since 2023, 3rd-most among TEs. • S BUDDA BAKER led team with 12 tackles in Week 9, his 18th career game with 12+ tackles. Has 5 games with 10+ tackles in 2024, most among DBs. Is 1 of 2 NFC DBs (Demani Richardson) with 2 games of 11+ tackles in 2024. Has 810 career tackles, 3rd-most among active DBs. • LB ZAVEN COLLINS had 2 sacks in Week 9, his 2nd-career game with 2+ sacks. • LB KYZIR WHITE had half sack in Week 9 & aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. • LB XAVIER THOMAS (rookie) had 1st-career sack last week. • LB JESSE LUKETA had 1st-career sack last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. • CB STARLING THOMAS had career-high 6 tackles & PD in Week 9.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (6-2) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (3-5)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 4:25 PM ET | AT&T Stadium | Referee: Alex Kemp

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: DAL leads series, 71-55 (Home team won past 4)

Postseason: DAL leads series, 3-1 (Home team won past 4)

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 12/10/23: PHI 13 at DAL 33

Postseason: NFC-WC 1/9/10: PHI 14 at DAL 34

EAGLES NOTES:

QB JALEN HURTS had 297 yards (230 pass, 67 rush) & 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs for 132.3 rating in Week 9 & became 1st player ever with TD pass, rush TD & 115+ rating in 3 straight games. Joined Cam Newton (2011) as only QBs since 1970 with 6 rush TDs in 3-game span. Aims for his 4th in row on road & 4th in row overall with both pass TD & rush TD. Aims for his 5th in row with 115+ rating. Has 8 rush TDs in 2024 & can become 1st QB ever with 10+ rush TDs in 4 straight seasons & 4 career seasons. • RB SAQUON BARKLEY had season-high 199 scrimmage yards (159 rush, 40 rec.) & 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) in Week 9 & became 2nd player ever (HOFer Eric Dickerson – 1983) with 110+ scrimmage yards in 7 of his 1st 8 games with a team. Has 1,071 scrimmage yards in 2024, his 5th-career 1,000-yard season. Aims for his 5th in row on road with 110+ scrimmage yards. • WR A.J. BROWN has 5+ catches & 80+ rec. yards in each of his 2 road games this season. Aims for his 5th in row vs. Dal. with 5+ catches & 60+ rec. yards. • WR DEVONTA SMITH had team-high 87 rec. yards & 4th TD catch of season last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. Has 4 rec. TDs in his past 4 vs. Dal. Has 5+ catches & 50+ rec. yards in 6 of his past 7 road games. • LB NAKOBE DEAN had career-high 2 PD & 1st-career INT last week. Aims for his 6th in row on road with 7+ tackles & TFL. • LB ZACK BAUN led team with 10 tackles & had 2 PD, TFL & 1st INT of season last week. Aims for his 9th in row with 6+ tackles. • LB JOSH SWEAT had 6th-career 2-sack game last week. Has 5 sacks in his past 5 & has sack in 2 of his past 3 vs. Dal. • CB DARIUS SLAY has 13 PD in 10 career games vs. Dal., incl. 3 PD in last meeting. • DB COOPER DEJEAN (rookie) aims for his 3rd in row with PD.

COWBOYS NOTES:

QB COOPER RUSH passed for 115 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs in Week 9. Is 5-1 in 6 career starts & had TD pass in 5 of 6 starts. • RB RICO DOWDLE had 5 catches, 107 scrimmage yards (75 rush, 32 rec.) & career-high 3rd rec. TD of season last week, his 5th-career TD catch. Aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ catches & his 7th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. Had rush TD in last home meeting. • WR CEEDEE LAMB had team-high 8 catches last week & aims for his 5th in row with 5+ catches. Has 10 TDs in his past 10 at home. Has 5 TDs (4 rec., 1 rush) in 4 career home games vs. Phi. • WR JALEN TOLBERT had career-high 3rd TD catch of season in Week 9. • TE JAKE FERGUSON had 7 catches for team-high 71 yards last week. Has 6+ catches in 5 of his past 6. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Phi. with 5+ catches & 70+ rec. yards. • LB ERIC KENDRICKS led team with 9 tackles & had 2nd FF of season last week. Aims for his 8th in row with 8+ tackles. Has 33 tackles (8.3 per game) in 4 career reg. season games vs. Phi. • LB DEMARVION OVERSHOWN had 7 tackles & career-high 3 TFL last week. Has 6+ tackles in 6 of his 8 career games & aims for his 3rd in row with 7+ tackles. • DE CARL LAWSON had 2 sacks & 4th-career FF last week, his 4th-career game with 2+ sacks. • S DONOVAN WILSON had season-high 8 tackles, TFL & 6th-career FR in Week 9. Has TFL in 3 of his past 4. Has 5+ tackles in 3 of his past 4 vs. Phi. • CB TREVON DIGGS had 2 PD last week & aims for his 3rd in row with PD. Has 8 PD & 4 INTs in 5 career games vs. Phi. • CB JOURDAN LEWIS had 1st TFL of season last week.

DETROIT LIONS (7-1) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (6-3)

Sunday, November 10, 2024 | 8:20 PM ET | NRG Stadium | Referee: Bill Vinovich

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: HOU leads series, 4-1 (won past 4)

Postseason: —

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 11/26/20: HOU 41 at DET 25

Postseason: –

LIONS NOTES:

QB JARED GOFF had TD pass & 109.3 rating in Week 9. Has 82.8 comp. pct. & 140.1 rating in his past 6, both highest marks in 6-game span (min. 100 atts.) within a season in NFL history. Leads NFL in comp. pct. (74.9) & ranks 2nd in rating (115). Aims for his 4th in row with 80+ comp. pct. & 7th in row with 105+ rating. Has 8 TDs vs. INT for 131.5 rating in 4 road starts in 2024. Passed for 355 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 125.4 rating in his only career start vs. Hou. (11/12/17 w/ LAR). • RB JAHMYR GIBBS had 7th rush TD of season last week. Has TD in 5 of his past 6. Aims for his 3rd in row on road & 4th in row overall with TD. Is 1 of 5 with 70+ scrimmage yards in 8 games this season. • RB DAVID MONTGOMERY had 96 scrimmage yards (73 rush, 23 rec.) in Week 9. Has 11 rush TDs in 12 road games & 7 rush TDs in 6 primetime games with Det. since 2023. Aims for his 10th in row on road with 50+ scrimmage yards. • WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN had 7 catches for 56 yards & TD last week & has TD catch in 6 straight games, longest active streak in NFL. Became 4th player ever with 350+ catches (363), 4,000+ rec. yards (4,052) & 25+ rec. TDs (27) in 1st 4 career seasons. Can become 1st player since 2017 (Davante Adams) with TD catch in 7 straight road games. • DB KERBY JOSEPH had 1st-career INT-TD last week & has career-high 6 INTs in 2024, becoming 6th player since 2000 with INT in 6 of his team’s 1st 8 games of season. Has 5 INTs in his past 6 on road. Ranks tied-1st in NFL with 14 INTs since 2022. • DB BRIAN BRANCH has 2+ PD in 5 of his past 6 on road. Has 3 INTs in 4 road games in 2024. • CB CARLTON DAVIS has 8 PD in his past 5 & has 8+ PD in each of his past 6 seasons. • LB JACK CAMPBELL aims for his 3rd in row with 10+ tackles.

TEXANS NOTES:

QB C.J. STROUD had 250 yards (191 pass, career-high 59 rush) last week. Aims for 4th in row with 0 INTs. Is 10-2 with 105.7 rating in 12 career home starts, with 90+ rating in each of his past 7 at home. Has 250+ pass yards in each of 4 home games this season. Is 2-1 with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs in 3 career starts in primetime. • RB JOE MIXON rushed for 106 yards & TD last week & is 5th player ever with 100+ rush yards & rush TD in 5 of his 1st 6 games of a season. Had 153 scrimmage yards (94 rush, 59 rec.) & TD catch in his last game vs. Det. (10/17/21 w/ Cin.). Has TD in 5 of his past 6 in primetime. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 120.7 scrimmage yards per game this season. • WR NICO COLLINS has 75+ rec. yards in each of his 5 games this season, with rec. TD in 3 of 5. Has TD catch in 6 of his past 7 at home. • WR TANK DELL had 6 catches for season-high 126 yards last week. • WR ROBERT WOODS had season-best 44 rec. yards in Week 9. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Det. with 5+ catches & 65+ rec. yards. • TE DALTON SCHULTZ aims for 3rd in row at home with 4+ catches. • DE DANIELLE HUNTER had PD last week. Has sack in 3 of past 4. Has 3.5 sacks in 4 home games this season. Had 2 TFL & sack in his last game vs. Det. (1/7/24 w/ Min.). Has sack in 2 of his past 3 on SNF. • DE WILL ANDERSON has sack in 3 of past 4. Aims for his 6th in row vs. NFC with sack. Ranks tied-4th in NFL with 7.5 sacks this season. • DE DENICO AUTRY had 1st 2 sacks of season last week. Has 3 sacks in 2 career games vs. Det., with sack in each game. • CB DEREK STINGLEY had 2 PD last week, 6th-straight game with PD. Has PD in each of 4 home games this season. • S JALEN PITRE had 10 tackles, 2 TFL & PD last week. Aims for 5th in row with TFL & PD.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (2-6) AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (4-4)

Monday, November 11, 2024 | 8:15 PM ET | SoFi Stadium | Referee: Ron Torbert

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: MIA leads series, 12-2 (won 11 of past 12)

Postseason: —

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 11/1/20: LAR 17 at MIA 28

Postseason: —

DOLPHINS NOTES:

QB TUA TAGOVAILOA completed 25 of 28 atts. (89.3 pct. – career high as starter) for 231 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with season-high 124.9 rating last week. Has 95+ rating in 3 of his 4 starts this season. Aims for his 4th in row on road with 2+ TD passes. Aims for his 4th in row vs. NFC with 0 INTs & 95+ rating. • RB DE’VON ACHANE led team with 121 scrimmage yards (63 rush, 58 rec.) & season-high 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) last week, 4th-career game with 2+ TDs. Aims for 3rd in row with 120+ scrimmage yards & TD. Has 504 scrimmage yards (100.8 per game) in 5 career games vs. NFC. Ranks 3rd among RBs with 37 catches in 2024. • RB RAHEEM MOSTERT had 88 scrimmage yards (56 rush, 32 rec.) last week. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 3 of past 4. Has rush TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. LAR. • WR TYREEK HILL led team with 80 rec. yards in Week 9. Has 65+ rec. yards in 3 of past 4. Had 10 catches for 215 yards & 2 TDs in only career game vs. LAR (11/19/18 w/ KC). Has 1,557 rec. yards (129.8 per game) in his past 12 vs. NFC. • WR JAYLEN WADDLE had 1st TD catch of season in Week 9. Has 4+ catches in 7 of his past 8 vs. NFC. Has 75+ rec. yards in 2 of 3 career games on MNF. • TE JONNU SMITH had 5 catches last week. Aims for his 4th in row on road with 5+ catches. • DE CALAIS CAMPBELL aims for 4th in row with 5+ tackles. Has 11 sacks in 19 career games vs. LAR, with 1.5+ sacks in 2 of his past 3 vs. LAR. • LB JORDYN BROOKS aims for 7th in row with 7+ tackles. • LB CHOP ROBINSON (rookie) had 1st-career sack last week. Aims for 3rd in row with TFL. • LB ANTHONY WALKER led team with season-high 10 tackles last week. • CB JALEN RAMSEY had 1st INT of season in Week 9. Has PD in 3 of past 4. Totaled 47 PD & 10 INTs in 57 games with LAR (2019-22).

RAMS NOTES:

QB MATTHEW STAFFORD passed for 298 yards & 2 TDs, incl. GW TD pass in OT in Week 9 & became 5th player with 3+ career OT TD passes (3). Aims for his 3rd in row row with 2+ TD passes. Has 4 TDs vs. INT for 108.1 rating in 2 career starts vs. Mia. • RB KYREN WILLIAMS had 95 scrimmage yards (69 rush, 26 rec.) in Week 9. Has 25 TDs (20 rush, 5 rec.) in his past 20, incl. TD in 8 straight home games. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 7 of his past 8 at home. Aims for his 4th in row in primetime with TD. • WR COOPER KUPP had 11 catches for 104 yards in Week 9, his 13th-career game with 10+ catches & his 33rd-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Has 601 career receptions in 96 games, tied with Keenan Allen & Antonio Brown for fastest player ever to reach 600 catches. Has TD catch in 3 of his past 4 at home & aims for his 5th in row at home with 5+ catches. Aims for his 5th in row on MNF with 11+ catches & 120+ rec. yards. • WR PUKA NACUA aims for his 3rd in row at home with 100+ rec. yards & has 100+ rec. yards in 5 of his 9 career home games. • WR DEMARCUS ROBINSON aims for his 3rd in row with 2 rec. TDs & has career-high 5 TD catches this season. • S KAMREN KINCHENS (rookie) had 1st 2 career INTs, incl. 103-yard INT-TD, tied-longest INT-TD by rookie in NFL history (Pete Barnum, 9/26/26) & longest go-ahead TD in 4th quarter by rookie all-time. • LB BYRON YOUNG aims for his 3rd in row with sack. Has 4 TFL in 4 home games this season. • LB JARED VERSE (rookie) had sack & 2 TFL last week & leads all rookies with 3.5 sacks & 9 TFL. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack & 4th in row with TFL. • DE KOBIE TURNER had 4th sack of season last week & aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. • DE BRADEN FISKE (rookie) had 1st career game with 2 sacks last week. • S JAYLEN MCCOLLOUGH ranks tied-3rd in NFL with 4 INTs & is 1st undrafted rookie with 4 INTs in season since 1997 (Sammy Knight).

LAMAR, BURROW COMBINE FOR 8 TDS AS RAVENS HOLD OFF BENGALS IN THRILLER

Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson threw four touchdowns each Thursday, but it was the Baltimore Ravens coming out victorious in a 35-34 thriller against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Ravens held on after the Bengals elected to go for a game-winning two-point conversion with under 40 seconds remaining instead of playing for overtime. Cincinnati’s two-point play fell short after Burrow’s pass to Tanner Hudson was incomplete.

The Bengals looked to be in control, holding a 21-7 lead midway through the third quarter before Marlon Humphrey’s forced fumble on running back Chase Brown swung momentum.

Jackson said postgame that Humphrey’s takeaway woke up Baltimore’s offense, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec.

The Ravens quarterback engineered four straight touchdown drives to end the game. Three of Jackson’s four touchdown passes came in the fourth quarter, including an 84-yard score to Tylan Wallace. He recorded 290 passing yards and a 141.4 passer rating.

The reigning MVP’s performance was enough to hold off an onslaught from Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals’ star duo connected on three touchdown passes, including the team’s last score in the final minute.

Burrow finished with 428 passing yards and four touchdowns. Chase accumulated 264 yards and three scores on 11 receptions.

Jackson said he knew the game would be a back-and-forth affair and tried to rally his teammates on the sideline.

“I was telling my guys on the sideline, ‘We gotta score. If they score, we gotta score. That’s the type of game it’s going to be,'” Jackson told reporters, including ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

The victory moves the Ravens to 7-3 and gives them the sweep in the season series against their division rivals, while the Bengals plummet to 4-8.

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NO. 9 NORTH CAROLINA HEADS TO NO. 1 KANSAS FOR EARLY SHOWDOWN

No. 9 North Carolina will travel to Lawrence, Kan., to take on No. 1 Kansas in an early season top-10 matchup Friday night at Allen Fieldhouse.

It is the first time the Jayhawks (1-0) and Tar Heels (1-0) will square off since the 2022 NCAA Tournament championship game, which the Jayhawks won 72-69 after trailing by 15 points at halftime.

The two basketball blue bloods have a rich history — they’ve met seven times in the NCAA Tournament, including two national title games — and the series is tied 6-6, with Kansas winning the past four. This is the only the second time the teams will have met in a campus arena, doing so on Dec. 17, 1960, in Lawrence. There also are several coaching connections between them.

Kansas beat Howard 87-57 at home Monday in its season opener. Guard Zeke Mayo, a graduate transfer from South Dakota State, scored 19 points. Center Hunter Dickinson, a preseason All-American, posted 16 points and six rebounds in his return from a preseason injury. Flory Bidunga added 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

Coach Bill Self was impressed with Mayo’s Kansas debut.

“I think he’s reluctant to shoot sometimes, but I thought tonight and (the previous exhibition) he was more aggressive shooting the ball,” Self said. “I like it. He’s a weapon out there. He can knock it down.”

Ten players scored for the Jayhawks, who led by as many as 38 points. They shot 11-for-22 from 3-point range and 32-for-53 (60.4 percent) overall.

The Jayhawks limited Howard to 22-for-58 (37.9 percent) shooting, forced 17 turnovers, and finished with a 40-20 advantage in points in the paint.

“I thought we looked fast. We looked athletic. We pitched (the ball) ahead, and we ran a transition better than what we had been,” Self said. “And I thought defensively, we really pressured them and did some good things.”

Unlike Kansas, North Carolina labored to win its season opener, beating Elon 90-76 at home thanks to a 21-5 run to close the game. The Tar Heels led by 16 in the first half and for double digits most of the game, but they trailed briefly with less than seven minutes left after a 14-0 run by the Phoenix.

“We talked about in the huddle, ‘How are you going to react? How are you going to respond?’” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “This was actually the perfect game and a perfect situation to be in because this will help us grow. This will help us get to the team we want to become.”

Four Carolina players scored in double figures, led by All-American guard R.J. Davis, who poured in 24 points despite a poor shooting night. Davis also had seven assists and seven rebounds. Guard Elliot Cadeau contributed 17 points and eight assists, Seth Trimble had 15 points, and Jae’Lyn Withers notched 10 points and 10 rebounds. Elon shot 13-of-29 from behind the arc.

“We’re going to look back at this and we might be a little bit embarrassed at how messy it was (and) how sloppy it was,” Tar Heels forward Jalen Washington said. “It wasn’t probably what we wanted it to be … so we’re just going to look at this and keep growing and take it as a lesson.”

COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAME OF THE WEEK: NORTH CAROLINA VS. KANSAS

NC NOTES:

MBB HEADS TO KANSAS FOR TOP-10 MATCHUP

• Carolina and Kansas, two of the top three programs in all-time college basketball wins, will meet on campus for the first time in 64 years when the ninth-ranked Tar Heels travel to Lawrence to play the top-ranked Jayhawks on Friday, November 8.

• Tip time at Allen Fieldhouse is 7 p.m. Eastern. ESPN2 will televise the game.

• This is Carolina’s second game ever in Allen Fieldhouse, and its first since a 78-70 win under head coach Frank McGuire on 12/17/1960. The Jayhawks will be playing in Chapel Hill for the first time next season.

• Both teams won their season openers on Monday and enter the game 1-0. Carolina closed the game on a 21-5 run to beat Elon, 90-76, while the Jayhawks routed Howard, 87-57.

• RJ Davis scored a game-high 24 points with seven assists, Elliot Cadeau had 17 points and eight assists and Seth Trimble netted a career-best 15 points to lead the Tar Heels vs. Elon.

• Kansas has 2,394 wins, second most all-time behind Kentucky, while the Tar Heels are third with 2,373.

• They have combined for 10 championships, 246 wins and 37 Final Fours in 104 combined NCAA Tournament appearances. Carolina is first all-time in NCAA Tournament wins and Final Fours, second in appearances and third in championships; Kansas is third all-time in NCAA Tournament appearances, fourth in wins, fifth in Final Fours and seventh in titles.

• Thirty-two (32) former UNC and Kansas players and coaches are inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Tar Heels and Jayhawks have won a combined 22 National Player-of-the-Year awards and 132 first-team All-America honors.

• This is the 115th season of Carolina Basketball.

The Tar Heels have won seven national championships (six NCAA Tournament titles), played in a record 21 Final Fours, won a record 133 NCAA Tournament games, played in the NCAA Tournament 53 times, been a No. 1 seed a record 18 times, won a record 33 regular season ACC titles, won 18 ACC Tournament championships and have had 10 former players inducted in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

• The Tar Heels are led by Hubert Davis, in his fourth season as head coach at his alma mater. The 2022 National Coach-of-the-Year winner and the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year has led UNC to a 79-31 record. His 78 wins through 2023-24 were the second most by a Carolina head coach and fourth most at a Power 4 Conference program after three years as a head coach.

• Carolina is the only major program in the country whose six coaches all played and are coaching at their alma mater. Davis played for Hall of Famer Dean Smith from 1988-92. Jeff Lebo (1985-89) and Pat Sullivan (1990-95) also played at UNC for Smith, Brad Frederick played for Smith and Bill Guthridge (1996-99) and Sean May (2002-05) and Marcus Paige (2012-16) played for Hall of Famer Roy Williams.

• The Tar Heels went 29-8 last year, winning the program’s 33rd regular season ACC title with a 17-3 record and earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA West Regional, where they advanced to the Sweet 16.

• Carolina returns five players, including two starters, from last year, and welcomes 10 newcomers – five freshmen and five transfers.

• The five returnees include unanimous first-team All-America and ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis, All-ACC Freshman honoree Elliot Cadeau, guard Seth Trimble and forwards Jae’Lyn Withers and Jalen Washington.

• Key departures include Armando Bacot, Carolina’s all-time leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, Harrison Ingram, a second-round pick by San Antonio and Cormac Ryan, who played 152 college games.

• Bacot, Ingram and Ryan combined to score 46% of UNC’s points and grab 76% of the rebounds, while Ingram and Ryan made 140 of the Tar Heels’ 301 three-pointers (47%).

CAROLINA VS. KANSAS

• Carolina is 6-6 all-time against Kansas. The Jayhawks have won the last four games, all of which came in NCAA Tournament play (2008, 2012, 2013 and 2022).

• This is just the second time in 13 games the teas are playing on campus. The teams have never played in Chapel Hill and met in Lawrence only on 12/17/1960. That was during Frank McGuire’s final season as UNC’s head coach and Dean Smith’s third season as an assistant coach. Smith, a Kansas grad, began his 36-year stint as Carolina’s head coach the following season.

• The teams have previously played two regular-season games in the state of North Carolina – Dec. 11, 1959, in Raleigh’s Reynolds Coliseum, and Nov. 28, 1981, in the Charlotte Coliseum in Michael Jordan’s first game as a Tar Heel. The 1959 game was part of a two-night doubleheader that also included host NC State and Kansas State.

• This is the first time both teams are ranked when playing one another since the 2012 Elite Eight in St. Louis.

• This is the first time UNC has played Kansas when the Jayhawks were No. 1 in the AP poll. The previous highest ranking for KU when playing the Tar Heels was No. 2 in the 1957 national championship game and No. 2 in the 2002 Preseason NIT.

• Carolina and Kansas rank in the top three in college basketball history in both wins and winning percentage. UNC is second in winning percentage and third in wins; the Jayhawks are second in wins and third in winning percentage.

• The Tar Heels and Jayhawks last played in the 2022 national championship game in New Orleans, a 72-69 Jayhawk victory. RJ Davis is the only active Tar Heel who played in the game – he had 15 points, a career-high 12 rebounds and two assists. Davis and Armando Bacot led UNC with 15 points apiece.

• Seven of the previous 12 games have come in the NCAA Tournament, including two championship games (1957 and 2022) and three times in the national semifinals (1991, 1993 and 2008). The five UNC-Kansas games in the Final Four are the most frequently-played matchups in Final Four history.

• Dean Smith played for Phog Allen at Kansas, where he was a member of the 1952 NCAA champions and 1953 NCAA finalists, and was head coach for 36 years at UNC, where he won two NCAA titles, led the Tar Heels to 11 Final Fours and retired as the winningest coach in college basketball history. Following his graduation from KU in 1953, Smith began his Hall of Fame coaching career the following season as a volunteer assistant to Allen and Dick Harp.

• Roy Williams was the head coach at Kansas from 1988-2003 and Carolina from 2003-21, leading the two programs to a combined nine Final Fours. Williams won NCAA championships with the Tar Heels in 2005, 2009 and 2017, and is the only coach to win 400 games at two schools (418 at Kansas and 485 at Carolina).

• Larry Brown played for and coached under Smith at UNC and was the head coach of the Jayhawks for five seasons, leading KU to a pair of Final Fours and the 1988 NCAA championship.

• Harp was head coach of the Jayhawks when they played the Tar Heels in a historic triple overtime game for the 1957 NCAA championship and was later a member of Smith’s coaching staff in Chapel Hill.

• Brad Frederick played for Smith at UNC and is in his 12th year as a member of the Tar Heel coaching staff. His father, Dr. Bob Frederick, was the director of athletics at Kansas for 14 years and hired Williams, who was an assistant coach at UNC, to be the Jayhawks’ head coach in 1988.

• Steve Robinson, Joe Holladay, Jerod Haase, C.B. McGrath, Matt Doherty and Jonas Sahratian were on staff at both Carolina and Kansas, and Haase and McGrath played for Williams at Kansas. Doherty played for the Tar Heels, was an assistant in Lawrence with Williams and was head coach at his alma mater for three seasons.

• Sahratian is in his 21st season as the Tar Heels’ director of strength and conditioning.

• Fred Quartlebaum was an assistant coach at UNC from 2000-03 and is in his 12th season at Kansas, where he is the director of basketball operations.

VERSUS NO. 1

• Carolina is 14-18 against teams ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll.

• The 14 wins are the most wins vs. No. 1 by any program in college basketball history.

• This is UNC’s first game against No. 1 since Luke Maye scored 30 points to lead the Tar Heels past Duke, 88-72, in Cameron Indoor Stadium on 2/20/2019.

• Carolina is 6-7 in true road games vs. No. 1.

• Kansas is the 13th different opponent the Tar Heels have played as No. 1 (Cincinnati, UConn, Duke, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, NC State, Oklahoma, Syracuse, Temple and Virginia).

