THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY AUGUST 15, 2024

“THE SCOREBOARD”

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCRIMMAGES

BISHOP CHATARD AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN, 7 P.M.

FISHERS AT LAWRENCE NORTH, 7 P.M.

WESTFIELD AT BEN DAVIS, 7 P.M.

CARMEL AT MCCUTCHEON, 7 P.M.

ZIONSVILLE AT KOKOMO, 7 P.M.

CENTER GROVE AT BROWNSBURG, 6 P.M.

NORTH CENTRAL AT NOBLESVILLE, 7 P.M.

WARREN CENTRAL AT AVON, 7 P.M.

PIKE AT LAFAYETTE JEFF, 7 P.M.

CATHEDRAL AT FRANKLIN CENTRAL, 7 P.M.

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH AT LAWRENCE CENTRAL, 7 P.M.

MT. VERNON AT PERRY MERIDIAN, 7 P.M.

SOUTHPORT AND TECH AT DECATUR CENTRAL, 7 P.M.

TRI-WEST AT PLAINFIELD, 7 P.M.

COLUMBUS EAST AT WHITELAND, 7 P.M.

FRANKLIN AT RONCALLI, 7 P.M.

BREBEUF JESUIT AT LEBANON, 7 P.M.

INDIAN CREEK AT BEECH GROVE, 7 P.M.

MUNCIE CENTRAL AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL, 7 P.M.

SCECINA AT NEW PALESTINE, 7 P.M.

MOORESVILLE AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS, 7:30 P.M.

DANVILLE AT WEST LAFAYETTE, 7 P.M.

SHORTRIDGE AT COVINGTON, 7 P.M.

JENNINGS COUNTY AT SHELBYVILLE, 7 P.M.

MARTINSVILLE AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH, 7 P.M.

CASCADE AT NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG), 7 P.M.

GREENWOOD AT COLUMBUS NORTH, 7 P.M.

GUERIN CATHOLIC AT LUTHERAN, 7 P.M.

SPEEDWAY AT WESTERN BOONE, 7 P.M.

ALEXANDRIA AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS, 7 P.M.

PURDUE POLY AT KNIGHTSTOWN, 7 P.M.

CHRISTEL HOUSE AT COVENANT CHRISTIAN, 7 P.M.

HERITAGE CHRISTIAN AT PARK TUDOR, 7 P.M.

EASTERN HANCOCK AT CARDINAL RITTER, 7 P.M.

MONROVIA AT NORTH MONTGOMERY, 7 P.M.

HAGERSTOWN AT LAPEL, 7 P.M.

TRITON CENTRAL AT MILAN, 6 P.M.

TINDLEY VS. IRVINGTON PREP, AT CHRISTEL HOUSE, 7 P.M.

BROWN COUNTY AT EDINBURGH, 7 P.M.

SHERIDAN AT CRAWFORDSVILLE, 7 P.M.

INDIANA SRN WEEK ONE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL AT JASPER

HERITAGE CHRISTIAN AT COVENANT CHRISTIAN

GREENFIELD-CENTRAL AT BEECH GROVE

BATESVILLE AT TRITON CENTRAL

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 1 (ALL TIMES EASTERN)

Adams Central           at           Garrett                            7:00 pm           

Alexandria                     at           Wes-Del                         7:00 pm           

Andrean                          at           Merrillville                    8:00 pm           

Attica                                at           Culver                              7:30 pm           

Avon                                  at           Lafayette Jeff               7:00 pm          

Batesville                       at           Triton Central              7:00 pm          

Bellmont                        at           Heritage                         7:00 pm           

Bloomington North  at           Mooresville                  7:00 pm           

Bloomington South  at           Columbus East          7:00 pm           

Boonville                        at           Paoli                                 7:30 pm           

Bowman Academy   at           South Central (Union Mills) 8:00 pm         

Bremen                           at           East Noble                    7:30 pm           

Brown County             at           Owen Valley                7:00 pm           

Brownstown Central at        Corydon Central        7:00 pm           

Cambridge City Lincoln at  Centerville                    7:00 pm           

Cascade                         at           Indian Creek               7:00 pm           

Castle                              at           Evansville North        7:30 pm           

Caston                             at           Carroll (Flora)              7:00 pm           

Central Noble              at           West Noble                  7:00 pm           

Christel House           at           Indianapolis Lutheran 7:00 pm      

Christian Academy (Tenn.) at Providence              7:00 pm           

Churubusco                 at           Columbia City             7:00 pm          

Clarksville                     at           Pike Central                7:30 pm           

Clinton Central          at           Frankfort                       7:00 pm           

Clinton Prairie             at           Frontier                          7:00 pm           

Columbus North        at           Decatur Central         7:00 pm           

Covington                      at           Tri-County                     7:00 pm           

Crawfordsville            at           Parke Heritage            7:00 pm           

DeKalb                             at           Angola                            7:00 pm           

Delphi                              at           Benton Central           7:00 pm          

Delta                                 at           Muncie Central          7:00 pm           

Eastern (Greentown)at         Oak Hill                           7:00 pm           

Eastern (Pekin)           at           West Washington      7:00 pm           

Edgewood                      at           Mitchell                          7:00 pm           

Elkhart                             at           Concord                         7:00 pm           

Elwood                            at           Southern Wells          7:00 pm           

Evansville Harrison  at           Evansville Reitz          7:30 pm           

Evansville Mater Dei at         Evansville Central    7:30 pm           

Evansville Memorial at         Jasper                              7:30 pm           

Fairfield                           at           Goshen                           7:00 pm           

Fishers                             at           North Central (Indianapolis) 7:00 pm       

Forest Park                    at           Princeton                      7:30 pm           

Fort Wayne Blackhawk at   Bluffton                          7:00 pm           

Fort Wayne Dwenger at        Brownsburg                 7:30 pm           

Fort Wayne North      at           Northridge                    7:00 pm           

Fort Wayne Wayne   at           Indianapolis Attucks  7:00 pm       

Franklin                           at           New Albany                 7:00 pm           

Frankton                         at           Eastern Hancock      7:00 pm           

Gary West                      at           Indianapolis Washington 8:00 pm              

Gibson Southern       at           Danville                          8:00 pm           

Greencastle                 at           Monrovia                       7:00 pm           

Greenfield-Central  at           Beech Grove                7:00 pm           

Greensburg                   at           Shelbyville                   7:00 pm           

Hagerstown                  at           Knightstown                7:00 pm           

Hamilton Heights     at           Lapel                               7:00 pm           

Hamilton Southeastern at  Carroll (Fort Wayne)  7:00 pm         

Hammond Central   at           South Bend Washington 8:00 pm 

Hammond Morton    at           Portage                           8:00 pm           

Hammond Noll           at           South Bend Riley       7:30 pm          

Harrison (West Lafayette) at  West Lafayette      7:30 pm           

Heritage Christian    at           Covenant Christian 7:00 pm           

Heritage Hills              at           Southridge                    7:30 pm          

Highland                        at           Griffith                             8:00 pm           

Hobart                             at           Chesterton                   8:00 pm           

Homestead                   at           Carmel                           7:00 pm           

Huntington North      at           Eastbrook                     7:00 pm           

Indianapolis Cathedral at   Ben Davis                      7:00 pm           

Indianapolis Chatard at       Brebeuf Jesuit             7:00 pm           

Indianapolis Roncalli at       Southport                     7:00 pm           

Indianapolis Scecina at       Fort Wayne Concordia 7:00 pm     

Indianapolis Tech     at           Indianapolis Ritter   7:00 pm          

Indianapolis Tindley at         Edinburgh                      7:00 pm           

Irvington Prep             at           Faith Christian            7:00 pm           

Jay County                     at           Blackford                      7:00 pm           

Jeffersonville               at           Whiteland                     7:00 pm           

Jennings County        at           South Dearborn         7:00 pm           

John Glenn                    at           Boone Grove               7:30 pm           

Knox                                  at           North Judson                             8:00 pm           

Kokomo                           at           New Palestine             7:00 pm           

Lafayette Central Catholic at Seeger                       7:00 pm           

LaPorte                            at           New Prairie                  8:00 pm           

LaVille                              at           Triton                               7:00 pm           

Lawrence North         at           Lawrence Central     7:00 pm          

Lawrenceburg             at           East Central                7:30 pm           

Leo                                     at           Fort Wayne Luers      7:00 pm          

Logansport                    at           Peru                                  7:00 pm           

Louisville St. Xavier (Ky.) at Floyd Central              7:30 pm           

Lowell                              at           Crown Point                 8:00 pm           

Marion                              at           Fort Wayne South 7:00 pm

Marion Local (Ohio) at           Linton                              TBA      

Martinsville                   at           Bedford North Lawrence 7:00 pm

McCutcheon                at           Guerin Catholic         7:00 pm          

Michigan City               at           Warsaw                           7:30 pm           

Milan                                 at           Rushville                       7:00 pm           

Mishawaka                    at           Mishawaka Marian   7:00 pm          

Mount Vernon (Fortville) at Noblesville                    7:00 pm          

Mount Vernon (Posey) at      North Posey                 8:00 pm           

Munster                          at           Lake Central               8:00 pm           

New Castle                   at           Franklin County         7:00 pm          

New Haven                   at           Fort Wayne Northrop 7:00 pm        

North Central (Farmersburg) at North Vermillion 7:00 pm       

North Daviess             at           Washington                 7:00 pm           

North Decatur             at           South Decatur            7:00 pm          

North Harrison            at           Salem                              7:00 pm           

North Montgomery   at           North Putnam             7:00 pm           

North Newton             at           Whiting                           8:00 pm           

North White                  at           Taylor                               7:00 pm           

Northfield                      at           North Miami                7:00 pm           

Northwestern              at           Manchester                 7:00 pm          

NorthWood                   at           Jimtown                         7:00 pm           

Norwell                           at           Mississinewa               7:00 pm          

Osceola Grace            at           Calumet                        8:00 pm           

Park Tudor                     at           Greenwood Christian 7:00 pm       

Pendleton Heights   at           Lebanon                        7:00 pm           

Perry Meridian            at           Franklin Central         7:00 pm           

Pioneer                            at           Lewis Cass                   7:00 pm           

Prairie Heights            at           Whitko                            7:00 pm           

Purdue Poly Englewood at  Indianapolis Shortridge 7:00 pm  

Rensselaer Central  at           Kankakee Valley        8:00 pm          

Richmond                      at           Connersville               7:00 pm           

River Forest                  at           East Chicago Central 8:00 pm        

Riverton Parke             at           Cloverdale                   7:00 pm           

Scottsburg                    at           Madison                         7:00 pm           

Seymour                         at           Greenwood                  7:00 pm           

Shenandoah                at           Fremont                         7:30 pm           

Silver Creek                  at           Charlestown               7:00 pm           

South Bend Adams  at           Culver Academy        7:00 pm           

South Bend St. Joseph at    Lakeland                       7:00 pm           

South Newton             at           Lake Station                8:00 pm           

South Spencer            at           Tecumseh                     8:00 pm           

Southmont                    at           Fountain Central       7:00 pm          

Southwood                    at           Maconaquah               7:00 pm           

Speedway                      at           South Putnam             7:00 pm          

Springs Valley             at           Eastern Greene            7:00 pm         

Sullivan                           at           North Knox                   7:00 pm           

Switzerland County at           Crawford County       7:00 pm          

Tell City                           at           Perry Central               8:00 pm           

Terre Haute North     at           Northview                     7:00 pm           

Terre Haute South    at           Plainfield                      7:00 pm           

Tipton                               vs.         South Adams               7:00 pm          

Tri-Central                     at           Madison-Grant           7:00 pm          

Tri-West                           at           Western                         7:00 pm           

Twin Lakes                    at           Plymouth                      7:30 pm           

Union City                      at           Tri                                       7:00 pm           

Union County              at           Northeastern               7:00 pm          

Valparaiso                     at           Penn                                 7:30 pm           

Vincennes Lincoln   at           Evansville Bosse        7:30 pm          

Wabash                           at           Rochester                     7:00 pm           

Warren Central           at           Fort Wayne Snider    7:30 pm          

Wawasee                       at           Tippecanoe Valley    7:00 pm          

West Central                at           Winamac                      7:00 pm           

West Vigo                       at           South Vermillion        7:00 pm           

Western Boone           at           Sheridan                        7:00 pm           

Westfield                       at           Center Grove               7:00 pm           

Wheeler                          at           Hanover Central        8:00 pm           

Winchester                   at           Monroe Central          7:30 pm          

Woodlan                         at           Eastside                         7:00 pm           

Yorktown                        at           Anderson                      7:00 pm           

Zionsville                       at           Pike                                   7:00 pm           

ORDER THE 2024 INDIANA FOOTBALL DIGEST: https://indianafootballdigest.com/

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

KANSAS CITY 4 MINNESOTA 1

ARIZONA 11 COLORADO 4

SAN DIEGO 8 PITTSBURGH 2

TEXAS 9 BOSTON 7 (10)

BALTIMORE 4 WASHINGTON 1

PHILADELPHIA 9 MIAMI 5

DETROIT 3 SEATTLE 2 (10)

CINCINNATI 9 ST. LOUIS 2

CLEVELAND 6 CHICAGO CUBS 1

HOUSTON 2 TAMPA BAY 1 (10)

NY METS 9 OAKLAND 1

MILWAUKEE 5 LA DODGERS 4

NY YANKEES 10 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2

TORONTO 9 LA ANGELS 2

ATLANTA 13 SAN FRANCISCO 2

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

INDIANAPOLIS 6 ST. PAUL 5

DAYTON 5 FT. WAYNE 2

CEDAR RAPIDS 5 SOUTH BEND 2

EARLY COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, AUG. 24 IN WEEK ZERO:

AER LINGUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL CLASSIC: FLORIDA STATE VS. GEORGIA TECH (IN DUBLIN, IRELAND) | 12 P.M. ET | ESPN

MCNEESE AT TARLETON STATE | 2:30 P.M. ET| ESPN2

MONTANA STATE AT NEW MEXICO | 4 P.M. ET | FS1

FCS KICKOFF: NORTH ALABAMA VS. SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE (CRAMTON BOWL IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA) | 7 P.M. ET | ESPN

MEAC/SWAC CHALLENGE: NORFOLK STATE VS. FLORIDA A&M (CENTER PARC STADIUM IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC

SMU AT NEVADA | 8 P.M. ET |CBS SPORTS NETWORK

DELAWARE STATE AT HAWAII

THURSDAY, AUG. 29

NORTH CAROLINA AT MINNESOTA | 8 P.M. ET | FOX

NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT COLORADO | 8 P.M. ET | ESPN

SACRAMENTO STATE AT SAN JOSE STATE | 10 P.M. ET | TRUTV AND MAX

FRIDAY, AUG. 30

TCU AT STANFORD | 10:30 P.M. ET | ESPN

SATURDAY, AUG. 31

AFLAC KICKOFF GAME: CLEMSON VS. GEORGIA (MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA) | 12 P.M. ET | ABC

PENN STATE AT WEST VIRGINIA | 12 P.M. | FOX

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT OKLAHOMA STATE | 2 P.M. ET | ESPN+

MIAMI (FL) AT FLORIDA | 3:30 P.M. ET | ABC

NOTRE DAME AT TEXAS A&M | 7:30 P.M. ET | ABC

GEORGIA STATE AT GEORGIA TECH | 8 P.M. ET | ACC NETWORK

TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE AT SAN DIEGO STATE | 8 P.M. ET | TRUTV AND MAX

SUNDAY, SEPT. 1

ORANGE BLOSSOM CLASSIC: NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL VS. ALABAMA STATE (HARD ROCK STADIUM IN MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA) | 3 P.M. ET | ESPN

VEGAS KICKOFF CLASSIC: LSU VS. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (ALLEGIANT STADIUM IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA) | 7:30 P.M. ON ABC

MONDAY, SEPT. 2

BOSTON COLLEGE AT FLORIDA STATE | 7:30 P.M. ET | ESPN

NFL PRE-SEASON

WEEK TWO:

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15:

PHILADELPHIA AT NEW ENGLAND, 7:00 PM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17:

ATLANTA AT BALTIMORE, 12:00 PM

CINCINNATI AT CHICAGO, 1:00 PM

N.Y. GIANTS AT HOUSTON, 1:00 PM

DETROIT AT KANSAS CITY 4:00 PM

MINNESOTA AT CLEVELAND, 4:25 PM

N.Y. JETS AT CAROLINA, 7:00 PM

ARIZONA AT INDIANAPOLIS, 7:00 PM

WASHINGTON AT MIAMI, 7:00 PM

BUFFALO AT PITTSBURGH, 7:00 PM

SEATTLE AT TENNESSEE, 7:00 PM

L.A. RAMS AT L.A. CHARGERS, 7:05 PM

TAMPA BAY AT JACKSONVILLE, 7:30 PM

DALLAS AT LAS VEGAS, 10:00 PM

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18:

GREEN BAY AT DENVER, 8:00 PM

NEW ORLEANS AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:00 PM

WEEK THREE:

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22:

INDIANAPOLIS AT CINCINNATI, 8:00 PM

CHICAGO AT KANSAS CITY, 8:20 PM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23:

JACKSONVILLE AT ATLANTA, 7:00 PM

MIAMI AT TAMPA BAY, 7:30 PM

SAN FRANCISCO AT LAS VEGAS, 10:00 PM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24:

CAROLINA AT BUFFALO, 1:00 PM

PITTSBURGH AT DETROIT, 1:00 PM

BALTIMORE AT GREEN BAY, 1:00 PM

L.A. RAMS AT HOUSTON, 1:00 PM

MINNESOTA AT PHILADELPHIA, 1:00 PM

L.A. CHARGERS AT DALLAS, 4:00 PM

N.Y. GIANTS AT N.Y. JETS, 7:30 PM

CLEVELAND AT SEATTLE, 10:00 PM

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25:

TENNESSEE AT NEW ORLEANS, 2:00 PM

ARIZONA AT DENVER, 4:30 PM

NEW ENGLAND AT WASHINGTON (NBC), 8:00 PM

NFL WEEK ONE SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, SEPT. 5

• BALTIMORE RAVENS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, 8:20 P.M. ET (NBC)

FRIDAY, SEPT. 6

• GREEN BAY PACKERS VS. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (IN SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL), 8:15 P.M. ET (PEACOCK)

SUNDAY, SEPT. 8

• PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS, 1 P.M. ET (FOX)
• ARIZONA CARDINALS AT BUFFALO BILLS, 1 P.M. ET (CBS)
• TENNESSEE TITANS AT CHICAGO BEARS, 1 P.M. ET (FOX)
• NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS, 1 P.M. ET (CBS)
• HOUSTON TEXANS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS, 1 P.M. ET (CBS)
• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS, 1 P.M. ET (CBS)
• CAROLINA PANTHERS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, 1 P.M. ET (FOX)
• MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT NEW YORK GIANTS, 1 P.M. ET (FOX)
• LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS, 4:05 P.M. ET (CBS)
• DENVER BRONCOS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, 4:05 P.M. ET (CBS)
• DALLAS COWBOYS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS, 4:25 P.M. ET (CBS)
• WASHINGTON COMMANDERS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, 4:25 P.M. ET (FOX)
• LOS ANGELES RAMS AT DETROIT LIONS, 8:20 P.M. ET (NBC)

MONDAY, SEPT. 9

• NEW YORK JETS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, 8:15 P.M. ET (ESPN/ABC)

TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/NEWS RELEASES

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW-BIG 10: USC

PICK SIX

In Lincoln Riley’s transition season here he went 11-1 in the regular season and led Utah by 14 in the Pac-12 title game. A win there would have brought USC to its first-ever Playoff appearance. Riley’s promise of “The Mecca of College Football” was coming to fruition in just his first season. But then, the defense collapsed and allowed 44 points after that lead and they were blown out instead. The idea last offseason was to pump the defensive roster with blue-chippers and proven Power 5 players via the transfer portal, to fix the defense and to get revenge in Vegas. The players may have changed, but the defensive coaching, overly complex playbook, and poor fundamentals all stayed the same. In fact, the defense got worse, turning USC into the anti-Iowa: elite on one side of the ball, but nationally bad on the other. Maybe to some, USC’s shootout style is more exciting than Iowa’s caveman ball, but the results in the win/loss column marked 2023 as a failure. USC started 6-0 behind the reigning Heisman winner and his 50+ points/game offense. Their margins of victory got tighter, holding on by a score against Colorado, and needing two-point attempt stops in both the Arizona and Cal wins. Then the levee broke. 48-20 in South Bend, a 34-32 loss to Utah’s third-string quarterback and a safety playing running back, 88 points allowed to Washington and Oregon, and then one final knockout punch from crosstown rival UCLA. In Riley’s words: “Very, very disappointing, there’s no other way to put it.” Their window of opportunity with a generational quarterback has closed. Caleb Williams became the school’s eighth Heisman winner and was selected first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. While they must reload at quarterback and the offensive skill positions, that has never been an issue for Riley. The bigger problem remains on defense. His approach this offseason was to pump in new defensive coaches instead of just the transfer player infusion.

