“SCOREBOARD”
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL REGIONAL TITLE GAMES
1A
PARK TUDOR (12-0) AT NORTH JUDSON (8-4)
ADAMS CENTRAL (12-0) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (12-0)
NORTH DECATUR (9-3) AT SHERIDAN (9-3)
PROVIDENCE (12-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (10-0)
2A
LAVILLE (11-1) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (9-3)
BLUFFTON (10-2) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (9-3)
EASTERN HANCOCK (8-4) AT SOUTHMONT (7-5)
NORTH POSEY (11-1) AT TRITON CENTRAL (11-1)
3A
KNOX (12-0) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (9-3)
INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (12-0) AT DELTA (8-4)….INDIANA SRN BROADCAST
GIBSON SOUTHERN (10-2) AT TRI-WEST (11-1)
HERITAGE HILLS (11-1) AT BATESVILLE (11-1)
4A
NEW PRAIRIE (10-2) AT NORTHWOOD (10-2)
LEO (10-2) AT MISSISSINEWA (12-0)
MOORESVILLE (7-5) AT NEW PALESTINE (10-2)
EAST CENTRAL (12-0) AT EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (9-3)….INDIANA SRN BROADCAST
5A
VALPARAISO (9-2) AT MERRILLVILLE (9-2)
FORT WAYNE SNIDER (10-1) AT MISHAWAKA (9-2)
WHITELAND (7-4) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (9-2)
EVANSVILLE NORTH (8-3) AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (10-1)
6A
CROWN POINT (11-0) AT PENN (10-1)
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (9-2) AT WESTFIELD (10-1)
BEN DAVIS (10-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (8-3)
WARREN CENTRAL (5-6) AT CENTER GROVE (10-1)
INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL MONDAY
BLACKFORD (0-1) AT COWAN (0-1)
BOONVILLE (0-0) AT EVANSVILLE NORTH (0-0)
GEO NEXT GENERATION (0-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS HERRON (3-0)
INDIANAPOLIS RIVERSIDE (0-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (0-2)
TWIN LAKES (1-0) AT BOONE GROVE (0-2)
INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL TUESDAY
ADAMS CENTRAL (0-1) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (1-0)
ALEXANDRIA (2-0) AT DELTA (2-0)
ARGOS (0-1) AT TRITON (0-1)
ATTICA (0-0) AT FRONTIER (0-2)
AUSTIN (1-0) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (1-0)
AVON (0-2) AT TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-1)
BARR-REEVE (0-0) AT ORLEANS (0-0)
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (1-0) AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH (1-1)
BEECH GROVE (2-0) AT CASCADE (0-1)
BETHANY CHRISTIAN (1-0) AT JIMTOWN (1-1)
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN (0-0) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (0-1)
BLUE RIVER (1-0) AT CENTERVILLE (0-1)
BLUFFTON (0-0) AT NORTHFIELD (0-2)
BORDEN (1-0) AT CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (1-1)
BOWMAN ACADEMY (0-1) AT SOUTH BEND CLAY (0-1)
BROWNSBURG (2-0) AT PLAINFIELD (1-0)
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (0-1) AT ANGOLA (0-0)
CHURUBUSCO (1-2) AT LEO (2-0)
CLAY CITY (0-1) AT CLOVERDALE (0-2)
CLINTON PRAIRIE (0-1) AT MCCUTCHEON (1-0)
COLUMBIA CITY (1-0) AT WEST NOBLE (0-2)
CORYDON CENTRAL (0-0) AT SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH) (0-1)
COVENANT CHRISTIAN (0-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (1-0)
CRAWFORD COUNTY (2-0) AT SALEM (0-1)
CRAWFORDSVILLE (0-1) AT NORTH PUTNAM (1-2)
CROTHERSVILLE (0-1) AT CLARKSVILLE (0-1)
CROWN POINT (1-1) AT HAMMOND NOLL (0-0)
EAST CENTRAL (2-0) AT FRANKLIN COUNTY (1-1)
EAST NOBLE (1-0) AT FORT WAYNE DWENGER (1-0)
EASTSIDE (1-0) AT FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (1-0)
EDGEWOOD (2-0) AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (1-0)
ELKHART (1-0) AT CONCORD (0-1)
EVANSVILLE BOSSE (0-0) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (1-0)
EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN (0-0) AT EVANSVILLE HOMESCHOOL
FORT WAYNE NORTH (0-2) AT DEKALB (1-0)
FORT WAYNE SOUTH (0-0) AT JAY COUNTY (0-0)
FORT WAYNE WAYNE (0-0) AT BLACKFORD (0-1)
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (3-0) AT CLINTON CENTRAL (2-0)
FRANKFORT (0-2) AT ELWOOD (0-1)
FRANKTON (2-0) AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS (2-0)
GIBSON SOUTHERN (0-0) AT CASTLE (0-1)
GREENCASTLE (0-2) AT OWEN VALLEY (1-0)
GREENSBURG (1-0) AT NORTH DECATUR (1-0)
HERITAGE (0-1) AT GARRETT (0-0)
HERITAGE HILLS (0-1) AT EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (0-0)
HUNTINGTON NORTH (0-0) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (2-0)
ILLIANA CHRISTIAN (0-0) AT MORGAN TWP. (1-0)
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (0-0) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (0-0)
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (1-0) AT COLUMBUS EAST (1-1)
INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (0-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS TECH (1-0)
IRVINGTON PREP ACADEMY (0-1) AT PURDUE POLY ENGLEWOOD (0-1)
JEFFERSONVILLE (1-0) AT JASPER (0-0)
KANKAKEE VALLEY (1-0) AT VALPARAISO (1-0)
LAKE STATION (0-0) AT HAMMOND MORTON (2-1)
LAKELAND (0-2) AT GOSHEN (1-1)
LAKEWOOD PARK (2-0) AT FREMONT (0-0)
LAVILLE (0-2) AT BREMEN (1-1)
LAWRENCE NORTH (0-0) AT ZIONSVILLE (1-1)
LOGANSPORT (0-0) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (0-0)
MADISON (1-0) AT LAWRENCEBURG (0-1)
MANCHESTER (0-1) AT LEWIS CASS (1-0)
MILAN (0-2) AT SOUTH RIPLEY (1-1)
MONROE CENTRAL (0-1) AT DALEVILLE (2-0)
MOORESVILLE (1-1) AT COLUMBUS NORTH (0-1)
MUNCIE BURRIS (0-1) AT ANDERSON PREP ACADEMY (1-1)
MUNSTER (0-0) AT MICHIGAN CITY (0-0)
NEW WASHINGTON (1-0) AT SCOTTSBURG (1-1)
NORTH KNOX (2-0) AT NORTHEAST DUBOIS (1-0)
NORTH VERMILLION (1-0) AT SOUTHMONT (1-2)
NORTHEASTERN (0-1) AT MUNCIE CENTRAL (0-1)
NORWELL (1-0) AT FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (1-0)
PARKE HERITAGE (1-0) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (2-0)
PENDLETON HEIGHTS (1-1) AT NEW CASTLE (0-2)
PERU (0-2) AT CASTON (2-0)
PIKE (1-0) AT HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (1-0)
PLYMOUTH (0-1) AT MISHAWAKA MARIAN (0-2)
PRINCETON (1-0) AT SOUTHRIDGE (1-1)
RENSSELAER CENTRAL (2-0) AT HANOVER CENTRAL (1-0)
RIVER FOREST (0-1) AT WASHINGTON TWP. (1-0)
ROCK CREEK ACADEMY (0-2) AT HENRYVILLE (1-0)
ROSSVILLE (1-1) AT WESTERN BOONE (0-1)
SEEGER (1-0) AT SOUTH NEWTON (0-0)
SHAKAMAK (3-1) AT WASHINGTON CATHOLIC (0-0)
SHAWE MEMORIAL (1-0) AT JAC-CEN-DEL (0-1)
SOUTH BEND CAREER (0-2) AT ELKHART CHRISTIAN (0-0)
SOUTH SPENCER (0-1) AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (1-0)
SOUTHERN WELLS (0-1) AT UNION (MODOC) (1-1)
SPEEDWAY (0-0) AT WHITELAND (1-1)
SULLIVAN (2-0) AT BLOOMFIELD (0-0)
SWITZERLAND COUNTY (0-0) AT SOUTH DEARBORN (0-1)
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (0-2) AT WEST VIGO (0-2)
TIPPECANOE VALLEY (2-0) AT CULVER ACADEMY (2-1)
TRI (1-0) AT MORRISTOWN (0-2)
TRINITY GREENLAWN (0-1) AT OREGON-DAVIS (0-2)
TRI-TOWNSHIP (0-0) AT CULVER (1-1)
TRI-WEST (1-0) AT PERRY MERIDIAN (0-1)
VICTORY COLLEGE PREP (0-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (0-0)
WALDRON (0-2) AT SHELBYVILLE (0-0)
WARREN CENTRAL (1-1) AT CARMEL (0-1)
WASHINGTON (0-1) AT SOUTH KNOX (1-0)
WAWASEE (2-0) AT FAIRFIELD (2-0)
WEST CENTRAL (0-1) AT DELPHI (1-0)
WEST LAFAYETTE (1-2) AT NORTHWESTERN (0-1)
WESTERN (0-0) AT MISSISSINEWA (2-0)
WESTVILLE (0-0) AT WINAMAC (1-0)
WHEELER (0-2) AT NEW PRAIRIE (1-0)
WHITE RIVER VALLEY (0-0) AT NORTHVIEW (1-1)
WHITING (0-0) AT DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN (0-0)
WHITKO (1-0) AT CENTRAL NOBLE (0-1)
WINCHESTER (0-1) AT SOUTH ADAMS (0-1)
YORKTOWN (1-0) AT GUERIN CATHOLIC (1-0)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
WEEK 11
TUESDAY, NOV. 7
BALL STATE AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS | 7 P.M.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT WESTERN MICHIGAN | 7 P.M. | ESPNU
OHIO AT BUFFALO | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN2
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 8
BOWLING GREEN AT KENT STATE | 7 P.M.
AKRON AT MIAMI (OHIO) | 7 P.M. | ESPNU
EASTERN MICHIGAN AT TOLEDO | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN2
THURSDAY, NOV. 9
VIRGINIA AT LOUISVILLE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
SOUTHERN MISS AT LOUISIANA | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
FRIDAY, NOV. 10
NORTH TEXAS AT SMU | 9 P.M. | ESPN2
GRAMBLING AT ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF | 9 P.M. | ESPNU
WYOMING AT UNLV | 10:45 P.M. | FS1
SATURDAY, NOV. 11
MICHIGAN AT PENN STATE | 12 P.M. | FOX
ALABAMA AT KENTUCKY | 12 P.M. | ESPN
TULSA AT TULANE | 12 P.M. | ESPN2
HOLY CROSS AT ARMY | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
MARYLAND AT NEBRASKA | 12 P.M. | PEACOCK
VANDERBILT AT SOUTH CAROLINA | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
VIRGINIA TECH AT BOSTON COLLEGE | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
TEMPLE AT SOUTH FLORIDA | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
NORFOLK STATE AT DELAWARE STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
MORGAN STATE AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
MURRAY STATE AT ILLINOIS STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN AT ROBERT MORRIS | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
YALE AT PRINCETON | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
FORDHAM AT LAFAYETTE | 12:30 P.M. | ESPN+
BROWN AT COLUMBIA | 12:30 P.M. | ESPN+
OLD DOMINION AT LIBERTY | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGETOWN AT BUCKNELL | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
LEHIGH AT COLGATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN ILLINOIS AT INDIANA STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
PENN AT HARVARD | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTH DAKOTA AT SOUTH DAKOTA | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
DAVIDSON AT MOREHEAD STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE STATE AT EASTERN ILLINOIS | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
STETSON AT VALPARAISO | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
EAST TENNESSEE STATE AT WESTERN CAROLINA | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
VMI AT FURMAN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
CORNELL AT DARTMOUTH | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
UCONN AT JAMES MADISON | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
MEMPHIS AT CHARLOTTE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
APPALACHIAN STATE AT GEORGIA STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TROY AT UL MONROE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
UTAH TECH AT AUSTIN PEAY | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
BRYANT AT LINDENWOOD | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
PRESBYTERIAN AT DRAKE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
WOFFORD AT THE CITADEL | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
GARDNER-WEBB AT TENNESSEE TECH | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN+
SAM HOUSTON AT LOUISIANA TECH | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT SOUTHERN | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
TARLETON STATE AT ABILENE CHRISTIAN | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN WASHINGTON AT MONTANA STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
IDAHO AT WEBER STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN COLORADO AT NORTHERN ARIZONA | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
UNI AT MISSOURI STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE AT UT MARTIN | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA LYNCHBURG AT KENNESAW STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
SAMFORD AT MERCER | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
NEW MEXICO STATE AT WESTERN KENTUCKY | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
PITT AT SYRACUSE | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
UAB AT NAVY | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
TEXAS STATE AT COASTAL CAROLINA | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL AT HOWARD | 3:30 P.M. | ESPNU
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
AUBURN AT ARKANSAS | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
WASHINGTON STATE AT CAL | 4 P.M. | ESPN2
EAST CAROLINA AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
LAMAR AT NICHOLLS | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
ST. THOMAS (MINN.) AT SAN DIEGO | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA | 4:30 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS STATE AT SOUTH ALABAMA | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN KENTUCKY AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN UTAH AT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
CAL POLY AT SACRAMENTO STATE | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
UC DAVIS AT IDAHO STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
SAN DIEGO STATE AT COLORADO STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
MICHIGAN STATE AT OHIO STATE | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
MISSISSIPPI STATE AT TEXAS A&M | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN2
RICE AT UTSA | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN AT MCNEESE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
MONTANA AT PORTLAND STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
NEW MEXICO AT BOISE STATE | 10 P.M. | FS1
IOWA STATE AT BYU | 10:15 P.M. | ESPN
FRESNO STATE AT SAN JOSE STATE | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
AIR FORCE AT HAWAI’I | 11 P.M. | SPECTRUM SPORTS PPV
OLE MISS AT GEORGIA
MIAMI (FLA.) AT FLORIDA STATE
UTAH AT WASHINGTON
USC AT OREGON
TEXAS AT TCU
WEST VIRGINIA AT OKLAHOMA
TENNESSEE AT MISSOURI
FLORIDA AT LSU
STANFORD AT OREGON STATE
ARIZONA STATE AT UCLA
TEXAS TECH AT KANSAS
OKLAHOMA STATE AT UCF
BAYLOR AT KANSAS STATE
INDIANA AT ILLINOIS
RUTGERS AT IOWA
MINNESOTA AT PURDUE
NORTHWESTERN AT WISCONSIN
ARIZONA AT COLORADO
GEORGIA TECH AT CLEMSON
DUKE AT NORTH CAROLINA
NC STATE AT WAKE FOREST
CINCINNATI AT HOUSTON
GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT MARSHALL
AP COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL
| RANK | SCHOOL | VOTES | PREV |
| 1 | GEORGIA (9-0) | 1558 (49) | 1 |
| 2 | MICHIGAN (9-0) | 1485 (9) | 2 |
| 3 | OHIO STATE (9-0) | 1453 (3) | 3 |
| 4 | FLORIDA STATE (9-0) | 1411 (2) | 4 |
| 5 | WASHINGTON (9-0) | 1333 | 5 |
| 6 | OREGON (8-1) | 1240 | 6 |
| 7 | TEXAS (8-1) | 1190 | 7 |
| 8 | ALABAMA (8-1) | 1143 | 8 |
| 9 | PENN STATE (8-1) | 1075 | 9 |
| 10 | OLE MISS (8-1) | 1027 | 11 |
| 11 | LOUISVILLE (8-1) | 926 | 15 |
| 12 | OREGON STATE (7-2) | 772 | 16 |
| 13 | UTAH (7-2) | 734 | 18 |
| 14 | TENNESSEE (7-2) | 703 | 19 |
| 15 | OKLAHOMA STATE (7-2) | 660 | NR |
| 16 | MISSOURI (7-2) | 644 | 14 |
| 17 | OKLAHOMA (7-2) | 547 | 10 |
| 18 | LSU (6-3) | 532 | 13 |
| 19 | KANSAS (7-2) | 496 | 22 |
| 20 | TULANE (8-1) | 351 | 21 |
| 21 | JAMES MADISON (9-0) | 294 | 23 |
| 22 | NOTRE DAME (7-3) | 270 | 12 |
| 23 | ARIZONA (6-3) | 176 | NR |
| 24 | NORTH CAROLINA (7-2) | 95 | NR |
| 25 | LIBERTY (9-0) | 85 | NR |
OTHERS: KANSAS STATE (73) , FRESNO STATE (73) , USC (46) , AIR FORCE (26) , TOLEDO (25) , UCLA (11) , IOWA (6) , SMU (5) , DUKE (4) , WEST VIRGINIA (3) , CLEMSON (1) , NORTH CAROLINA STATE (1) , TEXAS A&M (1)
COACHES COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL
| RANK | SCHOOL | VOTES | PREV |
| 1 | GEORGIA (9-0) | 1587 (55) | 1 |
| 2 | MICHIGAN (9-0) | 1479 (4) | 2 |
| 3 | OHIO STATE (9-0) | 1468 (5) | 3 |
| 4 | FLORIDA STATE (9-0) | 1433 | 4 |
| 5 | WASHINGTON (9-0) | 1357 | 5 |
| 6 | OREGON (8-1) | 1235 | 7 |
| 7 | TEXAS (8-1) | 1209 | 6 |
| 8 | ALABAMA (8-1) | 1187 | 8 |
| 9 | PENN STATE (8-1) | 1093 | 9 |
| 10 | OLE MISS (8-1) | 1052 | 10 |
| 11 | LOUISVILLE (8-1) | 938 | 15 |
| 12 | TENNESSEE (7-2) | 785 | 16 |
| 13 | OREGON STATE (7-2) | 756 | 19 |
| 14 | UTAH (7-2) | 747 | 18 |
| 15 | MISSOURI (7-2) | 658 | 14 |
| 16 | OKLAHOMA (7-2) | 552 | 11 |
| 17 | OKLAHOMA STATE (7-2) | 543 | NR |
| 18 | KANSAS (7-2) | 481 | 23 |
| 19 | LSU (6-3) | 468 | 13 |
| 20 | TULANE (8-1) | 377 | 21 |
| 21 | JAMES MADISON (9-0) | 279 | 24 |
| 22 | NOTRE DAME (7-3) | 264 | 12 |
| 23 | NORTH CAROLINA (7-2) | 233 | 25 |
| 24 | ARIZONA (6-3) | 118 | NR |
| 25 | FRESNO STATE (8-1) | 113 | NR |
OTHERS: AIR FORCE (78) , IOWA (57) , USC (56) , KANSAS STATE (52) , LIBERTY (50) , DUKE (24) , UCLA (22) , SMU (20) , UNLV (10) , TOLEDO (8) , NORTH CAROLINA STATE (4) , KENTUCKY (4) , TROY (2) , WEST VIRGINIA (1)
NFL WEEK 9
KANSAS CITY 21 MIAMI 14
MINNESOTA 31 ATLANTA 28
BALTIMORE 37 SEATTLE 3
CLEVELAND 27 ARIZONA 0
GREEN BAY 20 LA RAMS 3
HOUSTON 39 TAMPA BAY 37
WASHINGTON 20 NEW ENGLAND 17
NEW ORLEANS 24 CHICAGO 17
INDIANAPOLIS 27 CAROLINA 13
LAS VEGAS 30 NY GIANTS 6
PHILADELPHIA 28 DALLAS 23
CINCINNATI 24 BUFFALO 18
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT NEW YORK JETS (MON) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P ESPN
NBA SCOREBOARD
PHOENIX 120 DETROIT 106
TORONTO 123 SAN ANTONIO 116 OT
CLEVELAND 115 GOLDEN STATE 104
DALLAS 124 CHARLOTTE 118
MEMPHIS 112 PORTLAND 100
NHL SCOREBOARD
NEW JERSEY 4 CHICAGO 2
ANAHEIM 4 VEGAS 2
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
KANSAS CITY 2 ST. LOUIS 1
LAFC 1 VANCOUVER 0
NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES
NFL NEWS
MAHOMES THROWS 2 TDS AND CHIEFS HANG ON TO BEAT DOLPHINS 21-14 IN GERMANY
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) Patrick Mahomes said teammate Bryan Cook looked as if he was running the anchor leg of a 4×100-meter track and field relay on his touchdown.
The Chiefs safety took a fumble return 59 yards for what turned out to be an important touchdown in Kansas City’s 21-14 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Deutsche Bank Park.
“He got those knees up and was rolling down the field,” Mahomes said. “Huge play that obviously mattered a ton in the game.”
Mahomes threw two touchdown passes and the Chiefs (7-2) did just enough to slow the NFL’s top-ranked offense in the first-ever regular season game in Frankfurt, Germany, but the defending Super Bowl champions nearly blew a big lead.
Miami’s comeback fell short when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa couldn’t handle a snap on fourth-and-10 from the Kansas City 31 with 1:03 to play.
“I’m always going to blame myself – I’ve got to catch the ball,” Tagovailoa said. “Can’t end the game like that when we have an opportunity like that against a really good team.”
Mahomes connected on first-half scoring passes to Rashee Rice and Jerick McKinnon as Miami (6-3) kept getting stuck in third-and-long situations. The Dolphins also fell to 0-3 on the season against teams with winning records.
Mahomes finished 20 of 30 for a season-low 185 yards in his European debut, but the Chiefs’ offense struggled in the second half. Tight end Travis Kelce had just three catches for 14 yards, which was just enough to become the franchise’s career leader in receiving yards.
“Obviously, penalties and then me not connecting on guys deep down the field hurt us, but luckily for us our defense is playing their tail off and we got the win,” Mahomes said.
Three Chiefs players combined to put Kansas City up 21-0 just before halftime on one of the top defensive plays of the season so far.
And it came at the expense of former teammate Tyreek Hill.
With the Dolphins driving late in the first half, cornerback Trent McDuffie stuffed Hill on a short pass in the flat and stripped the ball from the All-Pro receiver. Mike Edwards scooped it up and after Hill tried to tackle him, Edwards lateraled to Cook, who returned it for the score.
Cook said the most recent time he scored a touchdown was while playing collegiately for Howard in 2018.
Hill finished with a team-high eight catches for 62 yards.
Taylor Swift was a no-show, as was Miami’s offense early on. The only thing more surprising than Miami’s first-half struggles on offense was referee Clay Martin making a “false start” call in German in the first quarter.
Miami hadn’t been shut out in the first half of a game since Week 2 of the 2021 season.
But Tagovailoa got the comeback started with a 31-yard touchdown pass to Cedric Wilson Jr. in the third quarter.
Bradley Chubb’s strip-sack of Mahomes then gave Miami the ball on the Kansas City 27, and Raheem Mostert ran it in from 13 yards after an unnecessary roughness call on Chris Jones on a third-and-20 keep the drive alive. Mostert had 12 carries for 85 yards.
Tagovailoa finished 21 of 34 for a season-low 193 yards.
After a game that could have playoff implications – the Chiefs have hosted a record five straight AFC championship games – Chiefs coach Andy Reid said the flight home will feel shorter.
“There’s nothing worse than going into a bye week with a loss first of all, and then an eight-hour plane ride on top of that,” Reid said.
The Chiefs haven’t lost back-to-back games since early in the 2021 season and stayed undefeated in international games. They won in London in 2015 and in Mexico City in 2019.
The Dolphins have lost their past four international games. They are 2-5 in games played outside the United States.
INJURIES
Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle was slow to get up after blocking on rushing attempt on Miami’s first drive. He returned on the second drive and took a reverse for a 12-yard gain. … OL Robert Jones was helped off the field early in the fourth quarter. Reid said there were no Chiefs injuries to report.
UP NEXT
Dolphins: Bye week and then host the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 19.
Chiefs: Bye week before a Monday night Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles at Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 20.
DOBBS RALLIES VIKINGS TO 31-28 VICTORY OVER THE FALCONS 5 DAYS AFTER BEING ACQUIRED IN A TRADE
ATLANTA (AP) Joshua Dobbs hadn’t had time to learn his new Minnesota teammates’ names in his five days with the team, much less figure out the playbook.
That didn’t stop Dobbs from thriving in what he described as a “learn as you go, hair on fire, hold onto your seat” challenging game.
Dobbs threw two touchdown passes, including a go-ahead 6-yarder to Brandon Powell with 22 seconds remaining, and also ran for a score five days after being acquired in a trade to help rally the Vikings past the Atlanta Falcons 31-28 on Sunday for their fourth straight win.
Minnesota (5-4) overcame the loss of rookie quarterback Jaren Hall to a concussion in the first quarter. Hall had taken all the first-team practice snaps this week as the Vikings adjusted to the loss of veteran Kirk Cousins for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell was hoarse after talking Dobbs through every snap, giving instructions through the quarterback’s headset.
The challenge was made more difficult for the Vikings, already playing without top wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who has a hamstring injury, losing receiver K.J. Osborn to a concussion and running back Cam Akers to an injury during the game.
“I don’t know if I’ve been a part of one like that,” O’Connell said, adding all players received a game ball after the game he described as “an ultimate team win.”
Dobbs led the go-ahead drive after Tyler Allgeier’s 5-yard scoring run gave Atlanta the lead with 2:08 remaining. Dobbs had a 22-yard run on a fourth down play to keep the drive alive.
Dobbs was acquired from the Arizona Cardinals on Tuesday. The 28-year-old Dobbs started all eight games for the Cardinals. He had his first practice with the Vikings on Wednesday, leaving little preparation time.
“What he was able to do in really five days’ time was as impressive as I’ve seen a quarterback be able to do,” O’Connell said.
Dobbs’ first series of plays began at the Minnesota 7 and ended with a third down sack by Calais Campbell in the end zone for a safety early in the second quarter. The sack gave Atlanta a 5-3 lead.
Dobbs overcame the ugly first series and made his case to keep the starting job. He completed 20 of 30 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns and had seven carries for 66 yards and another score.
“People don’t really care about your circumstance,” Dobbs said. “They just want to see you succeed given the circumstance you’re given.”
The Falcons (4-5) had their own quarterback drama this week.
Taylor Heinicke was selected as Atlanta’s starter on Wednesday. Heinicke took over in the second half of last week’s 28-23 loss at Tennessee after Desmond Ridder was sacked five times and lost a fumble – his 10th turnover in the past five games.
More changes could be coming.
“Every week, we are looking to improve,” coach Arthur Smith said. “We lose games this close, we have to change something to get over the hump.”
The Falcons (4-5) took pressure off Heinicke when the game was on the line, running the ball on the final 12 plays of their 13-play, go-ahead touchdown drive. That included five consecutive runs by Allgeier.
Heinicke threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jonnu Smith to give the Falcons a 21-13 lead in the third quarter. Dobbs’ 18-yard scoring run and 2-point pass to Trishton Jackson tied the game.
Heinicke completed 21 of 38 passes for 268 yards with one touchdown and one interception and then threw a compliment to Dobbs.
“The fact that he got traded this week and comes in and plays like that? He’s a good player, man,” Heinicke said. “Playing on a short week, learning a new playbook and scoring 31 points, kudos to him.”
HONORING COUSINS
Hall and other Minnesota players showed their support for Cousins by wearing T-shirts in pregame warmups that included a graphic image of the quarterback.
INJURIES
Osborn was carted off the field with a concussion following a hit from Dee Alford, who was penalized for a personal foul, late in the first half. Osborn rose to his feet before sitting on the cart for the ride off the field. Vikings LT Christian Darrisaw was inactive after being downgraded to questionable on Saturday with a groin injury. David Quessenberry was the fill-in starter.
Falcons CB Dee Alford left the game with an ankle injury. S Richie Grant was cleared after being evaluated for a concussion in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
The Vikings continue their tour through the NFC South when they host the New Orleans Saints next Sunday.
The Falcons visit Arizona on Sunday.
RAVENS ROUT SEAHAWKS 37-3 BEHIND DEFENSE AND KEATON MITCHELL’S BIG DAY
BALTIMORE (AP) The Baltimore Ravens let the trade deadline pass without adding a running back.
Then they unleashed Keaton Mitchell on an unsuspecting Seattle squad.
“It turned out OK, right?” coach John Harbaugh said.
Even Harbaugh would have been hard pressed to predict this type of breakout for Mitchell, a 5-foot-8 undrafted rookie from East Carolina who had no NFL carries before Sunday.
He ran for 138 yards and his first pro touchdown to help the Ravens beat the Seahawks 37-3. Odell Beckham Jr. added his first TD since the Super Bowl two seasons ago as Baltimore routed a first-place team for the second time in three weeks.
Gus Edwards ran for two touchdowns for the Ravens (7-2), who remained tied for the best record in the AFC after holding an opponent to nine points or fewer for the fourth time this season. Lamar Jackson threw for 187 yards and ran for 60 before sitting out the fourth quarter. He also improved to 18-1 as a starter against NFC teams.
The past three weeks in particular, Baltimore has built a compelling case it might be the best team in the NFL. The Ravens thrashed NFC North-leading Detroit 38-6, then won in routine fashion at lowly Arizona before dominating a Seattle team that remained tied atop the NFC West despite the loss.
The Seahawks (5-3) managed only six first downs and were outgained 515-151.
“We couldn’t tackle in the second half. We just didn’t tackle,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “It’s just basic plays and we didn’t get them on the ground. That’s the part I need to look at the most, that’s what I’m the most concerned about.”