UNC’S 14 WINS OVER AP NO. 1-RANKED TEAMS

Date #1 team Site Score

1/14/59 NC State A 72-68

1/12/80 Duke A 82-67

11/21/87 Syracuse SPR 96-93 (ot)

1/18/89 Duke A 91-71

3/17/90 ^ Oklahoma AUS 79-77

2/5/92 Duke H 75-73

2/3/94 Duke H 89-78

2/5/98 Duke H 97-73

3/8/98 * Duke GBO 83-68

1/17/04 Connecticut H 86-83

4/4/05 ^ Illinois STL 75-70

3/4/06 Duke A 83-76

12/4/13 Michigan State A 79-65

2/20/19 Duke A 88-72

* ACC Tournament

^ NCAA Tournament

POLLING

• The Tar Heels entered the season No. 9 in the nation in the Associated Press poll and 10th in the coaches’ poll.

• This is the 46th season UNC entered the season or was ranked in the top 10 in the first AP poll (in some seasons in the 1950s there were no preseason polls). In the previous 45 instances when UNC began the year in the top 10 in the first AP poll, the Tar Heels also finished the season in the top 10 on 32 occasions.

• Carolina finished the 2023-24 season No. 6 in the coaches’ poll and No. 7 in the AP poll.

• Last year was the 39th time Carolina was ranked in the top 10 in the final AP poll (out of 76 seasons), the third most in college basketball history.

• The No. 9 preseason ranking by the AP is the 958th time the Tar Heels are ranked, second all-time.

• This is the 68th season UNC is ranked at least once in the AP poll (in 77 seasons) and the 60th season UNC has been ranked at least once in the top 10.

• UNC was ranked by the AP in all 21 polls last season.

POLLS SAY SCHEDULE IS A GAUNTLET

• Carolina annually plays one of the most difficult schedules, both in and out of conference play, and the preseason polls indicate 2024-25 will be another challenge.

• Since KenPom began in 2001-02, the Tar Heels’ strength of schedule was ranked in the top 10 in the nation 13 times and in the top 25 on 20 occasions.

• Carolina’s 2024-25 schedule features at least seven games against top-25 opponents, including No. 1 Kansas (on the road), No. 2 Alabama (home), No. 4 Iowa State or No. 11 Auburn (second day in Maui), No. 7 Duke (home and away), No. 21 Florida (in Charlotte) and No. 22 UCLA (in New York). Third-ranked UConn is on the other side of the bracket in Maui.

PRESEASON ACCOLADES

• Carolina was picked to finish second and RJ Davis was selected the ACC’s preseason player of the year at the conference’s media day.

• Davis is a National Player of the Year candidate (Naismith and NABC), ranked the No. 2 player in the country (CBS and ESPN) and was tabbed a preseason All-America by numerous media, including the Associated Press, Blue Ribbon Yearbook, Field of 68, CBS, Fox, Sports Illustrated and ESPN’s Jay Bilas.

• Davis won the Naismith Hall of Fame’s Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year award in 2024. He is on the preseason watch list.

• Sophomore Elliott Cadeau (Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year), freshmen Ian Jackson and Drake Powell (Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year) and junior Cade Tyson (Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year) also are named on the Hall of Fame’s preseason positional awards watch lists.

• Davis was the first Tar Heel and second ACC player to win the Jerry West Award.

• Carolina is the only team to win the Cousy Award three times (Raymond Felton in 2005, Ty Lawson in 2009 and Kendall Marshall in 2012).

RJ DAVIS

• Davis has scored the second-most points ever by a Tar Heel guard (2,112, trailing only 1978 Wooden Award winner Phil Ford) and the fifth most among all players ever to play at Carolina.

POINTS – CAREER, UNC

Player Years Points

Tyler Hansbrough 2005-09 2,872

Armando Bacot 2019-24 2,347

Phil Ford 1974-78 2,290

Sam Perkins 1980-84 2,145

RJ Davis 2020- 2,112

• RJ Davis scored 784 points last season, the fourth most in Carolina history and the most since Tyler Hansbrough scored 882 in 2007-08.

• Davis’ 784 points were the most in a season in Carolina history by a guard.

POINTS – SEASON, UNC

Player Year Points

Lennie Rosenbluth 1956-57 897

Tyler Hansbrough 2007-08 882

Antawn Jamison 1997-98 822

RJ Davis 2023-24 784

Bobby Lewis 1965-66 740

• Should Davis score 784 points again this season he would tie Hansbrough for the most points by a Tar Heel and the most in ACC history.

• Davis made 113 3FGs, breaking the UNC single-season record (Justin Jackson made 105 in 2016-17).

MOST THREE-POINTERS  — SEASON, UNC

113 RJ Davis, 2023-24

105 Justin Jackson, 2016-17

  98 Brady Manek, 2021-22

  96 Cameron Johnson, 2018-19

  95 Shammond Williams, 1996-97

• Davis averaged 3.05 threes per game, which set the UNC single-season record (previous was 2.71 per game by Shammond Williams in 1996-97). He made three 3FGs in the Tar Heels’ season opener vs. Elon.

• Davis has made 277 career three-pointers, the second most all-time by a Tar Heel. Marcus Paige is first with 299.

• Davis is also Carolina’s all-time leader in free throw percentage. He went 7 for 7 from the line against Elon and has made 429 of 499 in his career for 86.0%. Shammond Williams is second at 84.8%.

• Davis became the 19th Tar Heel to earn consensus first-team All-America honors. Those 19 players have won consensus first-team All-America honors a total of 28 times.

• Davis joined Lennie Rosenbluth in 1957, Phil Ford in 1978, Michael Jordan in 1983 and 1984, Kenny Smith in 1987, Jerry Stackhouse in 1995, Antawn Jamison in 1998, Joseph Forte in 2001 and Tyler Hansbrough in 2008 and 2009 as the only Tar Heels to make first-team All-America on each of the teams the NCAA recognizes to determine consensus first-team All-America.

DAVIS LED ACC IN SCORING

• Davis led the ACC in scoring at 21.2 points per game. He was the first Tar Heel to lead the ACC in scoring since Tyler Hansbrough in 2007-08.

• Davis is the 11th Tar Heel to lead the ACC in scoring (Billy Cunningham did it twice).

CAROLINA’S ACC SCORING LEADERS

Year Player PPG

2023-24 RJ Davis 21.2

2007-08 Tyler Hansbrough 22.6

2003-04 Rashad McCants 20.0

1997-98 Antawn Jamison 22.2

1983-84 Michael Jordan 19.6

1969-70 Charlie Scott 27.1

1965-66 Bobby Lewis 27.4

1964-65 Billy Cunningham 25.4

1963-64 Billy Cunningham 26.0

1959-60 Lee Shaffer 18.2

1957-58 Pete Brennan 21.3

1955-56 Lennie Rosenbluth 26.6

• Davis’ career scoring average is 15.2, the eighth-highest by a Tar Heel guard. Over the last three seasons, he has averaged 18.9 per game.

SCORING AVERAGE – CAREER, UNC GUARDS

Player Years PPG

Charlie Scott 1967-70 22.1

Bobby Lewis 1964-67 22.1

Joseph Forte 1999-2001 18.7

Phil Ford 1974-78 18.6

York Larese 1958-61 17.9

Michael Jordan 1981-84 17.7

Coby White 2018-19 16.1

RJ Davis 2020- 15.2

Wayne Ellington 2006-09 14.7

Caleb Love 2020-23 14.6

Al Lifson 1951-55 14.6

• Davis was the 15th Tar Heel to win ACC Player-of-the-Year honors, the first since Justin Jackson in 2016-17. It is the 16th time a Tar Heel has won the award (Larry Miller won twice).

ACC PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Lennie Rosenbluth 1957

Pete Brennan 1958

Lee Shaffer 1960

Billy Cunningham 1965

Larry Miller 1967, 1968

Mitch Kupchak 1976

Phil Ford 1978

Michael Jordan 1984

Antawn Jamison 1998

Joseph Forte 2001 (co-winner)

Tyler Hansbrough 2008

Ty Lawson 2009

Tyler Zeller 2012

Justin Jackson 2017

RJ Davis2024

• Davis was the fifth Tar Heel guard to win the award with Phil Ford, Michael Jordan, Joseph Forte and Ty Lawson.

• Elliot Cadeau made the ACC All-Freshman team. He was the first Tar Heel to make the ACC All-Freshman team since Caleb Love and Day’Ron Sharpe in 2021.

• Cadeau joined Ed Cota, Raymond Felton, Bobby Frasor, Ty Lawson, Kendall Marshall, Marcus Paige, Coby White, Cole Anthony and Love as Tar Heel point guards to earn All-Freshman team honors.

• Hubert Davis was named ACC Coach of the Year by the ACC panel and the Associated Press.

• Davis was the fifth Tar Heel to win ACC Coach-of-the-Year honors (a total of 13 times), joining Frank McGuire, Dean Smith (eight times), Bill Guthridge and Roy Williams (2006 and 2011).

• Hubert Davis was a semifinalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year trophy.

ACC COACHES OF THE YEAR

Frank McGuire 1957

Dean Smith 1967, 1968, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1988, 1993

Bill Guthridge 1998

Roy Williams 2006, 2011

Hubert Davis 2024

• It was the first time Carolina won both the ACC player- and coach-of-the-year awards in the same season since Antawn Jamison and Bill Guthridge in 1997-98.

ELLIOT ON POINT

• Elliot Cadeau scored 17 points and had a game-high eight assists in the win over Elon.

• Cadeau was a plus 28, the highest plus/minus in his career (previous was plus 27 in a 36-point win over Syracuse last season).

• He made a career-high three 3FGs vs. Elon. It was the third time in his career he made multiple three-pointers in a game

• Last year, he led Carolina with 150 assists, the most by a Tar Heel freshman since Marcus Paige’s 161 in 2012-13.

• Cadeau was the 11th Tar Heel freshman with 100 or more assists in a season and had the fourth-highest assist/turnover ratio (2.24) among those 11 players.

• He scored a season-high 19 points and had eight assists in the win at Miami on Feb 10.

• The West Orange, N.J., native had a season-best 10 assists and no turnovers in the win over Tennessee.

HIGH MARKS FOR TRIMBLE

• Junior guard Seth Trimble scored a career-high 15 points against Elon. His previous high was a dozen, a number he matched in the first half of the win over the Phoenix.

• On October 15 in an exhibition game victory at Memphis, Trimble made 11 of 17 field goals and scored a game-high 33 points.

• Trimble was one of three Tar Heels (with Elliot Cadeau and RJ Davis) to make three three-point field goals. Those were career highs for both Trimble and Cadeau.

• Trimble made one of six from three-point range as a freshman and is 16 of 35 (.457) since.

MILESTONE WATCH

• Ty Claude has scored 944 points … needs 56 for 1,000.

• RJ Davis has made 277 three-pointers, second most all-time by a Tar Heel … needs 23 to pass Marcus Paige (299).

• Davis has scored 2,112 points, fifth most by a Tar Heel … needs 34 to pass Sam Perkins (2,145) for fourth.

• Cade Tyson has scored 914 points … needs 86 for 1,000.

• Ven-Allen Lubin has 295 rebounds and 498 points … needs five rebounds for 300 and two points for 500.

• Jae’Lyn Withers has 598 rebounds … needs two for 600.

DEAN E. SMITH CENTER

• This is the 40th season the Tar Heels play their home games in the Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, more commonly known as the Smith Center or the Dean Dome.

• The first game in the Smith Center was a 95-92 win over Duke on 1/18/1986.

• The Tar Heels are 478-87 (.846) in the Smith Center, including 229-18 (.927) against non-ACC teams.

• Carolina has won its last five games in the Smith Center since a loss to Clemson on 2/6/2024.

• Carolina has won 18 straight non-conference games in the Smith Center since a loss to Marquette on 2/24/2022.

PRESEASON GAMES

• Carolina played a Blue-White scrimmage in the Smith Center on October 12 and played exhibition games against Memphis (October 15 at Memphis) and Johnson C. Smith (October 27 at home).

• RJ Davis suffered a bruised lower back when he fell during the Blue-White scrimmage and did not play in Carolina’s 84-76 win three days later at Memphis. He was held out as a precaution.

• Seth Trimble led UNC with 33 points at Memphis. Elliot Cadeau had 13 assists and Jalen Washington scored 17 points and grabbed six boards. Cade Tyson (nine) and Jae’Lyn Withers (eight) combined for 17 boards.

• UNC had 21 assists but also committed 21 turnovers. The Tar Heels also forced 22 turnovers.

• Memphis outrebounded the Tar Heels by one (41-40).

• On October 27, Carolina shot better than 60% from the floor in both halves in a 127-63 win over Johnson C. Smith.

• Freshman Ian Jackson scored a game-high 21 points to lead seven Tar Heels in double figures.

• Ven-Allen Lubin had 18 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, RJ Davis had 15 points and Elliot Cadeau had eight assists and no turnovers.

KANSAS NOTES:

NO. 1 KANSAS TO HOST NO. 9 NORTH CAROLINA IN BATTLE OF THE BLUE BLOODS ON FRIDAY

LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 1 Kansas (1-0) will host No. 9 North Carolina (1-0) on Friday, Nov. 8 in a top 10 matchup in Allen Fieldhouse. The blue blood battle will tip at 6 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on ESPN2. Kansas ranks No. 2 in all-time victories with 2,394 wins, while North Carolina is No. 3 at 2,373.

Kansas opened the season with an 87-57 win against Howard on Nov. 4 in the second McLendon Classic honoring KU graduate and two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee John McLendon. For KU, it marked its 52nd-consecutive home season-opening victory, a streak that started in 1973-74. North Carolina is also 1-0 after its 90-76 win against Elon on Nov. 4.

The Kansas-North Carolina series is tied at 6-6 and KU has won the last four meetings, all being in the NCAA Tournament. The last matchup was the 2022 NCAA title game, a Kansas 72-69 win in New Orleans.

In the win against Howard, the Jayhawks were led by senior guard Zeke Mayo who scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 5-for-8 from three-point range. Preseason All-America center Hunter Dickinson added 16 points and six rebounds and tied his career high with three steals. Freshman forward Flory Bidunga added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while graduate guard Dajuan Harris Jr. had a team-high five assists. KU led 46-19 at halftime.

Harris Jr. is vying to move into third all-time on the Kansas career assist list, entering Friday with 681 assists and three short of Cedric Hunter (684, 1984-87).

Head Coach Bill Self enters Friday night with a 51-30 (.630) record against Associated Press (AP) Top 10 opponents while at KU. Additionally, Self boasts a 24-4 (.857) record against AP Top 10 opponents at Allen Fieldhouse. Self has guided Kansas to wins in 18 of the last 20 contests at AFH, including a current stretch of eight straight.

Kansas has won its last 15 games in Allen Fieldhouse against non-Big 12 foes and is 154-6 (.963) versus non-conference opponents in Allen Fieldhouse in the Self era (since 2003-04).

Self is at 796 career wins as a head coach and has 589 at Kansas, one shy of tying Phog Allen (590) for the most wins as head coach while at KU. Allen amassed his 590th win on March 2, 1956, after 36 seasons on the Kansas sidelines.

Kansas is No. 1 in the AP poll for the fifth time in poll history with all five in the Bill Self era – 2004-05, 2009-10, 2018-19, 2023-24 and 2024-25. Like the preseason AP poll, Kansas is No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. This is the second-straight season and the fifth time in the coaches’ poll that Kansas is No. 1 in the preseason poll with four in the Self era – 1996-97, 2004-05, 2009-10, 2018-19, 2023-24 and 2024-25.

UP NEXT

Kansas will play Michigan State in the 2025 Champions Classic on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Kansas leads the series with Michigan State 8-7, and the Jayhawks have won the last three and four of the last five meetings with the Spartans. The teams are tied 2-2 in Champions Classic matchups.

Kansas is 8-5 in the Champions Classic and the Jayhawks have won seven of their last eight appearances in the event after last year’s 89-84 win against Kentucky in Chicago. Duke is 8-5 in the Champions Classic, while Kentucky is 5-8 and Michigan State 5-8.

NBA NEWS

REPORT: 76ERS G TYRESE MAXEY (HAMSTRING) OUT WEEKS

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey is expected to miss a couple of weeks because of a right hamstring injury, ESPN reported Thursday.

Maxey sustained his injury during Wednesday’s 110-98 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He scored 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting before departing in the fourth quarter.

Signed to a five-year, $203.85 million maximum contract extension in July, Maxey boasts team-leading averages in points (27.6) and assists (3.9) in seven games this season. He has led the struggling 76ers (1-6) in scoring on five occasions this season.

A first-time All-Star in 2023-24, Maxey was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player and also took home the league’s Sportsmanship Award that season.

Maxey, 24, has averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 273 career games (200 starts) since being selected by the 76ers with the 21st overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft out of Kentucky.

SPURS BEAT TRAIL BLAZERS 118-105, WITH POPOVICH MISSING HIS 4TH STRAIGHT GAME

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Keldon Johnson and Malaki Branham had 17 points each and the San Antonio Spurs beat Portland 118-105 on Thursday night in their fourth game without coach Gregg Popovich.

Popovich has been out since having a medical episode Saturday before a home game against Minnesota. Prior to the game Thursday, Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson said the team is unsure when Popovich will return.

Zach Collins and Julian Champagnie added 14 points each to help the Spurs snap a two-game skid. Victor Wembanyama had 12 points. Branham exited two minutes into the fourth quarter after rolling his right ankle.

Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Portland. Jerami Grant also had 21 points, and Anfernee Simons added 19.

LILLARD, ANTETOKOUNMPO LEAD THE WAY AS BUCKS SNAP 6-GAME SKID WITH 123-100 VICTORY OVER JAZZ

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 34 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points and 16 rebounds and the Milwaukee Bucks snapped a six-game skid, beating the Utah Jazz 123-100 on Thursday night.

Antetokounmpo was back in action after missing a 116-114 loss at Cleveland on Monday night because of a right adductor strain.

The Bucks hadn’t lost six straight games since March 2015. They avoided their first seven-game skid since March 2014, when they dropped eight in a row.

Jordan Clarkson had 18 off the bench to lead the Jazz.

Utah led 71-70 before the Bucks took command with a 17-1 run late in the third quarter. Lillard and Antetokounmpo combined to score Milwaukee’s first 15 points in that spurt.

ANTHONY EDWARDS STARS AS THE TIMBERWOLVES RALLY PAST THE BULLS 135-119

CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Edwards had 33 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Chicago Bulls 135-119 on Thursday night.

Minnesota rallied from a 13-point deficit. Julius Randle had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, and Rudy Gobert finished with 21 points and nine boards.

It was Chicago’s fourth consecutive loss. Nikola Vucevic scored 25 points for the Bulls on 11-for-15 shooting. Coby White had 24 points and eight assists.

Chicago led 95-90 after three quarters, but Minnesota controlled the action in the fourth. Randle’s driving layup lifted the Timberwolves to a 107-106 lead with 6:47 left.

Mike Conley had 14 points and 11 assists for the Timberwolves.

NASCAR NEWS

STUBBS: KEYS TO VICTORY FOR CHAMPIONSHIP 4 DRIVERS

When the checkered flag flies at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday afternoon, the NASCAR Cup Series will crown its 2024 champion. Here’s how the Championship 4 drivers — Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and William Byron — stack up against each other:

Ryan Blaney:
The defending champion will try to take home the title for the second year in a row. Blaney’s 2024 season has been a carbon copy of his 2023 campaign: A solid regular season followed by a dominant playoff run. Last year, Blaney finished second at Homestead-Miami, won at Martinsville and went on to win the championship at Phoenix. This year, he finished second at Homestead-Miami, won at Martinsville and has a shot at his second trophy.

Keys to Victory
If there’s any team in the Championship 4 that is most likely to bring a perfect car to Phoenix, it’s the No. 12 team. Blaney’s wins so far in 2024 have come in races when he had a clear-cut top-five car from the beginning, which could be necessary at a track like Phoenix where passing is more difficult than usual. If not for a matter of inches at Atlanta and a lap of fuel in St. Louis, Blaney could be sitting on a five-win season.

History in the desert
Here’s a stat that should leave the other championship contenders shaking in their boots: Blaney hasn’t finished worse than fourth at Phoenix since March of 2021, including runner-up finishes in the last two Phoenix fall races. In the last six Phoenix races, Blaney has an average finish of 3.2. The only thing missing from his resume over those races? A win, which would automatically grant Blaney the championship on Sunday.

Tyler Reddick:
It has been a breakout year for Reddick, who propelled himself to the Championship 4 with a daring move in turns three and four at Homestead-Miami. That win is the shining diamond in a playoff run that’s been mostly dark for Reddick, but he’s done enough to make this quartet. Now comes a track type that 23XI Racing still seems to be behind at — a short, flat oval that was the death knell for Reddick’s 2023 campaign.

Keys to victory
One of 23XI’s weak points as an organization has been its pit crews. In 2023, Reddick appeared to be in contention for the win at Michigan — until a loose wheel forced him to come back down pit road. That kind of mistake can’t happen on Sunday, where fast pit stops could be the difference in winning the championship or finishing last among the title contenders.

History in the desert
Unlike Blaney, Reddick has been rather inconsistent at Phoenix. He has three top-10 finishes in five Next-Gen starts at the track, but finished 23rd and 22nd, respectively, in the other two races. The good news? Reddick finished 10th at Phoenix in March in a race where Toyota whipped the field. Reddick led 68 laps in that race, and as the sole Toyota in the Championship 4, he should feel good about his chances.

Joey Logano:
If you had told fans that Logano would be in the Championship 4 back in June, they would pass the comment off without a second thought. However, the two-time champion finds himself 312 laps away from winning a third title after victories at Nashville (June 30) and Las Vegas (Oct. 20) fueled another Cinderella playoff run. Logano hasn’t had much speed this year, but he did have two extra weeks to prepare for the championship race, just as he did in 2022 when he dominated the finale.

Keys to victory
Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe have been no stranger to gutsy strategy calls this year. Without them, the No. 22 team might not even be in the playoffs, much less the Championship 4. The decision by Wolfe to leave Logano out on fumes at both Nashville and Las Vegas are the sole reason why he won those races, and if Logano finds himself in a hole on Sunday, it wouldn’t be surprising to see another crazy strategy be employed by Team Penske.

History in the desert
Logano has 16 top-10 finishes and three wins in 31 starts at Phoenix, but hasn’t run very well at the one-mile track as of late. Finishes of 11th, 18th and 34th in his last three Phoenix starts don’t inspire much confidence, but a dazzling performance in 2022 should. With the extra time to prepare that he also had this year, Logano led 187 laps in the 2022 finale en route to the race win and the title. Don’t be shocked if Logano and Wolfe pull another rabbit out of the hat on Sunday.

William Byron:
Byron and Hendrick Motorsports would like to forget the controversy that got them into the Championship 4 in the first place. Unfortunately, the race manipulation scandal that rocked the NASCAR world Sunday takes away from what has undoubtedly been a great season for Byron as he establishes himself as one of NASCAR’s elite. He hasn’t won since April 7 at Martinsville, but he’s in the Championship 4 for the second year in a row with the best team in NASCAR backing him.

Keys to victory
At Daytona and Martinsville, Byron was able to ward off the field on late-race restarts in order to win. Like Blaney, the No. 24 team could easily bring an unstoppable car to Phoenix. However, if the championship is decided on a late-race restart, Byron could be the favorite. His wins at Texas, Las Vegas and Phoenix in 2023 were also decided on late-race restarts. If you need to pick a Championship 4 driver to shoot the middle or make a big late-race block, Byron is your man.

History in the desert
Phoenix was surprisingly a struggle for Byron in March, as he failed to lead any laps and finished 18th. In 2023, however, Byron won the spring race after leading 64 laps, and led 95 laps en route to a fourth-place finish in the championship race. With a year of Championship 4 experience under his belt, Byron will be a strong contender on Sunday, provided he’s not given a lemon like he was in the spring.

TOP INDIANA SPORTS HEADLINES/NEWS RELEASES

INDIANA FOOTBALL

GAME NOTES VS. MICHIGAN

IU NOTES:

SETTING THE SCENE • Indiana will host Michigan on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET in Memorial Stadium on CBS. • This will be the 73rd all-time meeting between the two programs with Michigan leading the series, 62-10. Indiana is seeking its first win over Michigan since 2020, when it won, 38-21. • This will be the 11th consecutive season where the two programs face off, dating back to the 2013 season. • IU enters the game with a top-ten ranking in both the AP and Coaches Polls. It is the first time that the Hoosiers have been ranked in the top ten since the 2020 season when they were ranked as high as No. 7. NEWS & NOTES • Indiana enters the game with a 9-0 record after defeating Michigan State (11/2), 47-10, in Week 10. This is Indiana’s first time in program history starting a season 9-0 and it ties the most wins in a single season in program history. • Curt Cignetti is the only Indiana head coach to start his head coaching tenure with a 9-0 record. He is the first-ever Division I head coach to start 8-0 or better in consecutive seasons at different schools (James Madison, 10-0, 2023; Indiana, 9-0, 2024). MORE ON PAGE 4 & 17 • Indiana is one of five undefeated teams in the FBS (Indiana, Army, Miami (Fla.), BYU, Oregon). • In his return from injury, Kurtis Rourke went 19-for-29 passing with 263 yards and four touchdowns. He is just the second Big Ten quarterback since 2000 to throw at least 3 touchdown passes in their first three conference road games (Justin Fields, Ohio State; 2020). MORE ON PAGE 7 • Senior running Ty Son Lawton scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. That marked a touchdown in seven of nine games for Lawton. MORE ON PAGE 9 • Junior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt moved his consecutive games with a catch streak to 34 straight games with his 9-yard reception in the first quarter at Michigan State. He also hauled in two touchdowns for his multi-touchdown game as a Hoosier. MORE ON PAGE 10 • Redshirt junior defensive lineman Mikail Kamara had 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks against the Spartans. He owns at least one tackle in all 32 career appearances and at least a half tackle for loss in 29 of 32 career games. The 4.5 tackles for loss are the most in a Big Ten game and are tied for the second most in a game in the FBS this season. MORE ON PAGE 13 • Sophomore Amare Ferrell had a career-high two interceptions at Michigan State to mark the first time since 2020 that Indiana had back-to-back multiple interception games. That season, it was Tiawan Mullen (2; at Michigan State) and Jamar Johnson (2; at Ohio State). • The zero sacks allowed in back-to-back Big Ten games mark the first time since 2001 that IU hasn’t surrendered a sack in consecutive conference games. IU didn’t allow a sack in five-straight games from Sept. 29-Nov. 3, 2001. • With its double-digit win, Indiana extended its longest streak of double-digit wins in program history to 10 straight games. • IU now has three blocked kicks on the season and that is the most since IU blocked four kicks in 2021. • Michigan State’s minus-36 rushing yards are the fewest allowed by an Indiana defense in program history. The previous mark was minus-32 yards against William & Mary in 2002. • The rushing mark gives IU six games holding the opponent under 100-yards rushing, to tie the 1990 squad for the most such games in a single season since at least 1950.