OFFENSE: Williams leaves as a Trojan legend, and he’ll soon have his #13 jersey displayed in the Coliseum endzone. In just two seasons here, he amassed 8,170 passing yards, 72 passing touchdowns, 518 rushing yards, and 21 rushing touchdowns. He was one-of-a-kind at extending pass plays with Houdini acts to escape pressure and sack attempts, and then could place the ball perfectly anywhere on the field. He led the #2 offense in Power 5 per my opponent-adjusted metrics, right there with LSU’s Heisman-led offense, and the Pac-12 title units from Washington and Oregon. This was despite poor pass protection from his offensive line. They finished #77 in my pass protection Sack Rate, allowing a sack on 7% of pass attempts. Consider that percentage was with one of the best scramblers the sport has ever seen. It would have been double, and at the bottom of the national leaderboards, with a normal pocket passer. Offensive line pass protection, as well as the quarterback transition, are the two biggest questions heading into fall camp and the 2024 season. There will certainly be a statistical drop-off with the loss of Williams, but given Riley’s track record, don’t expect a collapse. Five-star Malachi Nelson transferred to Boise State, leaving behind Miller Moss as the only remaining arm for the bowl game. He proceeded to toss six touchdowns against #15 Louisville to win the Holiday Bowl, which not only calmed the uncertainty for 2024 but also led to a tub of eggnog getting poured on Riley’s head in the celebration. To provide depth and add to the competition, the staff signed Jayden Maiava, the Mountain West Freshman of the Year who led UNLV to a surprise conference title appearance. Moss is still projected to win the starting job, but Maiava’s athleticism can be featured in some quarterback run packages in short-yardage, goal-line, or as a change of pace. USC’s top two rushers and top two receivers all head to the pros. MarShawn Lloyd and Austin Jones shared carries and both guys started six games. Third-back Darwin Barlow is also gone, but the staff landed a Power 5 starter in Woody Marks (Mississippi State). In three years in Mike Leach’s Air Raid, Marks hasn’t gotten the workload of most multi-year starters –he’s caught 214 balls. Quinten Joyner was the #4 running back in the 2023 class and will push for carries as a redshirt freshman. Brenden Rice earned All-Pac 12 honors, Tahj Washington led the team with 1,062 receiving yards, but both stars are gone to the NFL.  The cupboard is far from bare, even with Mario Williams and Dorian Singer transferring out.  USC has the #1 wide receiver and the #1 tight end in the entire 2023 recruiting class in Zachariah Branch and Duce Robinson.  Branch already earned All-America honors in the return game, and will be the featured wideout this year, while the 6’6 Robinson switched from tight end to receiver and placed third on the team with 351 yards.  That’s an elite one-two punch.

Riley likes to play five or six receivers, and rounding out the stable is a trio of additional blue-chippers in four-stars Ja’Kobi Lane, Kyron Hudson, and Top50 Makai Lemon.  Tight end Lake McRee earned a league honorable mention but his knee rehab may impact his 2024 season.  Another position, and another round of top prospects: Walter Matthews and Walker Lyons are both Top150 signees. Two offensive line starters depart from a line that excelled in OL Run Push (#8) but again struggled in pass protection.  Center Justin Dedich and right tackle Jarrett Kingston are gone, but their top lineman Jonah Monheim returns and has the positional flexibility to take over at center.  Guards Emmanuel

Pregnon and Mason Murphy are back, and Top150 prospect Elijah Paige is projected to take the left tackle spot.

DEFENSE: Pick your stat — they were among the nation’s worst.  They allowed young quarterbacks like Cal’s  Fernando Mendoza and Arizona’s first-time starter Noah Fifita to score at will.  They had no answer for a safety playing running back for Utah – or their third-string “pig farmer” quarterback.

Riley fired defensive coordinator Alex Grinch after the 52-point meltdown against Washington.  His playbook was too complex, effectively neutralizing their raw talent advantages, the schemes were bad,  and the fundamentals suffered.  Riley looked across town and picked UCLA’s D’Anton Lynn with hopes he could lead a similar turnaround here.  Lynn took UCLA from 92nd in scoring, 117th in Negative Play Rate, and 97th in QB Rating to 14th, 5th, and 19th while in total they ranked 8th of 70 Power 5 teams in my opponent-adjusted formula. Along with Lynn, Riley packed the staff with experienced defensive minds like former Houston coordinator Doug Belk and North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz.  A simplified playbook, along with a fresh set of eyes, should help unlock their blue-chip talent. They continued to add transfers, too.  As many as four new Power 5 transfers could end up starting on the 2024 defense.  Bear Alexander is back at defensive tackle, and he’s joined by Nate Clifton who posted 7.5 tackles for loss at Vanderbilt.  End Solomon Byrd departs, but Jamil Muhammad returns and a pair of Top50 prospects Kameryn Fountain and Braylan Shelby push for the other spot. Eric Gentry is joined by first-team All-Pac 12 Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (Oregon State) as the inside backers, while Mason Cobb needs to clean up his 25% missed tackle rate. It’s a complete rebuild in the secondary as four starters are gone: corners Christian Roland-Wallace and Domani Jackson along with safeties Max Williams and All-American Calen Bullock.  Holiday Bowl MVP Jaylin Smith returns, DeCarlos Nicholson (Mississippi State) is an SEC starter, Greedy Vance has Power 5 experience (Florida State) and Lynn brought in two of his UCLA stars in Kamari Ramsey and John Humphrey.  Ramsey was the highest-rated transfer of USC’s entire class, and for even more proven production they added Pac-12 honorable mention Akili Arnold (Oregon State).

OUTLOOK: Yes, they lost a Heisman winner but Lincoln Riley has never had a problem fielding a top offense.  The staff moves on defense are the real storyline: can the new trio of experienced defensive minds unlock the raw blue-chip talent?   I think they were great hires, and with another round of proven defensive transfers, I am buying USC as an upper-half Big Ten team despite the conference transition.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW-BIG 10: NEBRASKA

PICK SIX

A program in the Midwest that holds the longest bowl drought in Power 5?  That description used to belong to Kansas – it is now a title held by five-time national champion, blueblood Nebraska. Matt Rhule took over with a promise of returning physicality and toughness to Nebraska.  His defense impressed right away, but overall as a program, they continued the same crippling woes that cost them during the Scott Frost and Mike Riley eras. – Turnovers:  Nebraska was dead last in America with 31 turnovers and their minus-17 margin was the worst in Power 5.  This continued their trend as the worst turnover program over the past 20 years (and any time interval since).  Five final drives to tie or win ended in turnovers and losses. – Close losses:  Nebraska lost five games by one score, boosting their total to an insane 30 one-score losses in six years.  Three times they lost by a 1310 final score. – Wasted opportunities:  those close margins could have flipped to wins if not for the 2nd worst red zone scoring percentage and 3rd worst field goal kicking percentage. After a perfect October, a 5-3 start, and a tie atop the Big Ten West Division, self-inflicted wounds by the offense dealt them a 0-4 November. Rhule’s transition seasons tend to be rough but lay the foundation for big success in the second and third years.  Nebraska hopes they follow the same pattern as his Temple and Baylor program rebuilds, and so far his second year in Lincoln is off to an excellent start. The defense was elite and was the best Blackshirt unit since the Ndamukong Suh and Prince Amukamara defenses.  Rhule’s ability to retain ace coordinator Tony White – even with White’s alma mater UCLA hiring – was a major victory for 2024 and beyond.   Then, Nebraska shocked the recruiting world by flipping the #1 overall quarterback Dylan Raiola from dynasty-tier Georgia.  This is the type of program-changer that can spark a domino effect of future commitments, transfer additions, and on-field success.  The five-star is a direct boost to Nebraska’s worst position group of 2023, a quarterback room that wasted so many winnable games.

OFFENSE: Raiola is a Husker legacy – his dad Dominic won the Rimington Award here as the nation’s top center – so as he neared the gates during the spring game Tunnel Walk, familiar music blaring, he admits he “fought back tears.” His highly anticipated debut even exceeded expectations.  In front of 60,000+ fans, Raiola passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns with a 73% completion rate.  Yes, it is just a spring game, but he showed off the full arsenal of passes – the long ball, a corner-endzone touch pass, and quick shots – at a program that was severely handcuffed in the passing game last year. Jeff Sims started the first two games but turned the ball over six times, twice on fumbled snaps. 

Heinrich Haarberg started the next eight, and while he was a strong runner and led all five wins, the passing attack suffered.  Nebraska ranked in the bottom ten nationally in all passing categories by completing just 52% of passes and throwing more picks (16) than touchdowns (10).  They were only placed above the triple-option service academies and Iowa. Raiola is an instant upgrade and potential program-changer.  Rhule added another Elite 11 quarterback in Daniel Kaelin and Haarberg has made gains in his passing game. Essentially the entire offense returns and they get back several skill players who missed the bulk of 2023 with injuries.  In the third game, RB1 and RB2 were both knocked out for the season, but Gabe Ervin and speedy Rahmir Johnson are projected back for fall camp.  In their absence, Emmett Johnson led with 411

yards and the staff signed four-star transfer Dante Dowdell (Oregon). Near-five-star Malachi Coleman of Lincoln East enters his second season and Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda is back after a season-ending injury in the opener.  The staff signed two impact transfers that were projected as

starters right away.  Isaiah Neyor (Texas) and Jahmal Banks (Wake Forest) are both veteran Power 5 guys who bring big 6’4 frames to the outsides.  Banks was Nebraska’s top-rated transfer this cycle. Jacory Barney and Jaylen Lloyd are the speedsters to take the top off of defenses and maximize Raiola’s long ball.  Lloyd is a track star and surged for a long touchdown in the spring game. Thomas Fidone was the #1 rated tight end prospect of the 2021 recruiting class but suffered through consecutive ACL tears his first two years.  Finally, we saw a healthy Fidone and he did not disappoint.  He led the team with four touchdowns and the 6’6 250-pounder showed the ability to turn short passes into long gains with his 4.5 speed. In any given year, the national average for pass protection is two sacks allowed per game.  Once known for its nationally-dominant Pipeline, Nebraska hasn’t beaten that two-sack average since 2016.  This offensive line is their best bet yet for a revival as it is packed with star power and a ton of veteran game experience.  The starting five have all played at least four years of college football, four starters are back and they are joined by Florida’s starting guard Micah Mazzccua.  Center Ben Scott and right tackle Bryce Benhart are the headliners, Teddy Prochazka is projected at left tackle, and Turner Corcoran can still play up to his five-star billing.

DEFENSE The Blackshirts were back.  Finally, Nebraska looked like their historically tough defenses of the past.  White’s 3-3-5 defense swarmed all over the field, was physical in the trenches, and they improved on their tackling.  In my opponent-adjusted Game Grader, Nebraska’s defense ranked 18th of 70 Power 5 teams – 7th in rushing defense – for the best defensive season here since the Bo Pelini “Peso” defenses of 2009 and

2010. Rhule retained White, and together they welcomed back eight starters to an already strong unit. It starts in the trenches with one of the league’s best defensive tackle duos in Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher aka the Polar Bear.  They dominated the line of scrimmage last year and were a key reason for Nebraska holding nine opponents under 100 yards rushing.  On the year they allowed just 3.0 yards/carry (sixth nationally) and ranked fourth in limiting explosive rushing. They limited explosive passing too, and joined Iowa as the only two defenses to place in the Top 10 of both categories. Sack leader Jimari Butler is back to round out an elite defensive line, and the so-called JACK edge spot

will be a fall camp battle between veteran MJ Sherman and former Top200 Princewill Umanmielen who flashed as a true freshman with 4.5 tackles-for-loss. The one thin area is at linebacker where they lose both starters – Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich – who were multi-year stars for the program.  White rotates the backers more than other positions, and the next duo up Javin Wright and John Bullock matched them in tackles last year.  Wright and Bullock bring additional speed to the inside backer spots as they are both converted safeties.  Stefon Thompson is a former Syracuse backer who played for White there and brings knowledge of the scheme. Omar Brown and Quinton Newsome depart from the secondary but their defensive leader Isaac Gifford is back to contend for all-league honors.  DeShon Singleton shined in September, Marques Buford was a November star, and while they only got partial seasons due to injuries both will be impact players again in 2024.  Tommi Hill had four interceptions and returns at corner.  This defense confuses opposing quarterbacks and they posted Top 15 marks in yards/attempt and the all-encompassing opponent QB Rating.  This will be another strong unit this fall.

OUTLOOK: Rhule’s rebuilding projects see major gains in the second and third seasons.  He is at it again, as a top-ten defense returns seven starters, the offensive line is veteran, and the receivers and tight ends bring both size and top-end speed. The Blackshirts are tough once again.  And it appears they finally fixed their quarterback problem.  If five-star Raiola plays to his potential, this team is poised to start 7-0 before the schedule heats up in late October.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW-BIG 10: WISCONSIN

PICK SIX

Ever since I launched Pick Six Previews in 2012 – and the two decades before that – Wisconsin was the most consistent program to forecast. You knew exactly what you were getting: a dominant offensive line, a rushing attack that controlled the ball and clock, and an aggressive defense. You knew to expect a 1,000-yard back, a Top 20 scoring defense, nine or ten wins, and every few years a run at the league title. For the first time in a generation, they made a “change” and hired an offensive coordinator whose success came from a scheme opposite to the Wisconsin way. Defensive guru Luke Fickell was hired after leading Cincinnati to undefeated regular seasons and earning the first-ever non-AQ bid to the Playoff. He hired Phil Longo to install his up-tempo, modern, spread offense in a place known for the opposite. Longo and his offensive scheme attracted a haul of transfer receivers and one of the sport’s most experienced quarterbacks. Wisconsin was picked as the consensus Big Ten West champs according to league media and the preseason magazines. But like the slow-moving West division, the Fickell/Longo transition was also slower than expected. Injuries didn’t help. Quarterback Tanner Mordecai broke his hand, star running back Braelon Allen missed several games, and another back Chez Mellusi was lost for the season in September. For an offense known for gaudy stats and lighting up the scoreboard, Wisconsin only averaged 23 points per game (93rd nationally) and no receiver posted a single 100-yard game all regular season. After inexplicable losses to Indiana and Northwestern – a two-week span that Fickell called the most challenging of his entire coaching career – Wisconsin entered late November with a 5-5 record, far from their usual spot atop the West Division. In total, it was another season well below the established standard in Madison. My opponent-adjusted Game Grader placed them 38th in Power 5, two spots down from 2022’s 36th, which are their two worst seasons since I began tracking in 2009. Every new head coach is granted a transition year, but 2024 is an even more important inflection point for Fickell’s program. While they do get a second-year bonus and another round of transfers, they now lose their Big Ten West route to Indianapolis and have to compete with four new West Coast powers.

OFFENSE Iowa threw more touchdown passes in the regular season than Mordecai. That stat would have been laughed at last preseason, even with the knowledge of him missing three games due to injury recovery. Longo’s offense wasn’t an overnight install, and maybe we shouldn’t have realistically expected that. The style certainly started shifting, but the output wasn’t on par with his previous stat explosions at North Carolina, Ole Miss, and Sam Houston State. Wisconsin was the 8th most run-heavy offense in Power 5 back in 2022 and last year swung to the 18th most pass-heavy play calling. Mordecai departs and the staff landed another experienced starter in Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke. Longo noted that he’s seen Van Dyke have success against his UNC team, as well as defenses all across the ACC. Van Dyke earned ACC Rookie of the Year in 2021 but has been hot and cold since. He opened 2023 as one of the nation’s best quarterbacks but then struggled enough to be benched at times during Miami’s poor 2-5 stretch. Wisconsin has an experienced backup in Braedyn Locke who started games during Mordecai’s injury, threw five touchdowns, and just one interception, but completed just 50% of his passes. The Braelon Allen era is over, and Wisconsin says goodbye to the latest in an impressive lineage of running backs. He leaves Madison in ninth place on the school’s rushing leaderboard with 3,494 yards and 35 touchdowns over three seasons and earned all-league honors in all three. Chez Mellusi was knocked out in the Purdue win and the offense lost an explosive element without him. Although Allen is gone, Mellusi is back healthy as the feature back. The staff added Oklahoma’s Tawee Walker for depth and as a hedge against Mellusi’s injury history. The offensive MVP last year was receiver Will Pauling who was one of the many transfer additions to the room last offseason. Pauling posted 74 receptions – four off of Jared Abbrederis’ school record – and returns this fall with all-league potential. Bryson Green is also back after placing second in most receiving categories, while third and fourth receivers Chimere Dike and Skyler Bell have transferred out. The room is packed with former Power 5 transfers — CJ Williams (USC), Tyrell Henry (Michigan State), Joseph Griffin (Boston College) — but the spring breakout star was four-star Trech Kekahuna. The true freshman was surprised with a big bowl performance and has been surging up the depth chart since. Wisconsin went 24 straight years with an All-Big Ten offensive lineman (1998-2021) but hasn’t had any the past two years. Star power may be lacking, but they were solid as a unit as one of 13 Power 5 offensive lines to place in the Top 40 of both my OL Run Push and Pass Protection Sack Rate stats. Three starters are back, and Jake Renfro is essentially a fourth but missed the whole 2023 regular season with an injury. The left side is stout with tackle Jack Nelson and guard Joe Brunner.

