“THE SCOREBOARD”
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 8 SCOREBOARD
ADAMS CENTRAL 24, BLUFFTON 0
ALEXANDRIA 35, FRANKTON 0
ANGOLA 18, GARRETT 13
AVON 20, ZIONSVILLE 17
BATESVILLE 49, FRANKLIN CO. 6
BEDFORD N. LAWRENCE 50, MADISON 0
BLOOMINGTON NORTH 38, COLUMBUS NORTH 35
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 51, INDY BREBEUF 26
BOONE GROVE 63, LAKE STATION 6
BOONVILLE 45, WASHINGTON 6
BROWNSBURG 27, NOBLESVILLE 22
BROWNSTOWN 45, SILVER CREEK 14
CALUMET 26, GRIFFITH 15
CARMEL 17, WARREN CENTRAL 14
CARROLL (FLORA) 43, CLINTON PRAIRIE 7
CARROLL (FT. WAYNE) 35, FT. WAYNE NORTHROP 6
CASS 38, MANCHESTER 7
CASTLE 56, EVANSVILLE CENTRAL 0
CENTER GROVE 43, LAWRENCE NORTH 26
CENTERVILLE 53, UNION CITY 0
CHARLESTOWN 46, SALEM 22
CLINTON CENTRAL 48, DELPHI 6
COLUMBUS EAST 25, JEFFERSONVILLE 7
COVINGTON 54, ATTICA 6
CROWN POINT 21, CHESTERTON 7
DANVILLE 21, WESTERN BOONE 7
DEKALB 38, BELLMONT 14
DECATUR CENTRAL 14, INDPLS PERRY MERIDIAN 7
E. CENTRAL 62, GREENSBURG 0
E. NOBLE 31, NEW HAVEN 21
EASTBROOK 22, MADISON-GRANT 8
EASTERN (GREENTOWN) 19, SHERIDAN 14
EASTERN HANCOCK 26, SHENANDOAH 14
EASTSIDE 43, CENTRAL NOBLE 7
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI 43, EVANSVILLE HARRISON 20
EVANSVILLE REITZ 52, EVANSVILLE BOSSE 20
FLOYD CENTRAL 56, JENNINGS CO. 14
FOREST PARK 48, PIKE CENTRAL 13
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL 34, N. VERMILLION 28
FRANKLIN 35, GREENWOOD 21
FREMONT 30, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS 20
FT. WAYNE LUERS 36, FT. WAYNE SOUTH 0
FT. WAYNE SNIDER 33, FT. WAYNE DWENGER 13
FT. WAYNE WAYNE 18, FT. WAYNE NORTH 12
GARY WEST 68, HAMMOND NOLL 8
GIBSON SOUTHERN 44, MT. VERNON (POSEY) 6
GREENCASTLE 35, OWEN VALLEY 15
GREENFIELD 28, DELTA 9
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN 35, FT. WAYNE BLACKHAWK 0
GUERIN CATHOLIC 42, NORTH VIGO 0
HAMILTON HTS. 51, S. BEND WASHINGTON 6
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 19, FRANKLIN CENTRAL 3
HAMMOND CENTRAL 44, EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL 6
HANOVER CENTRAL 33, ANDREAN 9
HERITAGE 61, SOUTHERN WELLS 7
HERITAGE HILLS 55, PRINCETON 7
HOBART 65, HAMMOND MORTON 38
HOMESTEAD 42, FT. WAYNE CONCORDIA 0
INDIAN CREEK 21, SULLIVAN 7
INDPLS ATTUCKS 48, INDPLS WASHINGTON 6
INDPLS BEN DAVIS 26, LAWRENCE CENTRAL 23
INDPLS CATHEDRAL 42, INDPLS RONCALLI 0
INDPLS CHATARD 42, INDPLS SHORTRIDGE 6
INDPLS LUTHERAN 28, SPEEDWAY 9
INDPLS PARK TUDOR 58, S. NEWTON 18
INDPLS PIKE 34, INDPLS N. CENTRAL 15
INDPLS SCECINA 41, INDPLS RITTER 28
INDPLS TINDLEY 20, CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL 13
JASPER 35, EVANSVILLE NORTH 21
JIMTOWN 44, S. BEND ADAMS 6
KANKAKEE VALLEY 49, HIGHLAND 12
KNOX 42, TRITON 7
KOKOMO 43, RICHMOND 0
LAVILLE 23, N. JUDSON 20
LAFAYETTE CATHOLIC 64, BENTON CENTRAL 7
LAFAYETTE HARRISON 43, LOGANSPORT 7
LAFAYETTE JEFF 43, MARION 6
LAKELAND 33, FAIRFIELD 7
LAPEL 28, JAY CO. 7
LAWRENCEBURG 52, CONNERSVILLE 7
LEBANON 41, SOUTHMONT 28
LEO 51, COLUMBIA CITY 7
LINTON 47, EASTERN (GREENE) 14
LOWELL 56, MUNSTER 28
MACONAQUAH 55, WABASH 13
MARTINSVILLE 38, MOORESVILLE 35
MCCUTCHEON 44, INDPLS TECH 7
MERRILLVILLE 38, LAKE CENTRAL 9
MICHIGAN CITY 35, LAPORTE 0
MILAN 49, S. DECATUR 7
MISHAWAKA 31, CONCORD 7
MISHAWAKA MARIAN 27, ELKHART 14
MISSISSINEWA 49, ELWOOD 0
MONROE CENTRAL 45, INDPLS IRVINGTON 0
MONROVIA 42, CASCADE 35
MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE) 28, SHELBYVILLE 14
N. DECATUR 69, EDINBURGH 0
N. HARRISON 35, CLARKSVILLE 8
N. KNOX 46, N. DAVIESS 7
N. MONTGOMERY 36, FRANKFORT 6
N. POSEY 21, SOUTHRIDGE 14
N. PUTNAM 57, BROWN CO. 8
N. WHITE 66, N. NEWTON 0
NEW PALESTINE 35, NEW CASTLE 7
NORTHWOOD 38, WAWASEE 21
NORTHEASTERN 42, KNIGHTSTOWN 6
NORTHFIELD 33, WHITKO 0
NORTHRIDGE 42, PLYMOUTH 14
NORTHVIEW 57, EDGEWOOD 7
NORWELL 27, HUNTINGTON NORTH 6
OAK HILL 41, BLACKFORD 0
PAOLI 57, MITCHELL 7
PENDLETON HTS. 31, YORKTOWN 7
PENN 22, NEW PRAIRIE 0
PERU 54, N. MIAMI 7
PIONEER 46, CULVER 8
PROVIDENCE 51, CORYDON 13
RENSSELAER 42, NORTHWESTERN 27
RIVER FOREST 29, S. CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) 8
RIVERTON PARKE 21, PARKE HERITAGE 6
ROCHESTER 41, SOUTHWOOD 0
S. ADAMS 48, WOODLAN 20
S. BEND RILEY 22, BREMEN 9
S. BEND ST. JOSEPH’S 20, CULVER ACADEMY 6
S. DEARBORN 42, RUSHVILLE 18
S. PUTNAM 36, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 19
S. SPENCER 39, N. CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) 0
S. VERMILLION 37, SEEGER 22
SCOTTSBURG 19, EASTERN (PEKIN) 0
SEYMOUR 53, NEW ALBANY 14
SOUTH VIGO 34, SOUTHPORT 7
SPRING VALLEY 38, PERRY CENTRAL 6
SWITZERLAND CO. 62, SOUTHSIDE HOME SCHOOL 0
TELL CITY 55, TECUMSEH 7
TRI 32, HAGERSTOWN 0
TRI-CENTRAL 16, TAYLOR 7
TRI-COUNTY 60, BOWMAN 0
TRI-WEST 41, CRAWFORDSVILLE 0
TRITON CENTRAL 31, BEECH GROVE 6
VALPARAISO 42, PORTAGE 6
VINCENNES 6, EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL 0
W. CENTRAL 52, FRONTIER 12
W. LAFAYETTE 26, TWIN LAKES 7
W. NOBLE 48, CHURUBUSCO 0
W. VIGO 43, CLOVERDALE 18
W. WASHINGTON 62, CRAWFORD CO. 6
WARSAW 42, GOSHEN 7
WES-DEL 34, UNION CO. 14
WESTERN 28, TIPTON 14
WESTFIELD 28, FISHERS 14
WHITELAND 22, PLAINFIELD 8
WINAMAC 28, CASTON 22
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL SECTIONAL BRACKETS
CLASS 4A
1. MUNSTER (7) | BRACKET
EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL, GARY WEST SIDE, HAMMOND CENTRAL, HAMMOND MORTON, LAKE CENTRAL, MERRILLVILLE, MUNSTER
2. CROWN POINT (7) | BRACKET
CHESTERTON, CROWN POINT, HOBART, KANKAKEE VALLEY, LOWELL, PORTAGE, VALPARAISO
3. MICHIGAN CITY (6) | BRACKET
LAPORTE, MICHIGAN CITY, MISHAWAKA, PLYMOUTH, SOUTH BEND ADAMS, SOUTH BEND RILEY
4. ELKHART (6) | BRACKET
CONCORD, ELKHART, GOSHEN, NORTHRIDGE, PENN, WARSAW COMMUNITY
5. DEKALB (6) | BRACKET
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE), DEKALB, EAST NOBLE, FORT WAYNE NORTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE NORTHROP, FORT WAYNE SNIDER
6. HOMESTEAD (6) | BRACKET
COLUMBIA CITY, FORT WAYNE SOUTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE WAYNE, HOMESTEAD, HUNTINGTON NORTH, NEW HAVEN
7. LOGANSPORT (6) | BRACKET
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE), KOKOMO, LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON, LOGANSPORT, MARION, MCCUTCHEON
8. ZIONSVILLE (6) | BRACKET
CARMEL, FISHERS, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN, NOBLESVILLE, WESTFIELD, ZIONSVILLE
9. PENDLETON HEIGHTS (8) | BRACKET
ANDERSON, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL, MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE), MUNCIE CENTRAL, NEW PALESTINE, PENDLETON HEIGHTS, RICHMOND, YORKTOWN
10. LAWRENCE NORTH (7) | BRACKET
INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECH, INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL, INDIANAPOLIS CRISPUS ATTUCKS, LAWRENCE CENTRAL, LAWRENCE NORTH, NORTH CENTRAL, WARREN CENTRAL
11. BEN DAVIS (8) | BRACKET
BEN DAVIS, BREBEUF JESUIT, DECATUR CENTRAL, FRANKLIN CENTRAL, PERRY MERIDIAN, PIKE, RONCALLI, SOUTHPORT
12. TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO (5) | BRACKET
AVON, BROWNSBURG, PLAINFIELD, TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO, TERRE HAUTE SOUTH VIGO
13. GREENWOOD COMMUNITY (6) | BRACKET
BLOOMINGTON NORTH, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH, CENTER GROVE, GREENWOOD COMMUNITY, MARTINSVILLE, MOORESVILLE
14. FRANKLIN COMMUNITY (6) | BRACKET
COLUMBUS EAST, COLUMBUS NORTH, EAST CENTRAL, FRANKLIN COMMUNITY, SHELBYVILLE, WHITELAND COMMUNITY
15. SEYMOUR (6) | BRACKET
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE, FLOYD CENTRAL, JEFFERSONVILLE, JENNINGS COUNTY, NEW ALBANY, SEYMOUR
16. JASPER (6) | BRACKET
CASTLE, EVANSVILLE CENTRAL, EVANSVILLE F.J. REITZ, EVANSVILLE HARRISON, EVANSVILLE NORTH, JASPER
CLASS 3A
17. GRIFFITH (7) | BRACKET
BOONE GROVE, CALUMET, GRIFFITH, HAMMOND BISHOP NOLL, HANOVER CENTRAL, HIGHLAND, RIVER FOREST
18. BREMEN (5) | BRACKET
BREMEN, CULVER ACADEMY, GLENN, KNOX, TIPPECANOE VALLEY
19. JIMTOWN (6) | BRACKET
JIMTOWN, MISHAWAKA MARIAN, NEW PRAIRIE, SOUTH BEND CLAY, SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH, SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON
20. WAWASEE (5) | BRACKET
FAIRFIELD, LAKELAND, NORTHWOOD, WAWASEE, WEST NOBLE
21. ANGOLA (7) | BRACKET
ANGOLA, FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER, FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA LUTHERAN, GARRETT, HERITAGE, LEO, WOODLAN
22. FRANKFORT (7) | BRACKET
BENTON CENTRAL, FRANKFORT, NORTH MONTGOMERY, RENSSELAER CENTRAL, TWIN LAKES, WEST LAFAYETTE, WESTERN
23. NORWELL (7) | BRACKET
BELLMONT, MACONAQUAH, MISSISSINEWA, NORTHWESTERN, NORWELL, OAK HILL, PERU
24. NEW CASTLE (5) | BRACKET
CENTERVILLE, DELTA, FRANKTON, JAY COUNTY, NEW CASTLE
25. MONROVIA (6) | BRACKET
CRAWFORDSVILLE, DANVILLE, LEBANON, MONROVIA, TRI-WEST HENDRICKS, WESTERN BOONE
26. NORTHVIEW (7) | BRACKET
BROWN COUNTY, EDGEWOOD, INDIAN CREEK, NORTHVIEW, OWEN VALLEY, SOUTH VERMILLION, WEST VIGO
27. INDPLS. BISHOP CHATARD (6) | BRACKET
GUERIN CATHOLIC, HAMILTON HEIGHTS, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN, HERRON, INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD, INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE
28. SPEEDWAY (6) | BRACKET
BEECH GROVE, CHRISTEL HOUSE, INDIANAPOLIS CARDINAL RITTER, INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON, PURDUE POLYTECHNIC, SPEEDWAY
29. BATESVILLE (7) | BRACKET
BATESVILLE, CONNERSVILLE, FRANKLIN COUNTY, GREENSBURG, LAWRENCEBURG, RUSHVILLE, SOUTH DEARBORN
30. PROVIDENCE (8) | BRACKET
CHARLESTOWN, CORYDON CENTRAL, MADISON CONSOLIDATED, NORTH HARRISON, PROVIDENCE, SALEM, SCOTTSBURG, SILVER CREEK
31. PRINCETON (7) | BRACKET
BARR-REEVE, HERITAGE HILLS, PIKE CENTRAL, PRINCETON COMMUNITY, SOUTHRIDGE, VINCENNES LINCOLN, WASHINGTON
32. GIBSON SOUTHERN (6) | BRACKET
BOONVILLE, EVANSVILLE BOSSE, EVANSVILLE MATER DEI, EVANSVILLE REITZ MEMORIAL, GIBSON SOUTHERN, MT. VERNON
CLASS 2A
33. NORTH NEWTON (7) | BRACKET
21ST CENTURY CHARTER, ANDREAN, ILLIANA CHRISTIAN, LAKE STATION EDISON, LIGHTHOUSE CPC, NORTH NEWTON, WHITING
34. SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (6) | BRACKET
HEBRON, LAVILLE, NORTH JUDSON-SAN PIERRE, CAREER ACADEMY, SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS), WHEELER
35. CENTRAL NOBLE (6) | BRACKET
CENTRAL NOBLE, CHURUBUSCO, EASTSIDE, FREMONT, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS, WESTVIEW
36. PIONEER (6) | BRACKET
LEWIS CASS, NORTH MIAMI, PIONEER, ROCHESTER, WINAMAC COMMUNITY, WABASH
37. BLUFFTON (6) | BRACKET
ADAMS CENTRAL, BLUFFTON, FORT WAYNE LUERS, MANCHESTER, SOUTH ADAMS, WHITKO
38. COVINGTON (6) | BRACKET
CARROLL (FLORA), CLINTON PRAIRIE, COVINGTON, DELPHI, LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC, SEEGER
39. EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (7) | BRACKET
BLACKFORD, EASTBROOK, EASTERN (GREENTOWN), ELWOOD, MADISON-GRANT, TAYLOR, TIPTON
40. WES-DEL (7) | BRACKET
ALEXANDRIA MONROE, LAPEL, MONROE CENTRAL, MUNCIE BURRIS, WAPAHANI, WES-DEL, WINCHESTER
41. HAGERSTOWN (5) | BRACKET
HAGERSTOWN, KNIGHTSTOWN, NORTHEASTERN, SHENANDOAH, UNION COUNTY
42. TRITON CENTRAL (5) | BRACKET
EASTERN HANCOCK, INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA, IRVINGTON PREPARATORY ACADEMY, RIVERSIDE, TRITON CENTRAL
43. SHERIDAN (5) | BRACKET
CASCADE, COVENANT CHRISTIAN (INDPLS.), PARK TUDOR, SHERIDAN, UNIVERSITY
44. SOUTHMONT (7) | BRACKET
CLOVERDALE, GREENCASTLE, NORTH PUTNAM, PARKE HERITAGE, RIVERTON PARKE, SOUTH PUTNAM, SOUTHMONT
45. SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER) (6) | BRACKET
HAUSER, MILAN, NORTH DECATUR, SOUTH RIPLEY, SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER), SWITZERLAND COUNTY
46. HENRYVILLE (7) | BRACKET
AUSTIN, BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL, CLARKSVILLE, EASTERN (PEKIN), HENRYVILLE, MITCHELL, PAOLI
47. NORTH DAVIESS (6) | BRACKET
EASTERN GREENE, LINTON-STOCKTON, NORTH DAVIESS, NORTH KNOX, SOUTH KNOX, SULLIVAN
48. FOREST PARK (6) | BRACKET
CRAWFORD COUNTY, FOREST PARK, NORTH POSEY, PERRY CENTRAL, SOUTH SPENCER, TELL CITY
CLASS 1A
49. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (7) | BRACKET
BOWMAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN, HAMMOND ACADEMY, KOUTS, MORGAN TOWNSHIP, TRI-TOWNSHIP, WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
50. MARQUETTE CATHOLIC (6) | BRACKET
ARGOS, CULVER COMMUNITY, MARQUETTE CATHOLIC, OREGON DAVIS, TRITON, WESTVILLE
51. LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN (6) | BRACKET
BETHANY CHRISTIAN, ELKHART CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN, FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY, HAMILTON, LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN
52. NORTH WHITE (5) | BRACKET
FRONTIER, NORTH WHITE, SOUTH NEWTON, TRI-COUNTY, WEST CENTRAL
53. SOUTHWOOD (5) | BRACKET
CASTON, LAKELAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, NORTHFIELD, SOUTHERN WELLS, SOUTHWOOD
54. ROSSVILLE (6) | BRACKET
ATTICA, CLINTON CENTRAL, FAITH CHRISTIAN, FOUNTAIN CENTRAL, NORTH VERMILLION, ROSSVILLE
55. COWAN (5) | BRACKET
ANDERSON PREPARATORY ACADEMY, COWAN, DALEVILLE, LIBERTY CHRISTIAN, TRI-CENTRAL
56. CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (7) | BRACKET
BLUE RIVER VALLEY, CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN, RANDOLPH SOUTHERN, SETON CATHOLIC, TRI, UNION (MODOC), UNION CITY
57. WHITE RIVER VALLEY (7) | BRACKET
BLOOMFIELD, CLAY CITY, DUGGER UNION, LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG), SHAKAMAK, WHITE RIVER VALLEY
58. BETHESDA CHRISTIAN (6) | BRACKET
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN, INDIANA MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY, INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF INDIANA, MTI SCHOOL OF KNOWLEDGE, TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
59. INDPLS. LUTHERAN (7) | BRACKET
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, EMINENCE, GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN, PROVIDENCE CRISTO REY, TINDLEY, VICTORY COLLEGE PREP
60. WALDRON (7) | BRACKET
EDINBURGH, JAC-CEN-DEL, MORRISTOWN, OLDENBURG ACADEMY, SOUTH DECATUR, SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBYVILLE), WALDRON
61. CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF INDIANA (6) | BRACKET
BORDEN, CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF INDIANA, LANESVILLE, ROCK CREEK ACADEMY, SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH), WEST WASHINGTON
62. MEDORA (5) | BRACKET
CROTHERSVILLE, MEDORA, NEW WASHINGTON, RISING SUN, TRINITY LUTHERAN
63. LOOGOOTEE (5) | BRACKET
LOOGOOTEE, ORLEANS, SHOALS, SPRINGS VALLEY, VINCENNES RIVET
64. NORTHEAST DUBOIS (5) | BRACKET
CANNELTON, EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN, NORTHEAST DUBOIS, TECUMSEH, WOOD MEMORIAL
THURSDAY’S SCORES: NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA BOYS SECTIONAL SOCCER SCORES FRIDAY: NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA BOYS SOCCER SECTIONAL BRACKETS: Class 3A Brackets | Class 2A Brackets | Class 1A Brackets
INDIANA GIRLS SOCCER SECTIONAL SCORES FRIDAY:
EASTERN 3 TRI-CENTRAL 0
BROWNSBURG 1 PLAINFIELD 0
FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY 3 FORT WAYNE LUERS 0
EAST CENTRAL 3 NEW PALESTINE 1
WESTVIEW 9 ELKHART CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 0
BREMEN 4 LAVILLE 3
NORTHRIDGE 4 GOSHEN 2
TERRE HAUTE NORTH 2 MARTINSVILLE 0
MOORESVILLE 1 AVON 0
FRANKLIN CENTRAL 6 COLUMBUS EAST 0
FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK 2 LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN 1
GREENFIELD CENTRAL 9 RICHMOND 0
CONCORD 6 PLYMOUTH 1
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 3 CENTER GROVE 1
RONCALLI 3 WHITELAND 1
INDIANA GIRLS SOCCER SECTIONAL BRACKETS: Class 3A Brackets | Class 2A Brackets | Class 1A Brackets
INDIANA BOYS TENNIS SEMI-STATE-SATURDAY
CULVER ACADEMIES VS. SEEGER
HOMESTEAD VS. GOSHEN
SB ST. JOSEPH VS. CARMEL
FISHERS VS. NORTH CENTRAL
LEO VS. NOBLESVILLE
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL VS. JASPER
FLOYD CENTRAL VS. AVON
CENTER GROVE VS. COLUMBUS NORTH
INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY: HTTPS://IN.MILESPLIT.COM/
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 6 SCHEDULE
WEEK 6
FRIDAY
NEBRASKA 20 ILLINOIS 7
OKLAHOMA STATE 29 KANSAS STATE 21
SATURDAY, OCT. 7
OKLAHOMA VS. TEXAS (AT THE COTTON BOWL IN DALLAS, TEXAS) | 12 P.M. | ABC
MARYLAND AT OHIO STATE | 12 P.M. | FOX
LSU AT MISSOURI | 12 P.M. | ESPN
BOSTON COLLEGE AT ARMY | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
RUTGERS AT WISCONSIN | 12 P.M. | PEACOCK
WILLIAM & MARY AT VIRGINIA | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
TOLEDO AT UMASS | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
RHODE ISLAND AT BROWN | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
STONY BROOK AT MORGAN STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
STONEHILL AT MERRIMACK | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
HOLY CROSS AT BUCKNELL | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGETOWN AT PENN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
LAFAYETTE AT PRINCETON | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
LEHIGH AT FORDHAM | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
DAYTON AT MOREHEAD STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
STETSON AT PRESBYTERIAN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
YALE AT DARTMOUTH | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
SAMFORD AT WOFFORD | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MARSHALL AT NC STATE | 2 P.M. | CW NETWORK
UTSA AT TEMPLE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT BUFFALO | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA LYNCHBURG AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN ILLINOIS AT NORTH DAKOTA | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
VALPARAISO AT DRAKE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE TECH AT LINDENWOOD | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
THE CITADEL AT FURMAN | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
WASHINGTON STATE AT UCLA | 3 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
HOWARD AT NORTHWESTERN | 3 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT MISSOURI STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
MURRAY STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
UT MARTIN AT EASTERN ILLINOIS | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE STATE AT KENNESAW STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA TECH AT FLORIDA STATE | 3:30 P.M.
ALABAMA AT TEXAS A&M | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
SYRACUSE AT NORTH CAROLINA | 3:30 P.M.
PURDUE AT IOWA | 3:30 P.M. | PEACOCK
WAKE FOREST AT CLEMSON | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
NORTH TEXAS AT NAVY | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
BALL STATE AT EASTERN MICHIGAN | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
BOWLING GREEN AT MIAMI (OHIO) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
KENT STATE AT OHIO | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT AKRON | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
GRAMBLING AT ALCORN STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MERCER AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
VANDERBILT AT FLORIDA | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
UCF AT KANSAS | 4 P.M. | FOX
ARKANSAS STATE AT TROY | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
JACKSON STATE VS. ALABAMA A&M (IN MOBILE, ALA.) | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN AT NICHOLLS | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHWESTERN STATE AT LAMAR | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN CAROLINA AT CHATTANOOGA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
UCONN AT RICE | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
SE MISSOURI STATE AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
SE LOUISIANA AT UIW | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
TULSA AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
ROBERT MORRIS AT GARDNER-WEBB | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
COLORADO AT ARIZONA STATE | 6:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
KENTUCKY AT GEORGIA | 7 P.M. | ESPN
SOUTH ALABAMA AT UL MONROE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
OLD DOMINION AT SOUTHERN MISS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT ILLINOIS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA A&M AT SOUTHERN | 7 P.M. | ESPNU
SOUTHERN UTAH AT TARLETON STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MONTANA AT UC DAVIS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UNI AT INDIANA STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MICHIGAN AT MINNESOTA | 7:30 P.M. | NBC/PEACOCK
NOTRE DAME AT LOUISVILLE | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
ARKANSAS AT OLE MISS | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
GEORGIA TECH AT MIAMI (FLA.) | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
FRESNO STATE AT WYOMING | 8 P.M.
TEXAS TECH AT BAYLOR | 8 P.M. | ESPN2
TCU AT IOWA STATE | 8 P.M.
SAN JOSE STATE AT BOISE STATE | 8 P.M. | CBSSN
IDAHO AT CAL POLY | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
MCNEESE AT TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN AT UTAH TECH | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
OREGON STATE AT CAL | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
ARIZONA AT USC | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
SOUTH FLORIDA AT UAB
TEXAS STATE AT LOUISIANA
WEEK 5 SCHEDULE
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS VS BUFFALO BILLS (TOTTENHAM) 2:30P (BST) 9:30A NFLN
HOUSTON TEXANS AT ATLANTA FALCONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT DETROIT LIONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
TENNESSEE TITANS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
NEW YORK GIANTS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
BALTIMORE RAVENS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS 1:05P (MST) 4:05P FOX
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT LOS ANGELES RAMS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P FOX
NEW YORK JETS AT DENVER BRONCOS 2:25P (MT) 4:25P CBS
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P CBS
DALLAS COWBOYS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 5:20P (PT) 8:20P NBC*
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (MON) 5:15P (PT) 8:15P ESPN
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
FULL SCHEDULE FOR 2023 MLB POSTSEASON
SATURDAY, OCT. 7
TEX @ BAL, GAME 1, 1 P.M. (FS1)
MIN @ HOU, GAME 1, 4:45 P.M. (FS1)
PHI @ ATL, GAME 1, 6 P.M. (TBS)
AZ @ LAD, GAME 1, 9:20 P.M. (TBS)
SUNDAY, OCT. 8
TEX @ BAL, GAME 2, 4 P.M. (FS1)
MIN @ HOU, GAME 2, 8 P.M. (FS1)
MONDAY, OCT. 9
PHI @ ATL, GAME 2, 6 P.M. (TBS)
AZ @ LAD, GAME 2, 9 P.M. (TBS)
TUESDAY, OCT. 10
HOU @ MIN, GAME 3, 4 P.M. (FOX)
BAL @ TEX, GAME 3, 8 P.M. (FOX)
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 11
ATL @ PHI, GAME 3, TBS
HOU @ MIN, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
BAL @ TEX, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
LAD @ AZ, GAME 3, TBS
THURSDAY, OCT. 12
ATL @ PHI, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
LAD @ AZ, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
FRIDAY, OCT. 13
TEX @ BAL, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
MIN @ HOU, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
SATURDAY, OCT. 14
PHI @ ATL, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
AZ @ LAD, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
PRESENTED BY LOANDEPOT
SUNDAY, OCT. 15
ALCS GAME 1, FOX/FS1
MONDAY, OCT. 16
NLCS GAME 1, TBS
ALCS GAME 2, FOX/FS1
TUESDAY, OCT. 17
NLCS GAME 2, TBS
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18
ALCS GAME 3, FOX/FS1
THURSDAY, OCT. 19
NLCS GAME 3, TBS
ALCS GAME 4, FOX/FS1
FRIDAY, OCT. 20
NLCS GAME 4, TBS
ALCS GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
SATURDAY, OCT. 21
NLCS GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
SUNDAY, OCT. 22
ALCS GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
MONDAY, OCT. 23
NLCS GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
ALCS GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
TUESDAY, OCT. 24
NLCS GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
WORLD SERIES
PRESENTED BY CAPITAL ONE
FRIDAY, OCT. 27
GAME 1 (AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
SATURDAY, OCT. 28
GAME 2 (AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
MONDAY, OCT. 30
GAME 3, FOX
TUESDAY, OCT. 31
GAME 4, FOX
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1
GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY, AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
SATURDAY, NOV. 4
GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY, AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
NHL PRE-SEASON
CAROLINA 4 NASHVILLE 1
NEW JERSEY 3 NY ISLANDERS 0
PITTSBURGH 7 BUFFALO 4
EDMONTON 3 SEATTLE 1
VANCOUVER 3 CALGARY 1
WNBA SCORES
FINALS GAME 1 SUNDAY
NEW YORK AT LAS VEGAS 3:00
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
NFL NEWS
LA RAMS WR COOPER KUPP EXPECTED TO MAKE SEASON DEBUT AGAINST PHILADELPHIA
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) Receiver Cooper Kupp is expected to make his season debut for the Los Angeles Rams against Philadelphia on Sunday.
Coach Sean McVay said Friday that Kupp will be activated from injured reserve and will play at SoFi Stadium “unless something different happens in the next 48 hours.”
Kupp returned to practice this week with the Rams (2-2) after missing the first month of the regular season with a hamstring injury. The Super Bowl 56 MVP was hurt early in training camp, and he aggravated the injury in late August.
“He’s looked like Cooper, which is a good thing,” McVay said. “He’s put a lot of work in. You can’t really ever simulate the game in these practice settings, but he’s very comfortable. He’s so conscientious. He looks like he’s moving around really well. Just having his presence out there is definitely a boost.”
Kupp hasn’t played since Week 10 in mid-November 2022. He missed the final eight games of last season with an ankle injury after catching 75 passes for 812 yards and six touchdowns.
Kupp had one of the greatest seasons in NFL history in 2021, winning the triple crown of receiving before starring in the Rams’ run to their Super Bowl championship. Along with his Super Bowl MVP award after catching the winning TD pass in Los Angeles’ victory over Cincinnati, Kupp won the AP’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
McVay also said offensive lineman Joseph Noteboom won’t play against the unbeaten Eagles due to a groin injury. Left tackle Alaric Jackson has been limited in practice all week by a hamstring injury, but he is expected to play.
Noteboom began the season as the Rams’ starting right guard, but he returned to left tackle after Jackson got hurt this season. New acquisition Kevin Dotson stepped into Noteboom’s spot at right guard last week.
WR CHASE CLAYPOOL TRADED FROM THE CHICAGO BEARS TO THE MIAMI DOLPHINS
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) Chicago traded wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Miami Dolphins on Friday, ending the fourth-year player’s brief and disappointing tenure with the Bears.
The Dolphins will also receive a 2025 seventh-round pick in the trade in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick, the teams announced.
The move comes after Claypool expressed frustration about his role in Chicago’s offense. Claypool was told to stay away from the team for a Week 4 matchup with the Denver Broncos as well as Thursday’s game against the Washington Commanders. He was a healthy scratch from both games.
Chicago acquired Claypool, who Pittsburgh drafted in the second round in 2020, from the Steelers last November for a second-round pick in the 2023 draft. The 25-year-old played 10 games for the Bears with 18 receptions on 43 targets, 191 yards receiving and a touchdown.
“I really don’t have any regrets on that,” coach Matt Eberflus said Friday. “I just think we took a shot on a guy to bring more skill in here and, again, for whatever reason – I’m not going to get into the reasons – it just didn’t work out. We wish him the best.”
Chicago has been plagued by off-field issues all year. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned in September for what he said were health and family reasons. Quarterback Justin Fields made headlines when he suggested he was being overcoached, comments he later said were taken out of context.
The Bears stopped a 14-game losing streak with a 40-20 win at Washington on Thursday night. It was their first victory since Week 7 at New England last year.
Claypool is joining a loaded receiver room in Miami that features All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill and speedy third-year player Jaylen Waddle. The Dolphins receiver room did take a hit when River Cracraft went on injured reserve after hurting his shoulder in Week 3.
Shortly after the trade was announced, Hill made a post that said “Chase Claypool I like it.”
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said the team wasn’t necessarily looking for receiver help but thought Claypool, who is the type of fast player that McDaniel likes, could make them better.
“For us it felt like a situation where there might be a role to carve out for him,” McDaniel said Friday. “For the player, you have a guy that wants to take things into his own hands and have the opportunity to be on a team.”
When asked about criticisms of Claypool’s work ethic, McDaniel said the Dolphins are aware of that reputation, but wanted to give Claypool the opportunity for a new slate. He added that he and general manager Chris Grier have made their expectations “crystal clear.”
“There’s a balance with that. Everybody hears things,” he said. “I think it’s very, very important that you let people tell you who they are. And I see better than I hear.”
GAROPPOLO OUT OF CONCUSSION PROTOCOL, WILL START WHEN RAIDERS HOST PACKERS
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is out of concussion protocol and will start when Las Vegas hosts the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.
He went through practice Friday without restrictions for first time since getting hurt.
Garoppolo missed one game because of the concussion, Sunday’s 24-17 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers. Rookie Aidan O’Connell got the start.
“It was tough, but it is what it is,” Garoppolo said. “Got to move past it at this point, just focus on Green Bay. Makes everything easier when you have an opponent for next week and we have to focus on that. So the train isn’t stopping, have to jump on and keep rolling with it.”
He was injured Sept. 24 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but played the entire game. Garoppolo was checked for a potential concussion afterward.
“There were some hits that game, so it could’ve been a number of different ones,” Garoppolo said. “But really just after the game, the doctors grabbed me, started going through it, and next thing I knew I was in the protocol. So, weird situation, but we got through it.”
The Raiders (1-3) face a pivotal game against the Packers (2-2). Las Vegas has lost three games in a row.
“We’re getting there,” Garoppolo said. “Every day, it’s what we’re trying to do. We have to take care of the ball, starting with myself. I think that’s where it all starts. But after that it’s just about making plays. We’ve got playmakers all over the field, just have to get them the rock.”
VON MILLER SAYS ‘SAFE BET’ HE’LL MAKE SEASON DEBUT FOR BILLS AGAINST JAGS IN LONDON
WARE, England (AP) Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller says it’s a “safe bet” that he’ll make his season debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Miller, who sustained a knee injury last November, said Friday there’s a “94 1/2 percent” likelihood of him suiting up at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. His official status for the game was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report.
“I am excited to play American football in front this crowd,” said Miller, the NFL’s active leader in sacks.
Miller’s return – even on a limited basis – could provide a boost for coach Sean McDermott’s defense after end Greg Rousseau was ruled out Friday because of a foot injury.
McDermott had earlier said it was “one day at a time” with Miller, but the 13-year veteran was far more optimistic in a session with reporters that included him voicing various accents he’s encountered in his prior visits to the country.
“It’s been a long road to recovery,” he said. “I’ve had two really good practices. Had a really good practice today. I think it’s a safe bet that I’ll be out there.”