Jackson was a bit gimpy after being tackled on a play in the third, but remained in the game. Baltimore had little reason to leave him in during the final quarter and Tyler Huntley guided a touchdown drive of his own.
Both teams turned the ball over twice in the first half, but those giveaways didn’t lead to many points.
Edwards opened the scoring with a 4-yard run in the second quarter. Geno Stone then intercepted his sixth pass of the season, but the Ravens gave the ball back when Jackson lost a fumble. After forcing a punt, Baltimore drove 84 yards in 10 plays and went up 14-0 on a 3-yard run by Edwards.
After Seattle got a field goal, the Seahawks had a great chance to cut into the lead further when a fumble by Beckham gave them the ball at Baltimore’s 43. But Kyle Van Noy sacked Smith on back-to-back plays, the second of which resulted in a fumble that gave the Ravens the ball at the Seattle 36 with 33 seconds left in the half.
Justin Tucker’s field goal made it 17-3.
“When the defense gives you those opportunities and you kind of have a chance to steal some momentum right there, you’ve got to capitalize,” Smith said. “We didn’t. We turned the ball right back over and gave them points.”
The Ravens entered the game with a league-high 31 sacks and added to that total with four before halftime.
Mitchell had played in only two previous games for the Ravens – without carrying the ball a single time. He made the most of his nine carries against Seattle, scoring on a 40-yard run in the third and adding a 60-yard rush in the fourth.
“When I’m on the sideline just looking at everybody else, seeing how they play, seeing the O-line was just giving us the holes that we needed and opportunities,” Mitchell said. “When I came in, I just took advantage.”
The Seahawks didn’t appear ready to deal with Mitchell’s speed and ability to find holes.
“He came in and did great today. He ran the ball very hard,” said Seattle nose tackle Jarran Reed said, adding that the Seahawks were “honing in” on Edwards and Justice Hill. “(Mitchell) came in with some explosive runs.”
Mitchell’s father Anthony was also an undrafted free agent. He caught on with the Ravens in 2000 and returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown in a playoff win at Tennessee during Baltimore’s run to a Super Bowl title.
Harbaugh said Keaton Mitchell’s presence didn’t factor into the team’s quiet trade deadline. The Ravens lost running back J.K. Dobbins to an Achilles tendon injury in the season opener, but with a great running quarterback in Jackson, plus Edwards, Hill and now Mitchell, they remain one of the league’s top rushing teams.
Baltimore outrushed Seattle 298-28 and had the ball for 40:04.
Beckham caught a touchdown pass for the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl in February 2022, but he also injured his knee in that game and didn’t play again until this season with Baltimore. His 6-yard TD catch from Huntley made it 37-3.
“It’s been a long journey for me,” said Beckham, who turned 31 on Sunday. “Tough days, dark days, hard days. Some good in there.”
It was Seattle’s most lopsided loss since a 42-7 defeat against the Rams in 2017. It might have been worse, but the Ravens took a knee on fourth down at Seattle’s 6 with under a minute remaining.
QUITE AN IMPACT
The 32-year-old Van Noy didn’t sign with the Ravens until late September. He already has five sacks in six games for Baltimore.
“Who needs training camp?” he said.
INJURIES
Baltimore was without starting T Morgan Moses, who missed the game with shoulder problems. … Ravens CB Kevon Seymour injured a shoulder on a second-quarter kickoff. … Seattle RB DeeJay Dallas injured a shoulder on a punt by the Seahawks in the third.
UP NEXT
Seahawks: Host Washington next Sunday.
Ravens: Host Cleveland on Sunday.
DESHAUN WATSON THROWS 2 TD PASSES IN RETURN FROM SHOULDER INJURY, BROWNS DEMOLISH CARDINALS 27-0
CLEVELAND (AP) Deshaun Watson reared back and in one motion signaled his return.
After waiting weeks for Watson’s right shoulder to get stronger, Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper knew in an instant that Cleveland’s quarterback was back.
It only took one pass.
“If he wasn’t feeling good, he wouldn’t have thrown the ball deep,” said Cooper, who hauled in Watson’s pass in the first quarter for a 59-yard gain. “So once he threw that, I’m like, OK, cool. Let’s go.”
Watson had two touchdown passes – one to Cooper on a ricochet off an Arizona helmet – in just his second start in five weeks and the Browns stuffed the Cardinals, holding them to 58 yards in a 27-0 win Sunday.
Cleveland’s first shutout since 2007 was overshadowed by the return of Watson, who played in his first full game since Sept. 24, when he took a big hit on a running play and sustained a strained rotator cuff in his shoulder.
While there were moments of rust and he looked indecisive at times coming off the layoff, Watson showed he can withstand some punishment while completing 19 of 30 passes for 219 yards – 139 to Cooper.
It was far from perfect, but just being on the field was enough to satisfy Watson.
“This is what I’ve been preparing and training very, very hard to get back to,” he said. “Just to get out there and play free and be able to be very close to myself and just go out there and compete and have fun with my teammates. That’s what today brought.”
It also brought the strongest performance to date by Cleveland’s aggressive defense.
The Browns (5-3) overwhelmed rookie Clayton Tune and the Cardinals (1-8) from the start. The Browns recorded seven sacks with Dalvin Tomlinson getting to Tune 2 1/2 times.
The Cardinals only ran five of 48 plays on Cleveland’s side of the field and didn’t get deeper than the 44.
“We couldn’t run it. We couldn’t protect it. We couldn’t throw it,” said first-year Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon.
Watson, who gave the Browns hope he was ready by practicing three straight days this week, connected with Cooper on an 11-yard scoring pass. He also hooked up with tight end David Njoku on a 5-yarder.
Unlike Cooper, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he thought Watson looked like himself much earlier.
“Pregame,” he said.
Kareem Hunt had a 3-yard TD run and Dustin Hopkins kicked two field goals for Cleveland.
Arizona has lost six straight.
The Cardinals announced Saturday that Tune, a fifth-round pick from Houston, would start instead of activating Kyler Murray, who is close to making his return after suffering a season-ending knee injury last December.
Tune was the obvious choice after Arizona traded Joshua Dobbs, its starter in the first eight games.
And if being blasted by the Browns wasn’t bad enough for the Cardinals, Dobbs had quite the debut for Minnesota, coming off the bench and leading the Vikings to a win over Atlanta.
Tune couldn’t get anything going against the Browns, who pressured him on virtually every snap. He completed 11 of 20 passes for 58 yards with two interceptions.
“Frustrated, obviously,” Tune said. “Disappointed. I wanted to go out and put up a better showing.”
The Browns barely let him breathe. Arizona had just 31 yards at halftime as the Cardinals’ six first-half possessions went punt, punt, punt, interception, punt and punt. It didn’t get much better after halftime.
“It feels great,” said star defensive end Myles Garrett. “Haven’t had a shutout in a while, and it was a perfect back game. We haven’t been playing up to the standard that we’ve set on defense, and we played with our hair on fire.”
The Browns led 13-0 at the break on the strength of two field goals by Hopkins and a fluky touchdown, which came after Denzel Ward picked off Tune.
Cleveland caught a huge beak on the scoring play as Watson’s throw deflected off the helmet of Cardinals defensive lineman Dante Stills, caromed high in the air and was grabbed by Cooper in the end zone.
A week ago, the Browns were victimized by a similar play when a late pass by backup QB P.J. Walker bounced off the helmet of a blitzing Seattle defender and was picked off, setting up the Seahawks’ comeback win.
“The football god’s owed us one,” Cooper said.
NEW PLAYBOOK
Cooper also hauled in a 49-yard pass from Watson on a play the pair designed on the sideline.
“They drew up in the dirt,” said Stefanski. “I called it.”
HOLD THAT LINE
Arizona’s 58 yards were the third-fewest allowed by the Browns in team history. Cleveland gave up 47 to Chicago in 2021 and 53 to Pittsburgh in 1989.
INJURIES
Cardinals: LB Zaven Collins was evaluated for concussion in the first half and returned. … OLs Will Hernandez (knee) and D.J. Humphries (ankle) both went out in the second half. … DL Roy Lopez was also treated for an injury that wasn’t announced.
Browns: Starting LT Jedrick Wills Jr. left on crutches and his right leg immobilized after being carted off in the third quarter. … WR Marquise Goodwin left with a head injury early in the third quarter. He was assisted from the field and taken straight to the locker room for evaluation and treatment.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: Host the Falcons on Nov. 12.
Browns: A visit to AFC North-leading Baltimore on Nov. 12.
PACKERS SNAP 4-GAME SKID WITH 20-3 VICTORY OVER STRUGGLING RAMS
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) Aaron Jones finally ended the Green Bay Packers’ first-half touchdown drought.
Green Bay’s resourceful reinforcements on defense took over from there and helped the Packers snap a four-game skid by beating the Los Angeles Rams 20-3 on a rainy Sunday.
“I feel like that will help us get rolling, give us that confidence that we need,” said Jones, who ran for 73 yards on 20 carries to lead Green Bay’s 184-yard ground attack. “I always say it only takes one to get things going.”
Jones put the Packers ahead for good with a 3-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter, the first time Green Bay had reached the end zone in the first half of a game since a Sept. 17 loss in Atlanta.
Rookie tight end Luke Musgrave scored his first career touchdown on a 20-yard reception from Jordan Love and Anders Carlson went 2 of 3 on field-goal attempts for the Packers (3-5). Love went 20 of 26 for 228 yards despite getting sacked four times.
That was more than enough to beat the Rams, who dropped their third straight. The Rams played without quarterback Matthew Stafford, who sprained a ligament in his right thumb last week in a loss at Dallas.
“The weather was kind of in and out of rain, which did minimize some of the different things that you can activate, particularly in the pass game,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “We had a tough time ball handling even in the run game. So, there really weren’t a lot of positives to take away.”
With Brett Rypien starting in Stafford’s place, the Rams failed to reach the end zone. Rypien went 13 of 28 for 130 yards with an interception, and the Rams lost one of his two fumbles.
Rypien struggled against an injury-riddled Green Bay secondary that started two rookie seventh-round picks in cornerback Carrington Valentine and safety Anthony Johnson Jr.
“Not too bad for a seventh-round pick, huh?” said Valentine, who had three passes defended.
Johnson, who had played just eight defensive snaps all season before Sunday, intercepted a pass that teammate Jaire Alexander deflected to set up a fourth-quarter field goal.
Johnson said he didn’t know he’d be starting until Sunday, but visualized that he would get his first career interception.
“I saw the quarterback’s eyes and saw where he was going, so I broke that way,” Johnson said. “And as I’m running that way, I see the corner route is coming and I’m going to close, and Ja flies out of the air, tips it up. I’m like, ‘Oh, there it is. It’s mine.'”
The Packers had been outscored 73-9 in the first half of their past five games, but they led this one 7-3 at the break and could have been up by more if they hadn’t wasted opportunities with penalties. Green Bay’s defense shut the Rams (3-6) down the rest of the way.
Los Angeles’ only points came on Lucas Havrisik’s 52-yard field goal late in the second quarter.
Jones’ touchdown followed one of Rypien’s turnovers. Rypien initially mishandled a snap and then tried to roll to his right. Jonathan Owens sacked him and forced a fumble that De’Vondre Campbell recovered at the Rams 41-yard line.
The Packers fumbled the ball away on each of their first two second-half series, but the Rams failed to capitalize either time.
After Ahkello Witherspoon recovered Dontayvion Wicks’ fumble at the Rams 42, Los Angeles punted rather than attempting a long field goal on fourth-and-17 from the 36.
Jordan Fuller knocked the ball from Aaron Jones on the Packers’ next series, and Duke Shelley’s 9-yard fumble return gave the Rams the ball on the Green Bay 36. The Rams’ ensuing possession ended with Havrisik’s 49-yard field-goal attempt sailing wide right.
“We don’t do a good job of capitalizing when our defense gets the turnovers, and we weren’t able to really get anything going momentum-wise,” McVay said. “It’s a good, humbling day. Sometimes you have days like that.”
Carlson, who missed a 48-yard field goal to end the first half, extended Green Bay’s lead by kicking a 26-yarder late in the third quarter and a 34-yarder with 9:08 left in the game. Musgrave capped the scoring by catching a pass across the middle at around the 15 and running into the end zone with 3:41 remaining.
“It’s not perfect – it’s never going to be perfect – but I think just the position we were able to put ourselves in and come out with a win, it definitely is going to help us,” Love said. “We’ve just got to keep stacking going forward.”
INJURY REPORT
Rams: Linebacker Ernest Jones (knee) and right tackle Rob Havenstein (calf) didn’t play along with Stafford. Rams DB Cobie Durant (shoulder) left in the first half.
Packers: Linebacker Quay Walker (groin) and safety Rudy Ford (calf) sat out the game. Defensive tackle Kenny Clark (shoulder) and left tackle Yosh Nijman (back) were knocked out of the game. Christian Watson headed into the locker room late in the game after making a 37-yard catch to set up the Packers’ final touchdown. Watson had a chest injury and back injury.
UP NEXT
Rams: Off next week before hosting the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 19.
Packers: At Pittsburgh next Sunday.
STROUD HAS 5 TDS AND ROOKIE-RECORD 470 YARDS PASSING TO LIFT TEXANS PAST BUCS 39-37
HOUSTON (AP) Down by four with less than a minute to go Sunday, rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud had complete confidence that he could rally the Houston Texans to a victory.
“Give me the ball,” he said. “Call the plays. I’m going to make the plays.”
Stroud threw for five touchdowns and a rookie-record 470 yards to lift the Texans to a 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a wild back-and-forth game.
Baker Mayfield put the Buccaneers on top with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton with 46 seconds left.
But the Texans (4-4) drove down the field and Stroud found Tank Dell in the end zone with 6 seconds left to give the Texans the lead.
“His job was to beat the corner,” Stroud said. “And the Texans win. That drive – man it was special.”
Stroud kneeled instead of attempting the 2-point conversion with kicker Kaʻimi Fairbairn out with a quadriceps injury. The Buccaneers fumbled on the final play to give Houston the victory.
A 26-yard reception by Dell, who had 114 yards receiving, got the Texans within striking distance before Stroud found Dell again to complete the come-from-behind victory.
“That connection and that bond that Tank and C.J. have – it’s real,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “You see it off the field, on the field, they have a true bond and it’s fun to watch those guys work together.”
Stroud, the second overall pick in the draft, helped carry Houston’s offense on a day when running back Dameon Pierce sat out with an ankle injury and the Texans managed just 53 yards rushing.
“It was a gutsy performance from him,” Ryans said. “It wasn’t all clean but he gutted it out. He was tough in the pocket. Made some plays, made some big-time throws for us.”
Noah Brown had six catches for 153 yards and a touchdown and Dalton Schultz added 10 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown for the Texans.
Mayfield threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns and the Buccaneers (3-5) dropped their fourth straight game.
“It’s a devastating loss, no doubt about it,” Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said. “We’ve got to eat it. All of us feel the same way, especially me. I’ve been coaching a long time, I haven’t been involved in too many of these where it’s been back and forth like that and came down on the other end with a few things happening.”
Stroud led the Texans to touchdowns on their first three possessions of the second half to put them on top 30-23.
“C.J. Stroud doesn’t look like a rookie to me,” Mayfield said. “He’s so impressive, looks like a polished NFL quarterback. So, hats off to him. He played extremely, extremely well today.”
The Bucs tied it on a 1-yard run by Rachaad White before running back Dare Ogunbowale nailed a tiebreaking 29-yard field goal to put Houston on top 33-30 with about nine minutes to go.
He handled the kickoff duties in the second half with Fairbairn out with a quadriceps injury. But Houston went for 2 on each of its three second-half touchdowns, before Ogunbowale made the big field goal.
He’s the first non-kicker or punter to make a field goal since Wes Welker did it on Oct. 10, 2004, for the Dolphins against New England.
“Dare, he’s truly the player of the game,” Ryans said. “For him stepping up the way he did for us was outstanding by him.”
Tampa Bay extended its lead to 20-10 on a 49-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin early in the third quarter.
Brown took a short pass from Stroud and dashed 75 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the next drive to cut the lead. The Texans attempted a 2-point conversion with Fairbairn out. But Stroud was intercepted by Joe Tryon-Shoyinka leave the Bucs up 20-16.
McLaughlin added a 55-yard field goal to push it to 23-16 with 9½ minutes left in the third.
Schultz caught a 26-yard pass on third-and-11 to extend Houston’s next possession. Stroud then hit Dell in the corner of the end zone for a 29-yard TD that cut the lead to 23-22. The 2-point conversion failed when Stroud’s throw to Dell fell short.
Schultz grabbed a 9-yard pass for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and Stroud ran for the 2-point conversion to put the Texans up 30-23 before White’s fourth-quarter score. A 53-yard reception by Mike Evans set up that score.
The Texans took a 7-3 lead when Stroud connected with Nico Collins on a 14-yard score with about nine minutes left in the first quarter.
Mayfield connected with Otton on a 3-yard TD pass to put Tampa Bay on top 10-7.
Mayfield threw a 9-yard pass to White on third down to get the Buccaneers to the 1. White waltzed into the end zone on the next play to push the lead to 17-7 with about nine minutes until halftime.
The Texans cut the lead to 17-10 on a 50-yard field goal by Fairbairn with five minutes left in the second quarter.
Schultz fumbled after a reception on Houston’s first drive, and it was recovered Antoine Winfield Jr. on the Houston 42. The Buccaneers took a 3-0 lead on a 35-yard field goal by McLaughlin.
INJURIES
Buccaneers: CB Jamel Dean left in the first quarter with a concussion. … DB Josh Hayes left in the third quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. … Houston S M.J. Stewart injured a shoulder in the second quarter. … DT Hassan Ridgeway left in the third with an ankle injury. … LB Jake Hansen injured his hand in the third. … WR John Metchie left in the second half with a rib injury. … S Jimmie Ward injured his hamstring.
UP NEXT
Bucanneers: Host Tennessee next Sunday.
Texans: Visit Bengals next Sunday.
JARTAVIUS MARTIN’S LATE INTERCEPTION HELPS COMMANDERS STUN PATRIOTS 20-17
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) Sam Howell was kicking himself.
The Commanders quarterback was leaving the field minutes after throwing a red-zone interception to Patriots safety Kyle Dugger that negated his team’s chance to take a lead into halftime.
“That’s probably one of the worst plays I’ve made in my football career,” Howell said of the pick.
Coach Ron Rivera noticed the agitation on Howell’s face and had a quick word with him in the team’s tunnel.
“He’s resilient,” Rivera said. “I knew he was going to get over it quickly and come out and play.”
He was right. And with a little help from their defense, the Commanders picked up one of their biggest victories of the season.
Howell passed for 325 yards and a game-tying touchdown and Jartavius Martin had a late interception to help Washington hold off New England 20-17 on Sunday.
It marked the first time in Howell’s career he eclipsed 300 yards passing in consecutive games and gave the Commanders their first victory in New England since 1996. It also snapped a four-game overall losing streak to the Patriots.
Washington (4-5) turned it over twice, but wore down the Patriots’ defense by going 9 of 17 on third down. Brian Robinson added a rushing touchdown to help the Commanders end a two-game skid.
New England dropped to 2-7 for the first time since Bill Belichick’s first season as coach in 2000. The Patriots are now 0-5 in non-division games, the only team in the NFL without a win outside of their division.
“The results aren’t there right now. It stinks. And there’s no excuses,” Jones said.
Trailing 20-17, New England had a chance. The Patriots inched down the field and converted a fourth-and-4 to keep their hopes alive. But two plays later with the ball on the Commanders 41, Mac Jones’ pass intended for JuJu-Smith Schuster was intercepted by Martin – sealing the win for Washington.
The Patriots entered the day thin at receiver with Kendrick Bourne out with a season-ending knee injury and DeVante Parker sidelined with a concussion. Mac Jones did his best to make it work, completing 24 of 44 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown.
It helped erase an early 10-0 lead by the Commanders, who were playing in their first game since trading top pass rushers Montez Sweat and Chase Young.
New England got back into the game thanks to a 35-second span that included a forced fumble and a 14-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Hunter Henry.
The Patriots took a 14-10 lead a series later via a 64-yard TD run by Rhamondre Stevenson.
New England added a field goal early in the third, but Washington responded with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by a 33-yard touchdown pass from Howell to Jahan Dotson to tie the game.
“We knew it would be 1-on-1. Cover 0 there’s nobody behind him,” Howell said. “So I just tried to throw it out there and let him go get it. He did.”
Washington then took a 20-17 lead in the third quarter on Joey Slye’s 30-yard field goal.
That remained the score in the fourth quarter when the Commanders took over on their own 5-yard line with 5:04 left following a Patriots punt.
The Commanders picked up a first down and burned some clock before punting it back with 2:29 remaining. But New England’s Mack Wilson offsides on the play, resulting in a first down for Washington.
The Commanders ran three more plays before punting again, pinning the Patriots at their 10 to start their final drive following a holding penalty.
INJURIES
Commanders DE James Smith-Williams walked off on his own power following collision in the fourth quarter.
ROUGHING EXPLANATION
Washington defensive end KJ Henry was called for roughing the passer for a third-down sack on Jones in the third quarter for what appeared to be a clean hit on the quarterback. The play kept alive the drive and led to a field goal that increased New England’s lead to 17-10.
Referee Adrian Hill said afterward that the hit was clean, but that the flag was thrown because of how Henry landed on Jones.
“The ruling on the field was that the defender came down with forcible contact, chest-to-chest,” Hill said in a pool report. “He didn’t perform one of those acts to remove most of that body weight – a gator roll or a clear to the side when he was coming in. He came down directly with that force on the player, so the category was full body weight.”
UP NEXT
Commanders: Visit the Seattle Seahawks next Sunday.
Patriots: New England is the designated home team against the Indianapolis Colts next Sunday in Frankfurt, Germany
TAYSOM HILL’S TDS RECEIVING AND PASSING, PAULSON ADEBO’S TAKEAWAYS LIFT SAINTS PAST BEARS 24-17
NEW ORLEANS (AP) Taysom Hill’s production near the goal line put him in Hall-of-Fame company, and defensive back Paulson Adebo had what he considered the game of his life.
The New Orleans Saints needed every bit of that to outlast the struggling Chicago Bears and remain atop the NFC South.
Hill caught a touchdown pass and threw for another, Adebo intercepted two passes and also forced a fumble that he recovered, and the Saints beat the Bears 24-17 on Sunday.
The dynamic Hill’s receiving TD made him the first NFL player since New York Giants Hall of Famer Frank Gifford (who retired after the 1964 season) to score 10 or more times each as a passer (11), runner (26) and receiver (10).
“That’s pretty impressive, right?” Saints coach Dennis Allen said. “Half the guys in our locker room would have no idea who Frank Gifford is.”
Hill, a 33-year-old former BYU quarterback, said he did know of Gifford, primarily because he’d been told about him by Saints stats keepers.
“I look at back at my career and I certainly didn’t think it would have gone the way it has,” Hill said. “But as I hear and think about stuff like that, it’s overwhelming. I have a lot of gratitude to be able to be part of this program and play with coaches who are creative enough to give me opportunities.”
The Saints (5-4) forced five turnovers, intercepting rookie QB Tyson Bagent three times and recovering two fumbles. Those plays tipped the balance of a game in which the undrafted Bagent and the Bears (2-7) often had the Saints’ defense off balance, outgaining New Orleans 368-301 in total yards and possessing the ball for just more than half the game.
The final turnover – a fumble caused by Demario Davis’ sack and recovered by fellow linebacker Pete Werner – all but sealed it with 2:05 left. New Orleans needed only one first down – and got it – to run out the clock.
Bagent passed for two touchdowns to tight end Cole Kmet. He finished with 220 yards passing and 70 yards rushing to keep Chicago within one score the whole way despite the Bears being minus-5 in turnovers.
“There wasn’t a lot good that I saw defensively,” Allen said, “but the takeaways were outstanding, and that’s the difference in the game.”
The Saints had a chance to take a 10-point lead on rookie kicker Blake Grupe’s 47-yard field goal attempt with 2:30 left, but the ball hit the left upright.
That gave the Bears a chance to drive for a late, tying touchdown – until Davis’ pivotal sack and strip.
“It really just comes all down to myself in that last quarter being able to do a better job taking care of the ball,” Bagent said. “We talk about it every day, and it was basically just me. Good on their part and bad on my part.”
Derek Carr passed for 211 yards and two touchdowns for the Saints, the first scoring pass going to Chris Olave and the second to Hill.
Hill hit tight end Juwan Johnson in the back of the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
The Saints didn’t take their first lead until DJ Moore’s fumble – caused and recovered by Adebo – moments after what would have been a first-down catch to the Chicago 40 in the third quarter. That set up Grupe’s 55-yard field goal to put New Orleans up 17-14.
Chicago drove 13 plays to the Saints’ 13-yard line before settling for Cairo Santos’ field goal to tie it at 17.
Seeking their first victory in the Superdome since 1991, the Bears started fast. Bagent found Kmet for an 18-yard TD to cap a nine-play, 75-yard opening drive. But Adebo’s first interception near midfield set up a tying TD on Carr’s 8-yard pass to Olave.
Bagent’s second TD pass to Kmet, from 9 yards out, briefly put the Bears back in front before Carr drove New Orleans right back down the field for a 2-yard scoring pass to Hill for the utility player’s fourth TD in his past three games.
Santos, who kicked for Tulane when the Green Wave played home games in the Superdome, hit the upright from 40 yards out in the final minute of the half. His first miss this season kept the score tied at halftime.
LEVEL ASSESSMENT
Adebo, a third-year pro who now leads the club with four interceptions, sounded disinclined to bask in a performance that he said was “probably my best.”
“There’s plays that I made mistakes on and whatnot that maybe haven’t been highlighted,” he said. “It’s just trying to be as objective as possible, trying to look at the film, see what I could have done better, see what I did do well.”
INJURIES
Bears FB Khari Blasingame left the game to be checked for a concussion.
UP NEXT
Bears: Host Carolina on Thursday night.
Saints: Visit Minnesota on Sunday.
RAIDERS ROLL PAST GIANTS 30-6 TO GIVE ANTONIO PIERCE A WIN IN HIS DEBUT AS INTERIM COACH
LAS VEGAS (AP) The smell of cigar smoke wafted beyond the locker room door, and there was no doubt the Raiders were at long last enjoying themselves.
Several players lit up after Las Vegas’ 30-6 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday, the latest sign that times have indeed changed following a week of major upheaval.
Josh Jacobs rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns, rookie Aidan O’Connell passed for 209 yards and Antonio Pierce won in his debut as Las Vegas’ interim coach.
Maxx Crosby had three of the Raiders’ eight sacks. Las Vegas held the Giants to 275 yards in the Raiders’ largest margin of victory since beating the Denver Broncos 37-12 on Nov. 15, 2020. The Raiders scored nearly as many points in one day on the Giants’ vaunted defense than it allowed in the three previous games combined (34).
“We talked about pride and poise and getting back to being ourselves,” Pierce said. “Everything that’s going on is in front of us, not behind us. The team effort you saw today is what we displayed in practice Thursday and Friday.”
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones left one play into the second quarter with a right knee injury. He’ll undergo an MRI on Monday. Tommy DeVito played the rest of the game and passed for 175 yards and a touchdown. Saquon Barkley rushed for 90 yards on 16 carries.
This was the Raiders’ first game since coach Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi and general manager Dave Ziegler were fired early in the week and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was benched.
The result couldn’t have gone much better for the Raiders, who led 24-0 by halftime, which tied for their sixth-largest advantage when not allowing a point.
“It’s a hard situation what happened this week, but I think the guys felt relieved and happy and super joyful that we could perform like this,” O’Connell said. “So it was definitely rocking in the locker room.”
The team played tight under McDaniels’ rigid control, but there was a noticeable ease in the locker room this week under Pierce, the former Giants linebacker. The question was whether that would translate on the field.
It did, and from the beginning when Las Vegas went down the field and scored on a 17-yard jet sweep by wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
By halftime, the Raiders (4-5) already had scored a season high in points and Jacobs had already rushed for a season-best 86 yards. Las Vegas’ previous high was 21 points three weeks ago against the New England Patriots, with the final two coming on a safety. The Raiders’ offense ended a nine-game skid without scoring at least 20 points.
Jacobs, who last season led the NFL in rushing, nearly ended a 13-game streak without a 100-yard performance. He was at 101 yards before losing 3 yards on his final carry.
“The vibe and the energy is just electric right now,” Jacobs said. “This is the most connected I feel like we’ve been as a unit.”
O’Connell was given the start this week over the ineffective Garoppolo and Brian Hoyer, and Pierce said it would be his job going forward. The QB commonly referred to as AOC completed 16 of 25 passes.
For the Giants, the game couldn’t have gone much worse. They entered last in the league in total, scoring and passing offense.
New York’s offense still hasn’t scored a touchdown in the first quarter, and it didn’t reach the end zone in this game until early in the fourth quarter and then after trailing 27-0.
At 2-7, the Giants already have as many losses as all of last season when they went 9-7-1 and made the playoffs.
“Definitely sucks, but got to be a pro about it,” Barkley said. “Can’t make no excuses. Still got a long season ahead of us, obviously. I’m not happy that we’re 2-7 and with everything that’s going on right now. Get on a flight, rest up, get ready for next week.”