DEFENSE: The goal was to keep what worked under former coordinator Jim Leonhard, especially his run defense, and pair it with Fickell’s elite pass defense. While the defense did place in the Top 25 of several raw stats, when you adjust for opponent and pace, they fall below average. Nine of their previous ten defenses placed in the Top 25 of my opponent-adjusted metric, but the 2023 unit fell to 31st of 70 Power 5. Shockingly, only one Badger defender was placed on the All-Big Ten team after years of packing the postseason accolades. Hunter Wohler was the clear MVP after leading the team in tackles and making plays all over the field. His 120 tackles also led all Power 5 defensive backs, and he should again receive all-league honors. Ricardo Hallman was also a bright spot, and his Pick Six against Rutgers was one of the plays of the year. The defense has missed lineman Keeanu Benton and outside backer Nick Herbig in both run stuffing and pass rush. James Thompson was a bright spot at the end and is the only returning starter in the trenches after Rodas Johnson was poached by Texas A&M. Curt Neal is the projected starter at nose tackle after working into the rotation for 20 snaps/game down the stretch. On the outside, Darryl Peterson returns for a third year as a starter, and the staff added Syracuse starter Leon Lowery and FCS All-America John Pius (William & Mary). Inside backer saw a transfer swap, as starter Jordan Turner went to Michigan State, but the staff pulled in one of their former Cincinnati starters Jaheim Thomas who led Arkansas in tackles last year. Jake Chaney is also a returning starter in the middle, so while there were plenty of moving parts, the backers reloaded well. Often lining up in the box as a versatile backer-safety hybrid, Wohler will again be the star of the defense. Hallman locks down one side after placing second nationally with seven interceptions. Kamo’i Latu returns at safety and is a heavy hitter but went through some tackling struggles last year. With Jason Maitre opted out of the bowl, Austin Brown took over at the nickel spot and is projected to keep it in 2024.

OUTLOOK:  Wisconsin’s high amount of returning production on defense means they will return to their spot in the defensive Top 25. They also benefit from a second-year coach bonus on offense, and another round of transfers in the passing game, and Longo’s offense should make some gains. Normally this would have placed Wisconsin in a three-way race for the Big Ten West, but the new division-less super conference pushes them down to eighth. They draw four of the league’s top six teams while Iowa only faces two.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW-BIG 10: WASHINGTON

PICK SIX

An undefeated season, the final Pac-12 title, a national championship appearance, a coaching change, a conference change, and a full roster overhaul… two pages isn’t nearly enough space to cover Washington’s whirlwind year. It started after the 2022 season when Washington fended off Alabama to retain their ace offensive coordinator and one-by-one the whole roster decided to return to Montlake. They started fast, dropping 713 yards on Michigan State, and posted four straight 40+ point games for the first time since 1944. The undefeated run was packed with memorable moments and late-game drama: a last-minute touchdown to beat Oregon, the 89-yard Pick Six to beat Arizona State, a 256-yard rushing day to beat USC, a 2nd half shutout of Utah, a walk-off field goal to win the Apple Cup, a rematch win in Vegas, and a goal-line stand to win the conference’s first Playoff game in a decade. Washington ran into a machine in the national title game, an undefeated Michigan team that would send 13 players to the NFL Draft. Though they were overpowered by Michigan’s run game, the 2023 Washington team goes down as a banner season for the program and adds proof that they can contend on the national stage in the modern era. Two days later, legendary coach Nick Saban retired from Alabama. Two days after that, Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer – despite UW’s attempt to retain him with a doubled salary offer – left to take the Alabama job. Two days later, Washington hired Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch. Fisch was fresh off of a program rebuild himself, taking a winless Arizona program to five wins, and then to ten wins and their best season since 1998. Fisch is a rare example of a Power 5 head coach who never actually played football, but his unorthodox career path hasn’t held him back from climbing up the coaching ladder. 13 years at the NFL level, seven years as a Power 5 assistant, and finally the three-year build at Arizona. The situation in Washington is far from inheriting a winless team, but it has the sense of a rebuilding project based on the high number of starters lost to the NFL and the transfer portal.

OFFENSE:  DeBoer and coordinator Ryan Grubb built an absolute force. Their offensive line won the Joe Moore Award, their quarterback placed second in the Heisman, all three receivers were drafted in the first 100 picks, and they hit deep balls at a historic pace. Within a week after the national title game, it was completely wiped away. All eleven starters are gone. It’s a complete rebuild here for Fisch and his coordinator Brennan Carroll – son of USC and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. He and Carroll built a dynamic offense at Arizona that placed in the Top 10 of national passing stats in both 2022 and 2023. Both years they also placed in the Top 10 of my opponent-adjusted offensive metrics. Before that, Fisch also built a Top 10 passing attack at UCLA, and even his pro offenses finished atop the NFL passing leaderboards. He did that with four different quarterbacks, proving he can consistently craft an effective and explosive offense. Michael Penix departs after leading the nation in passing with a video-game stat line: 4,903 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and 40 passes of 30+ yards. They stretched the field vertically and Penix’s long ball was perfect all season. He finished as the Heisman runner-up and left Montlake as a legend. 74 Taking over the controls is the most experienced quarterback in America. Will Rogers transferred from Mississippi State where he spent several seasons in Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense, completed over 1,000 passes, and finished as the SEC’s #2 passer of all-time. He is sharp in the short-range game but doesn’t have as pure a deep ball as Penix – most don’t. The rest of the quarterback depth transferred out, so it is just Rogers and Arizona’s Demond Williams whom Fisch convinced to join him. Rogers is the pocket passer while Williams is the athlete with a similar skillset to Fisch’s successful Arizona quarterbacks Jayden de Laura and Noah Fifita. Dillon Johnson rushed for 1,195 yards – 256 as the hero against USC – but left early for the pros. Fisch brought his own starting running back Jonah Coleman from Arizona who also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in scrimmage yards last year. After spring ball he stole another one in 2024 Arizona commit Jordan Washington who was a four-star and rated as a Top 20 transfer back. UW also gets back their 2022 starter Cameron Davis who was sidelined all of 2023. That’s a strong duo to rely on while they sort out the rest of the offense. All five starting offensive linemen had eligibility remaining to return for 2024, but none of them are back. Two went pro, two went to Ole Miss, one followed DeBoer to Alabama, and even two key reserves left for other Power 5 programs. The next wave of linemen features two four-star prospects – tackle Elishah Jackett and center Landen Hatchett – and they added San Diego State starter Drew Azzopardi. Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan all went pro. That’s a combined 206 catches, 3,358 yards, and 27 touchdowns gone. #4 receiver Germie Bernard went to Alabama, and both tight ends Jack Westover and Devin Culp left for the pros. They landed a Pac-12 starter in Jeremiah Hunter (Cal), Giles Jackson is experienced in the slot, and 6’4 Denzel Boston emerged from spring ball as the clear-cut #1 target. They flipped safety Vincent Holmes over to receiver, and have a four-star Rashid Williams entering his second season.

DEFENSE:  Carroll isn’t the only coaching legend’s son on staff, as Fisch shocked everyone by hiring Steve Belichick – six-time Super Bowl Bill’s son — to run his defense. This will be Steve’s first time coordinating a defense, and the first time coaching at the college level. Belichick has spent the last 12 years on the Patriots staff with the last eight as a position coach. In the same dry, matter-of-fact tone as his dad, he simply answered “We’ll find out” about what his college defensive scheme will look like. On his first time recruiting: “Face Timing high-school kids has been new, that was different.” They have another rebuilding project on this side of the ball with just two starters returning. Five of their top six defensive linemen departed after several years of production and star power: Bralen Trice, Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Tuli Letuligasenoa, Ulumoo Ale, and Faatui Tuitele. Nose tackle Jacob Bandes returns and Sebastian Valdez (Montana State) transferred in. On the edges, Voi Tunuufi returns, and the staff added Top100 transfer Jayden Wayne (Miami) as well as two of their Arizona guys Russell Davis and starter Isaiah Ward. Finally, a returning starter. Alphonzo Tuputala is back at linebacker, but longtime stars Edefuan Ulofoshio and Ralen Goforth leave two vacancies. Carson Bruener and Drew Fowler are the next men up. Elijah Jackson returns at corner and was the star of the Playoff win over Texas. Fisch stole Arizona’s All-Pac 12 corner Ephesians Prysock to form a strong duo on the outsides. Belichick has a track record of playing elite man-to-man coverage on the outsides which would be a luxury to translate to the college level. In total, four defensive back starters are gone: Dominique Hampton (NFL), Jabbar Muhammad (Oregon), Asa Turner (Florida), and Mishael Powell (Miami). The projected new starting safeties Kamren Fabiculanan and Tristan Dunn both have four-star pedigrees, and Makell Esteen is pushing them.

OUTLOOK: Washington closed out the Pac-12 in style with an undefeated conference title, but just two of those 22 starters return for 2024. Such a massive roster overhaul – and a coaching transition – signal a step back and this reminds me of the national runner-up TCU team before them. As a welcome gift to the Big Ten, they were dealt the toughest schedule draw as the only team to face five of the league’s top six. Bowl season is in play, but a conference title run looks out of reach.

TYLER VAN DYKE WINS STARTING QB JOB AT WISCONSIN AFTER TRANSFERRING FROM MIAMI

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Tyler Van Dyke was named Wisconsin’s starting quarterback on Wednesday.

Van Dyke, a Miami transfer, had been competing with Braedyn Locke, who started three games last season in place of the injured Tanner Mordecai. Offensive coordinator Phil Longo announced after Wisconsin’s morning practice that Van Dyke had won the job.

Wisconsin opens its season by hosting Western Michigan on Aug. 30, a Friday night game. The Badgers, who went 7-6 last year in their first season under Luke Fickell, are outside the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 2016.

Van Dyke was the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year in 2021 but struggled with injuries and inconsistency during his next two seasons at Miami. He lost his starting spot to Emory Williams before regaining it once Williams suffered a season-ending arm injury.

He completed 63.7% of his passes for 7,469 yards with 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in three years with the Hurricanes. Last season, he completed 65.8% of his attempts for 2,703 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Longo complimented Locke’s progress on Wednesday and said the gap between Wisconsin’s top two quarterbacks was narrower than last year, when Mordecai was the clear No. 1.

“As Fick says, we kind of see it as a 1-A and a 1-B type of situation right now as opposed to a 1 and a 2,” Longo said. “That’s how well Braedyn has done here in camp. But as of right now, Tyler Van Dyke is our starter.”

DEFENSIVE END DARRIS SMITH TO MISS SEASON FOR NO. 11 MISSOURI AFTER HURTING HIS KNEE IN PRACTICE

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Defensive end Darris Smith will miss the season for No. 11 Missouri after hurting his knee in practice, Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said Wednesday.

Smith transferred to Missouri from Southeastern Conference rival Georgia, where he appeared in 16 games over his first two seasons. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound pass rusher was competing for a starting job with Michigan State transfer Zion Young.

“We are devastated by the injury to Darris,” Drinkwitz said. “He was having an outstanding camp and was poised to have a great year. We will support Darris in his recovery and look forward to him returning stronger than before.”

The Tigers return Johnny Walker Jr. at one defensive end spot, but they are trying to replace all-SEC pass rusher Darius Robinson on the opposite side of the line. Joe Moore III and Georgia Tech transfer Eddie Kelly also are in the mix for playing time.

Smith did not redshirt while at Georgia, so he still will have two years of eligibility remaining.

NFL NEWS

LIONS COACH DAN CAMPBELL SAYS LEG INJURY TO JAHMYR GIBBS IS GOING TO BE ‘FINE’

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, dressed in shorts, watched training camp from the sideline on Wednesday after he left practice earlier in the week with a leg injury.

As a rookie last season, Gibbs rushed for 945 yards with 10 touchdowns along with 316 receiving yards and a score. After he was sidelined with a soft tissue injury in the spring, he had been healthy during training camp. The team called it a leg injury with ESPN reporting that it’s a hamstring.

Coach Dan Campbell does not seem concerned about the injury status of Gibbs or rookie cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (upper body) and Ennis Rakestraw (ankle), who also were injured on Monday.

“I think we’re going to be fine here, I think we’ll be good,” Campbell said in a radio interview on Wednesday, without offering specifics on the injuries.

Arnold, a first-round draft pick, has impressed in camp and has lined up mostly with the starters during drills. On Wednesday, he worked apart from the team running on a grassy hill near the practice field.

Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn could not say if he’ll be ready for the season opener on Sept. 8 against the Los Angeles Rams.

“We’ve seen enough, but he’s not where he needs to be. He needs a lot of improvement to do,” Glenn said. “Once he gets back from his injury he has to get out there and grind and continue to work.”

Backup quarterback Hendon Hooker, who suffered a concussion in Thursday’s preseason loss at the Giants, was back at practice on Wednesday. Campbell said there’s a “good chance” he’ll be able to play the preseason game on Saturday at Kansas City.

“It’s frustrating because I want to play so bad after a year sitting out. Not being able to go was the worst part about it, other than that I felt really good and wasn’t too scared,” Hendon said on Wednesday.

Hookier and Nate Sudfeld are competing for the No. 2 quarterback spot behind Jared Goff.

CAM WARD IS THE ACC PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR. WITHOUT THROWING A PASS YET, HE’S MIAMI’S LEADER

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Practice was over. The Miami Hurricanes gathered at midfield to hear a few words from coach Mario Cristobal, who summed up his thoughts about the workout and talked about what would happen next.

Everyone the started going their separate ways. Except the offense.

Cam Ward had a few words for that group. They were not happy words. There were things about the workout that the new Miami quarterback — and Atlantic Coast Conference preseason player of the year — didn’t like, things he didn’t find acceptable, things he didn’t think were at the standard the 19th-ranked Hurricanes are setting for themselves. So, he let his teammates know. They all nodded. They knew he was right.

Cristobal, watching from a few yards away, was loving what he saw and heard. Ward — a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate who transferred in from Washington State after flirting with the NFL this past spring — is 0 for 0 as a Miami quarterback, with zero yards and zero touchdowns. Hasn’t played a game as a Hurricane yet. But it’s already his team.

“He does that by being himself and through work and by being a good person,” Cristobal said. “Those things keep showing up as being undefeated, right? He puts in the time, he’s super knowledgeable, has a super-high IQ. He’s a complete alpha. When he’s wrong, he takes it right on the chin like he should. And when someone else is not living up to the standard or upholding the standard, he’s going to get all over them. He’s going to teach, but he’s also going to be very demanding.”

Ward’s numbers are exceptional. He threw for 311 yards per game last season and in his four college seasons — two at FCS member Incarnate Word, the next two at Washington State — he’s piled up 13,876 yards and 119 touchdowns. The only quarterback in college football entering this season, at any level, with more career yards is Oregon transfer Dillon Gabriel, who has 14,865.

And if the Hurricanes are going to make a run this season, Ward will be among the biggest reasons why.

“I have a relationship with a lot of guys on the team, pretty much everybody on the team,” Ward said. “I feel I can talk to them a certain way, the right way. I know how to get to guys. I know how I can translate stuff to guys. And when you have bad days, you have to get on guys more than you do when you have good days.

“I don’t hold myself to a higher standard than other people,” he added. “I know where I came from. I know what I had to do to get to this position. I don’t ever want to go back to that. So, that’s why I care so much about this and about my guys.”

That “where I came from” line is his fuel, his oxygen, his motivation.

West Columbia, Texas, population some 3,700, loves football. Ward was a star there, though nobody who looks at numbers would know that. He threw for 1,070 yards as a junior. He had 12 passing attempts per game as a senior. Columbia High, you see, was a running team. Ward’s arm may have been blessed with power and accuracy, but the game plan wasn’t built around that. He wasn’t a five-star recruit. Or a four-star, either. Or even a one-star.

Zero stars. Barely a prospect, the experts thought. The experts were wrong.

“I don’t get too high or low, even on the football field,” Ward said. “At the end of the day the only thing that is going to take care of myself and my family is making plays on the football field. Everybody’s opinion of myself doesn’t really matter to me and my family. At this point, this time in my life, I’m more focused on trying to win football games with the team around me.”

Here’s how different he is: Some guys come to Miami for the lifestyle, the sun and sand, the glitz.

Ward came to fish. Really.

His ideal day includes some combination of working out, studying film, chilling at home with his dog, fishing for mahi, taking his offensive line out to dinner. If people say they’ve got a good fishing spot or a good restaurant for him to try, he’ll talk for as long as they want. Ask him about the Heisman race, and he doesn’t have much to say. That’s not his priority.

“The biggest thing for me is there was still food left on the table for me,” Ward said. “I accomplished a lot of things at the FCS level. I haven’t accomplished things I know I’m capable of at the (FBS) level. I feel like NFL isn’t going anywhere. God put me in this position to be a Miami Hurricane. I think it’s been the best of both worlds.”

And Cristobal couldn’t be happier with how it’s all starting. The Hurricanes have a chance to be good in 2024, and they have someone who — in a short time — has assumed the leadership role.

“You cannot have an impact on the entire building the way he has unless you are the way he is. Genuine. Real. Tough,” Cristobal said. “And he plays quarterback like a linebacker. That’s the bottom line.”

BRETT GABBERT’S RETURN FROM INJURED LEG MAKES DEFENDING MAC CHAMPION REDHAWKS PRESEASON FAVORITE

Brett Gabbert helped put Miami (Ohio) in position to win the 2023 Mid-American Conference crown.

He spent the last five conference games watching his teammates fulfill that goal.

Now, the almost completely healed 24-year-old quarterback begins his fourth and presumably final season as Miami’s starter hoping to do it all again.

“It’s never easy to get injured, have surgery and be out because you always want to be out there,” Gabbert said. “It was just a tough time. I thought I was having a good year, but I’m a firm believer everything happens for a reason, so I was just really glad that my team was able to finish the job.”

Since 2001, only two MAC teams, Central Michigan in 2006-07 and Northern Illinois in 2011-12, have won consecutive titles.

Miami is a prohibitive favorite to match that feat. It has the longest tenured head coach in school history, Chuck Martin; the 2023 conference defensive player of the year, Matt Salopek; and Gabbert, a third-team all-conference selection despite suffering the season-ending injury to his right leg.

Toledo, the 2022 MAC champion, was the only other school to earn a first-place vote in the coaches’ preseason poll.

Even with so many familiar names and faces back from both teams, plenty has changed. The MAC, like the Big Ten, scrapped its division format and will now put the top two teams in college football’s most stable league in the Dec. 7 title game in Detroit.

And this time, the winner actually could qualify for the expanded 12-team playoff.

“It’s a motivating factor for all of us,” Toledo coach Jason Candle said. “You’ve got to work hard preparing this year’s team, and we’re working hard to do that right now.”

Central questions

Central Michigan starts its sixth season under coach Jim McElwain facing questions about its coaching staff. FootballScoop.com reported two weeks ago that the shakeup includes the departure of quarterbacks coach Jake Kostner, who spent four years as a Michigan assistant while working with Connor Stalions, the Wolverines’ alleged sign stealer.