Miller envisions playing “a couple of snaps and try to contribute,” which likely would come in 3rd-and-long or obvious pass situations.
“I have so much respect for this sport. You just can’t jump right in. I expect to just put my toe in a little bit and then work my way out to the deep end and start swimming,” Miller said. “I’m sure it will take some time for me to get where I want to be.”
The Bills defense is “playing lights out,” he added. “I’m not coming in to save the team or anything like that.”
Miller returned to practice this week for the first time in over 10 months. He tore a ligament and sustained cartilage damage in his right knee during a win at Detroit last Thanksgiving Day.
Under NFL rules, Miller opened a three-week window in which he’s allowed to practice before he’s required to be activated or returned to the injured list.
Rousseau had two sacks in Buffalo’s 48-20 win over the Miami Dolphins but hasn’t practiced this week. He has three sacks on the season and one forced fumble.
The Bills arrived in the British capital on Friday.
STAY AWAKE
Bills quarterback Josh Allen said he’s “not a coffee guy” but indulged because he was trying to get adjusted after an overnight flight.
“I’m caffeined out right now, sweating a little bit,” Allen said after the team’s walk-through practice on the grounds of The Grove hotel north of London. “Our guys are telling us to stay up today.”
Allen said he didn’t sleep much on the flight.
“I’m tired right now,” he said. “We’ve been listening to our sports science staff that’s in-house and trusting what they’re saying, and just trying to make sure that our body clocks are aligned to the time zone here.”
The Jags have been in town for a week as part of their back-to-back games in London – a first for an NFL team.
McDermott this week has suggested that’s an advantage for Jacksonville, and he took another jab on Friday when asked if the Bills feel like it’s a “home” game – which it is, technically.
“Those are the things we can’t control, the number of games they played here, their comfort level, them being here a full week ahead of us or so, week-and-a-half maybe,” he said. “We focus on the things that we can control.”
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs said he doesn’t need much shut-eye.
“I’m fine, I’m ready to go,” he said. “I could play right now if I had to.”
BRONCOS TRADE BENCHED PASS RUSHER RANDY GREGORY TO 49ERS IN DEAL INCLUDING SWAP OF 2024 DRAFT PICKS
(AP) — The Broncos on Friday traded benched pass rusher Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers in a deal that also includes the exchange of 2024 draft picks, with Denver sending over a seventh-round selection for a sixth-round choice.
Broncos coach Sean Payton confirmed the trade following Friday’s practice. Earlier in the week, he said the team felt it was best to give more playing time to younger players.
As part of the deal, the Broncos (1-3) are picking up the bulk of the $10.9 million remaining on Gregory’s salary this season.
The Broncos decided this week to move on from Gregory 18 months after signing him to a five-year, $70 million contract. He ended up playing in 10 of a possible 21 games for Denver, collecting three sacks and undergoing two surgeries.
He was benched last week at Chicago in favor of second-year outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, who had 2½ sacks, including a strip-sack of Justin Fields that led to the tying touchdown in the fourth quarter of Denver’s 31-28 comeback win over the Bears, their first victory under Payton.
Gregory’s benching came a week after he was shut out at Miami, where he failed to register a single tackle and had no sacks or pressures of Tua Tagovailoa, who led the Dolphins’ 70-20 onslaught in one of the biggest blowouts in NFL history.
Gregory was close to re-signing with Dallas last year before Broncos general manager George Paton offered him a contract that included $28 million in guarantees.
Gregory has stayed out of trouble since being activated from the commissioner’s exempt list on Oct. 20, 2020, the last of his four substance-abuse suspensions including one that sidelined him for the entire 2019 season.
Gregory, however, was limited to a half-dozen games in 2022 because of a knee injury after he missed all of training camp following shoulder surgery. He had two sacks last year and one this season.
Although Gregory didn’t have any off-the-field issues in Denver like he did during his suspension-filled seven-year stint in Dallas, his production on the field never lived up to his lofty contract.
The Broncos’ pass rush is expected to get a boost with Frank Clark (hip) and Baron Browning (knee) close to returning to action.
GIANTS RUNNING BACK SAQUON BARKLEY IS QUESTIONABLE FOR SUNDAY’S GAME IN MIAMI AGAINST THE DOLPHINS
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Star running back Saquon Barkley was listed as questionable for the New York Giants game against the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday.
Barkley sprained his right ankle against Arizona on Sept. 17 and has missed the last two games. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft had a limited amount of work in the team sessions at practice and the questionable classification is a step in the right direction. He was listed as doubtful before the game against Seattle on Monday night.
Giants coach Brian Daboll on Friday ruled out left tackle Andrew Thomas, rookie center John Michael Schmitz and left guard Shane Lemieux. Thomas (left hamstring) has not played since the season opener against Dallas. Schmitz (shoulder) and Lemieux (groin) were hurt against the Seahawks.
Neither Thomas, Schmitz nor Lemieux practiced this week.
Second-year pro Joshua Ezeudu is expected to start at left tackle for the fourth straight week. Ben Bredeson will start at center and Mark Glowinski will probably be the left guard. The right side will have Marcus McKethan at guard and the embattled Evan Neal at tackle.
This will be the Giants fifth starting line combination in as many weeks. The Seahawks tied a franchise record with 11 sacks Monday night.
Neal become a distraction this week when he criticized fans for booing him in the 24-3 loss to Seattle. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 draft apologized to the fans for his comments but he clearly won’t be popular unless his play improves.
Besides Barkley, the Giants (1-3) also listed No. 2 tight end Daniel Bellinger (knee) and inside linebacker Micah McFadden (ankle) as questionable for the Dolphins (3-1).
Barkley on Thursday said he was able to do more this week.
“I would love to be out there,” he said. “I feel like I can help. I feel like I can help us get back on track. I know there’s some people out there that wouldn’t agree with that, but that’s why I believe in my mindset. I’m fighting, I’m trying to do everything I can in my power to get back and be there for my teammates.”
NFL PREVIEW: WEEK 5 CAPSULES
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-2) VS. BUFFALO BILLS (3-1)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023 GAME TIME: 9:30 AM ET
NFL Network: Rich Eisen, Kurt Warner, Jamie Erdahl
Westwood One: J.P. Shadrick, James Lofton
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) JAX: 109 or 384 BUF: 104 or 225 National: 133 or 229
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: BUF leads series, 9-7 (Home team won past 4)
POSTSEASON: JAX leads series, 2-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 11/7/21: BUF 6 at JAX 9
POSTSEASON: 1/7/18 AFC-WC: BUF 3 at JAX 10
JAGUARS will be playing 11th game in London all-time, most among NFL teams. Can become 1st team ever to win 2 international games in one season. • QB TREVOR LAWRENCE completed 23 of 30 atts. (season high 76.7 pct.) with 249 yards (207 pass, season-high 42 rush) & TD vs. 0 INTs with season-high 105.8 rating last week. Has 90+ rating & 0 INTs in 2 of 3 career games in London. • RB TRAVIS ETIENNE aims for 3rd in row with 70+ scrimmage yards. Has 234 scrimmage yards (117 per game) in 2 career games in London. • WR CHRISTIAN KIRK led team with 8 catches for 84 yards last week, his 2nd game this season with 8+ catches. Aims for 4th in row with 50+ rec. yards. • WR CALVIN RIDLEY had 30th-career TD catch in Week 4. • TE EVAN ENGRAM had 7 catches for 59 yards last week & is only TE in NFL with 5+ catches in each of 1st 4 weeks of season. Aims for 4th in row with 55+ rec. yards. Had 6 catches for 48 yards in only career game vs. Buf. (9/15/19 w/ NYG). • LB JOSH ALLEN had 3 sacks & 1st FF of season last week, most sacks ever in an NFL international game. Is 5th player since 2000 with 3+ sacks in 2 of team’s 1st 4 games of a season. Had 8 tackles, sack, INT & FR in last meeting. • LB FOYESADE OLUOKUN led team with 9 tackles & had season-high 3 TFL & FR last week. Has FR in 2 of past 3. Is 1 of 3 in NFL with 9+ tackles in each of 1st 4 weeks of season. • S ANDRE CISCO had TFL & 2nd INT of season last week. Has INT in 2 of past 3. • CB DARIOUS WILLIAMS had 3 PD, incl. 61-yard INT-TD, last week, 1st-career TD. Has PD in each of 1st 4 games of season.
BILLS will be playing franchise’s 2nd London game (2015 vs. Jax.). • QB JOSH ALLEN became 2nd player ever with 300+ pass yards (320), 4 TD passes, rush TD & 158.3 rating in single game last week, his 3rd-career game with 4+ TD passes & rush TD, tied for 2nd-most all-time. Aims for 3rd in row with rush TD. Has 3+ TD passes & 120+ rating in 2 of past 3. Leads NFL with 74.8 comp. pct. this season & ranks tied-2nd with 9 TD passes. • RB JAMES COOK had 77 scrimmage yards (career-high 48 rec., 29 rush) & 1st rush TD of season last week. Aims for 4th in row with 75+ scrimmage yards. Ranks 3rd among RBs with 411 scrimmage yards (296 rush, 115 rec.) this season. • RB LATAVIUS MURRAY has rush TD in 2 of past 3. Has 3 rush TDs in 3 career games vs. Jax. • RB DAMIEN HARRIS had 2 rush TDs in only career game vs. Jax. (1/2/22 w/ NE). • WR STEFON DIGGS led team with 6 catches for 120 yards & 3 TDs last week, his 4th game with 3+ rec. TDs since 2019, most in NFL. Is 1 of 3 in NFL with 100+ rec. yards in 3 games this season. Had 6 catches for 85 yards in last meeting. Ties for NFL lead with 4 rec. TDs. • WR GABE DAVIS had rec. TD in 3 straight games, longest active streak in NFL. Has 60+ rec, yards in 2 of past 3. • DE GREG ROUSSEAU had season-high 2 sacks & PD last week, 3rd-career game with 2 sacks. Has TFL in all 4 games this season & aims for 3rd in row with sack. • DT ED OLIVER aims for 3rd in row with 2+ TFL & sack. • LB MATT MILANO led team with season-high 10 tackles & had 1st FF of season in Week 4. Has 5+ tackles in 12 of his past 13. • S MICAH HYDE aims for 3rd in row with INT. Has 5 tackles in 3 of 4 games this season. Had TFL & PD in last meeting.
Josh Allen was searching for any British phrases he might know in preparing for his first trip to England, when the Buffalo Bills quarterback smiled and said: “Mind the gap.”
Not bad for someone from Central California in referencing how London Underground commuters are cautioned to not trip over the space between the platform and car when entering or exiting at each Tube stop.
It serves as a useful reminder to the Bills (3-1) as a whole in being mostly unfamiliar with traveling to England and yet designated the “home” team for their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
The gap for the Bills in making the trip across the Atlantic is a large one in comparison to Jacksonville.
The Jaguars are 5-5 since making London their home for a once-a-season game (excluding 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) since 2013. And on Sunday, they’ll become the NFL’s first team to play consecutive games outside the United States, following a 23-7 win over Atlanta at London’s Wembley Stadium.
“I guess the advantage goes to them,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said in noting how the Jaguars have previously played at Tottenham and enjoy the benefit of being acclimated to the time change with Buffalo not arriving in London until Friday morning.
Allen acknowledged it doesn’t feel like a home game and isn’t sure how the Bills will be received even though his No. 17 jersey is among the top-sellers in the United Kingdom.
“I’m not sure if I’m liked, loved or hated there,” Allen said. “I guess we’ll find out on Sunday.”
Buffalo might be on a roll in having blown out its past three opponents by a combined margin of 123-33. And yet the uniqueness of the setting is reason for pause even for a team accustomed to scheduling quirks. In November, a major snowstorm forced the Bills to relocate to Detroit to play a “home” game in a win over Cleveland last season.
In acknowledging the Jaguars having an edge, quarterback Trevor Lawrence said the key is taking advantage of it.
A year after enjoying a breakthrough by winning just their second AFC South title since the divisions were realigned in 2002, and first since 2017, the Jaguars are off to an inconsistent start.
Jacksonville followed a season-opening win against Indianapolis with a pair of duds in losses to Kansas City and Houston.
The outing on Sunday represents another shot on the big stage against an AFC power, after Lawrence acknowledged the Jaguars “laid an egg offensively” in a 17-9 loss to the Chiefs.
“This is a big game, an AFC matchup, a team that’s been playing really good football right now who’s been one of the top teams in the AFC for the past few years,” Lawrence said.
“It’s a challenge for us,” coach Doug Pederson said of the Bills. “It’s something we can maybe learn from that Chiefs game with preparation and hard work and all of that.”
And a little extra rest.
CHANGING HOTELS
The one home advantage the Bills had was choosing to stay at The Grove, a luxury golf resort hotel and spa located a 45-minute drive from Tottenham. The Jaguars were staying at the hotel and forced to relocate to the Hanbury Manor Hotel and Country Club, 41 minutes from the stadium.
While Pederson gave his team Sunday night and Monday to enjoy London with their families, the coach spent the time preparing for Buffalo.
“My wife is here, and she’s had a chance to experience the city and surrounding area,” he said. “She says it’s great. I’ve been right here.”
FOREIGN VENUE
No Bills players or coaches are left from the Rex Ryan-coached team that dropped a 34-31 decision to Jacksonville at Wembley in 2015, the only time Buffalo has played a regular-season game in London.
The Jaguars are 4-5 at Wembley and 1-0 at Tottenham all as the home team. Their 23-30 win over Miami at Tottenham in 2021 snapped an 0-20 skid.
CAM SHIFT?
The Jags are struggling in short-yardage situations and hope left tackle Cam Robinson can make a difference.
The veteran returned to practice this week after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers.
“There’s physicality there and a mindset that he brings,” Pederson said. “Cam definitely brings that leadership and maybe a little more stability to the offensive line.”
Robinson will be evaluated in practice this week. Walker Little started in his absence.
WHISTLE-STOP TOUR
Lawrence is well aware the Bills enter the week tied for the league lead in sacks with 16. And that’s not counting Von Miller.
“One thing that stands out about them is they play through the whistle every play,” Lawrence said. “Even if their initial pass rush doesn’t get home, when you step up, they’re retracing, they’re folding back in to make the play.”
Miller practiced this week for the first time since being sidelined by a right knee injury in late November. Though he’s eager to play, the 34-year-old said it might be smarter to not have to rush back into action.
HOUSTON TEXANS (2-2) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (2-2)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
FOX: Brandon Gaudin, Mark Schlereth, Kristina Pink
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) HOU: 113 or 385 ATL: 85 or 226
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: HOU leads series, 3-2 (Home team won past 5)
POSTSEASON: —
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/6/19: ATL 32 at HOU 53
POSTSEASON: –
QB C.J. STROUD (rookie) passed for 306 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 111.3 rating last week. Ranks 4th in NFL with 1,212 passing yards this season, 2nd-most ever by player in 1st 4 career games (Cam Newton – 1,386). Joined Gardner Minshew (2019) as only QBs ever with 0 INTs in 1st 4 career starts (min. 30 atts. in each start). Aims for 4th in row with 2+ TD passes. • RB DAMEON PIERCE had season-high 108 scrimmage yards (season-high 81 rush, 27 rec.) last week, 7th-career game with 100+ scrimmage yards. Has rush TD in 2 of past 3 on road. • RB DEVIN SINGLETARY had 1st-career TD pass last week & is 1 of 2 RBs (Derrick Henry) with TD pass this season. Had careerhigh 110 rush yards in only career game vs. Atl. (1/2/22 w/ Buf.). • WR NICO COLLINS had 7 catches for career-high 168 yards & 2 TDs last week, most rec. yards by Hou. player since 2020 (171 by Will Fuller). Is 1 of 2 in NFL (Tyreek Hill) with 125+ rec. yards & rec. TD in multiple games this season. Has 6+ catches in 3 of 4 games in 2023. Ranks 5th in NFL with 428 rec. yards this season. • WR TANK DELL (rookie) has 5+ catches, 70+ rec. yards & rec. TD in 2 of past 3. Ranks 2nd among rookies with 267 rec. yards in 2023. • TE DALTON SCHULTZ had 1st TD catch of season last week. • LB CHRISTIAN HARRIS led team with season-best 12 tackles in Week 4. Has 5+ tackles in 4 of his past 5 on road. • LB HENRY TO’OTO’O (rookie) aims for 4th in row with 7+ tackles & 3rd in row with PD. Leads rookies with 27 tackles this season. • DE JONATHAN GREENARD had 3 TFLs & 2 sacks last week. • DE JERRY HUGHES had 1st sack of season in Week 4. Aims for 3rd in row with TFL. Has sack in 2 of his past 3 vs. Atl. • CB STEVEN NELSON had 2nd INT of season last week. Has PD in all 4 games this season.
QB DESMOND RIDDER passed for 191 yards & TD last week. Is 4-0 as starter at home with 5 TDs (4 pass, 1 rush) & 96.6 rating. Has TD pass in 4 of his past 5 starts. • RB BIJAN ROBINSON (rookie) had 5 receptions & 137 scrimmage yards (105 rush, 32 rec.) in Week 4. Is 1 of 4 RBs (De’Von Achane, Christian McCaffrey & D’Andre Swift) with 2+ (2) games of 100+ rush yards in 2023. Leads RBs with 19 receptions & ranks 2nd among RBs with 452 scrimmage yards. • RB TYLER ALLGEIER has 851 scrimmage yards (85.1 per game) & 4 TDs (3 rush, 1 rec.) in 10 career home games, incl. 50+ scrimmage yards in 9 of 10. • WR DRAKE LONDON had 2nd rec. TD of season last week, his 6th-career TD catch. Has 5+ catches in 4 of his past 5 at home. • TE JONNU SMITH led team with 6 receptions & 95 rec. yards last week & aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ receptions. • S JESSIE BATES had 8 tackles, TFL & FF last week & is 3rd player since 2000 with 3+ INTs (3) & 2+ FFs (2) in team’s 1st 4 games of season. • S RICHIE GRANT led team & tied his career high with 11 tackles last week, his 4th-career game with 10+ tackles. Has 5+ tackles in 10 of his past 11 at home. • DL GRADY JARRETT had FF in last meeting. • DL CALAIS CAMPBELL has 9.5 sacks in 9 career games vs. Hou. & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Hou. with sack. • DL DAVID ONYEMATA tied his career high with 7 tackles & had 1.5 sacks in Week 4, his 3rd-career game with 1.5+ sacks. Has TFL in 4 of his past 5 & aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. • LB NATE LANDMAN had career-high 10 tackles in Week 4. • CB A.J. TERRELL has 3 PD in his past 3 at home.
ATLANTA (AP) A fast start, and a home win, could take some heat off Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Back-to-back losses have dropped the Falcons (2-2) to .500 entering Sunday’s game against rookie C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans (2-2). The Texans will be trying for their first three-game winning streak since 2018.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith said “the easy thing is to jerk the wheel” by benching Ridder after only four games in his first full season as the starter. Smith said he is not making a change this week.
It could be argued that grabbing the wheel is a dangerous tactic only when a car is moving, and too often the Falcons’ transmission has been stuck in park with Ridder driving. The Falcons have scored only one touchdown in their past two games.
Veteran Taylor Heinicke, who was signed to be Ridder’s backup, would move up if Smith changes starters.
The Falcons won two of four games in Ridder’s audition as the starter to close a 7-10 finish in 2022. The last two games of another 2-2 stretch this season have been ugly. Ridder was hurt by three turnovers last week as the Jaguars beat the Falcons 23-7 in London. Jacksonville led 17-0 at halftime.
Smith said a good start could do wonders for Ridder, who has three touchdown passes and three interceptions.
“So you’re talking about eight starts, 4-4, the biggest obstacle we’ve got is starting fast,” Smith said. “The last two results were hard to win, not getting off to a start and putting yourself in a hole like that.”
Atlanta’s offense also struggled two weeks ago in a 20-6 loss at Detroit. Another poor performance by Ridder and the offense at home could force Smith’s hand.
“I don’t let the outside noise affect me,” Ridder said Wednesday. “I just know what I have to do every single day and that’s improve.”
There are no questions about Stroud’s job security. The rookie’s 1,212 passing yards rank fourth in the league and are the second-most in a player’s first four games, behind Cam Newton’s 1,386 in 2011.
Stroud has thrown 151 passes without an interception, an NFL rookie record. He has six touchdown passes.
Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said Stroud’s experience at Ohio State has helped him flourish as a rookie.
“He played a lot of football in college, and you’ve seen some of the same things,” Ryan said. “Whether it’s looking off safeties, moving curl flat defenders, he’s done that in college, and it continues to show. He’s a good quarterback.”
REINFORCEMENTS
Houston’s injury-plagued offensive line should get a boost this week with the expected return of two key players. Star left tackle Laremy Tunsil (knee) and right tackle Tytus Howard (hand surgery) have practiced this week after both missed significant time.
Howard, who signed a three-year, $56 million contract extension in July, can’t wait to get on the field with Stroud.
“Oh, yeah, C.J. is a baller,” Howard said. “I’m just excited to be part of the team, being able to help do what I can for us to win more games.”
HOME SWEET HOME
The home team has won each of the last five games in the series. The Falcons are 2-0 at home this season. Ridder is 4-0 at home in his two seasons.
CHALLENGE FOR STROUD
The Falcons rank fifth in the league in pass defense and seventh overall, and cornerback Jeff Okudah returned from an ankle injury last week. The secondary also includes cornerback A.J. Terrell and safeties Jessie Bates and Richie Grant. Bates has three interceptions.
“They’re all really good players,” Stroud said. “They fly around, they’re aggressive, they want to guard you man to man and they’re going to be in your face all game. For us, we’ve got to be ready to play a really, really hard game.”
AN INCH AWAY
Ridder says the Falcons’ offense is “just a few simple things” away from success. Maybe just an inch at times.
“One is that it’s an inch or a guy away from a play breaking or busting from us being able to carry that momentum and keep the drive going,” Ridder said. “… Whatever it may be, it’s just one little thing here or there on each of those plays.”
NICO’S BREAKOUT SEASON
Houston receiver Nico Collins, a 2021 third-round pick, is just 54 yards shy of surpassing his career high of 481 yards receiving from last season.
Collins had seven catches for a career-high 168 yards – the most receiving yards by a Texan since 2020 – and two touchdowns last week. He’s become Stroud’s favorite target and his 428 yards receiving ranks fifth in the league.
“We’re not done,” Collins said. “We’ve got to keep growing.”
CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-4) AT DETROIT LIONS (3-1)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
FOX: Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, Pam Oliver
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) CAR: 158 or 385 DET: 83 or 227
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: CAR leads series, 8-3 (won past 2)
POSTSEASON: —
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 12/24/22: DET 23 at CAR 37
POSTSEASON: —
QB BRYCE YOUNG (rookie) completed 25 of 32 atts. (78.1 pct.) for 204 yards & 93.2 rating in Week 4. Aims for his 4th in row with 20+ completions. • RB MILES SANDERS has 231 scrimmage yards (115.5 per game) & rush TD in 2 career games vs. Det. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Det. with 100+ scrimmage yards. • RB CHUBA HUBBARD had 53 scrimmage yards (41 rush, 12 rec.) in Week 4 & has 50+ scrimmage yards in 9 of his past 10. Had career-high 125 rush yards in last meeting. • WR ADAM THIELEN had 7 catches for team high 76 rec. yards in Week 4. Aims for his 4th in row with 7+ catches & 50+ rec. yards. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Det. with rec. TD. • WR TERRACE MARSHALL had career-high 9 receptions for 56 yards last week. Had 55 rec. yards in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ catches. • WR DJ CHARK had 30 catches for 502 yards & 3 TDs last season with Det. • LB BRIAN BURNS has 3 sacks, 5 TFL & FF in 2 road games in 2023 & has 9 TFL in his past 6 road games. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with sack. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Det. with 2+ sacks, TFL & PD. • LB FRANKIE LUVU has 9 TFL in his past 6 on road. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Det. with TFL. • LB KAMU GRUGIER-HILL had 3rd-career INT last week. • S SAM FRANKLIN had 99-yard INT-TD last week, his 1st-career INT & TD. Aims for his 3rd in row with PD. • S VONN BELL led team with 7 tackles last week & aims for his 4th in row with 6+ tackles. • S JEREMY CHINN had 4th-career sack last week.
QB JARED GOFF had TD pass & 86.9 rating in Week 4. Has 38 TDs (37 pass, 1 rush) vs. 6 INTs for 110.8 rating in his past 15 home starts, incl. 2+ TD passes in 13 of 15 starts. Passed for 355 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 110.7 rating in last meeting. • RB DAVID MONTGOMERY had 141 scrimmage yards (121 rush, 20 rec.) & career-high 3 rush TDs in Week 4, his 9th-career game with 100+ rush yards. Aims for his 4th in row with 70+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. • RB JAHMYR GIBBS (rookie) aims for his 4th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. • WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN had 5 catches for 56 yards & 2nd rec. TD of season in Week 4. Has 5+ catches & 50+ rec. yards in each of 1st 4 weeks. Aims for his 6th in row with 5+ catches. Had 7 receptions for 76 yards in last meeting. • TE SAM LAPORTA has most receptions (22) & 2nd-most rec. yards (242) by TE in 1st 4 career games in NFL history. • DL AIDAN HUTCHINSON had 1.5 sacks last week & aims for his 3rd in row with 1.5+ sacks. Has 0.5+ sacks in 4 of his past 5 at home. • DL ALIM MCNEILL had sack & 2 TFL last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack. Had career-high 6 tackles & TFL in last meeting. • DL ISAIAH BUGGS & DL JOHN COMINSKY each had 1st sack of season in Week 4. • LB ALEX ANZALONE has 5+ tackles in 21 consec. games, tied 4th-longest active streak in NFL. • CB JERRY JACOBS had 5 tackles and set career highs with 4 PD & 2 INTs last week. Aims for his 6th in row with 5+ tackles. • DB BRIAN BRANCH (rookie) led team with 7 tackles last week. • S TRACY WALKER had 2nd-career FF in Week 4.
DETROIT (AP) The Detroit Lions are rolling as they head into a matchup with Carolina – just as they were last season.
Detroit hopes to have a different result.
The Panthers played a part in keeping the surging Lions out of the playoffs, beating them by two touchdowns with a franchise-record 570 yards of offense in Week 16. It was Detroit’s second and final loss in a 10-game stretch.
“Different coach, different players, but a lot of those guys are still there,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff said. “Yeah, we’d like to get our chance back now and I know they’re going to come with it.
“They need a win and so do we.”
The NFC North-leading Lions (3-1) host the winless Panthers (0-4) on Sunday, aiming to hold onto their first outright division lead since Week 2 in 2017.
Carolina, with first-year coach Frank Reich and rookie quarterback Bryce Young, is off to its worst start since losing the first five games of the 2010 season.
“In one respect, we’re close,” Reich said. “In other respects, we’re making too many mistakes to even say that.”
UNDER PRESSURE
Young, the No. 1 pick overall, is off to a rough start in part because he has been sacked 11 times in three games. He’s averaging 167.7 yards passing per game and has two touchdown passes, two interceptions and two lost fumbles.
Young insisted he’s not worried about comparisons with the No. 2 overall pick, Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud, who is off to a strong start.
“I’m always rooting for him and it’s great to see,” Young said. “But I’m just try to run my own race and try to control what I can control.”
SHORTENED SUSPENSION
Lions receiver Jameson Williams is eligible to play – two weeks earlier than expected – after the NFL reduced his six-game suspension for gambling.
Williams, whose training camp was cut short by a hamstring injury, will probably play sparingly against the Panthers as he gets into game shape and shows he knows where to line up and where to go in the offense.
When the No. 12 pick from the 2022 draft does get on the field, he will likely give Goff a deep-play threat as he did for Young at Alabama.
“He brings a different element that us and many other teams don’t have in terms of speed and the way he runs down the field,” Detroit receivers coach Antwaan Randle El said.
THAT’S TIGHT
Detroit appears to have an edge at tight end.
Rookie Sam LaPorta has 22 receptions, the most by an NFL tight end in his first four games, for 242 yards and a touchdown.
Carolina’s four tight ends have combined for 13 catches, 114 yards and one score. They were held to a total of one catch for 7 yards in last week’s loss to Minnesota at home.
Hayden Hurst, who signed a three-year, $21.7 million contract with the Panthers in free agency, started strong with five catches for 41 yards and a touchdown in the opener. He has been held to five receptions and 38 yards over the last three games.
PICKED OFF
Goff has thrown one interception in three straight games, starting with a pick-6 in the Week 2 loss to Seattle, after he went 383 pass attempts without one.
“Those are the ones that really sting,” Goff said. “Just got to take care of the ball better. That is something I’m focused on.”
Carolina might be without three starters in the secondary because cornerback Donte Jackson has a shoulder injury, safety Xavier Woods hurt his hamstring and cornerback Jaycee Horn is on injured reserve.
LONG ODDS
The Panthers’ 0-4 start has put them in a predicament. Out of 164 teams that lost their first four games in the Super Bowl era, only the 1992 Chargers made the playoffs.
TENNESSEE TITANS (2-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-2)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
CBS: Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Amanda Renner
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) TEN: 109 or 384 IND: 104 or 225
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: IND leads series, 35-21 (TEN won past 5)
POSTSEASON: TEN leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/23/22: IND 10 at TEN 19
POSTSEASON: 1/16/00 AFC-DIV: TEN 16 at IND 16
QB RYAN TANNEHILL completed 18 of 25 atts. (72 pct.) for 240 yards & TD vs. INT with 98.8 rating last week. Has 95+ rating in 2 of past 3. Is 5-0 in his past 5 starts vs. Ind. with 102.1 rating. Has 2+ TD passes in 3 of his past 4 vs. Ind. Has 0 INTs in 4 of his past 5 starts vs. division. • RB DERRICK HENRY rushed for season-high 122 yards & 2nd TD of season & had 3rd-career TD pass last week. Has 95+ scrimmage yards in 3 of 4 games this season & 7 of his past 8 overall. Has rush TD in 2 of past 3. Had 135+ scrimmage yards in both games vs. Ind. last season & has 100+ scrimmage yards in 6 of his past 7 vs. Ind. Has 100+ rush yards in 13 of his past 14 vs. division, incl. each of past 6. • RB TYJAE SPEARS (rookie) had 58 scrimmage yards (40 rush, 18 rec.) last week. Has 55+ scrimmage yards in 2 of past 3. • WR DEANDRE HOPKINS led team with 63 rec. yards in Week 4. Aims for his 6th in row vs. Ind. with TD catch & 3rd in row with 90+ rec. yards. Has 50+ rec. yards in 5 of 6 career games at Ind. • WR NICK WESTBROOK-IKHINE had season-high 5 catches for 51 yards last week. • TE CHIG OKONKWO had rec. TD in last road meeting. • TE JOSH WHYLE (rookie) had 1st-career TD catch in Week 4. • DT JEFFERY SIMMONS had sack last week & has sack in 3 of 4 games this season. Had 6 tackles, 2 TFL & sack in last meeting. • LB ARDEN KEY had sack in Week 4. • LB JACK GIBBENS led team with 10 tackles & had PD last week. Aims for 5th in row with 5+ tackles. • LB AZEEZ AL-SHAAIR had 2 PD & 9 tackles in Week 4. • S KEVIN BYARD had 6 tackles & 1st FR of season last week. Has 6+ tackles in 3 of 4 games this season.
QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON (rookie) totaled 256 yards (200 pass, career-high 56 rush) & career-high 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) last week. Is 1st QB in SB era with rush TD in each of 1st 3 career games. Can become 1st QB in SB era with rush TD in each of 1st 4 games of a season. Aims for his 3rd in row with 0 INTs. • RB ZACK MOSS has 70+ rush yards in each of his 3 games this season, with 100+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 3. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 100+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. • WR MICHAEL PITTMAN has 8+ catches & 55+ rec. yards in 3 of 4 games this season. Has 6+ catches in 3 of his past 4 vs. Ten. Has rec. TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. division. • WR JOSH DOWNS ranks 5th among rookies with 17 catches. • TE DREW OGLETREE led team with career-high 48 rec. yards & had 1st-career TD catch in Week 4. • TE MO ALIE-COX had 1st rec. TD of season last week. Had 6 catches for 85 yards in last home meeting. • LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN led team with 12 tackles last week & is only player in NFL with 12+ tackles in each of 1st 4 weeks. Can join Zach Thomas in 2005 as only player since 2000 with 12+ tackles in each of team’s 1st 5 games of season. Has TFL in 2 of past 3. Leads NFL with 57 tackles in 2023. Had TFL in last meeting. • DT DEFOREST BUCKNER aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with sack. Has TFL in 4 of his past 5 at home. • DE KWITY PAYE has sack in 3 of 4 games this season. Has FR in 2 of past 3. Had sack in last home meeting. • DE DAYO ODEYINGBO had season-high 7 tackles & 1.5 sacks, PD & 2nd FF of season in Week 4. Has FF in 2 of past 3. • CB KENNY MOORE had season-high 8 tackles, 2 PD & 1st INT of season last week. Had sack in last meeting.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) When the Indianapolis Colts watch video of prior matchups against Derrick Henry, they see a whole lot of failure.
They’ve spent seven years trying to slow down the powerful 6-foot-3, 247-pound, two-time NFL rushing champ, and nothing seems to work.
The Tennessee star has run through them, around them, even stiff-armed them for seven 100-yard outings in 14 career games against Indy. And if the Colts want to snap their five-game losing streak to the Titans, the defensive game plan is no secret.
“With Tennessee, you know (coach Mike) Vrabel is going to have them ready to play, that they’re going to rally behind No. 22,” Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin said, referring to Henry’s jersey number.
Henry had 1,287 yards against Indy (2-2) – although the Titans’ AFC South rivals Houston and Jacksonville have allowed even more yards to the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner.
In his last seven games against the Colts, Henry has topped 100 yards six times. The lone exception came on Halloween in 2021 when Henry was limping to an uncharacteristic 28-carry, 68-yard performance. The next day, Vrabel announced Henry had a broken bone in his foot.
Now, Henry appears to be rounding into form. Last week at Cincinnati, he had 22 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown while throwing a 2-yard TD pass.
Henry could get even more help this week if two projected starting linemen – rookie left guard Peter Skoronski, who had an appendectomy Sept. 16, and tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere, who is eligible to return from his four-game gambling suspension this week – return.
“We’ll start working Peter back in there and kind of see how everybody goes throughout the week,” Vrabel said. “Nic’s been able to probably work a little bit more than Peter has. We’ll see where they both are, but Nic’s been able to kind of work through, even though he hasn’t been here.”
The Titans (2-2) could be facing a more complete Colts team if 2021 NFL rushing champ Jonathan Taylor plays.
He practiced for the first time in 10 months after being activated from the physically unable to perform list early this week. Taylor could work his way into a backfield that has leaned heavily on veteran Zack Moss and new dual-threat quarterback Anthony Richardson.
“He’s big, he’s fast, he’s willing and he knows where the goal line is,” Vrabel said of Richardson. “He knows where the first down (is), what he needs to get to. So it’ll be a huge challenge.”
The Colts’ mission remains the same – clogging up Henry’s running lanes.
“It’s getting population on the football, getting to his feet early because when he gets rolling, he gets downhill, he’s pretty hard to stop,” Colts two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said. “Guys have to be on the details, on their assignments, run to the ball and get population on the ball.”
OLDER AND BETTER
Tennessee signed defensive lineman Denico Autry when Indy let him go following the 2020 season. Since then, he’s posted 20 1/2 sacks, including eight last season and 3 1/2 this season – all team highs. How is Autry still doing this at age 33?
“Just experience, you know, a seasoned vet,” the 10-year veteran said. “You know I’ve seen some of the stuff over a thousand times, so I about know what I’m getting when I get it. I know what’s going (to happen) on the field.”