Interceptions by Amik Robertson and Nate Hobbs led to the final 10 points of the half for the Raiders to all but end any doubt about the outcome. Las Vegas outgained New York 240-108 in the opening 30 minutes.
“I see what we do when we play cohesive defense on the line and the back seven and everybody don’t quit,” Hobbs said. “If we communicate, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with. I feel like the top 10 in the league for sure.”
INJURIES
Raiders RT Thayer Munford (neck) and LBs Divine Deablo (ankle) and Luke Masterson (concussion) did not play. … Las Vegas CB Marcus Peters left with a knee injury. … Giants OTs Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and Evan Neal (ankle) returned after missing time. Thomas hadn’t played since the season opener, and Neal missed the previous two games. Neal, however, left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. … New York CB Adoree’ Jackson suffered a concussion.
UP NEXT
Giants: The second of a three-game road trip continues against the NFC East-rival Dallas Cowboys next Sunday.
Raiders: Another New York team visits when the Jets arrive for the Sunday night game.
JALEN HURTS SHAKES OFF KNEE INJURY AND LEADS EAGLES PAST COWBOYS 28-23 FOR NFL BEST 8-1 MARK
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jalen Hurts feigned memory loss. What raced through his mind when a helmet crashed into his already bruised left knee and sent him hobbling toward the sideline – and sent edgy Eagles fans into several anxious moments?
“I don’t remember,” a stone-faced Hurts said.
Catch a replay for a reminder. The toughness on display left an indelible mark – and admiration inside the Eagles’ locker room – on all in Philly who watched Hurts absorb more punishing hits, then tear through a dazed Dallas defense.
“I don’t really know what to say,” Hurts said. “It was a gritty win. It was a tough win.”
Hurts braved a direct hit on his injured left knee to throw for 207 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for another tush push score to lead the Philadelphia Eagles over the Dallas Cowboys 28-23 on Sunday night.
The Eagles are the only 8-1 team in the NFL.
The Eagles did all they could on Dallas’ final drive to cough up the game. Dak Prescott needed to move the Cowboys 86 yards in 46 seconds for the potential winning score – and promptly got 56 yards of Eagles’ penalties to reach the 6-yard-line.
On the cusp of a stunning comeback, Prescott instead was sacked by Josh Sweat for an 11-yard loss.
After a penalty on the Cowboys (5-3) moved them to the 27, Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for 22 yards, but the wideout was tackled by Darius Slay at the 5 to end the game.
Prescott threw for 374 yards and three scores. Lamb had 11 catches for 191 yards.
“We feel great about our team,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “We need to learn from these mistakes. That’s what these games come down to. You get into these types of games and even more so if you get into playoff football.”
The NFC champion Eagles are playing like a team capable of another deep postseason run – the kind that could easily become derailed with a significant injury to Hurts.
Hurts has downplayed the severity of the condition of his knee and scoffed at all questions – including when exactly he was hurt. He’s yet to even show up on the injury report.
“I’d do anything for my city, my teammates,” Hurts said. “It takes what it takes.”
Hurts suffered a scare in the final minutes of the first half. He was hit by defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence and wrapped for a sack by linebacker Micah Parsons. Hurts stumbled as he stood up and appeared in pain as he limped off the field. Hurts took a moment on the sideline to collect himself when the Eagles called timeout. The 2022 NFL MVP runner-up, Hurts remained in the game for a handoff.
His teammates continue to respect Hurts’ resilience.
“If he can get up and walk off, he’s OK,” wide receiver A.J. Brown said. “He said a couple of words then right after, he’s all laughing and joking.”
The score, the banged-up knee, all of it seemed to only push Hurts on the opening drive of the third to prove he could be as dangerous on one gimpy knee as he was on two good legs. On the first drive of the third quarter, Hurts scrambled for four yards and a first down. He threw an 11-yard reception and then tossed a pinpoint pass to DeVonta Smith in the corner of the end zone for a 29-yard score and 21-17 lead.
Hurts hit Brown for a 4-yard TD and a 28-17 lead in the closing minutes of the quarter. Brown had had set an NFL record with six straight games with at least 125 yards receiving. He had 66 yards to end the streak.
Philadelphia’s defense took it from there. Eagles linebacker Zach Cunningham prevented a score and flipped Prescott to the 1-yard line. On fourth down, Prescott’s pass to tight end Luke Schoonmaker was initially called a touchdown. But a replay review showed Schoonmaker’s left knee was down on about the inch line and the TD was overturned.
The Linc erupted in cheers – a familiar roar to Phillies slugger Bryce Harper, who watched from a suite.
Prescott hit Jalen Tolbert for a 7-yard score to make it 28-23 and the QB scrambled for a 2-point conversion. Or so he thought. Again replay reversed a pivotal call for the Cowboys, and Prescott’s scramble didn’t count. The Eagles held their five-point lead.
“An inch here, an inch there, and we’ll find a way to gain that,” Prescott said.
The Eagles would need to collapse for the Cowboys or any other team in the NFC East to catch them for first place.
Dallas gave it a good run. Team owner Jerry Jones stayed quiet this week to avoid any bulletin board quotes, saying he didn’t want to “poke the bear.”
Precott responded, “Pour honey on me. If you see me and a bear in a fight, pour honey on me.”
Bears, maybe. Birds, not so much.
Kenneth Gainwell somersaulted into the end zone for a 12-yard score and a 7-0 Eagles’ lead in the first quarter.
Prescott then threw consecutive TD passes, a 4-yard tying score to Jake Ferguson and a 5-yard strike to KaVontae Turpin in the second for a 14-7 lead.
Hurts tied the game with the now-familiar – and wildly successful – tush push. It was his seventh rushing touchdown of the season, six on the tush push. He also set an Eagles QB rushing record with 33 career touchdowns.
Even on one good knee, Hurts is determined to keep adding to that record.
“As long as he can do it, and it’s safe to go back out there, there ain’t nothing that’s going to keep him off the field,” center Jason Kelce said.
INJURIES
Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean left with a foot injury. … Tight end Dallas Goedert suffered an injured forearm.
UP NEXT
Dallas heads home for another NFC East showdown against the Giants on Sunday.
The Eagles take a week off before they play Monday night Nov. 20 in Kansas City in a Super Bowl rematch.
BURROW PASSES FOR 348 YARDS AND 2 TDS AND BENGALS’ DEFENSE CLAMPS DOWN ON BILLS IN 24-18 WIN
CINCINNATI (AP) The Cincinnati Bengals showed a national TV audience on Sunday night they are still serious AFC playoff contenders.
The Bengals were all but counted out after starting the season with two losses and falling to 1-3 on Oct. 1. But four straight wins have pulled them back up and into the conversation.
The latest was a 24-18 victory over the Buffalo Bills in a rematch of a divisional playoff game from last season.
“We went out and proved to the world we’re back and we’re here,” said Cincinnati receiver Tee Higgins, who had eight catches for a season-high 110 yards.
Joe Burrow threw for a season-high 348 yards and two touchdowns, and Cincinnati’s defense forced two turnovers and held off the Bills.
“We’re coming along,” Burrow said. “We’ve played well the last couple of weeks and we have to keep it going.”
Cincinnati (5-3) is locked in a tie with Cleveland and Pittsburgh, all of them chasing the division-leading Ravens (7-2) in the AFC North. The Bengals still have to play the Steelers twice and have rematches with the Browns and Ravens on the schedule.
Burrow, who was still struggling with a calf injury early in the season, was 31 for 44 while completing passes to eight receivers, with tight ends Irv Smith Jr. and Drew Sample making the touchdown grabs.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati kept Josh Allen and the Bills (5-4) playing from behind throughout.
Cam Taylor-Britt intercepted Allen to shut down a drive in the second quarter. Nick Scott upended Buffalo tight end Dalton Kincaid and recovered the fumble on Cincinnati’s 13-yard line in the third quarter.
The subsequent Bengals drive ate up 5:20 and a 20-yard field goal by Evan McPherson extended Cincinnati’s lead to 24-10.
Allen threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs and the two connected on a 2-point conversion pass to cut the lead to 24-18 with 3 1/2 minutes left, but the Bengals got two first downs and ran out the clock to seal it.
“Too inconsistent overall,” Buffalo coach Sean McDermott said. “I thought we got off to a really good start in our rhythm. After that it was tough sledding.”
Allen had a respectable night, going 26 for 38 and 258 yards, but he also threw an interception for the fifth straight game. Diggs had six catches for 86 yards.
Burrow was 6 for 6 for 65 yards on a methodical opening drive that he finished off with a 7-yard pass to Smith, who got his first touchdown catch of the season.
The Bills answered with a quick scoring drive, highlighted by a 34-yard catch-and-run by Diggs and capped by Allen’s 2-yard TD run.
Aided by a roughing the passer call on the Bills’ Tim Settle, Burrow put together another extended drive. Joe Mixon barreled in from Buffalo’s 2-yard line to finish it.
Burrow tossed a bubble screen to Sample, who ran for a 22-yard touchdown and gave the Bengals a 21-7 lead at the half.
“Getting up by two scores was big,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “I also was happy with the offense on the final drive. We take pride in finishing with the ball.”
In his postgame news conference, Burrow did his best to temper expectations.
“We were 1-0 this week. We have to be 1-0 next week, too,” he said. “This is only game (No.) 8. We’ve got nine games left.”
HARD MEMORIES
The last time the Bills played at Paycor Stadium on Jan. 2, safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field. The game was postponed and eventually canceled.
Hamlin recovered and was back with the team in Cincinnati, although he was inactive for the game.
He’s honoring the 10 first-responders, nurses and doctors who helped save his life by establishing a scholarship program for Cincinnati youths.
Hamlin’s charitable foundation charitable will be awarding $1,000 scholarships to 10 individuals from the area’s underserved communities for each of the next three years.
INJURIES
Bills LB Terrel Bernard was ruled out with a concussion.
UP NEXT
Bills: Host the Denver Broncos (3-5) on Monday, Nov. 13.
Bengals: Host the Houston Texans (4-4) next Sunday.
SEVEN FROM SUNDAY – WEEK 9
A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the 9:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, November 5, the ninth week of the 2023 season.
With two games remaining in Week 8, eight of 12 games (75 percent) have been within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter, with seven games having been decided by one score.
This season, 69.4 percent of all games (93 of 134 games) have been within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter through Week 9.
Two teams – HOUSTON and MINNESOTA – recorded game-winning scores in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime in Week 9.
Vikings quarterback JOSHUA DOBBS totaled three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing), including the game-winning touchdown pass with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Dobbs, who had three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in Week 8 with Arizona, is the first player in NFL history to score three-or-more combined passing and rushing touchdowns in consecutive weeks with two different teams.
Seven rookie quarterbacks started in Week 9, marking the first time since Week 17 of the 2019 season that seven rookie quarterbacks started in the same week.
There have been nine rookie quarterbacks to start a game this season, tied with the 2019 season for the most rookie quarterbacks to start in a season since 1950 (excluding 1987).
Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES threw two touchdown passes as the Chiefs defeated the Dolphins, 21-14, in the first-ever regular-season game played in Frankfurt, Germany.
Kansas City, who previously won international regular-season games in England in 2015 and in Mexico in 2019 is the first NFL team to win a regular-season game in four different countries, including the United States.
Mahomes has 64 career games with at least two touchdown passes, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (64 games) for the second-most such games by a player in his first seven seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hal of Famer DAN MARINO (65) has more.
Houston rookie quarterback C.J. STROUD completed 30 of 42 attempts (71.4 percent) for 470 yards and five touchdowns with zero interceptions for a 147.8 rating in the Texans’ 39-37 win over Tampa Bay, the most passing yards by a rookie in a game in NFL history.
Stroud recorded a passer rating of 147.8 in Week 9 and surpassed MARCUS MARIOTA (137.5 rating on November 8, 2015) for the highest single-game passer rating by a rookie quarterback (minimum 30 attempts) in NFL history.
Stroud is the second rookie in NFL history with at least 400 passing yards and five touchdown passes in a game, joining MATTHEW STAFFORD (422 passing yards and five touchdown passes on November 22, 2009).
Stroud, who is 22 years and 33 days old, is the youngest player ever with at least 450 passing yards in a game, surpassing JACKY LEE (22 years and 94 days old on October 13, 1961 with the Houston Oilers against the Boston Patriots).
Stroud is the sixth player in NFL history to record at least 450 passing yards and five touchdown passes with no interceptions in a game, joining JARED GOFF (September 27, 2018), Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (September 5, 2013), DONOVAN MCNABB (December 5, 2004), BEN ROETHLISBERGER (October 26, 2014) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Y.A. TITTLE (October 28, 1962).
Houston wide receiver NOAH BROWN registered six catches for 153 yards and one touchdown, tight end DALTON SCHULTZ recorded 10 catches for 130 yards and one touchdown and rookie wide receiver TANK DELL had six catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns in the Texans’ Week 9 win.
The Texans are the fourth team in the Super Bowl era with three players in a game each recording at least five receptions, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown, joining the 2018 LOS ANGELES RAMS (Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods on September 27), 1995 DETROIT LIONS (Herman Moore, Johnnie Morton and Brett Perriman on November 23) and 1982 LOS ANGELES RAMS (Preston Dennard, George Farmer and Wendell Tyler on December 26).
Philadelphia quarterback JALEN HURTS had three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) with no interceptions and a 130.2 rating in the Eagles’ 28-23 win over Dallas.
The Eagles, who improved to 8-1 this season after beginning 8-1 in 2022, are the first team to begin consecutive seasons with an 8-1 or better record since the 2005-06 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS.
Hurts has 33 career rushing touchdowns and tied CAM NEWTON (33 rushing touchdowns) for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in his first four seasons in NFL history.
Hurts, who has seven rushing touchdowns this season after recording 13 rushing touchdowns in 2022 and 10 rushing touchdowns in 2021, is the second quarterback ever with at least seven rushing touchdowns in three consecutive seasons, joining JOSH ALLEN (2018-20).
Cleveland defensive end MYLES GARRETT recorded one sack and a fumble recovery in the Browns’ 27-0 win over Arizona.
Cleveland, who held Arizona to 58 total net yards in Week 9 and allowed 98 total net yards to Tennessee in Week 3, are the first team in 41 years and the fifth team in the Super Bowl era to allow 100-or-fewer yards in two of their first eight games of a season, joining the 1982 BUFFALO BILLS, 1976 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, 1973 LOS ANGELES RAMS and 1967 OAKLAND RAIDERS.
Garrett has recorded at least one sack in 57 career games, tied with AARON DONALD (57) for the fourth-most career games with at least one sack in a player’s first seven NFL seasons since 1982. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers DEMARCUS WARE (68 games) and REGGIE WHITE (63) as well as VON MILLER (61) have more.
Los Angeles Rams rookie wide receiver PUKA NACUA recorded three receptions for 32 yards in Week 9.
Nacua leads all rookies with 64 receptions and surpassed SAQUON BARKLEY (62 receptions in 2018) for the most receptions by a player in their first nine career games in NFL history.
Nacua leads all rookies with 827 receiving yards and is the fourth rookie in the Super Bowl era with at least 800 receiving yards in his first nine career games, joining MARQUES COLSTON (869 receiving yards in 2006), JA’MARR CHASE (835 in 2021) and ODELL BECKHAM JR. (829 in 2014).
Additional notes from Sunday include:
New Orleans quarterback TAYSOM HILL registered a touchdown pass and touchdown reception in the Saints’ 24-17 win over Chicago.
Hill has 26 rushing touchdowns, 11 touchdown passes and 10 touchdown receptions in his career and is the second player in NFL history with at least 25 rushing touchdowns, 10 touchdown passes and 10 touchdown receptions, joining FRANK GIFFORD (34 rushing touchdowns, 14 touchdown passes and 43 touchdown receptions).
Texans running back DARE OGUNBOWALE converted a 29-yard field goal in Week 9, becoming the first non-kicker or punter to make a field goal since wide receiver WES WELKER converted a 29-yard field goal for Miami on October 10, 2004.
Ogunbowale is the first running back with a made field goal since TOBY GALBREATH on September 9, 1979.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
REPORT: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FIRES DC ALEX GRINCH
Southern California fired defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, Yahoo Sports reported Sunday.
The Trojans have lost three of their last four games and tumbled out of the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll Sunday afternoon. The most recent dismal showing was a 52-42 home loss to No. 5 Washington on Saturday night.
The Trojans also allowed 48 points in a loss to Notre Dame, 34 in a defeat to Utah and 49 in a one-point win over Cal.
USC ranks No. 121 among 130 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring defense, yielding 34.5 points per game. The team is 119th in total defense (436 yards allowed per contest).
Grinch, 43, followed head coach Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to USC ahead of the 2022 season. He had spent three seasons as the Sooners’ defensive coordinator and was co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2018.
NO. 1 GEORGIA, TOP TEAMS HOLD PLACES IN AP TOP 25
The Associated Press Top 25 voters and the College Football Playoff committee disagree when it comes to the order of the top three teams in the nation.
In the most recent AP Top 25 poll, released Sunday, Georgia held on to the No. 1 spot, followed by Michigan and Ohio State. That’s the same result as last Sunday’s poll but a variance of the first CFP standings when they were announced Tuesday, which had Ohio State at No. 1, followed by Georgia and Michigan.
All three teams won Saturday to move to 9-0. They are followed by another pair of 9-0 teams — No. 4 Florida State and No. 5 Washington.
The top nine were unchanged from last week. No. 6 Oregon is followed by Texas, Alabama and Penn State in a collection of 8-1 teams. No. 10 Ole Miss moved up one spot when previous No. 10 Oklahoma fell to 17 following its rivalry loss to Oklahoma State.
Notre Dame (7-3) fell 10 places to No. 22 following its loss to unranked Clemson. Southern California dropped out of the Top 25 for the first time in the Lincoln Riley era as the Trojans now have lost three of their last four games — surrendering an average of 45.8 points per game.
In contrast to the Irish and Trojans was Oklahoma State (7-2), which had yet to be ranked this season but entered the poll at No. 15.
Three other teams moved into the rankings this week — No. 23 Arizona, No. 24 North Carolina and No. 25 Liberty. Arizona has bested three straight ranked opponents following its win Saturday over UCLA. Liberty is 9-0.
The Bruins fell out of the poll, as did previously unbeaten Air Force and Kansas State, which lost in overtime to Texas.
NBA NEWS
KEVIN DURANT SCORES SEASON-HIGH 41 POINTS, SUNS SNAP 3-GAME SKID WITH 120-106 WIN OVER PISTONS
DETROIT (AP) Kevin Durant sat and smiled, trying to speak loudly enough to be heard in a jubilant locker room.
“We’re excited because we finally got a win,” Durant said.
Durant had a season-high 41 points, and the short-handed Phoenix Suns snapped a three-game losing streak with a 120-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
“It’s not fun losing one in a row, definitely not three in a row,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said.
Phoenix was without its banged-up backcourt of Devin Booker (calf) and Bradley Beal (back) and a trio of guards took advantage of more playing time and shots.
Eric Gordon scored 21 points, Grayson Allen had 14 and Josh Okogie added 10.
“We’re doing it by committee,” Durant said.
Cade Cunningham had 26 points, six assists and six turnovers for the Pistons, who have lost four in a row.
Detroit coach Monty Williams faced his former team for the first time in the regular season after matching up in the preseason.
“These are really cool games to be a part of,” Williams said before the game.
After the game, though, Williams was not happy.
“They were tougher than us,” he said. “They played harder than we did in stretches, pretty much most of the game.”
Durant, who made 14 of 27 shots, scored 13 points in the first quarter to give the Suns a one-point lead. The superstar was determined to help them bounce back after losing Saturday at Philadelphia and in consecutive home games to San Antonio.
“He, like the rest of us, is tired of losing,” Vogel said. “He really imposed his will.”
Durant said he wasn’t alone.
“We all had that mentality,” he said.
Gordon scored 11 points in the second quarter, extending the lead to 58-49 at halftime.
Durant added 18 points in the third to give Phoenix a 12-point cushion in the fourth that allowed it to cruise to a comfortable and much-needed victory. He was 12 of 12 at the free throw line.
“We had too many situations where we missed assignments,” Williams said. “When you don’t know an assignment on Kevin Durant, that’s a problem.”
Detroit rookie reserve Marcus Sasser scored a season-high 22 points.
“He’s a handful,” Vogel said. “We know he’s capable. We did not get to his catch and shoot and he made us pay. He was also able to generate offense through the pick and roll game. He’s a heck of a player.”
Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson had 14 points while Killian Hayes added 13 points.
Detroit’s Jalen Duren, who had 12 points and 11 rebounds, was ejected midway through the fourth quarter after being called for a second flagrant foul.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia, a season-ticket holder at Little Caesars Arena, watched the franchise he agreed to buy nearly a year ago play against his hometown team. Ishbia sat in his front-row seats, near the Suns bench, with his family. He fired Williams after last season.
UP NEXT
Suns: Close three-game trip at Chicago on Wednesday night.
Pistons: Host Golden State on Monday night.
RAPTORS OVERCOME 22-POINT DEFICIT, BEAT SPURS 123-116 IN OT
SAN ANTONIO (AP) The Toronto Raptors overcame a sizeable deficit and an even larger presence in San Antonio Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama to win for the first time on the road this season.
Scottie Barnes scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and had 11 rebounds and Toronto overcame a 22-point deficit to force overtime and beat San Antonio 123-116 on Sunday.
Dennis Schroder and O.G. Anunoby each had 24 points as the Raptors snapped the Spurs’ two-game winning streak.
“We didn’t run different plays in the second half,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “It was just our intentions and how aggressive we were doing that in the second half that gave us a chance.”
Keldon Johnson had 26 points, Zach Collins added 21 points and 11 rebounds and Victor Wembanyama had 20 points for the Spurs.
San Antonio was coming off consecutive thrilling wins in Phoenix.
The Spurs overcame a 20-point deficit in the initial win Oct. 31 and didn’t lead until the final basket with 1.2 seconds remaining. San Antonio held on to beat Phoenix on Thursday after nearly blowing a 27-point lead.
The experience of playing with and against large leads didn’t help Sunday.
“We didn’t have as much down the stretch scoring wise,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “We had a little more trouble with their length, their aggressiveness, and their ability to get in passing lanes. I think it slowed us down to the point where our offense wasn’t as smooth. So, they were able to come back for those two reasons. They did a good job.”
The afternoon start allowed the NBA to air the game live in prime time in 132 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Wembanyama was 7 for 16 from the field and had five blocked shots.
“Pop often says it’s important to play for the whole 48 minutes and even relaxing a couple of seconds is too much,” Wembanyama said.
After delivering a shoulder to clear room under the rim, Anunoby was visibly stunned after Wembanyama closed quickly to block his floater before the ball even left his hand.
“He’s too tall. He’s way too tall,” Anunoby said, laughing as he recalled the play.
Toronto outscored San Antonio 23-10 to open the final quarter after entering the period down 15. Barnes had back-to-back 3-pointers and a dunk to cut it to 96-91 with seven minutes remaining.
“He’s not shying away from those moments,” Rajakovic said. “He’s craving those moments. I’m blessed to have a player like Scottie to put him in those situations. He did it all in the second half.”
Barnes tied it 108 with another 3-pointer. After a pair of free throws by Johnson, Anunoby grabbed a loose ball and tossed in a floater to tie it at 110 with 1.2 seconds remaining.
The Spurs were without starting guard Devin Vassell, who suffered a strained groin in the first half Thursday at Phoenix. Vassell is expected to return Monday at Indiana or Wednesday at New York.
Jakob Poeltl had 16 points and 10 rebounds in his return to San Antonio after being traded back to Toronto on Feb. 9. The Spurs initially acquired Poeltl in a trade that sent Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors in July 2018.
UP NEXT
Raptors: At Dallas on Wednesday night.
Spurs: At Indiana on Monday night.
DONOVAN MITCHELL SCORES 31 POINTS, CAVALIERS BEAT WARRIORS TO END 16-GAME SERIES SKID
CLEVELAND (AP) Donovan Mitchell had 31 points and seven assists and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Golden State 115-104 on Sunday night, ending a 16-game losing streak against the Warriors.
Darius Garland added 24 points and seven assists, Evan Mobley had 13 points and 16 rebounds and Max Strus scored 15 points for Cleveland, which had lost its first three home games.
The Cavaliers beat Golden State for the first time since Dec. 25, 2016, spanning 12 regular-season and four playoff losses.
“It’s a hell of a feeling,” Mitchell said. “I know this is a rivalry, so I know how much this one meant to the fans. We’re trying to ultimately get to the level they’ve been at for a long time, and we put together a full game tonight.”
Stephen Curry scored 28 points and made seven of 11 3-pointers, and Draymond Green had 18 points and eight assists for the Warriors. Golden State never got closer than five points in the second half and lost for the first time on the road.
The Warriors were 4-0 in away games – matching the second-best start in franchise history – and had won five in a row overall. Klay Thompson and Jonathan Kuminga each scored 15 points.
“We didn’t play with the force we needed to win this game,” Thompson said while folding the box score into a paper airplane. “We definitely need to rebound the ball better. You can’t give this team that many second-chance points.”
Golden State and Cleveland squared off in four straight NBA Finals from 2015-18. The Cavaliers’ lone championship occurred in 2016, when they rallied from a 3-1 series deficit and won Game 7 on the road.
The teams will complete the two-game season series Saturday night in San Francisco.
“I enjoy coming back here,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who also played for Cleveland. “Of course, you think about the four straight trips to the Finals. It was a very historic time for us, for them and for the NBA.”
UP NEXT
Warriors: At Detroit on Monday night.
Cavaliers: At Oklahoma City on Wednesday night.
LUKA DONCIC, MAVS OVERCOME LAMELO BALL’S 30-POINT TRIPLE-DOUBLE IN 124-118 WIN OVER HORNETS
DALLAS (AP) Luka Doncic didn’t have quite the fourth quarter that LaMelo Ball had.
The Dallas superstar did plenty to lead a bounce-back win for the Mavericks.
Doncic scored 23 points after a rare scoreless first quarter and the Mavericks overcame Ball’s first 30-point triple-double in a 124-118 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.
Ball scored 23 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter while finishing with 13 assists and 10 rebounds. But the Hornets couldn’t hold a 15-point first-half lead a night after rallying in the fourth for a one-point victory at Indiana.
“Just trying to win, really. Trying to do as much as I could,” said Ball, who was 8 of 9 from the field and 5 of 6 from 3-point range in the fourth, the highest-scoring quarter of his career. “Didn’t really go our way at the end.”
Grant Williams added 18 points, including a trio of 3s in the fourth quarter, and rookie Dereck Lively II had 15 points, 14 rebounds and a big fourth-quarter block for the Mavericks, who were coming off their first loss of the season.
The Hornets had a chance to tie after Dallas was called for a shot-clock violation with 8.4 seconds left. But rookie Brandon Miller couldn’t get the ball in before a 5-second call, and Ball fouled Kyrie Irving before Dallas inbounded.
Irving’s free throw gave the Mavs a 120-116 lead and they kept the ball, then he hit two more free throws with 7.7 seconds to all but seal Dallas’ fifth victory in six games.
“I’m not going to say anything about that,” Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said about the late inbound play. “I didn’t see it. I have nothing to say about that.”
Doncic, who had just one scoreless first quarter last season, went 8 of 15 after his 0-for-4 start – but was just 1 of 9 from long range – while finishing with 12 rebounds and nine assists.
Irving had 18 points and 10 assists.
“When we have 77 and 11, it’s an easy thing,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said about Doncic and Irving. “I thought our quarterback was great, and our receivers were great with that.”
Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington scored 20 apiece for the Hornets, and Mark Williams had 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Ball had 11 assists before getting his first points on a layup late in the first half, when Charlotte shot 57% and led 60-45 late in the second quarter. Hayward scored 15 points before the break.
The Mavs picked up their defense in the final minute of the first half, forcing three missed shots before Doncic’s missed 3 in the final seconds left Dallas to settle for a 12-point deficit.
Dallas kept up the defensive effort, holding Charlotte to 42% shooting after the break.
Doncic picked up his second technical foul of the season after on foul call he didn’t like, and was asking for another after he was whistled for bumping Hayward on a shot.
After Hayward missed both free throws, Doncic shouted to nobody in particular after grabbing the rebound, then hit a step-back jumper at the end other end, gesturing some more.
Doncic had 10 points and four assists in the fourth.
“We changed coverages,” Clifford said about trying to defend Doncic. “We really tried like four or five different things. And he just destroyed us. They had him for nine assists, but he created almost their entire offense. And we couldn’t figure out a way to stop him.”
UP NEXT
Hornets: Washington on Wednesday night for the only home game in a five-game stretch.
Mavericks: At Orlando on Monday night as Dallas alternates road and home games for the first eight.
MEMPHIS BEATS PORTLAND 112-100 FOR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) The Memphis Grizzlies knew that a win would eventually come, sooner rather than later.
Desmond Bane had 30 points and the Grizzlies won for the first time this season, rallying late to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 112-100 on Sunday night.
“We’ve been competing, growing and learning a lot. A lot of people are getting new opportunities,” Bane said. “I’m happy with where we’re headed and how we played tonight.”
Jaren Jackson Jr. added 27 points for the Grizzlies, who opened the season with six straight losses, most since the 2002-03 season when the team opened 0-13.
Jerami Grant led the Blazers with 27 points. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak.
The Blazers led 86-62 going into the final quarter but were hurt when Robert Williams III was knocked to the ground underneath the Grizzlies’ basket and came up limping. He tried to play, but left the court and headed straight for the locker room.