McElwain has not announced any changes but said he saw a photo of Stalions on Central Michigan’s sideline during the 2023 season-opener at Michigan State and wanted the school to determine how Stalions got his sideline pass. The Chippewas went 9-15 overall and 6-10 in league play over the past two seasons.

State of Michigan

Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton and Martin are both in their 11th seasons and are the league’s coaching deans. Creighton has won virtually everything — except a MAC title — and will try to change that with former Rutgers and Buffalo quarterback Cole Snyder.

“We had three new quarterbacks come in in January and Cole was a known commodity,” Creighton said. “Knowing who he is as a player, as a leader, we thought it would be an awesome fit.”

Western Michigan hopes to rebound from a 4-8 mark in coach Lance Taylor’s first season. Taylor has 16 starters back. Quarterback Hayden Wolff made four starts last season after leaving Old Dominion and will be working with his seventh offensive coordinator.

Around O-H-I-O

The RedHawks and Rockets have plenty of in-state competition to make the Dec. 7 title game.

Bowling Green will rely on the backfield tandem of NFL prospect Terion Stewart and Connor Bazelak as well as a defense that shared the FBS lead with 38 takeaways in 2023.

Ohio will try to end its 56-year title drought with new quarterback Parker Navarr, and Kent State hopes third-year receiver Crishon McCray leads the Golden Flashes to their second MAC crown — and first since 1972. And Akron will lean heavily on new quarterback Ben Finley, who has played at North Carolina State and California and whose brother, Ryan, played in the NFL. The Zips were 2-10 last season.

Re-Pete

The league’s only new coach, Pete Lembo, is a familiar face to MAC fans.

Buffalo hired the former South Carolina assistant in January, giving Lembo his first head coaching job since going 35-22 in five seasons with Ball State. Since leaving Muncie, Indiana, for Maryland, Lembo has ditched his trademark glasses.

Buffalo hosts Ball State on Nov. 12.

Games to watch

The championship finalists could come down to these games: Oct. 5, Miami at Toledo; Oct 19, Ohio at Miami; Oct. 26, Bowling Green at Toledo; Nov. 20, Ohio at Toledo; and Nov. 29, Miami at Bowling Green.

CHIEFS RT JAWAAN TAYLOR (SHOULDER) LEAVES PRACTICE ON CART

Kansas City Chiefs stalwart right tackle Jawaan Taylor left Wednesday’s practice on a cart with a shoulder injury, however ESPN reported the team is “not overly concerned.”

It’s unclear how Taylor was injured or how much time he’ll miss. Lucas Niang took over for Taylor for the remainder of the practice.

Taylor, 26, started every game for the Chiefs in 2023 en route to a Super Bowl victory. The Chiefs signed him to a four-year, $80 million contract in free agency in March 2023.

Taylor has started all 83 games he’s played in since being selected in the second round of the 2019 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. In fact, Taylor has yet to miss a game in his pro career.

–Field Level Media

RAVENS TE MARK ANDREWS UNINJURED AFTER CAR ACCIDENT

Baltimore Ravens All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews did not “sustain any apparent injuries” after an early morning car accident on his way to the team’s training facility on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Ravens said Andrews was evaluated by their medical staff and “later joined the team for morning meetings.”

Andrews, 28, was scheduled for a non-practice day Wednesday and “is expected to return to practice in the coming days,” the team said.

“I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and well wishes,” Andrews said in a statement. “This is a great reminder about the importance of wearing seatbelts and remaining alert while driving a car.”

No other details were given about the accident.

Andrews is a three-time Pro Bowl selection for the Ravens, who selected him in the third round of the 2018 draft.

He has 381 catches for 4,857 yards and 40 touchdowns in 87 career games (42 starts). He missed the last six games in 2023 after suffering an ankle injury against the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 16. Andrews was hurt on a hip-drop tackle, which has since been banned by the NFL. Andrews was able to return for the AFC Championship Game in January.

Andrews was named an All-Pro in 2021.

–Field Level Media

QB ANDY DALTON (QUAD) BACK AT PRACTICE WITH PANTHERS

Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton returned to practice Wednesday with the Carolina Panthers.

Dalton, expected to serve as the backup to second-year quarterback Bryce Young, suffered a quad injury two weeks ago. Undrafted rookie Jack Plummer, who spent his final college season at Louisville in 2023, moved to No. 2 on the depth chart in Dalton’s absence.

The 36-year-old Dalton was a second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2011 NFL Draft, and he spent nine seasons there, earning three Pro Bowl selections. Since then, he spent single seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints before signing a two-year, $10 million deal with the Panthers in March 2023.

In 163 career starts, Dalton has an 83-78-2 record. He has completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 38,511 yards and 246 touchdowns to go with 144 interceptions.

–Field Level Media

REPORT: BROWNS LB JEREMIAH OWUSU-KORAMOAH LANDS EXTENSION

The Cleveland Browns are signing linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah to a three-year extension worth $39 million, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.

The deal includes $25 million guaranteed for the fourth-year player coming off his first selection to the Pro Bowl in 2023.

Owusu-Koramoah, 24, was a second-round pick from Notre Dame in 2021 and had been scheduled to earn a $1.5 million base salary in 2024 in the final season of his rookie deal.

He established career highs in tackles (101), sacks (3.5) and interceptions (two) while starting 13 of his 16 games in 2023. He has 247 tackles, five sacks, 10 quarterback hits and five forced fumbles in 41 games (33 starts).

“I think with Jeremiah, really from his rookie year, he’s always made the high-end plays,” general manager Andrew Berry said last month. “He has like matrix-type athleticism where he just has rare movement skills and he can play behind the line of scrimmage. He’s fast.”

–Field Level Media

REPORT: BUCS OWNERS TURN DOWN OFFER OF MORE THAN $6.05 BILLION

Tom Brady may no longer play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the superstar quarterback’s retirement a year ago apparently isn’t hurting the team’s value.

At least in the eyes of one interested — and wealthy — party.

According to a report by Sportico on Wednesday, the Glazer family — owners of the team — turned down an offer of more than $6.05 billion to purchase the club. The report did not say when the offer was made, only that the proposal was made “recently.”

Citing someone familiar with the details of the offer, Sportico added that the bidder was viewed as a “qualified buyer,” meaning they could afford to make the purchase.

The price would have not only been the highest ever paid for an NFL team but a world record for purchasing control of a sports franchise, per Sportico.

Though the Bucs did not respond to requests for comment made by Sportico, the Glazers’ willingness to part with at least partial control of sports franchises is no secret. Earlier this year the family sold a 25 percent stake in Manchester United of the Premier League for a reported $1.6 billion. According to Forbes, Man U is the second-most valuable soccer club in the world at $6.55 billion. Spanish La Liga team Real Madrid is first at $6.6 billion.

In its most recent valuations last August, Forbes valued the Bucs at $4.2 billion, which is 24th among the 32 NFL teams.

The Glazers bought the Buccaneers in 1995 for $192 million.

–Field Level Media

BRONCOS’ SEAN PAYTON: ‘LOT OF POSITIVES’ FROM ALL THREE QBS

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said some of the decisions regarding his starters are “easy” and have already been made, but the quarterback battle will continue for at least another week.

Veteran Jarrett Stidham started the preseason opener at Indianapolis, but his two possessions were thwarted by a turnover and a penalty. First-round pick Bo Nix then entered the game and impressed while completing 15 of 21 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.

Nix is slated to start against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, two days after the teams take part in a joint practice. Both will be critical tests in the eyes of Payton, who was impressed by Nix’s debut.

“His decision making was good (against the Colts),” Payton said. “I felt he was comfortable in the pocket. I thought his locations were good. The No. 1 thing to do at quarterback is lead your team and we scored.

“There’s two plays where I think he can set his feet. He’s kind of backing up a little and we can clean that up, but I liked the production with his group while he was in there. Ultimately, that’s their job.”

It appears to be a two-man race, although Payton also complimented Zach Wilson, who completed 10 of 13 passes for 117 yards in mop-up duty.

“The whole group as a whole — and I’m talking the three of them — we didn’t have any sacks. There were a lot of positives,” Payton said.

While Nix will start on Sunday, the Packers are expected to rest most of their starters. That makes the practice Friday equally as important in the evaluation process.

“Last week, ‘Stiddy’ took the week’s worth of (No.) 1’s and then into the game. (We are) kind of following that same process that we’ve done all the way up until now,” Payton said about this week’s plan for the quarterbacks. “All three of these guys are going to get a ton of work this week and a lot of work against Green Bay.

“At times, we may be with a certain group against a different group at Green Bay. We can’t control that and I don’t think (Packers coach) Matt (LeFleur) or I are really concerned with that. I don’t think there’s a big change.”

Payton talked at length on Wednesday about Wilson’s poise and experience that were on display against the Colts, but he also knows the burning question from fans and the media is whether Nix will open the season as the starter.

“The focus on Bo, understandably so, is when you draft a quarterback in the first round — every one of us recognizes the significance of getting that position settled and having (someone at) that position who we feel like we can win with,” Payton said. “When that is unsettled, it’s tough on your team.

“It’s a good group to work with and I know the offensive coaches feel that way. I feel that way. I like where we’re at right now and that’s encouraging for our team. Because when that’s unsettled and maybe not as far along, then there’s a lot of things you can do well and yet the team sees there’s a ceiling maybe on what you can do.”

After the game Sunday, the Broncos will close their preseason schedule at home against the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 25. Denver opens its regular season at Seattle on Sept. 8.

–Field Level Media

REPORTS: PATRIOTS TRADING LB MATTHEW JUDON TO FALCONS

The New England Patriots are trading linebacker Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons for a third-round draft pick, multiple media outlets reported Wednesday night.

NFL Network reported that the pick will be for the 2025 draft.

Judon was entering the final season of a four-year, $54.5 million contract that was to pay him $6.5 million in base salary, and he was seeking a new deal with New England. He was spotted having an animated conversation with Patriots first-year coach Jerod Mayo during a practice session last month, one that Judon did not participate in.

Of the 14 training camp practices New England has had this offseason, Judon had kept himself out of two.

A bicep tear limited Judon to just four games (two starts) last season. He still managed to record four sacks along with 13 tackles.

The 31-year-old Judon has played eight NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens (2016-20) and Patriots (2021-23), amassing 66.5 sacks, 369 tackles, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 114 games (82 starts).

Judon is a four-time Pro Bowl selection.

–Field Level Media

RAMS QB MATTHEW STAFFORD (HAMSTRING) EXITS PRACTICE

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford exited practice on Wednesday because of hamstring tightness.

Stafford participated in the first half of Wednesday’s joint practice session with the Dallas Cowboys in Thousand Oaks, Calif., but he sat out most of the second half.

The Rams already were not expected to play Stafford, 36, in the four preseason games before the regular-season opener Sept. 8 at the Detroit Lions.

Stafford led the Rams to the Super Bowl LVI title at the end of the 2021 campaign.

He missed 10 total games the past two seasons with injuries but threw for 3,965 yards and 24 touchdown passes in 15 games last year and was voted to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career.

Also on Wednesday, the Rams signed veteran defensive lineman Carlos Watkins, filling a roster spot opened after kicker Tanner Brown was waived.

Watkins, 30, had one sack and seven tackles in two games in 2023 for the Arizona Cardinals before sustaining a season-ending biceps injury.

The Houston Texans selected Watkins in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Clemson. He played three seasons for the Texans and two for the Cowboys (2021-22) before joining the Cardinals.

Watkins has 139 tackles, six sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries in 71 games (37 starts).

–Field Level Media

VIKINGS WR JORDAN ADDISON CARTED OFF PRACTICE FIELD

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury during Wednesday’s joint practice session with the host Cleveland Browns.

Addison sustained his injury while leaping for a contested pass. The severity of the injury was not immediately known.

Addison, 22, made the NFL All-Rookie team in 2023 after hauling in 70 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 games (14 starts). He was selected by the Vikings with the 23rd overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Southern California.

–Field Level Media

BASEBALL NEWS

MLB ROUNDUP: AARON JUDGE’S 300TH HOMER BOOSTS YANKS

Aaron Judge hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to become the fastest player in major league history to reach 300 career homers, helping the New York Yankees pull away for a 10-2 victory over the host Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.

Judge reached the milestone in his 955th regular-season game, one day past the eighth anniversary of his major league debut. He eclipsed the mark previously set by Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, who reached 300 homers in his 1,087th game.

Judge became the 162nd player all-time to reach 300 homers and the 17th player to reach the mark while playing for the Yankees.

Gavin Sheets hit his first homer since June 8 and had an RBI single, but the White Sox failed in their bid to win the three-game series. Chicago last prevailed in a series when it took two of three at home against the Colorado Rockies from June 28-30.

Reds 9, Cardinals 2

Jonathan India and TJ Friedl each hit two home runs to help Cincinnati complete a three-game sweep of visiting St. Louis.

Tyler Stephenson also homered for the Reds, who have won four straight and outscored the Cardinals 19-4 during the three-game series. India had three hits and four RBIs in the finale.

Masyn Winn, Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan each had two hits for St. Louis, which lost its fourth straight and fell a game under .500 for the first time since June 19.

Royals 4, Twins 1

Paul DeJong went 3-for-3 with a double and a solo homer as Kansas City pulled away to beat Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Bobby Witt Jr. finished 2-for-4 with a solo homer for the Royals, who avoided a three-game sweep by winning the series finale. Kyle Isbel and Vinnie Pasquantino also drove in one run apiece.

Carlos Santana hit a solo homer for the Twins’ lone run.

Orioles 4, Nationals 1

Gunnar Henderson hit a two-run home run in the first inning as Baltimore defeated visiting Washington to split a two-game series.

Orioles starter Dean Kremer (5-9) worked six innings and allowed one run on five hits. Seranthony Dominguez handled the ninth for his third save of the season, his second since joining Baltimore.

Nationals starter DJ Herz (2-5) permitted two runs on four hits in six innings. Alex Call had two of Washington’s five hits, including an RBI double.

Padres 8, Pirates 2

Martin Perez picked up his first victory with San Diego — beating the team that traded him last month — as the Padres routed visiting Pittsburgh to complete a three-game sweep.

Perez (3-5) lasted 5 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and a run. In three starts with San Diego, Perez has permitted just four runs in 18 1/3 innings.

Mitch Keller (10-7) was pounded for the second straight outing for Pittsburgh, which dropped its 10th consecutive game. Jake Cronenworth and David Peralta homered for San Diego, which has won 19 of its past 22 games.

Rangers 9, Red Sox 7 (10 innings)

Jonah Heim began the 10th inning with a two-run homer as Texas rallied for seven runs from the eighth inning on, salvaging the finale of a three-game series in Boston.

Wyatt Langford (3-for-5, three runs) hit a game-tying, three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to force extras. Adolis Garcia went deep twice as part of a 3-for-5 night, while Josh Smith was 3-for-6 with two doubles for the Rangers.

Texas reliever Matt Festa (1-1) threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings to nab the win, and Kirby Yates tossed a scoreless bottom of the 10th for his 21st save.

Phillies 9, Marlins 5

Kyle Schwarber belted his seventh career grand slam in the fourth inning as Philadelphia rallied past visiting Miami to end a four-game losing streak.

Philadelphia erased a three-run deficit after loading the bases in the fourth inning. Schwarber homered off Miami starter Edward Cabrera (2-4), his team-leading 28th of the season and his sixth in the past 10 games.

Jonah Bride launched a three-run homer in the first inning and added a sacrifice fly in the fourth for Miami, which lost after posting back-to-back wins.

Brewers 5, Dodgers 4

Milwaukee capitalized on sloppy fielding for four unearned runs en route to a comeback victory over visiting Los Angeles, snapping the Dodgers’ five-game winning streak.

Milwaukee, which had just four hits, went in front 5-4 in the seventh when Joey Ortiz was hit by a pitch and was sacrificed to second before Jackson Chourio blooped a single that right fielder Mookie Betts misplayed into a run-scoring error.

Brewers reliever Joel Payamps (3-5) retired all four batters he faced for the win. Devin Williams tossed a perfect ninth for his second save. Brent Honeywell (0-1) took the loss after allowing an unearned run in the seventh.

Diamondbacks 11, Rockies 4

Eugenio Suarez hit a grand slam, Jordan Montgomery logged a quality start and Arizona beat Colorado in Phoenix to complete a three-game sweep.

Suarez also doubled twice and drove in five runs as Arizona won its season-best sixth straight game and improved to 18-3 since July 23. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tallied two hits and two runs and Joc Pederson had two RBIs and scored twice for the Diamondbacks.

Colorado rookie Tanner Gordon (0-4) lasted just two-thirds of an inning, tagged for four runs (three earned) on three hits. He watched the Rockies commit two errors behind him.

Guardians 6, Cubs 1

Alex Cobb allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings and Andres Gimenez had three hits and three RBIs as Cleveland completed a three-game sweep of visiting Chicago.

Cobb (1-1) gave up three hits, walked two and fanned three to help the Guardians to a fifth consecutive victory after they lost seven straight.

The Cubs entered their series with the Guardians winners of four straight, but after recording nine hits during their 9-8, series-opening loss Monday, they totaled two runs and 10 hits over the next two contests.

Astros 2, Rays 1 (10 innings)

Mauricio Dubon lined a go-ahead, two-out single in the 10th inning as Houston won its eighth straight game, beating Tampa Bay to sweep a three-game series in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Jeremy Pena swatted a solo home run as the Astros finished 8-1 on their road trip.

Taylor Walls singled, walked, scored and stole two bases while Yandy Diaz had a single and an RBI for the Rays, who lost for the fifth time in six games.

Mets 9, A’s 1

David Peterson and three relievers combined to allow only six hits as host New York cruised to a victory over Oakland in the middle game of a three-game interleague series.

Pete Alonso was 4-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs for the Mets, who ended a four-game losing streak. Peterson (7-1) allowed an unearned run on three hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Joey Estes (5-5) gave up three runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings for the A’s, who had won four of their previous five games.

Braves 13, Giants 2

Michael Harris II hit a first-inning grand slam in his first game back from the injured list, Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Sean Murphy added home runs and visiting Atlanta made it three in a row over San Francisco.

Grant Holmes (1-0) went a career-best seven innings for his first major league win. He gave up two runs and eight hits. Harris drove in a career-high five runs.

Giants starter Robbie Ray (2-2) was done after two-thirds of an inning, having allowed five runs. He walked three of the eight batters he faced.

Blue Jays 9, Angels 2

Jose Berrios yielded one run in seven innings, Ernie Clement, Daulton Varsho and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered and Toronto completed a three-game sweep of Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.

Berrios (11-9) gave up a solo homer to Matt Thaiss but just one other hit. Varsho and Guerrero each finished with three hits.

Angels starter Tyler Anderson (9-11) gave up seven runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

NBA NEWS

REPORT: JAZZ SIGN G PATTY MILLS TO 1-YEAR, $3.3M DEAL

The Utah Jazz are signing free agent guard Patty Mills to a one-year, $3.3 million deal, ESPN reported Wednesday.

Mills, 36, is entering his 16th season and playing for his sixth team. His deal is fully guaranteed, per the report.

He split last season with Atlanta and Miami, averaging 4.0 points and 13.0 minutes in 32 games (five starts).