HISTORIC START
Richardson has 23 carries for 123 yards and four TDs through his first three NFL starts – a historic pace. He became the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to tally four TD runs in his first three games and the first Colts quarterback to run for scores in three straight games.
One more TD run would tie Andrew Luck’s single-season franchise record by a quarterback and he can tie the franchise mark for most games in a season with a TD pass and a TD run (three). The others are Andrew Luck (2014), Peyton Manning (2001, 2006, 2007), Bert Jones (1975) and the late John Unitas (1958).
CLUTCH HOPKINS
Three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins caught four passes for a game-high 63 yards last week, including a 38-yarder that jump-started the Titans’ offense in the second quarter. And he’s tied for the most third-down conversion receptions in the AFC.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill appreciates what Hopkins has brought to the offense.
“Just that match-up ability for him to win his one-on-one matchup and find some space on crucial downs and sustain drives has been huge for us so far,” Tannehill said.
HOME WOES
The Colts have lost six straight games on their home field. Their last win came nearly a year ago, 34-27 over Jacksonville on Oct. 16, 2022.
“Having not won here in a year is pretty wicked, so we definitely need to break that streak,” three-time All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard said.
TITANIC D
The Titans come in with the NFL’s fourth-best defense against the run, allowing 70 yards per game and a league-best 2.9 yards per carry. They have gone 10 straight games without allowing an opponent to run for 100 yards total, the longest active streak in the NFL.
NEW YORK GIANTS (1-3) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (3-1)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME:1:00 PM ET
FOX: Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Shannon Spake
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) NYG: 132 or 388 MIA: 133 or 229
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: NYG leads series, 7-3 (won 4 of past 5)
POSTSEASON-
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 12/5/21: NYG 9 at MIA 20
POSTSEASON: —
QB DANIEL JONES completed 27 of 34 atts. (season-high 79.4 pct.) & had 269 yards (203 pass, 66 rush) in Week 4. Is 1 of 2 QBs (Lamar Jackson) with 2 games of 50+ rush yards in 2023. Has 300+ pass yards & 90+ rating in 2 of his past 3 road starts. • RB SAQUON BARKLEY aims for his 6th in row on road with rush TD & 10th in row on road with 50+ scrimmage yards. Has 217 scrimmage yards (108.5 per game) & 2 rush TDs in 2 career games vs. Mia. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Mia. with 70+ scrimmage yards. • RB MATT BREIDA had 5 catches & 78 scrimmage yards (48 rec., 30 rush) in Week 4, his 3rd-career game with 5+ receptions. Had 350 scrimmage yards in 12 games with Mia. in 2020. • TE DARREN WALLER aims for his 3rd in row vs. Mia. with 5+ receptions & 50+ rec. yards. • WR WAN’DALE ROBINSON had 5 receptions last week. • LB KAYVON THIBODEAUX had career-high 2 sacks & 1st PD of season in Week 4. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack. • LB BOBBY OKEREKE led team with 10 tackles & had 2 TFL & PD in Week 4, his 10th-career game with 10+ tackles. Had 8 tackles & PD in his last game at Mia. (10/3/21 w/ Ind.). • LB MICAH MCFADDEN had 1st-career PD last week. Has 7 TFL in his past 5. • DL D.J. DAVIDSON had 1st-career TFL last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with PD. • DL LEONARD WILLIAMS has 7 TFL in 10 career games vs. Mia. • CB ADOREE’ JACKSON aims for his 5th in row on road with PD. • S XAVIER MCKINNEY aims for his 3rd in row on road with 7+ tackles. Had 6 tackles & TFL in last meeting. • CB DEONTE BANKS ranks tied-5th among rookies with 3 PD.
DOLPHINS lead NFL with 2,044 total yards of offense this season, most by a team in their 1st 4 games in NFL history. • QB TUA TAGOVAILOA completed 25 of 35 (71.4 pct.) for 282 yards & TD vs. INT with 92.8 rating last week. Is 1 of 2 in NFL (Brock Purdy) with 90+ rating in all 4 games this season. Passed for 244 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 104.1 rating in last meeting. Has 13 TDs vs. 3 INTs with 110.9 rating in his past 8 home starts. Leads NFL with 1,306 pass yards & ranks 2nd with 114.4 rating in 2023. • RB DE’VON ACHANE (rookie) had 120 scrimmage yards (101 rush, 19 rec.) & 2 rush TDs last week. Has 353 scrimmage yards (176.5 per game) & 6 TDs (4 rush, 2 rec.) over past 2 weeks. Is 4th player all-time with 6 TDs through 1st 3 career games. • RB RAHEEM MOSTERT is tied for NFL lead with 7 scrimmage TDs & 6 rush TDs this season. Achane (309) & Mostert (249) are only pair of teammates each with 200+ rush yards this season. • WR TYREEK HILL had 58 rec. yards last week. Is 1 of 2 in NFL (Mike Evans) with 5+ catches & rec. TD in 3 games this season. Had 12 catches for 94 yards & TD in his last game vs. NYG (11/1/21 w/ KC). Tied for NFL lead with 4 rec. TDs & ranks 3rd with 470 rec. yards. • WR JAYLEN WADDLE has 75+ rec. yards in 2 of his 3 games this season. Had 9 catches for 90 yards in last meeting. • WR BRAXTON BERRIOS had season-high 6 catches last week. • CB XAVIEN HOWARD has PD in 3 of 4 games this season. Has 5 PD in his past 4 at home. Had INT in last meeting. • LB ANDREW VAN GINKEL tied career highs in TFL (3) & sacks (2) in Week 4. Aims for 4th in row with TFL & has sack in 2 of past 3. • LB DAVID LONG led team with season-high 10 tackles & had 2 TFL last week. Aims for 4th in row with 7+ tackles. Has TFL in 2 of past 3. Had 8 tackles & TFL in last meeting
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) Mike McDaniel watched quarterback Daniel Jones scramble as the New York Giants’ offensive line gave up 11 sacks in a loss to Seattle on Monday night.
The Miami Dolphins’ coach understands how easily things could turn around for his team’s next opponent.
“From my perspective, I see an offense that’s close,” McDaniel said Wednesday. “Eleven sacks with the completion percentage that (Daniel Jones) had, it felt like to me when I was watching that it was either completion or sack. Which means the way I see it … the difference between sack and completion is that finite. If you take the sacks out, he’d probably have a pretty high quarterback rating because the completion percentage was high.”
That’s why McDaniel doesn’t expect to easily replicate the Seahawks’ success when Miami (3-1) hosts New York (1-3) on Sunday.
The Dolphins could use a dominant performance from their defense, which has been inconsistent at getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks and allowed the Bills’ Josh Allen to record a perfect 158.3 passer rating last week.
Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker said the Giants, like any team, can be expected to attack Miami’s weaknesses.
“It’s the National Football League,” Baker said. “They’re going to go back, watch the film and they’re going to be working on it all week. They’re going to make sure they understand what we’re going to do. I’m sure they’re going to fix it. We’re going to have to come up with new things. At the end of the day, it’s about a man beating another man, so we’ll have to do that.”
Both teams dealt with protection issues last week and have injuries along their offensive lines.
Against Buffalo, the Dolphins were without starting center Connor Williams (groin) and lost veteran left tackle Terron Armstead to a knee injury in the second quarter. The result was a season-high four sacks allowed.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was hit nine times. McDaniel said part of that was because he abandoned the run game too quickly. He hopes not to repeat that mistake against a Giants defense that ranks 25th against the run.
The Giants are last in scoring with 46 points, and much of that is because of the offensive line, which has been missing star left tackle Andrew Thomas the last three games. The line has started four different combinations and this week may bring a fifth if rookie center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) can’t go. New York has allowed 23 sacks.
Coach Brian Daboll said the Giants’ goal is to play more complementary football.
“Which we haven’t yet,” he added. “That’ll be the focus. It’s always the focus but results haven’t been there.”
NUMBERS DON’T TELL THE WHOLE STORY
The Giants rank 30th in the NFL with 122 points allowed, but not all of that total is the fault of coordinator Wink Martindale’s defense.
Dallas, San Francisco and Seattle combined for 94 points in games the where the Giants’ offense barely did anything, scoring 15 points. The Seahawks got 17 points off three turnovers Monday night, including an interception return for a touchdown by Devon Witherspoon and a 7-yard drive after a strip-sack.
The defense is rounding into form and has a chance to slow down Miami with defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux, linebacker Bobby Okereke and safety Xavier McKinney all playing well. The unit has yet to force a turnover.
ON THE RUN
The Dolphins lead the NFL with 707 yards rushing, 6.3 yards per carry and 10 rushing touchdowns – a stark turnaround from a year ago when Miami’s rushing attack was inconsistent. The Dolphins rushed for 142 yards against Buffalo – 101 of those from rookie De’Von Achane, who is ranked seventh in the league in rushing.
The run game has made Miami’s passing attack even tougher to stop.
“It’s been helpful to offset some of the actions that we do in the pass game,” Tagovailoa said, “and then off of those run actions we can marry some of the ways we motion and do our action fakes to some of the pass plays that we have in, so I think it’s been really, really good.”
ALMOST THERE
Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb feels like the defense is almost where it needs to be under new coordinator Vic Fangio.
“A play or two might resort back to old things and not do stuff how we know we can do it,” Chubb said, “and those one or two plays end up hurting us in the long run. That’s when they get their explosive plays. I feel like if we minimize trying to go outside the defense and try to do the next person’s job … I feel like we can take this to a whole other level.”
The Dolphins are allowing 251 yards passing and 29.8 points per game.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-2) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-3)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
CBS: Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) NO: 121 or 389 NE: 111 or 230
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: NE leads series, 10-5 (won 2 of past 3)
POSTSEASON: —
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 9/26/21: NO 28 at NE 13
POSTSEASON: —
QB DEREK CARR passed for 3 TDs vs. INT in his last game vs. NE (12/18/22 w/ LV). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NE with 2+ TD passes & 5th in row vs. NE with 20+ completions. QB TAYSOM HILL had rush TD in last meeting. • RB ALVIN KAMARA had 13 receptions & 84 scrimmage yards (51 rush, 33 rec.) in season debut in Week 4. Has 6 career games with 10+ receptions, tied-3rd most by RB all-time. Aims for his 6th in row with 80+ scrimmage yards. Had 118 scrimmage yards (89 rush, 29 rec.) & TD catch in last meeting. • WR CHRIS OLAVE has 6+ catches & 85+ rec. yards in 3 of 4 games this season. Has 60+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5 on road. • WR MICHAEL THOMAS led team with 53 rec. yards last week. Has 50+ rec. yards in 10 of his past 11. Aims for his 7th in row on road with 5+ catches. Had 5 receptions for 89 yards in his only career game vs. NE (9/17/17). • DE CAMERON JORDAN had TFL & PD in last meeting & aims for his 4th in row vs. NE with TFL. • DT BRYAN BRESEE (rookie) had 1st-career full sack & 3 TFL in Week 4, 2nd rookie with 3 TFL in single game in 2023. • LB DEMARIO DAVIS had 2 TFL & 2 PD in last meeting & aims for his 3rd in row vs. NE with 2+ TFL. Has 5+ tackles in 11 of 12 career games vs. NE. • LB PETE WERNER tied for team lead with 8 tackles last week & aims for his 5th in row with 7+ tackles. • CB MARSHON LATTIMORE aims for his 4th in row on road with 5+ tackles & PD. Had 10 tackles & INT in last meeting. Ranks tied-3rd in NFL with 6 PD in 2023. • CB ALONTAE TAYLOR & CB ISAAC YIADOM rank tied-1st in NFL with 7 PD each. Yiadom had 2nd-career INT last week.
HC BILL BELICHICK can become 3rd coach in NFL history to win 300+ reg. season games, joining HOFers Don Shula (328) & George Halas (318). • QB MAC JONES passed for 270 yards in last meeting. Has 10 TDs vs. 2 INTs with 93.9 rating in his past 7 home starts. • RB RHAMONDRE STEVENSON has 60+ scrimmage yards in 3 of 4 games this season. • RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT has TD in 2 of 3 career games vs. NO. • WR KENDRICK BOURNE has 4+ catches in 3 of 4 games this season. Had 6 catches for 96 yards & TD in last meeting. Has 3 rec. TDs in 3 career games vs. NO. • WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER has 4+ catches in both home games this season. Had 11 catches for 115 yards in only career game vs. NO (12/23/18 w/ Pit.). • TE HUNTER HENRY led team with 4 catches for 51 yards last week. Is 1 of 3 TEs (Evan Engram & Sam LaPorta) with 50+ rec. yards in 3 games this season. Had 5 catches in last meeting & has TD catch in 2 of 3 career games vs. NO. • LB JOSH UCHE had 2nd sack of season last week. Aims for his 5th in row vs. NFC with sack. • LB JAHLANI TAVAI had PD, 2 TFL & 1st sack of season in Week 4. • DE DEATRICH WISE had 1st sack of season last week. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NO with 0.5 sacks. • CB MYLES BRYANT set career highs in tackles (10) & FFs (2) in Week 4 & is 1 of 2 players (Khalil Mack) with 10+ tackles & 2+ FFs in a game this season. Has PD in 2 of past 3. • S KYLE DUGGER led team with career-best 15 tackles & had TFL last week, tied-most tackles by a DB in a game this season. Aims for 4th in row with TFL & 3rd in row with 7+ tackles.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) Points have been hard to come by for the Saints and the Patriots.
Over the first four weeks, each team has scored 20 points only once. They enter Sunday’s matchup ranked in the bottom third of the league in points per game. New Orleans (2-2) is averaging 15.5, tied for 25th in the NFL. New England (1-3) ranks 30th at 13.8 points.
It’s a major fall-off for offenses once led by Tom Brady and Drew Brees, who rank first and second all-time in touchdown passes.
This latest meeting will feature a third-year quarterback in Mac Jones who has displayed only minimal improvement under new Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.
Jones understands he needs to bounce back from his worst performance of the season. He threw two interceptions, including a pick-6, and had a fumble returned for a touchdown in last week’s loss to Dallas. He was ultimately benched for Bailey Zappe.
Jones is confident he can return to form.
“Confidence is something that comes from years of practice, and it grows over time,” he said. “I think that’s what I have to look back on, is I’ve played well at times and I just have got to be more consistent. I know it’s there.”
The Saints are likewise hoping to see a lot more from veteran Derek Carr. New Orleans has managed just four offensive touchdowns, its fewest through four games since 1975.
New Orleans’ most recent loss to Tampa Bay also saw its streak of 11 consecutive games of holding opponents to 20 or fewer points end.
While Carr acknowledged the Saints are not playing to the level they expected, he said he’s leaning on the fact that he’s been through tougher times.
Carr pointed to his Raiders team starting 0-10 during his rookie season in 2014. “This,” he said, “is not that.”
“This is football. It’s tough. It’s hard,” Carr said. “Your back’s against the wall a little bit. What are you going to do about it? You going to fight? Are you going to quit? And so, I think we’re finding out a lot about our guys this week.”
CHASING 300
The Patriots’ 38-3 loss to the Cowboys was the worst of Bill Belichick’s 29-year coaching career.
It also denied him a chance to join Don Shula and George Halas as the only coaches in NFL history with 300 regular-season wins.
He’ll get his second shot against the Saints, against whom he has a 5-2 record.
STUMBLING AND BUMBLING
The Saints average 87.5 yards rushing per game, which ranks 26th in the NFL. Improving that number has become a point of emphasis for New Orleans’ beleaguered offensive line, which also has allowed 15 sacks.
“We haven’t given people a reason to respect the run,” guard James Hurst said. “So, that’s a position we’re in and that’s something that we obviously have to get better if we’re going to be an effective offense.”
The return of Alvin Kamara from suspension in Week 4 offered a small measure of hope. Kamara rushed for 51 yards on 11 carries against Tampa Bay, a 4.6-yard average against a defense that ranks eighth in the NFL against the run.
RED-ZONE WOES
The Saints entered the week ranked 23rd in yards per game (285.3) even after managing less than 200 last week. The bigger problem for the Saints has been stalling out inside their opponents’ 20-yard line.
They have attempted 10 field goals, nine of which have been made by rookie kicker Blake Grupe, who is the team’s leading scorer.
New Orleans’ red-zone conversion rate of 33.3% (4 of 12) ranks last in the NFL.
Even struggling New England has a far superior red-zone success rate of 62.5%.
“Everything happens faster in the red zone, and so the attention to detail has to be much improved,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said. “That’s what it’s all about down there is being able to play fast, make quick decisions and be extremely detailed in terms of where you’re supposed to be at and when you’re supposed to be there.”
BIG HOLES
The Patriots will be missing their most productive player on defense with linebacker Matt Judon sidelined indefinitely after undergoing surgery on his biceps. Judon suffered the injury late in New England’s loss at Dallas last week.
He led the Patriots with four sacks through four games.
Rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez also likely will be sidelined after injuring his shoulder against Dallas. Gonzalez has a sack and interception and was named the league’s rookie defensive player of the month for September.
BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-1) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-2)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
CBS: Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) BAL: 134 or 387 PIT: 82 or 228
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: PIT leads series, 3-24 (won 5 of past 6)
POSTSEASON: PIT leads series, 3-1
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 1/1/23: PIT 16 at BAL 13
POSTSEASON: 1/3/15 AFC-WC: BAL 30 at PIT 17
QB LAMAR JACKSON set season highs in comp. pct. (78.9), TDs (4 – 2 pass, 2 rush) & rating (142.5) last week, his 4th-career game with 2+ rush TDs & pass TD, tied 4th-most all-time. Can become 1st QB in SB era with 2+ rush TDs in 3 straight games. Aims for his 6th in row with 70+ comp. pct. & 4th in row with 0 INTs. Has 6 TDs (4 pass, 2 rush) vs. 0 INTs with 124.1 rating in 2 games vs. division this season. Has 10 TDs (8 pass, 2 rush) vs. 0 INTs in his past 5 on road. • RB GUS EDWARDS aims for 4th in row with 45+ rush yards. Rushed for 66 yards in last road meeting. • TE MARK ANDREWS led team with 5 catches for season-high 80 yards & 2 TDs last week, his 8th-career game with 2+ rec. TDs, 3rdmost among active TEs. Has 5 catches & rec. TD in 2 of 3 games this season. Had 9 catches for 100 yards in last meeting & has 50+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 vs. Pit. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with TD catch. Tied for lead among TEs with 3 rec. TDs this season. • WR ZAY FLOWERS (rookie) has 55+ rec. yards in 3 of 1st 4 career games. Ranks 2nd among rookies with 24 catches & 3rd with 244 rec. yards this season. • WR NELSON AGHOLOR had 6 catches for 110 yards & TD in his last game vs. Pit. (9/18/22 w/ NE). • LB ROQUAN SMITH led team with 10 tackles & had 2 PD & TFL last week, his 3rd game with 10+ tackles this season. Aims for 3rd in row with PD. Has sack in 2 of 3 career games vs. Pit. • LB PATRICK QUEEN had season-high 3 TFL & 2nd sack of season last week. Aims for his 14th in row with 5+ tackles. • S KYLE HAMILTON had 5 tackles & 1st-career INT in Week 4. Aims for 3rd in row with PD. Had 6 tackles in last meeting. • S GENO STONE had INT last week & has INT in 2 of past 3. • CB BRANDON STEPHENS had 1st-career INT in Week 4.
QB KENNY PICKETT has 0 INTs in 4 of 5 career starts vs. division. • QB MITCH TRUBISKY completed 3 of 5 atts. in season debut last week. Can make 6th start with Pit. • RB NAJEE HARRIS led team with season-high 103 scrimmage yards (71 rush, 32 rec.) last week, 12th-career game with 100+ scrimmage yards. Aims for 3rd in row with 65+ rush yards. Rushed for 111 yards & had TD catch in last meeting. Aims for 3rd in row vs. Bal. with TD. Has TD in 6 of his past 7 vs. division. • RB JAYLEN WARREN aims for 4th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. Had career-high 98 scrimmage yards (76 rush, 22 rec.) in last meeting. Has 85+ scrimmage yards in 2 of past 3 vs. division. • WR GEORGE PICKENS has 75+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. Had 78 rec. yards in last home meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 70+ rec. yards & TD catch. Has rec. TD in 3 of his past 4 at home. • WR ALLEN ROBINSON aims for his 3rd in row vs. Bal. with 5+ catches, 50+ rec. yards & rec. TD. • TE PAT FREIERMUTH had TD catch in last home meeting. • LB T.J. WATT has sack in 3 of 4 games this season, with 2+ sacks in 2 games. Aims for his 9th in row vs. Bal with 0.5+ sacks & 7th in row with full sack. Has 13.5 sacks in his past 9 vs. division. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with sack & FR. Tied for NFL lead with 6 sacks. • LB ALEX HIGHSMITH aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 7+ tackles & sack. Has sack in 3 of his past 4 at home. • S MINKAH FITZPATRICK aims for 3rd in row with 11+ tackles. Had 9 tackles & INT in last meeting. Has PD in 5 of his past 6 vs. Bal. • CB PATRICK PETERSON aims for his 6th in row with PD & 3rd in row with 5+ tackles. Has PD in both of his 2 career games vs. Bal. • CB LEVI WALLACE aims for 3rd in row with 2+ PD.
PITTSBURGH (AP) Lamar Jackson can dazzle with his legs one play and drop dimes with his right arm the next.
Except, it seems, when he faces the Pittsburgh Steelers.
For all the electricity the Baltimore Ravens quarterback provides on a seemingly weekly basis, things tend to get sideways when he’s on one side of the line of scrimmage and T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick are on the other. And Jackson knows it.
“The atmosphere is different,” he said. “It’s more intense, more aggressive.”
More difficult, too.
Jackson is 2-3 as a starter against the Steelers, although he missed both of Baltimore’s games against Pittsburgh last season due to injury. He’s thrown more interceptions (six) than touchdown passes (four) when facing Baltimore’s longtime rival. The next time he runs the ball into the end zone against Pittsburgh will be his first.
So while the Ravens (3-1) easily looked like the best team in the AFC North in September, they are taking nothing for granted when they open October by visiting the wildly uneven Steelers (2-2), who are struggling to play with any consistency or cohesion.
“Hopefully, it’s a different outcome this season,” Jackson said.
It can’t be if Pittsburgh wants to be considered a threat in what could be the most balanced division in football. The Steelers were pushed around by Houston a week ago, and coach Mike Tomlin said team simply didn’t play hard enough.
While he promised “changes” in the aftermath, Tomlin’s only real tweak was to do something he was probably going to do anyway: have his players practice in pads for the first time in a few weeks in hopes of helping them hit the reset button.
Pittsburgh doesn’t really have much of a choice. The Steelers have struggled to get a handle on opposing running games without injured defensive tackle Cam Heyward. Now here comes Jackson and the NFL’s fourth-ranked running offense.
In a way, it may be the best thing for the Steelers.
“It kind of forces you do to your job, for younger guys to grow up, for everybody to just play harder,” defensive tackle Montravius Adams said. “It’s a divisional game. You know what they’re doing. They know what you’re doing. It’s really about who is going to whip who.”
FINISHING DRIVES
The Ravens have 12 touchdowns in 15 red-zone opportunities, and their defense has allowed just three TDs in 10 trips. Jackson’s running has been a big threat in that area. He already has four rushing touchdowns, three shy of his career high.
“The defense gives us the look for me to run, or my number’s called, and whatever it’s going to take for us to get in the end zone, I’m going to do it,” Jackson said. “I’m going to try to do it at least 100 miles per hour. If the defense gives us that look, that’s what it’ll be.”
TOO SOFT?
Pittsburgh’s offense was expected to take significant strides forward after a promising preseason. It hasn’t happened. The Steelers are near the bottom of the league in points, yards and first downs through four games, intensifying the scrutiny around offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
Running back Najee Harris, however, doesn’t think the game plan is the problem. Harris believes the offense was too “soft” against the Texans. He’d like to see a return to the run-first approach the Steelers used while going 7-2 over the second half of last season, a run that included a 16-13 victory at Baltimore in which they rolled up 198 yards on the ground.
“I think we all know that we’ve got to get better if we want to be where we want to be at,” Harris said. “We want to be at the mentality we were last year against the Ravens and this is a good time to do it.”
BIG CHANCE
Baltimore already has road victories over Cincinnati and Cleveland. A win over the Steelers this week would give the Ravens a road sweep of the AFC North, something they’ve done only twice since the current alignment of divisions began in 2002. The last time Baltimore pulled that off was in 2019 when the team went 14-2.
Pittsburgh has won five of six over Baltimore since.
“I remember (from) last year, you’re not a Raven until you beat the Steelers,” said Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith, who was acquired in a trade in the middle of last season. “I carry that over into this year, as well. I feel like this season is a totally new season, so I’m not a Raven this season until I beat the Steelers. That’s my mindset.”
PICKETT’S PLIGHT
Steelers second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett spent the week practice wearing a large brace to protect the bone bruise in his left knee he suffered while getting sacked in the second half against Houston. He expects to be ready on Sunday, though he’s well aware it’s time – maybe past time – for the offense to get it together.
“Obviously you’re frustrated, it hasn’t been good, we know it’s nowhere near where it needs to be, but it can’t be a pain,” Pickett said. “Guys have to continue to showing up, putting the work in, and going out there and playing hard on Sundays.”
CINCINNATI BENGALS (1-3) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-3)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 4:05 PM ET
FOX: Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) CIN: 158 or 386 ARI: 83 or 227
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: Series tied, 6-6 (ARI won 4 of past 5)
POSTSEASON: —
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/6/19: ARI 26 at CIN 23
POSTSEASON: –
QB JOE BURROW completed 20 of 30 atts. (season-high 66.7 pct.) for 165 yards with 0 INTs last week. Aims for 3rd in row on road with 0 INTs. Has 100+ rating in 4 of his past 5 vs. NFC. • RB JOE MIXON rushed for season-best 67 yards last week. Has 70+ scrimmage yards in all 4 games this season. Had 109 scrimmage yards (93 rush, 16 rec.) in last meeting. Has 7 TDs (6 rush, 1 rec.) in his past 4 vs. NFC. Needs 45 scrimmage yards to become 5th player in franchise history with 7,500 career scrimmage yards. • WR JA’MARR CHASE led team with 7 catches for 73 yards last week, his 12th-straight game with 5+ catches, longest active streak in NFL. Aims for 3rd in row with 70+ rec. yards. Has 50+ rec. yards in each of 10 career games vs. NFC. Needs 3 catches to tie as 4th-fastest player ever (34 games) to reach 200 career catches. • WR TEE HIGGINS has 5+ catches in 6 of his past 7 vs. NFC. • WR TYLER BOYD has 5+ catches in 2 of past 3. Had 10 catches for 123 yards & TD in last meeting. • DE TREY HENDRICKSON has 0.5+ sacks in 3 of 4 games this season. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NFC West with sack. • DE SAM HUBBARD aims for 3rd in row with sack. Had sack in last meeting. • DE MYLES MURPHY (rookie) had 1st-career sack in Week 4. • S DAX HILL had 8 tackles & 2nd INT of season last week. Has PD in 3 of 4 games this season. Aims for 4th in row with 8+ tackles. • S NICK SCOTT led team with 10 tackles & had TFL in Week 4. Has 9+ tackles in 3 of 4 games this season. Had 9 tackles & FF in his last game vs. Ari. (11/13/22 w/ LAR). • CB CAM TAYLOR-BRITT had 6 tackles & 2nd-career FF last week. Aims for 4th in row with 5+ tackles.
QB JOSH DOBBS completed 28 of 41 atts. (68.3 pct.) for 265 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 102.2 rating & rushed for 48 yards in Week 4, his 1st-career start with 2 TD passes. Is 1 of 3 NFC QBs (Kirk Cousins & Brock Purdy) with 95+ rating in 3 of 1st 4 weeks. Aims for his 4th in row with TD pass vs. 0 INTs & 95+ rating. • RB JAMES CONNER rushed for 52 yards last week & has 50+ scrimmage yards in 24 consecutive games, tied 2nd-longest active streak in NFL. Aims for his 6th in row at home with 100+ scrimmage yards & 7th in row at home with TD. • TE ZACH ERTZ had 6 catches for 53 yards last week. Is 1 of 3 TEs (Evan Engram & T.J. Hockenson) with 6+ catches in 3 of 1st 4 weeks. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Cin. with 7+ catches & 70+ rec. yards. • WR MARQUISE BROWN had 7 catches for team-high 96 yards last week. Aims for his 4th in row with 5+ catches & 50+ rec. yards. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with TD catch. Has 5 rec. TDs in 5 career games vs. Cin. • WR MICHAEL WILSON (rookie) had 7 catches for 76 yards & had his 1st 2 career rec. TDs in Week 4. • LB DENNIS GARDECK had 4th sack of season in Week 4. Is 1 of 3 in NFC (Danielle Hunter & Micah Parsons) with TFL in each of 1st 4 weeks. • LB ZAVEN COLLINS has TFL in 4 of his past 5 at home. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 0.5+ sacks. • LB KYZIR WHITE has TFL in 3 of 4 games this year. Aims for his 7th in row with 7+ tackles. • CB KEI’TREL CLARK (rookie) had 1st-career TFL last week. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 2+ PD. • S K’VON WALLACE aims for his 5th in row with 7+ tackles.
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals haven’t looked much like an elite team through four weeks.
There’s time for that to change. But it needs to happen soon.
The Bengals (1-3) travel to face the Arizona Cardinals (1-3) on Sunday in a game that Burrow has already declared a nearly must-win matchup.
Cincinnati has enjoyed deep playoff runs the past two seasons, including a trip to the Super Bowl during the 2021 season.
“I’m still very confident in what we have,” Burrow said. “We’ve got to get better. We’ve scored three touchdowns. That’s not near good enough. We’ve got a ways to go, but we have the guys in that room to do it, we’ve got the coaches to do it.”
Burrow – who before the season became the highest-paid player in the NFL – has been slowed by a calf injury that’s limited his mobility. The quarterback said he felt good at practice on Wednesday and hasn’t had any setbacks with the calf since aggravating the injury late in a loss to Baltimore on Sept. 17.
“I try not to be frustrated,” Burrow said. “That’s not going to get anybody anywhere. You just adapt to what you’re dealing with, adapt to how you need to play. And you take that week to week, day to day.”
The Cardinals might have the same record as the Bengals, but are in a much better mood about their situation.
Arizona was widely considered to be one of the worst teams in the league coming into the season, but the Cardinals have been surprisingly competitive, and even knocked off the Dallas Cowboys at home a few weeks ago.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs has been a solid fill-in for the injured Kyler Murray, a two-time Pro Bowl selection still working his way back from a knee injury suffered last season. Dobbs has completed 71% of his passes for 682 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions and a 106.1 passer rating over his past three games.
Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins said he’s aware that the Bengals have been struggling, but noted that their roster is full of the same guys who helped the team advance to the Super Bowl two seasons ago.
“You’ve got to give credit where it’s due, every team is an NFL team and they’ve all got dudes on the roster,” Collins said. “They all do. We’ll treat those guys with the same respect if they’re 0-4 or 4-0.”
STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM
The Cardinals defense is led by linebacker Dennis Gardeck, who has four sacks this season, which ranks sixth in the NFL. Gardeck has slowly risen the ranks from undrafted free agent to a vital part of Arizona’s defense. Gardeck has 12 sacks in his career, which is tied for the most in franchise history for an undrafted free agent.
HIGGINS HURTING
The Bengals could be without one of their top receivers on Sunday. Tee Higgins left last week’s loss to the Titans with a rib injury and hasn’t practiced. He’s considered day to day. Higgins has caught just 12 of 32 targets in four games for 129 yards, but has two of Cincinnati’s total three touchdowns this season. Ja’Marr Chase doesn’t have any touchdown catches – more the fault of a limited Burrow and the offensive line – but is starting to get some traction, getting 141 and 73 passing yards in the past two games.
WILSON EMERGES
The Cardinals look as if they might have found a steal in the third round of this year’s draft. Receiver Michael Wilson – who played in college at Stanford – has emerged as one of the team’s big playmakers and had the first two TD catches of his career against the 49ers last week. He’s currently second on the team with 237 yards receiving, just behind Marquise Brown’s 239.
“He’s so locked into the game plan,” Dobbs said. “One, he executes at a high level and his effort is tremendous. Just being a rookie receiver, a lot of times just to get on the field sometimes you have to do dirty work. You’ve got to play ‘Z’ where you’re a little more involved in the run game. You’re on the front side of runs and you have to do kind of the dirty stuff that some receivers don’t like to do, and he seems to like to do it.”
BENGALS TE COULD RETURN
Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said tight end Irv Smith Jr. is working his way back. He was listed as having limited participation in practice on Wednesday after missing the past two games with a hamstring injury. The former Viking was signed as a free agent in the offseason to replace Hayden Hurst, who had 414 receiving yards and two TDs last season and then signed with Carolina.
“We’ll be smart how we utilize him,” Taylor said.
PARIS VS. CINCINNATI
Cardinals rookie right tackle Paris Johnson Jr. will be facing his hometown team. This year’s sixth overall pick played his high school ball in Cincinnati before going to Ohio State. Johnson has immediately moved into a starting role for the Cardinals, anchoring the right side of the offensive line all season.
“I think that everything that we’ve asked him to do on and off the field, he has done that and probably more,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said. “I guess if I say it like that, he has exceeded some expectations, but he was taken where he was taken for a reason.
“He plays a premium position and he’s played well.”
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-0) AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (2-2)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 4:05 PM ET
FOX: Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) PHI: 134 or 387 LAR:82 or 228
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: PHI leads series, 21-18-1 (won 6 of past 7)
POSTSEASON: LAR leads series, 2-1
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 9/20/20: LAR 37 at PHI 19
POSTSEASON: 1/27/02 NFC-C: PHI 24 at STL 29
PHILADELPHIA improved to 4-0 for 2nd-straight season. • QB JALEN HURTS passed for 319 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 112.3 rating, his 9th-career 300-yard game. Became 2nd QB in SB era (Patrick Mahomes) with 2 win streaks of 10+ games within 1st 4 career seasons. Is 10-0 with 19 TDs (10 pass, 9 rush) vs. 4 INTs in his past 10 road starts. • RB D’ANDRE SWIFT had 79 scrimmage yards (56 rush, 23 rec.) & 2nd rush TD of season last week. Ranks 2nd in NFL with 364 rush yards in 2023. Had 8 catches, 144 scrimmage yards (96 rec., 48 rush) & TD catch in his only career game vs. LAR (10/24/21 w/ Det.). • WR A.J. BROWN led team with 9 catches for 175 yards & 2 rec. TDs in Week 4, his 6th-career game with 2+ TD catches. Ranks 3rd in NFC with 414 rec. yards in 2023 & aims for his 3rd in row with 125+ rec. yards. Has 12 games with 125+ rec. yards since 2019, 4th-most in NFL. • WR DEVONTA SMITH had 7 catches for 78 yards last week. Has 5+ catches in 5 of his past 6 road games. • LB HAASON REDDICK had 1st sack of season last week. Aims for his 4th in row vs. LAR with TFL. • DE JOSH SWEAT had sack last week & has 0.5+ sacks in 3 of 4 games in 2023. Has 5 sacks & 5 TFL in his past 5 on road. • LB ZACH CUNNINGHAM led team with 13 tackles last week, his 26th-career game with 10+ tackles. • LB NICHOLAS MORROW had 11 tackles, career-high 3 sacks & 3rd-career FF in Week 4, his 7th-career game with 10+ tackles. • CB DARIUS SLAY had career-high 11 tackles last week. • S REED BLANKENSHIP had 8 tackles & 2 PD last week. Aims for his 4th in row with 7+ tackles & PD.