COMPLETE GAME NOTES: https://static.iuhoosiers.com/custompages/pdf/fb/2024/24-11-09-Notes_Michigan.pdf

MICHIGAN NOTES:

What You Need to Know

• Michigan and Indiana will play for the 73rd time on Saturday; U-M leads the series 62-10 and has a 20-2 record at Memorial Stadium.
• Colston Loveland needs five receptions, 100 yards and two TDs to set Michigan’s season records for a tight end; leads the team with 49 catches for 523 yards and two TDs. 
• Kalel Mullings is pacing the rushing game with 71 O yards on 131 carries and has scored seven TDs.
• Dominic Zvada leads the team in scoring with 49 points; 10-11 on FGs and 19-20 on PATs.
• Ernest Hausmann leads the team in tackles (66) and has 10-plus stops in three of the last four games. 

Wolverines and Hoosiers

• This will be the 73rd meeting between Michigan and Indiana.

• The Wolverines have a 62-1 O advantage (86%) in the all-time series.

• U-M has won 27 of the past 29 games against IU and has claimed victories in 42 of the last 44 contests. The only setbacks came in 1987 and 2020.

• The Wolverines have dominated the series with the Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium, posting a 20-2 all-time mark. Michigan has won 12 of the past 13 games at the facility.

• Michigan has two players that hail from the state of Indiana, freshman DB Jo’Ziah Edmond (Indianapolis) and junior DL Kenneth Grant (Merrillville).

______________________________

Game Notes Nuggets

• Fourteen (14) players have made their first career starts this fall: wide receiver Kendrick Bell, center Greg Crippen, tackle Andrew Gentry, center Dominick Giudice, tight end Marlin Klein, right tackle Evan Link, wide receivers Fredrick Moore and Peyton O’Leary, quarterback Alex Orji, quarterback Davis Warren on offense; defensive back Zeke Berry, edge TJ Guy, defensive back Jyaire Hill, and edge Derrick Moore on defense.

• Another nine players have made their first career starts as Wolverines after earning starting assignments at their previous institutions: C.J. Charleston (wide receiver), Josh Priebe (offensive line), Jack Tuttle (quarterback), Jaishawn Barham (linebacker), Aamir Hall (cornerback) Ernest Hausmann (linebacker), Josaiah Stewart (edge), Wesley Walker (defensive back), and Dominic Zvada (kicker).

• Seventeen (17) Wolverines have made collegiate debuts this season: Chibi Anwunah (edge), Manuel Beigel (defensive line), Mason Curtis (defensive back), Jo’Ziah Edmond (defensive back), Jake Guarnera (offensive line), Channing Goodwin (wide receiver), Hogan Hansen (tight end), Jason Hewlett (linebacker), Breeon Ishmail (edge), Ike Iwunnah (defensive line), Dominic Nichols (edge), Jacob Oden (defensive back), Bryson Kuzdzal (running back), Evan Link (offensive line), Jordan Marshall (running back), Andrew Sprague (offensive line), and Cole Sullivan (linebacker).

• Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades U-M well in the following categories: overall (28th, 89.1), defense (11th, 89.1), rushing defense (fifth, 92.8), pass rush (first, 90.7), and special teams (28th, 81.3).

• Now with four starts under his belt, quarterback Davis Warren is completing 65 percent of his passes with a 122.8 efficiency mark and five touchdown passes. Warren had his first multi-touchdown effort last weekend against Oregon with touchdown passes to Peyton O’Leary and Tyler Morris.

• Entering the season, Kalel Mullings had a career-long run of 23 yards (at Minnesota, 2023). So far this season he has five runs of at least 30 yards: 30 (touchdown), 30, 38, 53 (touchdown), and 63 yards.

• Mullings has seven rushing touchdowns this season. He is tied as Pro Football Focus’ No. 24-graded rusher (87.1), averaging 3.73 yards after contact per attempt. He’s lost only 14 yards on 131 attempts this year.

• Both Mullings (5.4) and Donovan Edwards (4.7) have productive yards-per-carry numbers. Mullings ranks 39th overall with 710 rushing yards.

• Edwards is also just 32 yards shy of setting the career receiving yards record by a running back at Michigan, currently held by Anthony Thomas (810 yards). He passed B.J. Askew (777) last weekend against the Ducks.

• According to the Big Ten Network, Edwards is the only Big Ten running back this century with multiple touchdown rushes (18), receptions(four), and passes (two) in his career.

• Tight end Colston Loveland has been the leader or co-leader in receptions for U-M in every game he has played this season (eight), with 48 total catches. Loveland’s 69 total targets are third in the nation among FBS tight ends.

• With his first career 100-yard effort (106) last weekend against the Ducks, Loveland is 99 yards shy of the single-season receiving yards record by a tight end (748) set by Devin Funchess in 2013. For his career, he’s at 1,407 yards (record: Jake Butt, 1,646).

• Before Loveland, the last U-M tight end to reach 100 receiving yards was Jake Butt (Rutgers, 2015).

• Loveland remains highly efficient, averaging 3.06 yards per route run according to PFF. That figure is third in the country among FBS tight ends (minimum 30 targets) and first among Big Ten tight ends. Loveland is one of three tight ends at or above 3.0 yards per route run in all the FBS (minimum 30 targets).

• Loveland is in third place all-time in touchdowns among U-M tight ends with 10 in his career (next: Jake Butt, 11; record by Jerame Tuman, 15).

• Among U-M tight ends, Loveland and Jake Butt (2013-16) are the only players to reach 12 games with at least 50 receiving yards.

• The Wolverine defense has had at least six TFL in five of six Big Ten games, totaling 40 tackles for loss and 17 sacks. Both those figures are tied-second in league play. Indiana leads in both categories.

• The Wolverines rank 40th nationally in sacks (2.33 per game), led by Josaiah Stewart’s 6.5. Stewart ranks 14th in the country in sacks and in league play, his 5.5 sacks rank second in the Big Ten with one fewer game played; Graham ranks tied-16th (3.5).

• Stewart has at least a share of a sack in four of the last five games (2.0 vs. USC, 1.0 vs. Washington, 0.5 vs. Illinois, 1.0 vs. Michigan State). His win rate of 25.8 percent is No. 4 in the nation (minimum 70 pass rush snaps). Derrick Moore (21.8, ninth) and TJ Guy (19, 19th) are also among the nation’s best in pass rush win rate.

• Kenneth Grant (two fumble recoveries), Zeke Berry (one interception, one fumble forced/recovered) and Will Johnson (two interceptions) are tied for the team lead in turnovers. Six different players are responsible for U-M’s nine defensive turnovers (three fumble recoveries, six interceptions).

• Sixteen (16) different players have broken up passes for the defense this year including six different defensive linemen/edge rushers. Jyaire Hill leads the team with eight (including one interception) and Kenneth Grant leads all defensive linemen with four. Hill has at least one pass breakup in seven of his last eight games.

• Grant has been active in this area throughout his career; he had six breakups in 2023, giving him 10 for his career, the highest total among any U-M defensive linemen in history. Across 2023 and 2024 combined, the defensive line has been responsible for almost a quarter (24.7 percent) of the team’s total pass breakups (10-of-44 in 2024; 18-of-69 in 2023).

• Among FBS interior defensive linemen, Mason Graham is credited with the second-most pressures (28; sacks, hits, hurries). He’s also graded the nation’s top-graded run defender (91.9), with Rayshaun Benny (84.9) graded 16th.

• Ernest Hausmann leads the U-M defense with 66 tackles, 13 clear of the next-highest total. Hausmann set a Michigan career-high with 12 tackles at Washington, matching his best career total at Nebraska, and registered nine-plus tackles in four of the last five games.

• Tommy Doman is the tied-16th-graded punter in the nation by PFF (76.4) among those with at least 24 attempts. The 21 fair catches he’s forced are two off the national lead and one off the Big Ten lead.

• Doman is also a weapon on kickoffs, with 26 touchbacks on 41 kickoffs (63.4 percent). U-M is 18th in the nation in kick return defense (16.6 yards per return, on average).

• Doman, whose pro-style approach meshes hangtime with distance to give U-M effective coverage units, ranks eighth in the country and second in the Big Ten in average hangtime (4.25 seconds) among punters with 24-plus attempts.

• Dominic Zvada is 10-for-11 this year (one blocked). He is tied for the U-M career record with four made field goals at 50-plus yards and is the first U-M kicker with four field goals of 50-plus yards in the same season.

• Zvada is one of seven kickers with four or more conversions at 50-plus yards, but only one of two (Pittsburgh’s Ben Sauls) who has gone four-for-four on such kicks.

• The special teams units have been making plays, with a blocked kick in three straight games (vs. Minnesota, at Washington, at Illinois), and a fumble forced in punt coverage against Oregon by Joe Taylor. The fumble was recovered by C.J. Charleston.

COMPLETE GAME NOTES: https://mgoblue.com/documents/2024/11/4/20241104-fbl-notes-indiana.pdf

INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

NO. 25 HOOSIERS FALL TO HARVARD IN OVERTIME

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.  – No. 25 Indiana couldn’t overcome a slow start as it fell 72-68 in overtime on Thursday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

KEY MOMENTS

A strong Harvard defense held Indiana (1-1) to just seven points to begin the game, 21-7. Junior guard Yarden Garzon, graduate student guard Chloe Moore-McNeil and graduate student guard Sydney Parrish all scored for the Hoosiers in the first quarter. 

The Hoosiers gained momentum in the second quarter, outscoring their opponent 23-11 in the frame.  In the final 3:41 of the first half, IU held Harvard’s offense to no points as it chipped away and made it a one-score game at the half, 32-30.

Junior forward Meister helped the Hoosiers take the lead to begin the second half with a layup off an opponent turnover on an assist by Parrish. The two teams were deadlocked at 16-all after the third quarter with the Crimson maintaining the one-point edge.

In the fourth quarter, Indiana and Harvard exchanged leads four times and tied the game three times. A 3-pointer by the opposition with 20 seconds to play sent the game into overtime as Moore-McNeil’s attempt to win the game in regulation was no good at the rim.

In the five-minute overtime, IU mustered up just one field goal with 1:16 remaining on a Meister bunny.

NOTABLE

Meister recorded her first career double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds. She set career-highs in points, rebounds and free throws made.

 Indiana had a pair of players with 20-point games for the first time since Feb. 22, 2024 in a win over Iowa.

The Hoosiers played in their first overtime game since Jan. 1, 2023 when it defeated Nebraska.

Indiana mustered up a 34.7 field goal percentage on the night.

IU went 31-for-38 at the free throw line with Garzon going 8-for-8.

UP NEXT

The Hoosiers will travel to Indianapolis to face Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Wednesday, November 13. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.

INDIANA FIELD HOCKEY

INDIANA FALLS IN OVERTIME AT BIG TEN TOURNAMENT

COLLEGE PARK Md. ––– It was a battle from start to finish as No. 6 Indiana fell just short to No. 3 Michigan, 2-1, in overtime of the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday night at Maryland.

With the loss, the Hoosiers have been eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament.

KEY MOMENTS

• Michigan got on the board early in the first period when Kate McLaughlin scored in the 12th minute to take a 1-0 lead.

• After going nearly the whole fourth quarter without a penalty corner, Indiana drew a one with 1:21 left in regulation.

• Sydney Keld would tie the game with a rocket of a shot in the circle on the penalty corner play. She was assisted by Lara Mortz and Inés Garcia Prado.

• Indiana’s defense fended off Michigan for much of the overtime period, with Sadie Canelli making three saves on five Michigan shots.

• Michigan’s Esmee de Willigen scored the game-winning goal in the 69th minute.

NOTABLES

• Sadie Canelli had five saves in the game.

• Indiana outdrew Michigan on penalty corners, 7-6.

• Four of Indiana’s seven shots were on goal.

• Sofia Arrebola Garcia and Inés Garcia Prado led the Hoosiers with two shots each.

UP NEXT

• From here, IU will await to learn its postseason fate. The NCAA Tournament Selection Show is on Sunday, November 10 at 10 p.m. ET.

INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER

NO. 6 HOOSIERS OUSTED FROM BIG TEN TOURNAMENT

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — In the quarterfinal round of the 2024 Big Ten Men’s Soccer Tournament, No. 6-ranked Indiana men’s soccer (10-4-5, 7-1-2 B1G) fell to No. 7-seeded Michigan 1-0 Thursday (Nov. 7) afternoon at SeatGeek Stadium.

A long-distance, swerving rocket off the boot of Michigan senior midfielder Jason Bucknor was the difference in the match. The Hoosiers outshot the Wolverines 10-7 but couldn’t find a breakthrough.

KEY MOMENTS

• 13′ – An attempt from sophomore forward Collins Oduro deflected off a Michigan defender and towards goal, forcing the Michigan goalkeeper to push it over the bar.

• 30′ – At the half-hour mark, Indiana was hit with strokes of bad luck at each end of the field. Senior forward Samuel Sarver went down at the edge of the box with a pair of opponents around him but received no whistle. Moments later, Bucknor got a through ball, struck a volley from outside the box at a tight angle, and his shot swerved into goal to give Michigan the lead.

• 33′ – Oduro dribbled inside from the left wing, pushed the ball to his right to avoid the oncoming defender and then ran into that defender as he chased his dribble. The referee reviewed the sequence and did not change his mind.

• 45′ – A long throw-in found freshman midfielder Charlie Heuer free at the back post, but his volleyed attempt sailed just high.

• 78′ – Sarver and Oduro nearly scored on a dangerous cross from sophomore forward Clay Murador. Sarver just missed a first-time connection at the top of the six, and Oduro put his back-post shot wide.

NOTABLES

• Thursday’s result snapped Indiana’s seven-match winning streak, 10-match unbeaten streak and 10-match multi-goal streak – its longest multi-goal stretch since 1997.

• Indiana will not reach the Big Ten Tournament final for the first time since 2016, snapping a seven-season streak. That tied Georgetown for the NCAA’s longest active streak of conference title game appearances last season, which the Hoyas can extend in the BIG EAST Tournament.

• IU fell to Michigan for the first time since 2021 and moved to 25-5-5 in the all-time series with the Wolverines.

UP NEXT

The NCAA will announce its 48-team bracket on Monday, November 18.

PURDUE FOOTBALL

GAME NOTES VS. OHIO STATE

PURDUE NOTES:

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After a heartbreaking overtime loss at home, Purdue Football hits the road to face No. 2 Ohio State. Kickoff is slated for noon on FOX.

QUICK HITS

• The Buckeyes are one of five current AP Top 10 teams on Purdue’s schedule this season (No. 1 Oregon, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 6 Penn State, No. 8 Indiana and No. 10 Notre Dame).

• Purdue has seven wins against ranked opponents over the past six seasons, including three against teams ranked in the Top 3 (No. 2 Ohio State in 2018, No. 2 Iowa in 2021, No. 3 Michigan State in 2021).

• The Boilermakers have eight victories over a ranked Ohio State team, including four wins when the Buckeyes were ranked in the Top 5.

• Two of the Boilermakers’ last three games have gone to overtime, marking the first time in program history that Purdue has played two overtime games in a regular season.

• Starting center Gus Hartwig has an 82.8 pass blocking grade from PFF, ranking third in the Big Ten and 20th nationally, while not giving up a sack and allowing only one hit on the quarterback.

• Four Boilermakers (Max Klare – 78, Jaron Tibbs – 56, CJ Smith – 55 and Jahmal Edrine – 54) reached the 50-receiving yard plateau last week against Northwestern, the first time Purdue had four players over 50 yards receiving since the overtime victory in the 2021 Music City Bowl (Dec. 30, 2021 vs. Tennessee).

• Purdue has rushed for at least 200 yards in three games this year, the most 200-yard games in a season since 2018.

• Tight end Max Klare leads the Boilermakers in receptions (30), receiving yards (462) and receiving touchdowns (2), ranking third among Big Ten tight ends in receiving yeards and receptions. Klare is on pace to become the first Purdue tight end to lead the team in receptions since current tight ends coach Justin Sinz hauled in 41 receptions (240 yards, four touchdowns) during the 2013 season.

• One of the nation’s leading tacklers as an All-American a season ago, sophomore Dillon Thieneman ranks second in the Big Ten and 12th nationally in solo tackles (5.1 per game) this year. The 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year leads the Boilermakers in total tackles (64) and solo tackles (42) once again this season.

• Devin Mockobee ranks sixth in the Big Ten in yards per carry (5.92).

• Kyndrich Breedlove has recorded three of Purdue’s four interceptions this season, ranking fourth in the Big Ten and 18th nationally.

• Kydran Jenkins ranks sixth in the Big Ten and 25th nationally in sacks (0.69 per game). Jenkins is the conference leader in sacks wearing a Big Ten uniform, recording 22.0 throughout his career to also rank sixth in Purdue history.

• In his first season as a Boilermaker, Keelan Crimmins is on pace for the second-best punting average (44.8 yards per punt) in program history, behind only 2001 Ray Guy Award winner Travis Dorsch (48.1 yards per punt).

• Crimmins’ punting average ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 20th nationally.

BIG WINS OVER BUCKEYES

• Purdue is no stranger to upsetting Ohio State. The Boilermakers have defeated a ranked OSU team eight times throughout history, including four times when the Buckeyes were ranked in the Top 5.

• The last time the Boilermakers beat a Top 5 Buckeyes team, it was a night Purdue fans will never forget. Inspired by Purdue superfan Tyler Trent’s fight against cancer, the Boilermakers blew out No. 2 Ohio State 49-20 (Oct. 20, 2018).

• One of the most iconic plays in Purdue Football history occurred against Ohio State. Seth Morales caught the game-winning 64-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees, prompting a “Holy Toledo” from TV announcer Brent Musberger as the Boilermakers beat Ohio State (Oct. 28, 2000). Brees’ big throw to Morales helped the Boilermakers win the Big Ten and secure a trip to the Rose Bowl.

RECENT SUCCESS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS 

• Purdue has beaten seven ranked teams over the past six seasons, going 7-12 against Top 25 opponents despite being the underdog in each one of those games.

• Three of those wins were against Top 3 teams, while Purdue handed five of those ranked teams their first loss of the season.

• The victories during the 2021 campaign (No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Michigan State) gave Purdue multiple wins over Top 5 teams in one season for the first time since 1960 (No. 3 Ohio State, No. 1 Minnesota).

• Five of the seven wins have been by double digits, the biggest being a 29-point victory over No. 2 Ohio State in 2018.

• Purdue has 17 victories against AP Top 5 opponents as an unranked team, more than any other team during the AP Poll era (since 1936).

• Five of Purdue’s final seven opponents on its 2024 schedule are against ranked teams, including three ranked in the Top 5 (No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Ohio State).

ON THIS DATE

• Purdue upset No. 9 Michigan 9-3 at Ross-Ade Stadium (Nov. 9, 1996).

• The Boilermakers beat Ole Miss 27-7 as part of a perfect 8-0 season under head coach Jim Phelan (Nov. 9, 1929). 

LEADING THE O-LINE

• Center Gus Hartwig and right tackle Marcus Mbow have been the leaders on Purdue’s offensive line this season.

• Both Boilermakers have started all eight games this season, bringing a total of 72 starts between the duo (Hartwig – 44, Mbow – 28).

• Hartwig has earned an 82.8 pass blocking grade from PFF, not allowing a sack and only surrendering one hit on the quarterback. His pass blocking grade ranks third in the Big Ten and 20th nationally among centers.

• Going up against No. 2 Oregon, Mbow earned a spot on the PFF National Team of the Week for battling the Ducks’ difficult defensive line.

• Mbow has a 78.0 run blocking grade by PFF, ranking fifth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally among tackles.

OT HEARTBREAKS

• Purdue rallied from double-digit deficits in two of the past three games, forcing overtime with fourth quarter comebacks.

• The Boilermakers trailed by 24 in the second half against No. 23 Illinois before coming back and grabbing the lead late in the game. Purdue fell in overtime on a failed two-point conversion.

• Last week against Northwestern, Purdue fell into a 17-3 hole in the first half before holding the Wildcats to only three points in the second half. A Devin Mockobee touchdown with five minutes to go forced overtime, but the visitors prevailed in the extra frame.

• Purdue has played in two overtime games during a regular season for the first time in program history. The only other time the Boilermakers had two OT games in an entire season was the 2003 campaign, a setback to No. 4 Ohio State in Columbus (Nov. 15, 2003) and a loss to No. 11 Georgia in the Capital One Bowl (Jan. 1, 2004).

MAKE ROOM FOR ZOOM

• After missing the first seven games of the season due to injury, the fastest Boilermaker made his Purdue debut.

• Wide receiver CJ Smith, nicknamed “Zoom”, caught four passes for 55 yards against Northwestern in his first game for the Old Gold and Black.

• Smith’s day included a spectacular 38-yard reception over a Wildcat defender on third down that kept the drive alive.

• The sophomore nearly set a new career high, just two yards short of his 57-yard day in a win over UT Martin as a member of the Georgia Bulldogs last season.

MAD MAX

• Max Klare has not missed a beat since he returned to the lineup at the start of the season.

• The sophomore tight end leads Purdue in receptions (30), receiving yards (462) and receiving touchdowns (2), on pace to become the first tight end to lead the Boilermakers in receiving since current tight ends coach Justin Sinz paced Purdue in 2013 (41 receptions).

• Klare has led Purdue in receiving in six of the team’s eight games this season. He is one of six tight ends nationally averaging 15 yards per catch this season (min. 25 rec.).

• He had his best game as a Boilermaker at No. 23 Illinois (Oct. 12), hauling in six receptions for a career-high 133 yards. It marked the most receiving yards by a Purdue tight end since Payne Durham’s 150-yard night in the 2021 season opener and the sixth most by a Boilermaker tight end since 1996. Klare added 76 yards after catch as part of his receiving total.

• Klare was on pace to be one of the best tight ends in the country before his 2023 season was cut short. However, the sophomore bounced back in the 2024 season opener with five catches for 71 yards, both team highs. He also caught Purdue’s first touchdown of the season, a 9-yard strike from Hudson Card on the opening drive.

• Klare was also tabbed to the Comeback Player of the Year Award Watch List ahead of the year.

HERE COMES THE MOCK TRAIN            

• From walk-on to phenom, Devin Mockobee has certainly made a name for himself in his time in West Lafayette.

• For the third straight season, Mockobee leads the Purdue rushing attack. The junior has recorded 539 yards with three rushing touchdowns to pace the Boilermakers in both categories.

• Mockobee’s 5.92 yards per carry ranks sixth in the Big Ten.

• Mockobee sits 11th on Purdue’s all-time rushing list (2,318), passing legendary College Football Hall of Fame running back Leroy Keyes (2,094) against Nebraska (Sept. 28). He also sits 11th with 18 career rushing touchdowns, passing another College Football Hall of Famer (Otis Armstrong) by finding the end zone against Northwestern (Nov. 2).

• With 11 carries for 102 yards at No. 23 Illinois (Oct. 12), Mockobee became the seventh Boilermaker to produce at least eight 100-yard rushing games over a career and the first since Kory Sheets (2005-08) recorded nine over his career.

• He rushed for a season-high 168 rushing yards at Oregon State (Sept. 21), becoming the sixth Boilermaker since 1996 to record a 100-yard rushing game in three separate seasons.

• He started his career by setting a new Purdue freshman record with 968 rushing yards while also adding nine touchdowns.

• After being put on scholarship in the first official act of the Walters era, he led the team in rushing once again with 807 yards and six touchdowns in 2023.

• In doing so, Mockobee became the first Boilermaker to lead the team in rushing in back-to-back seasons since Markell Jones, who did it three years running (2015-17).

• The Boonville, Ind., native is one of only four Big Ten players to rush for more than 800 yards in each of the past two seasons.

TACKLES-4-LOSS                                          

• One of the major anchors of the defense is senior Kydran Jenkins (KAY-dran), who ranks sixth in Purdue history with 22.0 career sacks and 12th with 40.0 tackles-for-loss.

• The senior linebacker leads the Boilermakers in TFLs (8.5) and sacks (5.5), while ranking second in tackles (58).

• Jenkins sacks per game (0.69) ranks sixth in the Big Ten and 25th nationally.

• Jenkins had a huge game against Oregon State (Sept. 21), recording a career-high 16 tackles to go along with 3.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks. With his second sack of the contest, he became the eighth Boilermaker in program history to make 20 career sacks.

• As a junior, Jenkins finished second in the Big Ten in tackles-for-loss with 15.5 on the year, ranking 18th in the country and the most by a Boilermaker since George Karlaftis in 2019 (17.0).

• He garnered All-Big Ten Honorable Mention for the second straight year in 2023.

• A versatile player, Jenkins moved from RUSH END to middle linebacker ahead of the 2024 campaign, a position he played in high school and a spot the coaching staff believed would do more to impress NFL scouts.