Mills has career averages of 8.8 points, 2.2 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 892 games (112 starts) with the Portland Trail Blazers (2009-11), San Antonio Spurs (2011-21), Brooklyn Nets (2021-23), Hawks and Heat.

He reunites with Jazz head coach Will Hardy, who was an assistant coach under Gregg Popovich when Mills played for the Spurs.

–Field Level Media

GOLF NEWS

PGA TOUR RELEASES 2025 FEDEX CUP SEASON SCHEDULE

The PGA Tour released the 2025 FedEx Cup regular season and playoffs schedule on Wednesday.

The 36-event regular season begins with the first of eight signature events, The Sentry in Hawaii from Jan. 2-5.

The regular season concludes with the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., from July 31-Aug. 3.

The three-event playoffs will determine the FedEx Cup champion, crowned at the Tour Championship in Atlanta from Aug. 21-24.

Including the playoffs, tournaments will be contested across 18 states plus Mexico, Canada, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

“The new schedule and competitive changes introduced in 2024 were significant steps toward creating the best version of the PGA Tour for our fans and players,” commissioner Jay Monahan said. “Fields were significantly stronger across the board, while the Signature Events provided fans more opportunities to see the PGA Tour’s best competing head-to-head.

“As we enter the second year of this reimagined schedule, one thing remains a constant — winning on the PGA Tour continues to rank among the most difficult and rewarding accomplishments in sport. We are grateful to the entire membership, especially our Player Directors and Player Advisory Council, as well as our tournaments and partners.”

The full tournament slate is available on the PGA Tour website, but these are the 2025 calendar’s eight signature events:
–The Sentry (Jan. 2-5)
–AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Jan. 30-Feb. 2)
–The Genesis Invitational (Feb. 13-16)
–Arnold Palmer Invitational (March 6-9)
–RBC Heritage (April 17-20)
–Truist Championship (May 8-11)
–Memorial Tournament (May 29-June 1)
–Travelers Championship (June 19-22)

–Field Level Media

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER COMES IN HOT, IN MULTIPLE WAYS, AS PLAYOFFS START

Every year, golfers arrive at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and field questions about the PGA Tour’s current format for the FedEx Cup playoffs. Every year, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and others indicate they would like to see some tweaks.

But after a regular season that saw Scheffler pile up wins at the Masters, the Players Championship and four other signature events, his criticism may be heard louder than ever before.

Those opinions haven’t been enough to enact major changes to the format, which will see the playoff field whittled from 70 to 50 to 30 players in the next three weeks. The first leg, the St. Jude, tees off Thursday at TPC Southwind in Memphis.

As a refresher: Once the top 30 players in FedEx Cup points make it to the Tour Championship (the final event of the playoffs), they are slotted into a staggered-scoring start. As it stands now, Scheffler will open that tournament with only a two-shot head start over Xander Schauffele even though Scheffler owns nearly 2,000 more points.

“Yeah, I mean, I talked about it the last few years. I think it’s silly,” Scheffler said. “You can’t call it a season-long race and have it come down to one tournament. Hypothetically we get to (the Tour Championship) and my neck flares up and it doesn’t heal the way it did at The Players, I finish 30th in the FedEx Cup because I had to withdraw from the last tournament? Is that really the season-long race? No. It is what it is.”

Scheffler comes to Memphis off the high of winning Olympic gold two weeks ago at Le Golf National outside Paris, another boost to the 28-year-old’s growing resume.

He doesn’t have much to worry about this week, but a few big names have to sweat out cracking the top 50 to qualify for next week’s BMW Championship.

Jordan Spieth (currently No. 63) is one, thanks to a very underwhelming season. Another is Viktor Hovland of Norway, who won last year’s FedEx Cup but is just 57th in points right now.

“I try not to think about my FedEx rank or all that stuff so much this week,” Hovland said. “I’ve obviously been vocal about me not playing very well this year, so that’s kind of what I’m focusing on, just trying to get the horse back on the track and work on the things that I need to work on to play good golf, and then all the other stuff, that will work out if I take care of that stuff.”

The PGA Tour made this event the first playoff leg in 2022, and playing in Tennessee in mid-August has led to sweltering conditions where surprises can happen. The event required a playoff each of the past three years. In 2023, veteran Lucas Glover won 2,000 FedEx Cup points as champion and rocketed up the standings.

Glover only qualified for last year’s playoffs by winning the Wyndham Championship the prior week. This year’s Wyndham winner, Englishman Aaron Rai, opens the week 25th in FedEx Cup points.

Third in the standings is Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, who was unable to parlay stellar golf into a major championship win this year but is likely to lean on his experience as a three-time FedEx Cup champion to end his season on a bright note.

“I think when the bulk of the season has come and gone and you’ve got this opportunity of three weeks to really, I guess, flip the script a little bit or change the narrative on what that season means, I think that’s a motivating factor, and part of the reason that I’ve probably played well in the playoffs for the last three years,” McIlroy said.

–Field Level Media

PGA TOUR COMMISH JAY MONAHAN: DON’T EXPECT DEAL WITH LIV FOR YEARS

When PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan spoke with reporters in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, it was perhaps his most brief statement that carried the most weight.

“I think that’s fair.”

That was Monahan’s reply when asked if it is safe to assume that the Tour will not be partnering with LIV Golf for at least the next three seasons.

Monahan held court with the media on the eve of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first of the three-event FedEx Cup playoffs, which is being contested at TPC Southwind.

Earlier in the day, the Tour released the 2025 regular-season schedule, which featured minimal changes relative to this season’s schedule.

As Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund lured more and more players to its LIV Golf tour with lucrative contracts, the PGA Tour last summer developed the Strategic Sports Group, a group of American sports team owners that would invest in the PGA Tour golf and in turn pay players based on their performance while allowing the players to become equity holders in the Tour.

In January, the SSG made a $1.5 billion investment to become minority owners of the PGA Tour. On Monday, the Tour announced Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked player in the world, earned an $8 million bonus for his performance this season — the most of any golfer on Tour. Xander Schauffele finished second and received $6 million.

“When you think about where we were (prior to the SSG), engagement amongst our players, our partners, our fans, our investors I think is really, really high and really strong. There’s tremendous momentum,” Monahan said Wednesday.

The PGA Tour and PIF most recently met in June to discuss a potential future partnership but gave no indication that a deal was close.

Also on Wednesday, Monahan addressed the issue of increased player input in terms of running the Tour, now that the SSG gives them a stake in the organization.

“As it relates to the business, now that we have formed PGA TOUR Enterprises (the for-profit entity established to allow the SSG to become a Tour partner), you have that structure for innovation,” Monahan said.

“We’re driving forward a lot of those innovations, and our players are providing valuable and needed input,” he continued.

Monahan and chief competitions officer Tyler Dennis also spoke about the finish to last weekend’s Wyndham Championship. Veteran Matt Kuchar, sitting 212 yards from the 18th pin with daylight running out at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C. on Sunday, opted to stop playing and finish his round on Monday.

The following day, he finished the hole as the only player on the course. The rest of the field opted to finish their rounds on Sunday.

“Matt had every right to do exactly what he did,” Monahan said. “There are so many unique circumstances that come up on the PGA Tour, and that was one of them.”

Dennis added: “The officials basically have a standard operating procedure that right around sunset they will indicate that we’re going to suspend play. (On Sunday, there was) effectively one group left, the guys in front of them were almost done. I think Matt teed off a couple groups before sunset, and our head official notified the group that they were able to continue or stop if they needed to.”

“We just want to apply the rules in the same manner each week, and that’s what happened,” Dennis added.

–Field Level Media

2024 FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP: PREVIEW, PROPS, BEST BETS

The 2024 FedEx Cup playoffs tee off Thursday with the first round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis.

The top 70 players in the standings qualified for the first leg of the playoffs, and only the top 50 after this week will move on to the BMW Championship. Our golf experts preview the event and provide their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.

FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP
Location: Memphis, Tenn., Aug. 15-18
Course: TPC Southwind (Par 70, 7,243 Yards)
Purse: $20M (Winner: $3.6M)
Defending Champion: Lucas Glover
FedEx Cup Leader: Scottie Scheffler

HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday: 1-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (NBC); Sunday: 12-2 p.m. (Golf Channel), 2-6 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET
X: @FedExChamp

PROP PICKS
–Thomas Detry to Beat Min Woo Lee (+100 at DraftKings): Detry is coming off a missed cut last weekend, but that was only the second time he failed to make the weekend in his past 13 starts. Meanwhile, he has three top-10s and two other top-20s during that span. We like the underdog odds against Lee (-125), who has missed two of his past three cuts and generally has struggled to find consistency.

–Max Homa Top 30 Finish (+100 at BetRivers): While Homa’s form has fallen off significantly, including no top-20 finishes in his past seven starts, it’s important to note that he only needs to beat 40 players for this pick to pay off. He did tie for third at the Masters and eighth at a pair of signature events, so Homa has still risen to the level of elite fields like he’s facing this week.

–Xander Schauffele to Beat Scottie Scheffler (+160 at DraftKings): It takes enticing odds for anyone to consider betting against Scheffler, but DraftKings has offered exactly that. In addition to his pair of major championships this year, Schauffele has racked up 12 consecutive top-20 finishes and has finished no lower than T15 in his past eight worldwide starts. The two are vying for player of the year honors, and while beating Scheffler is a monumental task these days, Schauffele is almost always lurking on the first page of the leaderboard come Sunday.

2024 Prop Picks Record: 38-46-1

BEST BETS
–Scheffler (+330 at DraftKings) is coming off winning the gold medal at the Olympics. His six regular-season victories include the Masters, the Players and four signature events. Scheffler leads the field with 19 percent of the money and 14 percent of the total bets placed at the book backing him to win this week.
–Schauffele (+700) already has claimed the first two major titles of his career this year and is making his eighth consecutive appearance in the playoffs. He has received relatively modest support with 5 percent of the money backing him.
–Rory McIlroy (+900) is a two-time winner this year and a three-time FedEx Cup champion (2016, ’19, ’22). He always seems to rise to the occasion in the playoffs, and he’s tied for second at the book with Collin Morikawa (+1200), each having drawn 8 percent of the money.
–Viktor Hovland (+3000) has struggled to find consistency amid swing changes in 2024 and the reigning FedEx Cup champion enters at No. 57 in the standings. The young Norwegian star could provide a handsome payout as a surprising dark horse; Hovland isn’t among the top-10 in terms of money backing him at DraftKings.

NOTES
–This is the third time TPC Southwind has played host to the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
–Aaron Rai, coming off a victory at the Wyndham Championship, is one of nine first-time winners on tour this season to qualify for the playoffs. Meanwhile, four rookies qualified for the first leg: No. 16 Matthieu Pavon, No. 47 Max Greyserman, No. 47 Jake Knapp and No. 67 Nick Dunlap.
–Victor Perez shot four rounds in the 60s at the Wyndham to hold onto No. 70 in the standings and qualify for this week’s field.

–Field Level Media

RACING NEWS

CONOR DALY TO TAKE OVER NO. 78 CAR FOR JUNCOS HOLLINGER RACING FOR REST OF INDYCAR SEASON

IndyCar veteran Conor Daly will drive the No. 78 car for Juncos Hollinger Racing for the remainder of the season, beginning with this weekend’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis, the team announced Wednesday.

Daly is taking over for Agustin Canapino, who parted ways with the team last week after a series of social media firestorms.

“I am extremely pleased to reunite with (team co-owner) Ricardo Juncos after our success together in the Road to Indy,” Daly said, referring to the IndyCar feeder system. “Ricardo took a chance on me when I was young and it made a huge difference in my career. There are a lot of people on this team that I’ve worked with before and that gives me a lot of confidence.”

Canapino stepped away from Juncos Hollinger Racing in June before a race at Road America after disputing claims that rival driver Théo Pourchaire of Arrow McLaren Racing had received online death threats from Canapino’s fans following an on-track incident between the two. Arrow McLaren wound up severing its technical and marketing relationship with the team.

Another driver, former Juncos Hollinger teammate Callum Ilott, has said Canapino’s passionate fan base had made threatening comments last season. Ilott said he felt he never received support from the team and was released at the end of last season.

Meanwhile, Canapino’s performance also had been on a downward spiral. A string of five consecutive finishes of 18th or worse had dropped him to 23rd in the standings, and in danger of falling out of the top 22 of the $1 million Leaders Circle.

Daly will be driving for his third team this season. He drove from 29th to 10th in the Indianapolis 500 in an entry for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, and he replaced the injured Jack Harvey for Dale Coyne Racing for a race at Iowa in July.

Daly will work with Juncos Hollinger teammate Romain Grosjean for the remainder of the season.

“Having Conor Daly back in a JHR car after many years is like a flashback to some great memories,” Juncos said. “We achieved a lot together. Now it’s time to focus on what’s ahead and aim for strong results for the rest of the NTT IndyCar Series season.”

STUBBS: NASCAR SETS NEEDED PRECEDENT WITH AUSTIN DILLON RULING

Austin Dillon may still get to wake up and stare at the trophy he earned from the Cook Out 400, but that’s about the only positive he gained from the Sunday race.

On Wednesday, NASCAR announced that Dillon’s victory at Richmond Raceway will not count toward his eligibility for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, moving the driver and his No. 3 team from 13th in the playoff standings back down to 31st, nearly 200 points out of a playoff berth.

With Michigan, Daytona and Darlington remaining on the regular-season schedule, Dillon still has three opportunities to earn his playoff spot back. Daytona is easily the most likely place for Dillon come out on top again, but if he can’t find his way back into the postseason, his lament over the ending of the Richmond race will forever loom large.

NASCAR’s decision to make Dillon’s victory not count toward playoff eligibility may be one of the most important ruling the sanctioning body has made since instituting the knockout-style format in 2014.

Drivers have resorted to desperation in regards to the playoffs before — see Ryan Newman’s move on Kyle Larson at Phoenix in 2014, or Kevin Harvick intentionally crashing the field at Talladega in 2015 — but Dillon’s move on Sunday trumped all prior incidents in terms of severity.

Not only did Dillon not attempt to make the corner before spinning Joey Logano in turn three, but he also turned down and hooked Denny Hamlin coming to the line in a desperation move that only the difference between making and missing the playoffs could have spurred.

NASCAR has always flirted with the idea of “boys have at it” in an attempt to both appeal to old-school fans while also loosely defining the lines of what constitutes a penalty for overaggressive moves. Since the beginning of auto racing — and in reality, every competition — competitors have always sought advantages, whether they be fair or unfair.

Dillon intentionally crashing both Logano and Hamlin wasn’t a trivial event equal to Smokey Yunick or Junior Johnson trying to mess with a fuel line. It wasn’t equal in severity to a driver slightly jumping a restart or nudging a competitor up the track.

Dillon didn’t just take the physicality and aggression of NASCAR to the extreme, but abused the unwritten rules and undrawn lines that weren’t there, simply because NASCAR likely didn’t think a driver would ever be in such a desperate situation to warrant hooking a competitor into the wall for a race win.

Of course, NASCAR can’t be deemed an innocent victim: It’s the circuit’s own “win-and-in” elimination style format that forced the hand of Dillon, who sat 32nd in points entering the Sunday race. Along with the chance to compete for the championship, a playoff berth guarantees teams a bonus payout in the neighborhood of $2 million, which is a windfall in a sport that’s more dependent on sponsorship than any other.

If NASCAR had chosen to stay with the original Chase format or never adopted a playoff format, Dillon would have had little incentive to drive as hard as he did on the final lap.

Regardless of the points format at play, however, Dillon, who is in his 11th of full-time Cup Series season, should understand that wrecking competitors in an intentional manner is never a good idea, even in a tense situation. He may wake up to the shine of the trophy every morning, but what good is it if that trophy comes without a playoff berth and at the expense of his team?

Along with Dillon’s spot in the postseason being revoked, Dillon lost 25 points and spotter Brandon Benesch for the next three Cup Series races. Benesch’s suspension was a result of Benesch yelling for Dillon to wreck Hamlin as the two raced out of turn four, and with radio evidence, there was no choice for NASCAR but to take further action.

In this case, NASCAR set the correct precedent. With every one of the Cup Series’ 36 races affecting the playoffs, there can be no room for any moves similar to what Dillon pulled at Richmond. In an era of NASCAR where aggression is at an all-time high and young drivers seem to have little respect for their competitors, the penalty is a rare iron fist in the Bill France-less era of the sport’s leadership.

NASCAR shouldn’t become the stock-car racing equivalent to Formula 1’s officiating body, where any instance of contact results in reprimand, but drawing the line between “boys have at it” and overaggressive driving is a must.

Richard Childress Racing will, of course, appeal Dillon’s penalty before the playoffs begin on Sept. 8, but the organization will be fighting a losing battle.

For today, at least, NASCAR can pat itself on its back.

–Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media

TOP INDIANA SPORTS/NEWS RELEASES

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

COLTS SIGN WR GREG WARD AND DE DEREK RIVERS

The Indianapolis Colts signed wide receiver Greg Ward and defensive end Derek Rivers on Wednesday.

To make room on the roster, the team waived safety Kendell Brooks and waived/injured wideout Ethan Fernea.

Ward, 29, appeared in 40 games (13 starts) with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2019-21. Undrafted in 2017, he caught 88 passes for 768 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Eagles before spending the past two seasons on their practice squad.

Rivers, 30, was a third-round pick by New England in 2017 and played in 24 games (one start) with the Patriots (2018, 2020), Los Angeles Rams (2020) and Houston Texans (2021). He registered 16 tackles, seven QB hits and 3.5 sacks before spending the past two seasons on the practice squads of the Texans and Indianapolis Colts (2023).

INDIANA FEVER

REPORT: INDIANAPOLIS TO HOST 2025 WNBA ALL-STAR GAME

Indianapolis, home to the league’s biggest draw in the Indiana Fever, will host the WNBA All-Star Game for the first time in 2025, ESPN reported Wednesday.

The WNBA is expected to make an announcement later this week, according to the report, with a Fever spokesperson telling the Indianapolis Star on Wednesday, “Indianapolis has a great history of hosting events.”

The city hosted the NBA All-Star Game this year at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and is also scheduled to host the 2026 men’s basketball Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium and the 2028 women’s Final Four, also at Gainbridge. The entire 2021 NCAA men’s tournament was played in Indiana with the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Fever took off in popularity when they drafted No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark out of Iowa. An NCAA record-setting scorer whose Iowa games drew huge crowds, Clark has continued to be a sensation in her rookie season.

The Fever lead the league in attendance at home and when they’re away, with a 265 percent increase from 2023 by averaging 16,898 fans at 11 games at home (capacity 18,000).

They also top the league with 38 games on national television and have set viewership records for the WNBA.

Clark joined last year’s top pick, Aliyah Boston, and teammate Kelsey Mitchell for the 2024 All-Star Game in Phoenix, which drew a record number of viewers in crushing the old mark set 21 years earlier. A total of 3.44 million people watched the game on ABC, topping the previous record of 1.44 million viewers in 2003.

Last year’s game, also played in primetime and televised by ABC, drew an audience of 850,000.