QB MATTHEW STAFFORD passed for 319 yards in Week 4 & is 1 of 2 (Kirk Cousins) with 3 games of 300+ pass yards in 2023. Has 60 career 300-yard games, 2nd-most among active players. Has TD pass in each of 1st 13 home starts with LAR. Has 11 TDs (10 pass, 1 rush) vs. INT for 98 rating in 5 career starts vs. Phi. • RB KYREN WILLIAMS had career-high 127 scrimmage yards (career-high 103 rush, 24 rec.) & 2 rush TDs in Week 4. Ranks tied-3rd in NFL with 6 scrimmage TDs (5 rush, 1 rec.) & is only player with 3 games of 2 TDs in 2023. • WR PUKA NACUA (rookie) had 9 catches for 163 yards & 1stcareer rec. TD in Week 4. Leads NFL with 39 receptions & ranks 2nd with 501 rec. yards, both most by player in 1st 4 career games in NFL history. Is 2nd player ever (Harlan Hill) with 100+ rec. yards in 3 of his 1st 4 career games. • WR TUTU ATWELL had 5 catches last week & has 5+ catches in 3 of 4 games in 2023. • TE TYLER HIGBEE had 5 catches for 64 yards last week & aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ receptions. Had career-high 3 rec. TDs in last meeting. • DT AARON DONALD aims for his 3rd in row with sack & 2 TFL. • LB ERNEST JONES led team with 10 tackles & had 2nd-career sack last week, his 6th-career game with 10+ tackles. Is only NFC player & 1 of 3 in NFL (Zaire Franklin & Foyesade Oloukun) with 9+ tackles in each of 1st 4 weeks. • LB BYRON YOUNG is 1 of 3 rookies with 2+ sacks (2) in 2023. • LB MICHAEL HOECHT had 1st-career PD last week. • CB AHKELLO WITHERSPOON had 1st-career FR in Week 4. Aims for his 3rd in row with PD. • DB JORDAN FULLER had 2nd FF of season last week. LOS ANGELES RAMS LAR (Offense) PHI (Defense)
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) The rest of the NFL has swiped plenty of ideas out of Sean McVay’s playbook over the past seven seasons, so the Los Angeles Rams’ head coach didn’t hesitate to take the “tush push” out of Philadelphia’s game plan this year.
Trouble is, nobody can do it quite like Jalen Hurts and the unbeaten Eagles.
“We tried it,” McVay said with a grimace, recalling the Rams’ attempt at the Eagles’ signature short-yardage gainer during their season opener at Seattle. “It didn’t look very good. That’s why we had to go for it on fourth-and-1. We tried it on second down. It looked nothing like Philly’s. We’ve got some other things maybe we’ll try.”
The Eagles’ formidable play is just one thing for the Rams to worry about when Philadelphia visits SoFi Stadium on Sunday, when rebuilding Los Angeles has an opportunity to sneak up behind a Super Bowl contender that looks a bit more vulnerable than its record.
The Eagles are 4-0 for the second straight season, yet there’s some simmering frustration among the defending NFC champions’ fans because of their relatively narrow victories and their struggles on defense, particularly the NFL’s 27th-ranked performance against the pass.
On the other coast, the Rams are only 2-2 in the second season after their Super Bowl triumph, yet most fans are pleasantly surprised by their team’s competence and exciting offensive play in what the franchise has acknowledged to be a reset season for their salary cap concerns and their roster depth.
With Matthew Stafford and rookie receiver Puka Nacua racking up impressive numbers at the forefront of the offense, the Rams feel they’ve got a shot against the NFL’s best despite their overall talent deficit, particularly on defense. But Los Angeles’ relatively undersized defensive line might find it difficult to stop many aspects of the Eagles’ powerhouse offensive game, and the tush push is no exception.
Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said the play relies on both precision and brute strength, but Los Angeles is ready to take a shot at it.
“It’s a play that is not legal anywhere else in football, to be able to push another player,” Morris said. “Whenever you have something that works that many times in a row, clearly it was ingenious of them to think of it. I’m sure they thought it was going to be outlawed by now, and it’s not. They continue to go with it, and we’ve got to do our best to push them back.”
At least the Rams have Aaron Donald, who has done more damage to offensive lines than any player of his generation.
“You’ve got to be stout in the middle,” Donald said. “Offensive line gets low, so you’ve got to try to get as low as you can. I think it starts with the center. You try to get under his pads and pop them up, and then guys crowd the ball and maybe you can stop it. It’s definitely tough.”
WATCHING 99
Donald is off to a strong start to his comeback season with 2 1/2 sacks and six quarterback hits in four games. The seven-time All-Pro has recorded a sack against 29 of the Rams’ 31 opponents during his career, only missing out against the Eagles and the New York Jets.
“Always have to be alert for the best player on the field,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “You don’t have to have the tape on very long to know where (No.) 99 is and how disruptive he is. … That doesn’t mean you do something crazy and completely do a bunch of different things that you haven’t done before, but knowing where he is on every snap is going to be critical, because we know how much of a force he is.”
PUKA AND COOP?
Nacua has toppled a slew of NFL rookie records while catching 39 passes for 501 yards in the Rams’ first four games. Los Angeles could get another boost if Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp is healthy enough to return from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since early in training camp.
STOP THE RUN
Los Angeles’ ground game has been moderately effective with Kyren Williams, who’s coming off his first career 100-yard rushing game and has scored five touchdowns already this season. The Rams are likely to find it harder to run against the Eagles’ defense, which has allowed just 252 yards rushing all season – second-fewest in the league.
SOFI SHOWDOWN
Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter and Rams left guard Steve Avila already matched up at SoFi earlier this year when Carter’s Georgia Bulldogs beat Avila’s TCU Horned Frogs for the College Football Playoff championship. They’ll face off again Sunday as two promising NFL rookies on the interior lines.
VERMEIL HONORED
Former Rams and Eagles coach Dick Vermeil will be honored during a halftime ceremony recognizing his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year.
The 86-year-old coach was a Rams assistant coach for four seasons in Los Angeles before becoming UCLA’s head coach and then taking over the Eagles in 1976, eventually leading them to the Super Bowl. He became the St. Louis Rams’ head coach in 1997 and won the franchise’s first Super Bowl championship in his third and final year in charge.
NEW YORK JETS (1-3) AT DENVER BRONCOS (1-3)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 4:25 PM ET
CBS: Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan, AJ Ross
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) NYJ: 113 or 385 DEN: 85 or 226
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: DEN leads series, 21-17-1 (won 2 of past 3)
POSTSEASON: DEN leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/23/22: NYJ 16 at DEN 9
POSTSEASON: 1/17/99 AFC-C: NYJ 10 at DEN 23
QB ZACH WILSON set season highs in completions (career high 28), comp. pct. (71.8), pass yards (245), TD passes (2) & rating (career-high 105.2) last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 0 INTs. Has 0 INTs in 3 of his past 4 road starts. • RB BREECE HALL led team with 69 scrimmage yards (56 rush, 13 rec.) last week. Rushed for 72 yards & TD in last meeting. Has 60+ scrimmage yards & TD in 4 of 5 career road games. • RB DALVIN COOK had rush TD in only career game vs. Den. (11/17/19 w/ Min.). • WR GARRETT WILSON tied career high with 9 catches for 60 yards last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 5+ catches. Has 60+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with 80+ rec. yards. Had 4 catches in last meeting. • WR ALLEN LAZARD led team with season-high 61 rec. yards & had 1st TD catch of season in Week 4. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. AFC West with rec. TD. • TE TYLER CONKLIN had season-best 58 rec. yards last week. Has 50+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. Had 4 catches in last meeting. • TE C.J. UZOMAH had 1st TD catch of season in Week 4. • DL QUINNEN WILLIAMS had 1st half sack of season last week. Had PD in last meeting & has TFL in 2 of 3 career games vs. Den. • LB QUINCY WILLIAMS led team with season highs in tackles (13), TFL (2) & PD (2) last week. Aims for his 9th in row with 7+ tackles & 3rd in row with TFL. Has PD in 4 of his past 5. • LB C.J. MOSLEY had season-best 11 tackles & 1st INT of season in Week 4. Aims for 3rd in row with 10+ tackles. Has PD in 2 of past 3. Had 7 tackles in last meeting. • CB SAUCE GARDNER had career-high 10 tackles & 3 PD in last meeting. Has 16 PD in 10 career road games.
BRONCOS overcame 21-point 2nd-half deficit to win last week, tied for biggest comeback in NFL this season (NYG in Week 2). • QB RUSSELL WILSON completed 21 of 28 atts. (75 pct.) for 223 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for season-high 133.5 rating last week, his 30th-career game with 3+ TD passes & 0 INTs, 1 of 7 players alltime with 30+ career games. Is 1 of 2 QBs (Brock Purdy) with 105+ rating in 3 games this season. Is 3-0 with 9 TDs vs. INT & 132.6 rating in 3 career starts vs. NYJ, with 2+ TD passes & 120+ rating in each game. Aims for his 5th in row at home with 2+ TD passes. • RB JAVONTE WILLIAMS has 55+ scrimmage yards in 3 of 4 games this season. Had 62 scrimmage yards (33 rush, 29 rec.) with rush TD in last meeting. • RB JALEEL MCLAUGHLIN (rookie) led team with career-high 104 scrimmage yards (72 rush, 32 rec.) & 1st-career rec. TD last week. Has TD in 2 of his past 3. • WR COURTLAND SUTTON had rec. TD last week & is 1 of 4 in NFL with TD catch in 3 games this season. • WR JERRY JEUDY aims for 3rd in row with 50+ rec. yards. Had 7 catches for 96 yards in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NYJ with 60+ rec. yards. Has 70+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5 at home. • WR MARVIN MIMS (rookie) has 70+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. • S JUSTIN SIMMONS has 10 tackles in 2 of his past 3 at home. Has 27 career INTs, tied-4th most among active safeties. • S KAREEM JACKSON had 8 tackles & game-sealing INT in 4th qtr. last week, 2nd INT of season. Aims for 3rd in row with 8+ tackles. • LB NIK BONITTO had career-high 2.5 sacks & 2nd-career FF in Week 4. Has sack in 2 of past 3. Aims for 4th in row with 2+ TFL • LB ALEX SINGLETON led team with season-high 12 tackles last week, his 2nd-straight game with 10+ tackles.
DENVER (AP) The spice that Sean Payton injected into the Jets-Broncos matchup by trashing Nathaniel Hackett last summer has mostly dissipated with both teams awash in bigger concerns than the flap that raised hackles in New Jersey and eyebrows everywhere else.
Still recovering from losing Aaron Rodgers minutes into his debut in gotham green, the Jets (1-3) have lost three in a row.
They’re encouraged, however, by Zach Wilson’s performance last weekend when he did a spot-on impression of Patrick Mahomes before the Chiefs escaped the Meadowlands with a 23-20 squeaker.
Payton has been plagued by many of the same problems for which he excoriated Hackett, such as game management and communication issues, and he lost his first three games with Denver, including a 50-point blowout at Miami, before winning his first game last week.
After Denver rallied from a three-touchdown deficit to hand the Bears their 14th consecutive loss, Payton promised not to sugarcoat the ugly win but did say the team could celebrate “then get ready to go next week and we can dive into the whole Jets fiasco stuff.”
Yet, he deflected a day later when asked if he’d reached out to Hackett or Jets coach Robert Saleh to apologize as he said he would. Payton insisted he sufficiently addressed the matter two days after his critical comments were published, calling them a mistake and saying he regretted saying what he did.
Saleh, too, demurred when asked this week if Payton had reached out – “I will leave that between he and I” – and besides, he added, it’s ancient history as far as he’s concerned.
“In football terms, that was 15 years ago, 20. It’s more like 25 now,” Saleh said. “But it’s long gone. We are a different football team than we were in training camp, so are they. We are just going out to play a football game. The reality is that coaches don’t play, it’s the players.”
Hackett, who was fired after going 4-11 in Denver, said he never heard from Payton. Asked if he would be open to chatting with him Sunday, Hackett said, “Let’s put it this way, everyone: This game is about those guys out on that field. This game is not about me.”
And no, Hackett insisted, he doesn’t take any satisfaction in knowing that the problems he dealt with last season persist in Denver under his successor.
“I haven’t really watched their offense,” Hackett said.
Had he paid attention, he’d see that Russell Wilson is having a much better season. He already has nine touchdown throws, seven shy of what he had all of last season.
But the O-line is plagued by pre-snap penalties and Wilson often has to burn timeouts just as he did in 2022.
Safety Justin Simmons embraced ex-Broncos coach Vic Fangio, now coordinating the Dolphins’ defense, in Miami last month and he said he plans to do the same if he sees Hackett after this game.
“I have nothing but amazing things to say about him,” Simmons said. “I loved him as my coach. It’s unfortunate it didn’t work out. It was tough throughout the year he was here but for me it was still a lot of fun and I have nothing but respect for him and how he takes care of his business.”
VINTAGE RUSS
Saleh spent two years in Seattle with Russell Wilson and four years scheming against him in San Francisco. He said he sees a vintage Russell Wilson his season.
“He’s lost weight from last year. He looks good. He’s moving around really well. He’s creating off schedule, like I’m used to seeing,” Saleh said. “His arm is alive. He’s throwing the ball accurately. They’re doing a really nice job. They’re moving the ball.”
ZACH ON TRACK
Zach Wilson silenced his naysayers – including Hall of Famer Joe Namath – for at least one week when he had perhaps the best performance of his career against K.C.
With fans clamoring for newly signed backup Trevor Siemian, Wilson completed a career-best 28 passes, threw for two TDs and ran for a 2-point conversion to go with a career-high 105.2 passer rating.
Next he’ll face a struggling Broncos defense with a chance to show last week was no fluke.
“I’m proud of him,” center Connor McGovern said. “Like everybody says – Coach Saleh, everybody in the locker room – we trust him. … We all have his back.”
BACK TO THE SCENE
Jets running back Breece Hall (left ACL) and right tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker (torn triceps) will play their first game in Denver since they both suffered season-ending injuries against the Broncos last season.
“I think last year was just a very unfortunate turn of events,” said Vera-Tucker. “I really don’t think about that at all. I’m just going to go out there and play my game and pray I come out healthy this time.”
Hall leads the Jets with 210 yards rushing and Saleh said this week that Hall no longer has any snap limits.
CUTTING EDGE
OLB Nik Bonitto will get his second start for the Broncos. He had a 2½-sack performance last week highlighted by a fourth-quarter strip-sack of Justin Fields that Jonathon Cooper returned for the tying TD after supplanting veteran Randy Gregory in the starting lineup.
Seventy-two hours later, the Broncos jettisoned Gregory, who had just three sacks and missed 11 of 21 games since signing his $70 million, five-year free agent deal in 2022.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (3-1) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-3)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 4:25 PM ET
CBS: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) KC: 109 or 384 MIN: 104 or 225
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: KC leads series, 7-5 (Home team won past 6)
POSTSEASON: KC leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 11/3/19: MIN 23 at KC 26
POSTSEASON: 1/11/70 SB IV: MIN 7 at KC 23
QB PATRICK MAHOMES totaled 254 yards (203 pass, season high 51 rush) last week, his 8th-career game with 50+ rush yards. Has 2+ TD passes in 3 of 4 games this season & 95+ rating in 2 of his past 3. Has 200 career TD passes, becoming fastest player ever (84 games) to reach milestone. Is 4-1 as starter vs. NFC North, with 9 TDs (8 pass, 1 rush) vs. INT. • RB ISIAH PACHECO had career-high 158 scrimmage yards (115 rush, 43 rec. – both career highs) & rush TD last week. Aims for 4th in row with 70+ scrimmage yards & 3rd in row with rush TD. • RB JERICK MCKINNON spent 1st 4 seasons of career (2014- 17) with Min., totaling 2,902 scrimmage yards & 12 TDs. • TE TRAVIS KELCE aims for 3rd in row with 6+ catches & 60+ rec. yards. Has TD catch in 2 of 3 games this season & 5 of his past 6 overall, incl. playoffs. Has 5+ catches & 60+ rec. yards in both career games vs. Min. Aims for his 4th in row vs. NFC North with rec. TD. • TE NOAH GRAY had 3rd-career TD catch in Week 4. • WR MARQUEZ VALDES-SCANTLING had 123 rec. yards & TD catch in his last game at Min. (11/21/21 w/ GB). • WR JUSTIN WATSON has 50+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3. • DT CHRIS JONES has sack in each of his past 6 reg. season games, longest active streak in NFL. Had sack in last meeting. • DE GEORGE KARLAFTIS has 0.5+ sacks in 2 of his past 3. Has TFL in 5 of his past 6 on road. • LB NICK BOLTON aims for his 12th in row with 7+ tackles. • LB DRUE TRANQUILL led team with 8 tackles & had 2nd-career FF in Week 4. Aims for 3rd in row with 8+ tackles. • S MIKE EDWARDS had 1st sack of season last week. Aims for 3rd in row with PD. Has TFL in 2 of his past 3 on road. • CB TRENT MCDUFFIE has 5+ tackles in 3 of 4 games this season.
QB KIRK COUSINS is only QB with 2+ TD passes in each of 1st 4 weeks. Leads NFL in pass TDs (11) & ranks 3rd in pass yards (1,214). Aims for his 5th in row at home & 5th in row overall with 2+ TD passes. Had 3 TD passes vs. 0 INTs in last meeting. Has 49 career 300-yard games & can become 5th QB ever with 50 300-yard games in 1st 12 seasons. • RB ALEXANDER MATTISON rushed for 95 yards last week & aims for his 3rd in row with 90+ rush yards. • RB CAM AKERS had 51 scrimmage yards (40 rush, 11 rec.) in team debut last week. • WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON had 6 catches for 85 yards & 2 rec. TDs last week, his 5th-career game with 2 TD catches. Leads NFL with 543 rec. yards, 4th-most ever by player in team’s 1st 4 games of season. Has rec. TD in 5 of his past 6 at home. Aims for his 5th in row at home with 120+ rec. yards. • TE T.J. HOCKENSON aims for his 4th in row at home with 8+ receptions. Had TD catch in his only career game vs. KC (9/29/19 w/ Det.). Ranks tied-1st among TEs with 25 receptions in 2023. • S HARRISON SMITH led team with career-high 14 tackles, had career-high 3 sacks & had 2nd FF of season last week, 7th DB since 2000 with 3 sacks in single game. Is 5th DB since 1982 with 3+ sacks in 4+ (4) career seasons. Had sack & FF in last meeting. • LB DANIELLE HUNTER leads NFL with 8 TFL & leads NFC with 5 sacks in 2023. Aims for his 5th in row with TFL. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. KC with 0.5+ sacks. • LB D.J. WONNUM had 1st-career FR-TD in Week 4. • LB JORDAN HICKS had 13 tackles last week. • S CAMRYN BYNUM has 12 tackles last week & is only DB with 3 games of 10+ tackles in 2023.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) There’s only one team in the NFL that Patrick Mahomes has yet to beat.
The Minnesota Vikings, it figures, are the only one he’s never faced.
Matching up with the two-time NFL MVP and his defending champion Kansas City Chiefs is hardly a recipe for maintaining the momentum generated last week by their vulnerable defense, but the Vikings of course don’t get to choose their schedule.
What players with any pride would want it any other way? It’s time for the team that won 13 games and the NFC North last season to show it can still be a factor in 2023 and keep those long-frustrated fans from obsessing over next year’s draft position.
Playing the Chiefs (3-1) ought to be as accurate of a measuring stick as the Vikings (1-3) could find for the first weekend in October.
“You want to play against the best,” Vikings safety Harrison Smith said, “and these guys certainly have been that in recent history.”
With two Super Bowl titles in his first five seasons as the starter, all those statistical accomplishments and his unique blend of fearlessness and improvisation that has gone a long way toward redefining quarterback play for a new generation, Mahomes doesn’t have much left to accomplish on the field.
Defeating the Vikings to complete the checklist of 31 other teams would be an impressive feat, considering half of the league only appears on the schedule every four years in the NFL’s formula for interconference competition.
“I just want to win every week,” said Mahomes, who is 67-17 in the regular season and 11-3 in the playoffs as a starter. “It’s not necessarily beating this team because I haven’t played them. It’s going in with the mentality to do what I need to win the game.”
When the Chiefs beat the Vikings in 2019, Matt Moore was behind center while Mahomes recovered from a dislocated kneecap. Though Mahomes has lost to Indianapolis in his only two regular-season matchups, he and the Chiefs beat the Colts in his first career start in the playoffs.
“Right now, we’re just all focused on trying to get things right,” coach Andy Reid said, “but it is an amazing stat for him for sure.”
The Chiefs are favored by 5½ points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook odds, but even with a defense that ranks just 21st in the league in passing yards allowed the Vikings might well be catching their opponent at the right time in what’s sure to be a raucous U.S. Bank Stadium.
With a wide receiver group still trying to find its way, Mahomes has thrown four interceptions over four games and is only 15th in the NFL in passer rating (92.0).
“I have to put us in better positions and make better decisions so guys can go out there and make plays for me,” Mahomes said.
PICKING HIS SPOTS
Mahomes isn’t feared for his speed, but his ability to use his feet has still been a useful tool in Kansas City’s offense. He showed that in last season’s playoffs, when his scramble set up the winning field goal against Cincinnati in the AFC championship game and again last week when a 25-yard run on third-and-22 kept alive the Chiefs’ final drive to seal a 23-20 victory over the Jets.
“He’s got a good feel for the coverage, who is dropping out of there and the time element that is involved with that,” Reid said, “and he’s smart when he does it in certain situations. He knows he can do it, and other times it’s not going to be available.”
HELP ON DEFENSE
The Chiefs hope to have linebacker Nick Bolton (ankle), who is responsible for setting the defense, and cornerback Jaylen Watson (shoulder) back from injuries this week. Bolton’s absence from the past two games has been noticeable, and missing Watson has minimized the depth in the secondary. The Chiefs could use their full complement of defensive backs to deal with Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson.
“It’s hard to stop him play after play,” safety Mike Edwards said. “If he gets a 5-yard catch, he can turn 5 yards into 60. We have to stop the explosive gains, and we’ll be good.”
HELPING HAND
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is apparently not too preoccupied with Taylor Swift to mentor his young teammates. Wide receiver Rashee Rice singled out the All-Pro this week for helping him learn how to identify defenses, including ways to escape the line of scrimmage against man-to-man coverage and where the soft spots should be in zones.
“He’s always pulling me aside, during games, during practices,” said Rice, a rookie from SMU who was drafted in the second round. “We get a lot of good looks out here.”
LINE SHUFFLE
Vikings center Garrett Bradbury, one of only seven players remaining who played against the Chiefs in 2019, is on track to return from a back injury that knocked him out of the season opener. With guards Ezra Cleveland and Ed Ingram leaving room for improvement, the Vikings have also begun to work newcomer Dalton Risner into the mix during practice. This would seem to be the right time for Risner to at least rotate in or take over as a starter.
“When you add a player like Dalton in-season, you want to give him an opportunity,” coach Kevin O’Connell said.
DALLAS COWBOYS (3-1) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-0)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023 GAME TIME: 8:20 PM ET
NBC: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark
Westwood One: Ryan Radtke, Ryan Harris
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) DAL: 83 or 227 SF: 85 or 226 National: 88
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: SF leads series, 15-14-1 (DAL won past 3)
POSTSEASON: DAL leads series, 5-4
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 12/20/20: SF 33 at DAL 41
POSTSEASON: 1/22/23 NFC-DIV: DAL 12 at SF 19
QB DAK PRESCOTT completed 28 of 34 atts. (82.4 pct.) for 261 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs for 108.5 rating last week. Has 6 TDs (5 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs for 123.4 rating in 2 career reg. season starts vs. SF. Aims for his 3rd in row in reg. season at SF with 2+ TD passes & 110+ rating. • RB TONY POLLARD had 132 scrimmage yards (69 rush, 63 rec.) & 2 rush TDs in last reg. season meeting. Aims for his 5th in row with 60+ scrimmage yards. Aims for his 3rd in row on SNF with 2+ rush TDs. • WR CEEDEE LAMB had 1st rec. TD of season last week. Had 10 catches for 117 yards in 2022 NFC-D vs. SF. Had 5 catches for 85 yards in last reg. season meeting. Aims for his 4th in row on SNF with 75+ scrimmage yards. • WR MICHAEL GALLUP aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ catches & 60+ rec. yards. Had rec. TD in last reg. season meeting. • TE JAKE FERGUSON led team & set career highs with 7 catches & 77 rec. yards last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ catches. • LB MICAH PARSONS has 4 sacks, 9 TFL & 3 PD in 6 career SNF games. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with sack. • LB LEIGHTON VANDER ESCH had 1st-career FR-TD in Week 4. • DT OSA ODIGHIZUWA aims for his 4th in row on road with TFL. Had sack in 2022 NFC-D vs. SF. • DE DEMARCUS LAWRENCE has 3 sacks, 4 TFL, 2 FFs & FR in 4 career games vs. SF, incl. postseason. Aims for his 4th in row overall vs. SF with TFL. • S DARON BLAND had career-high 3 PD & 2 INTs in Week 4, his 2nd-career game with 2 INTs. Had 11 tackles & PD in 2022 NFC-D vs. SF. • S JAYRON KEARSE had 3rd-career game with 2 PD last week
49ERS improved to 4-0 for 1st time since 2019 & have won 14 consecutive reg. season games. Became 1st team since 2012- 13 Broncos with 30+ points in 7 straight reg. season games. • QB BROCK PURDY completed 20 of 21 atts. (95.2 pct. – 4thhighest in single game in NFL history, min. 20 atts.) for 283 yards & had 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs for 134.6 rating in Week 4. Can become 3rd QB to begin career since 1970 (Ben Roethlisberger & Mike Tomczak) to win each of 1st 10 career starts. Leads NFL with 115.1 rating in 2023. • RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY became 4th player in SB era with 100+ rush yards (106), 3 rush TDs, 70+ rec. yards (71) & rec. TD in single game last week. Can tie HOFer Emmitt Smith (1995) with most consecutive games, incl. playoffs, (14) with TD since 1990. Has 12 career games with both rush TD & rec. TD, tied-2nd most in NFL history. Is 2nd player in SB era (Smith – 1995) with 600+ scrimmage yards (600) & 7+ scrimmage TDs (7) in team’s 1st 4 games of season. Has 9 TDs (5 rush, 4 rec.) in 10 career primetime games. • WR DEEBO SAMUEL has 100+ scrimmage yards & TD in 4 of his past 5 primetime games at home. Has 166 scrimmage yards (83 per game) & rush TD in 2 career games vs. Dal. (both playoffs). • WR BRANDON AIYUK had 6 catches for career-high 148 rec. yards in Week 4 & has 100+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 5. • TE GEORGE KITTLE had 5 catches for 95 yards in 2022 NFC-D vs. Dal. Aims for his 4th in row in primetime with 80+ rec. yards. • DL NICK BOSA aims for his 7th in row in primetime with sack & 9th in row in primetime with TFL. • DL JAVON HARGRAVE had 3rd sack of season last week. • LB FRED WARNER had 9 tackles & INT in 2022 NFC-D vs. Dal. • S TALANOA HUFANGA has INT in 3 of his past 5 primetime games.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) The questions about getting past the San Francisco 49ers hurdle were directed at the Dallas Cowboys as soon as their latest victory was complete.
Quarterback Dak Prescott bristled at the premise, but the only way for the Cowboys to change that story will be to start beating the team that knocked them out of the postseason the past two years.
Dallas gets another shot at doing that Sunday night when the Cowboys (3-1) visit the 49ers (4-0) in a game with much less meaning than the losses the past two Januarys, but could impact where a rematch is played this season if the teams meet again in the playoffs.
“This is not all about what happened last year,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “This is not walking down the street and get in a fight with a guy and then every time you turn the corner you’re looking for him. This is about winning the game. This is about winning the next game. But we know who we’re playing.”
That’s because of what happened the past two seasons. The Cowboys lost 19-12 at the Niners in the divisional round last season, following a 23-17 loss at home in the wild-card round the previous season.
Prescott and the offense struggled in both contests and the Cowboys made too many mistakes on both sides of the ball to prevail.
Winning on Sunday won’t lessen the blow from those losses, but will serve as a sign that there has been improvement in Dallas. The Cowboys have won three games by at least 20 points already this season, but did have a slip-up in a loss at Arizona in Week 3.
“You just use it as a game like this is where we were at last year, this is where we’re at now,” star edge rusher Micah Parsons said. “I’m all about now and how can we define ourselves now and how can we say this is who we are and get a statement win and come back here and show how good we really are?”
The playoff meetings the past two seasons have revived a rivalry that was the most important in the NFL in the 1990s when the teams met in three straight NFC title games with the winner capturing the Super Bowl each time.
Neither franchise has won it all since the 1990s with both still seeking a sixth title. This is the first time since 1994 that they meet in the regular season with both teams multiple games over .500.
“It’s a huge test,” Niners linebacker Fred Warner said. “To say that it isn’t would be naïve and downplaying the moment.”
NEAR-PERFECT PURDY
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy was nearly perfect last week, setting a franchise record for completion percentage by completing 20 of 21 passes in a win over Arizona. Purdy improved to 9-0 as a starter in the regular season and has won all 12 games when he has played at least three quarters. The Cowboys provided his biggest challenge as he threw for only 214 yards with no TDs in the game.
Purdy has overcome every challenge he has faced. But he hasn’t had to lead a team from behind in the clutch. Since taking over for Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13 last season, Purdy has completed only one pass when trailing in the fourth quarter. That was a 1-yard pass to George Kittle in the NFC title game loss at Philadelphia when Purdy had a torn ligament in his elbow.
SOMETHING’S GOT TO GIVE
The Cowboys are tied for second in the NFL with 11 takeaways, and both teams are among three that have committed a league-low one turnover through four games. Purdy hasn’t thrown an interception, and Prescott has the only Dallas giveaway with a pick a season after tying for the NFL lead with 15 despite missing five games.
“I don’t think he’s played perfect,” Parsons said of Purdy, “but I think he’s played really good and I think there’s opportunities there. People just haven’t capitalized on them.”
RUN CMC
The Cowboys held Christian McCaffrey to 57 yards from scrimmage in the playoff meeting last season, but repeating that will be tough to do. McCaffrey has 600 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns in four games, marks previously reached only by Hall of Famers Jim Brown (1958 and ’63) and Emmitt Smith (1995).
He scored a TD in the playoff win against Dallas and has at least one in a franchise-record 13 straight games in the regular season and playoffs.
“He’s just a complete running back,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. “I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do. He can run between the tackles, he can run outside, he can run routes, he can pick up blitz protections. He’s just such a complete football player.”
BAD MEMORIES
Dallas running back Tony Pollard is returning to the stadium where he broke his leg in the second quarter of last season’s divisional loss. At that point, Pollard had replaced two-time rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott as the most explosive playmaker in Dallas’ backfield.
Now Pollard is the lead back after Elliott was released in the offseason in a cost-cutting move. Pollard is second to Christian McCaffrey in touches in the NFL through four games with 88 (his San Francisco counterpart has 98). The fifth-year back, playing on the $10.1 million franchise tag, is the only Dallas offensive player with two touchdowns.
“Last game, I was hurt and couldn’t finish the game,” Pollard said. “So yeah, this will be a big one for me.”
GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-2) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-3)
DATE: Monday, October 9, 2023 GAME TIME: 8:15 PM ET
ESPN: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters
Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Mike Golic
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) GB: 81 or 226 LV: 83 or 225 National: 88
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: GB leads series, 8-5 (won past 8)
POSTSEASON: GB leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/20/19: OAK 24 at GB 42
POSTSEASON: 1/14/68 SB II: GB 33 vs. OAK 14
QB JORDAN LOVE completed 23 of 36 atts. (63.9 pct., career high in start) for 246 yards & had both pass TD & rush TD. Aims for his 3rd in row with both pass TD & rush TD. Aims for his 3rd in row on road in 2023 with 3+ TD passes & 100+ rating. • RB AARON JONES has 50+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his past 4 on road. Had 83 scrimmage yards (50 rush, 33 rec.) & TD catch in last meeting. Has 512 scrimmage yards (128 per game) & 8 TDs (5 rec., 3 rush) in his past 4 Monday games. Aims for his 5th in row on Monday with 100+ scrimmage yards & TD. • WR ROMEO DOUBS led team & set career highs with 9 catches & 95 yards in Week 4. Aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ receptions & 70+ rec. yards. • WR CHRISTIAN WATSON had 1st rec. TD of season last week. Has 10 TDs (8 rec., 2 rush) in 15 career games. • WR JAYDEN REED (rookie) had 55 rec. yards last week. • LB RASHAN GARY leads team with 3.5 sacks. • LB QUAY WALKER led team with career-high 19 tackles & had TFL last week. Has 5+ tackles in 19 of his 21 career games. Aims for his 4th in row on road with PD. Has 2 PD, sack & FF in his only career Monday game (12/19/22 vs. LAR). • DL KENNY CLARK has 0.5+ sacks in 3 of 4 games this season & aims for his 3rd in row on road with 0.5+ sacks. • CB JAIRE ALEXANDER has PD in each of his 2 games this season. Has 10 PD & 4 INTs in his past 7 on road & aims for his 8th in row on road with PD. • CB RASUL DOUGLAS has 5 PD & 2 INTs in his past 3 on road & aims for his 4th in row on road with PD. • S RUDY FORD had 5th-career INT last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with PD & 4th in row with 7+ tackles.
QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO has 4 TDs & 106.9 rating in 2 career reg. season starts vs. GB. Is 4-1 with 10 TDs vs. INT & 104.2 rating in 5 career starts on MNF, with 0 INTs & 100+ rating in 4 of 5 games. • QB AIDAN O’CONNELL (rookie) completed 24 of 39 atts. (61.5 pct.) for 238 yards & rushed for TD in NFL debut last week. • RB JOSH JACOBS led team with season-high 139 scrimmage yards (career-high 81 rec., 58 rush), had 1st rush TD of season & season-best 8 catches last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 80+ scrimmage yards. Rushed for 124 yards in last meeting. Has 508 scrimmage yards (101.6 per game) & 5 rush TDs in 5 career games on MNF. Needs 94 rush yards to become 4th player in franchise history with 5,000+ career rush yards. • WR DAVANTE ADAMS aims for 5th in row with 6+ catches & 4th in row with 75+ rec. yards. Has rec. TD in 2 of past 3. Aims for his 5th in row on MNF with 115+ rec. yards. Has 31 career rec. TDs in primetime, tied with Antonio Brown for 4th-most all-time. Spent 1st 8 seasons of career (2014-21) with GB & ranks 2nd in franchise history in catches (669) & rec. TDs (73) & 4th in rec. yards (8,121). • WR JAKOBI MEYERS has 7+ catches & 80+ rec. yards in 2 of 3 games this season. Has 60+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 in primetime. • DE MAXX CROSBY had season-high 8 tackles & 2 sacks last week. Has sack in 3 of 4 games this season & 4 of his past 5 overall. Had sack in last meeting. Has sack in 4 of his past 5 in primetime. • DT JOHN JENKINS had 6 tackles & PD last week. • LB DIVINE DEABLO aims for his 5th in row at home with 8+ tackles. • S TRE’VON MOEHRIG had season-high 2 PD & 2nd-career INT in Week 4. Has PD in 2 of past 3. • CB MARCUS PETERS had PD last week. Ranks tied 3rd among active players with 32 career INTs.
LAS VEGAS (AP) Green Bay has had extra time to think about its 34-20 loss to Detroit, a Thursday night game that gave the Packers last weekend off.
The Packers, who are 2-2, certainly don’t want to spend extra time stewing over another defeat should they lose Monday night at Las Vegas. But that’s exactly what will happen if the Raiders properly defend their home field.
This is the Packers’ only game in a 23-day span.
“I take every game personally,” Green Bay cornerback Rasul Douglas said. “I don’t like losing at anything. If there’s a way I can win, I’m going to win. So I just hate losing, and then I hate just not being myself and what I mean to the defense. I hate being that person.”