DT THE TACKLING MACHINE

• After pacing Purdue and becoming one of the nation’s leading tacklers as a freshman, Dillon Thieneman is back atop the Boilermakers’ chart for tackles in 2024.

• The sophomore defensive back leads Purdue in total tackles (64) and solo tackles (42), ranking second in the Big Ten solo tackles and sixth in total tackles.

• Thieneman’s 5.1 solo tackles per game rank 12th nationally.

• A season ago, Thieneman led the team with 106 tackles, ranking fifth in the Big Ten among all players and the most by any freshman in the country

• His 74 solo tackles in 2023 led all freshmen nationwide and set a new Purdue freshman record.

HIGHWAY TO HELDT

• After recording only 12 tackles throughout his freshman season, sophomore rush end Will Heldt has made 37 tackles this season. He ranks second on the team in sacks (5.0) and tackles-for-loss (7.5).

• Heldt recorded his first career touchdown with a 16-yard scoop-and-score at No. 23 Illinois (Oct. 12).

• At Wisconsin (Oct. 5), Heldt recorded a career-high eight tackles to pace Purdue.

• Heldt started the season with a team-high seven tackles, 3.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks in the win over Indiana State. Prior to the season opener, Heldt’s career high in tackles were two.

LOVIN’ THE INTs

• An important part of Purdue’s nickel defense, Kyndrich Breedlove produced a breakout game at Wisconsin (Oct. 5).

• The Nashville, Tennessee, native hauled in interceptions on back-to-back drives in the second quarter for Purdue’s first INTs of the season.

• Breedlove’s performance marked just the eighth time in the last decade that a Boilermaker recorded two interceptions in one game and the first since Dillon Thieneman did it in the 2023 season finale victory over Indiana.

• He added his third INT of the season against No. 2 Oregon (Oct. 18), becoming the 13th Boilermaker over the past decade to pick off three passes in a season.

• Breedlove also leads the Boilermakers with four pass breakups on the season.

ANOTHER AUSSIE                                        

• Keelan Crimmins has quickly become one of Purdue’s most reliable punters in program history.

• Crimmins is fourth in the Big Ten and ranks 20th nationally with a 44.8-yard average. He is on pace to be the fourth Boilermaker to average over 44 yards in a season going back to 1976.

• He is on pace for the second-highest season punt average in program history behind Ray Guy Award winner Travis Dorsch (48.1 yards per punt).

• Against Notre Dame, Crimmins punted 10 times for a 47.3-yard clip with a pair of balls over 50 yards and three inside the 20-yard line.

• It was only the sixth time a Big Ten punter averaged over 47 yards when punting 10 times. Iowa has three of them.

• His career-long 64-yard kick against the Irish was just the 20th ball of 64 or more yards by Purdue punter since 1996.

• He tallied a 46.7-yard average against Indiana State on three boots.

• The Aussie was the No. 3-ranked punter by ProKick Australia.

• He played cricket and high-level Australian Rules Football.

• Crimmins is the second straight Purdue punter from Australia, joining Jack Ansell (2021-23), who also wore No. 30.

OHIO STATE NOTES:

Ohio State will be back on FOX for another Big Noon Kickoff Saturday when it hosts the Purdue Boilermakers at Ohio Stadium.  The No. 3 Buckeyes are 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten Conference while Purdue enters the game 1-7 and 0-5, respectively.  The winning team between Ohio State and Purdue the last four meetings has scored at least 40 points, the first time in the history of the series for such a streak of points. Ohio State scored 56 points in 2013, 59 in 2021 and 41 last year. Purdue scored 49 in its 2018 win.  Purdue is the last unranked team to defeat Ohio State, doing so convincingly in 2018 at Ross-Ade Stadium against No. 2 Ohio State, 49-20.  After allowing 32 points and 496 yards in the one-point loss at then-No. 3 Oregon, Ohio State’s defense has limited its last two opponents – Nebraska and Penn State – to a combined 30 points and 543 total yards.  In honor of Veterans Day Monday, Nov. 11, will be Ohio State’s Military Appreciation Game. On-field recognition will include a large flag presentation, a flyover (two C-130’s from Little Rock Air Force Base), and on-field enlistment ceremonies.

OHIO STATE vs. PURDUE  The game will be the 60th between Ohio State and Purdue but only the fourth in the last 11 years (since 2013).  Ohio State leads the all-time series, 41-15-2, including wins in the last two meetings: 59-31 in 2021 at Ohio Stadium and 41-7 last year at Ross-Ade Stadium. HOME AND AWAY  Ohio State is 26-6-2 vs. Purdue in Ohio Stadium with nine consecutive wins in Columbus dating to a 31-26 Boilermaker win in 1988.  Flip-flopping: Ohio State is 14-9 all-time against Purdue in West Lafayette.

FIVE AND THAT’S NO JIVE  Purdue has five wins over Ohio State this century (vs. nine losses).  That number is the second-most wins this century over Ohio State by a Big Ten Conference team next to Michigan’s six wins (vs. 16 Michigan losses to Ohio State).  Penn State has five wins (against 19 losses) and Wisconsin has four wins (vs. 15 losses).  No other Big Ten team has defeated Ohio State at least four times since 2000. COUPLE OF QUICKIES  The game will only be Purdue’s third in Ohio Stadium since 2010 with the others in 2012 and 2021.  Purdue’s win in 2018 snapped a 12-game Ohio State winning streak and kept a 12-1 Big Ten champion Ohio State team out of the College Football Playoffs.

TV NETWORK STREAK ENDS AT 315  Last year’s game against Purdue at Ross Ade Stadium was the first exclusively “streamed” Ohio State football broadcast, and the first not televised live via a traditional network in 315 games, or since the 1996 tape-delayed (CBS) game at Minnesota.  Ohio State had its second “streamed” game this year: vs. Michigan State in East Lansing.

KENNY G WAS SMOOOOOTH  Backup QB Kenny Guiton led Ohio State on a game-tying 61-yard TD drive with less than a minute remaining to force OT and Ohio State would prevail over Purdue, 29- 22, to preserve what would become only the sixth undefeated/untied team in school history in 2012.  Guiton, now the WRs coach at Wisconsin, connected with Chris Fields for the touchdown and Jeff Heuerman for the two-point conversion and engineered a TD drive in OT for the win. COUPLE OF QUICKIES  The game will only be Purdue’s third in Ohio Stadium since 2010 with the others in 2012 and 2021.  Purdue’s win in 2018 snapped a 12-game Ohio State winning streak and kept a 12-1 Big Ten champion Ohio State team out of the College Football Playoffs.

COLUMN NOTES … Top 5 wins on the road don’t just grow on trees. Just sayin’.  Ohio State has played two Associated Press Top 5 teams (No. 3 Oregon and No. 3 Penn State) on the road in one season for only the third time. In 1960 Ohio State played at No. 4 Illinois and No. 5 Iowa; in 1997 it played at No. 2 Penn State and No. 1 Michigan.  Ohio State has moved back into a second-place tie with Alabama for most all-time wins with 971.  Lathan Ransom returned to the starting lineup after a one-game absence and recorded seven tackles and a pass breakup. Ransom leads all active Buckeyes with 188 career tackles.  The streak of consecutive games with a touchdown has ended for Jeremiah Smith at seven. Smith ranks in a T9th nationally with eight TD receptions while Emeka Egbuka ranks T15th with seven. The Buckeyes missed scoring in the red zone in its only opportunity vs. Penn State, derailing, hopefully only momentarily, a tour-de-force that had been a perfect 27- for-27 start to the season.  Will Howard had a career-high as a Buckeye with 12 rushing attempts for 24 yards that, unfortunately, included a fumble into the end zone for a touchback but also two first-down rushes on third down on the final, clock-subduing drive.  Joe McGuire has had back-to-back, season punting averages of 47.0 yards vs. Nebraska and Penn State.  Cody Simon has led the team in tackles for three consecutive games.  Ohio State has won 46 consecutive games when it records two or more opponent turnovers, including three times this year, but the team has forced only two in the last three games.  CB Denzel Burke leads all DBs nationally with 43 consecutive starts.  A key first-half forced fumble at Michigan State was Lathan Ransom’s second this season and the team-leading fifth of his career.  Will Howard’s five rushing TDs are the most by a Buckeye QB in five seasons, or since Justin Fields had five in 2020 (after scoring 10 times in 2019).

PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL

#14 PURDUE HOSTS NORTHERN KENTUCKY ON FRIDAY NIGHT IN MACKEY

GAMEDAY INFORMATION — GAME 02

[14] Purdue (1-0) vs. Northern Kentucky (0-1)

7 p.m. ET | West Lafayette, Indiana

Mackey Arena (14,876 – SOLD OUT)

ONLINE: B1G+ (J.J. Palmer, Max Bury)

RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)

THE NOTES TO KNOW

• The Purdue men’s basketball continues a season-long, four-game homestand under the Friday Night Lights of Mackey Arena when Horizon League power Northern Kentucky visits Mackey Arena for the first time in 11 years. The Boilermakers are coming off a 17-point victory over TAMUCC in the opener, while the Norse dropped a 12-point decision at Florida State.

• The Boilermakers are looking to start 2-0 for the fourth straight season. The last time Purdue didn’t start 2-0 was in 2020-21 with a win over Liberty and a loss to Clemson in the Space Coast Challenge, starting that season 1-1.

• Purdue has won 27 straight non-conference games in Mackey Arena, its last setback coming Nov. 9, 2019 vs. Texas. The streak is tied for the longest in Mackey Arena history and with a win over the Norse, will set the school record with its 28th straight, non-conference home win.

• Purdue has won 23 straight games in the month of November, the last loss coming Nov. 26, 2020, against Clemson in the Space Coast Challenge, good for the second-longest streak nationally. Purdue is 94-23 (.803) under Matt Painter during the month of November.

• The Boilermakers haven’t lost a non-conference regular-season game since Dec. 8, 2020, at Miami, Florida — a span of 1,432 days and 36 games. The 36-game streak is the sixth-longest streak over the last 60 years and a win over the Norse will give Purdue its 37th straight regular-season, non-conference victory — good for the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history.

• Purdue has won 18 straight home games, the seventh-longest home winning streak in school history. A win over Northern Kentucky will be No. 19, which would tie for the fourth-longest streak in Mackey Arena history. Purdue is 47-3 at home since the start of the 2021-22 season.

• The Boilermakers’ 18-game home winning streak is the sixth-longest streak nationally (Houston, Drake, UConn, Samford, Iowa State).

• Since the 2015-16 season, Purdue is now 57-2 (.966) against non-conference opposition. The lone losses came to defending National Champion Villanova (Nov. 2016) and Texas (Nov. 2019). Purdue is 113-6 (.950) in Mackey Arena vs. unranked teams since the 2015-16 season.

• The Boilermakers open the 2024-25 campaign ranked No. 14 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll released Oct. 14.

• Purdue has been ranked in 39 straight AP Top 25 polls, the sixth-longest active streak in the country and the third longest in school history.

• Purdue is looking to become the first team to win three straight outright Big Ten titles since the Boilermakers did it in 1994-96. Ohio State also accomplished the feat in 1960-62 as the only programs to record an outright “threepeat”.

• Purdue’s 111 wins over the last four seasons are the third-most nationally behind Houston (126) and Gonzaga (118). The Boilermakers’ 111 wins during that span are the most for a four-year span in Purdue history. The record for most wins in a five-year stretch is 130 (2015-19).

• Purdue, Duke, Gonzaga and Houston are the only programs in America to have made at least a Sweet 16, Elite 8 and Final Four in the last five NCAA Tournaments. Purdue reached the Sweet 16 in 2022, the Elite 8 in 2019 and the Final Four in 2024.

• Matt Painter ranks fourth on the Big Ten’s list for career wins with 448, trailing only Tom Izzo (708), Bob Knight (662) and Gene Keady (512) in Big Ten history. On the Big Ten games-only chart, Painter is fifth (226 wins), needing two wins to tie Hall of Famer, Ward “Piggy” Lambert of Purdue with 228 victories.

• Braden Smith dished out 15 assists in the win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the most assists in Big Ten history in a season opener. It marked his third career 15-assist game, also the most in league history. Smith had a hand in 47 of Purdue’s 90 points in the opener.

• The trio of Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn combined for 48 points, 18 rebounds and 20 assists in the opener.

• Braden Smith needs five assists to move past Porter Roberts (464 assists) into fifth place on Purdue’s career assists list.

PURDUE VOLLEYBALL

PURDUE SET FOR INDIANA, MICHIGAN IN WEEK 11

Friday, November 8

7 p.m. ET | #9 Purdue at Indiana | B1G+ | WSHY 104.3 FM

Sunday, November 10

1 p.m. ET | Michigan at #9 Purdue | B1G+ | WSHY 104.3 FM

West Lafayette, Ind. – After a pair of sweeps, the Purdue volleyball squad (18-5, 9-3 Big Ten) re-entered the AVCA coaches’ poll top-10 for Week 11, checking in at No. 9 ahead of the team’s trip to Indiana (12-10, 5-7 Big Ten) on Friday and vs. Michigan (16-7, 6-6 Big Ten) at home on Sunday.

Both matches will be available to watch on B1G+.

SCHEDULE NOTES

Only eight matches remain in the regular-season, including four home matches.

Purdue’s already played eight teams ranked or receiving votes and have an additional four matches to come.

The regular season will close with four straight matches vs. teams ranked or receiving votes, with three on the road: at #3 Penn State (11/21), vs. #20 USC (11/23), at #12 Oregon (11/27) and at receiving votes (RV) Washington (11/29).

PURDUE’S 9-3 BIG TEN RECORD

The team entered November with just three Big Ten losses, marking the second straight year and seventh time Purdue has had such few losses under Shondell this far into league play.

SCOUTING THE INDIANA HOOSIERS

Indiana currently sits at 11th in the Big Ten standings and are 5-5 over its last 10 matches.

Since playing Purdue in Mackey, the Hoosiers have gone 3-1, with a loss to #8 Wisconsin and wins vs. Northwestern, at Maryland and at Rutgers.

One of the best liberos in the Big Ten, sophomore Ramsey Gary is averaging 4.35 digs per set, #3 in the league.

Candela Alonso-Corcelles leads the team with 4.11 points per set, followed by Mady Saris’ 2.61.

Cam Haworth leads the team behind the service line, ranking #5 in the conference with 37 aces this season.

SCOUTING THE MICHIGAN WOLVERINES

Michigan sits at 10th in the Big Ten standings and have a 4-6 record over its last 10 matches.

Five of Michigan’s seven losses this season have come to top-15 programs during Big Ten action.

Rutgers has pushed two Big Ten teams to five sets: vs. Iowa and at Michigan, both of which came in the opening weekend.

The Wolverine generates a strong offense, seeing the second-most assists and attacks among Big Ten Teams. Meanwhile, they are ranked third in kills and fourth in aces per set and digs.

Valentina Vaulet’s serve produces .64 aces per set, 5th in the nation and will mark the second straight week Purdue has faced the toughest servers in not just the Big Ten, but nation (last week faced the national leader at Maryland).

Allison Jacobs and Valentina Vaulet lead the team’s offense with Nyambio owning a .376 hitting % and Jacobs kills per set and 4.40 points per set.

PURDUE VS. INDIANA: HISTORY AT A GLANCE

Purdue is 30-19 all-time in away matches at Indiana.

The Boilermakers won 10 consecutive matches in Bloomington until last year’s loss (2013-22).

Purdue is 23-1 in the last 24 matches vs. Indiana (home and away).

The Boilermakers have lost at home just one time under Dave Shondell and are 39-4 all-time vs. Indiana since Shondell took the reigns in 2003.

The Boilermakers have won 20 of the last 22 Monon Spike matches.

PURDUE’S NON CON VS. BIG TEN PLAY IMPROVEMENTS

Despite playing six more sets in non-con, the Boilermakers have scored more points offensively (778 points in Big Ten vs. 711 in non-con, including 611 kills in Big Ten play vs. 536 in non-con).

Serving has also improved, now averaging 1.50 aces per set in Big Ten action vs. 1.34 in non-con.

Although Purdue’s block has not been as efficient in Big Ten play (averaging one less block per set), the team has made fewer blocking errors in league action.

HUDSON: IMPROVING AS THE SEASON GOES

Like last year, Hudson is improving during Big Ten action. She has increased her kills per set (4.34 in non-con vs. 4.59 in Big Ten play), hitting % (.279 in non-con vs. .285 in Big Ten), digs per set (2.21 in non-con vs. 2.57 in Big Ten).

BIG TEN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (11/4): ALI HORNUNG

Libero Ali Hornung received her second Defensive Player of the Week award after guiding the team to a Big Ten-leading 17.67. Meanwhile her passing set Purdue up for a Big Ten-leading .364 hitting % and 15.83 kills per set.

She registered a perfect reception % at Maryland and at Rutgers.

Began the week with 17 digs at Maryland, followed by 14 at Rutgers.

It was Hornung’s second career DPOW, earning one as well a month ago (10/7) after totaling 64 digs (5.33 per set) over three matches, including 22 digs in three sets vs. Michigan State and a near-double-double vs. #10 Kentucky.

Hornung is averaging more digs per set during conference-play vs. non-con: 4.18 vs. 3.76.

CHICOINE’S ERRORLESS PERFORMANCE VS. INDIANA

Chloe Chicoine went errorless on the attach vs. Indiana (10/19), recording 12 kills on 30 attacks for a .400 clip.

The last time a Purdue outside hitter went errorless with a 30 attack minimum was All-American Grace Cleveland vs. Indiana in 2021.

In fact, Chicoine is just the third Boilermaker in the last 10 years to go errorless on the attack with a 30-attempt minimum. In addition to Cleveland’s match, she is joined by Sherridan Atkinson’s.

She is the only outside hitter in the Big Ten to go errorless on the attack in league action this year, and is just the second overall this season, joined by Oregon’s Mimi Colyer’s 12-0-33 (.364%) show vs. San Diego on Sept. 14.

Meanwhile, she went errorless in seven of eight sets last week (vs. UCLA and vs. Indiana).

PURDUE SWIMMING

PURDUE RETURNS TO JERSEY TO CONTINUE SERIES WITH RUTGERS

DUAL MEET INFORMATION

Purdue at Rutgers

Friday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. ET

Rutgers Aquatic Center / Piscataway, N.J.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue women’s swimming & diving returns to the East Coast for the first of its four Big Ten duals this season, visiting Rutgers for Friday’s final dual meet of the fall semester.

Action is set for 4 p.m. ET at the Rutgers Aquatic Center, where the Boilermakers competed for the first time two years ago as part of a two-day dual the final weekend of October. It’s the fifth season in a row in which Purdue and Rutgers have met up for a regular-season meet, dating back to RU sending a small contingent to West Lafayette in February 2021.

Friday’s dual will feature the default 16-event lineup, with the exception of the 400 individual medley replacing the 200 IM.

Purdue won its dual meet opener Oct. 25 at Missouri. The home team has won each of the previous four seasons in the Purdue-Rutgers series.

With the Boilermaker men also competing at Louisville on Friday, it will mark the first time since the final Saturday of January in 2022 that the Purdue men and women have had full team representation at separate meets on the same day.

PURDUE NOTABLES LAST 2 YEARS VS. RUTGERS (Active Boilermakers)

October 2022 in Piscataway – Event Winners

Hannah Hill – 100 Free, 3 Relays

Maggie Love – 200 IM, 3 Relays

Madeline Greaves – 400 IM

Daryn Wright – 1-Meter Diving

Abby Marcukaitis – 2 Relays November 2023 in West Lafayette – Event Winners

Caitlin Hurley – 100, 200 & 1000 Free

Sophie McAfee – 1-Meter & 3-Meter Diving

Maggie Love – 200 IM, 2 Relays

Brinly Hardy – 200 Fly

Hannah Hill – 2 Relays

INDIVIDUAL EVENT WINNERS IN OCTOBER

THREE

• Abby Marcukaitis – 100 Back at Each Meet

TWO

• Hannah Hill – 50 Free at Home Opener & at Mizzou

• Sophie McAfee – 3-Meter Diving at Home Opener & at Mizzou

• Lara Phipps – 100 Free at Home Opener & at Mizzou

• Adele Sands – 200 & 500 Free at Mizzou

ONE

• Kathryn Ackerman – 200 IM at Mizzou

• Masy Folck – 100 Breast at Be Better Invite

• Keira Kask – 100 Fly at Mizzou

• Avery Worobel – 1-Meter Diving at Mizzou

• Daryn Wright – 1-Meter Diving at Home Opener

• Maggie Love – 100 IM at Home Opener

• Caitlin Hurley – 5×100 Free at Be Better Invite

• Ana Rojas – 50 Free Underwater with Fins at Be Better Invite

VICTORIOUS RELAY TEAMS

• 200 Free at Home Opener – Hill, Wiuff, K. Ackerman & Love

• 200 Medley at Home Opener – Marcukaitis, Folcik, Kask & Phipps

• 400 Free at Mizzou – Phipps, Hurley, Sands & Hill

PURDUE WRESTLING

BOILERS TAKE OFF TO TIGER STYLE INVITE

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Purdue Wrestling is ready to compete in the third annual Tiger Style Invitational on Saturday, Nov. 9, the team’s first tournament of the season. Action from Staley High School will run all day beginning at 11 a.m. ET, with a break prior to the first and third-place matches.

The event marks Purdue’s first trip to Kansas City since the 2024 NCAA Championships, when the Boilers sent five representatives to the Big Dance. All five qualifiers returned this season, including No. 4 Matt Ramos, No. 18 Joey Blaze, No. 22 Stoney Buell, No. 30 Brody Baumann and Greyson Clark.

Last year’s “Fab 5” will be among Purdue’s travel party of 15 heading to Staley High. The strong field of competition consists of No. 9 Missouri (host), No. 21 Little Rock, Cal Poly, SIUE and fellow Big Ten foe Maryland.

Cal Poly and Maryland were among the “others receiving votes” category in the first NWCA Coaches Poll this week.

There will be numerous opportunities for big wins with a total of 28 non-Purdue ranked wrestlers (via InterMat) set to compete on Saturday. Thirteen of those 28 wrestlers rank in the top 15 of their respective weight classes.

Baumann, Ramos and James Rowley are all coming off dominant performances at Gardner-Webb last Friday, where each landed pins to open their season with a bang. Blaze notched a tech fall in a commanding 20-4 victory to pace Purdue in points.

In the Boilermakers’ 34-10 win over the Runnin’ Bulldogs, Buell and Hayden Filipovich notched major decisions while Isaac Ruble earned a come-from-behind decision in the final seconds of his match.

Orlando Cruz, Jacob Macatangay, Isaiah Quintero, Jaden Reynolds and Christian White are set to make their season debuts.

The tournament broadcast will be streamed live on FloWrestling. Be sure to follow @PurdueWrestling on X/Twitter to keep up with live match coverage.

PROJECTED LINEUP

125 | #4 Matt Ramos, Isaiah Quintero

133 | Dustin Norris, Jacob Macatangay

141 | Greyson Clark, Christian White

149 | Isaac Ruble, Jaden Reynolds

157 | #18 Joey Blaze

165 | #22 Stoney Buell

174 | #30 Brody Baumann, Orlando Cruz

184 | James Rowley

197 | Ben Vanadia

285 | Hayden Filipovich

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

NO. 10 NOTRE DAME NOT TAKING REELING FLORIDA STATE LIGHTLY AS IT CHASES A PLAYOFF SPOT

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman keeps reminding his players of the lessons from Week 2.

Be ready, be prepared and avoid the mirage by taking nothing for granted.

If that inexplicable early-season loss to Northern Illinois did anything for the Fighting Irish, it’s steeled them for Saturday night’s matchup against reeling Florida State.

The Seminoles five-game losing streak and 1-8 record has taken the luster off what was supposed to be one of this weekend’s marquee matchups when the season began. And with No. 10 Notre Dame (7-1, No. 10 CFP ), Freeman knows his team cannot afford another misstep if it hopes to make the expanded 12-team playoff field.

“It’s a mental preparation and a physical preparation, and we know what the result is when you don’t mentally prepare the right way,” Freeman said. “We know it, and that’s why we say, ‘Keep the pain of NIU,’ because that’s a result of not having the right mindset.”

It’s been an epic freefall for the Seminoles, who were snubbed from last season’s four-team playoff despite posting an unbeaten regular-season mark and who started this season ranked in the Top 10.

But nothing has gone as expected. Coach Mike Norvell’s team didn’t have just one early season stumble — it lost its first three games before beating California and hasn’t won since. In fact, the Seminoles are 0-4 outside of Tallahassee, and in a season they’re trying to salvage something, a win at Notre Dame might be just the trick.

“I am shocked in where we are,” Norvell said Monday. “You look at some of the results we’ve faced, you look at some of the circumstances that have shown up, you go into a season and you have a picture in your mind of what things are going to look like. It really has been shocking some of the things that have kind of evolved throughout this season.”

Freeman is equally surprised.

And he wants his players to fully understand what they’re up against this week — a team with four straight strong recruiting classes and a team capable of beating anybody. Even a foe in the playoff picture.

“Listen, it’s a very talented football team, and it doesn’t take long to turn on the film and realize how talented they are,” Freeman said. “The record doesn’t reflect their talent. They’ve had to deal with some injuries, especially at quarterback, that has affected the outcome of their games. Our team must, and we will respect the challenge Saturday night presents.”

The Irish don’t have a choice if they want to make the playoffs.

QB questions

Perhaps nothing has short-circuited Florida State’s season like the quarterback carrousel.

D.J. Uiagalelei, the former Clemson and Oregon State starter, was lost after having surgery on his throwing hand after a loss to SMU in Game 5. Brock Glenn replaced Uiagalelei and then Glenn was replaced by Luke Kromenhoek in the second quarter of a loss to Duke.

Glenn took most of the snaps in last week’s 35-11 loss, though Kromenhoek got in significant playing time. It’s unclear how Norvell will play it Saturday.