–Field Level Media

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS

INDIANS WALK OFF WEDNESDAY MATINEE, 6-5

INDIANAPOLIS – Liover Peguero roped a bases-loaded walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Indianapolis Indians defeated the St. Paul Saints on Wednesday afternoon at Victory Field, 6-5.

Trailing 5-4 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Indianapolis (20-19, 53-59) rallied with three consecutive base hits against Diego Castillo (L, 0-3), the last of which came off the bat of Henry Davis to tie the game. Nick Yorke then reached base on a fielder’s choice to load the bases with no outs before Peguero blasted a line drive to the right-center alley to end the contest.

St. Paul (18-23, 56-59) jumped out to a quick start in the first after tagging Jared Jones for three runs on three consecutive doubles from Diego A. Castillo, Edouard Julien and Jair Camargo. The Saints padded their lead in the third with a two-run double from Chris Williams.

Indy’s rally began after a pitching change in the fourth inning when Yorke reached base on a double into the right field corner. In the following at-bat, Yorke advanced to third after a Peguero groundout and then scored from third on a wild pitch from Ryan Jensen.

In the fifth frame, the Indians continued to cut into the Saints lead with a trio of runs. Jose Rojas and Yorke each logged a single while Davis plated a run on an RBI double. Neither team scored until Indy’s two-run ninth inning.

St. Paul starter Caleb Baragar tossed 3.0 innings of two-hit baseball with four punchouts. After Baragar’s exit, the Saints turned it over to Jensen, Hobie Harris, Nick Wittgren and Castillo. The relievers combined for 5.0 innings while yielding six earned runs with four strikeouts.

In his second rehab start, Jones gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts. In relief of Jones, the Indians turned to Issac Mattson, Hunter Stratton and Geronimo Franzua (W, 4-5) for 5.2 shutout and four strikeouts.

The victory was Indianapolis’ fourth in walk-off fashion this season and first since Gilberto Celestino roped a walk-off two-run double on June 8 vs. Columbus

The Indians and Saints continue their six-game set tomorrow at 7:05 PM at Victory Field. RHP Mike Burrows (0-1, 3.65), will toe the rubber for the Indians against southpaw Aaron Rozek (0-1, 6.38).

INDIANA FOOTBALL

ROURKE NAMED TO GOLDEN ARM AWARD WATCH LIST

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Recognizing the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award has added senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke to its preseason watch list.

The Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the top upperclassmen quarterback by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, encapsulates all that is positive in college sports. The award acknowledges performance on the field for sure, but it goes beyond completion percentage and touchdown strikes. The award values character, citizenship, integrity and those who honor the game.

This season’s list acknowledges 63 of the nation’s leading quarterbacks, representing all 10 FBS conferences as well as football independent. The preseason watch list, semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, and former players.

In his career, Rourke has appeared in 36 career games with 33 starts. Those appearances came over five seasons at Ohio University (2019-23) where he was tabbed Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-MAC as a junior in 2022. His senior season netted second-team All-MAC honors as he has over 5,400 yards in the last two seasons.

Rourke has amassed 8,479 career all-purpose yards and accounted for 61 touchdowns (50 passing, 11 rushing). He has completed 638-of-963 passes for 7,651 yards passing and 50 touchdown passes and rushed for 1,240 career yards on 232 carries with 11 touchdowns. He also excelled in the classroom as an Academic All-American in 2022 and enters the season with his undergraduate degree in hand from Ohio U.

2024 Indiana Football Preseason Accolades

James Bomba – AFCA Good Works Team Nominee, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

James Evans – Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List

Aiden Fisher – Butkus Award Preseason Watch List

Zach Horton – John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List

Cooper Jones – William V. Campbell Trophy Nominee

D’Angelo Ponds – Lott Trophy Preseason Watch List

Kurtis Rourke – Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Preseason Watch List

Elijah Sarratt – Bilitikoff Award Preseason Watch List

Solomon Vanhorse – College Football Comeback Player of the Year Preseason Watch List

INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER

MATCH CENTRAL: INDIANA VS. TENNESSEE

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana women’s soccer team is back in action on Thursday, Aug. 15 as they host the Tennessee Volunteers at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

BROADCAST:

The match will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. On the call will be, Ian Plaskoff (PxP), Luke Brenneman (Analyst) and Sydney Parrish on the Sideline. 

GAME PROMOTIONS:

IUWS will be giving away 2024 schedule posters and cards at our first match of the season. Stop by the marketing table to pick up a 2024 schedule poster and/or card while supplies last.

ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS:

Indiana is 1-0-1 against the Tennessee Volunteers. Last season, the Hoosiers scored two goals in the 33rd minute within seconds of each other in the first half. The Vols scored twice in the 53rd and 72nd for a 2-2 draw in Knoxville. Tennessee ended last season with a NCAA First Round win against No. 17 Xavier with a 1-0 win in overtime before falling to No. 15 Nebraska 2-1 in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Vols held a record of 9-7-4 and added 17 newcomers which included 10 freshman and seven with collegiate experience.

RETURNERS:

Of IU’s 25 players that saw minutes in 2023, 21 will return for the 2023 season.

IUWS is returning eight of its 12 goal scorers last year. Coffield and Costello scored at least two goals with an additional six scorers returning this season.

Indiana’s backline returns veteran defender Camille Hamm, rookie standout Piper Coffield and Lauren Costello. This trio aided in the single-season shutout record and combined for five goals and 18 points.

Veteran Sydney Masur and counterparts Natasha Kim and Hope Paredes return for the Hoosiers in the midfield. The trio combined for 39 shots, 14 shots on goal and five points last season.

Elle Britt led the team in shots last season with 42 and 13 on target. Marisa Grzesiak trailed Britt with 27 shots and 11 shots on goal.

NEW ADDITIONS:

The Hoosiers added six new additions to the team including graduate transfer Avery Snead and five true freshmen in Layla Sirdah, Bella Haggerty, Josie Pratl, Maggie Ledwith and Haden Vlcek.

Snead was named to the Big Ten Player to Watch List as she looks to bring her veteran experience and make immediate impact on the pitch.

Haggerty, Vlcek and Pratl will add depth to the IU’s backline while Maggie and Layla look to create more scoring chances for the Hoosiers.

B1G PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Jamie Gerstenberg, Jr., GK

Gerstenberg earns a spot on the watch list for the third straight year. The reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year who started between the pipes in all 20 of the Hoosiers’ matches. She totaled 52 saves (.765 save percentage) with a .82 goals against average. She set the single-season shutout record with 10 and went 12-4-4 as the primary keeper. The Birkenwerder, Germany native holds Indiana’s career shutout record with 25 clean sheets and tied the single-season Big Ten record. Gerstenberg was also an All-Big Ten First Team selection and will continue to make big strides for the Hoosiers.

Piper Coffield, So., D

Coffield was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team and picked up three Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards and one Defensive Player of the Week in her rookie season. She played a total of XX minutes, holding Indiana’s backline strong. She scored three goals with two assists and combined for eight points. The Mars, Penn. native scored two gamewinners on penalty kicks to put the Hoosiers on top last season. Coffield ended last season with a .429 shots on goal percentage and aided in the cream and crimson’s single-season shutout record.

Avery Snead, Gr., D

Snead, a graduate transfer from Providence College, earns a spot on the Player to Watch List after looking to make a big impact for the Hoosiers. She joins the Indiana women’s soccer team after spending four-years with the Friars. As a midfielder, she started in all 69 matches and totaled 13 points in her career with six goals and one assist. Snead held a .525 shots on goal percentage with four game-winning goals to finish her career. A native of Wrentham, Mass., she was named to the All-BIG East Second Team in 2023, earned All-BIG East All-Freshman Team honors in 2020 and Second Team Honors in 2022. Snead was also named to the United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Third Team. Snead is a two-time NEWISA All-New England Second Team honoree.

2023 SEASON BY THE NUMBERS:

• The Hoosiers 12 wins last season are the most since 2013 where IU went 15-7-1.

• IU faced three losses last season, the least number of losses in a single season. Indiana finished with five in the 2020-21 and 2021 seasons.

• Indiana women’s soccer made their first Big Ten Tournament appearance since 2019 and the 15th in program history.

• IUWS totaled 20 points for the best Big Ten finish in program history. Had two of the best conference finishes in the last three years with 19 points in the 20-21 season.

• 36 is the highest RPI since the 2007 (23) and the 2013 (29) seasons.

• Indiana made five appearances in the United Soccer Coaches Poll this season and earned the teams highest ranking in week six checking in at 17th.

• The Hoosiers made three straight appearances in the United Coaches and TopDrawerSoccer’s national polls.

PURDUE WOMEN’S SOCCER

NEW ERA TO BEGIN WITH BGR SEASON OPENER VS. WASHINGTON STATE

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A new era of Purdue Soccer begins on Thursday, August 15, at 7 p.m. ET, against Washington State at Folk Field.

Admission is free for all fans to the fourth annual Boiler Gold Rush season kickoff game. The first 2,000 students will receive free Purdue Soccer thunder sticks. The program attendance record has been broken in each of the first three BGR games, with fans encircling Folk Field to create an unmatched home field advantage in support of the Boilermakers.

The game will be broadcast live on B1G+, and live stats are available at PurdueStats.com. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with @PurdueSoccer on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.

Thursday’s season-opening Boiler Gold Rush game comes after a program-record crowd of 4,096 cheered on the Boilermakers at the 2023 BGR contest against No. 24 UCF. The tradition began with a then-record crowd of 2,125 in 2021. In 2022, the attendance record was broken again as 3,296 fans streamed through the Folk Field gates and saw Purdue upset No. 15 USC, 3-0.

Purdue’s 2024 roster features three fifth-years, seven seniors, three juniors, two redshirt sophomores, five sophomores, one redshirt freshman and six freshmen. Ten are defenders, seven are forwards, seven are midfielders and three are goalkeepers. Twelve states are represented, including four from Illinois and two from Indiana. Boilermakers hail from five countries outside of the United States, with three from Canada.

Seven starters are back from a season ago, including five of the team’s top seven goal scorers and six of the eight top point-earners from 2023.

The 2024 season marks the beginning of first-year head coach Richard Moodie’s tenure. Named the third head coach in program history, Moodie takes the helm after a highly successful seven-year stint at South Alabama. More about the Stenhousemuir, Scotland, native can be found here.

This is the 27th season of Purdue Soccer and the team’s 26th in the Big Ten after a non-conference-only inaugural year in 1998.

SEASON-OPENING SUCCESS

The Boilermakers are 16-8-2 all-time in season-openers, including 9-3-1 since 2015. Purdue has opened the year at home in all but four seasons, in 2002, 2008, 2011 and 2020-21. In home openers, the Old Gold and Black sport a 17-7-2 mark.

RECORD-BREAKING CROWDS

The Boilermaker faithful have helped break multiple attendance records the last three years at Folk Field. The single-game mark of 4,096 was set to begin the 2023 season, topping the previous record of 3,296 to open the 2022 campaign. That bested what is now No. 3 on the list, 2,125 that began the 2021 season. All three attendance totals easily passed what is now fourth all-time, 1,712 set in 2016.

Additionally, the average attendance record has been broken each of the last three seasons. Purdue averaged 888 fans in 2023, a new record that topped 822 in 2022 and 737 in 2021. A total of 9,773 fans came to Folk Field in 2023, which surpassed the previous record of 9,578 set in 2021. Also in 2021, Purdue had two home games with at least 1,000 fans, the first time that accomplishment had ever been achieved.

SCOUTING WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State went 9-6-4 a season ago with a 2-5-4 record in the Pac-12. The Cougars opened the year with five consecutive wins, including two on the road. Outside of Pullman, Washington, WSU was 3-2-3. Washington State posted a 0-3-0 record against top-25 opponents, all at home in back-to-back-to-back contests. Two were against top-five foes, a 1-0 defeat to No. 2 Stanford and a 2-0 loss to No. 5 UCLA.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE COUGARS

The Boilermakers have never played Washington State. Purdue is 2-2-1 all-time against programs from the Evergreen State, going 1-0-0 against Gonzaga, 1-1-0 against Washington and 0-1-1 against Seattle. The most recent matchup was a 1-0 win over Gonzaga on August 26, 2021.

UP NEXT: IN-STATE FOE ON THE ROAD

The opening weekend continues on Sunday, August 18, with a short trip south to face Butler in Indianapolis. Kickoff between the two in-state foes is set for 7 p.m. ET. Purdue returns home to face Loyola Chicago on Thursday, August 22, at 7 p.m. Kickoff is free for all fans to that contest and each regular-season home game at Folk Field.

BIG TEN PLAYERS TO WATCH

Senior defender Sydney Boudreau, senior forward Gracie Dunaway and junior forward Kayla Budish have been named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List. Dunaway also was recognized on the league’s preseason list in both 2022 and 2023, and Budish was honored in 2023.

Budish and Dunaway both scored a team-high-tying three goals last season, and Budish added two assists to finish second on the team with eight points. Boudreau was a key part of the Boilermakers’ back line and logged 1,213 minutes. All three played in at least 15 of Purdue’s 18 contests, with 13 or more starts.

PURDUE FOOTBALL

CARD NAMED TO JOHNNY UNITAS GOLDEN ARM AWARD WATCH LIST

BALTIMORE, Md. – Entering his second season as a Boilermaker, Purdue quarterback Hudson Card was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List. For the award recognizing the top upperclassman quarterback, Card landed on the watch list for the second consecutive year.

The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

During his first season in the Old Gold and Black, Card started 11 games and finished third in the Big Ten in passing yards per game as well as completions per game. The Austin, Texas, native threw for 2,387 yards with 15 touchdowns, while also recording 203 yards and five touchdowns on the ground to showcase his mobility.

Leading Purdue to a win over Indiana in the Old Oaken Bucket Game, Card accounted for 360 yards of offense (275 passing, 85 rushing) and four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) to become the first quarterback since Drew Brees (2000) to pass for at least 275 yards and rush for at least 85 yards in the same game. Against Syracuse, Card went 32-for-46 for 323 yards and a touchdown to set personal bests in completions, attempts and yards.

The 2024 award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy at the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland on Friday, December 6.

Card and the Boilermakers start the 2024 season at home, hosting Indiana State at Ross-Ade Stadium (Aug. 31). Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on BTN.

PURDUE SWIMMING

SWIMMING & DIVING SCHEDULES SET FOR 2024-25 SEASON

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Hosting the three-day Purdue Invitational for the fourth season in a row and January home meets vs. Kentucky and Notre Dame as well as Senior Day vs. Indiana headline Purdue Swimming & Diving’s 2024-25 schedules.

The Boilermakers have five home meets on their schedules, including the home-opening Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate on Saturday, Oct. 12. Annually held on a Saturday in October, it features teams of all NCAA divisions from all across the state as the largest home meet of the fall. It was renamed in honor of Purdue’s longtime head coach in the summer of 2023, about a month after Ross retired and closed out a 42-year coaching career.

Along with Indiana, Kentucky and Notre Dame, the Boilermakers are slated to compete against Missouri, Minnesota, Northwestern, the Illinois women and the Rutgers women at regular-season dual meets. Kentucky and Notre Dame will visit West Lafayette on Jan. 10 for a Friday afternoon triple dual to begin the spring semester half of the schedule. The Irish have not competed at the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center for dual meet action since October 2017 and the Wildcats will be making their first dual appearance at the facility.

The three-day, six-session Purdue Invitational (Nov. 21-23) is being held for a fourth consecutive year, extending the longest streak in midseason showcase’s 20-year history. It’s held Thursday morning through Saturday evening the weekend before Thanksgiving, featuring all 21 events contested at the conference and national championship meets in February and March.

The Boilermakers are set to host the Purdue Invitational for the 12th time as a co-ed meet since the Burke Aquatic Center opened in August 2001. It was also held in November of 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023 after debuting as a men’s only meet in November 2003. Either the Purdue men (2021 and 2022) or Purdue women (2023) have won the meet during the current yearly hosting streak.

The Boilermakers are slated to open their season in the state of Michigan for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign. Purdue has signed on to compete at the Be Better Invitational on Friday, Oct. 4. This year the meet will be contested at the Holland Aquatic Center in Holland, Mich., the hometown of the late Ian Miskelley, a former University of Michigan swimmer. The meet was founded in the fall of 2022 and contested in Grand Rapids (2022) and Ann Arbor (2023) the first two years, featuring Hope College, Calvin University, Davenport University and the Wolverines. It is held as a benefit meet supporting the Be Better Foundation, which was started by Miskelley’s parents after his death in 2020. The Be Better Foundation seeks to promote mental health awareness.

The Purdue men will make two trips to the Twin Cities about a month apart, visiting Minnesota’s Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center for the co-ed Big Ten Triple Duals (Jan. 31-Feb. 1) and men’s Big Ten Championships (Feb. 26-March 1). Ohio State hosts the women’s Big Ten Championships (Feb. 19-22) this season, a year after the men’s meet was held in Columbus.

The annual USA Diving Winter Nationals will also be held in a familiar Big Ten locale this season as Indiana’s Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center serves as the host of the championship showcase for the first time since 2021.

The NCAA Championships are slated to be held in the Pacific Northwest at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash. The suburban Seattle facility previously hosted the men’s national championship meet in 2008 and 2012. The women’s meet will be held there for the first time.

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN

• Home Meets: 5 (4 Co-Ed)

• Season Opener: Michigan’s Be Better Invitational (Oct. 4 in Holland, Mich.)

• Home Opener: Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate (Oct. 12)

• Senior Day: Annual Rivalry Dual vs. Indiana (Jan. 25)

• Purdue Invitational on the schedule for the fourth year in a row, fifth time since 2019 (Nov. 21-23)

• Co-Ed Triple Dual at Home: Boilermakers host Kentucky & Notre Dame (Jan. 10)

• Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate: Boilermakers host schools from around the state for large Saturday meet (Oct. 12)

CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

• Big Ten Championships: Women at Ohio State (Feb. 19-22), Men at Minnesota (Feb. 26-March 1)

• Zone C Diving Championships: Location of co-ed NCAA Championships qualifier still TBA (Projected March 12-15)

• CSCAA National Invitational Championships: Co-ed national showcase back in Central Florida (March 13-15 in Ocala, Fla.)

• NCAA Championships: Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash., hosts Women (March 19-22) & Men (March 26-29)

NATIONALS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

• USA Swimming’s Toyota U.S. Open: Selected men race in Greensboro, N.C. (Dec. 4-7)

• USA Diving Winter Nationals: Annual end of year showcase in Bloomington, Ind. (Dec. 7-15)

• CSCAA Open Water Championships: Selected women race outdoors in South Florida (Dec. 15)

MORE ROAD TRIPS

• Home & Home with Missouri Continues: Oct. 25 in Columbia

• Minnesota Hosts Two-Day Big Ten Triple Duals: Jan. 31-Feb. 1 in the Twin Cities (also featuring Northwestern)

• More Big Ten Duals for the Women: Nov. 8 at Rutgers, Jan. 11 at Illinois

2024 DAN ROSS INDIANA INTERCOLLEGIATE FIELD (More TBA)

• Co-Ed: Purdue, Butler, IU Indy, Southern Indiana, Valparaiso, Rose-Hulman

• Purdue Invitational Field Currently TBA

ALL HOME MEETS

• Oct. 12: Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate

• Nov. 21-23: Purdue Invitational

• Jan. 10: Triple Dual vs. Kentucky & Notre Dame

• Jan. 25: Senior Day vs. Indiana

• March 1-2: Women’s Boiler-Make-It NCAA Last Chance

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

LEONARD NAMED TO GOLDEN ARM AWARD WATCH LIST

Senior quarterback Riley Leonard earned selection to the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List. The Golden Arm Award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class.