The feeling isn’t all that different in the opposing locker room.
Las Vegas is off to a 1-3 start, having lost three games in a row after opening with a 17-16 victory at Denver. If the Raiders win, they have a stretch of games that includes New England, Chicago and both New York teams where they have a shot of success.
If the Raiders lose, then memories of last season’s 6-11 record truly begin to hang over this team.
“I don’t want to come here and (expletive) lose, I want to win,” Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby said. “It’s as simple as that. There are no excuses. We’ve got to do it. The players have got to do it, the coaches. Everybody has got to look at themselves in the mirror and figure out how to get better.”
CARLSON VS. CARLSON
Packers rookie kicker Anders Carlson is the younger brother of Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson, a 2022 All-Pro selection.
Anders said about 27 family members will be heading to Las Vegas to watch this sibling rivalry. That group includes the Carlsons’ oldest brother, Nils, who will travel from Sweden.
Which team’s colors they’ll be wearing remains uncertain.
“Hopefully, my wife’s in Packers gear,” Anders said. “We’ll see about that. She should be. My parents definitely are going to have to split colors. I don’t know what they’re going to do. They’ll figure that out. But super excited to see them gameday.”
Anders acknowledged he wouldn’t be rooting against his brother even while playing on the other team.
“I hope he makes every kick,” Anders said. “I just hope we win by a lot of touchdowns.”
RUNNING IN PLACE
Both the Packers and Raiders have struggled to run the ball, even though both teams feature an accomplished running back.
Josh Jacobs, the NFL’s rushing leader last season, has run for only 166 yards while gaining just 2.7 yards per carry. The Raiders found other ways to use him Sunday against the Chargers. Jacobs caught eight passes for 81 yards to go with his 58 yards on the ground.
“I tell the quarterbacks all the time, ‘I’m always open,’” Jacobs said. “It helps you get in the rhythm of the game.”
As a team, the Raiders are last in the league in yards rushing per game (65.3) and 31st in yards per carry (3.0).
The Packers haven’t been much better. They’re 30th in yards rushing per game (74.5) and 29th in yards per carry (3.3). Aaron Jones missed two games with a hamstring injury and had just five carries when he returned to action in the Packers loss to Detroit on Sept. 28.
“I’m feeling good,” Jones said. “Just still taking it day by day. The hamstring, it can linger so don’t want any of that. That’s why they’ve been so cautious.”
SLOW-STARTING PACKERS
The Packers have been outscored 44-3 in the first half of their last two games.
They erased a 17-0 halftime deficit by scoring 18 points in the final 11 minutes of an 18-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints. They couldn’t come all the way back after falling behind 27-3 in the first 30 minutes of the loss to the Lions.
“I think we’ve just got to get into a rhythm faster … just finding completions early, get the ball moving and kind of just getting ourselves out of maybe the third-and-long situations we put ourselves in, cleaning up penalties, just all the pre-snap things that is hurting ourselves,” Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. “So I think once we get that, get that rhythm going again, we’ll be good.”
BOOKEND RAIDERS
Las Vegas has a slightly different issue.
The Raiders have outscored opponents 53-40 in the first and fourth quarters, but have been outscored 61-9 in the middle two periods.
Those mid-game struggles forced the Raiders to play catch-up the past two games. They had to rally against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers, only to come one drive away from at least tying the game in the final minutes.
“I don’t think we lack urgency, or it’s not like we need a ‘Win one for the Gipper’ speech out there in the middle of the game” Las Vegas coach Josh McDaniels said. “I know that the play might not have necessarily reflected the effort that we were trying to play with in terms of our overall production.
“But I think you can see in the second half of both of the last two games. Everybody’s trying to do everything they can to fight, and it’s not like they’re not doing that in the second quarter or the third quarter.”
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
CORNHUSKERS GO WIRE-TO-WIRE, STIFLE ILLINOIS’ RUSH ATTACK
Nebraska used its defense and special teams to beat Illinois 20-7 in a Big Ten Conference game Friday night in Champaign, Ill.
The Cornhuskers (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) forced a fumble, intercepted a pass, made two fourth-down stops–including one on the goal line–recovered a muffed kickoff and blocked a punt to beat the Illini for the first time since 2019. They also held Illinois (2-4, 0-3) to a season-low 21 rushing yards.
Nebraska led 17-7 at the half, extending the lead to 20-7 on a 32-yard Tristan Alvano field goal midway through the third. The score was set up by a fumble forced by Phalen Sanford and recovered by Griffin Moore in Illinois territory.
A blocked punt on the ensuing drive set the Cornhuskers up with great field position but Alvano’s 36-yard field goal was wide. Nebraska then turned it over on three consecutive drives in the fourth quarter to keep the margin from being greater.
After stuffing Illinois on 4th-and-goal at the 1 on the game’s opening possession, Nebraska drove 86 yards and went up 3-0 on a 31-yard Alvano field goal late in the first quarter.
Another long drive ended in a touchdown for the Cornhuskers midway through the second, with Anthony Grant scoring on a 1-yard run. Two plays later it was 17-0 Nebraska following a muffed kickoff into a stiff wind and a 25-yard Heinrich Haarberg TD run.
Haarberg finished with 236 yards of total offense, throwing for 154 and rushing for 82.
Illinois got on the board with 1:31 left in the first half on a 46-yard TD pass from Luke Altmeyer to Pat Bryant. Altmeyer was 29 of 47 for 289 yards, completing passes to nine different targets, but had no support from a run game averaging more than 140 yards entering the night.
Nebraska is off until hosting Northwestern on Oct. 21, while Illinois visits Maryland next weekend.
CAMERON EPPS, OKLAHOMA STATE SHUT DOWN K-STATE
Cameron Epps picked off two Will Howard first-half passes, including a pick-6, as Oklahoma State knocked off Kansas State 29-21 Friday night in Stillwater, Okla.
Ollie Gordon II rushed for 136 yards against the K-State defense that came into the game ranked sixth in FBS in rushing defense. Alan Bowman was 19-of-35 for 235 yards for Oklahoma State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12).
But it was Epps, Nickolas Martin and the defense that shined for the Cowboys. Martin led OSU with 16 tackles and a pick. The Cowboys held Will Howard to 15-of-34 for 152 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions for Kansas State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12).
OSU’s Alex Haletied his career-long with a 53-yard field goal to open the second-half scoring. K-State then marched deep into O-State territory but turned it over on downs. The Cowboys responded with another Hale field goal.
Treshaun Ward’s 11-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter cut it to 26-15. Howard scored the 2-point conversion. The Cowboys got Hale’s fifth field goal after K-State failed on fourth-and-3 on its own 26-yard line.
Howard’s 6-yard touchdown run cut it to a one-score game. K-State stopped the Cowboys on back-to-back drives, taking over at their own 25 with 3:00 left. But the Wildcats couldn’t get past midfield.
After holding K-State to its first opening drive without a touchdown this season, Oklahoma State scored its first opening-drive touchdown. Ollie Gordon punched it in from the 2-yard line to cap a 15-play, 72-yard drive. The Cowboys were 3-for-3 on third downs on the drive.
On the next drive, Epps picked off Howard, the fifth straight game Howard has thrown a first-half interception. The Cowboys could not capitalize, but after another three-and-out, a Hale 43-yard field goal gave them a 10-0 lead.
The Wildcats finally got on the board on a 1-yard pass from Howard to Ben Sinnott. Out of an empty backfield with trips to the left, Howard went around the right side and raced untouched 70 yards to the 1-yard line two plays earlier.
Hale’s 34-yard field goal with 0:55 left in the quarter gave the Cowboys a 13-7 lead. Epps then grabbed his second interception of the half and returned it for a touchdown and a 20-7 halftime lead.
The Cowboys have won eight of the last nine meetings in Stillwater.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NEWS
IT’S BRADISH VS. HEANEY IN GAME 1 OF THE ALDS BETWEEN O’S AND RANGERS; SCHERZER FACES LIVE HITTERS
BALTIMORE (AP) As expected, the Baltimore Orioles are starting Kyle Bradish in Game 1 of the AL Division Series against Texas and rookie Grayson Rodriguez in Game 2.
The Rangers, on the other hand, went in a somewhat surprising direction.
The Rangers announced Friday night that Andrew Heaney will start the series opener Saturday, followed by Jordan Montgomery in Game 2. That means Texas will pitch two left-handed starters in a row to begin the series.
Texas used Montgomery and Nathan Eovaldi in their sweep of Tampa Bay in the Wild Card Series, which seemed to make Dane Dunning the likely starter to begin this matchup with Baltimore. Instead it will be Heaney, who was 10-6 with a 4.15 ERA this year in his first season with the Rangers.
The other big question for Texas right now is the health of Max Scherzer, who faced hitters Friday. The 39-year-old right-hander said he’ll have to see how he recovers Saturday.
“I’m coming out of a shoulder problem here, and I’m learning what my shoulder can and can’t do,” Scherzer said. “So much of this battle, me getting back, has been in the recovery process from throwing. Obviously a positive sign to be able to go out there and throw against hitters.”
“As much as I feel good right now, I know you got to pump the brakes a little bit,” Scherzer added. “You’ve got to see how your body responds.”
Scherzer felt good enough on the mound that at one point he came dashing off it to field a popup. Then he dropped it, to the delight of his teammates watching in the dugout.
The 27-year-old Bradish (12-7) finished third in the American League with a 2.83 ERA this season. Rodriguez (7-4) was one of baseball’s top pitching prospects at the beginning of the year. He struggled early and was sent back to the minors for a bit, but he has gone 5-2 with a 2.58 ERA since the All-Star break.
Bradish actually made his first start this season at Texas, and he had to leave in the second inning with a bruised foot after being hit by a line drive. That injury began a series of decisions that culminated in Rodriguez being called up to make his big league debut during that same series with the Rangers.
“It’s kind of just a dream to be able to start Game 1 in the playoffs, let alone to be in the playoffs,” Bradish said. “I think about that. It’s come a long way.”
Because the Rangers didn’t announce his identity until later, their Game 1 starter was not available at Friday’s news conference. Heaney signed with the Rangers this past offseason after spending 2022 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It’s not clear if Texas plans to make Dunning a relief option in Games 1 and 2, now that he isn’t slated to start either and Eovaldi is available to start Game 3.
The Orioles went 36-17 when facing lefty starters this year, although there may be some value in making Baltimore’s lineup more right-handed given the deep wall in left field at Camden Yards. At home this season, the Orioles had an OPS of .694 against lefties and .739 against righties.
BRAVES TAB SPENCER STRIDER, MAX FRIED FOR NLDS STARTS VS. PHILLIES
The Atlanta Braves tabbed right-hander Spencer Strider as the Game 1 starter for Saturday’s National League Division Series clash with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Braves manager Brian Snitker said left-hander Max Fried will start Game 2 on Monday.
Strider is a National League Cy Young Award candidate after going 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 32 starts. He was the only 20-game winner in the majors this season.
“I think he’s very much ready, especially he experienced it last year,” Snitker said. “And it was a tough situation for him. So I think he’s probably really excited to have this opportunity when he’s healthy and well rested and prepared.”
Strider, 24, was roughed up by the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS last season. He gave up five runs and three hits in 2 1/3 innings and took the loss in a 9-1 setback. Philadelphia won the series in four games.
He is striving for a different outcome on Saturday.
“When you go into the postseason, you want to feel like you can be successful,” Strider said on Friday. “You have done it before. Like I said, it’s a fresh slate. So they’re a dangerous team. They’re a very good team. They had a phenomenal regular season as well. And so we’re expecting them to come out and fire on all cylinders, and we want to be as well.”
Fried, 29, went 8-1 with a 2.55 ERA in 14 starts this season, missing time with hamstring and forearm injuries.
He also lost to the Phillies in the 2022 NLDS, getting torched for six runs (four earned) and eight hits over 3 1/3 innings of a loss in Game 1.
For Philadelphia, left-hander Ranger Suarez (4-6, 4.18) will start Game 1 and right-hander Zack Wheeler (13-6, 3.61) will start Game 2.
Suarez, 28, was limited to 22 starts this season due to elbow and hamstring injuries. He received a no-decision in Game 1 of the 2022 NLDS when he allowed one run and three hits and walked five in 3 1/3 innings.
“I feel very happy to be the guy starting for us,” Suarez said. “It’s an honor. I know that it hasn’t been the best season of my career. I was away for a couple of months due to injuries, but I’m mentally ready for this game. I feel good. I think it’s going to be a beautiful day.”
Wheeler, 33, lost his start in last season’s NLDS against the Braves. He gave up three runs and four hits in six innings in Game 2.
DODGERS’ WORLD SERIES PUSH STARTS WITH PESKY DIAMONDBACKS
At face value, it appears to be another typical Los Angeles Dodgers playoff series ahead, with Clayton Kershaw starting in Game 1 of the National League Division Series Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Yet this matchup promises to be something new entirely.
In the playoffs for the 11th consecutive year, but with one 2020 World Series title to show for it, perhaps it was time for the Dodgers to unveil something different.
Los Angeles will employ a group-effort pitching strategy, with shorter starts, possible bullpen games and a “piggy-back” plan where two or more pitchers throw multiple innings each.
While it sounds like a full buy-in on next-level analytics, the Dodgers instead are operating out of necessity because of injury, performance uncertainty and the arrival of several rookie pitchers getting their first taste of the playoffs.
“That’s where we’re at as a team (and) I think that’s a great thing, I really do,” Kershaw said. “As far as embracing it or not, I think everybody’s in the mindset that we just want to help this team win a World Series. And so however that looks, whatever (manager Dave Roberts) thinks is best for us to go out there and pitch, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Since returning from a shoulder injury in August, Kershaw has been limited to five innings in all but one of his eight outings, and that was 5 1/3 innings in his regular-season finale. He has not thrown more than 84 pitches in any of those starts.
Those figure to be his limits moving forward, with the Dodgers’ bullpen stepping into the fray. If history holds, the Dodgers like their chances Saturday with Kershaw posting a 22-12 record and a 2.73 ERA in 44 career regular-season starts against Arizona.
There won’t be any shuffling of the deck on offense, with the Dodgers led by four 100-RBI performers in Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, J.D. Martinez and Max Muncy. Betts, Freeman, Martinez and Will Smith were All-Stars.
An impressive group in Arizona is set to announce its arrival, led by NL Rookie of the Year favorite Corbin Carroll, who is getting the biggest stage to show off his impressive blend of speed and power.
Carroll hit 25 home runs with 54 stolen bases in his first full season, then took the wild-card round by storm when he went 4-for-7 with a double, home run and two RBIs in a two-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Even more youth will be served by the Diamondbacks, who lost 110 games as recently as 2021 and haven’t won a postseason contest since 2011. Outfielder Alek Thomas, catcher Gabriel Moreno and infielder Geraldo Perdomo all have made an impact.
“I’ll give them their props,” Carroll said of the Dodgers, according to mlb.com. “You know, they’re a great team. Just a great lineup, good pitching, but you know, we’ve played them all year, we know what they are, we know what they’re not. You know, I wouldn’t count us out.”
When the Dodgers swept a three-game home series between the teams in late August, they outscored the D-backs 23-5. Los Angeles won eight of the 13 regular-season meetings.
Arizona will send right-hander Merrill Kelly to the mound in Game 1. And while he has been impressive in 2023, Kelly (12-8, 3.29) does have his issues with the Dodgers. In 16 career regular-season starts against Los Angeles, he is 0-11 with a 5.49 ERA, while Betts has three home runs and a .351 on-base percentage against him.
Moreno departed early in Wednesday’s playoff clincher after he was hit in the head by a Brewers backswing, but he is expected to play Saturday.
OBER TO START FOR TWINS AGAINST VERLANDER AND ASTROS IN GAME 1 OF ALDS
HOUSTON (AP) Bailey Ober will start for the Minnesota Twins in Game 1 of the AL Division Series on Saturday against Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros.
Ober went 8-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 26 starts this season. He was sent to Triple-A for about a month before returning to the Twins on Sept. 15.
He was strong after his return and went 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in four starts. It will be the first career postseason start for the big right-hander who was not included on the wild-card roster.
Verlander will be making his 35th career postseason start after returning to the AL West champion Astros in a trade from the New York Mets this summer.
He was 13-8 with a 3.22 ERA in 27 starts this season. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA in 11 starts for Houston after the trade.
The Astros will start left-hander Framber Valdez in Game 2 Sunday night in Houston. The Twins haven’t announced their Game 2 starter.
TWINS CARRY MOMENTUM INTO ALDS OPENER VS. EXPERIENCED ASTROS
HOUSTON — Royce Lewis didn’t make the Minnesota Twins’ home crowd of 38,450 on Tuesday wait long to exhale and exorcise the angst that accompanied 18 consecutive postseason losses.
The pent-up frustration accumulated from Minnesota, having lost every playoff contest dating back to Game 2 of the 2004 American League Division Series, needed a release valve. Lewis provided one with his two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning.
It was the defining blow of the Twins’ two-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays in that AL wild-card series, and it set the stage for Minnesota to carry momentum into Game 1 of the ALDS Saturday against the reigning champion Houston Astros.
“It was awesome because our home fans, for them to stand up and go crazy like they did for us, I think it was huge, and it gave us a big momentum swing for not only that series but going forward,” Lewis said. “We’re looking forward to getting back home and playing in front of them.
“I think it’s going to push us to get excited for this game knowing that they’re probably going to be just as crazy for their Houston Astros.”
The Twins won’t return to Target Field until Game 3. In the interim, they must face the challenge of eliminating the Astros, who have qualified for six consecutive AL Championship Series. Minnesota won four of six against Houston this season by taking a home series in early April and another on the road in late May.
Those results are moot, particularly given the Astros’ overwhelming advantages in postseason experience and, more importantly, postseason success.
The Twins will hand the ball to right-hander Bailey Ober (8-6, 3.43 ERA) in Game 1, marking his postseason debut. It’s a tall task for Ober, who faced the Astros twice in 2021 and allowed five runs on 14 hits and two walks over 10 innings in a pair of no-decisions.
“I can’t tell you it was an easy decision picking amongst (the five starters), but Bailey is a guy that he offers a pretty unique look,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He’s pitched real well lately. He came off of the little break that he had later on in the year really strong.
“Overall, we just really like what we’ve seen. They haven’t seen him lately. I think it’s been a couple of years since they faced him. And that’s all kind of woven into it.”
The Astros will counter with veteran Justin Verlander (13-8, 3.22 ERA), who will make his 35th career postseason start. Verlander was instrumental in helping Houston secure the AL West title on the final day of the regular season, going 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA during a 5-1 season-ending road trip that enabled the Astros to run down and bypass the Texas Rangers.
“I feel pretty good right now,” Verlander said. “Most of this season’s been a bit tough, kind of starting behind the 8-ball with the injury and then trying to find my mechanics a lot of the year.
“But it seems to have slowly gotten better and better, and last few outings I felt pretty good.”
As for Astros manager Dusty Baker, the decision to tab Verlander was an obvious one.
“Yeah, Verlander, that’s one of the reasons why we brought him here, for some of these big games we’re anticipating we’re going to have,” Baker said.
Twins shortstop Carlos Correa will face his old team after going 3-for-7 with an RBI during the wild-card sweep. He was an integral part of the 2017 Astros team that won the World Series.
MARLINS ACE SANDY ALCANTARA WILL MISS THE 2024 SEASON AFTER UNDERGOING TOMMY JOHN SURGERY
MIAMI (AP) Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara will miss the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on Friday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
“I give this game my all,” the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner said in a social media post. “I give this city my all, and so I promise I will not take a day off as I push to be back better than ever.”
Alcantara started experiencing discomfort in his arm during a Sept. 3 outing against Washington in which he pitched eight innings. His injury was initially reported as a forearm strain, but was later diagnosed as a UCL sprain – an injury that typically requires Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery. His timeline for return was unknown as he’d hoped to rejoin Miami for a late-season playoff push.
Alcantara experienced forearm tightness following rehab outing with Triple-A Jacksonville on Sept. 21, and the setback ended his season.
“Very frustrating for me, a guy who likes to compete,” Alcantara told reporters before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers last month. “I feel sorry for the fans, my family, my son, my friends because I’m not going to be out there this year. Just try to be ready for next year, I don’t know. Stay positive.”
In 28 starts this season, the 28-year-old Alcantara posted a 4.14 ERA and pitched three complete games. The right-hander went 7-12 in 184 2/3 innings, with 151 strikeouts and 48 walks.
The Marlins made the postseason as the NL’s second wild-card team and were swept by the Philadelphia Phillies in their three-game Wild Card Series.
Miami’s current rotation includes left-handers Jesús Luzardo, Braxton Garrett and Trevor Rogers, as well as 20-year-old right-hander Eury Pérez.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
PURDUE’S ZACH EDEY NAMED PRESEASON BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Purdue senior center Zach Edey has been named the 2023-24 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, as chosen by a select media panel, the conference office announced on Thursday. The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year also claimed the 2023 Jim and Kitty Delany Most Outstanding Player Award after leading Purdue to the 2023 Big Ten Tournament title.
The media panel also selected a 10-member Preseason All-Big Ten Team, with eight conference members represented.
Edey was one of four unanimous selections, joining a trio of guards in Illinois’ Terrence Shannon Jr., Maryland’s Jahmir Young, and Boo Buie from Northwestern. Also selected to the team were Maryland forward Julian Reese, Minnesota guard Dawson Garcia, Michigan State guards A.J. Hoggard and Tyson Walker, Nebraska guard Keisei Tominaga, and Rutgers center Clifford Omoruyi.
All ten members of the 2023-24 Preseason All-Big Ten Team received All-Big Ten honors following the 2022-23 campaign. Buie and Shannon joined Edey with First Team accolades, while Omoruyi, Walker, and Young were named to the Second Team. Hoggard earned a spot on the Third Team, with Garcia, Reese, and Tominaga receiving Honorable Mention.
The 2023-24 preseason All-Big Ten team can be found below.
2023-24 Preseason All-Big Ten Team
TERRENCE SHANNON JR., 5th YEAR, G, ILLINOIS
Julian Reese, Jr., F, Maryland
JAHMIR YOUNG, 5th YEAR, G, MARYLAND
Dawson Garcia, Jr., F, Minnesota
A.J. Hoggard, Sr., G, Michigan State
Tyson Walker, Grad., G, Michigan State
Keisei Tominaga, Sr., G, Nebraska
BOO BUIE, Grad., G, NORTHWESTERN
ZACH EDEY, Sr., C, PURDUE
Clifford Omoruyi, Sr., C, Rutgers
2023-24 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year
Zach Edey, Purdue
Unanimous selections listed in ALL CAPS
MEN’S GOLF NEWS
BEN GRIFFIN HAS SEASON-BEST 63 TO LEAD SANDERSON FARMS IN MISSISSIPPI
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Ben Griffin joined a crowded pack of contenders in the Sanderson Farms Championship and then moved past them Friday afternoon with a 30 on the back nine, sending him to a 9-under 63 and a two-shot lead going into the weekend.
Griffin’s score was one shot better than his previous best in his rookie season, highlighted by a 65-foot eagle from the fringe on the par-5 14th hole at the Country Club of Jackson.
Only one of his seven birdies came from inside 10 feet.
Griffin was at 14-under 130, two shots ahead of Harrison Endycott (65), Luke List (66), Carl Yuan (66) and Henrik Norlander (67).
The Sanderson Farms Championship is part of the FedEx Cup Fall, when players are trying to finish among the top 125 in the FedEx Cup to keep full PGA Tour cards for 2024.
Griffin is at No. 66 and already has his card locked up. At stake for him is to being among Nos. 51 to No. 60, which qualifies him for $20 million tournaments early next year at Pebble Beach and Riviera.
The four players behind him are on the bubble or in desperate need of a good week. The FedEx Cup Fall still has five tournaments left after this week, one of those a limited field in Japan.
Griffin felt he played the opening round just as well until stalling at the end, playing his last five holes in 1 over and having to settle for a 67. That seems to have mirrored his rookie season. He started great, nearly winning in Bermuda. He held his own against a strong field at Bay Hill. And then he limped his way the rest of the summer.
“I wanted to make sure I stayed aggressive,” he said.
Griffin began the back nine with a pair of 15-foot birdie putts, and then got what he called a “bonus” on the 14th with the long eagle putt. He drove just over the green on the reachable 15th, pitched into the grain to 10 feet and made birdie to take the lead.
He closed with a 15-foot birdie on the 17th, and had a chance to go ever lower until missing a birdie on the 18th from just inside 10 feet.
Still, his 63 was one better than rounds he shot at the Wyndham Championship, the Bermuda Open and The American Express.
Chesson Hadley was not quite as dangerous as he said he was on Thursday when he led with a 64. He had a 69 and was in the large group three shots behind.
Erik van Rooyen of South Africa, another player trying to make sure he nails down a spot in the top 125, was among those at 9-under 135, and mildly surprised. He was trying to simply get to the house without two much damage, and he thought he hit his gap wedge a little heavy. Expecting it to come up short, imagine his surprise when it went in for an eagle and a 68.
Scoring was so low across the field that the cut came at 5-under 139. Among those missing was defending champion Mackenzie Hughes of Canada, who made a bold bid at the end until he pulled his tee shot into the hazard on the 16th and took bogey.
Hughes missed out by a fraction finishing in the top 50, which would have secured a place in all the $20 million events next year. He still is in good shape to get in the first two.
Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, coming off a Ryder Cup debut in Rome, had a 69 and was six shots behind. Aberg was No. 1 in the PGA Tour University ranking when he finished at Texas Tech earlier this year. His card is set for 2024, but he wants to finish in the top 125 to get other perks, such as The Players Championship.
WOMEN’S GOLF NEWS
HYO JOO KIM MAINTAINS 2-SHOT LEAD IN ASCENDANT LPGA, WITH RESURGENT LEXI THOMPSON TIED FOR 3RD
THE COLONY, Texas (AP) Hyo Joo Kim shot a 3-under 68 on Friday in The Ascendant LPGA to take a two-stroke lead over Sofia Garcia into the weekend, with resurgent Lexi Thompson tied for third.
Kim had four birdies and a bogey in her morning round at Old American to reach 10-under 132. The 28-year-old South Korean player, ranked No. 7 in the world, also had a two-stroke lead Thursday after an opening 64.
“My shots were better than yesterday, but unfortunately the score wasn’t as good,” Kim said. “But I did hit the green a lot more, so I’m satisfied with that.”
Garcia, a former Texas Tech player from Paraguay, also had four birdies and a bogey in a 68. She a rookie on the tour.
“You have some holes where you can definitely go ahead and be a bit more aggressive,” Garcia said. “And there are a few others that definitely ask you to be patient, where you’re kind of just relieved that you make the par and move on.”
Thompson, set to play next week in the PGA Tour event in Las Vegas, had a 65 – the best score of the day – in breezy afternoon conditions to join Race to CME Globe leader Celine Boutier (67) at 6 under. Thompson played alongside Boutier, a member at OId American.
“It definitely got windier,” Thompson said. “As we made the turn, I would say there was a few holes that really gusted up there. You know you’re going to get that on this golf course, so really committing to the lines and playing smart off the tees and playing for that bounce-out.”
Thompson won the last of her 11 LPGA Tour titles in June 2019. After going 3-1 for the United States in the Solheim Cup in Spain, she tied for eighth last week in Arkansas for her first top 10 of the year. She’s 114th in the Race to CME Globe.
“It’s definitely gotten a lot better,” Thompson said. “I’ve been working hard the whole year. It’s just been a matter of time and putting in the productive work that’s needed, and to see it pay off truly means a lot.”
Kim also is trying to end a victory drought. The five-time LPGA Tour winner has two runner-up finishes and six other top 10s this season without winning.
“I was at the top of the leaderboard couple times this season, but weekend plays haven’t been as good,” Kim said.
Boutier is tied with Lilia Vu for the tour victory lead, winning the major Evian Championship at home in France and taking the Women’s Scottish Open the following week. The former Duke player is making her first start since helping Europe retain the Solheim Cup.
“You have to be a very good ball-striker out here,” Boutier said. “I feel like especially when the wind starts to pick up like it is right now, you definitely have to be smart about your strategy.”
Fellow European Solheim Cup player Leona Maguire (67) was 5 under with Marina Alex (70), Maria Torres (68) and Azahara Munoz (71).
Defending champion Charley Hull, another European Solheim Cup player, had a 69 to get to 1 under.
INDIANA RELEASES/TOP HEADLINES
CAPSULE: TENNESSEE TITANS (2-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-2)
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
CBS: Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Amanda Renner
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) TEN: 109 or 384 IND: 104 or 225
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: IND leads series, 35-21 (TEN won past 5)
POSTSEASON: TEN leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/23/22: IND 10 at TEN 19
POSTSEASON: 1/16/00 AFC-DIV: TEN 16 at IND 16
QB RYAN TANNEHILL completed 18 of 25 atts. (72 pct.) for 240 yards & TD vs. INT with 98.8 rating last week. Has 95+ rating in 2 of past 3. Is 5-0 in his past 5 starts vs. Ind. with 102.1 rating. Has 2+ TD passes in 3 of his past 4 vs. Ind. Has 0 INTs in 4 of his past 5 starts vs. division. • RB DERRICK HENRY rushed for season-high 122 yards & 2nd TD of season & had 3rd-career TD pass last week. Has 95+ scrimmage yards in 3 of 4 games this season & 7 of his past 8 overall. Has rush TD in 2 of past 3. Had 135+ scrimmage yards in both games vs. Ind. last season & has 100+ scrimmage yards in 6 of his past 7 vs. Ind. Has 100+ rush yards in 13 of his past 14 vs. division, incl. each of past 6. • RB TYJAE SPEARS (rookie) had 58 scrimmage yards (40 rush, 18 rec.) last week. Has 55+ scrimmage yards in 2 of past 3. • WR DEANDRE HOPKINS led team with 63 rec. yards in Week 4. Aims for his 6th in row vs. Ind. with TD catch & 3rd in row with 90+ rec. yards. Has 50+ rec. yards in 5 of 6 career games at Ind. • WR NICK WESTBROOK-IKHINE had season-high 5 catches for 51 yards last week. • TE CHIG OKONKWO had rec. TD in last road meeting. • TE JOSH WHYLE (rookie) had 1st-career TD catch in Week 4. • DT JEFFERY SIMMONS had sack last week & has sack in 3 of 4 games this season. Had 6 tackles, 2 TFL & sack in last meeting. • LB ARDEN KEY had sack in Week 4. • LB JACK GIBBENS led team with 10 tackles & had PD last week. Aims for 5th in row with 5+ tackles. • LB AZEEZ AL-SHAAIR had 2 PD & 9 tackles in Week 4. • S KEVIN BYARD had 6 tackles & 1st FR of season last week. Has 6+ tackles in 3 of 4 games this season.
QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON (rookie) totaled 256 yards (200 pass, career-high 56 rush) & career-high 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) last week. Is 1st QB in SB era with rush TD in each of 1st 3 career games. Can become 1st QB in SB era with rush TD in each of 1st 4 games of a season. Aims for his 3rd in row with 0 INTs. • RB ZACK MOSS has 70+ rush yards in each of his 3 games this season, with 100+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 3. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 100+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. • WR MICHAEL PITTMAN has 8+ catches & 55+ rec. yards in 3 of 4 games this season. Has 6+ catches in 3 of his past 4 vs. Ten. Has rec. TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. division. • WR JOSH DOWNS ranks 5th among rookies with 17 catches. • TE DREW OGLETREE led team with career-high 48 rec. yards & had 1st-career TD catch in Week 4. • TE MO ALIE-COX had 1st rec. TD of season last week. Had 6 catches for 85 yards in last home meeting. • LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN led team with 12 tackles last week & is only player in NFL with 12+ tackles in each of 1st 4 weeks. Can join Zach Thomas in 2005 as only player since 2000 with 12+ tackles in each of team’s 1st 5 games of season. Has TFL in 2 of past 3. Leads NFL with 57 tackles in 2023. Had TFL in last meeting. • DT DEFOREST BUCKNER aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with sack. Has TFL in 4 of his past 5 at home. • DE KWITY PAYE has sack in 3 of 4 games this season. Has FR in 2 of past 3. Had sack in last home meeting. • DE DAYO ODEYINGBO had season-high 7 tackles & 1.5 sacks, PD & 2nd FF of season in Week 4. Has FF in 2 of past 3. • CB KENNY MOORE had season-high 8 tackles, 2 PD & 1st INT of season last week. Had sack in last meeting.
INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
HOOSIERS DROP FIVE-SET HEARTBREAKER AT NO. 14 PENN STATE
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A two-hour plus battle, featuring momentum shifts and clutch performances by the set, went the way of No. 14 Penn State despite an all-out effort from the visiting Indiana Volleyball team (12-6, 2-3) on Friday night in Rec Hall.
Shaking off struggles in sets two and three, IU forced a fifth-set with a commanding victory in game four. Penn State closed on a 5-1 run in the final set to win the match as the Hoosiers fell 3-2 (25-18, 9-25, 21-25, 25-19, 11-15) in State College.
A historically one-sided series in favor of Penn State, the Hoosiers forced the hosts to a fifth set for the first time in the 62-game history between the two sides. All three of IU’s losses in Big Ten play have come to top-15 teams including two on the road.
Without senior outside hitter Morgan Geddes available, sophomore outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles stepped up offensively with 15 kills and 17 digs for her first double-double of the season.
The Hoosiers face a quick turnaround, heading to College Park to play Maryland at 7:00 PM tomorrow night. It is the first back-to-back for IU this season in conference play.
Stats and Notes
Team
• When all said and done, the two sides were matched evenly offensively with Penn State holding a slight attacking edge (.209-.194).
• Both teams dug 67 balls but Penn State’s 16 total blocks and IU’s 10 service errors swung the advantage in the favor of the hosts.
• IU’s 67 digs were the most by the team this season with eight players hitting the floor to record at least five. Alonso-Corcelles led the way with 17.
• The Hoosiers had 61 kills on the evening led by 15 from Alonso-Corcelles and 13 from graduate student middle blocker Kaley Rammelsberg.
• Tonight’s contest was the first in the 62-game series to go to five sets between the two programs.
#10 Haworth, Camryn
• After being pulled for a stretch in the second set, Haworth came back in the match to run a balanced offense that saw five players finish with eight-or-more kills.
• She tallied 44 assists, eight digs, four kills and three blocks to help give the Hoosiers a shot at the end of the match. That marks her third match this year with 40+ assists.
#15 Kjolhede, Savannah
• The senior stuffed four shots, helping ignite IU’s block in the final three sets of the match. With 321 career blocks, she now sits No. 11 in program history just five from moving into IU’s all-time top-10 list.
#3 Alonso-Corcelles, Candela
• Playing a full six rotations for five sets on Friday, the sophomore produced 15 kills and dug a career-best 17 balls for her second career double-double.
#18 Rammelsberg, Kaley
• IU’s fifth-year middle shook off a slow start to tally 13 kills in the match, using the block to her advantage. She missed last year’s match in Happy Valley through injury.
#32 Gary, Ramsey
• Despite the ball going away from her every time, Gary produced 10 digs, the 16th time this year she’s gone for 10+ digs in a match.
• She was served 19 times on Friday night, handling the ball at a perfect rate in serve receive. She had five assists and even tallied her first-career kill.
Scoring Recap
Set 1: Indiana 25, Penn State 18
• IU jumped on the hosts from the beginning, hitting .308 (17-5-39) in the opening set and winning comfortably 25-18 despite a late run from Penn State.
• Sophomore opposite Avry Tatum went for four kills on eight swings in the first set while Haworth assisted on 10 points to start things Friday night.
• A kill from Rammelsberg pushed the lead to as large as eight at 15-7 in favor of the Hoosiers. It would go back to eight at 20-12 when Alonso-Corcelles blocked Penn State middle blocker Allie Holland one-on-one.