Memphis went on a 9-0 run to get within 98-95 with 5:26 left, then tied it at 100 on Jackson’s dunk. He scored again to put the Grizzlies in front and they led the rest of the way.
“You’ve got to celebrate, you know how hard it is to win this league. We’re going to enjoy this one for sure,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “It’s been a difficult first couple of weeks. But as I’ve said, our guys are resilient. They respond. We’ve been competitive every single night, sometimes it hasn’t gone our way.”
Shaedon Sharpe added 18 points and eight rebounds for the the Blazers, while Malcolm Brogdon had his second straight double-double with 18 points and 11 assists
Portland was without rookie guard Scoot Henderson for the second straight game with right ankle sprain. The Blazers were already missing guard Anfernee Simons because of a torn ligament in his right thumb.
Bismack Biyombo, signed Wednesday by Memphis, made a very brief debut for the Grizzlies on Friday before starting on Sunday. He got into foul trouble, collecting his fifth in the third quarter and went to the bench. A 12-year NBA veteran, Biyombo played for the Suns the past two seasons.
Santi Aldama made his first appearance of the season for Memphis after missing the team’s first six games with a sprained right ankle. Jenkins said Aldama’s minutes would be limited.
Portland led by as many a 11 points early but Memphis got back in it on Luke Kennard’s 3-pointer that pulled the Grizzlies within 32-30 at the end of the first quarter.
David Roddy’s jumper tied it at 40 and the Grizzlies took the lead on Bane’s floater. Jackson capped the half with a 3-pointer to give the Grizzlies a 63-55 lead.
Grant made three consecutive 3-pointers during an 11-4 Portland run to start the second half and pull to 67-66. Bane had a personal 8-0 run to extend Memphis’ lead again.
The Grizzlies stayed in front until Skylar Mays’ 3-pointer gave Portland an 81-80 lead with just over two minute left in the quarter.
Coach Chauncey Billups said the Blazers are still in development. Portland is a young team rebuilding after the departure of All-Star guard Damian Lillard in the offseason.
“If it’s something to be taught, I’m teaching no matter if we’re winning or we’re losing, because those things go up and down. You can never know what’s going to happen,” Billups said. “I want to keep teaching and keep demanding it from the dudes, and we’ll just see what it looks like once we get there.”
The Blazers beat the Grizzlies 115-113 in overtime on Friday night in the first game for both teams in the NBA’s new In-Season Tournament.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Host the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
Trail Blazers: Visit the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday to kick off a three-game road trip.
NHL NEWS
DEVILS BEAT BLACKHAWKS 4-2 FOR SIXTH WIN IN EIGHT GAMES
CHICAGO (AP) Dawson Mercer and Max Willman scored in the first period and the New Jersey Devils beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 on Sunday night.
Curtis Lazar and Michael McLeod also scored as the Devils won for the sixth time in eight games. Vitek Vanecek stopped 32 shots for his sixth win in eight starts.
“We did not start well at all,” Lazar said. “We took it upon ourselves to say enough’s enough. We simplified our game. As the game went on, we generated more looks.”
Taylor Hall and Ryan Donato scored for Chicago, which lost for the fifth time in seven games. Arvid Soderblom finished with 36 saves.
Lazar tipped John Marino’s drive in the slot and the puck eluded Soderblom to push the Devils’ lead to 3-2 at 4:35 of the third period.
“He’s my son’s favorite player,” Lazar said of Marino. “He’s going to be a happy camper.”
Donato pulled the Blackhawks back within one as he scored on his second rebound with 4:46 left.
Vanecek had a big stop on Phillipp Kurashev with 1:12 remaining, and McLeod’s empty-netter in the final second sealed the Devils’ win.
“We started a little slow, but after that were all right,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “We knew we were going to have to do the little things right.”
Hall opened the scoring for Chicago 1:51 into the game, his second tally in two games after coming back from an injury. Hall pounded home a rebound of Tyler Johnson’s point shot.
Mercer tied score with a power-play wrist shot past Soderblom’s glove side with 6:53 left in the first period after skating in from left wing with Chicago defenseman Connor Murphy off for interference. It was the 18th goal of the season in 11 games for New Jersey’s top-ranked power play.
“We really stepped it up in the second and third period,” Mercer said. “And Vanecek really came up strong for us tonight.”
Willman, recalled from Utica of the AHL on Saturday, made it 2-1 on a breakaway after Chicago defenseman Kevin Korchinski lost the puck at the Devils’ blue line. Willman sped away from the rookie and slid the puck between Soderblum’s feet with 5:19 remaining in the opening period.
“Fatigue really showed in our game today, in decision making and overall sloppy play,” Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. “We got a little bit careless with the puck.”`
The Devils held Chicago rookie Connor Bedard off the board, stopping the No. 1 draft pick’s goal-scoring streak at three games.
The Devils were without star centers Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. Hughes was recovering from an upper-body injury incurred against St. Louis on Friday and Hischier missed his fourth game after getting checked in the head by Buffalo’s Connor Clifton on Oct. 27.
The Blackhawks held a 20-minute players only meeting after the game to sort out their woes.
“We’re all accountable,” defenseman Seth Jones said. “If you make a mistake, teammates can tell you you’re wrong and vice-versa. It’s just the little details.”
UP NEXT
Devils: At Colorado on Tuesday night.
Blackhawks: At Tampa Bay on Thursday night.
DUCKS RALLY FOR 6TH STRAIGHT WIN, SNAP GOLDEN KNIGHTS’ 12-GAME POINT STREAK WITH 4-2 VICTORY
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Mason McTavish scored the go-ahead goal with 3:40 to play, Sam Carrick had two late goals, and the Anaheim Ducks rallied from two goals down in the third period to hand the Vegas Golden Knights their first regulation loss of the season with a 4-2 victory on Sunday night.
Carrick got the tying goal with 9:05 left and added an empty-netter for the upstart Ducks, winners of six straight for the first time in nearly two years.
Adam Henrique got the first of Anaheim’s four goals on five shots in an impressive final period against the defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights, who had started the season 11-0-1.
“Going down 2-0 to the Stanley Cup champions, best team in the league, in my opinion … and to show resiliency and to come back, and we’ve done it a bunch of times against a bunch of teams, it’s pretty impressive to see that kind of resiliency in this group, especially such a young group,” forward Alex Killorn said after making his Ducks debut.
Vegas’ 12-game point streak to start the season was the longest by a defending champ in NHL history. The Knights also had earned a point in 20 straight regular-season games since last March, the second-longest such streak in the last 40 years.
“That’s a good start, but you never want to lose, and we can’t feel happy about anything, really,” said Vegas forward William Karlsson, a former Ducks draft pick. “We’ll try to learn from this and go try to win the next one, because I’d love to go 82-0-0, but yeah.”
But the NHL is starting to notice the Ducks, who look exciting again after five straight non-playoff seasons. Their six-game winning streak has included five third-period comebacks, matching the 2018-19 Buffalo Sabres for the most late comebacks in a six-game streak in NHL history.
“The game is mental,” first-year Anaheim coach Greg Cronin said. “It’s about believing in one another. It’s about believing in a system and executing the system. Obviously we have enough talent to convert the effort and the intensity we’re bringing into games to score goals and defend, (but) it’s still early. I told them it’s a great win, you put it in your pocket, and you get ready for the next one.”
Anaheim trailed 2-0 entering the third, but Henrique got the Ducks on the board with a power-play goal from the slot. The Ducks tied it when Jack Eichel coughed up the puck to Ducks rookie Pavel Mintyukov, who fed Carrick against the run of play for his second goal of the season.
McTavish then scored the sixth goal of his impressive breakout season with a slick one-timer under pressure in front of Vegas goalie Logan Thompson. The Ducks locked up the win in the final minutes when Carrick’s cross-ice fling deflected in off the post.
John Gibson made 29 saves for Anaheim. Frank Vatrano and Cam Fowler had two assists apiece.
Ivan Barbashev and Eichel scored for the Golden Knights, who faded late on the second night of a back-to-back set after steamrolling Colorado 7-0 on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Thompson stopped 18 shots.
“I give our players a lot of credit,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “That’s their fourth (game) in six days, and I think we gave up three chances, and they all ended up in the net. So that’s going to happen some nights. Timely saves, timely goals. … Obviously we could manage the puck a little better in certain situations, but as a coach, you’re looking at no major breakdowns. Just some pucks that had eyes.”
Vegas went up 2-0 during 4-on-4 play late in the second when the Ducks didn’t get pressure on Eichel, who skated in on Gibson’s glove side and wired a wrist shot in and out of Anaheim’s net.
Killorn finally took the ice after missing the Ducks’ first 10 games with a broken finger, skating on a line with fellow 30-something veterans Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg.
Killorn got hurt in an exhibition game Sept. 27, delaying his first appearance with the Ducks after 11 seasons with Tampa Bay. Anaheim signed the two-time Stanley Cup champion to a four-year, $25 million contract in July.
UP NEXT
Golden Knights: Host Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Ducks: Host Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NEWS
13 PLAYERS, INCLUDING 2 ROOKIES, WIN FIRST GOLD GLOVES
Thirteen players earned their first Gold Glove Award, the second most since the award’s inception in 1957, as Major League Baseball handed out the honor to the best defensive player at each position on Sunday night.
This is the fourth straight year where there have been at least 10 first-time winners, extending a record. There were 14 new winners last season, the first year a utility player could earn a Gold Glove.
Rookies Anthony Volpe, shortstop of the New York Yankees, and Brenton Doyle, center fielder for the Colorado Rockies, took home the award, marking the third time multiple first-year players won Gold Gloves, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Blue Jays third baseman Matt Chapman and center fielder Kevin Kiermaier each earned their fourth Gold Glove, most among this year’s recipients. Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios earned his first Gold Glove.
Five players won their second Gold Glove: Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez and left fielder Steven Kwan, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker and Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson and left fielder Ian Happ.
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado failed to win the award for the first time in his career, ending a 10-year run. Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes unseated the Cardinals All-Star to earn his first Gold Glove.
The World Series champion Texas Rangers had three winners — catcher Jonah Heim, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and right fielder Adolis Garcia. Houston Astros utility man Mauricio Dubon earned his first Gold Glove to round out the American League.
In the National League, the Cubs (Swanson, Happ and second baseman Nico Hoerner), San Diego Padres (right fielder Fernanado Tatis Jr. and utility player Ha-Seong Kim) and Diamondbacks (Walker and catcher Gabriel Moreno) had multiple winners. Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler earned his first Gold Glove to round out the NL.
REPORTS: CUBS EXERCISE $16.5 MILLION OPTION ON KYLE HENDRICKS
Right-hander Kyle Hendricks is reportedly returning to the Chicago Cubs for his 11th season.
The team is picking up his $16.5 million option, several media outlets reported Sunday.
Hendricks, who is the last remaining player from the Cubs team that won the World Series in 2016, has won 93 games and pitched to a 3.48 ERA since debuting with the team in 2014. He set career marks in 2016 with 16 wins and led the majors with a 2.13 ERA. He finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting that season.
Hendricks went 6-8 with a 3.74 ERA in 24 starts in 2023. He opened the season on the injured list with a capsule tear in his right shoulder and didn’t make his season debut until May 25.
The reports also said the team is exercising its $6 million option on catcher Yan Gomes, who slashed .267/.315/.408 with 10 home runs and 63 RBIs in 116 games last season.
He is a career .248 hitter with 135 home runs and 510 RBIs in 12 seasons with five organizations, the last two with the Cubs.
The Cubs (83-79) narrowly missed making the playoffs as a National League wild card in 2023, finishing one game behind the Miami Marlins and the eventual National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
NASCAR NEWS
RYAN BLANEY CLAIMS NASCAR CUP SERIES TITLE
Ross Chastain scored his second victory of the year by winning the 2023 season finale, but second-place Ryan Blaney grabbed the biggest trophy in a 31-lap dash to claim the NASCAR Cup Series Championship on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.
With 37 laps remaining, Chastain led and Blaney was in position for his first title, but Kyle Busch brought out the fourth caution with a spin.
With a clear track ahead of him, Chastain put his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet ahead by more than a second after the last green flag, but Blaney restarted in sixth, behind title contenders Kyle Larson and William Byron.
However, Blaney used his No. 12 Team Penske Ford to pass both competitors and cruise to the championship by nearly two seconds.
The race marked the fourth straight season NASCAR crowned its champion at the 1-mile track in the Sonoran Desert.
Larson, Byron and Chris Buescher completed the top five.
Kevin Harvick, the 2014 Cup champion competing in his final race as a full-time driver, started third and finished seventh.
The spring race winner nearly eight months ago, Byron put the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on the pole to start the season finale at the flat track. Larson (fourth), Christopher Bell (13th) and Blaney (15th) rounded out the Championship 4 starters.
On Lap 109, Bell became the first Championship 4 driver to be eliminated from contention when his brake rotor exploded and flattened his right front tire in the first incident.
His yellow No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota then smacked the Turn 1 wall, slashing the championship field to three.
Buescher, who stormed through the summer with three wins in five races, claimed Stage 2 over Chastain and Harvick. Closely behind in the top seven were Byron, Blaney and Larson.
Blaney found power and handling in his No. 12 Ford with about 100 circuits to go, passing Byron to take the top spot among the remaining trio of title contenders.
With 75 laps left, second-place Blaney topped fourth-place Byron by three seconds, but the first round of green-flag pit stops soon began with Larson’s and Byron’s Hendrick Camaros pitting together.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
LAFC OUST WHITECAPS, PUNCH TICKET TO CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
MLS Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga scored on a penalty kick in the 24th minute as Los Angeles FC defeated the host Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 on Sunday night to sweep a best-of-three first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Third-seeded LAFC, the reigning MLS Cup champions, will face the winner of the FC Dallas-Seattle series in the conference semifinals.
LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, a native of Canada who previously played for the Whitecaps, made five saves in posting the shutout, including a diving stop on a shot by Ryan Gauld in the final seconds of the match.
Vancouver goalie Yohei Takaoka made six stops.
Bouanga’s penalty kick was awarded after a three-on-two LAFC counterattack following a Vancouver corner kick.
Mario Gonzalez got the ball near the top of the 18-yard box and went down after trying to split two Whitecaps defenders. Referee Tim Ford immediately pointed to the penalty spot despite protests from defenders. The foul was called on Tristan Blackmon, though replays showed it was Ranko Veselinovic who appeared to cause Gonzalez to go down with a shove to the back. Veselinovic was given a yellow card for arguing the call.
Bouanga blasted the penalty kick into the upper right corner of the net as Takaoka dove the other way.
Takaoka made three saves in the first half to keep the Whitecaps in the game. They included back-to-back diving stops on shots by Timothy Tillman and Bouanga in the 28th minute.
Crepeau didn’t have to make a save in the first half, though he did have two anxious moments.
Teammate Ryan Hollingshead, while attempting to clear the ball, put a diving header just wide of the right post in the 10th minute. Late in the half, Crepeau took a back pass and attempted to clear the ball, but it was blocked by Vancouver’s Brian White and bounced off the turf and just over the crossbar.
Crepeau was forced to make his first save in the 46th minute, smothering a close-range attempt from Richie Laryea after a run down the right wing.
Crepeau also made a diving stop at the right post after a header by Ali Ahmed in the 54th minute. Crepeau dropped to his knees to stop a sharp-angled shot from White in the 71st minute and held his ground to grab a header from the Vancouver striker in the 85th.
Bouanga appeared to record a brace in second-half stoppage time, but a video review determined he was offside. Vancouver coach Vanni Sartini was issued a red card for arguing before the review was completed.
DANIEL SALLOI, SPORTING KC ELIMINATE NO. 1 SEED ST. LOUIS CITY
Logan Ndenbe scored in the first half and Daniel Salloi tallied in the second as Sporting Kansas City defeated St. Louis City 2-1 in the second match of their first-round MLS Cup Playoff series on Sunday night in Kansas City, Kan.
Eighth-seeded Sporting KC swept the best-of-three series will advance to play the winner between the Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake in the next round.
Kansas City took the first match of the series 4-1 on the road on Oct. 29.
St. Louis City became the initial first-year MLS club to clinch the top spot in its conference before its season came to an end Sunday.
St. Louis got a late goal from Celio Pompeu in the 86th minute, but it was not enough.
St. Louis was the aggressor in the first 15 minutes but couldn’t get any momentum going. Sporting KC controlled the possession for the last 30 minutes of the first half but appeared ready to head to the locker room frustrated with the 0-0 scoreline.
Then, in the first minute of stoppage time, Salloi fed Alan Pulido in the box, who redirected it to Ndenbe as he fired it past a sprawling Roman Burki.
With St. Louis trailing 1-0 and applying pressure, Tim Melia made a spectacular save. Joao Klauss redirected a shot from outside the box, but a diving Melia made the save.
Salloi doubled the Sporting KC lead in the 73rd minute on a fast break. Gadi Kinda collected a feed at the top of the box and beat the closing defender with a pass to his left, where Salloi one-timed it past Burki.
The second-half action was mostly controlled by St. Louis City as they had far more scoring opportunities. But other than Martins’ highlight-reel shot from about 45 yards out, they could not get anything past Melia.
Burki finished with two saves for St. Louis. Melia made one save for Kansas City.
TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS
COLTS FOOTBALL
KENNY MOORE’S TWO PICK-6S HELP COLTS SNAP 3-GAME SKID WITH 27-13 VICTORY OVER PANTHERS
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The Indianapolis Colts defense entered Sunday’s game reeling after allowing at least 37 points in each of its past three games.
Cornerback Kenny Moore fixed all of that in a big way.
Moore returned two Bryce Young interceptions for touchdowns, Jonathan Taylor caught a touchdown pass from Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Carolina Panthers 27-13 to snap a three-game losing streak.
“Just having that (winning) feeling again feels so good,” Moore said. “We’ve obviously been on a tough stretch with some losses that didn’t feel too good. We want to keep this feeling.”
Moore became the first Colts player in history with two pick-6s in a game and only the second NFL player to do it in the past 11 years. The other was Tampa Bay’s Mike Edwards, who did it against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 of the 2021 season.
Colts first-year head coach Shane Steichen called Moore’s effort “phenomenal,” but quickly added that he wasn’t at all surprised.
“The way he practices and the way he works by watching tape and doing it the right way,” Steichen said. “When you watch tape, you’re going to make plays. And that’s what he did for us. Fourteen points by him is phenomenal.”
The Colts intercepted Young, the No. 1 pick in the draft, three times and sacked him four times. Young finished 24 of 39 for 173 yards with one touchdown to fall to 1-6 as an NFL starter.
Steichen said it was exactly what the defense needed.
“When you can condense the pocket from inside it’s tough for a quarterback,” Steichen said. “Bryce made some plays scrambling out of the pocket and moving around but I thought our defense was great.”
Young has now been sacked 26 times in seven starts, and the rookie clearly seems bothered by the constant pressure. He was hit seven times on Sunday and hurried on a number of other occasions.
He’s beginning to hurry his throws and his accuracy is taking a hit.
Despite the struggles, Panthers coach Frank Reich said he’s never considered benching Young for veteran Andy Dalton.
“I’ve seen this happen to the best quarterbacks in the history of the game,” Reich said. “They all have games like this. Sure it’s going to be easy to put it on the quarterback, but you bounce back. That is what makes the great ones. But developing into the franchise quarterback, it’s a long road.”
Adam Thielen, in the midst of a career season, was limited to 29 yards on five receptions for the Panthers (1-7), who matched their worst start in franchise history.
Minshew threw for 127 yards and Taylor ran for 47 yards for the Colts (4-5).
The Colts dominated the Panthers in the first half outgaining them 171-62 and took a 20-3 lead into the locker room after Moore stepped in front of Young’s pass in the flat to Chuba Hubbard and took it 49 yards for a score.
Carolina appeared to have regained momentum after cutting the Colts lead to 10 in the third quarter before Young overshot Miles Sanders and Moore grabbed it and raced 66 yards to end zone to give the Colts a 27-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.
It was a mistake-filled first half for the Panthers.
It started when recently signed Eku Leota lined up offside on a Colts punt on fourth-and-1 from deep in their end of the field. That mental error gifted the Colts with a first down and led to a 15-play drive that resulted in a 26-yard field goal by Matt Gay.
The Colts made it 10-0 after Panthers safety Xavier Woods was called for launching at Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman on a crossing route, setting up Taylor’s 10-yard TD reception.
“You can’t have penalties like that and be a good football team,” Reich said.
After Gay’s 57-yard field goal made it 13-3, Young threw a pass in the flat toward Hubbard that Moore easily made a break on and took to the end zone.
The Panthers showed some life in the third quarter behind Miles Sanders, who has seen his playing time limited of late because of fumbles and ineffectiveness.
Sanders made four big plays leading to Young’s 5-yard TD pass to DJ Chark, cutting the Colts lead to 20-10.
But Moore’s second pick-6 all but sealed the win as Reich failed to beat the Colts, who fired him last season.
INJURIES
Colts: CB Tony Brown (concussion), WR Josh Downs (knee) and TE Drew Ogletree (foot) all left the game with injuries and did not return.
Panthers: OLB Brian Burns (concussion), CB C.J. Henderson (concussion), S Xavier Woods (thigh) and TE Stephen Sullivan (shoulder) left the game with injuries and did not return. Reich said it is hard to imagine Burns or Woods would be ready to play on a short week as the Panthers visit the Chicago Bears on Thursday night.
UP NEXT
Colts: vs New England in Frankfurt, Germany, on Sunday.
Panthers: At Chicago on Thursday night.
INDIANA PACERS BASKETBALL
GAME PREVIEW: PACERS VS SPURS
Game Preview
The Pacers’ five-game homestand continues with a marquee Monday night matchup as Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama will visit Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the first time.
The 7-foot-4 French phenom has so far lived up to the massive hype that has surrounded him for the past year-plus. After being drafted by the Spurs with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the 19-year-old is off to a strong start to his NBA career.
Through six games, Wembanyama is averaging 20.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, and 1.3 steals, leading San Antonio (3-3) in all four of those statistical categories. He has already established himself as one of the league’s most intimidating defensive presences and had a breakout game offensively on Thursday in Phoenix, going off for 38 points on 15-of-26 shooting (3-of-6 from 3-point range).
There has never been a player like Wembanyama in the NBA with his unique combination of size and skill. Even the closest possible comparisons — players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant — are a good five inches shorter than Wembanyama. While on offense, the Pacers will have to be extra conscious of where Wembanyama is at all times. They’ll also need a good plan as to the best way to defend him on the other end.
The Pacers (3-3) are hoping to bounce back after a disappointing 125-124 loss to Charlotte on Saturday night. Indiana tied an NBA record with 12 3-pointers in a 50-point third quarter, with All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton scoring 25 points and draining six threes in the frame. But despite the offensive outburst, the Blue & Gold surrendered 74 points in the paint to the Hornets and came up just short in crunch time.
If there was a positive on Saturday, it was Haliburton busting out of an early-season shooting slump. The 6-5 guard had gone 1-for-13 from 3-point range over his previous two contests, but was 8-for-12 from beyond the arc against Charlotte, matching his career-high with 43 points and also dishing out 12 assists. Haliburton became the first player in franchise history to top 40 points and 10 assists in the same game, the latest accolade for the Pacers’ superstar point guard.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Bruce Brown, F – Bennedict Mathurin, F – Obi Toppin, C – Myles Turner
Spurs: G – Jeremy Sochan, G – Malaki Branham, F – Keldon Johnson, F – Victor Wembanyama, C – Zach Collins
Injury Report
Pacers: Jarace Walker – questionable (upper respiratory infection)
Spurs: Sidy Cissoko – out (G League assignment), Devin Vassell – out (left adductor strain)
Last Meeting
March 2, 2023: The Spurs outscored Indiana 31-16 in the third quarter en route to a 110-99 victory in San Antonio.
Buddy Hield had a game-high 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting for the Pacers, while Chris Duarte added 18 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Myles Turner (14 points, four boards, and three blocks), T.J. McConnell (10 points, six rebounds, five assists, and four steals), and Jordan Nwora (10 points and four assists) also reached double figures.
Jeremy Sochan led the Spurs with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Zach Collins, Devonte’ Graham, and Devin Vassell added 18 points apiece.
Noteworthy
The Spurs swept the season series with Indiana last year for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
The Pacers will visit San Antonio on March 3.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle’s next win will be the 900th of his career. He will be the 14th coach in NBA history and just the second active coach behind San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich to reach the milestone.
Pacers guard Buddy Hield has 1,724 career 3-pointers and needs eight to pass Carmelo Anthony for 27th place in NBA history.
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)
TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
Tickets
The Pacers welcome rookie big man Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Monday, Nov. 6 at 7:00 PM ET.
INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
INDIANA EXPECTS TO GIVE NEWCOMERS A CHANCE VS. FLORIDA GULF COAST
As it comes off a 23-win campaign, Indiana will feature several new faces when it opens its season against Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday evening in Bloomington, Ind.
The Hoosiers will welcome newcomers Kel’el Ware, Mackenzie Mgbako and Gabe Cupps. Ware is a sophomore transfer from Oregon who was a McDonald’s All-American in 2022, and Mgbako is a true freshman who earned McDonald’s All-American status last season.
Indiana coach Mike Woodson hopes the influx of talent can help fill the void left by longtime standout Trayce Jackson-Davis, who averaged 20.9 points and 10.8 rebounds last season. Jackson-Davis now plays for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
Ware is a 7-foot center who averaged 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds for Oregon last season. He also blocked 1.3 shots per game.
The North Little Rock, Ark., native will get every chance to build upon those numbers this season.
“It’s been a lot of really going at him in practice to get him to be aggressive and do the things that we want him to do on the offensive end,” Woodson said. “And he’s starting to show some signs that he can do that.”
Florida Gulf Coast travels north to begin its second season under coach Pat Chambers. The Eagles finished 17-15 last season, including a 7-11 record in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Chambers, who previously coached at Penn State, is no stranger to facing Indiana. His top returning player is guard Isaiah Thompson, who averaged a team-high 14.9 points in 2022-23.
Zach Anderson (11.7 points per game last season) and Andre Weir (9.2) also return to Florida Gulf Coast.
The Eagles were picked to finish second in the Atlantic Sun preseason coaches’ poll.
“I’m surprised that we’re as high as two because we only have one all-league candidate in Isaiah Thompson,” Chambers said. “Usually, when you are ranked that high, you have two, three or four candidates, so I thank the coaches and the media for ranking us that high.
“Preseason rankings are for the fans, and the families. That’s for them. We need to focus on ourselves.”
INDIANA BASKETBALL GAME NOTES – GAME 1 VS. FLORIDA GULF COAST
Opening Tip
• Indiana University opens its 124th season of competition in men’s basketball with a matchup against Florida Gulf Coast at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 7.
• The Eagles finished 17-15 in the first season of the Pat Chambers era in Fort Meyers, Fla. Chambers, the former head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, owns three career victories over the Hoosiers, including one in Bloomington.
• IU has opened the season against a team with an Eagle mascot in three-consecutive seasons after toppling Morehead State, 88-53, to open the 2022-23 campaign and Eastern Michigan, 68-62, in head coach Mike Woodson’s Indiana coaching debut.
Game Information
Nov. 7, 2022 • 6:30 PM ET
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) • Bloomington, Ind.
TV: BTN (Matt Schumacker and Robbie Hummel)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Series History: Indiana leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: IU 88, FGCU 60 on Nov. 12, 2010 in Bloomington
Series History
• Indiana defeated Florida Gulf Coast by a score of 88-60 in the only meeting between the two programs on Nov. 12, 2010.
• Current Team and Recruiting Coordinator Jordan Hulls knocked down 6-of-9 attempts from the 3-point line in the IU triumph to score 18 points in 22 minutes of run. Hulls was one of three Hoosiers in double figures, joined by Christian Watford (24) and Maurice Creek (13).
• The Hoosiers hold an all-time record of 19-1 against teams currently residing in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Last time Out
• Five Hoosiers, led by sophomore center Kel’el Ware, reached double figures in Indiana’s 94-61 exhibition win over Marian on Friday. Ware posted a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double.
• Freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako added 15 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the 3-point line. The returning sophomore class of forward Malik Reneau (14), forward Kaleb Banks (12), and guard CJ Gunn (11) totaled 37 points on 12-of-24 shooting.
I’m Lovin’ It
The Indiana men’s basketball program has rostered 33 McDonald’s All-Americans since the debut of the game in the late 70’s.
The Cream and Crimson have been represented by Tom Baker (1977), Ray Tolbert (’77), Landon Turner (’78), Isiah Thomas (’79), John Flowers (’81), Daryl Thomas (’83), Delray Brooks (’84), Rick Calloway (’85), Jay Edwards (’87), Eric Anderson (’88), Greg Graham (’89), Pat Graham (’89), Damon Bailey (’90), Alan Henderson (’91), Sherron Wilkerson (’93), Andrae Patterson (’94), Neil Reed (’94), Jason Collier (’96), Luke Recker (’97), Dane Fife (’98), Jared Jeffries (2000), Bracey Wright (’02), D.J. White (’04), Eric Gordon (’07), Cody Zeller (’11), Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell (’12), Noah Vonleh (’13), James Blackmon Jr. (’14), Thomas Bryant (’15), Romeo Langford (’18), Trayce Jackson-Davis (’19), Kel’el Ware (’22), and Mackenzie Mgbako (’23).
Indiana ranks sixth behind Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, UCLA, and Kansas for most commitments from the McDonald’s All-American game.