Matchup problems

In Notre Dame’s 51-14 victory over then-No. 24 Navy two weeks ago, the Irish forced six turnovers. That’s not good news for Florida State, which ranks 132nd in the FBS with a minus-12 turnover margin and has been outscored 68-3 in points off turnovers.

While that’s been a major problem all season for Florida State, it’s hardly the only one. The Seminoles rank 133rd in yards rushing per game (76.1), are averaging just 14.4 points and are 101st in yards passing (208.2 per game) — not a good matchup against a defense that ranks No. 3 in pass efficiency allowed (96.25).

Finishing strong

Though Florida State will post its fifth losing season in seven years and could produce its lowest win total since the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2020 season when the Seminoles were 3-6 and its lowest full season victory win total since a 3-8 mark in 1975, Norvell believes a strong finishing kick could help turn the program around.

“For us, every game, every day, we’re recruiting,” Norvell said. “We’re having those conversations with guys that are committed to us. We’re having conversations with guys that we’re going after. Man, we’re putting everything that we have into the growth for this program. Obviously, it’s all going into the players we have to finish this season and then it’s a focus on where we’re going and who we’re doing it with moving forward.”

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

GAME NOTES VS. FLORIDA STATE

NOTRE DAME NOTES

Saturday will mark the 12th meeting between Notre Dame and Florida State. There has never been a matchup between the two teams in which at least one of the teams was not ranked in the AP Top 25. • Notre Dame is 5-6 all-time against Florida State, and 3-2 when playing at Notre Dame Stadium • The Irish won the last meeting, a 41-38 overtime game in Tallahassee. Saturday will mark the first time the Seminoles have visited Notre Dame Stadium since 2020 when Notre Dame played as a member of the ACC. • Notre Dame is 218-84-3 all-time against the ACC, and 3-0 against the ACC in 2024. • The Irish are 22-7 in home night games at Notre Dame Stadium. The most recent night game at Notre Dame Stadium was Oct. 14, 2023, vs Southern Cal, a 48-20 Irish win. • Notre Dame is one of four teams with three AP Top 25 wins so far this season (joins No. 5 Texas, No. 7 Tennessee, and Illinois). Notre Dame and Tennessee own the best record vs. ranked opponents this season in FBS, going 3-0. • The victory over Navy is the 10th-ranked win of the Marcus Freeman era at Notre Dame. The 23-13 win at No. 20 Texas A&M was his eighth victory over a ranked opponent and the 31-24 win over No. 15 Louisville was the ninth. Only Frank Leahy (10 such wins) earned as many ranked victories in his first three years on the Irish sidelines. • No other active FBS coach has earned more ranked victories in his first three seasons than Freeman’s 10. • In Week 9, there were five matchups across college football in which both teams were ranked. Notre Dame owned the largest margin of victory in those games, with a 37-point difference, in the 51-14 win over No. 24 Navy.

IRISH ITEMS – BY THE NUMBERS 2nd Leading the nation in interceptions with seven in 2023 and earning national defensive player of the week honors twice, Xavier Watts became the second Notre Dame player to win the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player (Manti Te’o won the award in 2012). Watts was just the third Notre Dame player to lead the nation in interceptions in 2023, picking off seven passes. He is the first Irish player to pace the country since Mike Townsend intercepted 10 passes in 1972. Tony Carey (eight) also led the country in interceptions in 1964. Watts added interceptions in the wins over No. 20 Texas A&M, No. 15 Louisville and Georgia Tech to make 10 on his career. 2 Notre Dame is one of just two FBS programs (Auburn) that have three or more receivers who were the leading receiver (either in yards or receptions) on an FBS roster in 2023: Tight end Mitchell Evans (led Notre Dame with 29 receptions); wide receiver Jayden Harrison (led Marshall with 410 receiving yards); and wide receiver Kris Mitchell (led FIU in both receptions and yards – 64 receptions for 1,118 yards). 2 Senior quarterback Riley Leonard owns 30 rushing touchdowns for his career, including three in the first half at Purdue, and two vs. Miami (OH) and Georgia Tech. He ranks second among all active FBS quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns (Dillon Gabriel – 32). With three rushing touchdowns in a single game at Purdue, Leonard is one of three Power 4 quarterbacks to achieve the feat so far this season, one of just 10 FBS quarterbacks to do so, and one of three FBS quarterbacks to do so in a single half. 3 Notre Dame’s defense is one of the best in the nation, ranking third in team passing efficiency defense (96.25), fourth in scoring defense (12.1), fourth in passing defense (156.1), fifth in red zone defense (0.667), fifth in first downs allowed (124), sixth in turnovers gained (18), sixth in defensive touchdowns (3), seventh in fumbles recovered (8), eighth in total defense (282.9), 11th in third down defense (0.299) and 14th in fourth down defense (0.348), 3-24 Notre Dame held two-straight opponents to 3-24 on third down (Miami 2-12, Purdue 1-12), the best back-to-back two-game total since 2021 (Cincinnati 2-12, Wisconsin 1-14). Those are the two best back-to-back two-game stretches since data is available starting in 1996. 5 Notre Dame is one of just five programs in the Power 4 with eight or more wins over each of the last four seasons, joined by Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and NC State. 5th Notre Dame finished the 2023 season ranked fifth in FBS for total defense (276.3), the program’s best effort since 1980 (4th). The Irish also led the nation in pass-efficiency defense (97.09). 10 The victory over Navy is the 10th ranked win of the Marcus Freeman era at Notre Dame. The 23-13 win at No. 20 Texas A&M was his eighth victory over a ranked opponent and the 31-24 win over No. 15 Louisville was the ninth. Only Frank Leahy (10 such wins) earned as many ranked victories in his first three years on the Irish sidelines. In 2023, the 40-8 Sun Bowl victory over No. 21 Oregon State not only earned Freeman his first campaign with 10 victories, it also was his team’s seventh victory over an Associated Press-ranked team in his first two years leading the program – breaking Terry Brennan’s previous program record of six in 1954 and 55. 14th The Irish finished the 2023 season ranked 14th in the Associated Press poll, marking the seventh-straight campaign, and 10 of the last 12 Notre Dame has appeared in the final AP ranking. That seven-season final AP ranking streak is the best run for the Notre Dame program since the Irish finished in the AP Top 25 11 consecutive seasons from 1964-74.

TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – OFFENSE • Jayden Thomas entered the 2023 season as Notre Dame’s leading returning receiver and served in that role in the first four games of the 2023 season, catching 12 passes for over 180 yards and a touchdown. • Beaux Collins is Notre Dame’s leading receiver in 2024, with 28 receptions for 359 yards. He recorded 91 receptions for 1,290 yards and 11 touchdowns in 1,578 offensive snaps over 32 games (27 starts) at Clemson from 2021-23. He broke out late in his true freshman season with 31 catches for 407 yards and three touchdowns. • Jaden Greathouse was the first Irish true freshman wideout to catch two touchdown passes in his first-career game (against Navy in 2023). His five touchdown catches during a rookie campaign are the most for a Notre Dame true freshman since 2016. • Jayden Harrison was a first-team All-American as a kick returner at Marshall last season, tying for the FBS lead with two kick return touchdowns in 2023. In 2023, Harrison played in all 13 games for Marshall (started four), totaling 28 receptions for 410 yards (14.6 yards per reception) and a touchdown. • Kris Mitchell, a transfer from FIU, led CUSA and ranked in the Top 20 nationally in receiving yards in 2023 (1,118 – 18th nationally) and receiving yads per game (93.2 – 13th nationally). Mitchell owns 100 career receptions for 1,663 yards and 11 touchdowns. • KK Smith began his time at Notre Dame recovering from an injury. His hard work over 2023 Fall allowed Smith to return to practice during bowl prep and make his Notre Dame debut in the Sun Bowl victory over Oregon State. • Jordan Faison joined the Notre Dame football team as a walk-on and made his collegiate athletics debut at No. 25 Louisville in 2023, and was put on football scholarship. He would end the season with 19 catches for 322 yards and four touchdowns, capping the year by earning Sun Bowl MVP honors with five catches for 115 yards and a touchdown. • Notre Dame’s offensive line presents some new faces in 2024 with the departures of NFL Draftees Joe Alt and Blake Fisher. Pat Coogan, Ashton Craig, Billy Schrauth, Tosh Baker, Rocco Spindler, and Charles Jagusah own starting experience. Irish linemen Aamil Wagner, Sam Pendleton and Anthonie Knapp all made their first-career starts at No. 20 Texas A&M. • Mitchell Evans had a breakout season in 2023 before being sidelined with an injury. He played in eight games as a junior, starting seven, and ended the season as the team’s top receiving target, averaging 52.8 yards per game. Through those eight games, Evans totaled 29 receptions for 422 yards and a touchdown during the season, averaging 14.6 yards per catch. With Evans’ injury, Cooper Flanagan and Eli Raridon saw action in 2023, each scoring a touchdown, and will look to have an increased role in 2024. • Riley Leonard owns 30 rushing touchdowns for his career, ranking second among all active FBS quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns (Dillon Gabriel – 32). He enters his senior season and first with Notre Dame coming off a Duke career as one of the ACC’s premier quarterbacks. See page 19 for more on Leonard. • Steve Angeli made the most of his first-career start in the 2023 Sun Bowl completing 15 of 19 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to that game, he went 19-for-25 passing with four touchdowns in seven relief appearances. • With the departure of NFL Draft pick Audric Estimé, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are poised to lead the Irish running backs in 2024. See page 21 for more on the Irish running backs • Mitch Jeter joins the Irish from South Carolina and owns a career 87.5 percent field-goal rate (28-32), connecting on 97-100 extra points. James Rendell hails from Melbourne, Australia, and made a mark in Australian football with the Victorian Football League before making the move to the United States this offseason. See page 22 for more on the Irish specialists.

TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – DEFENSE • Joshua Burnham finished the 2023 season with 18 tackles, four tackles for loss and a sack. Junior Tuihalamaka appeared in all 13 games in 2023 while posting 10 tackles. • Rylie Mills was named a 2024 team captain and was a disruptive force on the Irish defensive line in 2023. See page 17 for more information on Mills. • Howard Cross III established himself as one of the top playmaking interior defensive linemen in the country during the 2023 season. See page 16 for more information on Cross. Donovan Hinish appeared in nine games in 2023 and posted a career-best four stops in the win over Central Michigan. • RJ Oben transferred from Duke in the offseason with 34 career starts and 50 games played. Entering Notre Dame, he had posted 67 tackles on his career, with 14.5 sacks (loss of 91 yards), five forced fumbles, two passes defended, and an interception. Bryce Young is now seeing time in the regular defensive line rotation and has made a significant mark on special teams. He is a four-star true freshman and was an Adidas All-American as a high school senior. See page 17 for more on Young. • Jack Kiser leads a linebacker room with young talent. A team captain and 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy Finalist, Kiser will make a run for the Notre Dame career games played record. See page 17 for more information on Kiser. Jaiden Ausberry appeared in four regular-season games in 2023, preserving his eligibility. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is a highly-touted five-star linebacker who was a finalist for the high school Butkus Award in 2023. He posted a career-high seven tackles vs. Northern Illinois. Drayk Bowen leads the team in tackles so far this season with 38. He appeared in 12 games in 2023 (missing one contest with an injury) and recorded 14 stops and a forced fumble. See page 17 for more on Bowen. Jaylen Sneed appeared in all 13 games in 2023, totaling 14 tackles, five QB hurries and two PBU • Jordan Clark joins the Irish from Arizona State with 22 career starts and 39 games played. Throughout his college career, he has snagged three interceptions (one for a touchdown) and 139 tackles (101 solo) with 6.5 TFL and 20 passes defended. • Adon Shuler notched his first-career interception in the 23-13 victory at No. 20 Texas A&M. He showed his playmaking ability late in the 2023 season, posting all six career tackles in the final three games of the year. See page 18 for more on Shuler. A preferred walk-on, Luke Talich quickly established himself as a special teams mainstay during his freshman season in 2023. • True freshmen Karson Hobbs, Leonard Moore and Kennedy Urlacher have impressed in preseason camp. Moore and Urlacher both garnered one four-star ranking through recruitment. Moore made his college football debut at No. 20 Texas A&M, and his first-career start vs. No. 15 Louisville, leading the team with seven tackles. He also posted seven tackles in his second start, at Georgia Tech. See page 17 for more on Moore. Tae Johnson makes his debut on the depth chart after coming back from injury. • Christian Gray started his first-career game in the 23-13 win at No. 20 Texas A&M. He saw action in 12 games and made 11 tackles in 2023. He intercepted his first career pass against Pittsburgh and finished the year with a career-best three tackles in the Sun Bowl victory over Oregon State. • Xavier Watts started off the year strong with an interception in the 23-13 victory at No. 20 Texas A&M. He was the first Notre Dame player to intercept multiple passes in back-to-back games in 2023. Watts won the Bednarik Award and was a unanimous All-American. See page 15 for more on Watts. Rod Heard II spent his prior career at Northwestern, where he amassed 31 starts and 46 games played with 182 tackles, 11 for loss, two sacks and two interceptions, as well as 10 passes defended, five forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

FLORIDA STATE NOTES

Florida State hits the road for the final time in 2024 this week, traveling to Notre Dame for a Saturday night contest. » The Seminoles are tied for 1st in the nation with five blocked kicks this season, courtesy of four field goals and one punt block, after blocking one field goal vs. Cal, one at SMU and two vs. Clemson and adding a punt block at Duke. Florida State is one of only two teams in the country to block at least one kick in four different games against FBS opponents, and its four-game streak with at least one blocked kick between the SMU and Duke games is the longest nationally this season. FSU’s 14 blocked kicks under Mike Norvell are tied for 6th nationally and tied for 2nd among P4 conference programs since the start of the 2020 season. » Florida State ranks 1st in the country with a net punting average of 46.23 yards per punt. Alex Mastromanno’s average of 49.3 yards per punt is 1st nationally, and Mastromanno also leads the country in 50+-yard punts with 24. He has by far the most 50- yard punts with one or fewer touchbacks this season as the next-closest punter has 15. » Ryan Fitzgerald is the only kicker in the country with five made field goals from at least 52 yards – converting from 59, 56, 54, 53 and 52 yards this season – and the only kicker in FSU history to make three career field goals from at least 54 yards. He has matched the FSU single-season record with five 50-yard field goals and is one of three kickers nationally with five 50-yard field goals in 2024. He’s one of three kickers in the nation, and the only one in the ACC, still perfect on field goals with at least 10 attempts this season. » Florida State ranks 1st in the country with 18 successful 4th-down conversions this season. The Seminoles have converted at least one 4th down in eight games this year, including a 28-yard touchdown pass from Brock Glenn to Ja’Khi Douglas on 4th-and-3 against North Carolina. FSU converted four 4th-down attempts against both Clemson and Miami and is the only P4 conference team with at least four 4th-down conversions in multiple games this season. » Florida State is the only team in the ACC and one of two nationally with a kickoff return touchdown in each of the last three seasons. Samuel Singleton Jr., extended FSU’s streak to three straight years with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown to open the second half at Duke. Last year, Deuce Spann had a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown at home against the Blue Devils, and in 2022 Trey Benson recorded FSU’s first kickoff return touchdown since the 2013 season when he returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a score against Boston College. » FSU has started eight different offensive line combinations through nine games this season, the most in the country in 2024 and the most by Florida State since 2019. Ten offensive linemen have made at least one start, also the most for FSU in one season since 2019. Last year, in 14 games, Florida State started four offensive line combinations and eight different offensive linemen. » Florida State held Duke to 70 passing yards, recording a season-high eight pass breakups, and 180 yards of total offense. The passing yards total is the fewest allowed by an ACC team against a P4 conference opponent this season, and the Seminoles’ pass breakups total was their highest since registering 10 in the 2023 ACC Championship Game victory. » The Seminoles registered 7.0 sacks in the win over Cal, its most in a game since also having 7.0 in the 2023 ACC Championship Game and the most allowed by the Bears in a game since October 19, 2019. That sack total is also the 2nd-most by an ACC team against an FBS opponent this season and tied for the 10th-highest single-game sacks total nationally in 2024.

NOTRE DAME SWIMMING

NOTRE DAME SET FOR CLASH WITH NO. 7 LOUISVILLE

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving (1-3) has a big test ahead of itself on Friday, as the Irish host No. 7 Louisville (2-0) at Rolfs Aquatics Center. Peterson Family Head Coach Chris Lindauer’s group has faced a gauntlet already this season — Notre Dame has faced ranked teams in its last three contests — and this will be no different.

Freshman Carli Cronk continues to be a bright spot for the Irish. She won the 400 IM against Michigan and Wisconsin with a time of 4:15.53, which remains the 17th-fastest time in the NCAA this year. She has already won three events this year, and she has notched second in two other events.

Louisville has a star freshman of its own in Daria Golovaty. In their latest meet against Tennessee, she broke pool records in both the 500 and 1000 freestyle. She has the fourth and 13th fastest times, respectively, in the country this year.

Several other Louisville swimmers have posted top-10 times in the nation this season, including Julia Dennis (50 free), Mia Cheatwood (200 breast), Ella Welch (100 fly), Gabi Albiero (100 fly) and Kim Herkle (400 IM).

Louisville has beaten both Xavier and Tennessee this season and won the SMU Classic in mid-October.

Friday’s meet begins at 6 p.m.

NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

FOUR IRISH NAMED TO WOODEN WATCH LIST, MOST OF ANY TEAM

LOS ANGELES — All eyes are on the Irish.

On Thursday, the Los Angeles Athletic Club John R. Wooden Award announced its Preseason Women’s Top 50 Watch List, and it includes four Notre Dame players: Sonia Citron, Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles and Maddy Westbeld. Notre Dame is the only school with four players on the list, and just five total programs in the country had at least three players make the mark.

This is Citron’s second time earning the preseason honor. The first was last year. She averaged a career-high 17.3 points, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game as a junior and earned All-ACC honors as a result. The senior and likely top-10 WNBA Draft selection come April sat out the opener with a foot injury, but she is expected back very soon.

Hidalgo was not on the preseason watch list as a freshman, but she earned the honor midseason and ended up as one of four finalists for the award last year. As a result, she was able to travel to Los Angeles in April for the presentation of the award, which was won by Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. She posted a Notre Dame record-break 22.6 points and 4.6 steals per game last year, and she led the nation in the latter number.

Against Mercyhurst earlier this week, Hidalgo picked up right where she left off last season with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 6 steals.

Miles is back on the list after making the national ballot two years ago. The graduate guard put on a show in her first game back from an ACL tear, posting a 20-10-10 triple-double. With four triple-doubles in her career, she now ranks second in ACC history and is the first player to post one in three different seasons. Miles also became the first player in the history of the NBA, WNBA and college basketball to sit out for a year with an injury and post a 20-point triple-double in their first game back on the court.

Finally, Westbeld made the list for the third time in her career and the first time since her junior season. The now-graduate student returned to Notre Dame for a fifth year after a standout 2023-24 during which she averaged 14.4 points and 8.7 rebounds over 34 starts. Like Citron, Westbeld also missed the opener with a foot injury. She is expected back in the next month to six weeks, around the start of ACC play.

NOTRE DAME HOCKEY

HOCKEY HEADS TO MICHIGAN FOR WEEKEND TILTS

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame hockey team heads back on the road this weekend for a pair of games at Michigan in Ann Arbor. The two teams met six times in the 2023-24 season, with the Irish securing Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach Jeff Jackson’s 400th career win behind the Irish bench in a convincing 6-1 victory at home against the Wolverines.

SERIES OVERVIEW
Opponent: #7/7 Michigan Wolverines | Nov. 8-9
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich. | Yost Ice Arena
Schedule: Fri. 6pm | Sat. 7pm
TV: B1G+
Live Stats: FightingIrish.com
Radio: fightingirish.com/radioaffiliates/
Game Notes: Notre Dame

QUICK HITS

The Irish head back on the road this weekend following three weeks at home in which they posted a 3-3-0 record.

Notre Dame is now 5-3-0 on the season and most recently opened Big Ten Conference play with a weekend split against Wisconsin.

In two games against the Badgers last weekend, Owen Say stopped 75 of 79 shots faced for a .949 save percentage. To date, the junior netminder has held each opponent to two or fewer goals and boasts one of the nation’s top save percentages. His 4-1-0 record also leads the team and his goals against average of 1.40 ranks seventh in the country.

With a .960 save percentage over five games played, and 170 saves, Say ranks second in the country in save percentage and first if looking at goaltenders with multiple games played.

Cole Knuble led the Irish to victory Friday night against Wisconsin, netting the overtime game-winner at 2:11 of the extra session. The goal was his team-best sixth of the season and third game-winner of the year which leads the nation.

The sophomore center now boasts 12 points in eight games played which ranks eighth nationally while his six goals is second-best overall.

With a goal in his most recent outing, Ryan Helliwell now boasts a career-best three game point streak spanning back to October 26 vs. Long Island. The senior blueliner’s goal in the second period Saturday against Wisconsin was his first since Oct. 14, 2022 vs. Northern Michigan.

After a pair of assists over the weekend, Axel Kumlin is riding a four-game point streak (1-3-4) which marks the longest of his career.

Henry Nelson scored his second collegiate goal to open the scoring Friday night against Wisconsin. His younger brother Danny notched the primary assist on the play, marking the first time brothers contributed to each other’s goals since Justin Janicke had the second assist on his older brother Trevor’s goal on February 2, 2024 vs. Michigan State.

The last time one brother posted the primary assist on their brother’s goal was November 5, 2023 when Justin fed his brother Trevor a pass at Penn State in a 2-2 tie.

NOTRE DAME vs. MICHIGAN

A storied rivalry between the Irish and Wolverines, the two teams have met 167 times in program history with Michigan leading the all-time series 85-76-6.

Last season the teams met six times, including the Big Ten Conference quarterfinals.

In their first meeting of the 2023-24 season, Coach Jackson recorded his 400th career victory behind the Notre Dame bench following a 6-1 victory at home.

Nine current Irish skaters tallied points against the Wolverines last season with three boasting a team-best three points. Danny Nelson’s two goals and an assist led the team in his four games played against the Wolverines before being sidelined with injury in the final regular season game at Yost Ice Arena.

NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

IRISH DROP 3-2 HEARTBREAKER AT STANFORD

PALO ALTO, Calif. — The Notre Dame men’s soccer team suffered a gut-wrenching defeat against Stanford at Cagan Stadium on Wednesday evening, falling by a score of 3-2 after the Cardinal scored with two seconds remaining in the match.

The Irish goals came from Matthew Roou and Mitch Ferguson, each scoring on set pieces.

Notre Dame is now 7-5-5 on the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After an uneventful opening 20 minutes of action to start the contest the match sprung into life in the 22nd minute as the Irish earned a penalty off a Stanford handball in the box. Roou stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way, rolling the ball into the bottom corner to give Notre Dame the 1-0 lead.

The hosts battled back and leveled the match in the 34th minute, scoring off a header from Jackson Kill to make the score 1-1.

Travasos made a big stop in the closing moments of the first half, making a diving save to keep the match even at 1-1 after the opening 45 minutes of play.

The Irish absorbed pressure at the beginning of the second half but held the Cardinal attack at bay.

In the final stages of regulation Stanford was awarded a penalty off a handball in the box and converted to take a 2-1 lead in the 85th minute.

Notre Dame poured forward searching for the equalizer and found it with 12 seconds remaining in regulation. The Stanford goalie was issued a yellow card for time wasting, giving the Irish an indirect free kick just inside the area. Roou touched the ball to Ferguson, who fired his shot in to level the score at 2-2.

Unfortunately for Notre Dame, Stanford answered immediately, scoring with two seconds left to claim the 3-2 win and advance to the ACC Tournament quarterfinals.

McFARLAND FAMILY MEN’S HEAD SOCCER COACH CHAD RILEY’S TAKE

On the match…

“Soccer is truly a crazy game.I am proud of the team tonight. Disappointed not to be advancing, but proud of the team’s effort and fight. Stanford is a good team and we knew it would be a battle. I am proud of this team and I believe we deserve a strong look for the NCAA’s. I certainly hope to coach these guys for a few more games.”

UP NEXT

The NCAA Selection Show is on Monday, Nov. 18 and the Irish will wait to see if they get selected to play in the tournament.

BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL

BULLDOGS BACK IN ACTION FRIDAY NIGHT, HOSTING AUSTIN PEAY AT HINKLE

The Bulldogs continue their early-season homestand Friday night, welcoming Austin Peay to Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler enters the contest following a 72-65 win over Missouri State in the 2024-25 regular season opener Monday night. Butler’s first five regular season games will be contested at Hinkle.

THE SPECIFICS:

Butler (1-0) vs. Austin Peay (1-0)

Friday, Nov. 8; 6:30PM

Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.

FOLLOW ALONG:

TV: FS2 – Cooper Boardman & Shelvin Mack

Audio: Varsity Network App, SXM 382, SXM App 972, TuneIn – @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)

THE SERIES:

Series:  Tied, 1-1

Streak: Austin Peay, W1

At Hinkle: Austin Peay Leads, 1-0

First Meeting: Butler, 85-81 (1/3/89)

Last Meeting: Austin Peay, 63-60 (1/9/89)

TEXT TO SCROLL THROUGH AT YOUR LEISURE:

• Jahmyl Telfort led Butler with 29 points in the team’s Monday win over Missouri State to open the 2024-25 season.

• The 29 points were a Butler-high for Telfort (who scored a career-high 31 during his time at Northeastern); he set a career-high with 16 free throw attempts in the contest.

• The 29 points by Telfort were the most by a Butler player since Chuck Harris scored 32 against Tennessee Tech on Dec. 3, 2022.

• Butler went 21-for-28 from the free throw line against Missouri State. In addition to Telfort’s career-high 16 attempts, Pierre Brooks also attempted a career-best seven free throws in the game.

• Butler ranked seventh nationally in free throw shooting at 79.1 percent during the 2023-24 season. Butler shot 70 percent or better from the line in all but one game.