• Junior outside hitter Mady Saris took care of an overpass to give IU the 25-18 victory in the first set.
Set 2: Penn State 25, Indiana 9
• The Nittany Lions quickly flipped the script in the second set, hitting .591 while holding IU to -.179 offensively. Right side Camryn Hannah and outside hitter Jess Mruzik each had five kills for Penn State.
Set 3: Penn State 25, Indiana 21
• After an unbalanced opening two sets, the two teams settled into the match with Penn State winning the crucial third set 25-21.
• Rammelsberg was huge out of the middle with six kills on 11 swings but Mruzik went for eight kills to counter for Penn State.
• IU closed the gap to one at 9-10 but a run of four kills from the Michigan transfer Mruzik opened up a 15-9 lead for Penn State and forced head coach Steve Aird into a timeout.
• Sarks brought IU within two at 20-22 but Mruzik put the set on ice with her eight kill of the frame to win 25-21.
Set 4: Indiana 25, Penn State 19
• The momentum turned in favor of IU once more in the fourth set with a solo block from Haworth forcing Penn State into a timeout down 1-5.
• Alonso-Corcelles and Rammelsberg went for seven kills on 14 swings in the set as IU hit .297 (16-5-37) in the frame.
The Nittany Lions pulled setter Mac Podraza but couldn’t find a rhythm in the set. Penn State pulled within five late, fending off four set points but Haworth put it away with her fourth kill of the night.
Set 5: Penn State 15, Indiana 11
• Both teams hit over .300 in the fifth set with Alonso-Corcelles leading the way for IU with three.
• IU took a lead at 6-4 but Penn State responded with three-straight points. The two teams were level at 9-all after exchanging sides but the hosts quickly grabbed two points to go up 11-9.
• In need of a bounce to go their way, the Hoosiers saw a tip from Penn State fall off the block to go back down two points late.
• Penn State blocked Alonso-Corcelles on the final point to hold off a strong effort from IU on Friday night in Rec Hall.
INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER
HOOSIERS RESUME BIG TEN PLAY IN HAPPY VALLEY
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Indiana men’s soccer (3-3-4, 0-1-2 B1G) has a big opportunity Saturday (Oct. 7) when it visits conference co-leader and No. 19-ranked Penn State (6-1-3, 2-0-1 B1G) on Jeffrey Field.
Saturday’s match will be televised on the Big Ten Network. Kickoff is set for noon ET.
KICKING OFF
• The Hoosiers have five remaining Big Ten matches in a tightly-packed league. Five points separate co-leaders Penn State and Northwestern (seven apiece) and Indiana (two), each having played three matches.
• Indiana is among the country’s elite in two key statistical categories: The Hoosiers rank No. 8 in goals against average (.600) and No. 12 in shots per game (15.8).
• IU and Penn State are the two winningest programs in the Big Ten, respectively, and they are the only programs in the conference with 100 conference wins and 800 wins overall all-time.
ABOUT THE NITTANY LIONS
• Penn State is 6-1-3, 2-0-1 in Big Ten matches and 4-1-1 at home.
• The Nittany Lions are led by sixth-year head coach Jeff Cook, who has compiled a 52-29-15 record at Penn State and a 201-145-59 career record in 23 years as a Division-I head coach.
• Senior Peter Mangione leads the Nittany Lions with four goals as nine different players have scored for Penn State this season.
SERIES HISTORY
• Indiana has historically dominated the matchup, winning 37 of the 57 matches in the series.
• IU has won three of the last four matchups, all played the previous two seasons (2021-22). Last year’s matches told two different stories. The regular season matchup ended with six goals. Then, in the Big Ten Tournament, IU just needed on goal to eliminate the Nittany Lions in the opening round.
• Current Hoosiers Brett Bebej and Joey Maher have scored against Penn State. Luka Bezerra owns an assist in his career against the Nittany Lions.
PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL
EDEY TABBED TO PRESEASON BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In advance of Tuesday’s Big Ten Media Day festivities in Minneapolis, the Big Ten Conference has announced that Purdue senior Zach Edey has been named the Big Ten’s Preseason Player of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten in voting done by the league’s media contingent.
Edey becomes just the third Boilermaker since 1994-95 to be named the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, joining Robbie Hummel (2008-09) and Carsen Edwards (2018-19).
Since voting started in 1994-95, just 18 Boilermakers have been voted to the preseason All-Big Ten team – the sixth-highest total in the conference. Edey joins past Boilermakers Robbie Hummel, E’Twaun Moore and Trevion Williams as two-time preseason honorees. It also marks the ninth straight season that a Purdue player has been named preseason All-Big Ten.
Edey was joined on the team by Illinois’ Terrance Shannon (unanimous), Maryland’s Julian Reese and Jahmir Young (unanimous), Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia, Michigan State’s A.J. Hoggard and Tyson Walker, Nebraska’s Keisei Tominaga, Northwestern’s Boo Buie (unanimous) and Rutgers’ Cliff Omoruyi.
Edey, Shannon and Buie were all named first-team All-Big Ten after last season.
A year ago, Edey was the most-dominant player in college basketball, winning all six National Player of the Year awards, winning the Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, The Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA), Associated Press (AP) National Player of the Year, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Player of the Year and The Sporting News National Player of the Year. In addition, he has won the Pete Newell Big Man of the Year Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation’s top center.
Edey is looking to become the first consensus, back-to-back NPOY since UCLA’s Bill Walton in 1971-72 and 1972-73. Ralph Sampson was named in three years from 1981 to 1983, but was only consensus in 1982.
He was named a 2023 first-team All-American by every outlet and in June was named a finalist for the top Male College Athlete ESPY award by ESPN.
Edey became the first Boilermaker since Glenn Robinson in 1994 to win National Player of the Year accolades. He is also the fifth Big Ten Player in the last 14 years to be named National Player of the Year joining Evan Turner (2010), Trey Burke (2013), Frank Kaminsky (2015) and Luka Garza (2021) as National Players of the Year.
Edey earned Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year after a remarkable junior season at Purdue. He was named a consensus first-team All-American, the second straight season that Purdue has had a consensus All-American (Jaden Ivey, 2022), after averaging 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists per game.
He became the first player in NCAA history (since blocks became an official NCAA stat) to record at least 750 points, 400 rebounds, 70 blocks and 50 assists in a season, ranking sixth nationally in scoring, second in rebounds, 19th in blocked shots and 21st in field goal percentage (.607), the only player in the NCAA database to rank in the top 25 of all four categories in the same season.
He finished the season ranking sixth on Purdue’s single-season chart for points (757), first in rebounds (438), fifth in field goals made (290), 14th in field goal percentage (.607), first in dunks (76) and second in double-doubles (27).
He has scored in double-figures in 51 straight games, the longest streak in the country, and fourth-longest streak in school history.
For his career, Edey has scored 1,533 points with 847 rebounds, 148 blocks and 106 assists, shooting almost 62 percent from the field.
The Boilermakers begin the regular-season Nov. 6, in Mackey Arena against Samford. Purdue returns six of its top seven scorers from last year’s team that went 29-6 and won the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles. Purdue has been ranked in the top five in all the “way-too-early” top-25 polls.
PURDUE FOOTBALL
PURDUE FOOTBALL PREVIEW VS. IOWA
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Following a dominating 44-19 victory over Illinois to keep the Cannon Trophy, Purdue Football hits the road to battle the Iowa Hawkeyes in another Big Ten West matchup. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
The Boilermakers have won four of the past six games against the Hawkeyes, their best stretch in the series since winning 20 straight from 1961-1980.
After three straight home games, three of Purdue’s next four games are on the road. The matchup will be Ryan Walters’ first Big Ten road game as head coach of the Boilermakers, looking to become the first Purdue head coach to win his Big Ten road debut since Joe Tiller in 1997 (59-43 at Minnesota).
Purdue and Iowa are the only teams in the Big Ten to score a touchdown in all three phases of the game (offense, defense and special teams).
OPPONENT SNAPSHOT
• Iowa enters Saturday’s matchup with a 4-1 record, including a 1-1 mark in Big Ten play after a 26-16 victory over Michigan State.
• Tight end Erick All leads the Hawkeyes in receiving with 183 yards, while Leshon Williams paces the rushing attack with 211 yards.
• Defensively, Jay Higgins tops the conference and ranks third in the nation with 12.4 tackles per game.
• Tory Taylor, a finalist for the 2022 Ray Guy Award, remains one of the best punters in the country by averaging 48.2 yards per punt to lead the Big Ten and rank sixth nationally.
• Kirk Ferentz is in his 25th season as Iowa’s head coach.
LAST TIME IN IOWA
• The last time Purdue made the trek to Iowa City, the Boilermakers steamrolled its way to a 24-7 win over No. 2 Iowa and handed the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season.
• The Purdue defense had four interceptions, four sacks and 10 tackles-for-loss, while holding Iowa’s offense to 271 total yards (76 rushing and 195 passing).
• Cam Allen had two INTs in the contest.
• TJ Sheffield caught a career-high eight passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.
CANNON STAYS IN WEST LAFAYETTE
• On a special Homecoming that saw the official dedication of the Tiller Tunnel, Purdue steamrolled to a 44-19 win over Illinois to keep the Cannon Trophy for the fourth straight year.
• Purdue’s defense made a living in the Illinois backfield, racking up seven tackles-for-loss, including six sacks from six different players for the most sacks in a game since Sept. 8, 2018 vs. Eastern Michigan.
• The Boilermakers held Illinois to 2-for-14 on third down (14.2%), the fourth-lowest third down percentage by a Purdue opponent since 1996.
• The defense scored the Boilermakers’ first points with a game-changing strip-sack from Markevious Brown as Malik Langham fell on the end zone fumble for his first career touchdown.
• Purdue ran for 189 yards behind the stable of Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Mockobee and Dylan Downing, with all three of them finding the end zone. Tracy extended his touchdown scoring streak to five games and also eclipsed 100 yards rushing for the first time in his career, totaling 112 yards on 21 attempts (5.3 yards per carry).
THREE-HEADED MONSTER
• While Purdue runs the Air Raid offense, the Boilermakers have a dynamic trio of running backs who have excelled when hearing their number called.
• Tyrone Tracy Jr. (288), Devin Mockobee (283) and Dylan Downing (104) have combined for 675 yards (135 yards per game) and nine touchdowns through the first five games of the season.
• The three-headed monster was perfectly on display in the win over Illinois. All three Boilermakers scored a touchdown, while racking up 209 yards.
• Tracy ran for a career-high 112 yards against the Illini, while Mockobee added 67 yards. Downing contributed 30 yards on four carries, including his 16-yard touchdown run for the first rushing touchdown of the game.
THE TYRONE TRACY SHOW
• Tyrone Tracy Jr. has found the end zone in every game this year, with five rushing scores and a kickoff return for a touchdown.
• Tracy leads the running back room with 288 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. With 46 attempts on the year, the senior has only lost 6 yards compared to 294 positive yardage.
• The two biggest games of Tracy’s career have been in Big Ten play. He ran for 84 yards against Wisconsin, a career high at the time, before rumbling for 112 yards in the win over Illinois to earn the first 100-yard rushing game of his career.
• The Indianapolis native also proved his versatility with a pair of touchdowns against Fresno State, rushing for a touchdown in the first half before returning the opening second half kickoff all the way to the end zone.
• The 98-yard score is the only kickoff return by a Big Ten player this season.
• Tracy’s touchdown return was Purdue’s first since Raheem Mostert took a 100-yard return to pay dirt at Penn State in 2013. It was the first kickoff return for a score at Ross-Ade Stadium since Akeem Hunt went 99 yards against Indiana State in 2013
YES YANNI
• Stop us if you’ve heard this before, a Karlaftis recorded a sack for Purdue.
• Making his first career start with OC Brothers out due to injury, Yanni Karlaftis came up with a big game to help the Boilermakers beat Illinois.
• Karlaftis, the younger brother of Purdue All-American and current Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis, entered the game with eight tackles on the season.
• The sophomore linebacker made a career-high eight tackles, the second-most on the team throughout the game, to double his season output.
• He also added a sack, one of six Boilermakers to sack the Illinois quarterback.
KJ KA-BOOM
• Kydran Jenkins has been a force in creating negative plays for opposing offenses.
• The senior outside linebacker leads the Big Ten in sacks (4.0). With all of them being solo, Jenkins ranks seventh nationally in solo sacks.
• He has recorded at least one TFL in all five games.
• Against Wisconsin, he paced Purdue with a career-high nine stops.
SECOND HALF ADJUSTMENTS
• Purdue has come out on fire to start the second half this season, especially as of late.
• The Boilermakers have outscored opponents 49-14 in third quarters this season.
• Purdue has scored touchdowns on six of their last seven drives in the third quarter, including 5-of-6 in Big Ten play.
• The Boilermakers scored on both of their third quarter drives against Wisconsin.
• Outscoring Illinois 21-0 in the third quarter, Purdue broke open a three-point game to cruise to victory.
IOWA NOTES
HAWKEYES | 1st & 10
• The Hawkeyes will welcome Purdue to Iowa City for Homecoming for the second time in three seasons. Iowa has won 10 of its last
13 Homecoming games dating back to 2009 and is 61-44-5 all-time on Homecoming.
• Saturday’s game is the 1,300th in school history since beginning football in 1889.
• Head coach Kirk Ferentz moved into third place (alone) on the all-time Big Ten wins list. Ferentz has 116 career Big Ten victories,
only trailing Ohio State’s Woody Hayes (153) and Michigan’s Bo Schembechler (143). He won his 200th career game on Sept. 9 at
Iowa State, becoming the 27th coach to reach the milestone at an FBS institution and just the 99th college coach across all divisions
since 1890.
• DB Cooper DeJean was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week and LB Nick Jackson was tabbed as the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week after leading Iowa to a 26-16 victory over Michigan State on Sept. 30.
• DeJean had a 70-yard punt return touchdown – the 15th-longest in school history – to break a 16-all tie in the fourth quarter and
he had six tackles and his first interception of the season against the Spartans. It was DeJean’s first career punt return for a TD and
the first by a Hawkeye since 2020. He is one of 18 players to return a punt for a TD in 2023.
• Jackson had 10 tackles – his second straight 10+ tackle game – and a key forced fumble in the fourth quarter, which led to a
game-sealing field goal. He is leading the Big Ten in forced fumbles (2).
• A new age. Saturday’s game will be streamed on Peacock, making it Iowa’s first game on a non-linear network since the 1994
season.
• Iowa’s defense didn’t allow a touchdown against Michigan State. The Hawkeye defense has held six teams without a touchdown
since the start of the 2022 season.
• The Hawkeyes have allowed one touchdown or less in four of the first five games of 2023 and the unit has allowed a single touchdown or less in 13 of the last 18 games dating back to the start of the 2022 season. Iowa has allowed 14 or fewer points in 11 of its
last 18 games.
• Iowa > 400. The Hawkeyes haven’t allowed more than 400 yards in 19 consecutive games dating back to the 2021 season. The unit
ranks 21st nationally in scoring defense, surrendering 16.8 points per game.
• 1-2-3 – The Hawkeyes picked off three Michigan State passes on Sept. 30 inside Kinnick Stadium. It is Iowa’s first three interception
game since 2021 against Northwestern.
• LB Jay Higgins and LB Nick Jackson have combined for 53 tackles over Iowa’s last two games. Higgins is leading the Big Ten and
ranks third nationally with 12.4 tackles per game (he is the top Power 5 tackler), while Jackson is fourth in the Big Ten and 30th
nationally (9.2 p/game).
• Higgins had a career-high 18 tackles – tied for the second-most in a game this season — in Iowa’s road game at Penn State on Sept.
23. They are the most by a Hawkeye since Jack Campbell in 2021. Higgins has 30 tackles (15 per game) in two Big Ten contests.
• QB Deacon Hill is expected to make his first career start on Saturday against Purdue (and it will be Hill’s sixth career game played).
The Wisconsin transfer completed 11-of-27 attempts for 115 yards and one touchdown – the first of his career – against Michigan
State.
• Tight End U – Iowa’s tight end room has accounted for 51 percent of the team’s receptions in 2023. TE Erick All has a team-best 14
receptions for 183 yards and two touchdowns. All had a team-high four catches for 67 yards and one TD in the win over Michigan
State.
• Drew x 4 – K Drew Stevens tied a career high, drilling four field goals in Iowa’s 26-16 win over Michigan State. Stevens made kicks
from 40, 53, 36 and 34 yards with the 53-yarder being the second-longest field goal of his career. He is 8-of-9 this season and has a
team-high 35 points.
• The Hawkeyes have five interceptions through five weeks of the season, including Sebastian Castro’s 30-yard pick-six in the road
win at Iowa State. The interception return for a touchdown extended Iowa’s streak to 16 consecutive seasons (and 21 of the last 23
years). It is the second-longest active streak nationally.
• Since the start of the 2015 season, Iowa is 67-2 when leading by eight points at any point in a game.
MORE QUICK HITTERS • RB Leshon Williams recorded his first career 100-yard game against Western Michigan on Sept. 17, finishing with 145 rushing yards on 12 attempts. The Illinois native also had a 25-yard touchdown reception — the first of his career — en route to finishing with 172 all-purpose yards on 14 touches. • Iowa rushed for 254 yards against Western Michigan on Sept. 16 — the most for the program since 2019 against Middle Tennessee State (351 yards). • The Hawkeyes put up a season-high 41 points — the highest point total in a 25- game stretch – against Western Michigan. Iowa scored 51 points in the road win at Maryland in 2021. The team’s five touchdowns were the most since that 2021 game in College Park and Iowa finished with 387 yards of total offense, topping the 300- yard mark for the first time in its last seven games. • Senior DB Sebastian Castro was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 11 after returning an interception 30 yards for a touchdown, collecting four tackles and a pass breakup in Iowa’s 20-13 road win at Iowa State. • Iowa is 153-8-1 when allowing 10 points or less since 1970 and 386-59-19 when allowing 10 points or less all-time. • The Hawkeye defense has scored eight points during the 2023 season and 48 points since the start of the 2022 season. • Iowa blocked a kick in consecutive games against Iowa State and Western Michigan (and had a block wiped off the board because of penalty at Penn State). DL Logan Lee blocked Iowa State’s Chase Contreraz’s field goal on the opening possession and DL Anterio Thompson blocked a punt that resulted in a safety against Western Michigan. Iowa has blocked a kick/punt in each of the past three seasons. • The Hawkeyes are 1-0 this season and 7-1 dating back to the start of the 2022 season when not committing a turnover. The team is 9-1 in the same span when winning the turnover battle. • Special special teams… P Tory Taylor is averaging 48.2 yards on 30 punts this season with eight being fair caught, 10 being down inside the 20 and 13 traveling 50+ yards. Taylor had a career-best 52.3 average on seven punts at Penn State. K Drew Stevens is 8-for-9 in field goal attempts and 23 of his 25 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks. • The Hawkeyes have 223 interceptions since 2009 — the second-most nationally. Iowa’s 34 interception returns for a touchdown are third-most in the nation in that span. AT THE TOP Kirk Ferentz is in his 25th season as Iowa’s head football coach. He is the longest tenured active head coach in college football. Ferentz has 116 Big Ten wins as Iowa’s head coach — the third most of any coach in Big Ten Conference history. • Ferentz’s 190 wins in all games coached as a member of the Big Ten Conference rank fourth all-time in league history. He is one of five coaches in Big Ten Conference history to win at least 150 games as a member of the Big Ten Conference. • Ferentz won his 200th career game on Sept. 11 at Iowa State. He is the 27th coach at an FBS institution to reach the 200-career win milestone and the 99th coach across all divisions. Former Hawkeye head coach Hayden Fry finished his career with 236 victories. STAFF CONSISTENCY Iowa is one of just seven programs from across the country that has retained all 10 of its assistant coaches from the 2022 season. Five of the Hawkeye assistants are in at least their eighth season on the Iowa coaching staff — the second-highest total nationally. ALUMS ON STAFF The Hawkeyes have five University of Iowa alums on the coaching staff — Brian Ferentz, Abdul Hodge, LeVar Woods, Kelvin Bell and Ladell Betts. The five alums are tied for the second most nationally (trailing only Air Force, 8). SHANNON SLIDES INTO COACHING ROLE After losing an appeal over his year-long suspension, sixth-year senior DL Noah Shannon will transition into a coaching position as a student assistant on the Iowa coaching staff. This move will allow Shannon to travel with the team on road trips and continue in his leadership position on the 2023 roster. DEJEAN/JACKSON EARN BIG TEN WEEKLY ACCOLADES • DB Cooper DeJean was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 2 after leading the Hawkeyes to a 26-16 win over Michigan State on Sept. 30. The Odebolt, Iowa, native had a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to break a 16-all tie. It was the 15th longest punt return in school history, the first of his career and the first by a Hawkeye since 2020. DeJean also had six tackles and an interception in the game.
BUTLER VOLLEYBALL
BUTLERVB SINKS SETON HALL 3-1
INDIANAPOLIS — The Butler volleyball team beat Seton Hall in four sets (24-26 25-16, 25-18, 25-18) to earn their first conference win at home this season. The Bulldogs’ offensive explosion helped the team edge out the Pirates to move to a record of 2-3 in the conference and 8-8 overall.
Set 1: Seton Hall 26-24
The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 4-1 lead using kills from Destiny Cherry and Abby Maesch. Butler then caught fire going on an 8-0 spurt filled with kills from Cherry,
Mariah Grunze
Mariah Grunze, and Elise Ward to take a 12-4 lead. The Pirates then slowly crept back into the game eventually tying the set 21-2. A kill by Maesch gave Butler a 24-23 lead, but the Pirates would then close out the first set on a 3-0 run to win 26-24.
Set 2: Butler 25-16
Butler began the second set in a similar fashion using back-to-back serving aces from Reese Bates to take an early 3-0 lead. Seton Hall responded with three straight serving aces of their own followed by a 5-0 spurt to give them a 10-7 lead. The Bulldogs fought back with a 6-0 run to flip the score to 14-12 using blocks from Grace Boggess and a serving ace from Jaymeson Kinley. Butler piled it on the Pirates, widening the gap to 21-15 and ultimately ending the set on a 4-0 run capped off by a kill from Ward.
Set 3: Butler 25-18
The momentum in the third frame began in the Pirates’ favor after they zoomed out to a 3-1 lead. Consecutive kills from Maesch would help the Bulldogs regain the lead at 4-3. The two teams would remain within two points until kills from Mariah Grunze gave Butler a 9-6 lead. The Bulldogs would then extend their lead to 14-10 after a block from Taylor and Cherry. A 3-0 spurt followed by a 4-0 run by Butler soon put this match out of reach at 24-15. Seton Hall tried for a late rally bringing the score to 24-18, but Boggess then got a kill to put an end to the third set.
Set 4: Butler 25-16
The Bulldogs went back to dominating in the fourth set jumping out to a 7-4 lead at the start using kills from Maesch and Ward. Seton Hall had no answers for Maesch as she continued to rack up more kills lengthening the lead to 17-13. Butler began to pull away after they scored five straight points using kills from Grunze and Boggess to make the score 23-16. Cherry then sank the ship for the Pirates with a kill on match-point to win the match.
Stat of the Match
Butler put on a defensive clinic amassing a new season-high 78 digs. Three Bulldogs totaled digs in the double figures, including Jaymeson Kinley (23), Elise Ward (18), and Cora Taylor (12). This mark was the first time Butler reached 78 or more digs in a four-set match since they had 89 digs against Georgetown 364 days ago.
Inside the Box Score
Taylor was lights out tallying 47 assists, 12 kills, and six kills to earn her fifth double-double of the season.
Kinley led the match with 23 digs and tied her season-high seven assists.
Maesch padded the stat sheet with a match-high 19 kills, nine digs, and five assists.
Ward set a new personal best in the match with 18 digs while adding 11 kills en route to her third career double-double.
Grunze finished with a .355 hitting percentage on 13 kills with just two errors.
Boggess hit for a team-high .500 with eight kills and one error while adding four blocks.
Cherry led the team with five blocks, including two solo blocks along with seven kills.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will resume the action against St. John’s tomorrow in Hinkle Fieldhouse with the first serve slated for 5 p.m.
BUTLER FOOTBALL
OCTOBER OPENS WITH BUTLER PLAYING AT ST. THOMAS
INDIANAPOLIS – A battle of two unbeaten PFL teams will take place on Saturday afternoon when St. Thomas plays host to Butler for a 1 PM kick-off at O’Shaughnessy Stadium. The first game of October for BU will stream live on Midco Sports Plus.
GameDay
Date: Saturday, October 7
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: St. Paul, Minn. / O’Shaughnessy Stadium
Live Stats: TommieSports.com (Sidearm Stats)
Watch: Midco Sports Plus
Bulldog Bits
– The Bulldogs are the only team in the PFL with four wins heading into the month of October.
– Jyran Mitchell ranks second among all FCS running backs in rushing yards per game (128.2).
– Mitchell is leading the PFL in yards per carry (6.8) and rushing touchdowns (7).
– Jeremiah Jackson set career-high totals vs. PC with six tackles including 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.
– Devaon Holman leads the PFL with three interceptions.
– Butler has held their last three opponents under 100 rushing yards (62, 91, 33).
– PC only managed two rushing first downs vs. Butler. The ‘Dawgs bottled up the Blue Hose allowing just 33 rushing yards (1.9 avg. per rush).
– Nick Bafia ranks 10th in the PFL in tackles (34).
– Bret Bushka leads the PFL in completion percentage (63.3).
– Bushka completed passes to eight different Bulldogs last week to throw for 148 yards.
– BU did not allow a sack vs. Presbyterian.
– Luka Zurak made two field goals vs. Presbyterian. He is now 7-for-8 on the year and has not missed since Week 1.
PFL Standings
Butler 2-0, 4-1
Davidson 2-0, 3-2
St. Thomas 2-0, 3-2
Drake 1-0, 1-3
Marist 2-1, 2-2
San Diego 1-1, 1-4
Presbyterian 0-1, 2-2
Valparaiso 0-1, 1-3
Dayton 0-2, 2-3
Morehead State 0-2, 1-3
Stetson 0-2, 2-3
PFL Schedule – Week 6
Marist at Columbia 12:30 p.m.
Butler at St. Thomas 1:00 p.m.
Dayton at Morehead State 1:00 p.m.
Stetson at Presbyterian 1:00 p.m.
Valparaiso at Drake 2:00 p.m.
SCOUTING ST. THOMAS: The Tommies are 3-2 this year with a 2-0 mark against PFL competition. The 2023 PFL preseason favorites just beat Dayton 20-14 in Ohio and were able to hold off Morehead State the week prior to grab a 35-28 victory. St. Thomas found themselves on the ropes vs. Morehead State, but a 73-yard drive in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter helped the home team pull out the win. Shipman ended the game with 204 rushing yards and two touchdowns and Tak Tateoka passed for two scores. Shipman was slowed down against the Flyers last week with just 38 rushing yards on 16 carries. Tak Tateoka tossed two more TD’s and the Tommies would use their 20-0 first half lead to hang on for the six-point win.
St. Thomas ranks second in the PFL in rush defense (111.2) and the Bulldogs rank second the league in yards per rush (5.7). The leader of the Tommie defense is senior linebacker Luke Herzog. He was named PFL Defensive Player of the Week on Sunday.
ALL-TIME SERIES: St. Thomas is 2-0 all-time against Butler with a 36-0 win in the first meeting at O’Shaughnessy Stadium and a 14-point win a year ago at the Sellick Bowl.
St. Thomas raced out to a 14-0 first quarter lead at Butler last year and would hold on for a 27-13 victory. Shawn Shipman led the Tommie ground attack with 99 rushing yards.
ST. PAUL SHOWDOWN: St. Thomas has not lost a game at O’Shaughnessy Stadium since moving to the Division I ranks in 2021 and last lost a home game to end their 2016 season, winning 28 straight home games since that loss.
Butler brings a four-game win streak into the matchup, tied for the second-longest win streak at the FCS level, behind only defending national champion South Dakota State’s 18-game win streak.
FAST START: The Bulldogs came up with four wins in the month of September for the first time since 2009!
BU scored 40+ points in three of their first four games in 2009 and moved forward to win their second PFL title with an 11-1 record.
GROUND GAME: Butler set new season-high totals vs. Presbyterian rushing the ball 57 times against the Blue Hose helping them account for 464 yards of total offense. They recorded 30 first downs, with 17 coming on the ground.
Over their first two PFL games, Butler has ran the ball 105 times to gain 621 yards. They have averaged nearly six yards per rush and have recorded 29 first downs. The Bulldogs have twice as many rushing yards this season (1160) than their opponents (567).
MITCHELL ON THE MOVE: Jyran Mitchell only rushed the ball one time in the fourth quarter over Butler’s first three games, but over two PFL contests, he has 19 carries over the final frame.
Mitchell has scored a rushing touchdown in four-straight games. He averages at least four carries per quarter for Butler and has topped 100 yards in three of their five games.
HOW’S IT LOOKIN’: Jyran Mitchell has 641 rushing yards over Butler’s first five games. He is on pace to rush for 1,400 yards which would be the seventh-best single-season effort in BU history.
Mitchell ran for a career-high 209 yards at Stetson. He is the first Bulldog to top 200 yards in a single game since Trae Heeter (227 at Jacksonville in 2013).
HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: Butler has outscored their opponent 58-14 in the third quarter this year.
Butler’s defense gave up two big plays in the first half vs. Presbyterian, but shutout the Blue Hose in the second half to erase a 3-point halftime deficit.
MOVE THE CHAINS: Butler went 7-for-14 on third down last Saturday and 3-for-3 on fourth down. Extending drives allowed BU to run a season-high 84 plays against Presbyterian.
Butler’s longest drive of the season opened up the second half vs. Presbyterian. The ‘Dawgs used 16 plays to march 85 yards down the field for a TD. The drive took 8:48 off the game clock.
Bushka is one of 35 FCS players to make the Preseason Watch List for the Walter Payton Award. He needs 152 passing yards at St. Thomas to reach 1,000 for the season.
HE’S BACK: Butler running back Brody Reder returned to action against the Blue Hose. He carried the ball two times to gain 22 yards.
Reder rushed for seven touchdowns over his first two seasons as a Bulldog.
UP NEXT: Butler will host Davidson on Oct. 14. The 1 PM kick-off will come after the Wildcats bye week and stream on FloFootball.com.
The Wildcats have won four-straight over Butler to take a 9-6 lead over the Bulldogs in the all-time series. Butler’s last win came in 2016 (20-17), and their last win over Davidson in Indianapolis came the year prior (38-7).
IUPUI VOLLEYBALL
AGUARS EARN FIRST #HLVB WIN OVER ROBERT MORRIS
INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI volleyball team recorded their first Horizon League victory when they defeated the Robert Morris Colonials in dominate fashion in three sets, 3-0. Junior Briana Brown led the Jaguar attack with 11 kills while Grace Purichia set the Jags up for success with 31 assists.
In the opening set, the Jags and Colonials were evenly matched with the game tied at 16-16 before the Jags went on a 5-1 run. IUPUI had set point but Robert Morris wouldn’t go away taking three straight points before Emily Alan sealed the set win at 25-22. The Jags outhit the Colonials 15 kills to seven.
With a little bit of momentum, the Jags defeated the Colonials in the second set, 25-18. Freshman Ava Harris closed the door on the second set with back-to-back kills. IUPUI kept that momentum in the third set, recording their highest hitting percentage of the match with a .424 mark to earn the 25-14 set three victory. With the third set victory the Jags sealed the 3-0 match win.
Brown led the way with 11 kills and a hitting percentage of .346 while Alan recorded a team-high hitting percentage of .421, totaling 10 kills. Freshman Purichia totaled a team-high 31 assists with seven digs while libero Addie Evans collected 16 digs and two service aces.
The Jags are now 7-10 overall and 1-5 in Horizon League play. IUPUI hosts Youngstown State tomorrow, October 7 with first serve set for 4:00 PM.
BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL
KENNEDY’S CAREER HIGH HELPS LEAD VOLLEYBALL PAST MIAMI
OXFORD, Ohio – – The Ball State women’s volleyball team extended its winning streak to six matches with a 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-11) victory over Mid-American Conference East Division rival Miami Friday night at Millett Hall.
After seeing one of the nation’s longest consecutive set winning streaks snapped in the opening frame, the Cardinals (8-8; 5-0 MAC) battled back to remain undefeated in league play by taking the next three frames.
While Ball State jumped out to an 8-2 lead early in the opening set, the RedHawks (4-14, 0-6 MAC) battled back to tie the set at 14 and went on to win the frame. The Cardinals, who had not won a match this season when losing a set, put that streak behind them, however, winning the next three frames.
With the second frame tied at 22, a kill from fifth-year middle Marie Plitt and an ace by senior outside Cait Snyder gave BSU the momentum. Moments later freshman opposite Aniya Kennedy ended the set with one of her career-high 17 kills on the night.
“When Aniya is playing confident, she can score at a very high level,” head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. “We count on her to do a ton for our team and I must remind myself that she’s just a freshman sometimes. She’s a competitor and was able to work through a slow start tonight. That just shows her toughness.”
The teams played to a 17-17 tie in the third frame before a marker from freshman middle Camryn Wise and back-to-back blasts from sophomore opposite Madison Buckley pushed the Cardinals ahead by three. The kills were two of Buckley’s 11 in the match. BSU went on to close the set on another Kennedy kill at 25-19.
With the score tied at 5-5 in the fourth frame, it was time for Snyder to take control as she scored kills on three of the next six rallies to give BSU a 10-6 edge and force a Miami timeout. Ball State would go on to score 15 of the final 20 points to secure its third consecutive win over the RedHawks.
In addition to the offensive efforts by Kennedy and Buckley, Plitt added 11 kills and hit .417 (11-1-24) to give Ball State three players in double figures. Senior setter Megan Wielonski also had a strong attacking night, tallying six kills on seven swings for a match-high .857 (6-0-7) hitting percentage.
Wielonski, who dished out 45 assists on the night and ran the Ball State offense to a .309 (56-13-139) rate of success, also collected 10 digs for her seventh assist/dig double-double of the season. Fifth-year libero Havyn Gates led the Cardinals backcourt with 13 digs.
“We started out hot with our net presence and I was pleased with how locked in we were defensively,” Phillips added. “Blocking presence certainly sets an aggressive tone and I thought that was big tonight.”
Overall, Ball State collected a season-high 13 total blocks to hold a 13.0-to-4.0 edge for the match. Wise led the way in that category with seven total blocks, one solo and six assists. Ball State also held an 8-to-2 advantage in service aces, paced by three from Plitt and two from Wielonski.
“Camryn takes a ton of pride in her blocking game and her self discipline really helps her in that area,” Phillips said. “She continues to put in the work to be better and better each week and that’s the type of attitudes we have to have to get where we want to go.”
Miami’s Ellie Hanson led all players with 19 kills, while adding 14 digs for a double-double of her own. Margo Lawson collected a match-high 21 digs. Overall, the Ball State defense limited Miami to a .193 (48-21-140) hitting percentage, including a .000 (8-8-29) effort in the final frame.
The Ball State women’s volleyball team concludes its current four-match road swing Saturday with a 4 p.m. first serve at Bowling Green.
NOTRE DAME VOLLEYBALL
IRISH FALL IN FOUR TO DUKE
DURHAM, NC – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-5, 2-3 ACC) fell in a hard fought battle to Duke (11-5, 2-3) on Friday, Oct. 6 in four sets (25-21, 20-25, 28-30, 20-25).
The Irish were led by Sydney Palazzolo, who recorded 17 kills and three blocks. She was followed by Avery Ross with nine kills and Lucy Trump with seven kills. Nicole Drewnick dished out 35 assists and Hattie Monson recorded 19 digs.