Double Double, Double Double (CAREER)
Payton Sparks: 22; last vs. Toledo, 3/3/23
Xavier Johnson: 4; last vs. Arizona, 12/10/22
Anthony Walker: 4; last at Clemson, 2/27/21
Twenty Piece (CAREER)
Xavier Johnson: 21; last vs. North Carolina, 11/30/22
Payton Sparks: 9; last vs. Ohio, 3/9/23
Trey Galloway: 1; vs. Nebraska, 12/7/22
Hoosiers in the NBA
OG Anunoby – Toronto Raptors
Thomas Bryant – Miami Heat
Eric Gordon – Phoenix Suns
Jalen Hood-Schifino – Los Angeles Lakers
Trayce Jackson-Davis – Golden State Warriors
Victor Oladipo – Houston Rockets
Cody Zeller – New Orleans Pelicans
TEAM PREVIEW
| 2022-23: | 23-12, 12-8 (T-2nd, Big Ten) |
| NCAA Tournament – Second Round | |
| Location: | Bloomington, IN |
| Coach: | MIKE WOODSON (3rd Season) |
| Homecourt: | ASSEMBLY HALL (17,472) |
| Key Departures: | TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS (20.9 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.9 bpg) |
| JALEN HOOD-SCHIFINO (13.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.7 apg) | |
| RACE THOMPSON (8.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.9 bpg) | |
| MILLER KOPP (8.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.2 apg) | |
| TAMAR BATES (6.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.1 apg) | |
| Key Newcomers: | KEL’EL WARE (transfer, Oregon) |
| MACKENZIE MGBAKO (freshman, Roselle Catholic) | |
| ANTHONY WALKER (transfer, Miami FL) | |
| PAYTON SPARKS (transfer, Ball St.) | |
| GABE CUPPS (freshman, Centerville HS) | |
| JAKAI NEWTON (freshman, Newton HS) |
ROSTER
| # | Player | Pos. | Listed | Year | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PT% | |
| 0 | Xavier Johnson | G | 6-3 | R-Sr.+ | 25.2 | 9.9 | 3.3 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 41.5 | 37.0 | |
| 32 | Trey Galloway | G | 6-4 | Sr. | 27.7 | 6.7 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 47.2 | 46.2 | |
| 21 | Mackenzie Mgbako | F | 6-8 | Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 5 | Malik Reneau | F | 6-9 | So. | 14.9 | 6.1 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 55.3 | 25.0 | |
| 1 | Kel’el Ware* | C | 7-0 | So. | 15.8 | 6.6 | 4.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 45.7 | 27.3 | |
| 2 | Gabe Cupps | G | 6-2 | Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 4 | Anthony Walker* | F | 6-9 | Sr.+ | 10.3 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 43.6 | 13.0 | |
| 10 | Kaleb Banks | F | 6-7 | So. | 5.6 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 55.2 | 40.0 | |
| 24 | Payton Sparks* | F | 6-9 | Jr. | 29.2 | 13.3 | 8.7 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 58.8 | 40.0 | |
| 11 | CJ Gunn | G | 6-6 | So. | 7.5 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 30.9 | 8.3 | |
| 3 | Anthony Leal | G | 6-5 | Sr. | 2.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||
| 12 | Jakai Newton | G | 6-3 | Fr. | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
FROM THE COACH
“When I look at young players, the only thing I look at is how hard they play. Energy level is how you play through the mistakes you make as a young player. No energy, no effort and you’re not going to play, it’s just that simple.”
—Mike Woodson
THE SCOOP
Indiana had a strange run in the 2022-23 season.
The Hoosiers looked like a threat to win the Big Ten heading into the year. Then Xavier Johnson got injured, which many thought would torpedo those hopes. But instead of lighting the season on fire, it lit a fire underneath Trayce Jackson-Davis, who put together a memorable senior year. He was the best player in college basketball for a month-long run, finishing as a first team All-American and finding a way to the NBA.
Combine that with the emergence of Jalen Hood-Schifino, and the Hoosiers finished second in the Big Ten with the second-best player in the country. But they finished behind Purdue, and Jackson-Davis lost out to the Boilermakers’ Zach Edey in the Player of the Year race, both in the Big Ten and in the national vote.
Which leads us to this year.
The Hoosiers lost four of their top five players off last year’s roster, but they bring back Johnson and add some big-name transfers. In June, they scooped up one of the best recruits in the country.
There is enough talent on this roster for the Hoosiers to compete at the top of the conference. The question is: Just how well does that talent fit together?
ROAD TO SUCCESS
The top two teams in the Big Ten are very good. Purdue is arguably the No. 1 team in America, and Michigan State is going to end up as a consensus top-seven team in the sport. If Indiana is going to find a way to compete with them, the Hoosiers will need their frontcourt to play up to their talent level.
So, who takes a TJD-sized leap?
The answer that makes the most sense may be Malik Reneau, a 6-9 lefty who underwent quite a physical transformation this summer. He’s not the defensive presence nor the passer that Jackson-Davis was, but he doesn’t need to be. “This ain’t about Trayce Jackson-Davis,” Woodson said. “Malik is just a sophomore coming into his own. I would never put that kind of pressure on him.”
Reneau’s damage is done within 15 feet, and the biggest thing that stood between him and a spot on the All-Big Ten freshman team last year was who he had to play behind. If he can extend his range to the point where he has to be guarded at the 3-point line, it opens up everything for the Hoosiers offensively.
Don’t be surprised when Reneau pops up all over breakout players lists this preseason. He’ll be one of the better players in the Big Ten if he can avoid foul trouble defensively.
“He’s a skilled player that can score in a variety of ways, and he’s smart in his approach, but we gotta keep him on the floor,” Woodson said.
The pairing of Reneau and Oregon transfer Kel’El Ware on the frontline is something that would be terrifying for Big Ten teams to defend in theory. Ware was a top-10 prospect coming out of high school but lost out to a starting spot at Oregon last year to N’Faly Dante and Nate Bittle.
The third high-upside member of Indiana’s frontcourt is MacKenzie Mgbako, a top-10 recruit in the Class of 2023 who played his high school and AAU ball with Kentucky’s DJ Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw. There was a time he was considered by some to be the best prospect in the high school class. He was initially committed to Duke, but after Kyle Filipowski opted to return to school along with Mark Mitchell, Mgbako reopened his recruiting.
It will be interesting to see how Woodson opts to use Mgbako. He’s a natural 4 at the college level, big enough to overpower smaller guards but skilled enough to step out and make a 3-pointer. He’s listed at 6-7 and 185 pounds, but he’s built like a player with another 20 pounds of muscle. Maybe the 3 is his best position long-term, but the issues he could end up having in that role this year — both defensively and as a ball-handler — will not be ideal.
The key, however, is his shot-making. “That’s what he’s good at, he can shoot the basketball,” Woodson said, and floor-spacing will be at a premium for the Hoosiers this year.
Throw in Ball State transfer Payton Sparks, Miami (FL) transfer Anthony Walker and sophomore Kaleb Banks, who has had a great summer in his own right, and the Hoosiers have six guys that are all good enough to play rotation minutes and only three spots to play them — assuming that Woodson will be willing to playing three forwards all season long.
Banks has spent the offseason in a positional battle with Mgbako, and there will be times where they see the floor together. Woodson is hoping to get Walker back to the guy that was an impact scorer for Miami, while Sparks is, “a good solid piece that will be in there to grind when it’s time to grind,” Woodson said.
If Indiana is going to be as good as Hoosier fans want them to be, figuring out an answer here will be the difference maker.
POTENTIAL POTHOLES
At this point, everyone has an opinion on Xavier Johnson, the 24-year old sixth-year senior. He was the best point guard in the Big Ten for a good month down the stretch of the 2021-22 season, but he struggled a bit at the start of last year before breaking his foot.
“He’ll be huge if he can stay healthy for us,” Woodson said, adding that Johnson has been named co-captain this season. “I’m looking for leadership more than anything from him.”
He has the size, the physicality, the athleticism. He can shoot it, pass it and get to the rim. The talent is inarguable, but outside of a one-month stretch, he hasn’t thrived at the point for a winning team in his five previous seasons in college.
Part of that is where he was prior to coming to Indiana, and who knows what could have been last season had Johnson played on that team, but the doubters will be there until Johnson proves them wrong.
Freshman Gabe Cupps will see minutes in the backcourt for the Hoosiers, with Woodson saying how much he appreciates the confidence and calmness that Cupps can bring to the floor. “He just knows how to win,” Woodson said. Jakai Newton is a talented off-guard as well, but he underwent a procedure on his knee in August after missing his senior season in high school with injury. That will put even more pressure on CJ Gunn, a sophomore who Woodson said has “a big upside” because of his physical tools but needs the game to slow down for him.
The other intriguing aspect to all of this is the presence of Trey Galloway, a junior, one of the best glue guys in the country and Johnson’s co-captain. A smart passer, a good defender and a knockdown shooter, Galloway is another guy who would be playing out of position if asked to play the 2.
“He’s not underappreciated by us,” Woodson said. “All the intangible things that he does on the floor, it shows. This summer, he was one of the bright spots of our group, and I’m expecting big things from him.”
In an ideal world, with Johnson at the point, Indiana probably would want another playmaker alongside him with Galloway at the 3, and then two of Mgbako, Ware and Reneau in the frontcourt. Woodson can do that with Cupps, but it would mean that Indiana would not have its five best players on the floor at the same time.
THE X-FACTOR
The obvious x-factor is Kel’El Ware.
There aren’t five players in the Big Ten more talented than he is. There probably aren’t 10 players in all of college basketball with a higher ceiling. Ware is a 7-footer with length who moves on the perimeter like he’s a wing. He has the ability to protect the rim and to switch ball screens. He can catch lobs and make 3s. He can put the ball on the floor and score.
The tools at his disposal are utterly tantalizing, but the production has yet to match the potential. He earned about 16 minutes a game at Oregon last year, but he should be commanding much more floor time based on his talent.
“He’s gotta learn how to work,” Woodson said. “The only way to get better is to work through your mistakes. It’s just that simple. He’s gotta be more of an energy guy, give you more effort. That’s been the knock on him, and he has to prove it wrong.”
There are some that will tell you this is nothing more than an effort issue. But remember: The same talking point was brought up last season in regards to TJD. Jackson-Davis always had all the talent in the world, but he didn’t play with the level of effort that he needed for his first three years in college.
“If we’re gonna put him in the best position to be successful,” Woodson said, “he’s gotta work his ass off.”
Woodson got that buy-in out of TJD last season, and look what happened.
Can he do the same with Ware this season?
THE OUTLOOK
Indiana would be intriguing to take a swing on with a futures bet, whether for a Big Ten title or a national title.
The Hoosiers are going to be a relative longshot. They may not be a preseason Top 25 team, and that’s probably a fair assessment. But they are really talented with a couple of high-upside, game-changing players — and in Ware, they have a potential season-changing talent.
If it all comes together, there is a top-15 team here that can be a matchup nightmare in March.
But that’s a big ‘if,’ and the flip side is that there is a real concern that the bottom can fall out. Going .500 in the Big Ten and drawing a 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament seems like a pretty realistic outcome.
INDIANA WRESTLING
HOOSIERS OPEN SEASON WITH TEAM TITLE, THREE INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS AT THE CITADEL
CHARLESTON, S.C. ––– Indiana Wrestling opened its 2023-24 campaign at The Battle at The Citadel tournament on Sunday in McAlister Fieldhouse.
The Hoosiers took first place in the tournament with 118.5 points and three individual champions winning their weight class’ bracket, along with seven total Indiana wrestlers placing.
Indiana’s Dan Fongaro (141), No. 6 Graham Rooks (149) and Gabe Sollars (197) each won the bracket for their weight class. Tyler Lillard (165) took second place while No. 22 Cayden Rooks (133), Nico Bolivar (157) and Roman Rogotzke (184) each finished in third.
Indiana entered 16 total wrestlers in the tournament, and they faced opponents from The Citadel, American, Appalachian State, Drexel and George Mason.
KEY MOMENTS
• Rogotzke worked his way through wrestlebacks to finish in third place. Rogotzke dropped his first match of the tournament and then won four matches in a row to take third.
• Graham Rooks looked the part of his No. 6 national ranking, winning his three matches en route to his title and only allowing a combined six points in his bouts.
• Anthony Bahl and Aidan Torres each won their first match in their collegiate debuts as true freshmen. Bahl won by major decision over The Citadel’s Jeffrey Boyd by major decision, 16-6. Torres defeated Gage Owen from American by major decision, 13-4.
• Sollars won his first two matches of the tournament by fall.
NOTABLES
• The team title was Indiana’s first team win at a tournament since winning the Maryville Open last season (Nov. 5, 2022).
• All four of Sollars’ wins were by fall or major decision.
• Rogotzke and Fongaro made their Indiana debuts after transferring to Bloomingon this offseason.
• Every wrestler who entered the tournament for Indiana at least won one match and advanced past the Round of 16.
UP NEXT
• Indiana Wrestling will be back in action for on Friday, Nov. 10 for the team’s first dual action of the season. The Hoosiers will host Rider with a 6 p.m. start in the historic Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
TEAM RESULTS
Indiana (118.5)
Drexel (114.5)
The Citadel (96.5)
George Mason (95.5)
American (73)
Appalachian State (65.5)
FULL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Blaine Frazier – 125 lbs.
R16: Blaine Frazier (IU) def. JB Dragovich (George Mason): Fall (2:56)
R8: Chad Bellis (App State) def. Blaine Frazier (IU): MD, 16-6
Cons. R2: Malik Hardy (Citadel) def. Blaine Frazier (IU): MF, 7-3 (5:00)
Cayden Rooks – 133 lbs.
R16: No. 22 Cayden Rooks (IU) advanced on bye.
R8: No. 22 Cayden Rooks (IU) def. Shawn Nonaka (George Mason): Dec. 14-7
Semi: Maximilian Leete (American) def. No. 22 Cayden Rooks (IU): Fall (1:35)
Cons. Semi: No. 22 Cayden Rooks (IU) def. John Hildebrandt (Drexel): Fall (0:43)
3rd Place: No. 22 Cayden Rooks (IU) def. George Rosas (Citadel): MD, 11-0
Cayden Rooks finished in third place of the 133 Bracket
Isaac Thornton – 133 lbs.
R16: Isaac Thornton (IU) def. Cael McIntyre (American): Dec. 1-0
R8: No. 31 Brandon Wittenberg (George Mason) def. Isaac Thornton (IU): MD, 11-3
Cons. R2: John Hildebrandt (Drexel) def. Isaac Thornton (IU): Dec. 17-12
Dan Fongaro – 141 lbs.
R16: Dan Fongaro (IU) advanced on bye.
R8: Dan Fongaro (IU) def. Isaac Byers (App State): Fall (2:56)
Semi: Dan Fongaro (IU) def. Kaden Keiser (App State): Dec. 4-2
Final: Dan Fongaro (IU) def. Jordan Soriano (Drexel): Dec. 9-6
Dan Fongaro finished in first place of the 141 Bracket
Anthony Bahl – 149 lbs.
R16: Anthony Bahl (IU) def. Jeffrey Boyd (Citadel): MD, 16-6
R8: Jeramiah Price (App State) def. Anthony Bahl (IU): MD, 13-4
Cons. R2: Carson DeRosier (Citadel) def. Anthony Bahl (IU): Dec. 8-4
Aidan Torres – 149 lbs.
R16: Aidan Torres (IU) def. Gage Owen (American): MD, 13-4
R8: Dominic Findora (Drexel) def. Aidan Torres (IU): Dec. 9-3
Cons. R2: Jeffrey Boyd (The Citadel) def. Aidan Torres (IU): Dec. 6-4
Graham Rooks – 149 lbs.
R16: No. 6 Graham Rooks (IU) advanced on bye.
R8: No. 6 Graham Rooks (IU) def. Hayden Watson (Citadel): MD, 15-3
Semi: No. 6 Graham Rooks (IU) def. Dominic Findora (Drexel): Dec. 4-1
Final: No. 6 Graham Rooks (IU) def. Kaden Cassidy (George Mason): Dec. 7-2
Graham Rooks finished in first place of the 149 Bracket
Nico Bolivar – 157 lbs.
R16: Nico Bolivar (IU) advanced on bye.
R8: Nico Bolivar (IU) def. Thomas Snipes (The Citadel): Dec. 5-2
Semi: DJ McGee (George Mason) def. Nico Bolivar (IU): SV-1, 4-1
Cons. Semi: Nico Bolivar (IU) def. Tyler Williams (Drexel): Dec. 7-2
3rd: Nico Bolivar def. Thomas Snipes (The Citadel): Dec. 4-1
Nico Bolivar finished in third place of the 157 Bracket
Zack Rotkvich – 157 lbs.
R16: Zack Rotkvich (IU) advanced on bye.
R8: Loranzo Rajaonarivelo (George Mason) def. Zack Rotkvich (IU): Dec. 4-2
Cons. R2: Zack Rotkvich (IU) def. Aboubakare Diaby (Drexel): Dec. 7-2
Cons. R4: Tyler Williams (Drexel) def. Zack Rotkvich (IU): Forfeit
Tyler Lillard – 165 lbs.
R16: Tyler Lillard (IU) def. Alex Hopper (App State): TF, 21-5 (6:34)
R8: Tyler Lillard (IU) def. Jayden Dobeck (App State): TF, 19-1 (7:00)
Semi: Tyler Lillard (IU) def. Drake Acklin (App State): Dec. 4-1
Final: Cody Walsh (Drexel) def. Tyler Lillard (IU): Dec. 7-5
Tyler Lillard finished in second place of the 165 Bracket
Robert Major – 165 lbs.
R16: Robert Major (IU) def. Oren Bost (App State): Dec. 10-6
R8: Cody Walsh (Drexel) def. Robert Major (IU): MD, 9-1
Cons. R2: Evan Maag (George Mason) def. Robert Major (IU): TF, 16-0 (5:24)
Nick South – 165 lbs.
R16: Nick South (IU) def. Evan Maag (George Mason): Dec. 7-5
R8: Drake Acklin (App State) def. Nick South (IU): Dec. 9-6
Cons. R2: Oren Bost (App State) def. Nick South (IU): Dec. 4-2
Magnus Kuokkanen – 174 lbs.
R16: Magnus Kuokkanen (IU) advanced on bye.
R8: Jack Janda (Drexel) def. Magnus Kuokkanen (IU): MD, 9-1
Cons. R2: George Rhodes (Drexel) def. Magnus Kuokkanen (IU): Dec. 8-3
Roman Rogotzke – 184 lbs.
R16: Roman Rogotzke (IU) advanced on bye.
R8: Hunter Adams (App State) def. Roman Rogotzke (IU): SV-1, 6-3
Cons. R2: Roman Rogotzke (IU) def. Malachi DuVall (George Mason): Fall (4:40)
Cons. R4: Roman Rogotzke (IU) def. Joe Zovistoski (App State): Fall (4:39)
Cons. Semi: Roman Rogotzke (IU) def. Dalton Battle (App State): Fall (1:28)
3rd: Roman Rogotzke (IU) def. Justin Griffith (Drexel): MD, 13-1
Roman Rogotzke finished in third place of the 184 Bracket
Gabe Sollars – 197 lbs.
R16: Gabe Sollars (IU) def. Mason Ayers (The Citadel): Fall (0:53)
R8: Gabe Sollars (IU) def. Gunnar Pool (App State): Fall (4:22)
Semi: Gabe Sollars (IU) def. Ibrahim Ameer (Drexel): MD, 13-1
Final: Gabe Sollars (IU) def. Tyler Kocak (George Mason): MD, 12-2
Gabe Sollars finished in first place of the 197 Bracket
Nick Willham – 285 lbs.
R16: No. 31 Nick Willham (IU) def. Emmanuel Ulrich (American): Dec. 2-1
R8: No. 31 Nick Willham (IU) def. Santino Morina (Drexel): SV-1, 4-1
Semi: Chad Nix (George Mason) def. No.31 Nick Willham (IU): Medical Forfeit (1:15)
Cons. Semi: Emmanuel Ulrich (American) def. No. 31 Nick Willham (IU): Medical Forfeit
PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL
#3 PURDUE OPENS SEASON MONDAY IN MACKEY ARENA VS. SAMFORD
GAMEDAY INFORMATION — GAME 01
[3] Purdue (0-0) vs. Samford (0-0)
6:30 p.m. ET | West Lafayette, Indiana
Mackey Arena | 14,876 (SOLD OUT)
TELEVISION: Big Ten Network (Cory Provus, Robbie Hummel)
RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• No. 3-ranked Purdue opens its 126th season of play on Monday night in Mackey Arena when one of the favorites in the Southern Conference, Samford, visits for the season opener for both teams. Samford is one of at least four non-conference opponents (Samford, Morehead State, Gonzaga, Alabama) on Purdue’s schedule that won their conference’s regular-season title a year ago (Possible: Marquette, Kansas, UCLA).
• The Boilermakers have won 24 straight regular-season, non-conference games, dating to a Dec. 8, 2020, setback at Miami, Fla. The streak is the longest in the country by nine games (New Mexico – 15). A win over Samford would tie the school record for the longest non-conference, regular-season winning streak in school history (25 — Jan. 2, 1992 to Nov. 27, 1994).
• Purdue will enter the year having won 14 straight games in the month of November, with the last loss coming Nov. 26, 2020, vs. Clemson in the SpaceCoast Challenge. The streak is the second-longest November winning streak in America (Arizona – 22).
• Purdue’s No. 3 ranking marks its highest preseason ranking since the 1987-88 season (No. 2). Purdue has been ranked in the preseason top 10 for the second time in the last three years (2021-22 –> No. 7). It marks the eighth time in school history that Purdue has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP preseason poll. The last five times that Purdue has been ranked top 10, it has posted a 140-31 (.819) record.
• With its top-five preseason ranking, Purdue has been ranked in the top five in 17 straight weeks, the longest streak in the country. Kansas is the next closest at six weeks.
• A year ago, Purdue became the first team since Wisconsin in 2015 to win an outright Big Ten regular-season title and the Big Ten Tournament title in the same season. Purdue became the first team in Big Ten history to win the regular-season title by at least three games and win the Big Ten Tournament in the same season. No team since Michigan State (1999, 2000) has won consecutive Big Ten Tournament and outright regular-season championships.
• Purdue’s 58 wins over the last two seasons are the most in school history and the sixth most in the country (Houston, Kansas, Arizona, Gonzaga, Duke). Purdue needs just 25 wins this season to tie the school record for the most wins in a three-year span (83; 2016-17-18).
• Purdue is in search for its 26th Big Ten Championship, already owning the most Big Ten titles in league history. Should Purdue win the Big Ten title in 2024, it will mark its fourth title in the last eight seasons and back-to-back titles for the first time since 1994-95-96.
• The Boilermakers enter the season ranked No. 1 by three major analytic services (KenPom, Bart Torvik, Evan Miyakawa). It marks the first time in the 23-year history that Purdue has been ranked No. 1 by KenPom.
• Zach Edey won Purdue’s third National Player of the Year honor (1932 – John Wooden; 1994 – Glenn Robinson) a year ago after averaging 22.3 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. Purdue (2), Duke (3) and North Carolina (2) are the only schools in America to have at least two consensus (all six major services) National Players of the Year in the last 30 seasons. Edey could become the first consensus back-to-back National Player of the Year since Bill Walton (1972, 1973).
• Zach Edey is the nation’s third-leading scorer from a year ago (22.3 PPG), but among players that played in a major conference a year ago, he is first. Edey is the only one of the top-11 returning scorers in America from a year ago to play in a major conference last year.
• Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer return after scoring a combined 724 points a year ago. The total is second nationally among sophomore teammates behind Duke’s Kyle Filipowski and Tyrese Proctor (881 points).
• Matt Painter ranks fifth on the Big Ten’s list for career wins with 413, needing just eight victories to tie Illinois legend Lou Henson for fourth (421). On the Big Ten games-only chart, Painter is seventh (209 wins), needing one win to tie Indiana’s Branch McCracken (210).
PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
PURDUE OPENS SEASON AT #4 UCLA MONDAY NIGHT
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women’s basketball team opens the third year of the Katie Gearlds era on Monday night when it travels to No. 4 UCLA for an 8:30 p.m. ET tip on PAC12 Los Angeles.
Tim Newton, as he nears his 1,000th game at the mic for the Boilermakers, will be on the air for 95.3 BOB FM.
GAME INFORMATION
Purdue at No. 4 UCLA
Monday, Nov. 6
Time: 8:30 PM ET
TV: PAC12 LA
Radio: 95.3 BOB FM
Live Stats: Purduestats.com
NOTES
• Purdue leads the all-time series with UCLA 2-1.
• Purdue head coach Katie Gearlds played in all three matchups with the Bruins during her career, averaging 10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists.
• Gearlds enters her third campaign back at Purdue after guiding her alma mater to back-to-back postseason appearances in each of her first two seasons.
• Purdue returned to the NCAA Tournament last season for the first time since 2017, after posting a 19-11 record overall and a 9-8 mark in Big Ten play, the Boilermakers’ first winning record in conference since 2017-18.
• Purdue last faced a top-5 opponent to start the season against No. 5 Kansas State in 2003-04 to start Katie Gearlds’ freshman campaign. The matchup is just the first of a challenging non-conference slate that features four Power 5 teams in the first five games, plus a bout at Notre Dame in December. Purdue will play seven games against the top 14 of the first AP Top-25 poll of the year.
• All-Big Ten selection Jeanae Terry is looking to climb the career assist charts, starting the year in 14th with 373 helpers at Purdue. Terry is the only player in Purdue history with multiple triple-doubles.
• The Boilermakers take the notion of the team being a family to a whole new level this year with three sets of sisters – Madison and McKenna Layden, Amiyah and Mila Reynolds and Caitlyn and Alaina Harper – the most on any roster in the nation this season. Utah Tech is the only other program to have more than one set of sisters on its roster.
• To compliment the five returners on the roster, Gearlds welcomed in eight newcomers, including six freshmen for the 2023-24 season. The five rookies who signed in November were tabbed No. 21 in the nation, before top-50 recruit Amiyah Reynolds joined in May.
• Gearlds also added a pair of star-studded staff members during the offseason in 1999 National Champion and associate head coach Kelly Komara and dynamic recruiting assistant coach Mark Stephens.
• Three of Purdue’s 10 Indiana Miss Basketball winners are a part of the team this year (Jayla Smith – 2021, Katie Gearlds – 2003, Kelly Komara – 1998). Madison Layden and Rashunda Jones both came in second their senior seasons. Freshman Sophie Swanson was named Illinois Miss Basketball as a junior.
PURDUE VOLLEYBALL
#19 PURDUE SECURES SERIES SWEEP VS. #16 PENN STATE
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 19 Purdue Boilermakers completed a series sweep over No. 16 Penn State with a five-set thriller, winning the match 3-2 (25-17, 25-15, 21-25, 20-25, 15-12). The victory not only secured third place in the Big Ten standings and the first series sweep over Penn State under head coach Dave Shondell, but culminated in seven individual career-highs, an additional three season-highs and the fourth-highest individual hitting percentage in program history.
Lourdès Myers set a Purdue record in the match, becoming the only Boilermaker to hit .818% in a fifth set match (10-14 attempts). The performance tied as the fourth-highest overall hitting % by a Boilermaker in any match, a feat accomplished by just four other Boilermakers, including fellow teammate Raven Colvin (.900% in 2021). Moreover, it was the highest attack % by a Big Ten player in a conference match this year. Myers, a redshirt junior, had an errorless performance with nine kills on 11 attacks, and added a career-high eight total blocks.
Purdue earned its 15th win of the season, improving to 15-8 (9-5 Big Ten) while Penn State falls to an identical record, however with the series win (first: 3-1 at Rec Hall, 10/22), the Boilermakers jump ahead of the Nittany Lions, securing third place in the Big Ten standings with just three weeks remaining in the regular season.
Up next, Purdue will travel to Minnesota, a team receiving votes in the poll, for a Friday night match in Minneapolis. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on B1G+. Then, Purdue rounds out the week at home vs. Michigan State for a 1 p.m. ET showdown on B1G+.
Quick Hits
Purdue is now 5-3 vs. top-25 teams and 9-3 vs. teams ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA/Taraflex poll. Since the start of September, Purdue has dropped just two matches to top-25 teams, both of which were No. 1 and No. 2 in the poll (Wisconsin and Nebraska).
Purdue improved to 4-3 in fifth sets. The match marked the seventh time this season the Boilermakers have gone to five sets and the first since vs. Northwestern on October 1.
Through the first three sets, Purdue out-hit Penn State .301% vs. .135%.
Chloe Chicoine set a career-high 27 kills in the victory, doing so on a .377 hitting %. It was the most kills by a Boilermaker in three seasons (29 by Caitlyn Newton vs. Minnesota, 2/6/21). The freshman produced a double-double, her seventh of the season, ending the day with a career-high-tying 14 digs.
Purdue was dominant over the first two sets, holding the lead the entire first set, despite Penn State tying the match five times. Meanwhile, the team hit .500% in set two, with just two team attack errors in the set.
Purdue registered its highest side-out performance of the day in Set 5, securing the match with a 76% side-out and a .350 attack %.
Eva Hudson matched a career-high 24 kills (.254%), while coming one attack shy of tying her career-high in attempts. The Boilermaker closed out the night one dig shy of a double-double.
Myers began the match with a perfect six kills on six attacks.