• Augusto Cassia scored a career-high nine points in Monday’s win over Missouri State; it matched his entire scoring output from his freshman season in 2023-24.

• Butler committed an uncharacteristic 19 turnovers in the win over Missouri State. The Bulldogs averaged only 10.9 turnovers per game during the 2023-24 season.

• Finley Bizjack, who started the team’s exhibition against Illinois Wesleyan, missed the opener against Missouri State with an ankle injury. Landon Moore got the start against Missouri State.

• Butler and Austin Peay have played twice previously, which occurred within the span of one week in January of 1989; each team won on the road. Thad Matta played on that 1988-89 Butler team.

• The Bulldogs have now won their home opener in 26 consecutive seasons.

• Butler is 78-3 in their last 81 home games against non-conference teams.

• Thad Matta is 36-13 as Butler’s head coach at Hinkle Fieldhouse (which includes the 2000-01 season and since his return in 2022). Matta is 20-2 at home against non-conference opponents as Butler’s head coach.

• Matta has averaged 24.8 wins per season in his 19 seasons as a head coach.  

• Butler Bulldog great Shelvin Mack will be the FS2 analyst for Friday’s game; Mack will call three of Butler’s first four games this season. In his three seasons at Butler, Mack scored 1,527 career points, leading the Bulldogs to the 2010 and 2011 Final Fours.

• Butler is the only team in the BIG EAST to return its top two scorers from a season ago (Brooks, Telfort).

• The Bulldogs’ 2024-25 schedule includes seven games against teams ranked in the AP preseason Top 25 poll and an additional eight against teams receiving votes in the preseason poll.

• Butler was picked to finish eighth by the conference’s head coaches in the 2024-25 BIG EAST preseason poll.

• Brooks and Telfort were selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team by the league’s head coaches.

• Brooks led the Bulldogs with a scoring average of 14.8 points per game during the 2023-24 season; he ranks fifth among scorers returning to the BIG EAST this season.

• Brooks scored in double figures in 29 of the Bulldogs’ 33 games last season, including seven 20-point performances.

• Brooks finished seventh in the BIG EAST last season in three-pointers made (2.42 per game) and 11th in field goal percentage (.456).

• Telfort led the Bulldogs in scoring nine times and in rebounding eight times during the 2023-24 season.

• Bizjack capped his first season at Butler by being named to the 2023-24 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.

• Bizjack and Boden Kapke represented the USA in the 2024 U23 Nations League Americas, an international 3×3 event in July in Mexico City.  Over the course of the event, the American men posted an impressive 11-3 record.

• Jamie Kaiser Jr. had a successful procedure performed Oct. 25 to address an impingement in his right ankle. He is out indefinitely. A more specific timeline for his return will be determined as he continues to be evaluated and rehabs over the coming weeks.

BUTLER FOOTBALL

HOOSIER HELMET ON THE LINE SATURDAY AT VALPARAISO

The Bulldogs will face the Beacons on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. The annual Hoosier Helmet Game will stream on ESPN+.

Game Day

Date: Saturday, November 9

Time: 2:00 PM ET

Location: Valparaiso, Ind. / Brown Field

Live Stats: ValpoAthletics.com (Statbroadcast)

Watch: ESPN+

Bulldog Bits

– Butler is in control of the Hoosier Helmet Trophy.

– Nick Howard had four touchdowns in Butler’s win over Stetson; three rushing and one passing.

– Howard and Griffin Caldwell each rushed for over 90 yards in the win over the Hatters.

– Caldwell posted a career-high 91 rushing yards and scored his fourth rushing TD of the year.

– Trevon Brown caught his third touchdown of the season in the win Saturday afternoon.

– The Bulldogs scored points on their first five possessions of the game vs. Stetson.

– Joey Audia threw a 34-yard pass to Reagan Andrew last week.

– Ryan Short made a 35-yard field goal last week; he is now 9-for-10 on the year.

– The Bulldogs converted a two-point conversion last weekend, their fourth of the season.

– Butler’s first TD of the second quarter came on an 11-play, 98-yard drive!

– BU had a two-play scoring drive and an 18-play scoring drive in last year’s win over Valparaiso.

– Adam Sturtz led the Bulldog defense vs. the Beacons last year with six tackles.

– Sturtz was the team leader in tackles last weekend with seven against the Hatters.

– Jack Burch intercepted a pass vs. Valpo last year.

– Burch had a sack vs. Stetson to move his season total to 5.5 the most among any Bulldog.

– Nick Bafia came up with his second interception of the season last week.

– Onye Onuoha had five tackles and a sack against the Hatters.

– Steven Williams II impacted last year’s Valpo game with a career-high five tackles and a sack. He also blocked a Valpo field goal attempt.

– Cam Heald had a career-day vs. Valpo in 2022, catching six passes for 75 yards.

PFL Schedule – Week 11

San Diego at Dayton 12:00 P.M.

Marist at Stetson 1:00 P.M.

Morehead State at Davidson 1:00 P.M.

Butler at Valparaiso 2:00 P.M.

Drake at St. Thomas 2:00 P.M.

PFL Standings

Drake 5-0, 6-1

Morehead State 4-1, 6-3

St. Thomas 4-1, 5-4

Butler 3-2, 7-2

Dayton 3-2, 5-3

San Diego 3-2, 5-3

Davidson 3-3, 5-4

Presbyterian 2-4, 4-6

Valparaiso 1-3, 3-5

Stetson 0-4, 2-6

Marist 0-6, 0-9

SCOUTING VALPARAISO: The Beacons are coming off their bye week with a 3-5 overall record that includes one win and three losses in league play. Morehead State, Drake and St. Thomas topped Valpo in recent weeks, but the Beacons recently went to Marist and claimed a 17-14 win. RB Mike Mansaray ranks fourth in the PFL in rushing yards per game (60.8) and fifth in rushing touchdowns (6). The South Dakota transfer had the best game of his career in his last outing going for 135 yards and two touchdowns.

Valparaiso has one of the best punters in the nation in Sam Johnson. A transfer from Jackson State, Johnson started his collegiate career at Alabama. He leads the PFL and ranks fourth among FCS punters in average (46.8).

ALL-TIME SERIES: Butler leads the all-time series against Valparaiso 53-30. The first-ever meeting was a 58-0 Bulldog victory back in 1927. Butler won seven of the first 10 meetings in this series. The last 10 meetings have been split with each team winning five games.

Butler has won the last two meetings, but each contest was close. In 2022, Butler scored 20 fourth quarter points to storm back and win 26-25. Last year, but scored 14 points in the third quarter after a scoreless first half to help capture a 17-7 win at home.

LAST MEETING: Butler rushed for 242 yards in last year’s Valparaiso victory. The Bulldogs dominated time of possession (39-21) and went 8-for-16 on third down to pick up the win. BU also went 4-for-4 on fourth down conversions.

Valparaiso’s offense went 0-3 in the red zone last year vs. Butler by missing three field goals.

SCHOOL RECORD: Jeremiah Jackson picked off a Stetson pass in the end zone and returned it 100 yards for a BU touchdown to set a new school record.

The old interception return record was 90 yards. It was set by Sean Grady against Valparaiso on Oct. 15, 2011.

KEEP ROLLING: Butler’s offense posted 471 yards of total offense vs. Stetson with 283 coming on the ground. The Bulldogs have now topped 400 yards of total offense in six of their nine games.

Butler’s best offensive performance included 492 yards in the win over Hanover. Their best PFL game included 482 yards in the win over Morehead State.

LEAGUE LEADERS: Butler leads the PFL in scoring offense (37.8) and scoring defense (14.3).

Reagan Andrew is the league leader in completion percentage (65.9) and Ryan Short leads the PFL in field goal percentage (90.0).

UPCOMING MILESTONES: Ethan Loss needs 26 receiving yards to reach 1,000 in his career.

Loss leads the team in receptions (24) yards (459) and touchdowns (4).

TOP TEN WATCH: Luke Wooten needs four receptions on Saturday to move into sole possession of 10th place on Butler’s all-time receptions list.

10th place is currently held by Paul Page (83-86) and Tom Redmond (70-72).

HOOSIER HELMET HISTORY: The Hoosier Helmet Trophy was created to commemorate and intensify the long-standing rivalry between Butler and Valparaiso. The two programs have played each year since 1951.

Saturday will be the 84th meeting between Butler and Valpo marking the most contests between the Bulldogs and any other PFL opponent.

MOVE THE CHAINS: Butler leads the PFL and ranks second in the nation in third down conversion percentage.

Butler converts on third down 56.3 percent of the time. They went 6-for-10 on third vs. Stetson and were 1-for-1 on fourth.

RED ZONE RESULTS: Butler leads the PFL and ranks third in the nation in red zone offense. The Bulldogs have scored points on 39 of their 42 trips.

31 of Butler’s 39 trips to the red zone have resulted in touchdowns. A complete breakdown includes 23 rushing TD’s and eight passing.

UP NEXT: Senior Day is next Saturday when the Butler Bulldogs host the St. Thomas Tommies. The 1 p.m. kick-off will stream live on FloSports.com.

Butler and St. Thomas have only played three times with the Tommies winning all three matchups.

IU INDY MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL HEADS TO CINCINNATI TO FACE XAVIER

CINCINNATI – The IU Indianapolis men’s basketball team will hit the road for the first time this season, traveling down I-74 to face Xavier University on FS1 on Friday night (Nov. 8). Tip-off is slated for 6:00 p.m. inside Cintas Center.

The Jaguars (1-0) opened the Paul Corsaro-era with a 100-44 thumping of IU Columbus inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Monday in front of 3,716 fans. Junior Sean Craig had 16 points and 11 rebounds for his first collegiate double-double and true freshman Keenan Garner made his collegiate debut with 11 points and 13 rebounds. The Jaguars imposed their will on the smaller Crimson Pride, outrebounding the opposition by a 64-27 margin, which included 25 offensive rebounds. Junior Timaris Brown grabbed 10 boards in his Jaguar debut and Jarvis Walker closed with 13 points.

The Jaguars scored the game’s first eight points and never trailed on way to a 48-21 halftime lead. Offensively, the Jaguars connected on 12-of-31 (37.8 percent) from three-point range with seven different players connecting on at least one trey. Sophomore Nathan Dudukovich hit three treys off the bench as part of his 11-point game and graduate transfer Paul Zilinskas made a pair, the first of which pushed him over 1,000 points in his collegiate career.

Sophomore Ebenezer Ogoh pushed the Jaguars to the century mark for the first time since 2018 with a two-handed dunk with nearly two minutes remaining.

Friday’s game at Xavier marks the first of two matchups with major conference opponents for the Jaguars this season as the Jaguars will travel to Iowa State on Nov. 18.

SCOUTING XAVIER

Xavier opened the season with a 78-69 home win over Texas Southern. Indiana State-transfer Ryan Conwell had a team-high 21 points, including five threes, and Zach Freemantle had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Dayvion McKnight also finished with 19 points, going 8-of-8 at the foul line as Xavier outscored TSU 34-11 at the charity stripe.

SERIES HISTORY

IU Indy is 0-6 all-time against Xavier with all six meetings having come in Cincinnati. The first matchup was a 77-42 defeat in December 1973 and the most recent meeting was an 82-69 loss on November 6, 2018. IU Indy has lost the six meetings by an average of 27.8 points per contest.

UP NEXT

The Jaguars will return home to host Goshen College on Tuesday night (Nov. 12) inside the Jungle at 6:30 p.m. That game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Fans can purchase tickets by clicking here as the department goes to exclusively digital tickets this season. Fans are encouraged to purchase and download their tickets prior to arriving on-site.

IU INDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TRAVELS TO BALL STATE FOR FRIDAY TIP

MUNCIE, Ind. – The IU Indy women’s basketball team opened the season on Tuesday with a dominate win over the Evansville Aces, 101-76. The Jags will now travel to Muncie, Indiana to face in-state foe, the Ball State Cardinals on Friday, Nov. 8. The Cardinals and Jaguars are set for a 7:00 PM tipoff on ESPN+.

The Jaguars started the season off hot at the three-point line, totaling 13 threes in the season opener, two more than the season high during the 2023-24 season. Six different Jags recorded a three in the win over Evansville with newcomer Nevaeh Foster leading the way, shooting 5-for-7 from behind the arc. Sophomore Shania Nichols-Vannett added three three-pointers.

Nearly everyone who saw the floor on Tuesday’s game recorded points, including three Jaguars totaling double-digits. Foster totaled a career-high 23 points to lead IU Indy, followed by Davidson with 19 and Nichols-Vannett with 17. Four Jags added nine points, with Alexa Hocevar, Faith Stinson, Kendall Wingler and Azyah Newson-Cole each totaling nine. Logan Lewis rounded out the scoring with six points, giving the Jags a total of 101 points. The last time the Jags broke the 100 point mark was in December of 2019 when IU Indy (then IUPUI) defeated IU Northwest 103-45.

Katie Davidson is one of the key returners for the Jags and was voted Horizon League Preseason All-League Second Team after finishing the 2023-24 season averaging 16.4 points per game. Davidson was one of three Jaguars who totaled double-digit points in the win over Evansville, opening the 2024-25 season with 19 points, shooting .636 percent (7-for-11) with five assists and four steals. The Indianapolis native was named All-League Second Team following the 2023-24 season.

Ball State defeated Old Dominion in their 2024-25 season opener by a score of 60-46 Monday night in Worthen Arena. The Jaguars and Cardinals have met 10 times, with the Cardinals leading the series, 8-2. IU Indy last faced the Ball State Cardinals on Nov. 22, 2023 in the Jungle when the Jaguars fell, 67-63.

IU INDY WOMEN’S SOCCER

JOHNSON STEPS DOWN FROM WOMEN’S SOCCER COACHING POSITION; RETIRES FROM COACHING

INDIANAPOLIS – IU Indianapolis head women’s soccer coach Chris Johnson has announced his retirement from coaching and plans to pursue other opportunities. Johnson, an Indianapolis-native, coached the program the past 22 seasons, racking up 160 wins on the sidelines and 241 total wins spanning time at IU Indianapolis and UIndy.

“We’re incredibly grateful for Chris and the entire Johnson family for their tireless commitment to the women’s soccer program,” Director of Athletics Luke Bosso said. “He’s built an incredibly recognizable and competitive program that’s known for doing things the right way. His student-athletes represent the university at the highest level and Chris has taken incredible pride in building and sustaining the program the right way. We’ll miss having him on the sidelines but are excited to see what’s next for him.”

“I would like to thank my wife, Andrea, for allowing me to pursue my dream of becoming a Division I coach and supporting me all these years. She spent a lot of weekends chasing our kids and managing the house so I could build this program. Without Andrea, I would not be where I am today,” Johnson said. “I also want to thank my parents, John and Dee, any my sister Angie for supporting me all of these years. They were regular attendees at our home games and made many away games too.

“I will forever by grateful to Mike Moore and Denise O’Grady for giving me the opportunity to lead the women’s soccer program at IUPUI 22 years ago. I have been incredibly blessed during my coaching career to have been surrounded by good players and coaches who have helped build the program into what it is today. Without the help of Stacy Pease, Alison Conquest and Rachel Fulkerson, we would not have been able to accomplish as much as we have. I want to thank the three of them, as well as the other coaches who helped me when the position was part-time pay, but they gave full-time effort.”

Johnson, a four-time league Coach of the Year honoree, guided the Jaguars to two NCAA Tournament berths (2009, 2017), including the department’s first Horizon League title in any sport in Fall 2017. His teams collected double-digit wins six times, including a program record 17 wins during the 2009 season. That team had the nation’s longest winning streak during that season, reeling off a program record 12 straight victories at one point.

All total, he coached six All-Region performers in 22 seasons with the program, three league Players of the Year and aided several former players to continue playing professionally after graduation. Academically, his program has been elite, earning accolades from United Soccer Coaches on an annual basis and ranking among the nation’s top 25 grade point averages on multiple occasions. His program has also fared incredibly well in both the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) and Graduation Success Rate (GSR).

“I want to thank all of the players who picked our program and their parents for entrusting us with their daughters,” Johnson said. “It was the players and the positive relationships we had that made the job never really feel like a job. I have so many great memories from my time as the coach of the IUPUI women’s soccer program and am honored to have been here for the last 22 seasons.”

When Johnson took over, the Jaguars had won just 25 matches in the program’s first five seasons. In just his second season, Johnson led the program to its first-ever winning record in 2004, amassing 10 victories.

BALL STATE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL RELEASES 2025 SCHEDULE

MUNCIE, Ind. — Men’s volleyball head coach Donan Cruz announced the team’s 2025 schedule Thursday morning. Made-up of 29 matches, the upcoming season will feature 16 home games in Worthen Arena. 

“The 2025 season should be a fun one!” said Cruz. “Our team has a strong work ethic and plays for one another. The nucleus of this group has been with our staff since 2021 and have served to be great stewards of the program. I am excited for the talent on our roster and the level of volleyball in our league. It’s a great time to be a fan of the game!”

Ball State will open the season with two home games, starting with a matchup against Wabash College on Friday, Jan. 3 at 7:00 p.m. Following, the team will host Trine University on Sunday, Jan. 5, before heading out on the road. 

The team’s first road series will take them to California where they will face off against Stanford University on Jan. 10 and Jan. 11. 

At home, the Cardinals’ schedule features some strong opponents, such as BYU on Jan. 16 and Jan. 17.

Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) play will open on Feb. 6 when the Cardinals host Purdue Fort Wayne in Muncie. They will conclude the regular season in a MIVA matchup on the road against Loyola Chicago (Apr. 12). 

The MIVA tournament will open with quarterfinals on Apr. 19 on the number one seed’s home court. 

Ball State is hoping to build off last year’s momentum after finishing as the regular season MIVA Champions and making a strong run in the MIVA Tournament. 

BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HOSTS IN-STATE RIVAL IU INDY FRIDAY IN WORTHEN ARENA

Ball State (1-0) vs. IU Indy (1-0)

Nov. 8, 2024 >> Worthen Arena >>Muncie, Ind..>> 7 pm ET or 30 minutes following the Ball State Men’s Basketball Game

Opening Tip:

– Ball State and IUPUI have met 10 times, with the Cardinals leading the all-time series, 8-2. Ball State and IUPUI’s last meeting was in 2023 in Indianapolis. The Cardinals won that contest, 67-63.

– Both the Cardinals and the Jaguars look to remain undefeated as both squads won their respective season openers. Ball State defeated Old Dominion by a score of 60-46 Monday night in Worthen Arena while IU Indy took down Evansville on Tuesday by a 101-76 decision.

– Against Old Dominion, Ball State placed four players in double-digit scoring with Ally Becki leading the team with 13 while both Alex Richard and Lachelle Austin each tallied 11 points apiece. Rounding out the double figure scoring was Elise Stuck with 10. Defensively, Marie Kiefer pulled down 11 rebounds while registering four blocks. Kiefer just needs nine more blocks to become the Ball State women’s basketball programs’ all-time leader in that category.

– Ball State’s focus has always been points in the paint under 13th year head coach Brady Sallee. The Cardinals acoomplished that goal against the Monarchs on Monday outscoring ODU in the paint, 38-24.

– The first time IU Indy and Ball State met was on Jan. 8, 1979 in Muncie which resulted in a 72-56 victory for the Cardinals.

– Head Coach Brady Sallee owns a 3-2 record against the Jaguars dating back to 2019.

– Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) became Indiana University Indianapolis (IU Indianapolis) on July 1, 2024. The transition began in 2022 when Indiana University and Purdue University announced that IUPUI would split into two separate universities.

– Ball State had a highly successful 2023-24 season under the direction of head coach Brady Sallee who is entering his 13th season.

– The Cardinals tallied 28 overall wins and 16 MAC victories, with both being program records.

– Ball State earned the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament, reaching the semifinals for the third-straight season, and received votes in the USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll for nine straight weeks during the year.

– Ball State ended the season by hosting the first round of the inaugural NCAA Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament.

– Ball State returns Ally Becki and Madeyln Bischoff who were both post season All-MAC selections. Becki earned All-MAC FIrst Team honors while Bischoff was selected All-MAC Third Team.

– Four returning starters have 700+ career points going into the 2024-25 season; Ally Becki (1,191), Madelyn Bischoff (825), Alex Richard (727) and Marie Kiefer (726).

What We Did Last Year In Worthen:

Last season the Cardinals outscored their opponents in Worthen Arena by a +16.3 margin. Ball State averaged 75.9 points per game why defensively holding its opponents to 59.6 ppg. The Cardinals only lost two games in total last year at home against Notre Dame and Belmont. When playing at home, three returning Cardinals averaged double digit scoring; Madelyn Bischoff (11.6 ppg), Ally Becki (11.1 ppg) and Alex Richard (10.3 ppg).

Next Game:

The Cardinals remain home when it hosts the Memphis Tigers on Wednesday, Nov. 13 in Worthen Arena at 6:30 p.m. ET. Ball State and Memphis have met once which was in the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament in 2022-23. The Cardinals fell to the Tigers by a score of 79-62.

BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL HOSTING FRANKLIN COLLEGE FRIDAY FOR HOME OPENER

The Ball State men’s basketball team is set to host Franklin College at 5 p.m. on Friday in the home opener at Worthen Arena.

The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Brayden Carroll and Griffin Leonard on the call, while Mick Tidrow and David Eha handle the radio broadcast on WMUN 1340AM – 92.5FM. This will be the 65th meeting in the series between the Cardinals and Grizzlies, with Ball State leading 39-25. The two teams last met in 1969.

Ball State went 15-16 (7-11 MAC) last season but added five transfers and three true freshmen to the mix while returning starters Mason Jones and Mickey Pearson Jr. The Cardinals fell 71-66 at Georgia State on Monday night in the season opener.

Franklin finished 12-14 (10-8 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) last season for a tie for fifth place in the 10-team HCAC, which is an NCAA Division III conference. The Grizzlies were picked sixth in the preseason coaches poll and return All-Conference performers Lynn King, Jessie Morgan III, Braden Flanagan and Ryan Bostic.

Next up for the Cardinals is a road game at Dayton at 7 p.m. this coming Wednesday.

CARDINAL DIRECTIONS

Ball State features a revamped roster bolstered by five incoming transfers and three true freshmen while returning a majority of the frontcourt from last season’s team including Mickey Pearson Jr., Ben Hendriks and Mason Jones.

The Cardinals were picked to finish sixth in the Mid-American Conference by the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and seventh by the league’s head coaches in the preseason poll released in late October.

The Cardinals’ roster is deep in experience with four sixth-year seniors in Ethan Brittain-Watts, Ben Hendriks, Jeremiah Hernandez and Mickey Pearson Jr. Ball State has the most student-athletes in their sixth year of college of any men’s basketball team in NCAA Division I (Southern Miss has three sixth-year and two seventh-year seniors).

Ball State’s student-athletes have played in 603 games and made 254 starts at the Division I level entering the season, while Hernandez and Payton Sparks have been All-Conference performers.

Sparks was recently picked First Team All-MAC in the preseason poll after being a two-time Second Team selection in his first two seasons in Muncie. Hernandez averaged 17.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season at USI to be named First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference.

IN-STATE BATTLES: Ball State is set to host Franklin (Nov. 8), Indiana State (Nov. 16), Evansville (Dec. 21) and Anderson (Dec. 31) for a quartet of in-state rivalries this season.

The men’s basketball program hasn’t hosted at least four teams from the state of Indiana since 2013-14 when that team played Taylor, Butler, Valparaiso and Oakland City at Worthen Arena.

PEARSON POUNDING THE GLASS: Mickey Pearson Jr. tied his career-best with 13 rebounds in Monday’s season opener at Georgia State.

The forward also notched 13 boards on Nov. 7, 2022 against Earlham at Worthen Arena.

PRODUCTION IN BALL STATE DEBUT: Jermahri Hill (17 points, six rebounds), Ethan Brittain-Watts (12 points) and Juanse Gorosito (12) were the top three scorers for the Cardinals on Monday night, with each playing in their first official games at Ball State.

Brittain-Watts transferred in from Boston prior to the 2023-24 season but had to sit out last year due to injury, while Hill (South Plains JC) and Gorosito (Portland) are guards who joined the team over the summer.

CARDINALS SOAR AT THE LINE: Ball State led the MAC and ranked 27th nationally in free throw percentage (76.7) last season, which was the best mark in program history, while getting to the line at a 21.5 free throw attempts per game clip which was second in the MAC.

Those numbers should be bolstered by the addition of Hernandez, who was prolific at both getting to the line and making free throws last season. The graduate student made the 13th-most free throws (200) in the country while attempting the 14th-most (247) for an 81.0 average.

BROUGHT THE SPARKS BACK: Cardinals’ fans are happy to welcome back senior center Payton Sparks, who was the 2022 MAC Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-MAC in 2022 and 2023 before transferring to Indiana.

Sparks enters the season with 880 career points and 576 career rebounds and ranks No. 25 in Ball State history with 532 rebounds as a Cardinal.

HOME STATE HEROES: Brittain-Watts (2019), Zane Doughty, Joey Hart and Jones (2023) were each named Indiana High School All-Stars, while three more Cardinals also had ties to the state before arriving in Muncie.

Ball State has the second-most players from Indiana high schools among Indiana-based Division I teams behind Purdue.

WORLD FLYERS: The 2024-25 Ball State roster consists of student-athletes from three different countries in addition to the United States of America.

Gorosito (Argentina), Hendriks (Canada) and Jurica Zagorsak (Croatia) are international Cardinals this season. Interestingly, Juanse, Ben and Jurica were born on different continents, so Ball State has student-athletes from North America, South America and Europe on the team.

BIG MEN CAUSE BIG PROBLEMS: Sparks (6-foot-10), Hendriks (6-foot-10) and Doughty (6-foot-9) are each north of 240 pounds to provide a physical interior presence for Ball State this season.

Joining the trio in the frontcourt at 6-foot-7 or taller are Jones, Zagorsak and Pearson Jr.

TRANSFERS FROM ALL OVER: Each of Ball State’s seven student-athletes who have transferred into the program have come from different college basketball conferences.