Set One
The Irish claimed an early lead in set one as a Palazzolo ace would give the Irish the four point advantage at 9-5. The Blue Devils responded with a 6-0 run to take the lead 11-9 and force an Irish timeout. The Irish and Blue Devils were tied 16-all, 17-all and 18-all until the Irish claimed the lead at 22-19. Duke would close the gap to 22-21, but the Irish closed it out with three straight kills to take home set one 25-21.
Set Two
It was a close set two as both teams struggled to pull away from the other. Trailing 13-12, a 3-0 run lifted the Irish to a 15-13 advantage. The Blue Devils responded with a run of their own as they claimed the lead at 17-15. A service error by Duke and a Palazzolo ace made it an even set yet again at 17-17. Duke pulled away to make it 23-17, and while the Irish looked to close the gap, the Blue Devils won set two 25-20.
Set Three
The Blue Devils carried their momentum in the third set as they posted an early 5-0 lead. Trailing 17-12, the Irish went on a 4-0 run that was capped off by back-to-back aces from Trump to make it 17-16. It was 18-all, 19-all and 20-all before the Irish were able to take the advantage at 22-20. It was an even set yet again at 23-all, as both squads swapped points up to the 28-28 mark as the Blue Devils would take the advantage and set three win at 30-28.
Set Four
The Irish trailed early in set four at 12-5 as the Blue Devils carried their momentum from set three. With three kills from Trump, the Irish offense was sparked and looking to close the gap. Back-to-back aces from Palazzolo were able to bring the Irish within three at 17-14. Trailing by one at 20-19, the Irish battled but Duke would come out on top after taking set four.
Up Next
The Irish are back in action on Sunday, Oct. 8 at North Carolina at 1:00 PM.
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS. LOUISVILLE
FIGHTING IRISH
IRISH ITEMS – BY THE NUMBERS
2
After junior tight end Mitchell Evans’ career-best 134 receiving yards
against Duke last weekend, Notre Dame is the only FBS team in the
country with two different tight ends posting 100-yard receiving performances this season
(Holden Staes had 115 yards at NC State).
5
The 21-14 victory over No. 17 Duke was the fifth ranked win in the first
20 games of the Marcus Freeman era at Notre Dame. Through those
20 games the Irish have scored the second-most points and have
earned the second-most ranked wins of any Irish head coach’s first
20 games.
4
This weekend’s prime time game is the third of an unprecedented
four-straight night games for the Irish. The team has only played
three night games in a row four times previously.
6
With Louisville entering both national polls and Southern Cal in the
Top 10, Notre Dame will end up facing four consecutive ranked teams
this year for the sixth time in school history and first time since 2000.
7
Mitchell Evans leads the Irish offense with seven third down conversions, while Javontae Jean-Baptiste owns 6.5 third-down stops for
the Irish defense. See page 19 for a complete breakdown of team third
and fourth down conversions/stops.
13
Senior defensive tackle Howard Cross III piled up a team-and-career-high 13 tackles at No. 17 Duke last weekend, becoming the only
Power 5 defensive lineman to amass double-digit tackles in a game
this season.
18.2
The Notre Dame defense has held its opponents to 18.2 points below
their average scoring output of all other games this season. See page
8 for more. The Irish are 14th in the country in scoring defense (13.0).
30
Notre Dame is hoping to extend its 30-game regular-season win
streak against Atlantic Coast Conference teams this weekend at Louisville. The Irish have not lost a regular-season game to an ACC team
since 2017 and have won 15 consecutive games on the road against
ACC opponents.
33
The Notre Dame defensive line, led by Howard Cross III’s 13 tackles
and Rylie Mills’ 7, piled up 33 tackles against No. 17 Duke last weekend
while adding in 5.5 tackles for loss.
45.2
Bryce McFerson has moved into the top 20 in FBS punting this season, ranking 18th (45.2). He has posted 59- and 57-yard punts this
season and has just two touchbacks on 18 punts so far in 2023.
95
Notre Dame’s game-winning 95-yard scoring drive at Duke last
weekend was the longest in program history for a drive ending in
game-winning points since at least 1970.
145
Irish quarterback Sam Hartman has started the season with 145 pass
attempts without an interception. It is the longest such streak in program history to start the year, the fourth-longest overall and the second-best streak in FBS this year.
TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – OFFENSE Jayden Thomas is the leading returning receiver for the Irish in 2023. He leads all wide outs on the team this season with 13 catches for 195 yards. He missed the game at Duke with a leg injury. Chris Tyree has shifted to wide receiver after three years as a running back with the Irish. Tyree has made a key play in each of Notre Dame’s five victories this season, which includes a career-best 76-yard touchdown reception against Central Michigan. True freshman Jaden Greathouse nabbed a 35-yard touchdown pass on his first career touch against Navy. He followed up with a 20-yard scoring catch later in the game. He missed the game at Duke with a leg injury. Joe Alt, the son of former NFL All-Pro John Alt, is one of four team captains for the Irish this season, has been selected as a consensus preseason All-American and is on the Outland, Lombardi and Walter Camp Award watch lists. See page 7 for more on Alt. Pat Coogan made his first career start in just his second game played against Navy. He has helped the Irish average 192.2 rushing yards per game. Zeke Correll has played guard and center during his career and now enters the season as one of the top snappers in the nation. He will make his 29th-career start on the Irish offensive line at Louisville and is on the Rimington Award watch list. Rocco Spindler joined Coogan to make his first career start at guard for the Irish against Navy and helped pave the way for 236 rushing yards against Central Michigan. Blake Fisher is one of the more athletic right tackles in the nation, Fisher combines with Joe Alt to provide Notre Dame one of the best offensive tackle bookends in the nation. Mitchell Evans leads the Irish in receiving with 18 catches for 272 yards after establishing career highs in his last three game played. He peaked with 134 receiving yards in the victory at No. 17 Duke last weekend. He also plays a key role in some of Notre Dame’s short yardage packages by taking direct snaps. He rushed for five first downs and a touchdown from under center last season. Holden Staes capped the scoring against Central Michigan with a four-yard catch which followed up his career-best game at NC State which included four catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Both of those touchdowns came from more than 30 yards (30, 45). Staes and Evans combine as the only two TEs, from the same team, to post two 100-yard receiving performances this season. Rico Flores Jr. earned his first career start against Central Michigan and responded with early career-highs of three catches and 60 receiving yards. His first career touchdown reception against Ohio State provided the Irish their first lead of the game last weekend. Flores also nabbed a crucial two-point conversion in the game’s final minutes at No. 17 Duke. Sam Hartman continues his ascent up the FBS career passing touchdown and yardage lists this season. See page 6 for much more on Hartman. Audric Estimé leads all FBS running backs with 672 rushing yards this season and owns three 100-yard performances in the first six games of the year. Jadarian Price’s first career carry against Navy was a 19-yard touchdown. His second career catch was a 40-yard touchdown reception vs. Tennessee State. Spencer Shrader showed off his incredibly strong leg at NC State, connecting on a Notre Dame record 54-yard field goal in the first quarter, then just missing a 56-yard attempt later the in the game. The 56-yard effort had plenty of distance and hit the left upright. Shrader follwed up with a 50-yard field goal against Central Michigan. Shrader is already tied for fifth on the Notre Dame career charts for 50-yard field goals with two. The school record is four held by Jonathan Doerer (2017-21) and Kyle Brindza (2011-14). Bryce McFerson has a booming leg showed that off against NC State. He punted six times in the game, averaging 50.7 yards per attempt. He also posted a career-best 59-yard punt against the Wolfpack. He also uncorked a 57-yard effort last weekend at Duke. Michael Vinson is in his sixth year at Notre Dame and is one of the top long snappers in the nation. He has developed into a clear leader not only for the Irish special teams, but the entire roster.
TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – DEFENSE Jordan Botelho leads the team with two sacks this season and, among his 17 tackles, owns four third-down stops. Joshua Burnham is has 2.5 TFL this season, while also posting a sack and two quarterback hurries as a key role player off the bench. Rylie Mills is No. 10 on The Athletic’s Freak List for his work in the weight room and has been distruptive on the defensive line so far in 2023. Mills is coming off a career-best seven tackles in the victory at No. 17 Duke last weekend. Jason Onye posted an early-career-best game with five tackles against Tennessee State. He also blocked his first career field goal, preventing TSU points after the Irish fumbled a kick return and gifted the Tigers the ball at the ND 12-yard line. Howard Cross III is the only Power 5 defensive lineman with double-digit tackles in a game this season after his dominating 13-tackle, two-forced fumble performance at Duke last weekend. He was named the Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, October 2. Javontae Jean-Baptiste played perhaps the best game of his career against Ohio State, posting a career-high eight tackles. JJB has been consistent across the Irish defensive line all season and is fifth on the team in tackles (26) and leads the Irish with six quarterback hurries. Nana Osafo-Mensah is a leader in the defensive line group and a steady force against the run. Marist Liufau enters his second full season as a starter in 2023 and has been all over the field through the first six games of the year. He has 23 tackles on the season, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. JD Bertrand missed the CMU game in concussion protocol and returned against Ohio State to tie for the team lead in tackles with eight. He followed up with 11 tackles against Duke last weekend. Jack Kiser does a little bit of everything for the Irish defense, and can appear on the line or even as a spot safety if necessary. He is third on the team with 30 tackles after piling up a career-best 10 while starting at Mike linebacker for JD Bertrand against Central Michigan. Cam Hart was voted a captain by his teammates this season, and looks poised for a highly productive final season with the Irish. Among the most veteran defenders on the team (41 games played) Hart has 78 career tackles, 16 PBUs and two interceptions. DJ Brown returned for a fifth year and is the ‘quarterback’ of the back seven for Notre Dame’s defense. Brown picked off his fourth career pass against NC State, missed the CMU game with a leg injury but returned against Ohio State to finish with three tackles and two PBUs. Xavier Watts has grown from a rookie wide receiver into one of Notre Dame’s starting safeties. Both of his interceptions this season (at NC State, at Duke) have set Notre Dame up in the red zone and directly led to 10 points (seven at NC State, three at Duke). Benjamin Morrison was a Freshman All-American last season, and is focused on taking his game to an even higher level in 2023. He intercepted his first pass of the season at NC State. See page 7 for more on Morrison. The Irish defense is filled with talented younger players eager to make their mark with increased playing time in 2023. Jaylen Sneed loves to pressure the quarterback and get downhill on running situations. Christian Gray, a true freshman, has earned the trust of position coach Mike Mickens to be listed as a back up to Benjamin Morrison. While those talented younger players are ready for their moment, there are three key veterans in the back seven of the defense who will play key roles. Clarence Lewis has played in 43 games at Notre Dame and scored his first career touchdown on a 33-yard interception return against Tennessee State. Thomas Harper, a transfer from Oklahoma State, made his first start in an Irish uniform against TSU and followed up with a team-high seven tackles at NC State. He continued his playmaking moments with his first career sack against Central Michigan. Antonio Carter II jumps up a level from Rhode Island and will provide the Irish safeties depth and contribute across the Irish special teams.
LOUISVILLE NOTES
STORYLINES: Cards Host Nationally Ranked Notre Dame: The University of Louisville hosts its first nationally ranked opponent in 2023 when No. 10 Notre Dame travels to L&N Stadium for a Saturday night game that will be televised on ABC. It’s the first game that will be broadcast on the network since 2020 when No. 18 Louisville and No. 17 Miami faced off in a match-up of nationally ranked teams. 5-0 for the First Time in 10 Years: The Cardinals moved to 5-0 for the first time since 2013 with a 13-10 win over NC State on Friday night. Louisville’s 3-0 conference record is the best since 2012 when the Cards were members of the Big East Conference. With the win, the Cardinals are 3-0 in the ACC for the first time in school history. Paced by its defense, the Cardinals allowed just 201 yards of offense and limited NC State to 3-of-15 on third down to grind out its sixth-straight win dating back to last season. Jeff Brohm is the Second: Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm is the second UofL head football coach to begin his coaching stint with a 5-0 record, joining Tom King who won his first 10 games coaching the Cardinals in 1925 and 1926. Home Winning Streak: The Cardinals bring a seven-game home winning streak into Saturday’s game versus the Fighting Irish. Louisville won five-straight home contests after losing its home opener 35-31 to Florida State. The seven-game streak is tied for the 11th longest in school history and the best since UofL won eight during the 2000-01 season. New School Record: Placekicker Brock Travelstead sent the Cardinals to their sixth-straight win dating back to last season with a school record 53-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to put the Cards ahead 13-10 with 5:32 to play. The field goal breaks the old mark of 52 yards set by Wilbur Summers, Ron Bell, Klaus Wilsmeyer, Nate Smith, and Chris Philpott. Travelstead kicked two field goals in the game to improve to 6-of-8 on the season. He booted four field goals in the opener versus Georgia Tech and two in Friday night’s win over NC State.
NOTING LOUISVILLE-NOTRE DAME SERIES: The Cardinals and Fighting Irish will meet for the fourth time in school history when the two teams square off on Saturday night. Notre Dame owns a 2-1 series advantage after winning a 12-7 contest during the COVID season in 2020. 3 Ian Book scored on a 13-yard run late in the third quarter to overcome a 7-6 UofL lead. The Cardinals announced a sellout for Saturday’s game versus the Fighting Irish, the program’s first since 2019 when ND opened the 2019 season at L&N Stadium. Notre Dame won that contest 35-17. Tony Jones Jr. rushed 15 times for 112 yards, including an 11-yard TD. Notre Dame trailed 14-7 in the first before Jones’ score tied it, and Book followed with an 11-yard score just before halftime. Book’s TD came after a bizarre sequence featuring three consecutive fumbles between the teams, the last of which Notre Dame recovered at Louisville’s 20. The Irish forced five fumbles overall and recovered three. Quarterback Jawon Pass rushed for touchdowns of 8 and 17 yards in the first quarter. 3 Louisville’s lone win in the series came in 2014 when Brandon Radcliff rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown and Reggie Bonnafon threw for 180 yards and a score in the 31-28 win over the Irish in South Bend. Head coach Jeff Brohm is 0-1 against Notre Dame while head coach at Purdue.
NOTRE DAME HOCKEY
IRISH SET TO OPEN SEASON WITH CLARKSON
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s hockey program kicks off the 2023-24 season this weekend when they host Clarkson University for a two game series, October 7-8. Puck drop Saturday night is set for 6 p.m. followed by a 5 p.m. start Sunday.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Opponent: Clarkson Golden Knights
Location: South Bend, Ind.| Compton Family Ice Arena
Schedule: 6 p.m. (Sat.) | 5 p.m. (Sun.)
TV: Peacock
Live Stats: FightingIrish.com
Game Notes: Notre Dame | Clarkson
QUICK HITS
The Irish return 19 letterwinners from the 2022-23 season this year, including 2023 Big Ten Conference Goaltender of the Year, Ryan Bischel.
Classmate Trevor Janicke also is set to return for his fifth season with the Irish when the puck drops on 2023-24.
Of those letterwinners returning, 17 saw game action last season while five appeared in all 37 games played for the Irish a season ago.
The veteran leadership consists of four graduate seniors, including new additions to the team in Patrick Moynihan (forward; Providence) and Ryan Siedem (defenseman; Harvard), and eight seniors
Ten new faces join the team this season, including eight freshmen. The new contributors consist of seven forwards and three defensemen.
The Irish are set to play nine of their 10 non-conference games inside Compton Family Ice Arena, while hosting an additional 12 conference games for a total of 21 home games this season.
The Irish concluded the 2022-23 season with a 16-16-5 record, and a fourth place finish in the Big Ten Conference regular season.
Notre Dame hosted a conference playoffs series for the third consecutive season when they hosted Michigan State in the Big Ten quarterfinals for a best-of-three series.
NOTRE DAME vs. CLARKSON
The two teams have met four times in program history with the series tied 2-2-0 all-time.
Most recently, the Irish defeated the Golden Knights, 3-2 in overtime, at the NCAA Northeast Regional. The game was held at SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Clarkson struck first in that game before former Irish skaters Colin Thiesen and Bobby Nardella found the back of the net in regualtion to force the extra frame. With 15:53 elapsed in the first overtime, Cam Morrison scored the game-winning tally with assists to Michael Graham and Nardella. Cale Morris registered 20 saves in the victory to even the all-time series and advance the Irish to the NCAA Northeast Regional Finals.
The Golden Knights have made the trek to South Bend once before, taking a Thanksgiving weekend win over the Irish 2-0.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
The 2022-23 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year was one of two unanimous selections for 2023-24 Preseason All-Big Ten Teams. He was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team ahead of the coming season.
Bischel was also a Mike Richter Award semifinalist and a Hobey Baker nominee a season ago.
Drew Bavaro made an immediate impact at the blueline last season after joining the Irish and will look to continue that success this season as a senior. He was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team for the preseason.
Landon Slaggert also picked up preseason honors from the Big Ten when he was named an Honorable Mention heading into the season.
FAMILY TIES
The 2023-24 Notre Dame roster features quite a few family connections to the program and hockey world.
Three sets of brothers are currently on the roster, including Justin and Trevor Janicke, Landon and Carter Slaggert, and Henry and Danny Nelson.
With the addition of the Nelsons this season, the Irish have had 17 sets of brothers lace up their skates together for the Irish.
Carter Slaggert also joins the Irish in 2023-24, becoming the third Slaggert brother to appear in a game for the Irish and joins his older brother Landon, who is a senior. Oldest brother Graham currently plays in the Buffalo Sabres organization and skated two years alongside Landon before graduating.
Senior forward Brady Bjork is the younger brother of former Irish All-American and current Chicago Blackhawk Anders Bjork.
Brady’s father, Kirt, played for the Irish from 1979-83 where he appeared in 141 and tallied 161 career points (76-85). When older brother Anders played for the Irish, they became the fourth set of father-son combinations within Notre Dame hockey.
The Slaggerts are part of the fifth set of father-son combinations to suit up for the Irish, joining their father and associate head coach Andy Slaggert.
Justin and Trevor Janicke are the sons of Curtis Janicke, who played for the Irish from 1989-93, appearing in 125 games while scoring 46 goals and adding 98 assists for 144 points.
Justin, Trevor and Curtis represent the sixth father-son duo to play for the Irish.
Freshman Paul Fischer is the nephew of Mike Gearan, a member of the first varsity hockey team at Notre Dame. Fischer will honor his uncle by wearing his number during his career with the Irish, No. 16.
Freshman forward Cole Knuble is the son of former NHLer Mike Knuble, who spent 16 seasons in the NHL, including stints with Detroit, New York Rangers, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington. Cole was recently drafted by the Flyers’ organization where his father played during his early childhood. He will wear No. 22 with the Irish to honor his father.
Four current Irish skaters have siblings playing at the collegiate level, away from South Bend.
Cole Knuble’s brother, Cam, is a senior at Western Michigan University.
Ryan Siedem’s brother is a freshman at the University of New Hampshire.
Jayden Davis’ brother Matthew is a junior on the Denver Pioneers’ hockey team.
Maddox Fleming’s sister Delaney is a freshman on the Ohio State University women’s hockey team.
CURRENT IRISH AND THE NHL DRAFT
The 2023-24 roster features nine NHL draftees, including Jake Boltmann (CGY ‘20), Justin Janicke (SEA ‘21), Danny Nelson (NYI ‘23), Brennan Ali (DET ‘22), Paul Fischer (STL ‘23), Patrick Moynihan (NJD ‘19), Landon Slaggert (CHI ‘20), Cole Knuble (PHI ‘23) and Trevor Janicke (ANA ‘19).
The 2023 NHL draft saw three Irish rookies selected, the most since 2020, and 15th time in program history that at least three Irish icers were selected in a single draft class.
The trio of skaters selected in 2023, Danny Nelson (2nd Rd., 49 overall), Cole Knuble (4th Rd., 103 overall) and Paul Fischer (5th Rd., 138 overall) join fellow rookie Brennan Ali (DET ‘22) as draftees in the ND freshmen class.
When D. Nelson was selected in the second round of this year’s Draft, Notre Dame extended its streak of players drafted to 21 years (2004-present).
INDIANA STATE VOLLEYBALL
SYCAMORES FALL TO BULLDOGS IN WEEKEND OPENER
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Kira Holland led Indiana State with 10 kills and 14 digs Friday night, but visiting Drake defeated the Sycamores in three sets (25-13, 25-14, 33-31) inside ISU Arena.
Holland’s double-double was her fourth of the season and marked her third straight match with a double-double. Kaitlyn Hamilton added nine kills for the Sycamores, while Hannah Baudin had six kills and 13 assists.
Drake built an early 6-2 lead in the opening set and never looked back. Kills by Holland and Hamilton got the Trees within 10-6, but an 8-2 Bulldog run in the later stages of the set saw Drake’s lead increase to 22-11. Baudin and Holland tacked on kills late in the set, but Drake took the opening frame 25-13.
The Bulldogs’ momentum carried into the second set, as the visitors scored five of the first six points. A kill from Hamilton and a Holland service ace got the Sycamores within 10-7, but another lengthy Bulldog run saw Indiana State trailing 16-9. Kills by Baudin and Holland made it a five-point set late at 18-13, but Drake took seven of the last eight points to claim the second set 25-14 and take a 2-0 lead.
Drake took a 7-4 lead in the third set, but Indiana State rattled off a 5-1 scoring run of its own to even things at nine-apiece. Hamilton, Holland and Storm Suhre all had kills during the run for the Sycamores, who later took the lead in the set with kills from Baudin and Karinna Gall. A kill from Holland and a block assist by Hamilton and Ella Scott saw the Trees take a 20-18 lead, but Drake scored the next three points to retake the lead. Hamilton and Holland were the hot hands late for the Sycamores with six kills between the duo, but Drake managed to win a marathon third set 33-31 to clinch the match.
Inside the Numbers
More than half of Indiana State’s kills (18 out of 35) came in the third set.
Reigning MVC Freshman of the Week Kira Holland now has double-doubles in each of the last three matches, averaging 4.27 kills and 3.27 digs per set across those matches.
News and Notes
Friday’s 33-31 third set was the longest set that Indiana State played in since September 3, 2021 against Alcorn State, with the Sycamores winning the second set of that match 35-33. The last set Indiana State played in where both teams had more than 30 points was November 8, 2019 against Evansville, with the Purple Aces winning the second set of that match 33-31.
Through the first two home matches of the season, Indiana State is averaging an over-capacity attendance of 563. The Sycamores’ attendance this season is nearly three times what Indiana State’s 2022 attendance numbers were.
Jadyn Smith made her first career start in Friday’s match.
Up Next
Indiana State remains at home to face league-leading Northern Iowa Saturday at 4 p.m.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE VOLLEYBALL
THREE EARN DOUBLE-DIGIT KILLS IN 3-1 LOSS TO YSU
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne fell 3-1 (20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-22) to Youngstown State in a Horizon League match on Friday (Oct. 6) at the Gates Sports Center on the Arnie Ball Court.
Panna Ratkai finished with 16 kills, 11 digs and a career-high six aces. Ashby Willis had 11 kills and two aces. Joanna Larsen finished with a career-high 11 kills. Taya Haffner had a double-double of 46 assists and 11 digs.
Ratkai’s six aces were the most for a Mastodons since Nicole Jones had six against Robert Morris last season. That mark is also top-10 in program history in four-set matches.
Purdue Fort Wayne hit .394 in the opening set victory. Serving was key as Ratkai had four aces in the frame. Ashby Willis closed the set with an ace for point 25.
YSU scored the final five points of set two to rally from a 23-21 deficit to take the frame. Jazmin Vergara and Abbie Householder each had six kills in the set. Earlier in the frame, the ‘Dons scored five in a row to go up 14-9. They held this lead until YSU’s late push.
The ‘Dons flipped point 15 in set three thanks to a successful challenge. It put the ‘Dons up 15-14 at the media timeout. But in the end, the Penguins used a 6-2 end to the set to break a 19-all tie. YSU would take that momentum into the fourth to clinch the match.
Vergara had a match-high 21 kills for the Penguins.
Purdue Fort Wayne falls to 6-12, 1-5 Horizon League while Youngstown State improves to 7-11, 2-5. The Mastodons are back in action on Saturday (Oct. 7) when they host Robert Morris at 4 p.m.
EVANSVILLE VOLLEYBALL
ACES FALL TO PANTHERS IN WEEKEND OPENER
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Following an opening set that saw the University of Evansville volleyball team give Northern Iowa everything it could handle, the Panthers fended off the challenge to take a 3-0 win on Friday evening inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.
Melanie Feliciano and Giulia Cardona were each held to a season-low six kills apiece. Angelica Gonzalez Maltes picked up the first two kills of her career while Chloe Cline tied her season mark with three. Lexi Owen also added her first collegiate kill while Holland Morris was on the floor for the first time as an Ace.
The Panthers were led by Emily Holterhaus’ 18 kills.
Game 1 – UNI 25, UE 21
After Northern Iowa started the evening with a 6-2 lead, Evansville called a time out and immediately responded. Helped by two Emilee Scheumann kills and an ace from Cardona, the Aces tied the score at 6-6. The Panthers wrestled the lead away and would push their advantage to 14-11.
Once again, the Aces countered as a 5-1 run saw UE take its first lead of the match. Scheumann added another kill while Chloe Cline recorded one of her own. A pair of kills from Feliciano helped UE take its largest lead at 20-16 as the Aces looked to open the night with a win. Unfortunately, UNI had the answer in the form of a 9-1 rally to end the set and take a 25-21 decision.
Game 2 – UNI 25, UE 17
Evansville performed extremely well in the opening moments of the seconds frame as they turned a 6-3 deficit into an 11-8 lead. Another ace from Cardona highlighted the stretch while the Aces forced three Panther errors.
UNI quickly responded with six in a row to retake a 14-11 lead. From there, they would pull away to take a 25-17 victory and a 2-0 match lead. In total, they completed the set on a 17-6 run.
Game 3 – UNI 25, UE 8
Already up 2-0 in the match, the Panthers scored 11 of the first 13 points and would not look back as they clinched the match win with a 25-8 decision in the set.
On Saturday, the Aces welcome Drake for a 5 p.m. contest inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.
EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER BACK IN ACTION SUNDAY AGAINST UIC
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – After a week off from competition, the University of Evansville women’s soccer team will return to action on Sunday afternoon, as the Purple Aces will put a six-match unbeaten streak on the line against the Flames of UIC. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. and Sunday’s match can be seen live on ESPN+.
Evansville rallied for its sixth-straight tie last Sunday, as junior forward Hailey Autenrieb’s 67th-minute strike off a free-kick from sophomore defender Kaylee Woosley helped the Purple Aces rally for a 1-1 tie against Belmont. UE’s six-straight ties are the most in Missouri Valley Conference history, and the Purple Aces’ six-match unbeaten streak is currently the second-longest active streak in the Valley, behind Valparaiso’s current seven-match streak.
Evansville is currently 0-3-8 overall and 0-0-5 in the MVC. The Purple Aces’ defense continues to rank among the Valley’s best in goals-against average at 0.91, while the offense has picked it up of late, scoring in four of UE’s last five Valley matches. Evansville’s goalkeeping corps of senior Myia Danek, fifth-year member Georgia Katsonouri, and freshman Elke Travis continue to rank among the nation’s best in save percentage, as UE will enter the weekend ranked 41st nationally with a .833 save percentage.
UIC will enter Sunday’s match at 4-6-3 overall and 3-2-1 in the MVC after playing to a 0-0 tie at Indiana State on Thursday night. The Flames are not far behind UE defensively in the Valley rankings, allowing just 1.00 goals per game. Offensively, sophomore midfielder Makenna Maloy leads a balanced UIC attack with three goals and four assists. Overall, nine different Flames have scored this season, including freshman midfielder Emmy Higgins, who is from the Tri-State area and is a former Castle Knight.
Sunday’s match will be the second all-time meeting between UE and UIC. The only other meeting in the all-time series came last year in Chicago, when the Flames scored in the 81st minute to collect a 1-0 victory.
SOUTHERN INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
EAGLES SOAR PAST COUGARS IN THRILLING FOUR-SET VICTORY
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (9-9, 5-2 OVC) won a nail-biter against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (7-9, 1-4 OVC) on Friday night at Screaming Eagles Arena, 3-1 (25-22, 25-23, 30-28, 25-22). The Screaming Eagles snap an eight-match winless streak against the Cougars dating back to 2005.
A slow start haunts the Eagles in the opening frame, 25-22. USI scored the first point of the match off a kill from senior outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) until the Cougars nabbed three straight points to take a 3-1 lead. After back-to-back kills by senior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois), USI made it 7-6 but SIUE turned around and fired off five of the next six points to extend their lead to five. Even after an attacking error, the Cougars used a 4-0 run to double-up on the Eagles, 16-8. The Eagles did put up a fight by scoring eight of the next 10 points to cut the deficit to just two. The surge was highlighted by four kills from three different USI players and capped off with an ace from junior outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana). SIUE extended their lead back up to five until a late 3-0 stint from the Eagles made it a close contest at the wire before the Cougars iced the set with a kill. Both sides produced 12 kills in the frame but it was USI’s seven errors that hurt them the most.
It was a tight race to the finish, but USI ultimately came out on top in the second set, 25-23. Trailing 4-3 early, the Eagles stormed back with a 6-0 run that featured four kills split between four different USI attackers. The Eagles continued the hot streak by posting seven of the next eight points to take a 16-6 advantage over the Cougars. Sophomore middle hitter Bianca Anderson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) kicked off the run with back-to-back kills and continued with a pair of kills from Leah Anderson. Even down by 10, SIUE returned fire by posting five straight points to make it 20-15 late in the set. With USI reaching set-point, the Cougars put the Eagles on their heels with a 5-0 surge to make. Leah Anderson shut down the run with a kill to hand USI the victory and tie the match at 1-1. The Eagles outkilled the Cougars 15-10 with the defense forcing nine SIUE errors.
A chaotic third frame ended in favor of USI and gave the Eagles a one-set lead, 30-28. The beginning of the set was a true battle as there were five lead changes and four ties and an SIUE 13-10 lead. USI went on a large 9-1 push that gave the Eagles a 19-14 advantage. The run started with kills from Bednar and Leah Anderson and progressed with three kills from Bianca Anderson and a key kill from junior setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana). The Cougars did not budge and retaliated with a 4-0 run and then another couple of points to make it a one-point set. Trailing 23-21, SIUE ran away with three straight points to hold a 24-23 lead at set point. It was total mayhem after as USI and SIUE traded the lead eight times until the Eagles took advantage of two big attacking errors from the Cougars to end the set. The 30-point plateau was the most points scored in a single set by USI since the 2017 season. Both teams also produced a combined 39 kills and over 100 total attacks in the frame.
USI used a last-second run to win the match and the set, 25-22. The Eagles held an early 7-4 lead until the Cougars sprang into action and tacked on five of the next six points to make it 9-8. Both teams swapped points throughout the set until USI sat with a 22-21 disadvantage. Three kills from three different Eagles shifted the momentum and sealed the Cougars’ fate. Leah Anderson, Bianca Anderson, and Weber tallied the final three kills that helped USI secure the victory.
Sobieralski highlights the Eagles with a career-high 50 assists in just four sets played. Leah Anderson tallied a team-leading 18 kills to pair with a couple of blocks and an ace. Bednar nabbed an 18-dig and 15-kill double-double while Bianca Anderson secured a career-high 15 kills and a whopping 0.636 hitting percentage. Junior middle hitter Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) took control of the net, posting a match-high nine blocks with six kills. Sophomore libero/defensive specialist Keira Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) paired with Bednar to hold a team-high 18 digs.
As a team, the Eagles produced a season-high 62 kills, 58 assists, 14 blocks, and 78 points that complimented 55 digs and two aces. SIUE finished the match with 58 kills, 53 assists, and seven aces to pair with 56 digs and nine blocks.
NEXT UP FOR THE EAGLES:
The Eagles complete the series against the Cougars tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Screaming Eagles Arena. Saturday’s match will be Mental Health Awareness Day and fans are encouraged to wear green to spread awareness.
VALPO VOLLEYBALL
VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO ILLINOIS STATE FRIDAY EVENING
The Valpo volleyball team dropped a Missouri Valley Conference match at the ARC to visiting Illinois State Friday evening by a 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-20) final. During the match, fifth-year outside hitter Bella Ravotto (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian) moved into the top-10 in program history in career digs.
How It Happened
Illinois State led by as many as six points at 13-7 in set one. Valpo put together an 8-2 run to completely erase the deficit and move into a 15-15 tie, but the Beacons were unable to pull in front as the Redbirds took the opener.
The first half of set two was all Valpo, as it hit the halfway point of the frame with a 13-7 lead. ISU scored 10 of the next 14 points to tie the set at 17-all, and while the Beacons still held a lead as late as 20-19, the Redbirds scored six of the set’s final eight points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Illinois State held a 14-11 edge in set three before a 6-1 spurt gave Valpo a 17-15 lead. That was where the Beacons’ lead topped out, however, as Illinois State closed the match on a 10-3 run to complete the sweep.
Inside the Match
Ravotto moved past Angie Nordquist to crack Valpo’s all-time top-10 in career digs, finishing the night with 1,482 career digs.
Junior Elise Swistek (LaPorte, Ind./New Prairie) finished the match with a double-double, posting a team-best 11 kills and 10 digs.
Redshirt sophomore Sam Warren (Kentland, Ind./South Newton) matched her career best with nine kills on .400 hitting and also paced Valpo with three blocks.
Senior Victoria Bulmahn (McCordsville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) led the Beacons with 18 assists.
Sophomore Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) tallied a team-best 18 digs.
Valpo held a 44-40 advantage in kills over the visiting Redbirds, but ISU hit .246 to the Beacons’ .156 clip.
Next Up
Valpo (10-9, 2-4 MVC) looks for a bounce-back performance on Saturday evening in its Girls and Women in Sport Celebration Match, as the Beacons take on Bradley at 5 p.m. Children 12 and under receive free t-shirts and popcorn.
VALPO WOMEN’S TENNIS
SINGLES WINS FOR STONE, FERNANDES AMONG HIGHLIGHTS ON DAY 1 OF MVC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Valparaiso University tennis team began the Missouri Valley Conference Individual Championships on Friday with the event being hosted by Missouri State in Springfield, Mo. this weekend. The Beacons received a pair of singles wins on Day 1, plus the Flight 3 Doubles team advanced to Saturday’s semifinal round.
How It Happened
In Flight 3 Doubles, Mia Bertino (Lockport, Ill. / Joliet Catholic) and Jolene Fernandes (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) battled to a close victory over the UIC combo of Brion/Ryan, prevailing 8-5 to move on to the semifinals. Bertino/Fernandes will match up with Drake’s Klavinska/Lee on Saturday.
In Flight 4 Singles, Sydney Stone (Brisbane, Australia / Tyler JC) had little trouble advancing to the semifinal round, prevailing in straight sets while dropping just two games in her opening-round match. She beat Tuana Gunal of Missouri State 6-1, 6-1. She will clash with Murray State’s Emma Honore on Saturday.
In Flight 6 Singles, Fernandes punched her ticket to the semifinal round by edging Illinois State’s Sofia Rodrigo 7-6(6) on a tiebreak in the first set before prevailing 6-3 in the second. She will face off with Murray State’s Natalie Slezokova for a spot in the finals.
The Flight 2 Doubles team of Stone and Elizabeth Sobieski (Muskego, Wis. / Muskego) earned an 8-3 win over Bradley’s Bezmenova/Pukhina earlier in the day before incurring an 8-5 setback in the quarterfinal round to Drake’s Haagensen/Stepan.
In Flight 1 Singles, Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) fell 7-5, 6-1 to Cristina Flaquer Fueste of Missouri State. In Flight 2, Moira Silva (Houston, Texas / Houston Tennis Academy) retired due to injury during her match against Belmont’s Vesa Gijnaj. In Flight 1 Doubles, the Czerwonka/Silva tandem dropped an 8-6 showdown to Belmont’s Hlahola/Zholdokova.