The Boilermakers hit .500 in the second set while holding Penn State to .081%.
Maddie Schermerhorn had one of the best matches of her career, totaling 27 digs in the match, a season-best and one shy of tying her career-high, set a year ago at Michigan (28 digs, 11/6/22).
Setter Taylor Anderson came three assists shy of her career-high, finishing the day with 53 assists and one dig shy a double-double. The freshman added three key block assists as well.
Emily Rastovski came off the bench, recording a season-high-tying three kills and a career-high four digs and three block assists.
Over the last nine matches, Purdue is 5-4 vs. Penn State. Meanwhile Purdue is 11-59 since the two teams first met in 1981.
The Boilermakers completed a series sweep vs. Penn State in just one other season: 1982.
PURDUE WRESTLING
BOILERMAKERS EARN 7 MEDALS IN SEASON OPENER
CLARION, Pa. – Purdue Wrestling traveled to the Clarion Open to kick-off its 2023-24 season and will come home with seven placewinners and a fifth-place team finish after battling a loaded field in the Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium.
Junior Matt Ramos and sophomore Stoney Buell led the way for the Boilermakers with third place finishes. James Rowley took fourth in his first action in the old gold and black. All three made the championship semifinals, but were unable to punch their tickets to the final.
Ramos went 5-1 on the day, winning four of his matches with bonus points highlighted by a pin of Columbia’s No. 22 Nicholas Babin in 17 seconds in the 3rd place match. The 17 second mark is the fastest by a Boilermaker since Travis Ford-Melton got a fall in just 12 ticks in 2019. His semi-final loss came against U17 55 kg world title winner Marcus Blaze in a match that won’t count against his NCAA record.
Buell put together a strong day to start his second season in the lineup at 165. A 4-1 record, that included a 13-0 major decision over Clarion’s Trevor Elfvin helped him to his best varsity tournament finish in third. Rowley picked up two impressive wins on his way to fourth, opening with a 13-10 decision over highly touted recruit Ryder Rogotzke of Ohio State before upsetting No. 32 Jha’Quan Anderson of Gardner-Webb 5-3.
Four more Boilermakers had to scratch and claw their way to the podium as Michael Leveille, Joey Blaze, Cooper Noehre and Brody Baumann all took fifth place. A huge field meant that all four of them hit the maximum number of matches they could wrestle on their way to the podium. Leveille, Blaze and Noehre started hot and made the championship quarterfinals before having to enter the consolation ladder.
Eight wrestlers made their varsity debuts today. The group combined for an 18-13 record with four pins, two tech falls and a major decision. Purdue had eight wins by fall on the day.
Up Next
Purdue is on the road once again next weekend as they compete in two different Journeymen competitions. Saturday is the Journeymen Wranglemania event which will feature duals against Army and No. 3 N.C. State. Then on Sunday the Boilermakers will enter the Journeymen Collegiate Classic, an individual round-robin style tournament.
Results
Clarion Open
Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium
FIFTH PLACE – 143.5 POINTS
125: #1 Matt Ramos (R-Junior)- THIRD PLACE
Round of 64: Vinny Kilkeary (Ohio State) – W, D 5-0
Round of 32: Jordan Villareal (Pittsburgh) – W, TF 15-0 (3:41)
Round of 16: Sulayman Bah (Columbia) – W, TF 21-4 (4:37)
Quarterfinals: Tristan Lujan (Michigan State) – W, MD 12-3
Semifinals: Marcus Blaze (Unattached) – L, SV 4-1
3rd Place Match: #22 Nicholas Babin (Columbia) – W, Fall 0:17
125: Cooper Rider (Freshman)
Round of 32: Hayden Benter (Navy) – L, MD 14-5
Cons. Round of 16: Adan Benavidez (Kent State) – L, MD 10-0
141: Greyson Clark (Freshman)
Round of 32: Billy Meiszner (Kent State) – W, Fall 4:25
Round of 16: Kai Owen (Columbia) – L, D 8-2
Cons. Round of 16: Frank Antonelli (Navy) – W, Fall 2:31
Cons. Round of 8: Cole Solomey (Purdue) – W, D 4-1
Cons. Round of 4: Michael Leveille (Purdue) – No Contest
141: Michael Leveille (R-Senior) -FIFTH PLACE
Round of 64: Carter Tate (Spartan RTC) – W, D 8-6
Round of 32: Sam Ewing (Buffalo) – W, D 4-3
Round of 16: Garrett Lautzenheiser (Ohio State) – W, D 5-2
Quarterfinals: Briar Priest (Pittsburgh) – L, D 2-0
Cons. Round of 8: Cole Solomey (Purdue) – W, D 4-1
Cons. Round of 4: Greyson Clark (Purdue) – No Contest
5th Place Match: Kai Owen (Columbia) – No Contest
141: Cole Solomey (Freshman)
Round of 32: Ian Oswalt (Brown) – L, D 8-2
Cons. Round of 16: Trevor Nugent (Bucknell) – W, D 4-1
Cons. Round of 16 #2: Dominic Dutillio (Gardner-Webb) – W, D 13-6
Cons. Round of 8: Dakota King (Unattached) – W, D 5-3
Cons. Round of 8 #2: Michael Leveille (Purdue) – L, D 4-1
141: Christian White (R-Sophomore)
Round of 64: Americo Milani (John Carroll) – W, TF 20-3 (7:00)
Round of 32: Dakota King (Unattached) – L, D 11-4
Cons. Round of 32: Carter Tate (Spartan RTC) – W, D 4-2
Cons. Round of 16: Kenny Duschek (Columbia) – W, D 6-3
Cons. Round of 16 #2: Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb) – W, D 9-6
Cons. Round of 8: Lorenzo Rezza (Columbia) – L, D 4-2
149: Trey Kruse (Senior)
Round of 64: Shermuhammad Sadriddinov (Clarion) – W, MD 12-0
Round of 32: #5 Dylan D’Emilio (Ohio State) – L, Inj. Default
149: #27 Marcos Polanco (R-Senior)
Round of 64: Ryan Michaels (Pittsburgh) – W, MD 10-2
Round of 32: Sander Miller (Columbia) – W, TF 19-4 (2:40)
Round of 16: Carter Gill (Buffalo) – W, TF 19-4 (7:00)
Quarterfinals: Zach Price (Gardner-Webb) – L, D 8-4
Cons. Round of 8: Nick Stampoulos (Buffalo) – W, MD 11-0
Cons. Round of 4: Nick Vafiadis (Navy) – L, D 16-12
149: Jaden Reynolds (R-Sophomore)
Round of 64: Cael Andrews (Kent State) – W, MD 9-0
Round of 32: Reese Stephen (Unattached) – L, D 5-3
Cons. Round of 32: Michael Lewarchick (Kent State) – W, D 7-2
Cons. Round of 16: Daniel Tierney (Gardner-Webb) – W, MD 12-1
Cons. Round of 16 #2: Jack Pletcher (Pittsburgh) – L, D 8-3
157: Joey Blaze (Freshman) – FIFTH PLACE
Round of 64: TJ Schierl (Ohio State) – W, TF 16-1 (3:57)
Round of 32: Blake Saito (Brown) – W, D 3-1
Round of 16: Eric Tigue (Buffalo) – W, TF 19-4 (6:00)
Quarterfinals: #30 Jared Keslar (Pittsburgh) – L, D 4-2
Cons. Round of 8: David Berkovich (Columbia) – W, SV 4-1
Cons. Round of 4: Dillon Carlson (Kent State) – W, Fall 4:37
5th Place Match: Jaden Le (Columbia) – No Contest
157: Kade Law (R-Freshman)
Round of 32: Jaden Le (Columbia) – L, D 13-6
Cons. Round of 16: Carson Miller (Pittsburgh) – L, D 8-1
157: Isaac Ruble (R-Freshman)
Round of 32: Cade Wirnsberger (Bucknell) – L, D 4-2
Cons. Round of 32: TJ Schierl (Ohio State) – W, D 5-0
Cons. Round of 16: John Altieri (Clarion) – W, MFOR
Cons. Round of 16 #2: Kolby DePron (Bucknell) – W, MFOR
Cons. Round of 8: Tyler Barrett (Columbia) – L, D 9-6
165: Stoney Buell (R-Sophomore) – THIRD PLACE
Round of 32: Rafael Knapp (Buffalo) – W, D 8-1
Round of 16: Trevor Elfvin (Clarion) – W, MD 13-0
Quarterfinals: Grant Mackay (Pittsburgh) – W, D 8-1
Semifinals: Isaac Wilcox (Ohio State) – W, D 7-2
3rd Place Match: #15 Josh Ogunsanya (Columbia) – No Contest
165: Cooper Noehre (Senior) – FIFTH PLACE
Round of 64: Ryan Forrest (John Carroll) – W, TF 19-4 (4:13)
Round of 32: Dominic Frontino (Brown) – W, TB2 2-1
Round of 16: Ethan Birden Jr. (Unattached) – W, SV 2-1
Quarterfinals: Noah Mulvaney (Bucknell) – L, D 9-7
Cons. Round of 8: Maxwell Kirby (Edinboro) – W, D 9-4
Cons. Round of 4: Trevor Elfvin (Clarion) – W, MD 12-2
5th Place Match: Hunter Shaut (Buffalo) – No Contest
174: Brody Baumann (R-Freshman) – FIFTH PLACE
Round of 32: Rollie Denker (Michigan State) – W, MD 11-0
Round of 16: Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) – L, Fall 5:31
Cons. Round of 16: Suds Dubler (Clarion) – W, D 6-3
Cons. Round of 8: Marty Larkin (Michigan State) – W, MD 13-4
Cons. Round of 8 #2: Jonothan Conrad (Brown) – W, MD 17-7
Cons. Round of 4: Myles Takats (Bucknell) – W, D 9-5
5th Place MatchL: Simon Ruiz (Spartan RTC) – No Contest
174: Orlando Cruz (Freshman)
Round of 16: Sammy Starr (Navy) – L, D 2-0
Cons. Round of 16: Rollie Denker (Michigan State) – W, MD 12-3
Cons. Round of 8: Casper Hinklie (Clarion) – W, Fall 6:20
Cons. Round of 8 #2: Dylan Schell (Buffalo) – W, D 4-2
Cons. Round of 4: Simon Ruiz (Spartan RTC) – L, MD 9-0
184: Hayden Filipovich (R-Sophomore)
Round of 32: Patrick Cutchember (Clarion) – L, D 8-5
Cons. Round of 16: Jackson Glasgow (Unattached) – W, Fall 2:27
Cons. Round of 16 #2: Ryder Rogotzke (Ohio State) – L, Fall 2:32
184: Macartney Parkinson (Senior)
Round of 32: Steven Shellenberger (John Carroll) – W, MD 11-0
Round of 16: Daniel Williams (Navy) – L, MD 13-0
Cons. Round of 16: Nick Olivieri (Brown) – W, Fall 5:58
Cons. Round of 8: Luke Vanadia (Michigan State) – L, D 7-5
184: James Rowley (R-Freshman) – FOURTH PLACE
Round of 16: Ryder Rogotzke (Ohio State) – W, D 13-10
Quarterfinals: #32 Jhaquan Anderson (Gardner-Webb) – W, D 5-3
Semifinals: Cameron Pine (Clarion) – L, D 5-2
3rd Place Match: Aaron Ayzerov (Columbia) – L, D 4-0
197: Mitch Hutmacher (Senior)
Round of 32: #33 Jake Lucas (Navy) – L, D 4-2
Cons. Round of 16: Trent Thomas (Kent State) – L, D 3-2
197: Ben Vanadia (R-Sophomore)
Round of 32: Lear Quinton (Brown) – W, Fall 4:58
Round of 16: Michael Dellagatta (Unattached) – L, D 7-3
Cons. Round of 16: Trent Thomas (Kent State) – W, TF 21-5 (5:16)
Cons. Round of 8: Jacob Lee (Michigan State) – L, D 14-8
285: Dominic Burgett (Freshman)
Round of 32: Magnus Bibla (Buffalo) – L, D 5-0
Cons. Round of 16: Robbie Unruh (Buffalo) – L, D 9-3
285: Tristan Ruhlman (R-Sophomore)
Round of 16: Josh Broggan (Kent State) – W, MD 12-0
Quarterfinals: Vincent Mueller (Columbia) – L, D 3-2
Cons. Round of 8: Jamier Ferere (Navy) – L, Fall 1:27
PURDUE MEN’S TENNIS
FALL SLATE ENDS WITH 6 SUNDAY WINS
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. – The Boilermakers close out the Bonita Bay Classic with six Sunday wins.
The early morning began with Purdue taking two of the three doubles contests. Aleksa Krivokapic/Marino Jakic teamed up this weekend to bookend the tourney with Friday and Sunday wins. Meanwhile Xander Ekstrand/Juan David Velasquez came up with their first win of the weekend, and the pair still remains under .500 with a 2-4 record as a tandem.
Jakic and Velasquez were the only players to win both their singles and doubles contests. Jakic finishes the fall campaign strong with three consecutive wins dating back to Saturday’s singles win over Harry Michalowski.
Velasquez had a tough battle to fight as he allowed a super tiebreak after taking the first set 6-2. Luckily, the freshman showed out for his home state with a nail biting 13-11 win in the tiebreak set. He ends his first fall season 5-2.
Rounding out the final day of the tournament, Mujtaba Ali-Khan and Henrik Villanger picked up straight sets wins. Ali-Khan has won two in a row outsourcing his opponents 25-14 in four total sets. Villanger dominated Wichita State’s Richey King allowing just one game through the entire match. The rookie is 6-3 as he wraps up his first collegiate fall.
RESULTS
Singles
Kristof Minarik (WSU) def. Aleksa Krivokapic (PUR)- 3-6, 6-4, 11-9
Alejandro Jacome (WSU) def. Stefan Simeunovic (PUR)- 6-4, 7-5
Juan David Velasquez (PUR) def. Misha Kvantaliani (WSU)- 6-2, 3-6, 13-11
Marino Jakic (PUR) def. Marcelo Sepulveda (WSU)- 6-3, 6-3
Vanja Hodzic (WSU) def. Alexander Ekstrand (PUR)- 6-4, 7-5
Mujtaba Ali-Khan (PUR) def. Luke Bracks (WSU)- 6-4, 6-4
Henrik Villanger (PUR) def. Richey King (WSU)- 6-0, 6-1
Doubles
Aleksa Krivokapic/Marino Jakic (PUR) def. Kristof Minarik/Alejandro Jacome (WSU)- 6-3
Alexander Ekstrand/Juan David Velasquez (PUR) def. Misha Kvantaliani/Richey King (WSU)- 6-4
Vanja Hodzic/Marcelo Sepulveda (WSU) def. Stefan Simeunovic/Henrik Villanger (PUR)- 7-5
BUTLER FOOTBALL
BUSHKA NAMED PFL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Pioneer Football League announced its Players of the Week following Week 10’s action. Butler quarterback Bret Bushka picked up his first Offensive Player of the Week award. San Diego cornerback Zamir Wallace and Dayton linebacker Aiden McKinley shared the PFL Defensive Player of the Week honor. Valparaiso punter Evan Matthes was the league’s Special Teams Player of the Week.
Offensive Player of the Week
Bret Bushka, Butler (Senior, Quarterback, Lombard, Illinois)
Bushka was responsible for six touchdowns as Butler downed Morehead State 49-7 in Saturday’s PFL action. He completed 16-of-17 passes for 281 yards and five first-half touchdowns before adding a second-half rushing touchdown. Bushka pushed the Bulldogs to a 21-0 lead with three touchdown throws in the first quarter alone, connecting on pass plays of 25, 28, and 61 yards. He closed the half with two more touchdown tosses of 21 and two yards to build a 35-7 halftime advantage. Bushka added a 12-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. It was the third five-touchdown day by a PFL quarterback this season.
Others Nominated
Colin Howard, Drake (5th Yr., Wide Receiver, St. Petersburg, Fla.) had four receptions for 72 yards at Marist.
Ryan Mann, Valparaiso (RSo., Running Back, Vernon Hills, Ill.) ran for 68 yards on 11 carries and added 34 yards on two receptions against Dayton.
Brady Meitz, Stetson (RSo., Quarterback, Cumming, Ga.) completed 10-of-13 passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns against Davidson.
Mason Sheron, Davidson (So., Running Back, Leo, Ind.) ran for two touchdowns and 147 yards on 11 carries against Stetson.
Co-Defensive Players of the Week
Zamir Wallace, San Diego (Graduate, Cornerback, Fairfield, California)
With the game tied in the fourth quarter, Wallace recovered a fumble and scored a pick-six to help San Diego escape Presbyterian with a 23-13 PFL victory Saturday. After San Diego punter Ayden Corrales pinned Presbyterian on its one-yard line, Wallace forced and recovered a fumble on the drive’s fourth play, setting up the Toreros’ offense at the Blue Hose 26-yard line, which USD eventually converted into a field goal to take a 16-13 lead. Two drives later, Wallace picked off a Presbyterian pass and returned it 21 yards for a game-sealing touchdown. He also had three tackles (two solo) in the victory.
Aiden McKinley, Dayton (Sophomore (RS), Linebacker, Louisville, Kentucky)
McKinley’s 5.5 tackles for loss in Dayton’s 21-7 loss to Valparaiso were the most by a PFL defender since October 2022. It was part of a 15-tackle (nine solo) day by the Flyers’ linebacker. McKinley also forced a fumble on one of his tackles for loss to deny a Valparaiso drive that started on the Dayton 18-yard line. In addition to his 5.5 tackles for loss, which were the most in the PFL since April 2021, he was involved in two tackles for no gain. It is tied for the third most tackles for loss in a game by an FCS defender this season.
Others Nominated
George Dristiliaris, Butler (So., Defensive Lineman, Lowell, Mass.) credited with three tackles for loss, including two sacks, and forced a fumble as part of a six-tackle (four solo) outing at Morehead State.
Finn Claypool, Drake (RSo., Defensive Lineman, Des Moines, Iowa) finished with 3.0 tackles for loss, a strip-sack, and a pass breakup as part of a seven-tackle (four solo) day as Drake held Marist to 32 rushing yards.
Sam Hafner, Valparaiso (RJr., Defensive Lineman, Green Bay, Wis.) recorded eight tackles (three solo) and had 2.0 tackles for loss, including 1.5 sacks, as part of a defensive unit that held Dayton to 68 rushing yards.
Brooks Russ-Martin, Presbyterian (Jr., Defensive Back, Travelers Rest, S.C.) had eight tackles (five solo) with 2.0 tackles for loss and recovered a fumble against San Diego,
Daniel Carter, Davidson (Jr., Safety, Denver, N.C.) picked off two passes and had 11 tackles against Stetson.
Jahleel Holmes, Morehead State (Sr., Linebacker, Moreno Valley, Calif.) notched 18 tackles (six solo) with 1.5 tackles for loss against Butler.
Davion Maxwell, Stetson (RSr., Defensive Back, Boca Raton, Fla.) forced and recovered a fumble as part of a 12 tackle (seven solo) outing against Davidson.
Special Teams Player of the Week
Evan Matthes, Valparaiso (6th Year, Punter, Reston, Virginia)
Matthes kept Dayton bottled up with five punts downed inside the 20-yard line to help Valparaiso claim a 21-7 PFL victory Saturday. He averaged 41.7 yards on his seven punts and saw two punts downed inside the five-yard line. Matthes’ opening punt went 53 yards, and the return was fumbled at the 10-yard line to help set up Valparaiso’s first touchdown. Dayton only had three yards on punt returns.
Others Nominated
Shane Dunning, Drake (Sr., Kicker/Punter, Muskego, Wis.) connected on a 53-yard field goal, his third 50-yard field goal of 2023, and a PAT and averaged 33 yards on his three punts at Marist.
Mack Mikko, Presbyterian (Fr., Kicker, Newman, Ga.) hit a career-best 45-yard field goal as part of a seven-point day against San Diego, making two field goals and a PAT.
Adam Zouagui, Davidson (Fr., Kicker, Reston, Va.) scored 13 points against Stetson, making a pair of field goals and seven PATs.
IUPUI MEN’S SOCCER
MEN’S SOCCER ADVANCES TO SEMIS ON YAMAGUCHI’S FIRST TALLY AS A JAGUAR
INDIANAPOLIS – In the opening round of the #HLMSOC Championship, the No. 3 seed IUPUI Jaguars defeated No. 6 seeded Wright State, 1-0, Sunday afternoon (Nov. 5) to move onto the tournament semifinals.
“It was a phenomenal opportunity to host a quarterfinal match on our campus and it’s another great step in the right direction for the program (to play in) two semifinals in a row,” exclaimed head coach Sid van Druenen following his team’s victory. “We struggled to get on the ball (in the first half) and played with a lack of confidence, but we got a nice goal with Kenshiro’s first of the year and a nice assist from Jos. At the end the best team won, and the best team moves on.”
Wright State (4-9-5, 3-4-2 HL) controlled the ball in the opening 45, maintaining almost 60 percent of the possession. The visitors had eight shots compared to three for the hosts and six corners while the Jags didn’t take a corner in the first half. Of the eight shots three were on target, forcing Lucas Morefield to come up with three stops, including an impressive diving save just before the break.
Against the run of play, IUPUI (7-6-5, 4-2-3 HL) got a boost just before half time, scoring in the 41st minute on the team’s second shot of the match. Josemir Gomez started the attack with a brilliant move that split two defenders. The Indy native, who recently received a First Team All-League nod, found teammate Kenshiro Yamaguchi who was left unmarked on the far side of the field. The transfer calmly slotted the ball inside the near post and passed Raider goalkeeper Alessandro Malterer for his first goal on his very first shot as a Jag.
Following the break, the hosts came out much more aggressive, pressing high and forcing giveaways. The Jags controlled the ball in the first ten-plus minutes of play to start the second half, searching for a second goal that would surely put the match out of reach. Despite having the ball in the offensive third for extended periods of time, leading to two corner kicks and some half-chances, the Raiders weathered the storm and settled into the half.
Although Wright State did well to not give up a second goal, they were still in need of a tally to get back into the game. There was a plethora of scoring opportunities for the visitors, who recorded 15 shots with six on goal in the second stanza. Morefield was again outstanding, setting a new season high with nine stops. The graduate student also was crucial on corner and free kicks, coming out to grab the ball on multiple occasions.
“It was nice to be at home and grind out (a victory),” stated Morefield after his fourth clean sheet of the season. “(Wright State) came into this tournament with nothing to lose and they came at us with everything. They were very direct and went at goal, catching us on our back foot a couple times. It was hectic, but we earned a tough result.”
With the win, IUPUI advances to the #HLMSOC semifinal match against Green Bay, which will take place on Thursday (Nov. 9) at 4:00 p.m. in Rochester, Michigan, the host site for the final two rounds. The game, along with the other semifinal and the final on Saturday (Nov. 11) will be streamed on ESPN+.
“Losing the final last year is still very engraved in these guys’ minds. I think everybody is a little disappointed that we didn’t finish higher in the league and that we kind of dropped the intensity and the quality a little bit towards the end. I think (the guys) are focused. I think they’re excited. We have an opportunity to play a team that beat us two weeks ago, so I think they’re going to be very pumped when Thursday comes around,” concluded van Druenen.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL
THE SHREWSBERRY ERA HAS ARRIVED
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The wait is officially over. A new era is finally upon Notre Dame men’s hoops. For the first time in over 8,000 days, a new head coach will be patrolling the Irish sidelines. On Monday night inside Purcell Pavilion, Glenn & Stacey Murphy Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry will walk out with his new-look Irish squad.
Notre Dame will host Niagara in its season opener, tipping off at 7 p.m. ET and streaming live on ACCNX.
The first 3,000 Irish fans in attendance will receive a ‘Shrews Crew’ green rally towel. The first 1,000 Notre Dame students will receive a Lep Legion Irish Men’s Hoops shirt.
SHREWSBERRY ERA
Micah Shrewsberry became the 18th head coach in Irish men’s basketball history, returning to his home state of Indiana (grew up outside of Indianapolis). He arrived in South Bend off of a historic turnaround at Penn State, where in year two, the Nittany Lions produced a 23-14 mark, just the 12th 20-win season in the 127-year history of the program.
How about this stat – Shrewsberry collected more Big Ten wins (17) in his first two seasons than any other Penn State head coach in program history.
It’s also about ending the season playing your best basketball and Micah’s Penn State squad did just that. The Nittany Lions became just the third double-digit seed to reach the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Then Penn State made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011 and later won its first Tourney game since 2001, defeating Texas A&M.
All-in-all, Shrews has coached in six NCAA Tournaments, two NCAA Final Fours, five NBA Playoffs and two NBA Conference Finals.
SEASON OPENER NOTABLES
Historically, the Irish are 99-21 (.825) in their season openers. In addition, the program is 109-11 (.908) in home openers.
The last time Notre Dame dropped a season opener at home – you’d have to go all the way back to the 1998-99 season, when the Irish fell 76-65 to Miami (Ohio).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Ironically enough about that Nov. 13, 1998, game against Miami (Ohio) – that was the last time Notre Dame started two freshmen in a season opener. Irish fans will most likely see that occurring for the first time in a quarter of a century on Monday with Shrews’ highly talented freshmen foursome at his disposal.
In terms of notable debuts:
LaPhonso Ellis holds the top spot with 27 points in his 1988 freshman debut.
Chris Thomas has the most historic freshman debut in program history, netting a triple-double with 24 points, 11 steals and 11 assists
The only other 20+ point freshman debut in the past three decades – Blake Wesley, 21 points in 2021-22.
Coaching-wise – who had the biggest team point total in their debut –Mike Brey in his 104-58 win over Sacred Heart. The two behind him — Clem F. Crowe (W, 89-28) and Edward ‘Moose’ Karuse (W, 86-38).
FRESHMAN FOUNDATION
A little over a month into the job, Coach Shrewsberry had himself a top-25 ranked incoming freshmen class – Carey Booth, Logan Imes and Braeden Shrewsberry – all flipped from their Penn State commits. Then add in Mr. Indiana Basketball Markus Burton, who kept his commitment to Notre Dame. That brought the 2023 class to four signees which ranked 23rd in the country according to 247Sports.com.
Furthermore, cementing the bond among the freshmen class, there was an Indiana connection among most of them:
— Imes and Shrewsberry played together throughout all four of their high school years with the Indiana Elite.
— Imes and Burton were teammates on the 2023 Indiana All-Stars squad
CLEAN SLATE
Notre Dame only returns 35 points from a season ago, which equates to 1.6% of scoring returning. The table on the bottom of this page displays the Division I schools returning the least amount of points ahead of the 2023-24 season.
MR INDIANA
On April 20, 2023, now freshman point guard Markus Burton, was named Mr. Indiana Basketball. It marked the third time in program history in which a future Notre Dame player took home the honor. The two former winners were Chris Thomas in 2001 and Luke Zeller in 2005.
Burton averaged a state-best 30.3 points per game, along with 5.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.6 steals. Burton also secured the school single-season scoring record by pouring in 909 points as a senior.
NEW ARRIVALS
Julian Roper II – Northwestern – junior from Detroit. Played in 44 games for the Wildcats with 15 starts
Tae Davis – Seton Hall – sophomore from Indianapolis. Played in 32 games as a true freshman
Kebba Njie – Penn State – sophomore from Centerville, Ohio. Played in all 37 games for Shrewsberry last season, including 26 starts. He’s also the only player on the current roster who has played under Coach Shrewsberry ahead of this season
EXHIBITION WIN
Irish fans were treated to a dominant 96-62 win over D-III opponent Hanover College.
“I wanted to see our guys play hard and compete, just like in practice,” Coach Shrewsberry said. “I wanted people to come here and see us compete like that and play like that and know it’s going to be like that every single game. We might not come out on top, but we are going to compete every single game. I thought those guys poured their hearts out. I said empty your tank and let the next guy come in and do the same thing.”
What’s exciting about the Shrewsberry era is that three freshmen balled out tonight in their debut. Mr. Indiana Basketball, Markus Burton, led the way with 18 points. Then fellow freshmen Braeden Shrewsberry and Logan Imes followed suit with 14 points.
Other double-digit point scorers included J.R. Konieczny and Matt Zona with 12 points each.
Notre Dame recorded a 24-0 scoring spree which spanned from 13:06 to 7:46. Markus Burton tallied exactly of the team’s points in said run with 12. Another first-half highlight was Braeden Shrewsberry knocking down three triples in less than a two-minute span. All-in-all, both Burton and Shrewsberry finished the half with 14 points each. Imes got his double-digit points early in the second half though, knocking down back-to-back triples around the 16-minute mark.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER
#2 IRISH FALL IN A HEARTBREAKER TO LOUISVILLE, 4-3
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The top-seeded Fighting Irish men’s soccer team suffered a wild 4-3 heartbreaker at Alumni Stadium in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Louisville on Sunday evening.
The Irish trailed the Cardinals 3-0 with less than 30 minutes left in the match and fought valiantly to level the score at 3-3 by the 88th minute. Unfortunately though the visitors scored the winner a minute later in the 89th minute to escape with the victory.
Notre Dame now waits to find out its path in the NCAA Tournament, as the NCAA Selection Show will air on Monday, Nov. 13.
Bryce Boneau led the attacking charge for the Irish with a career night, recording a brace and an assist to finish with a career-high five points. Kyle Genenbacher scored his first goal of the season and Daniel Russo finished with a career-best two assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish controlled play early, dominating in the midfield for the opening stages of play. However, Louisville managed to strike first to take a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute off a volley from a long throw in. The visitors took the 1-0 advantage into the halftime break.