The list includes Brittain-Watts (Patriot League, Boston), Gorosito (West Coast Conference, Portland), Hart (SEC, Kentucky), Hernandez (Ohio Valley Conference, USI), Pearson Jr. (Big 12, TCU), Sparks (Big Ten, Indiana) and Hill who played junior college ball at South Plains in Levelland, Texas.

INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

GUTSY EFFORT FALLS SHORT FOR SYCAMORES AT NO. 8/9 IOWA STATE

AMES, Iowa – Indiana State gave No. 8/9 Iowa State all it could handle in the first half Thursday night inside Hilton Coliseum, before the homestanding Cyclones pulled away over the final 20 minutes to defeat the Sycamores 64-42.

Deja Jones and Keslyn Secrist led the Sycamores with 12 points each, with Secrist also pulling down seven rebounds. Chloe Williams had nine points and seven rebounds in her first career start, while Savannah White grabbed a team-high eight boards.

Indiana State led after the opening quarter as Williams and Secrist combined for 10 points in the opening 10 minutes while the Sycamore defense stifled Iowa State early. Jones kept the Trees on pace with the eight points in the second quarter, though a late Cyclone run gave the home side a seven-point lead at the break. Iowa State used a 10-0 run to start the third quarter to finally pull away, with Indiana State struggling to convert on the offensive end. Despite a strong effort on the road, the Sycamores fell in their first game against a top-10 opponent since 2011.

First Half

Secrist connected on a midrange jumper for the first points of the game, and Williams converted a three-point play to give the Trees an early lead. Another basket from Secrist midway through the first quarter kept Indiana State ahead, and the Sycamores tacked on buckets from Saige Stahl and Jones in the paint to make it 13-10. Iowa State came back to take the lead late, but Williams put the Sycamores ahead 16-14 after the first quarter with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

Williams continued her strong start with an early second quarter basket, and Jones took off in the scoring column to close the half. After Iowa State built a four-point lead, Jones connected on a jumper and added a 3-pointer to give the Sycamores a 23-22 lead midway through the quarter. Iowa State came back to retake the lead, but Jones answered with another trey to level the score at 26-26. The Cyclones went on a 9-0 run late in the half, but Secrist made a layup at the buzzer to send the Sycamores to the intermission trailing by just seven, 35-28.

Second Half

Iowa State seized momentum in the third quarter, as the Sycamores struggled to find a rhythm on the offensive end. The Cyclones started the period with a 10-0 run before Secrist ended the Sycamores’ scoring drought with a midrange jumper. Free throws from Queen Ruffin and Stahl pulled the Trees closer, and Secrist connected on a jumper inside the final minute, but Indiana State went into the fourth trailing 54-36. 

The home side extended its lead to 24 early in the fourth quarter, before Secrist converted a pair of free throws to end the run. Baskets from Savannah White and Jones got the deficit down to 60-42 at the midway point of the quarter. Indiana State limited Iowa State to just four points over the final five minutes, but the Sycamores couldn’t pull closer as the eighth-ranked Cyclones won by a 64-42 margin.

News and Notes

Deja Jones’ 12 points and two 3-pointers were both career-highs, and she also matched her career high of five field goals.

Chloe Williams tallied a career-best three blocks and tied her career high of seven rebounds in Thursday’s game.

Keslyn Secrist scored in double-figures for the second straight game to begin the season, the first time in her career with back-to-back double-digit scoring games. Secrist leads the team with 16.5 points per game through the first two games.

Iowa State was one of the top 3-point shooting teams in Division I last season, but Indiana State limited the Cyclones to a 22.2 percent clip (8-for-36) from behind the arc Thursday. Indiana State also held Iowa State under 30 percent from the field for the game.

Indiana State has led after the first quarter in each of its first two games this season. The Sycamores led 16-14 over Iowa State after the opening 10 minutes of play.

Thursday’s game was Indiana State’s first against a top-10 since Nov. 13, 2011 at No. 2 Notre Dame.

Queen Ruffin and Chloe Williams made their first start in an Indiana State uniform in Thursday’s game. For Williams, it was the first start of her collegiate career.

Up Next

Indiana State closes its early two-game road trip Tuesday night at Wright State, with tipoff set for 7 p.m.

INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

SYCAMORES WIN HOME OPENER ON THURSDAY NIGHT

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men’s basketball made its 2024-25 home debut one to remember for head coach Matthew Graves as the Sycamores gave their head coach his first win inside the Hulman Center with the 93-48 victory over Eureka College on Thursday night.

Samage Teel posted his second consecutive 20-point game in leading 11 different Indiana State (1-1) players in the scoring column. Jaden Daughtry (15), Markus Harding (10), and Derek Vorst (10) all scored double-digits as the Sycamores took the lead from the opening tipoff and never trailed in the win over the Red Devils.

Richard Goodall, the Season 19 winner of America’s Got Talent, put the Hulman Center crowd on its feet with a rousing rendition of the national anthem. Sycamore fans did not have time to sit down before back-to-back layups from Daughtry and Teel gave Indiana State an early 4-0 lead.

The Sycamores’ lead hit 18-7 with 14:25 remaining in the first half thanks to a 10-0 run sparked by a Teel layup and capped on Jahni Summers’ driving layup to give Indiana State its first double-digit lead against the Red Devils.

The lead hovered around a double-digit advantage through most of the first half before the Sycamores took control of the contest over the final three minutes of the period. A Derek Vorst dunk with 3:11 to play in the first half sparked a 10-3 run capped by a Jayan Walker layup and a Daughtry free throw as Indiana State went into the break leading 48-29.

Eureka’s Emaryon Byrd put the Red Devils back in the scoring column with the first points of the second half, before the Markus Harding connected on a free throw and Summers followed up a Teel miss with a tip-in layup to give Indiana State the 51-31 lead with 17:40 to play in the second half. The lead hit 30 points a little over three minutes later as Vorst powered into the paint with a hook shot to give Indiana State the 66-36 advantage with 14:12 to play.

Bruno Alocen continued the Indiana State run with a three-pointer at the 12:36 mark putting the Sycamores ahead 73-36. The Indiana State bench continued the scoring run and defensive pressure over the final minutes of the contest holding Eureka scoreless for a six-minute span late, while Merritt Alderink and Daughtry both connected on late dunks to cap the 93-48 victory.

Teel finished 8-for-13 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the free throw line on his way to scoring a game-high 20 points. He added five rebounds and five assists in the win. Daughtry and Alderink both tied for the team lead with seven rebounds apiece, while Summers led the team with four of Indiana State’s 13 steals in the contest. Harding and Vorst added 10 points apiece and combined for nine rebounds, two assists, and a blocked shot down low.

Overall, the Sycamores shot 52.8% from the floor, 70.6% from the free throw line in the win.

Byrd led Eureka’s offense with 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-7 from behind the three-point line. Jaxson Provost scored 11 points off the bench and added a steal for the Red Devils.

All 12 available players for Indiana State played in the Thursday’s game, with Samage Teel, Jaden Daughtry, and Jahni Summers all playing 22+ minutes.

Cooper Bean made his season debut with just under 10 minutes of action on the court.

Samage Teel scored 20+ points and made eight field goals for the second-straight game, converting 61.5% of his shots (8-for-13).

The Sycamores grabbed 56 rebounds, which is the most since the 1978-19 season, according to records on-hand.

The Sycamores allowed only three free throw attempts by the Red Devils.

Indiana State scored 66 of its 93 points in the paint (71%).

Derek Vorst ended the day perfect from the field, knocking down all five field goal attempts.

Three Sycamores recorded three steals apiece: Jaden Daughtry, Jahni Summers, and Tyran Cook.

Four of Merritt Alderink’s seven rebounds came on the offensive glass.

Up Next

Indiana State returns to the Hulman Center on Tuesday, November 12 to face SIU Edwardsville. The game tips off at 7 p.m. ET with the doors opening at 6 p.m.

INDIANA STATE VOLLEYBALL

SYCAMORES CLOSE HOME SLATE AGAINST BELMONT, MURRAY STATE FOR SENIOR WEEKEND

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State plays its final home matches of the 2024 season Friday and Saturday when the Sycamores face Belmont and Murray State inside Hulman Center.

Friday’s match against Belmont will start at 6 p.m., while Saturday’s match against Murray State will have a 5 p.m. first serve. Both matches will be carried on ESPN+.

Matchday Promotions

Friday’s match is Riley’s Night and Blackout Cancer, while Saturday’s match is Senior Night and Tropical Night.

Last Time Out

Indiana State fell in three-set matches at home to Illinois State and Bradley. Emma Kaelin had seven kills and six digs against Bradley to lead the Trees, while Ella Scott hit .500 on 10 attempts (5-0-10) against the Braves. Lily Mueller and Curry Kendall had six kills each against Illinois State, with Mueller hitting .500 (6-1-10). Macy Lengacher had 13 digs against the Redbirds.

Senior Sendoff

Indiana State’ will honor its two-athlete senior class, consisting of setter/outside hitter Hannah Baudin and outside hitter Emma Kaelin, prior to Saturday’s match against Murray State.

Baudin has played two seasons for the Sycamores, totaling 138 kills, 392 assists and 151 digs. She has two matches with double-digit kills, both of which have come this season, and also has four matches with double-digit digs and six matches with 30 or more assists. Baudin nearly registered a triple-double last season against Austin Peay with eight kills, 46 assists and 16 digs. The 46 assists and 16 digs were both career-highs.

Kaelin has played four seasons for the Sycamores, including the 2021 season which saw Indiana State earn a spot in the NIVC. She is the only active Sycamore with more than 1,000 assists and 750 digs, and has played every position for the Trees except middle blocker. Kaelin leads the Sycamores with 252 kills this season and has 14 matches with double-digit kills. She also has 30 career matches with double-digit digs and eight matches with 30 or more assists in her career. Her seven aces against Austin Peay last season ranks in the top 10 single-game ace performances in program history. Kaelin was also a 2023 MVC Scholar-Athlete Team selection.

The Last Ride

This weekend’s matches are Indiana State’s last home matches of the season, with the Sycamores’ numbers being significantly better at home compared to on the road.

Indiana State’s hitting percentage is 25 points higher at home compared to on the road, and the Sycamores average more than one kill, one assist and one dig per set better at home compared to on the road.

Groundhog Day

Indiana State sees a familiar set of foes to close out the home portion of its schedule in Belmont and Murray State. The Bruins and Racers have been the Sycamores’ Senior Weekend opponents every season since 2022.

Indiana State won in three sets against both Belmont and Murray State during last year’s Senior Weekend, with the weekend sweep accounting for two of the Sycamores’ three three-set conference wins since 2022.

Finding Consistency

Indiana State has found a regular rotation that has been successful, with five Sycamore starters – Kira Holland, Emma Kaelin, Curry Kendall, Lily Mueller and Ella Scott – averaging more than one kill per set this season.

The Sycamores have used the same starting lineup for each of the last seven matches. The lineup has consisted of Holland, Kaelin Kendall, Mueller, Scott and Emily Weber, with Macy Lengacher in at libero.

This Weekend’s Opponents At A Glance

Belmont enters the weekend at 8-17 overall and 3-10 in conference play. The Bruins have lost each of their last three matches and have struggled on the road with a 1-9 record in away matches. Brooke Gilleland (257 kills) and Brenna Kauffeld (234) lead the attack, while Kamryn Olsen has dished out 680 assists. Lily Lutz has more than 400 digs this season, while Bella Mathis leads the Bruins with 81 blocks.

Murray State comes in at 12-10 overall and 7-6 in conference play. The Racers are coming off back-to-back losses on the road, but have a 5-4 record in road matches. Ella Vogel leads the attack with 346 kills, with four other Racers tallying more than 150 this season. Bailey DeMier has nearly 900 assists, while Dahlia Miller has nearly 500 digs. Vogel also leads the team with 52 blocks.

Series History vs. This Weekend’s Opponents

Indiana State is 2-4 all-time against Belmont, with the Sycamores and Bruins splitting the two matches in Terre Haute. Belmont won the earlier meeting this season in four sets in Nashville, but Indiana State swept the Bruins in last season’s meeting in Terre Haute.

Indiana State is 1-6 all-time against Murray State, with the Racers also holding a 2-1 lead in matches played in Terre Haute. The Racers swept Indiana State earlier this season in Murray, but the Sycamores won last season’s meeting in Terre Haute in three sets.

Up Next

Indiana State plays its final three regular season matches on the road, starting November 15 at Valparaiso.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S HOOPS TRAVELS TO BIG XII MEMBER UCF

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne (1-0) men’s basketball team travels to Big XII member UCF on Friday (Nov. 8) for the first road game of the year. UCF defeated No. 13/15 Texas A&M to open the season. 

Game Day Information
Who: UCF Knights (1-0)
When: Friday, November 8 | 7 PM
Where: Orlando, Fla. | Addition Financial Arena
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: 1380 AM Online Stream Only
Series History: First meeting
Game Notes (PDF): Link | UCF Notes

// New this year, Purdue Fort Wayne faculty and staff are admitted FREE to all home games. Simply show your Purdue Fort Wayne ID at the box office. As a reminder, students are FREE to all home games as well.

// Notes on the Bluffton contest:

– Six ‘Dons finished in double-digits.

– Eric Mulder earned his fourth career double-double.

– Chandler Cuthrell recorded 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds in his first game as a Mastodon.

– Trey Lewis had eight points and four assists in his first Mastodon contest.

// Notes on the Notre Dame exhibition:

– Deangelo Elisee had 10 points in eight minutes off the bench.

– Corey Hadnot II took the Mastodons’ most shot attempts in the game (9), playing a team-high 24 bench minutes.

– Jalen Jackson led the ‘Dons with 13 points while adding four rebounds.

– Maximus Nelson, Quinton Morton-Robertson, Jalen Jackson, Eric Mulder and Rasheed Bello started.

– Minutes from newcomers Chander Cuthrell (20) and Trey Lewis (13).

// Three Mastodon men’s basketball home games could potentially being flexed to an ESPN2 or ESPNU broadcast. Jan 30 vs. Cleveland State, Feb. 21 vs. Oakland and Feb. 27 vs. Northern Kentucky. The Mastodons’ road game at Cleveland State on March 1 is also a possibility for a broadcast.

// The Mastodons are ranked No. 21 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Preseason Poll.

// The Mastodons were picked as co-favorites in the 2024-25 Horizon League Preseason Poll. Rasheed Bello and Jalen Jackson were picked as Preseason All-League First Team selections. Quinton Morton-Robertson was named to the second team. The ‘Dons were the only team with three all-preseason picks.

// The Mastodons have had 22 players play professionally in the last 14 years. Most recently Bobby Planutis was drafted by the Texas Legends in the 2024 G-League Draft. Planutis played with the ‘Dons from 2020-23.

// The CIT Championship game against Norfolk State last season (March 27, 2024) was the latest in a calendar year Purdue Fort Wayne had ever played a game. The previous latest game was a loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on March 26, 2017 in the CIT.

// The ‘Dons were one of only three teams in the Horizon League to play in the postseason last season. Oakland (NCAA Tournament) and Cleveland State (CBI) were the others.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MASTODONS VISIT LEAGUE-LEADING WRIGHT STATE THIS WEEKEND

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne women’s volleyball will visit Wright State this weekend for two #HLVB matches.

Game Day Information
Who: Wright State Raiders
When: Friday-Saturday, Nov. 8-9 | 6 PM & 2 PM
Where: Dayton, Ohio | C.J. McLin Gymnasium
Live Stats: Link
Watch: Game 1 | Game 2
Match Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne

Know Your Foe

Reigning Horizon League champion Wright State is 21-4 and 13-1 in the Horizon League this season. The Raiders’ only loss so far in league play was a 3-2 misstep at Milwaukee. The Raiders have not lost a set since October 26. Setter Lauren Yacobucci is leading the nation with 12.00 assists per set, leading the Raiders to a league-best .276 hitting percentage in league matches.

Series History

Wright State leads the all-time series against Purdue Fort Wayne 18-10. The Raiders have won the last nine matches, including all six since the Mastodons joined the Horizon League in 2020.

Hungary for More

Panna Ratkai has 20 or more kills in 20 matches in her career with eight coming this season. She had 12 as a redshirt-freshman. This season, she has 415 total kills, which is top-10 in the country. She is the only sophomore on the NCAA’s active top-250 career kills list with 951.

Chasing 1,000

Panna Ratkai is nearing 1,000 kills for her career. She has 951 in her two years in a Purdue Fort Wayne uniform, needing 49 to hit the 1,000 mark. Nicole Jones is also nearing the 1,000-assist mark for her career. She needs 54 to reach the milestone.

Dish It Out

The Mastodons are second in NCAA Division I with 1,322 assists this season. Taya Haffner ranks in the top 110 nationally with 722 assists this season.

That’s a Lot of Sets!

Purdue Fort Wayne has played the sixth-most sets of volleyball in the NCAA this season with 103 sets of action.

Last Time Out

Milwaukee took a pair of four-set matches from the Mastodons.

Next Time Up

Purdue Fort Wayne returns home for its final two regular season matches against Youngstown State. November 16 will be Senior Day for Nicole Jones, Abby Stratford and Taya Haffner.

EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

GONZALEZ HAS CAREER GAME AGAINST BELMONT

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Sophomore Angelica Gonzalez recorded a career-high 21 kills on Thursday as the University of Evansville volleyball team fell to Belmont in five sets inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.

Gonzalez hit a strong .400 in the contest while adding five digs and two blocks.  Chloe Cline and Carlotta Pascual finished with nine kills and four blocks apiece.  The kills were the first for Pascual in her collegiate career.  Madisyn Steele added seven kills and five total blocks.  Kora Ruff paced the team with 36 assists and 17 digs.  Belmont was led by Brooke Gilleland’s 20-kill performance.

Set 1 – UE 25, Belmont 19

Evansville posted the opening two points of the night before Belmont tied the score at 3-3.  Carlotta Pascual opened a 4-0 rally that included an ace by Ainoah Cruz. The Bruins kept the pressure on, eventually tying the set at 14-14.  Chloe Cline’s first kill of the night broke the tie and put UE back in front.

She added another kill to extend the lead to 17-14.  Once again the Bruins stormed back, tying it up at 17-17.  Madisyn Steele picked up a solo block and kill to give the Aces the lead for good.  Blakeley Freeman clinched the set victory with an ace.

Set 2 – UE 25, Belmont 22

Belmont took a 5-2 lead out of the gate while Cruz registered an ace to tie the set at 5-5.  The Bruins continued to retake the lead, going up 12-10.  Another ace from freeman was followed by a Carlotta Pascual kill that gave the Aces their first lead of the set at 13-12.  Freeman added two more aces to her tally to extend the lead to 15-12.

After the Bruins made it a 1-point game at 19-18, Madisyn Steele took over.  A kill and solo block helped her team establish set point at 24-20 before winning by a score of 25-22.

Set 3 – Belmont 25, UE 13

After swapping points early on, it was the Bruins turning a 4-4 tie into an 11-6 lead.  They ran away with it from there, taking a 25-13 win to pick up their first set win of the contest.

Set 4 – Belmont 25, UE 22

Despite another Gonzalez kill to open the set, Belmont jumped out to an 8-3 edge.  Another Ainoah Cruz temporarily halted the run as the Bruins lifted their advantage to 12-5.  Josdarilee Caraballo picked up an ace to cut the deficit to 13-8, but Belmont was able to go back up by seven.  Steele and Pascual combined on a block to get back within four before another block by Pascual and Cline made it a 24-22 game.  Following a time out, the Bruins picked up the clinching point to force a 5th set.

Set 5 – Belmont 15, UE 12

Gonzalez recorded a pair of early kills to limit Belmont to a 3-2 advantage, but the Bruins slowly extended the lead to 9-4.  Evansville did its best to close in the late portion, but the Bruins clinched the win.  The Aces will look for a weekend split when they host Murray State at 6 p.m. on Friday.

SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

USI LOSES STEAM, FALLS IN OVERTIME

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball lost a second-straight heartbreaker in overtime, falling to Bucknell University in the 2024-25 home opener, 75-69, Thursday evening in Liberty Arena. The Screaming Eagles start the year 0-2, while Bucknell begins 2024-25, 2-0.

The Eagles have played in back-to-back overtime games for the first time since the end of the 1996-97 season when they played in three straight. The third in the series was a triple-overtime contest in the first round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional.

USI busted out of the gate with an 8-2 lead behind four points each from junior guard Jayland Randall and sophomore forward Stephen Olowoniyi to start the game. Bucknell rebounded to tie the game, 8-8, before the Eagles produced another set of five-point leads at 13-5 and 16-11.

After trading buckets and USI going up 22-19, the Bison went on a 7-0 spurt to grab the lead and went into the break with a 30-27 advantage.

Randall and junior guard Damoni Harrison led the Eagles in the first half with seven points each. USI was a better team from the field, hitting 42.3 percent from outside (11-26), but trailed in rebounding, 21-13.

The second half began with Bucknell increasing the margin to eight points, 35-27, before USI kicked the offense into gear and began to chip away at the deficit. The Eagles took the lead back, 39-37, with 16:31 to play with a 12-2 explosion that was led by five points each by Randall and Harrison.

The advantage would bounce back and forth (five lead changes and two ties) for the next six minutes when USI went up by six, 56-50, on a bucket by graduate forward Jack Mielke. The Eagles nursed the margin to the final minute when the Bison rallied to send the contest into overtime tied at 63-63.

In overtime, USI was never able to get out in front of Bucknell as the Bison outscored the Eagles, 12-6, to put a stamp on the 75-69 final. The Eagles were two-of-eight from the field in the extra five minutes, while the Bison were three-of-four from the field and six-of-eight from the stripe.

Individually for the Eagles, Randall led four players in double-digits with 17 points. The junior guard was seven-of-17 from the field, including three three-point field goals.

Harrison followed with 15 points, while Olowoniyi and junior guard Sam Kodi rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points each. Olowoniyi was an efficient five-of-eight from the field and two-of-two from the line before fouling out in the final minute of regulation.

Next Up For USI:

USI begins the first of three three-game road swings in 2024-25 Monday when it visits Marshall University for a 6 p.m. (CST) matchup in Huntington, West Virginia. This is the first game of the I-64 Showcase for USI. 

Marshall, who hosts the University of Toledo Saturday, started the year 1-0 after posting a 90-57 season-opening victory over Davis & Elkins College at home Monday.

Monday’s game will be the first-ever meeting between USI and Marshall in men’s basketball.

The I-64 Showcase concludes November 13 when the Eagles make a stopover in Louisville, Kentucky, to play former GLVC-rival Bellarmine University. The road trip comes to an end November 16 when USI visits to another former GLVC-rival Purdue University Fort Wayne.

SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

USI MAKES FIRST ROAD TRIP TO NO. 17 LOUISVILLE FRIDAY

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball hits the road for the first time in the 2024-25 season Friday when the Screaming Eagles travel to the University of Louisville and face the 17th-ranked Cardinals. Tipoff at the KFC Yum! Center is at 6 p.m. CT.

Friday’s game can be seen on ACC Network Extra and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM.

Southern Indiana (1-0) and Louisville (0-1) will be meeting for the first time on Friday. The game will mark the first time USI faces an Atlantic Coast Conference team and a top-25 team since making the jump to Division I in 2022. The Screaming Eagles have already faced teams from the Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, and Southeastern Conference in the previous two seasons. USI is 17-27 in road openers since 1980-81.

The Screaming Eagles opened the regular season earlier this week on Monday with a 100-49 win against Brescia University (Ky.) inside Liberty Arena, home of the Screaming Eagles. The victory was USI’s 30th season-opening win in program history and 32nd home-opening win since 1980-81. The game was highlighted by five double-digit scorers for USI, including a game-high 18 points by junior guard Ali Saunders.

During Monday’s contest, senior guard Vanessa Shafford surpassed 1,000 career points, and graduate forward Meredith Raley pulled down her 500th career rebound. The two Eagles became the 11th and 12th players in program history to score 1,000 points and claim 500 rebounds in a USI uniform.  Shafford and Raley scored 17 points a piece on Monday.

Additional notable performances in Monday’s win included strong outings from sophomore forward Amiyah Buchanan and sophomore guard Sophia Loden. Buchanan made her USI debut with 13 points and six boards. Loden also tallied 13 points while corralling a game-high eight rebounds.

Southern Indiana’s second-half defensive effort stood out in Monday’s season opener. USI held Brescia to 17 points after halftime and forced 33 total turnovers. Saunders recorded a career-high six steals and sophomore guard Triniti Ralston had five takeaways. As a team, the Eagles totaled 22 steals, the most for USI since 2011-12. The last time USI had 20 or more steals was during the 2021-22 season.

Louisville opened its 2024-25 campaign Monday against No. 5 UCLA in Paris, France in the Alfac Oui-Play. The Bruins bested the Cardinals 66-59. Louisville’s freshman guard Tajianna Roberts led both teams with 21 points. Senior guard Ja’Leah Williams added 11 points with nine assists and seven rebounds.

Southern Indiana is the first of three Ohio Valley Conference opponents in the next four games for the Cardinals. Louisville will travel to the University of Tennessee at Martin next Tuesday, and then the Cardinals will host Morehead State University on November 21.

Just like USI, the Louisville basketball program is also celebrating its 50th season. Both programs’ first year of basketball was 1975-76.

VALPO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HOSTS MASTODONS FOR HOME OPENER SATURDAY

Valparaiso (0-1, 0-0 MVC)

Game #2 – November 9, 2024 – 7 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne (0-1, 0-0 Horizon)

Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) – Valparaiso, Ind.

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: The Valpo women’s basketball team takes the floor at the Athletics-Recreation Center for the first time this season on Saturday night, closing out a busy weekend of action on campus with its home opener against Purdue Fort Wayne.

Previously: Valpo opened the 2024-25 campaign at the AIA Total Athlete Tip-Off in Xenia, Ohio, where the Beacons were within five points of Liberty with 10 minutes to play before falling by a 77-58 final.