It marks Leonard’s second-career selection to the Golden Arm Award Watch List (also named in 2023). Leonard was also selected to the award’s Top 25 in 2023.

Two Notre Dame signal-callers have won the award: quarterback Tony Rice in 1989 and quarterback Brady Quinn in 2006.

Leonard has already been named to the 2024 watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the Maxwell Award. In 2023, Leonard started all seven games in which he played for Duke, going 95-for-165 and 1,102 yards (57.5 percent completion rate) and three touchdowns. He rushed 58 times for 352 yards (44-yard long) and four touchdowns on the season.

In 2022, he started all 13 games for the Blue Devils, completing 250-of-392 (.638) passes for 2,967 yards with 20 touchdowns, while leading the team in rushing with 699 yards on 124 carries and 13 touchdowns. He was one of three FBS quarterbacks to amass more than 2,900 passing yards and 695 rushing yards, joining LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye.

Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

This year’s award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy at the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland on Friday, December 6, 2024.

CROSS III NAMED PRESEASON FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN BY USA TODAY

USA TODAY has included four Notre Dame football student-athletes on its 2024 Preseason All-America teams. Graduate defensive lineman Howard Cross III was selected to the first team, while junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison, senior safety Xavier Watts and graduate kick returner Jayden Harrison earned second-team honors.

Watts was a first-team USA TODAY All-American in 2023.

Howard Cross III

Cross piled up 66 stops in 2023, which ranked second among all Power 5 front-four defensive lineman. This 2024 preseason, he has earned selection to watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Outland Trophy and the Nagurski Trophy.

A Bednarik Award semifinalist, Cross III announced his status as a premiere defensive player in the country during the come-from-behind battle at No. 17 Duke on September 30. Leading the Irish with 13 tackles, Cross III also forced two fumbles (including the game-clinching fumble with 0:27 remaining) and claimed national defensive player of the week honors from Walter Camp, the Bednarik Award and the Senior Bowl. Cross III earned Second Team All-America honors from FWAA, Walter Camp, the Associated Press and The Sporting News in 2023.

The Duke game was not the only standout performance by Cross III that season. He piled up seven tackles at No. 25 Louisville, seven more at Clemson and added nine more stops in the home finale against Wake Forest. He piled up 66 stops in 2023, which ranked second among all Power 5 front-four defensive lineman. This 2024 preseason, he has earned selection to watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Outland Trophy and the Nagurski Trophy.

Xavier Watts

A 2023 Unanimous All-American and Nagurski Trophy winner, Watts enters 2024 as one of the preeminent defensive backs in college football. He has already been named to watch lists for the Bednarik Award, the Nagurski Trophy, the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. In 2023, he tied for the national lead with seven interceptions, averaging an interception every other game.

Watts played and started in all 13 games during the season, finishing with 52 tackles, 30 solo, three tackles for loss and 0.5 sack, adding four pass breakups. He forced a fumble and recovered a fumble, returning it for a touchdown. Watts’ seven interceptions led to 33 total Notre Dame points on the subsequent drives.

Off his consecutive two-interception games vs. Pitt and USC, Watts was the first Notre Dame defender to pick off two passes in back-to-back games since at least 1996. He was one of three FBS players to achieve two multi-INT games in 2023, and the only to do so in consecutive games. He earned Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week honors for both of those performances in 2023.

Benjamin Morrison

Also selected to the preseason watch list for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and the Bednarik Award, Morrison led the Irish with 10 pass breakups in 2023, recording 31 tackles (25 solo). Morrison also intercepted three passes on the season. He earned Freshman All-America honors in 2022 as one of the late-season breakout stars of college football, picking off two interceptions and returning one 96 yards for a touchdown in Notre Dame’s 35-14 romp over No. 5 Clemson.

In 2022, he claimed a share of the Notre Dame single-game record with three interceptions in a shutout win over Boston College, including two interceptions in the first quarter. Morrison appeared in all 13 games in 2022, starting nine and finishing the year with 33 tackles, 22 solo stops and four pass break ups.

Jayden Harrison

Harrison was a first-team All-American as a kick returner at Marshall last season, finishing second in the country with a 30.7 yards-per-return average. He tied for the FBS lead with two kick return touchdowns in 2023.

Throughout his career Harrison has returned 60 kickoffs for 1,522 yards (25.4 yards per return average) and three touchdowns while catching 71 passes for 779 yards and four scores. In 2023, Harrison played in all 13 games for Marshall (started four), totaling 28 receptions for 410 yards (14.6 yards per reception) and a touchdown.

Harrison was recognized as a finalist for the Jet Award in 2023 and has been named to watch lists for the Jet Award and the Hornung Award in 2024. He was named a Walter Camp, FWAA and CBS Sports/247Sports.com First Team All-American in 2023.

CROSS III, MORRISON, WATTS NAMED PRESEASON FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS BY SPORTING NEWS

Sporting News has released its 2024 Preseason All-America teams that feature five University of Notre Dame football student-athletes. Graduate defensive lineman Howard Cross III, junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison and senior safety Xavier Watts were selected to the first team, while senior tight end Mitchell Evans and graduate kick returner Jayden Harrison earned second-team honors.

Watts was a first-team Sporting News All-American in 2023, while Cross III was named to the second team.

Xavier Watts

A 2023 Unanimous All-American and Nagurski Trophy winner, Watts enters 2024 as one of the preeminent defensive backs in college football. He has already been named to watch lists for the Bednarik Award, the Nagurski Trophy, the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. In 2023, he tied for the national lead with seven interceptions, averaging an interception every other game.

Watts played and started in all 13 games during the season, finishing with 52 tackles, 30 solo, three tackles for loss and 0.5 sack, adding four pass breakups. He forced a fumble and recovered a fumble, returning it for a touchdown. Watts’ seven interceptions led to 33 total Notre Dame points on the subsequent drives.

Off his consecutive two-interception games vs. Pitt and USC, Watts was the first Notre Dame defender to pick off two passes in back-to-back games since at least 1996. He was one of three FBS players to achieve two multi-INT games in 2023, and the only to do so in consecutive games. He earned Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week honors for both of those performances in 2023.

Howard Cross III

He piled up 66 stops in 2023, which ranked second among all Power 5 front-four defensive lineman. This 2024 preseason, he has earned selection to watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Outland Trophy and the Nagurski Trophy.

A Bednarik Award semifinalist, Cross III announced his status as a premiere defensive player in the country during the come-from-behind battle at No. 17 Duke on September 30. Leading the Irish with 13 tackles, Cross III also forced two fumbles (including the game-clinching fumble with 0:27 remaining) and claimed national defensive player of the week honors from Walter Camp, the Bednarik Award and the Senior Bowl. Cross III earned Second Team All-America honors from FWAA, Walter Camp, the Associated Press and The Sporting News in 2023.

The Duke game was not the only standout performance by Cross III that season. He piled up seven tackles at No. 25 Louisville, seven more at Clemson and added nine more stops in the home finale against Wake Forest. He piled up 66 stops in 2023, which ranked second among all Power 5 front-four defensive lineman. This 2024 preseason, he has earned selection to watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Outland Trophy and the Nagurski Trophy.

Benjamin Morrison

Also selected to the preseason watch list for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award and the Bednarik Award, Morrison led the Irish with 10 pass breakups in 2023, recording 31 tackles (25 solo). Morrison also intercepted three passes on the season. He earned Freshman All-America honors in 2022 as one of the late-season breakout stars of college football, picking off two interceptions and returning one 96 yards for a touchdown in Notre Dame’s 35-14 romp over No. 5 Clemson.

In 2022, he claimed a share of the Notre Dame single-game record with three interceptions in a shutout win over Boston College, including two interceptions in the first quarter. Morrison appeared in all 13 games in 2022, starting nine and finishing the year with 33 tackles, 22 solo stops and four pass break ups.

Jayden Harrison

Harrison was a first-team All-American as a kick returner at Marshall last season, finishing second in the country with a 30.7 yards-per-return average. He tied for the FBS lead with two kick return touchdowns in 2023.

Throughout his career Harrison has returned 60 kickoffs for 1,522 yards (25.4 yards per return average) and three touchdowns while catching 71 passes for 779 yards and four scores. In 2023, Harrison played in all 13 games for Marshall (started four), totaling 28 receptions for 410 yards (14.6 yards per reception) and a touchdown.

Harrison was recognized as a finalist for the Jet Award in 2023 and has been named to watch lists for the Jet Award and the Hornung Award in 2024. He was named a Walter Camp, FWAA and CBS Sports/247Sports.com First Team All-American in 2023.

Mitchell Evans

Evans had a breakout season in 2023 before being sidelined with an injury. He played in eight games as a junior, starting seven, and ended the season as the team’s top receiving target, averaging 52.8 yards per game. Through those eight games, Evans totaled 29 receptions for 422 yards and a touchdown during the season, averaging 14.6 yards per catch.

NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER

TOP-15 MATCHUP FOR THE 2024 SEASON OPENER

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The wait is over. The 2024 Notre Dame women’s soccer season is here. The Fighting Irish kick off the 2024-25 athletics slate with a top-15 matchup at home on Thursday, August 15. It’ll be No. 15 Notre Dame hosting No. 13 Michigan State inside Alumni Stadium at 7 p.m. ET. Admission is free to all fans and for those who can’t make it, you can stream the matchup on ACCNX.

SEASON OPENERS

The Notre Dame women’s soccer program is now in its 36th year, dating back to the 1988 season. ND has achieved much success in its season openers, going 28-4-3.

When looking at home season openers specifically, the Irish haven’t lost an opener at Alumni Stadium since a 3-2 double overtime defeat to North Carolina on Sept. 3, 1999. Since the Irish have gone 14-0-3 in that span.

A TOP-15 MATCHUP TO START THE SEASON

The Irish will get tested right out of the gates, opening the year with a top-15 matchup. The Irish lead the all-time series, 13-2, with a 6-1 record at home. Notre Dame has won 13 straight matches against Michigan State.

However, the Spartans roll into town with a lot of recent momentum. They are coming off back-to-back Big Ten Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 in 2023.

With MSU coming to South Bend, it completes the home-and-home series. A year ago, the Irish went up to East Lansing and secured a 2-1 victory. The star of the match was Ellie Ospeck, who recorded three points on the day. Ospeck scored in the 10th minute, then picked up the assist on Notre Dame’s second goal that came in the 51st minute.

STATE OF THE PROGRAM

Doug & Lisa Jones Family Head Coach Nate Norman is hitting his stride on making Notre Dame women’s soccer an impactful program, and he shows no signs of letting up. For starters:

Back-to-back seasons with either an ACC Midfielder (Korbin Albert in 2022) or Defender of the Year (Eva Gaetino in 2023). Both Albert and Gaetino were also First-Team All-Americans and went on to sign with PSG.

Back-to-back years in which multiple Irish were selected in the NWSL Draft. Kiki Van Zanten and Maddie Mercado were the most recent selections. Seven Irish have gone pro over the last two years.

Back-to-back years in which the Irish made the ACC Tournament semifinals in Cary, North Carolina.

Three consecutive seasons of earning a top-3 seed or higher in the NCAA Tournament.

Three straight years in which Notre Dame has achieved 7 wins during ACC play (10-league game format).

Notre Dame finished in 2nd place in the ACC in 2023 and outscored league competition 24-11.

Irish are 8-4-4 against ranked opposition over the last two years.

Lastly, an 82.9 winning percentage at home over the last three seasons.

KORBIN ALBERT WINS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL

Former Notre Dame student-athlete Korbin Albert, at the young age of 20, has already checked off a major career bucket list item with the USWNT. Albert was 1-of-18 players selected to represent Team USA in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Albert not only started in the gold-medal game, but also delivered the game-winning assist to Mallory Swanson. Team USA ultimately defeated Brazil 1-0 to claim the gold medal.

KLENKE EARNS PRESEASON PRAISE

A Notre Dame standout to keep an eye on — Leah Klenke was named as one of the top returning players in the league and earned a 2024 Preseason All-ACC spot. She was the lone Irish representative out of the 12 honorees.

In addition, Top Drawer Soccer released its preseason top-100 Division I players list and Klenke checked in at No. 18 on the list. Sophomore Clare Logan joined her on the list at No. 51.

In 2023, Klenke started all 20 games, logging over 1,740 minutes on the pitch. She led the squad with 10 assists, which ranked fourth in the ACC and 18th in the nation. In fact, she tallied the most assists in conference play with seven.

Klenke posted a career best 14 points on the season. She booted in two goals in 2023 – both game-winners. The most memorable being the late game-winner at Duke in the 87th minute for the 2-1 victory. For all of her efforts last season, she was named a 2023 Second Team All-ACC selection.

ACC PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. Florida State (15), 255

2. Stanford (2), 235

3. Notre Dame, 211

4. North Carolina, 187

5. Clemson, 186

6. Virginia, 177

7. Duke, 175

8. Pitt, 168

9. Wake Forest, 160

10. Virginia Tech, 116

11. California, 111

12. NC State, 85

13. Louisville, 80

14. Boston College, 50

14t. SMU, 50

16. Miami, 44

17. Syracuse, 22

YOUTH MOVEMENT

The youth movement and the giant infusion of freshman talent is underway at Notre Dame. This year, the program welcomes in 13 freshmen – the most in program history. Not only that, this freshman class boasted a top-5 national recruiting ranking by Top Drawer Soccer.

Keep an eye on forward Annabelle Chukwu from Ontario, Canada. Chukwu has risen fast through the Canadian Youth National Team system. Chukwu scored both goals in Notre Dame’s 2-1 exhibition win over Indiana.

The player who delivered both those assists to Chukwu in the exhibition win was fellow freshman Lily Joseph. From Hamden, Connecticut, Joseph broke her school record (boys and girls) for most goals scored in a season with 66 goals in 19 games (previous record was 46).

Next, there’s the highest rated recruit in the class in Grace Restovich, who checked in at No. 8 nationally. She was the 2022 ECNL National Player of the Year and a two-time ECNL National Champion with her club team Scott Gallagher in St. Louis.

Another highly ranked recruit was defender Abby Gemma, who checked in at No. 19. Gemma had the benefit of training with the Irish during their 2024 spring exhibition slate.

Then there’s Abby Mills who was ranked 34th nationally and fifth in the state of Texas. Mills was a 2024 High School All-American (United Soccer Coaches). Furthermore, she reclassified to join the 2024 incoming freshmen class.

U20 WORLD CUP – THE GOOD NEWS & THE BAD

You love to see your student-athletes get the call from a youth national team program, in this instance U20’s. The U20 World Cup is right around the corner and Leah Klenke has already gotten the nod from Team USA. A couple more Irish are expected to receive an invite from Team Canada in the coming days. That’s the good! The bad is that the U20 World Cup takes place in the heart of our 2024 fall season – August 31-September 22 in Colombia.

Klenke is no stranger to the U20 U.S. squad. She is 1-of-10 returning players who were a part of the CONCACAF qualifying team. Klenke also made the U20 USA roster for the 2023 Women’s U20 CONCACAF Championships.

This past summer, both Charlie Codd and Clare Logan competed in a pair of friendlies in Germany with the U20 Canadian squad. Freshman Annabelle Chukwu has also been called onto the U20 squad on several occasions.

For the first time ever the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will feature 24 nations drawn into six groups of four. The top two finishers in each group along with the four best third-place teams will advance to the Round of 16 to be played on Wednesday, Sept. 11 and Thursday, Sept. 12. The winners of those matches advance to the Quarterfinals on Sunday, Sept. 15, from which the winners will advance to the Semifinals on Wednesday, Sept. 18. The Third-Place Match will be held on Saturday, Sept. 21 with the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup Final taking place on Sunday, Sept. 22.

CUE THE CRAZY FROG

Ospeck collected a career best 17 points in 2023, which is also the highest amongst returners this season.

The graduate turned up the heat in October and November and achieved a lot of firsts: First career ACC POTW honor, first four-point performance of her career in the win over BC on Oct. 5, first three-assist performance of her career in the win over Miami on Oct. 8 and first NCAA Tournament goal (netting the game-winner against Valpo in the first round).

She ended the year ranked second on the team in total points with 17 – for reference, her point total in 2022 was four. She also ranked second on the team in assists with seven. Thus, Ospeck notched five goals.

NOTRE NOTABLES

First let’s talk about two returners who both earned 2023 ACC All-Freshmen Team recognition – Charlie Codd and Morgan Roy.

Codd made four starts (including both NCAA Tournament games) and played significant time in both the midfield and up top in all 20 games. She scored four goals on the year – all from October 5 on – including her first NCAA Tournament goal of her career when ND defeated Valpo in the first round. Codd was 1-of-2 freshmen (other being Meg Mrowicki) to tally double-digit points on the season.

Roy started every game in the midfield minus Senior Day and ranked third on the team in shots with 40. She had 2 goals, including one in the ACC Tournament semifinals against Clemson. Her five assists were the third most on the team.

Some other key returners who saw significant minutes last season:

Meg Mrowicki was a great breakout story. She played in all 20 games with seven starts, and recorded five goals – one of which was in the second round of the NCAA Tournament vs. Memphis.

Then there’s senior Sophia Fisher who earned a starting centerback role in the 2nd half of the season. The Irish went 3-2-1 in games she started, which included a 2-0 shutout over Clemson – a game in which she scored on a corner kick.

Next, the calming presence in the midfield of junior Laney Matriano. The Irish were 10-3-3 in games Matriano played. She has started in 33 of her 37 games played at ND.

Be on the lookout for the return of Berkley Mensik, who redshirted last season after recovering from a tough double-knee surgery. You can read about her journey back here.

GOALIE BATTALION

First there’s Atlee Olofson. The now sophomore went 7-3-2 in net in 2023 with five shutouts. She produced 45 total saves with a .763 save percentage. She finished with a GAA of 1.17.

Next is 5-10 freshman Sonoma Kasica, who was ranked 44th overall in her recruiting class. Kasica spent this past summer playing a few friendlies with the U.S. U19 squad.

Rounding out the battalion is grad transfer Katherine Montgomery and sophomore Jackie Hollomon. Montgomery arrives to South Bend after four years at Missouri State, while Hollomon has turned some heads during this preseason.

HOME SWEET HOME

It is not easy for opposing teams to earn a victory inside Alumni Stadium. Since its creation in 2009, Notre Dame has gone 127-30-10. Over the last three seasons in particular – an impressive 29-4-5 (.829) record inside Alumni. Going further back, the Irish are 40-7-6 (.811) over the last five seasons.

BUTLER FOOTBALL

BUTLER FOOTBALL RECEIVES VOTES IN AFCA FCS COACHES POLL

The start of the college football season is quickly approaching and Bulldog fans have a reason to be excited for the fall slate of games ahead with Butler receiving votes in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. Butler was the only Pioneer Football League team to appear in the poll. They kick-off the regular season on Aug. 31 with a home game against Upper Iowa.