Louisville quickly added two more goals to its lead at the beginning of the second half, scoring twice in the first seven minutes to go on top 3-0 in the 52nd minute.
Notre Dame refused to go away quietly, pulling a goal back in the 66th minute off a corner. Russo headed the ball into the mixer and Boneau laid off a pass to Genenbacher, who fired inside the bottom left corner to cut the lead to 3-1.
Just three minutes later the Irish struck again, this time with Boneau providing the finish. Russo fired in an in-swinging cross to the box, which connected with Boneau on a diving header in the 69th minute to trim the lead to one at 3-2.
Notre Dame continued to desperately search for the equalizer, as the attack began to come in waves and in the 88th minute the constant pressure paid off, as Boneau once again found the back of the net. Ethan O’Brien floated a free kick into the area and Genenbacher’s effort from inside the six was saved from point-blank range. Boneau managed to rise highest on the rebound to nod the ball in to level the match at 3-3, sending the Irish faithful into a frenzy.
Louisville managed to regroup and won a free kick in the final third a minute later, and scored the winner off the set piece to escape with the 4-3 win.
McFARLAND FAMILY MEN’S HEAD SOCCER COACH CHAD RILEY’S TAKE
On the performance…
“I am obviously disappointed with the result but the team dealt with a lot tonight and fought back really valiantly to get to 3-3 and then we gave up an unfortunate goal at the very end. I feel for the guys. They fought back but I told them they can’t hang their heads. Louisville is a good team and they have had a great season so far. We are fortunate that we will get to play again soon.”
On the team’s mindset in the comeback…
“They have belief. They know that we can score goals and have belief in themselves and the way we do things. They showed what a Notre Dame soccer team does. We fight to the very last whistle.”
UP NEXT
Notre Dame now waits to find out its path in the NCAA Tournament, as the NCAA Selection Show will air on Monday, Nov. 13.
NOTRE DAME HOCKEY
IRISH HOCKEY SPLIT POINTS WITH NITTANY LIONS SUNDAY
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – For the second night in a row, Notre Dame and Penn State hockey ended officially in a tie and was decided in a shootout, with the Irish ultimately falling in three rounds.
The Irish faced three penalty kills in the opening period of play but successfully shutdown each PSU opportunity to remain scoreless through the first 20 minutes.
At the last line of defense, Ryan Bischel turned aside all 20 shots faced in the first period while the Irish fired just eight shots on net at the other end, including a breakout chance from Justin Janicke as he jumped back on the ice after serving his penalty.
Drew Bavaro got the scoring going at 4:52 of the second stanza, finding the back of the net with a shot from the top of the slot to break the stalemate.
The Nittany Lions thought they got one back minutes later as the lights went off and the horn sounded but the official waved it off immediately as Bischel’s mask had come undone on the play and the puck was whistled dead.
Moments later, amidst a ringing of “boo”s throughout the arena, Trevor Janicke silenced the crowd with a wrister in the slot for the 2-0 lead.
The Irish saw their first powerplay opportunity of the night at the 19-minute mark but were unable to score on the man-advantage before the clock wound down on the second period and they took the 2-0 lead to the locker room to prepare for the final frame.
The Nittany Lions cut the Irish lead in half at 1:42 of the third period. A Notre Dame challenge for offsides on the play was unsuccessful meanwhile, Penn State challenged for a major penalty that left one of their skaters slow to get up. The home challenge was also denied and both teams were charged with their timeouts before the puck was dropped again.
The two teams continued to battle for the remainder of the contest, with the Nittany Lions ultimately opting for the extra attacker with 90 seconds to go in regulation.
The Irish defense came up with a plethora of blocks with the empty net staring them down but were unable to clear the puck the length of the ice and PSU eventually evened the tally with 35.7 seconds to force the overtime session.
Neither team was able to capitalize in the three-on-three overtime and the Irish met the Nittany Lions at center ice for their second consecutive shootout.
Reminiscent of Saturday’s shootout, the netminders on both ends of the ice kept the shooters off the board through two rounds but Sunday it was the Nittany Lions that would score in the third round to clinch the extra point.
GOALS
A pair of Irish attackers battled for the puck along the boards behind the net, eventually working the puck free and up to the halfwall for Paul Fischer who found an open Drew Bavaro at the blueline. The senior defenseman took two strides before ripping his shot off and into the back of the net. Danny Nelson, who won the puck deep in the zone, was credited with the second assist on the goal.
Michael Mastrodomenico fired a cross-ice pass to Justin Janicke in the neutral zone who skated into the Nittany Lions end before feeding the puck over to his brother, Trevor, who fired a wrister into the net for the 2-0 tally at 8:54 of the second period.
KEY STATS
Ryan Bischel cast aside 47 of 49 shots faced in game two of the series at Penn State for a season high and .959 percentage in the crease to close out the road series.
Six individuals highlighted the box score Sunday night, including goals from a pair of veteran leaders on the team in Drew Bavaro and Trevor Janicke.
The Irish finished with 31 shots in the contest while blocking 18 shots before they reached the paint.
UP NEXT
The Irish return home to Compton Family Ice Arena next Friday and Saturday, November 10-11, for a pair of tilts against Big Ten foe Ohio State.
Puck drop on Friday night is set for 7:35 p.m. followed by a 6 p.m. start Saturday.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S TENNIS
IRISH FINISH HOME TOURNAMENT STRONG TO END FALL SEASON
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team wrapped up the fall season with their second home invitational, the Fighting Irish Mini Duals. The tournament saw players from Notre Dame, Princeton, Louisville, Illinois, DePaul, Drake and Holy Cross play in pairs for singles and doubles play.
Senior Jean-Marc Malkowski had a very strong showing as he went undefeated in singles and finished with an overall 6-1 record. He partnered with sophomore Evan Lee to go 3-1 in doubles while he Malkowski went 3-0 in singles matches highlighted by a big comeback against Oliver Okonkwo of Illinois. Malkowski found himself down 7-6, 4-1 before storming back to take five straight games and the second set. He kept the momentum going to claim the third set tiebreak 10-7 and secure the win. Lee went 2-2 in singles with wins against DePaul and Louisville.
Freshman duo Kyran Magimay and Jayanth Devaiah won their first three rounds together by a 3-0 margin each time, winning the doubles set and both singles matches. They beat teams from Louisville, DePaul and a combo Illinois/Holy Cross team to start the weekend 9-0. On the final day, they beat another DePaul team in doubles before finding themselves on the wrong end of the score at the hands of a different Louisville team, each ending the weekend with a 7-1 record.
Junior Jamie Corsillo also went undefeated in singles on the weekend with a 3-0 record. He and partner Nil Giraldez would come back from dropping the doubles to defeat Louisville 2-1 in the opening round. In the second round, Corsillo would mount his own comeback from 6-4, 3-0 down to come back and defeat Ardila of Princeton. Unfortunately, Giraldez would have to retire his match due to injury and end his weekend.
Sophomore Noah Becker went 3-1 in singles this weekend including a pair of 3-set wins against Drake and DePaul both on Saturday. He partnered with junior Brian Bilsey to go 2-2 in doubles with wins over Drake and DePaul while picking up a couple singles wins of his own against those same teams.
Freshman Chase Thompson and junior Yu Zhang opened their tournament with a 3-0 win over DePaul. Thompson had a grueling match, which he ultimately won 15-13 in the third set tiebreak, saving four match points along the way. Zhang would have a more routine straight set win. In the second round, they dropped the doubles match against Princeton before rallying to each claim their singles matches to advance 2-1. Round three saw rematches against an Illinois duo that the Irish played in the other home event of the fall season, the Bobby Bayliss Invitational. Unfortunately, that round would not go the way of Notre Dame. The last round was singles only for those two where Zhang fell in three sets and Thompson lost in two close sets to the #42 player in the country from Louisville.
Up Next:
The Notre Dame men’s tennis team will hit the offseason and wrap up the academic semester before heading to winter break. They will return in January to begin the spring season and begin competing shortly thereafter.
BALL STATE MEN’S TENNIS
MEN’S TENNIS ENDS FALL SEASON AT MAC INDOORS
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Ball State men’s tennis team wrapped up its fall portion of its schedule this weekend when the Cardinals competed at the MAC Indoors which was hosted by Western Michigan. All-in-all it was a successful day for the Cardinals as Ball State posted an 8-1 singles mark on its last day of competition.
In Flight 4 singles, Vince Orlando was crowned champion after earning a semifinal victory against Northern Illinois’ Armin Koschtojan. In the title match, Orlando took down Toledo’s Poonthong Komolpisut, 7-5, 6-4. Broc Fletcher also registered a win in that same flight defeating UB’s Michael Malkin, 6-3, 6-1 but would then lose in the semifinals.
In Flight 5 singles, Drew Hayward tallied a three-set thriller after beating Buffalo’s You-Shiang Huang in the first round of the main draw but then fell to host WMU’s Dimitri Moriarty in the semifinals.
Parrish Simmons captured the Flight 6 singles bracket after defeating the Huskies Luke Welker, 6-1, 6-4 in today’s finale.
Eli Herran along with Sajin Smith reached the finals in Flight 3 singles consolation. Herran defeated UIC’s Gustavo Schwebel by a score of 6-2, 6-3 while Smith took town Buffalo’s Theodoris Mitsakos, 2-6, 6-4, 10-6.
Over the weekend in doubles play, Herran and his doubles partner Smith reached the consolation finals of Flight 2 doubles as did the duo of Orlando and Hayward.
The Ball State men’s tennis team will open its spring season on Jan. 19 at Butler. First serve is slated for 1:30 p.m. ET.
INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
SYCAMORES SET TO OPEN 2023-24 SCHEDULE WITH MONDAY NIGHT HOME OPENER AGAINST ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State is set to start the 2023-24 schedule on Monday night as the Sycamores welcome St. Mary-of-the-Woods to Hulman Center for the season opener. Tipoff between the Sycamores and the Pomeroys is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Single Game and Season Tickets Still on Sale
Those seeking more information on single game and season tickets can call 877-ISU-TIXS or email ISU-Tickets@indstate.edu. Fans can also buy season tickets online by clicking HERE.
Game Day Promotions, Giveaways, and Sponsor
Indiana State’s game day promotions for the 2023-24 season opener include Non-Profit Night. The game day giveaway is an ISU Sycamore Crossroads Cream Ale T-Shirt while supplies last. Monday night’s game day sponsor is WTWO.
About the Series
It marks the first all-time meeting between the two programs in their respective histories as the Sycamores welcome their local NAIA foe. The two teams have not lined up on the court prior to the Monday night game.
About St. Mary-of-the-Woods
St. Mary-of-the-Woods will play three separate Division I teams on the 2023-24 schedule this season. The Pomeroys will face the Sycamores and Morehead State (Dec. 14), while previously taking on Valparaiso (Nov. 1) in an exhibition contest.
SMWC currently competes in the NAIA’s River States Conference. The Pomeroys were selected 13th overall in the preseason poll as voted on by the league’s head coaches. SMWC head coach Jesse McClung is in his first year as head coach with the Pomeroys. He joined the institution by way of a successful stint as the associate head coach at Marion University with the team posting a 124-38 record over the last six seasons.
The Pomeroys welcomed 12 transfers/newcomers to the 2023-24 roster including former Indiana State commit Lincoln Hale (Linton HS). SMWC fell in their Nov. 1 exhibition at Valparaiso, 82-71.
First Time Opponents on the Schedule
The ISU-SMWC marks the first of two first-time opponents Indiana State will open the season with as the Sycamores make their first trip in program history to Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Friday night to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. The game between ISU and Alabama will be streamed live on the SEC Network Plus.
Nonconference Under Coach Schertz
Indiana State boasts a 17-12 mark in nonconference play under Coach Schertz dating back to the start of the 2021-22 season. The Sycamores went 8-5 in nonconference competition last season including winning each of the first four games last season.
ISU won its first four nonconference games against Green Bay (80-53), Ball State (83-71), North Dakota State (101-75), and East Carolina (79-75). The Sycamores took their first loss against Kansas City at the Gulf Coast Showcase last year in Estero, Fla. inside Hertz Arena. Indiana State went 4-1 last season in nonconference play inside Hulman Center and is 9-1 overall in nonconference home games under Schertz. The lone loss came last season on December 22 against Northern Illinois, 67-57.
First Action in front of the Fans
The Sycamores did not play in a preseason open exhibition in the 2023-24 offseason, but Indiana State did compete in two closed door scrimmages against both Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. Stats were not kept in either competition.
Preseason All-Conference Recognition
Preseason All-Conference Recognition
The Sycamores placed three on the Missouri Valley preseason All-Conference team as voted on by the league’s head coaches, SIDs, and media members. Julian Larry (G) and Robbie Avila (C) were both named to the conference’s Second Team, while newcomer Isaiah Swope (G) earned Third Team honors. Swope was additionally named the projected College Blue Ribbon MVC Newcomer of the Year by the organization.
The Sycamores (402) were selected fourth overall in the conference’s preseason poll finishing behind Drake (558), Northern Iowa (524), and Bradley (487) in the rankings.
2023-24 Conference Schedule Format
The Sycamores are scheduled to play 20 conference games in an unbalanced schedule format for the second consecutive season as the Valley announced the conference schedule this fall.
The Sycamores schedule will feature home-and-home contests with nearly every member of the MVC this season with the exception of Northern Iowa and Illinois State. ISU will travel to UNI on January 7, while hosting Illinois State inside Hulman Center on February 13.
Bringing You the Call
The Sycamores welcome a new voice to the call on 105.5 The Legend this season as Indiana State alum Joey O’Rourke will take the reins as the men’s basketball play-by-play announcer for the year. O’Rourke brings a wealth of experience to the program and will look to further enhance ISU’s radio efforts and provide a consistent voice to the action this season.
The Sycamores will also utilize the talents of play-by-play announcers Brian Jennings and Brendan King, as well as analysts Brian Giesen and Matt Renn on ISU’s Valley on ESPN broadcast calls this season.
Forest On-Court Promotions
Additional features for the 2023-24 season will include on-court promotions for The Forest members throughout the season including the Labor Link Half-Court Shot, the Starry Scramble, the EPIC Insurance Putt, the Jackie Moon Free Throw Challenge, and the Meijer Forest Member of the Game.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S SOCCER
‘DONS DEFEAT DETROIT MERCY 1-0 IN #HLMSOC QUARTERFINALS
DETROIT – Marco Valencia scored in the 67th minute to give the No. 5 Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons a 1-0 victory at No. 4 Detroit Mercy on Sunday (Nov. 5) in the 2023 Horizon League Men’s Soccer Quarterfinals.
The play started with a Marco Navarro throw-in to Seth Mahlmeister about 10 yards out on the right side of the goal. Mahlmeister found Valencia open in the middle of the field about 18 yards out. Valencia took advantage and drilled a shot into the upper left corner of the goal.
Thanks to the win, the ‘Dons will play at No. 1 seed Oakland on Thursday (Nov. 7) in a 1 p.m. start in the Horizon League Semifinals. The win is the program’s first Horizon League Tournament victory.
Valencia’s goal stood up thanks to the play of goalkeeper Max Collingwood. He finished with three saves to get the shutout. His final save came in the 70th minute but he helped anchor a defense which turned away six Titan corner kicks including one in the 80th minute.
Both teams had one shot on goal in the first half. Soshi Fujioka had a shot that was saved in the sixth minute. Detroit Mercy earned a good chance with a ball into a crowded box but Max Collingwood turned the shot away in the 41st minute.
The ‘Dons improve to 7-5-4. Detroit Mercy finishes their season 5-10-3.
SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TIPS OFF 2023-24 MONDAY AGAINST WRIGHT STATE
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball gets the 2023-24 season rolling Monday against Wright State University at 7 p.m. from Screaming Eagles Arena.
The season-opening contest can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on 95.7FM The Spin.
USI enters the 2023-24 season after going 12-17 overall and 6-12 in Ohio Valley Conference play last season. The 2022-23 season was USI’s inaugural season in NCAA Division I and as an OVC member. The Screaming Eagles missed out on postseason play in the OVC Tournament, but USI ended last season with a 67-61 road win at Tennessee State University.
The Eagles were projected sixth in the 2023-24 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll.
The 2023-24 USI Women’s Basketball squad features eight returning players, including three starters, and six newcomers. USI Head Coach Rick Stein begins his 25th season at the helm with a 423-254 record.
The top returning scorer is senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana), who averaged 13.3 points per game last season. Junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) is also back after posting 13.0 points per contest and leading the team with 7.1 rebounds per game. She was also fourth-best in the nation with a 46.8 three-point percentage. Shafford and Raley were 2023-24 Preseason All-OVC selections.
Additionally, Southern Indiana has senior guard Lexie Green (Indianapolis, Indiana) and fifth-year senior guards Tori Handley (Jeffersonville, Indiana) and Addy Blackwell (Bloomington, Indiana) back in 2023-24.
Two of USI’s newcomers are transfers. Senior forward Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) comes to USI after three seasons at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Webb made 16 starts in 30 appearances last year as a junior for SIUE, leading the Cougars with a .488 shooting percentage, and set season-high marks in total points and rebounds. Sophomore guard Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana) joins USI after her freshman campaign at Valparaiso University, where she was second on the team in scoring with 10.7 points per game, shooting over 47 percent from the floor and 43 percent from three. Saunders also dished out a team-best 81 assists in nine starts and 30 appearances. At the end of the 2022-23 season, Saunders was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team after leading all MVC freshmen in scoring and assists, both overall and in conference play.
Wright State was 8-24 overall and 6-14 in Horizon League play last season. After a 2-19 start, the Raiders went 6-5 in their last 11 games. The Raiders made it to the quarterfinals of the Horizon League Tournament before falling to No. 1-seeded University of Wisconsin Green Bay.
As a team, the Raiders were one of the best three-point shooting teams in the nation last season, ranking second with 10.1 three-pointers made per game and 22nd with a .364 three-point percentage. Wright State set a school record with 323 triples in 2022-23.
Raiders junior guard Kacee Baumhower is the top returning scorer for Wright State this season. Baumhower was third on the team in scoring last year with 9.4 points per outing, shooting nearly 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc. She also had 75 assists and 25 steals.
Baumhower is joined by graduate forward Cara VanKempen, who averaged 6.2 points and 3.2 boards per game last season. Horizon League All-Freshman Team honoree Makiya Miller is also back after tallying 5.9 points and 1.5 assists per contest.
Monday’s game will be the return game from USI’s 76-66 road win at Wright State last December. In that matchup, Shafford and Raley each poured in 20 points for the Screaming Eagles while USI shot over 47 percent from the floor. USI leads the all-time series 3-2, which dates back to the 1983-84 season.
Since 1975-76, USI has been 28-20 in season-opening games, and since 1980-81, USI is 30-13 in home openers. Last year, USI won its season opener at home, 87-39, against Oakland City University to begin the D-I era.
The contest against Wright State tips off a three-game homestand for USI to open the 2023-24 season. The Screaming Eagles will also be home on November 12 at 1 p.m. against Oakland City University and November 16 at 7 p.m. against Northern Illinois University.
VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER
PUT YOUR DANCING SHOES ON! VALPO SOCCER WINS MVC CHAMPIONSHIP, CLINCHES NCAA TOURNAMENT BERTH
The Valparaiso University soccer team is heading back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014, as the Beacons defeated top-seeded Drake 1-0 in Des Moines, Iowa on Sunday afternoon to win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
“This feels great — it never gets old celebrating championships,” said Valpo head coach John Marovich. “We talked last night about how we were at the last camp before you summit as you’re climbing the mountain. We know that last journey is hard, and sometimes you don’t summit, but we were able to summit today. Credit to our players’ willingness to keep battling and keep overcoming every challenge that comes their way.”
Fifth-year midfielder Allie Anderson (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South [Xavier]) put home a rebound after a shot from a free kick by Addy Joiner (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) ricocheted off the near post in the 82nd minute. Anderson’s putback from just north of the penalty spot, her third goal of the year, gave the Beacons the lead with 8:59 to play. Anderson went on to be named to the All-Tournament Team after playing all 420 minutes of the tournament in the midfield and scoring the match-winner in the title match and was also named the Elite 17 award winner for the student-athlete with the highest GPA participating in the title match, a fitting way to close one of the final chapters of her collegiate career.
“What can you say about Allie?” said Marovich. “All the work she does in the midfield, she battles, she competes for the full 90 minutes. She’s got a little bit of flair to her. For her to get on the end of that one late and have the game-winner, you can’t have a better ending than have your fifth-year senior be the one to help get the team across the finish line.”
The tournament’s Most Valuable Player was senior goalkeeper Nikki Coryell (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley), as she posted her fourth consecutive clean sheet in goal — in the process establishing a new MVC record with 28 career shutouts. Coryell had to make four saves to earn the shutout Sunday, only one of which came after Valpo had taken the lead and which came inside the final 30 seconds, setting the stage for a raucous celebration as the clock hit zero.
“Besides being a great goalkeeper, Nikki’s just an outstanding human being and a fantastic leader,” said Marovich. She just has such a great work ethic and work rate, and is the first to give credit to everyone else. How fantastic, for her to tie the record with the semifinal shutout and then to get another one in the final to be the all-time leader — I don’t think there’s a better ending to that story either.”
The 1-0 win over the regular-season champion Bulldogs on Sunday capped a dramatic run through the MVC Tournament for Valpo. The Beacons won all four tournament fixtures by identical 1-0 scores, with three of those four goals coming post-halftime, including the extra-time winner in the tournament semifinal over Missouri State.
“I talked about last year how the regular season is like a marathon and the tournament is like a sprint,” said Marovich. “Our path this year was a lot like a 400 — four separate 100-yard sprints, but you have to sprint the whole 400. The last 100 is the toughest, and we had to fight our way through that today against a quality Drake side.”
Sunday’s journey got a bit more challenging when Valpo learned it would have to vie for the title without the services of freshman center back Anna Cup (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin), who was sidelined due to injury. Senior Aubrey Ramey (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School [DePaul]), who had played right back exclusively during the regular season, shifted over to center back for the third time in this tournament run and earned All-Tournament Team honors for her work across the back line in contributing to the Beacons’ four clean sheets.
“When you develop an environment which is about development and growth, you can live in the next woman up mentality,” said Marovich. “The standard is the standard. Aubrey steps up and has to go play center back, and has another great showing there — that award is so deserved for all the things she had to go through over the last four games. Daisy pops on at right back, but then unfortunately gets injured, and then we have to make another shuffle, moving Sam into the back line. That’s what we do — we pick one another up.”
Left back Abby White (Commerce Township, Mich./Walled Lake Central) rounded out the quartet of Valpo honorees on the All-Tournament Team. White scored the match-winner against Missouri State on Thursday to send the Beacons to the title match and spent all 380 minutes of the tournament running up and down the left side and keeping Valpo’s opponents off the board.
The conference tournament title is the third in program history, as Valpo previously claimed the tournament crown in 2005 (Mid-Continent Conference) and 2014 (Horizon League). The Beacons earned the Valley’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament with the victory and will learn their opponent during the NCAA Selection Show, set for 3 p.m. Monday afternoon on NCAA.com.
“It’s going to be great, getting to celebrate with everyone again and getting to see our name come up on the screen tomorrow,” said Marovich. “To be in the NCAA Tournament, that’s what these seniors committed to do, to help us build this in the Valley. To see them go win the regular season title last year, and now a tournament championship this year has been amazing. I’m excited for our team to get to have the NCAA Tournament experience, and wherever they send us, we’re going to go and we’re going to compete.”
VALPO FOOTBALL
MATTHES NAMED PFL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Valparaiso University sixth-year senior punter Evan Matthes (Reston, Va. / South Lake [West Virginia]) was recognized by the Pioneer Football League office on Sunday as he was tabbed the league’s Special Teams Player of the Week.
Matthes played a key role in pinning Dayton deep on a regular basis in Saturday’s 21-7 victory over the Flyers at Brown Field. He averaged 41.7 yards per punt on seven attempts with a long of 53, pinning five of his seven boots inside the 20 including three inside the 10 and two inside the 5.
Matthes, who leads the PFL and ranks 18th nationally in punting average at 42.8, becomes Valpo’s first PFL weekly award winner in 2023. The Beacons will host Stetson on Saturday at noon for Senior Day.
UINDY MEN’S SOCCER
TSELIOS GOAL IN FINAL SECONDS SENDS HOUNDS TO SEMIFINALS
INDIANAPOLIS – The No. 3-seed UIndy men’s soccer team downed the 6-seeded Truman, 2-1, in the GLVC quarterfinals on Sunday. Michael Tselios’ goal in the final seconds of the match sends the Greyhounds onto the semifinals.
INS & OUT
The first half started with the Hounds maintaining control of the ball. Each team was able to get a shot off in the first 20 minutes. The Bulldogs reached the net first 20 minutes into the match.
UIndy was able to get four shots, three on goal, off before the end of the half.
UIndy came out of the half energized and ready to take control of the game. The Greyhounds continued to keep possession of the ball and attempted seven shots, four on goal, in the first 20 minutes of the second half.
At the 77 minute mark, Bobby Turner was able to head the ball passed the Bulldogs’ goalie for the Hounds to tie the game.
UIndy continued to put pressure on Truman’s defense. With five seconds left in the contest Tselios was able to secure the win. Tselios had help from Jakob David and August Abrahamsen.
INSIDE THE BOX
– Kieran Brown stayed in goal for all 90 minutes of the contest. The Australia native only allowed one goal in.
– The defensive trio of Pierre Lurot, Niklas Thanhofer, and Turner helped UIndy to only allow one shot on goal
– The Hounds finished the match with 20 shots, 11 on goal. Four of them, three on goal, came from Tselios.
– Jakob David, Brandon Johnson, and Tselios also remained on the pitch for the entirety of the match.