Bertino incurred a 7-5, 6-0 setback to Murray State’s Sarah Bureau in Flight 3 Singles, while Sobieski dropped a three-set thriller to Darinka Stepan of Drake in Flight 5.
Up Next
The MVC Individual Championships will continue on Saturday in Springfield.
UINDY VOLLEYBALL
HOUNDS UNABLE TO HALT IMPRESSIVE TRITON RUN
INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy volleyball team snagged a set from visiting Missouri-St. Louis on Friday night, however, the fourth-ranked Tritons won each of the next three to win its 16th straight match to begin the fall.
The Greyhounds fall to 13-4 on the season and 3-2 in GLVC play.
Grace Hegwood recorded her fifth double-double of the season, finishing with 14 kills and 12 digs.
INS & OUTS
UIndy started hot, limiting the fiery Triton offense to .139 attacking in the opening frame, contributing to the visiting errors with four blocks. Claire Morris and Hannah Sabotin were in on three each in the set, the latter of whom added two kills in the win.
Unfortunately UMSL flipped the switch in the final three games, combining to hit .421 to complete the comeback. Sophia Parlanti scored four of her 11 kills in the second set, while Hegwood tallying six of her finishes in the third.
The Tritons had 19 more digs as a team in the match, surely making a key difference in the outcome. Three Hounds recorded double-digit scoops, however, including Parlanti with 12 and libero Ellie Spang with 10.
INSIDE THE BOX
– Lauren Cullison performed well on Friday, finishing with 11 kills on .444 hitting with four blocks (two solo) and two digs.
– Morris dished out 45 assists, adding four blocks and four digs.
– Hegwood also led the team with three service aces. Spang (2), Morris (1), and Sabotin (1) also contributed aces.
MORE NOTES
UMSL has now won each of the past eight meetings and leads the all-time series, 19-17 … Addison Putt saw action in the second set, passing three Triton serves successfully to the setter Morris … UIndy’s first-set win marked just the fifth time this season UMSL has dropped a game, including the first in conference action.
HOUND BYTES
Hegwood on the team’s fight…
“I feel like our team…we are so close and it’s so hard we’re right there. The first set was awesome on our side. Being able to maintain that energy and fight the entire game is something we’re trying to work on.”
Hegwood on communication…
“Communication is always huge. It’s not only on the court and talking to one another, but lifting each other up after every play and mistake. Volleyball is a game of errors so knowing your team has your back after making a mistake.”
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds are back in Ruth Lilly Fitness Center tomorrow afternoon against McKendree for a 3 p.m. serve.
As part of Homecoming, the Hounds will open a series of contests with football hosting William Jewell at 6 p.m. from Key Stadium. Both soccer teams are set to host Lewis on Sunday afternoon, as well, beginning at noon.
MARIAN CROSS COUNTRY
MARIAN RUNS AT BETHEL INVITE
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Marian cross country team headed north to compete in the Bethel Invite at St. Patrick’s County Park. The men’s team sent 10 runners, while the women had five Knights competing in the race.
Robert Lohman and Lucas Steward were the top two finishers for Marian, finishing in 33rd and 54th. Lohman toed the line in a time of 26:40.71 and Steward clocked in at 27:11.5. Alex Mundt was next up for the Knights with his 27:49.8 time, before Mitchell Hayward turned in a time of 28:14.4 and Drew Holok finished the race in 28:18.4. Clocking in at 28:34 was Everett Carlisle, while Alex Cuevas was not far behind with his 28:50.3 finish. Kenneth Hammell, Alex Chavarria, and Jose Sanchez were the final three finishers for the Knights, clocking in times of 29:04.41, 29:44.2, and 30:21.6, respectively.
On the women’s side, the Knights ran the 5K race with Lainey Roth leading the pack. Roth clocked a time of 20:26.7 to finish 41st, while Katie Woods was next in 57th with her 21:06.5 time. Emma Beimfohr and Sabrina Siems finished seconds apart from each other, with Beimfohr posting a time of 21:29.3 and Siems running a time of 21:35.10. Kiley Breedon rounded out the Marian lineup, finishing the race in a time of 23:10.1.
MARIAN WOMEN’S TENNIS
WOMEN’S TENNIS ADVANCES TO CROSSROADS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP WITH UPSET WIN OVER BETHEL
Mishawaka, Ind. – The Marian women’s tennis team avenged their season opening loss against (RV) Bethel with a postseason win, as the Knights upended the Pilots in the Crossroads League Tournament Semifinals. Marian’s upset win over the second-ranked Pilots came in a 4-2 result, as the Knights clinched their berth into Monday’s championship match.
Marian grinded out the first point of the match in doubles play, taking two of the three matches against the Pilots to build an early 1-0 lead. Isadora Muller and Paloma Caceres Villalba scored a 6-3 win over Kyla Steyn and Julieta Gonzales at No. 3 doubles for the first win, but the duo of Michelle Irigoyen and Ana Barbosa Fernandez were unable to pick up the second. Irigoyen and Barbosa were defeated at No. 2 doubles 6-4 by Kaavya Palani and Ariadni Kokoula. With doubles knotted 1-1, eyes turned to No. 1 doubles, where the Knights were able to claim the point as Katharina Bopst and Yasmin Imamniyazova scored a 6-4 win against Szilvi Ferenczy and Kyla Heckaman.
With the 1-0 lead in hand, Marian turned their focus to singles, but were unsuccessful in their first go as Caceres was defeated by Sandy Sharaf 6-3, 6-2. Bethel again scored on the match as Kokoula defeated Irigoyen 6-2, 6-4, putting the home team in front 2-1.
Marian rebounded at No. 1 singles as Imamniyazova landed 6-3, 6-4 win over Palani, leveling the match score 2-2. Marian continued the comeback trail as Bopst won her match at No. 5 singles 6-2, 7-5 (5), defeating Steyn to claim a 3-2 match lead. With two matches left to decide the final, Barbosa came out with a three-set win over Ferenczy at No. 2 singles, winning 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, clinching the upset victory. Marian’s Emma Chrome would go unfinished in her match following the 4-2 victory, as she ended the day in the third set against Gonzales.
Marian’s win improves the fall record to 8-2 overall, as they advance to the Crossroads League Championship match on Monday. Marian will travel to the regular season champions Indiana Wesleyan, taking on the Wildcats at 4 p.m.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
NFL STANDINGS
| American Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Buffalo Bills | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 139 | 55 | 2-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 W | |
| Miami Dolphins | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 150 | 119 | 1-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 3-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| New England Patriots | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 55 | 97 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| New York Jets | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 62 | 84 | 1-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 101 | 60 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 3 W | |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 110 | 104 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 62 | 101 | 0-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 L | |
| Denver Broncos | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 100 | 150 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 W | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Baltimore Ravens | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 99 | 58 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 62 | 100 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Cleveland Browns | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 76 | 60 | 2-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 1 L | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 49 | 94 | 1-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-3-0 | 0-2-0 | 1 L | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Indianapolis Colts | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 97 | 99 | 0-2-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Houston Texans | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 96 | 79 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 W | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 80 | 82 | 1-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Tennessee Titans | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 72 | 70 | 2-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| National Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 118 | 90 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 4 W | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 1.0 | 124 | 41 | 2-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Washington Commanders | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 | 2.5 | 109 | 160 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 3 L | |
| New York Giants | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 3.0 | 46 | 122 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-3-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 125 | 58 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 4 W | |
| Seattle Seahawks | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 1.0 | 111 | 91 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 3 W | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 2.0 | 98 | 85 | 0-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 3.0 | 88 | 102 | 1-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 L | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Detroit Lions | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 106 | 83 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Green Bay Packers | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 100 | 96 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 90 | 95 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Chicago Bears | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 2.5 | 115 | 157 | 0-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 W | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 84 | 68 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 62 | 77 | 2-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 L | |
| New Orleans Saints | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 62 | 76 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 3.0 | 67 | 102 | 0-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-4-0 | 0-2-0 | 4 L | |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1904 Jack Chesbro gets his 41st win of the season when the Highlanders beat Boston in New York, 3-2. Happy Jack’s win-total is considered the modern era major league mark for the most victories in a season.
1905 Fred Odwell hits his ninth and final home run of the season, an inside-the-park round-tripper of Cardinal right-hander Buster Brown at Robison Field, making the Reds’ outfielder the National League’s home run champion. ‘Fritz’ hit just one last year as a rookie, and after leading the majors this season, he will not hit another round-tripper for the remainder of his career, a span of 154 games.
1911 In their last game played at the Huntington Avenue Grounds, the Red Sox beat the Senators, 8-1. Anticipating a cancellation due to the cold, damp weather and a muddy field, only 850 patrons attended the 82-minute contest, but Boston owner John I. Taylor kept his promise of having a “Kids’ Day,” giving free admission to hundreds of children attending the season finale.
1925 Before Game 1 of the World Series at Forbes Field, Commissioner Landis orders the Pirates and the Senators to wear black armbands in memory of former Giants legend Christy Matthewson, who died this morning at Saran Lake (NY) of tuberculosis. Although the practice will become common, this marks the first time in major league history that teams have altered their uniform to acknowledge a fellow ballplayer’s passing.
1935 In the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6, the Tigers win their first World Series in franchise history when Goose Goslin singles home Mickey Cochrane to give the team a dramatic 4-3 walk-off victory over the Cubs. Tommy Bridges goes the distance, giving up 12 hits, to get the Navin Field victory.
1939 In Game 3 at Crosley Field, Charlie Keller becomes the first rookie to hit two home runs in the same World Series game. The 22-year-old outfielder’s round-trippers in the first and fifth innings, both off starter Junior Thompson, help the Yankees beat the Reds, 7-3.
1950 Rookie hurler Whitey Ford, with ninth-inning help from Allie Reynolds, beats the Phillies, 5-2, as the Yankees complete the World Series sweep of Philadelphia’s ‘Whiz Kids.’ Jerry Coleman wins the Babe Ruth Award as the series MVP.
1952 In the decisive Game 7, the Yankees beat the Dodgers at Ebbets Field, 4-2, to win their fourth consecutive World Championship. Gil Hodges finishes the Fall Classic hitless in twenty-one at-bats, which had prompted some Brooklyn fans to gather at local churches asking for divine help for their beloved first baseman.
1961 The Yankees win Game 3 of the World Series, beating the hometown Reds at Crosley Field, 3-2. The decisive blow is Roger Maris’ home run leading off the top of the ninth inning off Cincinnati starter Bob Purkey.
1964 Bob Uecker, who had been shagging out in left field, tries to catch batting practice balls with a tuba when an unsuspecting member of a Dixieland band leaves it unattended. Much to the delight of the crowd, the comedic Cardinals backup catcher is successful in two of his six attempts to snag a fly ball in the mouth of the instrument, but the owner, who is not amused, asks the team for $250 to cover the cost of repairing the dented brass.
1969 The Cardinals trade Curt Flood, Byron Browne, Joe Hoerner, and Tim McCarver to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Dick Allen, Jerry Johnson, and Cookie Rojas. When Flood refuses to report to Philadelphia, St. Louis will send Willie Montanez and a minor leaguer to complete the trade, but the outfielder’s courageous challenge to the reserve clause will have a dramatic impact on the game.
1977 The Dodgers rally for three runs with none on and two outs in the top of the ninth to take a one-run lead in their eventual 6-5 victory over the Phillies at Veterans Stadium in Game 3 of the NLCS. The game appears to be over when LA’s Davey Lopes is picked off first base for the final out, but a throwing error by Gene Garber advances him to second base, from where he will score the decisive run on Bill Russell’s single.
1978 In Game 4 of the NLCS, Ron Cey scores in the 10th inning on Bill Russell’s two-out game-winning single, giving the Dodgers a 4-3 victory over the Phillies and their second consecutive National League pennant. Cey, who walked after the first two batters were retired, advanced into scoring position when Garry Maddox misplayed Dusty Baker’s fly ball in center field.
1981 The first postseason game outside the United States takes place in Montreal when the Expos beat the Phillies in Game 1 of NLDS, 3-1, at Olympic Stadium. The franchise will not make playoffs again for 31 years, appearing in the postseason as the Washington Nationals in 2012.
1981 After jumping to catch Manny Trillo’s liner for the last out of the NLDS clincher, Warren Cromartie borrows a Canadian flag from an Expo fan sitting in the stands and begins waving it near the Phillies’ dugout. The remaining Veteran Stadium crowd, already disappointed by Philadelphia’s season-ending 3-0 loss to Montreal, does not react kindly to the outfielder’s patriotic gesture.
1984 In a game best remembered for Cubs’ first baseman Leon Durham’s seventh-inning error on an easy ground ball, the Padres win the NLCS when Tony Gwynn’s seventh-inning two-run double breaks a 3-3 tie en route to a 6-3 victory at Jack Murphy Stadium. Chicago had a 2-0 game advantage and a 3-0 lead in the decisive Game 5 but could not end their thirty-nine-year World Series appearance drought.
1988 The Yankees replace manager Lou Piniella, who had taken over for the fired Billy Martin in June, with Dallas Green. The former Phillies’ skipper compiles a 56-65 record (.463) before being fired in August after calling George Steinbrenner’ Manager George’ due to the team’s meddling with the team.
1995 In Game 4 of the ALDS, Edgar Martinez’s eighth-inning grand slam breaks a 6-6 tie with the Yankees at the Kingdome. The Mariner DH’s round-tripper, considered by many the biggest in franchise history, is the difference in Seattle’s eventual 11-10 victory, forcing a decisive Game 5.
1995 With a 10-4 victory over Colorado, the Braves win their Division Series behind the solid pitching of Greg Maddux and the power provided by Fred McGriff’s two home runs. The eventual World Champs will sweep Cincinnati in the NLCS before beating Cleveland in the Fall Classic
2000 Benny Agbayani’s 13th-inning home run ends the longest LDS game ever played, five hours and 22 minutes. The dramatic round-tripper by the Mets outfielder, who was voted the 36th greatest athlete from Hawaii by Sports Illustrated, gives New York a 3-2 victory and a 2-1 series advantage over the Giants.
2001 On the last day of the season, Rickey Henderson bloops a double down the right-field line off Rockies’ hurler John Thomson to become the 25th major leaguer to collect 3000 hits. Tony Gwynn, who is playing in his last major league game, also a member of the 3000 hit club, meets the Padres’ outfielder at home plate in front of a sellout crowd at Qualcomm Park.
2001 Barry Bonds extends his major league record for home runs in a season to 73 as he drives a 3-2 first-inning knuckleball off Dodger Dennis Springer over the right-field fence. The blast also secures two more major league records for the Giants’ left fielder when he surpasses Babe Ruth (1920 – .847) with a .863 season slugging percentage and bests Mark McGwire (1998 – one HR every 7.27 AB) by homering in every 6.52 at-bats.
2005 The White Sox complete a three-game postseason sweep of the Red Sox, defeating the defending World Series champion in Game 3 of the ALDS, 5-3. The Fenway Park victory marks the first time the Pale Hose have won a postseason series since 1917.
2006 Three years after enduring a 119-loss season, the wild-card Tigers upset the much-favored Yankees to advance to the ALCS for the first time since 1987. After beating New York 8-3 to take the ALDS 3 games to 1, the Detroit players start spraying champagne on fans at Comerica Park, who have suffered through 12 consecutive losing seasons and a tough month of September before the team wins their first postseason series in 19 years.
2006 The Mets defeat Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium, 9-5, to complete a three-game sweep in the NLDS. The Dodgers have won only one postseason game in 13 attempts since beating the A’s in the 1988 World Series.
2007 George Steinbrenner makes it clear if the Yankees do not get past the first round of playoffs against the Indians, Joe Torre’s job, the longest-tenured manager under the Boss’s ownership, will be in jeopardy. Trailing the ALDS 2-0, the team responds for their popular skipper with a come-from-behind 6-4 victory over the Tribe at the Stadium.
2010 With only 17 instances of a manager getting tossed in postseason history, two occurrences happen on the same day when umpires eject Rays’ Joe Maddon and Twins’ Ron Gardenhire from different ALCS games. Against Texas, the Tampa Bay skipper gets the heave-ho in for arguing a check swing with home plate ump Jim Wolf, and the Minnesota pilot suffers the same fate with Hunter Wendelstedt for arguing balls and strikes in the seventh in the contest against the Yankees.
2018 At 20 years and 293 days, Ronald Acuña Jr. becomes the youngest player in MLB history to hit a postseason grand slam, going deep off Walker Buehler in the second inning of the Braves’ 6-5 victory over the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS. Yankee legend Mickey Mantle previously held the record being 21 years, 349 days old, when he went deep with the bases loaded in Game 5 of the 1953 World Series.
2018 Uni-President Lions pitcher Ryan Verdugo throws nine perfect innings, but the southpaw does not leave the mound a winner in the scoreless contest against the Chinatrust Brothers. When third baseman Kuo Fu-Lin leads off the ninth inning with a walk-off home run, the former Kansas City Royal hurler will earn his perfect game, the first in the Chinese Professional Baseball League’s history.
WORLD SERIES HISTORY
1909 WORLD SERIES
The Pittsburgh Pirates, a regular Series contender, won their seventh National League championship in 1909, behind the brilliant play of veteran superstar Honus Wagner. (He would add his eighth and final title two years later) Wagner had hit .339 for the Buccos and Pittsburgh’s pitching staff was just as dangerous. Howie Camnitz and Vic Willis won twenty-five and twenty-two games, respectively, for the Pirates and Lefty Leifield posted nineteen victories. Detroit returned for their third consecutive Fall Classic determined to erase the memories of their previous efforts. The Tigers were also backed up by the heavy bat of Ty Cobb (who had just won his third consecutive American League batting title) and a formidable pitching staff featuring Mullin, Willett and Summers who had a combined seventy victories. None of this mattered though as the Pirates big three were unable to win a single game in the Series and only one Detroit standout, Mullin, performed as predicted by chalking up two victories.
The Tigers managed to outplay the Pirates veteran starters, but they couldn’t handle newcomer Babe Adams, who had compiled a 12-3 record for the Pirates in 1909. Adams drew the start for Game 1 and responded with a six-hitter, 4-1 victory that was sparked by playing Manager Fred Clarke’s game-tying homer in the fourth inning. Once again, Detroit had lost the lead… and lost the game.
Game 2 was tipped in Detroit’s favor with a three run outburst in the third inning that was ignited by the spectacular home plate stealing of Ty Cobb. The Tigers had managed to square the Series at one game apiece and were looking for more. Pittsburgh regained the lead in Game 3 when they jumped on the back of Honus Wagner, who had three hits, three runs batted in and three stolen bases and rallied to an 8-6 victory. The win-swapping continued when Tiger ace George Mullin actually lived up to his reputation and threw a five-hit, shutout while striking out ten Pirates in a Game 4 victory.
Once again, Detroit had tied it up, but were unable to repeat as the Babe Adams threw another six-hitter, resulting in an 8-4, Game 5 triumph. The resilient Tigers found themselves back in business the next afternoon when Mullin, after being roughed up for three first-inning runs, surrendered only one more and wound up with a seven-hit, Game 6 winner. With the Series going down to a climactic seventh game (the first to go the distance) Pittsburgh’s Fred Clarke went with two game winner, Babe Adams as his pitcher, while Detroit Manager Hugh Jennings decided on Bill Donovan, a complete-game winner in Game 2.
Donovan was off to a miserable start as he hit the first Pirate batter and went on to walk six of them in the first two innings. He was pulled after three with Adams confidently holding a 2-0 lead. Pittsburgh never looked back as the Bucco’s Babe nailed his third six-hitter of the Series and an 8-0 championship victory. It was the Pirates third post-season appearance, second official Series and first World Championship. Honus Wagner continued to prove his Cooperstown worthiness by hitting .333, with seven RBIs and six stolen bases. Playing manager Fred Clarke set a record with four walks in Game 4. On the other side, future Hall of Famer Ty Cobb did not fare as well. Appearing in what would be his last Series (although he would be an active player through 1928), Cobb batted only .231 but led Detroit with six RBIs.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
October 7, 1916 – The most lopsided victory in the history of college football occurs when legendary Coach John Heisman led his Georgia Tech team to a 222-0 victory over the outmanned Cumberland College squad. This story according to an article posted by the NCAA may have started the year prior. Heisman at that time was also the school’s baseball coach. The two schools met on the baseball diamond in 1915, and Cumberland peppered the Tech ballers 22-0. Heisman was furious, feeling that his opponents had stacked their roster with professional ringers, which severely outclassed his group of true amateur collegiate players. Heisman had his eye on some redemption as he knew his gridder team had Cumberland College on their schedule for the 1916 season. The plot thickened though when Cumberland decided to drop its football program completely.
This schedule commitment prior to the discontinuation of the football team made Cumberland forced to play the October 7 game or face a steep fine of $3000, payable to Georgia Tech for the breach of contract for the game. This was some big money in that era. The school’s officials charged the team’s student manager with the rask of assembling a team to face the Ramblin’ Wreck. This poor soul filled out the roster with a bunch of his fraternity brothers, who felt it obligatory to help one of their own out of a jam, besides it sounded like fun. Especially when John Heisman vowed to give the Cumberland eleven $500 for travel expenses, which equates to just over $11,500 in today’s money.
Georgia Tech on the otherhand was stocked with players that would later win the national championship in 1917 by defeating Cal in the Rose Bowl. Okay you know the score that we shared with you in the first sentence of this post, but here are some of the stats of the Most Lopsided Game in football history.
- Cumberland had only 45 offensive plays, out done by only 28 run by Tech!
- Cumberland committed 15 turnovers or roughly one of every three they lost the ball!
- Passer Leon McDonald threw four interceptions in the game, and then was relieved of his QB duties by George Murphy who tossed two more picks.
- 5 of the 6 interceptions were pick sixes
- Two of the fumbles were scoop and scores
- Six kicking plays were returned for touchdowns by the Yellow Jackets, including four punts and two kickoffs. (I am not sure how Cumberland had to kick off twice, perhaps a safty?)
Update from loyal reader/listener Peter S. on this subject: “Back then a team could elect to kick off rather than receive a kickoff after a score by their opponents. Since offenses were not very prolific back then, it was to a team’s advantage to kick off–your opponent started at their 20 yard line (on average), and if they went 3 and out (pretty common at the time), they would punt back to you and you would end up getting the ball back somewhere between your own 40 and midfield; so you were “gaining” 20 or 30 yards by kicking off.
Of course this doesn’t work if the opponents are scoring on every other play they run, but I guess it took Cumberland a bit of time to figure that out.
Another example of kicking off after the other team scores on you was how Red Grange scored 4 touchdowns in the First Quarter against Michigan in 1924–each time he scored, Michigan elected to kick off to Illinois, presumably because “he won’t be able to do that again” ” Thank you to Peter for setting us straight on this. If you have any feedback please email us at pigskindispatch@gmail.com like Peter did!
That does not include one of the weirdest plays in college football history. In the second quarter, after Georgia Tech scored to make it 105-0, Jim Preas kicked off to Cumberland’s Gouger, who fumbled the ball. Then Preas, the kicker, recovered the kick and scored before kicking the extra point as well to push Tech’s lead to 112-0.
- Speaking of Preas he nailed a record 18 extra point attempts in the first half. He was relieved of this duty for the second half (he may have been too tired) by Tommy Spence, who converted five in a row before missing back-to-back tries and then he was replaced. George Everett Strupper made one in the fourth quarter, and then Bill Fincher hit six more in the fourth, giving Georgia Tech a 30-for-32 mark on the day.
- There was not one first down recorded by either team.
- Tech scored 63 points inthe first quarter, and then matched that total again in the second.
- Heisman’s team did not attempt even one pass during the contest, they did’t have to when they were averaging a staggering 4.5 point per play on the ground!
- Georgia Tech’s defense and special teams accounted for a whopping 96 points in the contest out gunned by the offense that generated 126 tallies of their own.
This is the beatdown of all beatdowns in any sport. Heisman has gone down in history as one of the greats in the game of football one of the good guys, but if someone got under his dander, by golly they were surely going to pay for it.
October 7, 1979 – Dino Hall of the Cleveland Browns returns a franchise record 9 kickoffs in a game. It is probably not a record that the franchise nor their fans wanted to witness as their rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers put up a 50 burger, in the 51-35 Steel-town win at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
October 7, 1984 – Walter Payton hits a major milestone as he surpassed the great Jim Brown’s 12312 yards as the NFL’s All-Time leading rusher. Sweetness navigated his way through the New Orleans Saints defense in a 20-7 win at Soldier Field.
October 7, 2012 – Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints etches his name once again in the NFL record books breaking legendary quarterback Johnny Unitas’s record of 48 consecutive games with a touchdown pass. The streak continued when wideout Devery Henderson hauled in the scoring strike from Brees as the Saints prevailed 31-24 over Mr. Brees former team, the San Diego Chargers at the Superdome.
Hall of Fame Birthdays for October 7
October 7, 1921 – Vaughn Mancha a center from the University of Alabama was born. According to an article on nolefan.org Mancha suffered from the loss of vision in one eye due to a childhood accident but that didn’t deter him from having an extremely productive football career at both the collegiate and professional levels. Due to his injury Mancha was unable to serve in the military, so the patriotic young man joined the Merchant Marines to aid in the war efforts. After the fighting was over, Vaughn enrolled at Alabama and became a four year letterman and one of the best football players in school history. For the Tide he was a two-way player manning both the center and linebacker positions. In 1948 the Boston Yanks picked Mancha in the NFL draft. A knee injury cut short his NFL playing career so Vaughn got into coaching. He started out at Livingston State, which would eventually become the University of West Alabama, and in his first year at the helm in 1949, his team knocked off Florida State. The two teams did not play again but a couple years later in 1952, the Florida State brass decided to hire Mancha as an assistant coach, a role he stayed at for 5 seasons. In 1957 Mancha moved to New York City where he coached the linebackers at Columbia University as he worked on a graduate degree at the school. After a few short years in the Big Apple he returned to the Seminoles to become their Athletic Director. It was during the twelve seasons that Mancha served in that role that the Florida State program became a national powerhouse, as they played other big name schools and this spread to other sports teams at the school as well. The National Football Foundation voted Mr. Mancha into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
October 7, 1950 – Dick Jauron was a former Yale University running back that played for the Bulldogs from 1970 through the 1972 season. Jauron was a First-Team All-Ivy League selection and led his team in rushing in all three of the seasons he played for Yale. The Detroit Lions picked Dick in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL Draft. His eight year playing career also saw him spend three seasons as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. After his playing days he worked as a coach in the NFL for 28 seasons, including being the Head Coach of both the Chicago Bears and the Buffalo Bills. Jauron earned the 2001 NFL Coach of the Year Award. Dick Jauron was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
October 7, 1976 – Was the birth anniversary of Charles Woodson, a cornerback from the University of Michigan. The footballfoundation.org website informs us that Woodson is the only primarily defensive player to have ever won the Heisman Trophy. Woodson was a two -time First-Team All-American player for the Wolverines and played on the Michigan National Championship team of 1997. One of the biggest games of the ’97 season was a game against arch-rival Ohio State. Charles had a very big part in the Wolverines victory over the Buckeyes. The defensive back intercepted a pass in the endzone, returned a kick 78 yards and caught an offensive 37 yard pass for Michigan’s only touchdown of the game. Again he came on strong in a big game to preserve a 12-0 season in the Rose Bowl against Washington State University. In that bowl game he had a Rose Bowl record 4 pass break ups and recorded an interception. In addition to the Heisman Trophy mentioned earlier, Charles took home the Walter Camp Award, Jim Thorpe Award, Chuck Bednarik Ward, Bronko Nagurski Trophy to go along with the National Championship hardware he helped Michigan achieve! The National Football Foundation selected Charles Woodson into their College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
36 – 26 – 27 – 34 – 32 – 16 – 19 – 24 – 9
October 7, 1904 – New York Highlanders beat Boston Americans, 3-2 at Hilltop Park, NYC for pitcher Jack Chesbro‘s MLB record 41st win of the season (41-12)
October 7, 1952 – At the World Series the New York Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-2 at Ebbets Field in Game 7 to tie down a record 4th straight World Series title. The Most Valuable Player was Yankee first baseman Johnny Mize, Number 36
October 7, 1979 – Cleveland Browns’ Number 26, Dino Hall sets club records with 9 kickoff returns
October 7, 1979 – Frank Mahovlich, Number 27 formally retires from the NHL after a failed comeback attempt with the Detroit Red Wings
October 7, 1984 – Chicago Bears running back Number 34, Walter Payton passed legendary Cleveland Browns fullback, Number 32 Jim Brown as NFL’s career rushing leader
October 7, 1985 – Lynette Woodward, Number 16 was chosen as the first woman on the Harlem Globetrotters
October 7, 1986 – Steve Yzerman, Number 19 was named as the captain of the Detroit Red Wings, a title he would hold for over 1,300 games
October 7, 1989 – Oakland A’s Number 24, Rickey Henderson steals a record 8 bases in a playoff series (5 games) against Toronto Blue Jays
October 7, 2012 – New Orleans quarterback Number 9, Drew Brees breaks Colts great Number 19, Johnny Unitas‘ NFL record for consecutive games with a TD pass (48) when he connects with another Number 19, Devery Henderson in the Saints 31-24 win over the San Diego Chargers at the SuperDome
| TV SATURDAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Texas State at Louisiana | 3:30/4pm | ESPN2/U |
| USF at UAB | 3:30/4pm | ESPN2/U |
| Boston College at Army | 12:00pm | CBSSN |
| LSU at Missouri | 12:00pm | ESPN |
| Maryland at Ohio State | 12:00pm | FOX |
| Rutgers at Wisconsin | 12:00pm | Peacock |
| Western Michigan at Mississippi State | 12:00pm | SECN |
| William & Mary at Virginia | 12:00pm | ACCN |
| Oklahoma vs Texas | 12:00pm | ABC |
| Toledo at UMass | 12:00pm | ESPNU |
| Marshall at NC State | 2:00pm | CW |
| UTSA at Temple | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Central Michigan at Buffalo | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Howard at Northwestern | 3:00pm | BTN |
| Washington State at UCLA | 3:00pm | PAC12N |
| Kent State at Ohio | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| North Texas at Navy | 3:30pm | CBSSN |
| NIU at Akron | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Ball State at Eastern Michigan | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Bowling Green at Miami (OH) | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Virginia Tech at Florida State | 3:30pm | ABC/ESPN |
| Wake Forest at Clemson | 3:30pm | ACCN |
| Syracuse at North Carolina | 3:30pm | ABC/ESPN |
| Purdue at Iowa | 3:30pm | Peacock |
| Alabama at Texas A&M | 3:30pm | CBS |
| UCF at Kansas | 4:00pm | FOX |
| Arkansas State at Troy | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Vanderbilt at Florida | 4:00pm | SECN |
| UConn at Rice | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Tulsa at Florida Atlantic | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Colorado at Arizona State | 6:30pm | PAC12N |
| Kentucky at Georgia | 7:00pm | ESPN |
| Old Dominion at Southern Miss | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| South Alabama at ULM | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Arkansas at Ole Miss | 7:30pm | SECN |
| Michigan at Minnesota | 7:30pm | NBC |
| Notre Dame at Louisville | 7:30pm | ABC |
| Texas Tech at Baylor | 8:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Fresno State at Wyoming | 8:00pm | FOX/FS2 |
| Colorado State at Utah State | 8:00pm | MWN |
| San Jose State at Boise State | 8:00pm | CBSSN |
| TCU at Iowa State | 8:00pm | FOX/FS2 |
| Georgia Tech at Miami (FL) | 8:00pm | ACCN |
| Oregon State at California | 10:00pm | P12N |
| Arizona at USC | 10:30pm | ESPN |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| DP World: Alfred Dunhill Links | 7:00am | GOLF |
| PGA Junior League Championship | 11:00am | ESPNews |
| PGA: Sanderson Farms | 4:00pm | GOLF |
| LPGA: The Ascendant | 7:30pm | GOLF |
| LPGA : NW Arkansas Championship | 2:00pm | GOLF |
| MLB PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| ALDS Game 1: Texas at Baltimore | – | FOX/FS1 |
| ALDS Game 1: Minnesota at Houston | – | FOX/FS1 |
| NLDS Game 1: Philadelphia at Atlanta | – | TBS |
| NLDS Game 1: Arizona at LA Dodgers | – | TBS |
| MOTORSPORTS | TIME ET | TV |
| Qatar Grand Prix Sprint Shootout | 8:55pm | ESPN2 |
| Xfinity: Drive for the Cure 250 | 3:00pm | NBC |
| NBA PRESEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Dallas vs Minnesota | 12:00pm | NBATV |
| LA Lakers vs. Golden State | 8:30pm | NBATV |
| NHL PRESEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Vegas vs Los Angeles | 4:00pm | NHLN |
| Toronto vs Detroit | 7:00pm | NHLN |
| Chicago vs St. Louis | 8:00pm | NHLN |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| EPL: Luton Town vs Tottenham Hotspur | 7:30am | USA |
| La Liga: Mallorca vs Valencia | 8:00am | ESPN+ |
| Serie A: Internazionale vs Bologna | 9:00am | Paramount+ |
| Bundesliga: Stuttgart vs Wolfsburg | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Augsburg vs Darmstadt 98 | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: RB Leipzig vs Bochum | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund vs Union Berlin | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| EPL: Manchester United vs Brentford | 10:00am | USA |
| EPL: Burnley vs Chelsea | 10:00am | Peacock |
| EPL: Everton vs AFC Bournemouth | 10:00am | Peacock |
| EPL: Fulham vs Sheffield United | 10:00am | Peacock |
| La Liga: Mallorca vs Valencia | 10:15am | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Metz vs Nice | 11:00am | beIN Sports |
| Serie A: Juventus vs Torino | 12:00pm | Paramount+ |
| EPL: Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest | 12:30pm | NBC |
| La Liga: Mallorca vs Valencia | 12:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Werder Bremen vs Hoffenheim | 12:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Serie A: Genoa vs Milan | 2:45pm | Paramount+ |
| La Liga: Sevilla vs Rayo Vallecano | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Reims vs Monaco | 3:00pm | beIN Sports |
| Brasileirão: Goiás vs Bahia | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Primera División: San Lorenzo vs Newell’s Old Boys | 3:30pm | Paramount+ |
| NWSL: Portland Thorns vs NJ/NY Gotham FC | 5:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Brasileirão: Vasco da Gama vs São Paulo | 5:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Primera División: Estudiantes vs Godoy Cruz | 6:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Primera División: Lanús vs Defensa y Justicia | 6:00pm | Paramount+ |
| NWSL: North Carolina Courage vs San Diego Wave | 7:00pm | Paramount+ |
| MLS: Orlando City SC vs New England | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: New York RB vs Toronto FC | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: CF Montréal vs Portland Timbers | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Philadelphia Union vs Nashville SC | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS:Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: DC United vs New York City | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Inter Miami vs Cincinnati | 7:30pm | MLS Pass |
| NWSL: Kansas City Current vs Chicago Red Stars | 8:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Brasileirão: Corinthians vs Flamengo | 8:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Primera División: Central Córdoba SdE vs Tigre | 8:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Primera División: Argentinos Juniors vs Independiente | 8:30pm | Paramount+ |
| MLS: Minnesota United vs LA Galaxy | 8:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Houston Dynamo vs Colorado Rapids | 8:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Dallas vs SJ Earthquakes | 8:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Chicago Fire vs Charlotte | 8:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Austin vs Los Angeles FC | 8:30pm | MLS Pass |
| Liga MX: Guadalajara vs Atlas | 9:05pm | Telemundo |
| MLS: Real Salt Lake vs Sporting KC | 9:30pm | MLS Pass |
| MLS: Seattle Sounders FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps | 10:30pm | MLS Pass |