Following Valpo Basketball: Video: ESPN+

Radio: WVUR, 95.1 FM, Valparaiso

Streaming Audio: TuneIn app

Links for live coverage: Available via ValpoAthletics.com

Head Coach Mary Evans: Mary Evans is in her seventh year at the helm of the program in 2024-25 and owns a record of 60-117. Evans’ first six seasons at the helm have seen Valpo’s six of the top-eight single-season 3-pointers made marks, including each of the top five, while defensively, her teams have racked up steals at a high rate, averaging at least 7.7 steals/game in five of her six seasons. Under her guidance, Valpo players have earned an MVC Sixth Player of the Year honor, five All-Conference accolades, three All-Freshman/Newcomer Team awards and three All-Defensive Team honors.

Series Notes: Valpo owns a 12-5 advantage in the all-time series against the Mastodons, including a 7-1 mark at the ARC. Saturday’s matchup marks the first meeting between the two programs since Dec. 19, 2018, when Valpo earned a 68-64 victory in Fort Wayne. Grace Hales knocked down a 3-pointer with 38 seconds to play in that contest to help secure the victory.

@ValpoWBB…

…and @ValleyHoops

– Valpo was picked to finish in eighth place in the MVC preseason poll, totaling 193 points to edge out Indiana State.

– The eighth-place projection is two spots ahead of the Beacons’ regular-season finish last year.

– Valpo is in its eighth season as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.

– The Valley was ranked 13th in conference NET last season. In Valpo’s time in the MVC, the conference has been ranked as high as seventh in NET (2020-21).

…looking back at last year

– Valpo finished last season with a 5-25 overall record and finished at 4-16 in MVC play, good for 10th in the Valley standings.

– Leah Earnest was a Second Team All-MVC honoree.

– Valpo won three consecutive road games in Valley play, the second straight year the Beacons have accomplished that – prior to that, the program had last accomplished that feat against three different opponents since 2007.

…versus Liberty

– Liberty led 16-15 at the end of a first quarter which was a one-possession game the entire way.

– Valpo edged in front, 21-20, with 5:41 to play in the first half before Liberty scored eight in a row – the Flames eventually took a 38-29 lead into intermission.

– Liberty opened the second half on a 10-2 run to lead 48-31 with 7:35 to play in the third quarter.

– The Beacons outscored the Flames 18-6 over the next seven minutes, led by seven points from Nevaeh Jackson, to cut what was a 17-point deficit to five.

– Valpo was within 56-51 with 10 minutes to play and had a shot to move within two on the first possession of the fourth quarter, but the Beacons’ shot didn’t fall and Liberty came down and hit a 3-pointer. Valpo got no closer than seven points the rest of the way.

– Valpo shot just 33.3% from the field for the game (14-for-42) to Liberty’s 53.7% (29-of-54) clip. The Flames were 13-for-20 from 3-point range as well.

– The Beacons did take advantage of numerous trips to the foul line, ending the afternoon 23-of-32 at the charity stripe. The 23 made free throws were the most by a Valpo team since going 24-of-29 at the line against Missouri State Jan. 14, 2023.

– A pair of Valpo players set career bests with double-digit scoring efforts Monday. Katie Beyer surpassed her previous best of 11 with a 14-point game, including a 3-for-6 effort from 3-point range after coming into the game with just five career 3-point makes.

– Layla Gold delivered multiple triples for the second time in her career en route to a career-best 11-point game.

…looking ahead

– The Beacons stay at home for their next game, hosting a Kids Day game at 11 a.m. on Tuesday against Trinity Christian.

– Valpo turns around for a quick road trip to Milwaukee next Thursday.

…at the ARC

– Saturday’s game is the first of 15 home games this season for the Beacons, as Valpo will host five nonconference games and 10 MVC games.

– Valpo posted a 2-10 record at the ARC last season.

…in home openers

– The Beacons dropped their home opener last season to Western Illinois, 76-54.

– Valpo has won its home opener in three of hte last five seasons.

@MastodonWBB

– Purdue Fort Wayne fell at Purdue in its season opener on Wednesday, 87-77.

– The Mastodons were picked third in the Horizon League preseason poll, while Amellia Bromenschenkel was named to the preseason All-League First Team.

– Purdue Fort Wayne is coming off its best season of its D-I era, as the Mastodons won 23 games in 2023-24 and advanced to the Super 16 of the WNIT.

Setting New Bests

– Two of Valpo’s players posted career highs in the scoring column in the Beacons’ season opener.

– Senior Katie Beyer, who entered the game with five career 3-pointers, hit three triples on her way to a 14-point game off the bench.

– Beyer surpassed her previous career best of 11 points, which notably also came in a season opener, two years ago at Central Michigan.

– Sophomore Layla Gold scored in double figures for the first time in her collegiate career, ending with 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

– Gold’s two highest-scoring games of her career have come in Valpo’s last two games, as her previous career high was nine points in last season’s MVC Tournament game against UIC.

Charity Our Way

– Valpo hopes that how the first game played out in terms of getting to the foul line is a harbinger of things to come for the season ahead.

– The Beacons attempted 23 more free throws than Liberty and went 23-of-32 from the foul line.

– The 23 made free throws were the most by a Valpo team since going 24-of-29 at the line against Missouri State Jan. 14, 2023.

– The +23 advantage in free throw attempts was the highest for Valpo since a 25-2 advantage in a Jan. 4, 2010 win over Loyola.

– Last season, Valpo attempted 205 fewer free throws than its opponents and only had three games where it had more free throw attempts than the opposition.

The First Time

– Valpo fans got their first look at five of the program’s six newcomers in the season opener against Liberty.

– Transfers Maci Rhoades (Radford) and Fiona Connolly (La Salle) were both in Valpo’s starting lineup against the Flames.

– True freshmen Lexi Castator, Mor Shabtai and Kylie Waytashek came off the bench for the Beacons.

Leah’s Last Ride

– Graduate student Leah Earnest is back for her fifth and final season of eligibility, looking to put a bow on one of the most productive careers in program history.

– Earnest was a Second Team All-MVC selection last season and tabbed a preseason Second Team All-MVC choice this year.

– Earnest became the first Valpo player since 1991-92 to pace the team in scoring, rebounding and assists.

– She ranked sixth in the Valley in scoring and eighth in rebounding, one of only four Valley players to rank in the top-eight of both categories.

– Earnest scored 494 points on the season, fifth-most in a single season in program history and second-most since 1994.

– Following the season opener, Earnest ranks 14th in program history in career scoring (1,114) and 11th in career rebounding (647), just eight rebounds away from cracking the top-10 in the latter category. For reference, should she duplicate her season totals from last year, she would close her career third all-time at Valpo in scoring and second in rebounding.

UINDY WRESTLING

#4 UINDY WRESTLING BEGINS SEASON AT BOB DEL ROSA OPEN

INDIANAPOLIS – The No. 5 ranked UIndy wrestling team opens its season this weekend at the Bob Del Rosa Open in Cleveland, Ohio, hosted by Case Western Reserve University. UIndy was picked to finish second this season in the GLVC, after coming off a a fourth place finish in the GLVC title race last season. The Hounds won the GLVC title in the 2022-23 season. The Hounds also currently rank as one of three GLVC teams in the top 10 of the NWCA Preseason Poll, No. 3 McKendree and No. 8 Maryville being the other two teams.

The Hounds also return three national qualifiers, including reigning NCAA national champion Derek Blubaugh, who is at the top of the 197 class standings again to begin the season. Seniors Jackson Hoover and Trey Sizemore both also return for UIndy this season, and will look to better their respective finishes from last season. 

UINDY MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL SET FOR SEASON OPENER IN NICOSON HALL

vs. Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers (0-0)

Friday // November 8

7:30 p.m. ET // Nicoson Hall

vs. Wayne State Warriors (0-0)

Sunday // November 10

3:30 p.m. ET // Nicoson Hall

A new era of UIndy men’s basketball begins this weekend in Nicoson Hall, as the Greyhounds are set to host a pair of in-region opponents in Kentucky Wesleyan and Malone.

First-year head coach Scott Heady returns to his alma mater after spending the previous seven seasons at crosstown Marian University. A pair of key bench pieces are also back for UIndy, with Dylan Ingram and Zac Szul returning from last season’s GLVC regular season title team.

Kentucky Wesleyan leads the all-time series, 56-16, while Wayne State won each of the teams’ three meetings back from 2004-06.

UINDY FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL VIES FOR GLVC TITLE THIS SATURDAY

WEEK 10

vs. Missouri S&T Miners (4-5, 3-3 GLVC)

Saturday // November 9

2 p.m. ET // Key Stadium

The No. 15 Greyhounds host the Miners of Missouri S&T for Senior Day this Saturday. After honoring its 24 seniors, the Hounds will have a chance to earn its ninth outright GLVC title since 2012.

Prior to kickoff, seniors Monioluwa Asekunowo, Aaron Barnett, Michael Brown, Ian Burr, Braydon Carlson, Alonzo Derrick, Breyon Eddings, Amarion Evans, San Flowers, Ethan Hand, De’Shaun Harewood, Kivonte Houston, Connor Kinnett, Jon Lewis, J.C. Reese, Ryan Ritchie, Clay Schulte, Amoree Stephens, Brian Tape, Brandon Thomas, Kole Viel, Nico Wegner, Michael Wojciechowski and Andrew Zulu will all be recognized for their hard work and dedication to the program.

UINDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL OPENS NEW ERA THIS WEEKEND

vs. Ashland Eagles (1-1)

Friday // November 8

5 p.m. ET // Nicoson Hall

vs. Malone Pioneers (0-0)

Sunday // November 10

1 p.m. ET // Nicoson Hall

The fresh-look UIndy women’s basketball team opens a new era over the weekend, hosting No. 5 Ashland and in-region Malone from inside Nicoson Hall.

First-year head coach Jama Sharp returns to her home state of Indiana since graduating from Mooresville High School in 2011 as the program’s all-time leading scorer. Five Greyhounds are back, including two-time All-GLVC guard Elana Wells and last season’s leading rebounder Patricia Chikamba.

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/

HOY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

3 – 8 – 16 – 21 – 20 – 19 – 44 – 77

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

FOOTBALL HISTORY

November 8, 1927 – From Pinetrest.com, Allen E. Kennedy Patents a more sophisticated Leather Football helmet US Patent 1648850

7 Picks

November 8, 1942 – Parker Hall of the Cleveland Rams throws seven interceptions against the Green Bay Packers accoring to a post on the charlotteobserver.com site.

LBJ signs immunity for AFL/NFL merger

November 8, 1966 – President Lyndon B. Johnson signs antitrust immunity to AFL-NFL merger. An Associated Press article written By Frederic J. Frommer of the AP in January of 2010 gives us some details on the act.  In 1966, the National Football League announced plans to merge with its rival American Football League, as cutthroat competition for college players had led some teams to the brink of financial ruin. The leagues turned to Congress to exempt the merger from antitrust laws. Thanks to deft maneuvering by two powerful Louisiana Democrats, Senate Democratic Whip Russell Long and House acting Majority Leader Hale Boggs Congress gave its blessing to the union of the NFL and AFL. Within two weeks, the league awarded an expansion team to New Orleans. If you remember back in our November 1 post we mentioned how the NFL awarded the Saint franchise. This AP article suggests it was a thankyou to some key Congressional help. LBJ made it official on November 8, 1966 by inking the deal.

Big Record Boot

November 8, 1970 – Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana – There were only a couple of ticks left on the clock with the New Orleans Saints behind on the scoreboard by one point to the visiting and heavily favored Detroit Lions. The Lions had just taken a 17-16 lead in the game when Errol Mann booted an 18-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining. The Saints started their drive from their own 28 yard-line and with a quick 17 yard pass from QB Billy Kilmer  to wide receiver Al Dodd who got out of bounds at the Saints 45 with 2 seconds left.  The Saints brand new offensive line coach, the Don Heinrich, who had just taken over that role, surprisingly called for the field-goal team to go out on the field. There was a hush over the stadium as everyone couldn’t believe they were going to try and kick a field goal from that distance rather than try a pass to the end zone. After all they were still on their own side of the 50 yard line! It would be a 63 yard attempt, as the reader must remember that the goal posts were positioned on the goal line in that era of NFL football. Tom Dempsey was the kicker for New Orleans that season, and he was born without toes on his right foot and no fingers on his right hand. To play in the NFL, he had to wear a special modified shoe with a flattened and enlarged toe surface. All of this culminated into one of the most dramatic moments in NFL history. Tom Dempsey trotted out and calmly kicked the longest field goal in NFL history to win the game against the Detroit Lions 19-17. The si.com article tells of how Dempsey greatly surpassed the previous record-long field goal, a 56-yarder by Bert Rechichar who did it with the Baltimore Colts in 1953.

Tossing for 621 yards?

November 8, 1980 – According to the CharlotteObserver.com website, Dave Wilson of the University of Illinois sets an NCAA record with 621 yards passing in a 49-42 victory over Ohio State.

Number 1 Alabama and LSU 2008 OT Thriller

November 8, 2008 – Tiger Stadium, Louisiana State University –  The University of Alabama had just become the number one ranked team in the nation the week before when Texas Tech upset top ranked Texas. The Crimson Tide had not had the top spot in the rankings since 1980, and their Head Coach Nick Saban who had coached LSU football before a short stint in the NFL, walked into Tiger for the first time on the visitors sideline. Al.com has an article on its website that describes the situation, Alabama found itself in position to seal the win with a 29-yard field goal as time ran out. LSU blocked the attempt, however, and took the game to overtime. LSU’s second chance at defeating the Tide didn’t last long. On third down of LSU’s possession, Lee’s pass into the end zone was picked off. Alabama finished off the victory with a touchdown run that clinched the 27-21 win and the Western Division title for the Tide.

Holy War

November 8, 2008 – Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts –  Per onthisday.com, In the 18th installment of the College Football Holy War, Boston College defeated Notre Dame 17-0.

Steelers Firsts

November 8, 2020 – Dallas, Texas – The Pittsburgh traveled to Big D and had a couple of franchise firsts occur in the process during their 24-19 come from behind victory. The most obvious is that it is unbeleiveably the first time in history that an NFL team from the Steel City was ever sitting with a perfect 8-0 record. Pretty impressive stuff if you think about the legacy. The second item that never occurred before in team history was that they had a game where every rookie draft pick suited up and played in the game! Oh and did I mention that they did not have a 1st round pick in 2020? Yes Chase Claypool, Alex Highsmith, Anthony McFarland Jr., Carlos Davis, Kevin Dotson, and Antoine Brooks Jr. all had helmets and cracked pads in Jerry’s house.

Hall of Fame Birthday for November 8

November 8, 1964 – Red Bluff, California – The safety from the University of Arizona, Chuck Cecil was born. Cecil attended Arizona, where he was a walk on for the football program. Chuck was a player on a mission with a bit of a chip on his shoulder after no one would give him a scholarship out of high school to play Division 1 football. He proved the recruiters wrong by eventually earning consensus All-America and Pacific-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors after his nine-interception senior season in 1987. He held the Pac-10 record for career interceptions, with 21 when he was completed with his collegiate career. The National Football Foundation inducted Chuck Cecil into their College Football Hall of Fame in 2009. The NFF states that Chuck was drafted in the fourth round of the 1988 draft by the Green Bay Packers.  Cecil spent seven seasons in the NFL with the Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Houston Oilers. Cecil is currently the assistant coach for safeties and nickel backs for the Tennessee Titans.

TV SPORTS FRIDAY

NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Atlanta Hawks at Detroit Pistons	7:00pm	FanDuel Sports Detroit FanDuel Sports Southeast
Indiana Pacers at Charlotte Hornets	7:00pm	FanDuel Sports Southeast FanDuel Sports Indiana
New Orleans Pelicans at Orlando Magic	7:00pm	GCSN FanDuel Sports Florida
Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics	7:30pm	YES NBCS-BOS
Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers	7:30pm	NBCS-BAY FanDuel Sports Ohio
Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks	7:30pm	FanDuel Sports Wisconsin MSG
Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks	7:30pm	AFSN KMPX
Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder	8:00pm	FanDuel Sports Oklahoma SCHN
Washington Wizards at Memphis Grizzlies	8:00pm	FanDuel Sports Southeast MNMT
Miami Heat at Denver Nuggets	9:00pm	ALT FanDuel Sports Sun
Portland Trail Blazers at Minnesota Timberwolves	9:00pm	KPTV FanDuel Sports North
Los Angeles Clippers at Sacramento Kings	10:00pm	NBCS-CA FanDuel Sports SoCal
Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers	10:00pm	ESPN Spectrum NBCS-PHI
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Detroit at Toronto	7:00pm	FanDuel Sports Detroit Sportsnet
Pittsburgh at Washington	7:30pm	ESPN+ Hulu
Minnesota at Anaheim	10:00pm	FanDuel Sports North Victory+
Vegas at Seattle	10:00pm	Scripps Prime-Seattle
COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
California at Wake Forest	8:00pm	ACCN
Rice at Memphis	9:00pm	ESPN2
Iowa at UCLA	9:00pm	FOX
New Mexico at San Diego State	10:30pm	FS1
MEN’S NCAA BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
IU Indianapolis at Xavier	6:00pm	FS1
UMBC at Penn State	6:00pm	BTN
VCU vs. Boston College	6:00pm	CBSSN
Army West Point at Duke	6:00pm	ACCN
Austin Peay at Butler	6:30pm	FS2
North Carolina at Kansas	7:00pm	ESPN2
Grambling State at Ole Miss	7:00pm	SECN
Iona at Hofstra	7:00pm	MSGSN
Mount St. Mary’s at Maryland	8:00pm	BTN
NJIT at Villanova	8:30pm	FS2
Harvard at Navy	8:30pm	CBSSN
Montana at Oregon	10:00pm	BTN
UCLA vs. New Mexico	11:00pm	CBSSN
Life Pacific at Hawai’i	11:59pm	ESPN+
MOTORSPORTS	TIME ET	TV
NASCAR Truck: Truck Series Championship Race	8:00pm	FS1
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA: WWT Championship	2:00pm	GOLF
Champions: Charles Schwab Cup	5:00pm	GOLF
LPGA: Lotte Championship	7:00pm	GOLF
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
Bundesliga: Union Berlin vs Freiburg	2:30pm	ESPN+
Serie A: Lecce vs Empoli	2:45pm	CBSSN Paramount+
Ligue 1: Olympique Marseille vs Auxerre	2:45pm	Fanatiz beIN Sports
La Liga: Rayo Vallecano vs Las Palmas	3:00pm	ESPN+ Fubo
Liga MX: Querétaro vs Santos Laguna	8:00pm	VIX
MLS: Real Salt Lake vs Minnesota United	9:00pm	MLS Season Pass
Liga MX: Mazatlán vs Pumas UNAM	10:00pm	VIX
MLS: Los Angeles FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps	11:00pm	MLS Season Pass
TENNIS	TIME ET	TV
WTA Finals Semifinals; Belgrade-ATP & Metz-ATP Semifinals	7:30am	TENNIS

TV SPORTS SATURDAY

NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Utah Jazzat San Antonio Spurs	5:00pm	NBATV FanDuel Sports Southwest KJZZ
Brooklyn Nets at Cleveland Cavaliers	7:30pm	NBATV YES FanDuel Sports Ohio
Chicago Bulls at Atlanta Hawks	7:30pm	NBCS-CHI FanDuel Sports Southeast
Toronto Raptors at LA Clippers	10:30pm	NBATV TSN FanDuel Sports SoCal
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Calgary at Buffalo	1:00pm	MSG-BUF Sportsnet
Philadelphia at Florida	6:00pm	NBCS-PHI Scripps
Ottawa at Boston	7:00pm	NHLN NESN Sportsnet
Montreal at Toronto	7:00pm	Sportsnet
NY Rangers at Detroit	7:00pm	FanDuel Sports Detroit MSG
Washington at St. Louis	7:00pm	FanDuel Sports Midwest MNMT
Dallas at Winnipeg	7:00pm	Victory+ Sportsnet
New Jersey at NY Islanders	7:30pm	MSGSN
Utah at Nashville	8:00pm	FanDuel Sports South Utah 16
Carolina at Colorado	9:00pm	FanDuel Sports South ALT
Columbus at Los Angeles	9:00pm	FanDuel Sports Ohio FanDuel Sports West
Edmonton at Vancouver	10:00pm	Sportsnet
COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
Minnesota at Rutgers	12:00pm	NBC/Peacock
Purdue at Ohio State	12:00pm	FOX
Florida at Texas	12:00pm	ABC/ESPN+
Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech	12:00pm	ESPN
Syracuse at Boston College	12:00pm	The CW
West Virginia at Cincinnati	12:00pm	FS1
Navy at USF	12:00pm	ESPN2
Texas State at ULM	12:00pm	ESPNU
Liberty at Middle Tennessee	1:00pm	CBSSN
UConn at UAB	2:30pm	ESPN+
Marshall at Southern Miss	3:00pm	ESPN+
Duke at NC State	3:30pm	ACCN
San Jose State at Oregon State	3:30pm	The CW
Army at North Texas	3:30pm	ESPN2
Iowa State at Kansas	3:30pm	FS1
Georgia State at James Madison	3:30pm	ESPN+
Clemson at Virginia Tech	3:30pm	ESPN
Georgia at Ole Miss	3:30pm	ABC/ESPN+
Michigan at Indiana	3:30pm	CBS/Paramount+
Colorado at Texas Tech	4:00pm	FOX
Kennesaw State at UTEP	4:00pm	ESPN+
Temple at Tulane	4:00pm	ESPNU
South Carolina at Vanderbilt	4:15pm	SECN
Jacksonville State at Louisiana Tech	4:30pm	CBSSN
Arkansas State at Louisiana	5:00pm	ESPN+
WKU at New Mexico State	6:00pm	ESPN+
UCF at Arizona State	7:00pm	ESPN2
Mississippi State at Tennessee	7:00pm	ESPN
Maryland at Oregon	7:00pm	BTN
Florida State at Notre Dame	7:30pm	NBC/Peacock
Alabama at LSU	7:30pm	ABC/ESPN+
Oklahoma at Missouri	7:45pm	SECN
Washington at Penn State	8:00pm	Peacock
Virginia at Pitt	8:00pm	ACCN
Oklahoma State at TCU	8:00pm	FS1
Nevada at Boise State	8:00pm	FOX
UNLV at Hawaii	9:00pm	CBSSN
Fresno State at Air Force	9:45pm	FS1
BYU at Utah	10:15pm	ESPN
Utah State at Washington State	10:30pm	The CW
MEN’S NCAA BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Fordham vs. Seton Hall	12:00pm	FS2
Tennessee at Louisville	12:00pm	ACCN
Quinnipiac at St. John’s	2:00pm	FS2
Colgate at Drexel	2:00pm	NBCS-PHI
Fairfield at Georgetown	4:00pm	MASN
Marist at Richmond	6:00pm	MARQ
Stonehill at Providence	6:00pm	FS2
Memphis at UNLV	6:00pm	SSSEN
Arkansas vs. Baylor	7:30pm	ESPNU
Northwestern at Dayton	7:30pm	ESPN+
New Hampshire vs. UConn	8:00pm	FS2
WKU at Grand Canyon	8:00pm	ESPN+
Auburn vs. Houston	9:30pm	ESPNU
Washington at Nevada	10:00pm	MWN
MOTORSPORTS	TIME ET	TV
Xfinity: NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship	6:00pm	USA
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA: WWT Championship	2:00pm	GOLF
Champions: Charles Schwab Cup	5:00pm	GOLF
LPGA: Lotte Championship	7:00pm	GOLF
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
La Liga: Real Madrid vs Osasuna	8:00am	ESPN+ Fubo
Serie A: Venezia vs Parma	9:00am	CBSSN Paramount+ Fubo
Bundesliga: Bochum vs Bayer Leverkusen	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: Mainz 05 vs Borussia Dortmund	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: Werder Bremen vs Holstein Kiel	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: St. Pauli vs Bayern München	9:30am	ESPN+
EPL: Crystal Palace vs Fulham	10:00am	USA Peacock Fubo
EPL: Brentford vs AFC Bournemouth	10:00am	Peacock
EPL: West Ham United vs Everton	10:00am	Peacock
EPL: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Southampton	10:00am	Peacock
La Liga: Villarreal vs Deportivo Alavés	10:15am	ESPN+ Fubo
Ligue 1: Strasbourg vs Monaco	11:00am	Fanatiz beIN Sports
Serie A: Cagliari vs Milan	12:00pm	Paramount+ Fubo
EPL: Brighton & Hove Albion vs Manchester City	12:30pm	USA Peacock Fubo
Bundesliga: RB Leipzig vs Borussia M’gladbach	12:30pm	ESPN+
La Liga: Espanyol vs Valencia	12:30pm	ESPN+ Fubo
Ligue 1: Lens vs Nantes	1:00pm	Fanatiz beIN Sports
Serie A: Juventus vs Torino	2:45pm	Paramount+ Fubo
EPL: Brighton & Hove Albion vs Manchester City	3:00pm	Peacock Fubo
La Liga: Leganés vs Sevilla	3:00pm	ESPN+ Fubo
Ligue 1: Angers SCO vs PSG	3:00pm	Fanatiz beIN Sports
MLS: Cincinnati vs New York City	4:00pm	MLS Season Pass
MLS: Orlando City SC vs Charlotte	6:00pm	MLS Season Pass
MLS: Inter Miami vs Atlanta United	8:00pm	MLS Season Pass
Liga MX: Toluca vs América	8:00pm	VIX
Liga MX: Pachuca vs Juárez	8:00pm	VIX
MLS: LA Galaxy vs Colorado Rapids	10:00pm	MLS Season Pass
Liga MX: Cruz Azul vs Tigres UANL	10:05pm	VIX
TENNIS	TIME ET	TV
WTA Finals Singles & Doubles Final; Belgrade-ATP Final	8:00am	TENNIS