UP NEXT
UIndy will face No. 2 seed Lewis or the 7-seeded Rockhurst in the semifinal on Friday. The GLVC semifinals and finals will take place in East Peoria, Ill. at Crodwin Clatt Stadium.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
NBA STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| Atlantic Division | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Boston | 5 | 0 | 1.000 | — | 2-0 | 3-0 | 2-0 | 5-0 | 5-0 | 5 W | ||
| Philadelphia | 4 | 1 | .800 | 1.0 | 3-0 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 2-1 | 4-1 | 4 W | ||
| Brooklyn | 3 | 3 | .500 | 2.5 | 0-2 | 3-1 | 0-1 | 3-2 | 3-3 | 1 L | ||
| Toronto | 3 | 4 | .429 | 3.0 | 2-2 | 1-2 | 0-2 | 1-3 | 3-4 | 1 W | ||
| New York | 2 | 4 | .333 | 3.5 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 0-1 | 2-3 | 2-4 | 2 L | ||
| Central Divison | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Milwaukee | 3 | 2 | .600 | — | 3-1 | 0-1 | – | 3-2 | 3-2 | 1 W | ||
| Indiana | 3 | 3 | .500 | 0.5 | 2-2 | 1-1 | 2-1 | 3-3 | 3-3 | 1 L | ||
| Cleveland | 3 | 4 | .429 | 1.0 | 1-3 | 2-1 | 0-2 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 1 W | ||
| Detroit | 2 | 5 | .286 | 2.0 | 1-2 | 1-3 | 1-0 | 2-1 | 2-5 | 4 L | ||
| Chicago | 2 | 5 | .286 | 2.0 | 1-2 | 1-3 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 2-5 | 3 L | ||
| Southeast Division | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Atlanta | 4 | 2 | .667 | — | 2-1 | 2-1 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 4-2 | 4 W | ||
| Orlando | 4 | 2 | .667 | — | 2-0 | 2-2 | – | – | 4-2 | 2 W | ||
| Charlotte | 2 | 4 | .333 | 2.0 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-0 | 2-2 | 2-4 | 1 L | ||
| Miami | 2 | 4 | .333 | 2.0 | 2-1 | 0-3 | 1-0 | 2-3 | 2-4 | 1 W | ||
| Washington | 1 | 4 | .200 | 2.5 | 1-1 | 0-3 | 0-2 | 0-4 | 1-4 | 3 L | ||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| Northwest Division | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Denver | 6 | 1 | .857 | — | 4-0 | 2-1 | 2-1 | 5-1 | 6-1 | 2 W | ||
| Minnesota | 3 | 2 | .600 | 2.0 | 3-0 | 0-2 | 2-0 | 2-0 | 3-2 | 2 W | ||
| Oklahoma City | 3 | 3 | .500 | 2.5 | 1-3 | 2-0 | 0-1 | 0-3 | 3-3 | 2 L | ||
| Portland | 3 | 4 | .429 | 3.0 | 1-2 | 2-2 | – | 1-2 | 3-4 | 1 L | ||
| Utah | 2 | 5 | .286 | 4.0 | 2-2 | 0-3 | 0-2 | 2-4 | 2-5 | 2 L | ||
| Pacific Division | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Golden State | 5 | 2 | .714 | — | 1-1 | 4-1 | 2-1 | 5-1 | 5-2 | 1 L | ||
| LA Clippers | 3 | 2 | .600 | 1.0 | 3-0 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 3-2 | 1 L | ||
| LA Lakers | 3 | 3 | .500 | 1.5 | 3-0 | 0-3 | 2-1 | 2-2 | 3-3 | 1 L | ||
| Phoenix | 3 | 4 | .429 | 2.0 | 1-2 | 2-2 | 1-1 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 1 W | ||
| Sacramento | 2 | 3 | .400 | 2.0 | 1-1 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 2-3 | 2-3 | 2 L | ||
| Southwest Division | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| Dallas | 5 | 1 | .833 | — | 3-0 | 2-1 | 2-0 | 2-1 | 5-1 | 1 W | ||
| New Orleans | 4 | 2 | .667 | 1.0 | 2-2 | 2-0 | 1-0 | 2-1 | 4-2 | 1 L | ||
| San Antonio | 3 | 3 | .500 | 2.0 | 1-2 | 2-1 | 1-1 | 3-2 | 3-3 | 1 L | ||
| Houston | 2 | 3 | .400 | 2.5 | 2-1 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 2-3 | 2 W | ||
| Memphis | 1 | 6 | .143 | 4.5 | 0-3 | 1-3 | 0-2 | 1-5 | 1-6 | 1 W | ||
NFL STANDINGS
| American Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Miami Dolphins | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 285 | 225 | 4-0-0 | 2-3-0 | 4-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 1 L | |
| New York Jets | 4 | 3 | 0 | .571 | 1.0 | 126 | 129 | 2-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 W | |
| Buffalo Bills | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | 1.0 | 240 | 160 | 4-1-0 | 1-3-0 | 2-4-0 | 1-2-0 | 1 L | |
| New England Patriots | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 | 4.0 | 135 | 228 | 1-4-0 | 1-3-0 | 2-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 2 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | 0.0 | 208 | 143 | 4-1-0 | 3-1-0 | 5-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 3.0 | 156 | 193 | 3-1-0 | 1-4-0 | 2-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | 3.0 | 174 | 168 | 2-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Denver Broncos | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 3.5 | 172 | 226 | 2-3-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-4-0 | 1-2-0 | 2 W | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Baltimore Ravens | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | 0.0 | 239 | 124 | 3-1-0 | 4-1-0 | 4-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 4 W | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | 1.5 | 133 | 163 | 3-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 4-2-0 | 2-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Cleveland Browns | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | 1.5 | 181 | 139 | 4-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 3-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 1 W | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | 1.5 | 155 | 162 | 3-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 0-2-0 | 4 W | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 193 | 156 | 2-2-0 | 4-0-0 | 4-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 5 W | |
| Houston Texans | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | 2.0 | 187 | 165 | 3-1-0 | 1-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Indianapolis Colts | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 2.5 | 232 | 242 | 1-4-0 | 3-1-0 | 3-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 1 W | |
| Tennessee Titans | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 3.0 | 148 | 160 | 3-1-0 | 0-4-0 | 2-4-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 L | |
| National Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | 8 | 1 | 0 | .889 | 0.0 | 252 | 195 | 4-0-0 | 4-1-0 | 6-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 3 W | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | 2.5 | 220 | 148 | 3-0-0 | 2-3-0 | 2-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Washington Commanders | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 4.0 | 191 | 245 | 1-3-0 | 3-2-0 | 2-4-0 | 0-3-0 | 1 W | |
| New York Giants | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 | 6.0 | 101 | 217 | 1-3-0 | 1-4-0 | 2-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | 0.0 | 218 | 140 | 3-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 4-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 3 L | |
| Seattle Seahawks | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | 0.0 | 171 | 175 | 3-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 4-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 2.5 | 178 | 204 | 1-3-0 | 2-3-0 | 2-4-0 | 2-1-0 | 3 L | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1 | 8 | 0 | .111 | 4.5 | 151 | 240 | 1-3-0 | 0-5-0 | 1-5-0 | 0-3-0 | 6 L | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Detroit Lions | 6 | 2 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 200 | 165 | 3-1-0 | 3-1-0 | 4-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | 1.5 | 206 | 190 | 1-3-0 | 4-1-0 | 5-2-0 | 2-0-0 | 4 W | |
| Green Bay Packers | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 3.0 | 160 | 159 | 2-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 3-3-0 | 1-2-0 | 1 W | |
| Chicago Bears | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 | 4.5 | 188 | 242 | 1-3-0 | 1-4-0 | 1-4-0 | 0-2-0 | 2 L | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| New Orleans Saints | 5 | 4 | 0 | .556 | 0.0 | 195 | 171 | 2-2-0 | 3-2-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 W | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 1.0 | 166 | 192 | 3-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 3-3-0 | 2-0-0 | 2 L | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 1.5 | 158 | 167 | 1-3-0 | 2-2-0 | 3-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 4 L | |
| Carolina Panthers | 1 | 7 | 0 | .125 | 3.5 | 140 | 226 | 1-3-0 | 0-4-0 | 0-5-0 | 0-2-0 | 1 L | |
NHL STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| Atlantic Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| Boston Bruins | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 8 | 36 | 21 | 5-0-1 | 4-1-0 | 8-1-1 | |
| Detroit Red Wings | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 45 | 37 | 4-2-1 | 3-2-0 | 6-3-1 | |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 40 | 36 | 4-0-2 | 1-3-1 | 4-3-3 | |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 36 | 37 | 2-3-0 | 3-1-2 | 4-4-2 | |
| Montreal Canadiens | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 33 | 39 | 4-2-0 | 1-2-2 | 5-4-1 | |
| Buffalo Sabres | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 39 | 38 | 3-4-0 | 3-2-0 | 6-4-0 | |
| Florida Panthers | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 26 | 28 | 3-1-0 | 2-3-1 | 5-4-1 | |
| Ottawa Senators | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 38 | 35 | 3-4-0 | 1-2-0 | 4-6-0 | |
| Metropolitan Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| New York Rangers | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 8 | 34 | 24 | 2-1-0 | 6-1-1 | 7-2-1 | |
| New Jersey Devils | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 43 | 39 | 3-2-1 | 4-1-0 | 6-3-1 | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 42 | 42 | 3-0-0 | 4-5-0 | 5-5-0 | |
| New York Islanders | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 27 | 27 | 3-1-3 | 2-1-0 | 5-2-3 | |
| Washington Capitals | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 21 | 30 | 4-3-0 | 1-1-1 | 5-4-1 | |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 37 | 39 | 3-4-0 | 2-2-1 | 4-5-1 | |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 28 | 34 | 3-3-1 | 1-2-1 | 4-4-2 | |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 36 | 31 | 2-4-0 | 2-2-0 | 4-6-0 | |
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| Central Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| Dallas Stars | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 6 | 30 | 26 | 3-1-0 | 4-1-1 | 7-2-1 | |
| Colorado Avalanche | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 32 | 28 | 3-0-0 | 4-3-0 | 7-3-0 | |
| Winnipeg Jets | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 36 | 39 | 2-2-1 | 3-2-1 | 5-3-2 | |
| St. Louis Blues | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 25 | 28 | 4-1-0 | 1-3-1 | 5-4-1 | |
| Arizona Coyotes | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 37 | 32 | 3-2-0 | 2-3-1 | 4-5-1 | |
| Nashville Predators | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 32 | 32 | 3-2-0 | 2-4-0 | 5-5-0 | |
| Minnesota Wild | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 40 | 47 | 3-2-1 | 1-3-1 | 3-5-2 | |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 26 | 38 | 1-3-0 | 3-4-0 | 3-7-0 | |
| Pacific Division | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| Vegas Golden Knights | 13 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 8 | 52 | 28 | 7-0-1 | 4-1-0 | 8-1-1 | |
| Vancouver Canucks | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 8 | 48 | 22 | 4-0-1 | 4-2-0 | 7-2-1 | |
| Los Angeles Kings | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 47 | 33 | 1-2-2 | 6-0-0 | 7-1-2 | |
| Anaheim Ducks | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 37 | 32 | 3-2-0 | 4-2-0 | 7-3-0 | |
| Seattle Kraken | 12 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 31 | 42 | 2-3-0 | 2-3-2 | 4-4-2 | |
| Calgary Flames | 11 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 28 | 41 | 1-3-0 | 2-4-1 | 2-7-1 | |
| Edmonton Oilers | 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 27 | 41 | 1-4-1 | 1-3-0 | 2-7-1 | |
| San Jose Sharks | 11 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 55 | 0-5-1 | 0-5-0 | 0-9-1 | |
FOOTBALL HISTORY
FIRST FOOTBALL GAME
November 6, 1869 – The College of New Jersey, that later became Princeton and Rutgers played each other in a football match. This information comes from princetontigersfootball.com. The word match should be a clue to all of this that the game is not recognizable to our era as being the game of American football that we know and love. The game was played using a round shaped ball, and they used Football Association (soccer) rules but the style of play closely resembled rugby. This game marked the beginning of intercollegiate football and subsequently has gone down in the history books as the first American college football game. The contest ended in a Rutgers win in which they scored six runs to Princeton’s four. Two weeks later, after the inaugural game, Princeton handed Rutgers its first loss– eight runs to zero. Both Rutgers and Princeton were retroactively awarded the 1869 National Championship.
Racine Eleven Dismissed
A fun fact about Racine’s football team was that in 1903 the program ended for what we would look at today as the oddest of circumstances! A November 6, 1903 article in the Champagne, Illinois Daily Gazette posts the headline of:
Bounced for Eating Fudges: Football team of Racine Gets its Walking Papers
Yes the entire football team was discharged allegedly because the players were caught eating fudge which in the eyes of the school administration was thought to make them poor students and athletes. Thank God that same criteria isn’t used for your friendly blog writer! For more on some Racine College football history go to our story from May 30.
Under the Lights for the 1st time
November 6, 1929 – Providence, Rhode Island – Just days after the 1929 Stock market crash signalling the start of the Great Depression the Providence Steam Roller became the first NFL team granted permission by the NFL to host a game at night under floodlights and they scheduled it at the Cycledrome in Providence. The Steam Rollers had enjoyed success in the season before, as they won the 1928 National Championship, but multiple key players had left for better paying jobs before the 1929 season so a gimmick such as a night game might do the trick to bring paying fans into the stands.. The highest paid man on the team was Jimmy Conzelman who doubled as quarterback and coach with a $292 per game salary. Due to heavy flooding in the Cycledrome, the game against the Chicago Cardinals was moved to Kinsley Park so as not to lose revenue. The portable floodlights were moved to Kinsley too and the first NFL night game was played. The Steam Roller lost by the score of 0-16, but were satisfied that 6,000 fans attended after a season of low attendance. In 1930, floodlights were permanently installed in the Cycledrome, but the players “received a pay reduction for night games…to help pay for the cost of floodlight installation.” Learn more here!
The St. Louis Gunners
November 6, 1934 – NFL finally approved the sale of the Cincinnati Reds to a St. Louis group for approximately $25,000. In the 1933 season of the NFL a certain amount of stability had arisen in the League, or so everyone thought. The Cincinnati Reds football franchise was in trouble due to financial woes but a group in St. Louis prior to the start of games offered to buy the team. The other NFL owners rejected the idea, feeling St. Louis was too far west to be in the league. However as the Reds got further into the season things got worse. The NFL was facing an embarrassing situation with a team folding midseason so finally after weeks of negotiating the NFL allowed the sale according to a paper submitted to the PFRA by Bob Gill on the St Louis Gunners. The St. Louis Gunners took over the Reds roster and played a partial 1934 schedule. The backstory on the Gunners is really well told by Gill’s transcript, and basically tells us that after some failed pro teams in St Louis, in 1931 the Field Artillery of the National Guard, of Battery A, announced that it would sponsor a team for the coming season in the city. The team was promptly referred to as the Batter A Gunners from its association with the Guard. The team had a big signing in naming as its head coach the famous pro star and future Hall-of- Famer Jimmy Conzelman. Then after securing the Public Schools Stadium as a home field, the Gunners were ready to open for business. The NFL couldn’t be happier that they were waiting in the wings, the Reds franchise was then bought out and the Gunners were a part of the NFL. They won their first game against the Pittsburgh Pirates 6–0, but then lost the last two to the Detroit Lions 40–7 and the Green Bay Packers 21–14. The Gunners franchise in the NFL lasted only those three 1934 games.
Modell’s announcement
November 6, 1995 – Art Modell officially announced that his Cleveland Browns franchise was moving to Baltimore. The city of Cleveland would later be learned to retain the Browns name so Modell’s franchise would go on to become the Ravens. Thanks to onthisday.com
SEC Adds another School
November 6, 2011 – The Southeastern Conference welcomed the University of Missouri into their Conference of collegiate athletics. Missouri officially entered the SEC on July 1, 2012 along with Texas A&M. According to the SEC’s official website, They completed their first year of competition in the SEC in the 2012-2013 school year.
HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR NOVEMBER 6
T-Ave Daniell
November 6, 1914 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Ave Daniell a tackle from the University of Pittsburgh was born. Per the NFF, Daniell played for the Panthers from 1934 through the 1936 seasons and made the team as a walk-on candidate. Utilizing quickness and aggressive spirit, Daniell overshadowed many of the great linemen of his day. And in 1936, Daniell’s senior season, the Panther captain became a consensus All-America selection as the leader of what many feel remains the best line in Pitt history. The National Football Foundation elected to induct Ave Daniell into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975. After school Ave in the National Football League for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
HB-John Pingel
November 6, 1916 – Mount Clemens, Michigan – The great halfback from Michigan State, John Pingel celebrated his birth. Pingel was a triple threat as his precision passing, astounding rushes and his punting helped MSU achieve an 8-1 record in 1937. In fact the footballfoundation.org site claims he averaged 5.1 yards per rushing attempt, completed 54 percent of his passes and led the nation in punting that season. John received accolades and awards for being the top ranked student athlete at the school and even gained All-America status on the gridiron in 1937. Those are many of the reasons that John Pingel was accepted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
49ers famous owner
November 6, 1946 – Youngstown, Ohio – Edward DeBartolo Jr. former owner of the San Francisco 49ers. DeBartolo purchased the franchise in 1977 and held ownership of the club for 23 years. In that time his 49ers played in 16 playoff games 10 of those were NFC Championship games and they won 5 Super Bowl Championships per the Pro Football Hall of Fame bio on Edward. The franchise posted the best winning percentage in the NFL in both the decades of the 1980s and 1990s. DeBartolo was named the NFL Man of the Year by the Football News in 1989 as recognition as the nation’s top sports executives. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Edward DeBartolo Jr. in 2016.
Big Al Williams
November 6, 1968 – Houston, Texas – Is the day that the fantastic University of Colorado linebacker, Alfred “Big Al” Williams came into this world. Big Al was the 1990 Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker per his bio on the NFF’s website. Williams led the Colorado Buffalos to the 1990 National Championship and he set the Colorado record for career sacks (35) and became a 1990 unanimous first-team All-American linebacker. The National Football Foundation elected to induct Alfred Williams into their College Football Hall of Fame in 2010. After school he was a linebacker and defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos.
LB- Pat Tillman
November 6, 1976 – Fremont, California – Another great player who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010 was born on this day too. Pat Tillman who played as a LB at Arizona State University secured the last remaining scholarship for the ASU team in 1994. Tillman excelled as a linebacker at Arizona State, despite being relatively small for the position at 5 ft 11 in tall. After the 1997 season Pat was voted the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year as well as also being named Arizona State’s MVP of the season and finished his collegiate career with 230 career tackles. The NFF goes onto to tell us that Tillman was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals as a safety in the 1998 NFL Draft. Pat ended up spending four seasons with the Cards before being inspired to join the U.S. Army. Tillman, a U.S. Army Ranger, served tours in Iraq in 2003 and 2004 before he was tragically killed. Tillman was posthumously honored with the NFF’s Distinguished American Award in 2006. The Pat Tillman Foundation was established in his name to promote scholarship, the spirit of community service and supporting veterans, active service members and their dependents.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
35 – 17 – 28 – 32 – 23
November 6, 1961 – US government issues a stamp honoring 100th birthday of James Naismith. The interesting thing is that Naismith was reported to actually be Canadian. This legend invented game of basketball and is often credited with possibly being the first to wear head protection on the gridiron.
November 6, 1969 – Inaugural Cy Young Award is a tie between Mike Cuellar (Number 35 of the Baltimore Orioles) and Number 17 of the Detroit Tigers, Denny McLain
November 6, 1974 – LA Dodger Mike Marshall, Number 28 was the 1st relief pitcher to win Cy Young Award
November 6, 1983 – Tampa Bay Buccaneer Number 32, James Wilder rushed for 219 yards against the Minnesota Vikings defense
November 6, 1990 – Atlanta Braves’ Number 23, David Justice won the NL Rookie of Year
November 6, 1995 – Art Modell officially announced that the original Cleveland Browns were moving to Baltimore, Maryland. The would later be known as the Ravens.
TV SPORTS MONDAY
| NCAA BASKETBALL GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| Spalding at IUPUI | 11:00am | ESPN+ |
| St. Joseph’s (NY) at Hofstra | 11:30am | MSG |
| Fort Lauderdale at Troy | 12:00pm | ESPN+ |
| North American at Stephen F. Austin | 12:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Kansas Christian at Prairie View A&M | 1:00pm | – |
| Georgia vs. Oregon | 5:00pm | TruTV |
| Linfield at Oregon State | 5:30pm | PAC12N |
| Rivier at UMass Lowell | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Samford at Purdue | 6:30pm | BTN |
| Northern Arizona at UConn | 6:30pm | FOX Sports App |
| Tennessee Tech at Tennessee | 6:30pm | SECN+ |
| Radford at North Carolina | 7:00pm | ACC Network |
| VMI at Richmond | 7:00pm | MASN2 |
| McNeese at VCU | 7:00pm | MASN |
| Cleveland State at Duquesne | 7:00pm | ATTSN-PIT |
| Columbia at Providence | 7:00pm | FOX Sports App |
| USC Upstate at South Carolina | 7:00pm | SECN+ |
| North Carolina A&T at Pitt | 7:00pm | ACCNx |
| Tarleton at Virginia | 7:00pm | ACCNx |
| UMBC at Louisville | 7:00pm | ACCNx |
| The Citadel at NC State | 7:00pm | ACCNx |
| New Hampshire at Syracuse | 7:00pm | ACCNx |
| Niagara at Notre Dame | 7:00pm | ACCNx |
| Winthrop at Clemson | 7:00pm | ACCNx |
| NJIT at Miami (FL) | 7:00pm | ACCNx |
| Sarah Lawrence at Sacred Heart | 7:00pm | NEC |
| Princeton vs. Rutgers | 7:00pm | Peacock |
| Vassar at Yale | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Brevard at Wofford | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Toccoa Falls at Charleston Southern | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| John Jay at Penn | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Piedmont at Coastal Carolina | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Covenant at Chattanooga | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Malone at Kent State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Monmouth at George Mason | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Ferrum at East Carolina | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Carroll at Utah Valley | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Chicago State at Bowling Green | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Immaculata at Rider | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Coastal Georgia at North Florida | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Mid-Atlantic Christian at Liberty | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Trintity Baptist at Stetson | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Delta State at Southeastern Louisiana | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Clark Atlanta at Mercer | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Johnson (FL) at Jacksonville | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| North Greenville at Furman | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Washington & Lee at Davidson | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| St. Andrews at High Point | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| St. Mary’s of the Woods at Indiana State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Champion Christian at UT Martin | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Detroit Mercy at Toledo | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Maryland Eastern Shore at Temple | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Holy Cross at Siena | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Delaware at Bucknell | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| King at ETSU | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Longwood at St. Bonaventure | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| SIUE at Dayton | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Maine at Charlotte | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Queens at Marshall | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Virginia Wesleyan at Old Dominion | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UMass Boston at Harvard | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Lafayette at Saint Joseph’s | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| North Dakota State at Western Michigan | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Missouri State at West Virginia | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Central Connecticut at Rhode Island | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Brown at Colgate | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Iona at Charleston | 7:00pm | FloSports |
| Mount Olive at UNCW | 7:00pm | FloSports |
| Delaware State at Penn State | 7:00pm | BTN+ |
| Oakland at Ohio State | 7:00pm | BTN+ |
| Penn State(WB) at Norfolk State | 7:00pm | – |
| Towson at Colorado | 7:30pm | PAC12N |
| American at Villanova | 7:30pm | FOX Sports App |
| Saint Peter’s at Seton Hall | 7:30pm | FOX Sports App |
| Georgia Southern at Georgia Tech | 7:30pm | ACCNx |
| Lipscomb at Wichita State | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Manhattan at Bryant | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Georgia State at Belmont | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Fairleigh Dickinson at Buffalo | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Merrimack at Vermont | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Southwestern Adventist at UTRGV | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| US Coast Guard at Quinnipiac | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Millsaps at New Orleans | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Dallas Christian at Northwestern State | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Wagner at Fordham | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Cornell at Lehigh | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Kentucky Wesleyan at WKU | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Regent at William & Mary | 7:30pm | FloSports |
| NM State at Kentucky | 8:00pm | SECN |
| UIW at Texas | 8:00pm | LHN |
| Southern Indiana at Saint Louis | 8:00pm | Bally Sports |
| Boston University at Northeastern | 8:00pm | NESN+ |
| Robert Morris at Xavier | 8:00pm | FOX Sports App |
| Eastern Michigan at Butler | 8:00pm | FOX Sports App |
| Mississippi Valley State at LSU | 8:00pm | SECN+ |
| A&M-Commerce at Texas A&M | 8:00pm | SECN+ |
| Morehead State at Alabama | 8:00pm | SECN+ |
| Loyola Maryland at Florida | 8:00pm | SECN+ |
| Alcorn State at Arkansas | 8:00pm | SECN+ |
| UAPB at Missouri | 8:00pm | SECN+ |
| Alabama State at Ole Miss | 8:00pm | SECN+ |
| Midway at Murray State | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Fairfield at Boston College | 8:00pm | ACCNx |
| Elon at Wake Forest | 8:00pm | ACCNx |
| Coppin State at Virginia Tech | 8:00pm | ACCNx |
| Jackson State at Memphis | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| FIU at UCF | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| North Carolina Central at Kansas | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Central Michigan at Oklahoma | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Miami (OH) at Evansville | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| ULM at Houston | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Oral Roberts at UTA | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Green Bay at Iowa State | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Central Arkansas at Tulsa | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Loudres at Illinois State | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Jarvis Christian at Lamar | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Bradley at UAB | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Stonehill at George Washington | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Western Illinois at UTSA | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| William Carey at Southern Miss | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Marist at Army West Point | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Texas State at Little Rock | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Trinity Christian at Valparaiso | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UW-Stout at Milwaukee | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Kentucky State at Southern Illinois | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Mobile at South Alabama | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Navy at Campbell | 8:00pm | FloSports |
| Binghamton at Northwestern | 8:00pm | BTN+ |
| Bethune-Cookman at Minnesota | 8:00pm | BTN+ |
| Lindenwood at Nebraska | 8:00pm | BTN+ |
| Eastern Illinois at Illinois | 8:00pm | BTN+ |
| Arkansas State at Wisconsin | 8:00pm | BTN+ |
| Avila at Kansas City | 8:00pm | Summit |
| Life at Austin Peay | 8:15pm | ESPN+ |
| Northern New Mexico at Wyoming | 8:30pm | MWN |
| James Madison at Michigan State | 8:30pm | BTN |
| Doane at Omaha | 8:30pm | Summit |
| Northern Illinois at Marquette | 8:30pm | FOX Sports App |
| Youngstown State at Louisiana | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Northern Kentucky at Middle Tennessee | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Fisk at Tennessee State | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| SAGU American Indian at SMU | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Blue Mountain Christian at North Alabama | 8:45pm | ESPN+ |
| Dartmouth at Duke | 9:00pm | ACCN |
| St. Thomas at California | 9:00pm | PAC12N |
| Southeast Missouri at Grand Canyon | 9:00pm | KUTP |
| Southern at TCU | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Northwest Indian at Montana State | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Nicholls at Tulane | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UIC at Cincinnati | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| McMurry at UTEP | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Warner Pacific vs. Idaho State | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Houston Christian at BYU | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Abilene Christian at Oklahoma State | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Jessup at UC Davis | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Mount Marty at South Dakota | 9:00pm | Summit |
| Akron at South Dakota State | 9:15pm | Summit |
| Morgan State at Arizona | 9:30pm | PAC12N |
| Eastern Washington at Utah | 9:30pm | PAC12N |
| Portland State at Air Force | 9:30pm | ALT2 |
| Texas Southern at New Mexico | 9:30pm | MWN |
| South Dakota Mines at Utah State | 9:30pm | MWN |
| Colorado College at Northern Colorado | 9:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Kansas State vs. USC | 10:00pm | TNT |
| Louisiana Tech at Colorado State | 10:00pm | MWN |
| Sam Houston at Pacific | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Concordia-Irvine at Pepperdine | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Bethesda at San Francisco | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Stanislaus State at Saint Mary’s | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| La Verne at Cal Poly | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Southern Utah at CSU Bakersfield | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| San Francisco State at California Baptist | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Cal State Fullerton at San Diego State | 10:30pm | FS1 |
| Fresno Pacific at Fresno State | 10:30pm | MWN |
| Denver at UC San Diego | 10:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Long Beach State at Portland | 10:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Idaho at Washington State | 11:00pm | PAC12N |
| CSUN at Stanford | 11:00pm | PAC12N |
| Sonoma State at San Diego | 11:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Saint Francis U at UCLA | 11:30pm | PAC12N |
| Bellarmine at Washington | 11:30pm | PAC12N |
| NBA REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Golden State at Detroit | 7:00pm | NBCS-BAY Bally Sports |
| San Antonio at Indiana | 7:00pm | Bally Sports |
| Dallas at Orlando | 7:00pm | Bally Sports |
| Washington at Philadelphia | 7:00pm | NBCS-WSH NBCS-PHI |
| Milwaukee at Brooklyn | 7:30pm | YES Bally Sports |
| LA Lakers at Miami | 7:30pm | NBATV Spectrum Bally Sports |
| LA Clippers at New York | 7:30pm | MSG Bally Sports |
| Utah at Chicago | 8:00pm | ATTSN-RM NBCS-CHI |
| Sacramento at Houston | 8:00pm | NBCS-CA ATTSN-SW |
| Boston at Minnesota | 8:00pm | NBCS-BOS Bally Sports |
| Atlanta at Oklahoma City | 8:00pm | Bally Sports |
| New Orleans at Denver | 9:00pm | Bally Sports ATTSN-RM |
| NFL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| LA Chargers at NY Jets | 8:15pm | ESPN |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Tampa Bay at Toronto | 7:00pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
| Columbus at Florida | 7:00pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
| Boston at Dallas | 8:00pm | NESN Bally Sports |
| Edmonton at Vancouver | 10:00pm | Sportsnet |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| Serie A: Frosinone vs Empoli | 12:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Serie A: Torino vs Sassuolo | 2:45pm | Paramount+ |
| EPL: Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea | 9:00pm | Peacock |
| La Liga: Getafe vs Cádiz | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Brasileirão: Santos vs Cuiabá | 6:00pm | Paramount+ |
| MLS: Real Salt Lake vs Houston Dynamo | 9:00pm | MLS pass |
| TENNIS | TIME ET | TV |
| Metz-ATP Early Rounds | 8:00am | TENNIS |
What to Watch: Monday, 11/6/23
| COLLEGE BASKETBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| USC at Kansas State | 10:00pm | TNT |
Kansas State Wildcats leads all time series 4-1 versus USC Trojans. Last time both teams met was in 2008 which the Wildcats won 80-67 versus the Trojans. The Trojans only win all time versus the Wildcats was in 1975. Last season USC finished third in the PAC-12 Conference with a record of 14-6 and overall record of 22-11. Kansas State finished third in the Big 12 Conference with a record of 11-7 and overall record of 26-10 last season.
| NBA | TIME ET | TV |
| LA Lakers at Miami | 7:30pm | NBATV Bally Sports Spectrum |
The Los Angeles Lakers finished seventh in the Western Conference last season with a record of 43-39. The Miami heat finished 8th in the Eastern Conference in the 2022-23 season with a record of 44-38. The Heat and Lakers 2022-23 regular season series was tied 1-1. Los Angeles was 20-21 on the road and Miami was 27-14 at home.
| Milwaukee at Brooklyn | 7:30pm | Bally Sports YES |
The Milwaukee Bucks finished first in the Eastern Conference last season with a record of 58-24. The Brooklyn Nets finished sixth in the Eastern Conference in the 2022-23 season with a record of 45-37. Last season the Bucks were 3-1 versus the Nets. Milwaukee was 26-15 on the road and Brooklyn was 23-18 at home.
| NFL | TIME ET | TV |
| LA Chargers at NY Jets | 8:15pm | ESPN |
The Los Angeles Chargers leads all time series 23-14-1 versus the New York Jets. Last time the Jets and Chargers met was in 2020 which the Chargers won 34-28 at home. The Chargers have won the last four games against the Jets. The Jets last win at home versus the Chargers was in 2011.
| NHL | TIME ET | TV |
| Tampa Bay at Toronto | 7:00pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
The Tampa bay Lightning finished third in the Atlantic division last season with 98 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs finished last in the Atlantic division in the 2022-23 season with 111 points. Last season Tampa Bay was 18-22-1 on the road and Toronto was 27-8-6 at home. Last season the Maple Leafs were 2-1 versus the Lightning during the regular season.
| Boston at Dallas | 8:00pm | Bally Sports NESN |
The Boston Bruins finished first in the Atlantic division last season with 135 points. The Dallas Stars finished second in the Central division in the 2022-23 season with 108 points. Last season Boston was 31-8-2 on the road and Dallas was 22-10-9 at home. Last season the Bruins were 2-0 versus the Stars during the regular season.