The Bulldogs have posted a 7-4 record in each of the last two seasons under the tutelage of head coach Mike Uremovich. Butler was picked to finish fourth in the PFL Preseason Poll, but the team is certainly trending in the right direction with three of last year’s four losses coming to the top three teams in the league standings. Each PFL loss came down to wire and were one possession games. The three losses came by a combined total of just 13 points. Butler’s only other loss in 2023 came opening weekend at Montana, a team that came in at third in the first FCS Poll.

Over the off-season, Butler added 45 newcomers to the 2024 roster. Incoming transfers arrived on campus from Ball State, Dartmouth, Elon, Georgetown, Illinois State, Mercer, Missouri Southern State, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, and Wabash.

The Bulldogs return five starters from last year’s defensive unit that led the PFL and ranked second in the FCS in red zone defense. BU also ranked seventh in the nation in scoring defense (17.5).

South Dakota State received 25 first-place votes to lead the FCS Poll with 649 points. North Dakota State came in at second (614) and Montana rounded out the top three (576). Other programs to top 500 points included Montana State, South Dakota and Villanova.

BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER

BULLDOGS FACE OHIO AND PURDUE TO OPEN SEASON

The Butler women’s soccer team opens the 2024 season with a pair of home matches, hosting Ohio on Thursday and Purdue on Sunday. Both contests will be held in the Sellick Bowl.

Ohio is coming off a season in which it won the MAC Tournament and qualified for the NCAA Tournament, ultimately losing to Michigan State in the first round. Butler and the Bobcats most recently played in 2017 with Ohio taking a 2-1 victory.

Purdue finished 2023 in 13th place in the Big Ten, winning only three games but earning a draw against No. 4 Penn State. Butler’s only win in the seven-game series with the Boilermakers came in 2012, when the Bulldogs notched a second-half PK for a 1-0 win.

Butler vs. Ohio

DATE/TIME:    Thursday, August 15 / 7PM

LOCATION:     Indianapolis / Sellick Bowl

TICKETS:        (admission is free)

LIVE STATS:   butlersports.com / StatBroadcast

Butler vs. Purdue

DATE/TIME:    Sunday, August 18 / 7PM

LOCATION:     Indianapolis / Sellick Bowl

TICKETS:        butlersports.com

LIVE STATS:   butlersports.com / StatBroadcast

Bulldog Bits

Butler returns 22 players from last year’s roster, including five graduate students and five seniors.

2024 will be Co-Head Coach Tari St. John’s 19th at the helm of the Butler women’s soccer program. Co-Head Coach Rob Alman begins his 13th.

St. John is a Purdue alum who was a two-year captain on the Boilermakers women’s soccer team.

Norah Jacomen’s 9 goals in 2023 ranked 3rd in the BIG EAST and 82nd nationally.

Talia Sommer’s 6 assists in 2023 ranked 2nd in the BIG EAST.

The Bulldogs were selected by BIG EAST coaches at No. 4 in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll. Georgetown received the most points, including 10 first-place votes.  UConn was second with one first-place vote, followed by Xavier in the third spot.

Three Bulldogs, Abigail Isger, Talia Sommer, and Caitlin O’Malley, were chosen for the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.

Butler picked up one win vs. a ranked opponent in 2023. On Sep. 10, the Bulldogs defeated No. 25 TCU,  2-1, in Indianapolis. In 2024, the only currently-ranked team on the schedule is No. 15 Notre Dame.

Butler has added Joe Sochacki as an assistant coach for the 2024 season. Sochacki was the head coach of Butler’s men’s soccer program from 2001-05, compiling an overall record of 53-42-8.

BUTLER CROSS COUNTRY

BUTLER CROSS COUNTRY ANNOUNCES 2024 SCHEDULE

Butler’s 2024 schedule includes early looks at courses that will comprise the postseason slate.

Butler opens the season Friday, Aug. 30 at the Tommy Evans Invitational, hosted by Akron in Norton, Ohio. The Silver Trails Cross Country Course utilized for that meet will also host the 2024 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Nov. 15.

On Saturday, Oct. 19, the Bulldogs will travel to Madison, Wis., for the Pre-Nationals Meet hosted by the University of Wisconsin. That Thomas Zimmer Cross Country Course will also be the site of the NCAA Championships Nov. 23. The Butler men captured the Great Lakes Regional title on that same course during the 2023 campaign.

The BIG EAST Championships are slated for Friday, Nov. 1 in Leesburg, Va. The Butler men have won three of the last four conference titles, including the 2023 edition. 

The Bulldog men and women are also scheduled for a trio of early-season events in the state of Illinois. Butler will compete in the Fighting Illini BIG Preview Sept. 13, the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational hosted by Loyola Chicago Oct. 4, and the Bradley “Pink” Classic Oct. 18.

The Butler men finished 22nd nationally at the 2023 NCAA Championships following those BIG EAST and NCAA Great Lakes Regional titles. Six of the seven men who competed in the 2023 NCAA Championships return for the 2024 campaign. They will be joined by a talented group of newcomers and a number of returners looking to jump into the lineup this season. 

Butler’s women finished fifth at the 2023 BIG EAST Championships and were represented at the NCAA Championships by Elsa Rusthoven, who qualified as an individual out of the Great Lakes Regional. Wiktoria Klebowska, who qualified for the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East First Round in the steeplechase, joins Rusthoven as returners to lead the 2024 Bulldogs.

IU-INDY WOMEN’S SOCCER

IU INDY WOMEN’S SOCCER PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN #HLWSOC PRESEASON POLLS

INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indianapolis women’s soccer team has been picked to finish second in the Horizon League this season according to the #HLWSOC Preseason Polls, released by the league office on Wednesday (Aug. 14). Milwaukee collected 10 first place votes to earn the top spot, followed by IU Indy (103), Northern Kentucky (100) and Wright State (71) for the top four spots. The top six finishers will earn a spot in the Horizon League Tournament.

Head coach Chris Johnson’s squad is coming off a strong 11-3-5 campaign in 2023, including going 5-1-4 in Horizon League play. The Jaguars outscored opponents by a 33-18 margin for the year and blanked nine of their 19 opponents.

The Jaguars return seven starters from last year’s squad, including all-league honorees Emma Antoine (5 goals, 10 assists), Caroline Kelley (8 goals, 3 assists) and Kailyn Smith (1 goal, 2 assists). Other returning starters include Sarah Henson, Katie Hoog, Ashton Kudlo and Shannon Ott with Ott contributing three goals in just 12 games. Kudlo started 15 games in goal a season ago with a 0.95 goals against average, .840 save percentage and five shutouts.

Johnson’s squad benefits from the return of senior defender Makenna Collins and junior midfielder Emma Frey from injuries while the group of newcomers is keyed by graduate transfer Maia Ransom and freshman midfielder Bethany Hartigan. The Jaguars will open the regular season against Toledo on Thursday (Aug. 14) at 6:00 p.m. at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium. Horizon League play will begin against Cleveland State on Sunday, Sept. 22 at Carroll Stadium.

BALL STATE FOOTBALL

CARDINALS ENTER FINAL WEEK OF TRAINING CAMP

MUNCIE, Ind. — The Ball State Cardinals have begun their third week of football training camp, with 11 practices under their belt through Wednesday, and four to go before classes begin next Monday.

Under ninth-year head coach Mike Neu, the Cardinals are eager to begin a 2024 season that is the 100th in Ball State history. #Team100 is focused on structuring an offense around one of the most experienced lines in college football, and a defense excited about new beginnings under new coordinator Jeff Knowles.

In contrast to the 2023 season which featured a rotation of three starting quarterbacks, Ball State enters its new season with a commitment to redshirt freshman Kadin Semonza who started three of four games last year before preserving a valuable redshirt season. The youngster from Huntington Beach, California, brings a sharp, accurate, strong arm that was successful in securing at least one first down in each of six series during his collegiate debut last year at Kentucky. The Cardinals ran at least nine plays in five of those six second-half series against the SEC Wildcats.

This year, he will work with a receiving contingent that could be as deep and as talented as Ball State has seen during Neu’s last eight seasons. Ty Robinson returns as an All-MAC caliber target who was the Cardinals’ top receiver at Kentucky and Georgia last year, but who sustained a season-ending thumb injury between the hedges in Athens. He returns with another big target in Eastern Illinois transfer Justin Bowick, giving Ball State a perimeter receiving tandem that is rare in the MAC. Qian Magwood was the Cardinals’ top receiver last season and he returns in the slot. Malcolm Gillie is a returning starter from 2023 and he joins Cam Pickett as the fastest pass-catchers in the Ball State arsenal. Nick Presley and utilityman Nick Munson will see snaps in a deep receiving corps that also features preseason All-MAC tight end Tanner Koziol. The tight end room is made complete with converted quarterback Christian Abney and Indiana State transfer Tyce Ferrell.

A rotating backfield will feature FCS All-American Braedon Sloan, a transfer from Eastern Kentucky, returning power back Vaughn Pemberton, redshirt freshman Christian Davis, and a pair of muscle backs in Charlie Spegal and Maximus Webster.

The motor that drives the offense, though, is its experienced offensive line that showcases four of five returning starters and boasts 117 career starts — the most in the MAC and 12th-most in the FBS. Center Ethan Crowe (29 Div. I starts) anchors the unit from the middle, with Damon Kaylor (35) moving from left tackle, last year, to right tackle in 2024. Jon Mucciolo (38) was deemed a Transfer All-American last season and Taran Tyo (12) returns as the fourth starter. Kevin Meeder (3), Tristan Cook and transfer Luke Dalton complete the rotation on the first unit.

Defensively, Knowles brings a wealth of experience that includes success at previous FBS stints at Temple, Northern Illinois and NC State. He welcomes 2023 stalwarts Brandon Berger and Keionte Newson as leaders of the Cardinal defense that was a key in leading Ball State to victory in three of its final five games last year. Top returning players will be mixed with a bevy of newcomers as the Cardinals hope to re-shape a unit that lost its entire defensive line and key starters in the secondary.

Top returners include Joey Stemler, Jack Beebe, Jackson Wiegold and Caden Johnson who will work into the linebacker rotation with Berger, Newson and transfer George Udo. In the backfield, redshirt junior Thailand Baldwin was a part-time starter a year ago and leads a cast of returners that include DD Snyder and Jordan Coleman. Added to the DB mix is perhaps converted quarterback Kiael Kelly, who provides one of the Cardinals’ biggest storylines this year. Kelly pondered the transfer portal but none of his suitors matched the “culture and opportunities” presented to him at Ball State, so he returned and welcomed a transition to the defensive side of the ball where his superior athleticism should be showcased covering opposing wideouts. Another key newcomer in the defensive backfield is Iowa State transfer Myles Norwood.

Ball State used its own portal access to beef-up its defensive line, welcoming a half-dozen transfers that join returners Danny Royster, Darin Conley, Drew Hughes, Nathan Reichert and Dakari Frazier. Former Pike High School star Kyran Montgomery returns to his Indiana roots following a transfer from Missouri. L’Cier Luter, Riley Tolsma, Justin Thomas and Hunter Sanderson all are hungry transfers eager to display their talents after starring at Division II, III or junior college levels.

There are proverbial “unknowns” while counting on a redshirt freshman quarterback and a host of defensive transfers. But there is no doubting #Team100’s enthusiasm and eagerness to begin the 2024 season. A regular practice schedule awaits next week as classes begin in Muncie. The home opener against Missouri State awaits on September 7 with a 2 p.m. kickoff.

BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER

SOCCER HOSTING PURDUE FORT WAYNE IN THURSDAY’S SEASON OPENER

The Ball State soccer team opens its 2024 season with a 4 p.m. match on Thursday against Purdue Fort Wayne at the Briner Sports Complex.

The Cardinals return nine student-athletes who started at least nine matches from a 2023 group that went 8-8-3 (6-2-3 Mid-American Conference) to finish third in the MAC regular season standings.

Standout returners for an offense that brings back 70.7 percent of its scoring from a season ago include graduate forward Avery Fenchel, who scored 11 goals last year on her way to a First Team All-Conference recognition for a second straight season, and junior forward Delaney Caldwell, who was voted Second Team All-MAC after scoring 10 points on two goals and six assists.

Purdue Fort Wayne produced a 5-7-6 record (2-4-4 Horizon League) in 2023 to finish ninth in the 11-team conference. The Mastodons head into their 11th season under the direction of head coach Jason Burr, who holds an overall record of 40-104-32 at PFW.

Ball State was recently picked to finish second in the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, finishing behind only league favorite Western Michigan.

The 2023 Cardinals were second in the league in scoring (1.7 goals per game), total goals (33) and saves per game (6.2). Fenchel was second in the MAC in both goals per game (0.65, No. 23 in NCAA

Division I) and total goals (11, No. 40), while her four game-winning goals were the third-most in the conference.

The Mastodons ranked third in the Horizon League with 5.6 saves per game in 2023 and fourth in save percentage (0.815).

BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

MAC REVEALS 2024-25 MEN’S BASKETBALL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

The Mid-American Conference has released its men’s basketball schedule for the 2024-25 season, and Ball State begins the calendar with a road game at Kent State on Saturday, Jan. 4.

The 18-contest slate for the Cardinals features single-plays at home against Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan and on the road at Kent State and Ohio along with two games each against each of the other seven MAC teams. Ball State’s home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 7 vs Miami (OH).

The remainder of January features home games against Bowling Green (Jan. 11), Toledo (Jan. 18) and Western Michigan (Jan. 28) in addition to roadtrips to Ohio (Jan. 14), Central Michigan (Jan. 21) and Northern Illinois (Jan. 25).

February begins with road games at Buffalo (Feb. 1) and Akron (Feb. 4) with just one more contest away from Worthen Arena being Feb. 18 at Toledo. The Cardinals host five opponents in the month starting with a yet-to-be-determined Sun Belt Conference foe on Feb. 8 for the MAC-SBC Challenge. Eastern Michigan (Feb. 11), Northern Illinois (Feb. 15), Buffalo (Feb. 22) and Akron (Feb. 25) also make the trek to Muncie in mid-to-late February.

Ball State bookends the home season finale against Central Michigan on March 4 with road contests at Bowling Green (March 1) and Miami (March 7) to conclude the regular season. The MAC Tournament will once again be held at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.

Game times and Ball State’s nonconference schedule will be announced at a later date. The Cardinals play four Saturday home games and five Tuesday home games in MAC play in addition to the Saturday home contest against a Sun Belt opponent in February.

Group tickets are on sale now. Call (765) 285-1474 or (888) BSU-TICKET or click here for more information.

January

1/4 at Kent State

1/7 vs Miami (OH)

1/11 vs Bowling Green

1/14 at Ohio

1/18 vs Toledo

1/21 at Central Michigan

1/25 at Northern Illinois

1/28 vs Western Michigan

February

2/1 at Buffalo

2/4 at Akron

2/8 vs TBD Sun Belt team (MAC-SBC Challenge)

2/11 vs Eastern Michigan

2/15 vs Northern Illinois

2/18 at Toledo

2/22 vs Buffalo

2/25 vs Akron

March

3/1 at Bowling Green

3/4 vs Central Michigan

3/7 at Miami (OH)

INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER

SYCAMORES SET TO MAKE HOME DEBUT THURSDAY NIGHT AGAINST SAINT MARY-OF-THE WOODS

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State Women’s soccer opens up their 2024 season at Memorial Stadium on Thursday night with kickoff set for 6:00 p.m ET. The original kickoff time was scheduled for 7:30 p.m ET and was moved up due to possible inclement weather.

Get to know the 2024 Sycamores:

Head coach Paul Lawrence takes the sidelines for the Sycamores for his second season in the Blue & White after a promising end to the 2023 season that features a 1-0-2 mark over the final three games against Illinois State, Evansville, and Murray State.

The Sycamores were selected eighth in the MVC preseason poll while Maddie Alexander, Maddie Helling, and Wimberley Wright were named to the 2024 Missouri Valley Preseason All-Conference honorable mention team.

Indiana State returns 20 players to their 2024 roster, while welcoming 16 new players. Veteran leaders include Chloe Tesny, Maddie Alexander, Mackenzie Kent, Maddie Helling, and Alexa Mackey.

Indiana State traveled to St. Charles, Mo. last Friday to compete in an exhibition match against Lindenwood where they tied 1-1. Freshman Alex Lehnert scored her first collegiate goal for ISU in the preseason game in the first half as the Sycamores developed their offensive strategies for the 2024 season.

All three keepers on the ISU roster saw playing time in the 2024 preseason. Maddie Alexander, Alexa Seiler, and Delaney Timmons, all spent time between the pipes in the early portion of the year.

Alexander wrapped up her fourth season with Indiana State in 2023 with 246 career saves to put her fourth all-time in ISU history in career saves.

Scouting Saint Mary-of-the-Woods:

The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods soccer team was ranked fifth in the 2024 preseason poll for the River States Conference. The Pomeroys are coming off of their first winning season in River States Conference with a 4-3-3 record in the league and 5-7-5 overall. Senior Kennedy Trigg returns to the roster for the Pomeroys as she led the team in goals with seven, while adding four assists last season.

Game Day Promo:

This game will serve as ISU’s “Youth Soccer Night” as the team invites the youth soccer community, friends, and families to the game.

Up Next:

The Sycamores continue their home stand next Thursday, August 22 at 5 p.m ET against Miami (Ohio). This game will serve as ISU’s “Blue Out” game for the 2024 season.

THREE SYCAMORES NAMED PRESEASON ALL-MVC HONORABLE MENTION; INDIANA STATE SELECTED EIGHTH IN PRESEASON POLL

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Indiana State’s Maddie Alexander, Maddie Helling, and Wimberley Wright were named to the 2024 Missouri Valley Preseason All-Conference honorable mention team, while the Sycamores were selected eighth as the conference office announced its preseason poll and awards on Wednesday morning. The Sycamores received 42 total points in the poll as voted on by the league’s head coaches.

Alexander enters the 2024 season as a graduate student for the Sycamores. Alexander played and started in all 18 matches in 2023 where she totaled 1558 minutes in goal and recorded an 0.816 save percentage with 80 saves on the year while recording six total shutouts in the 2023 season.

Alexander was named MVC goalkeeper of the week after she led Indiana State to back-to-back shutouts to open the 2023 regular season for the first time in program history as the Sycamores battled to scoreless draws at both Louisville and Miami (Ohio).

Helling enters her senior season with the Sycamores after a standout junior season where she led the Sycamores in goals scored, while sitting among the conference’s top defenders on the season.

The Union, Mo. native was named to the 2023 MVC All-Conference third team and earned MVC Defensive Player of the Week last season. Helling scored a team-high of three goals in 2023 and tied for the team lead with six points in 1604 minutes played.

Wright joins the Indiana State roster for the 2024 season as a graduate student from Texas State. Wright played in 18 matches and totaled 634 minutes on the pitch for Texas State last season where she was credited with two assists.

In 2022, Wright played in all 19 matches where she scored two match winning goals for the Bobcats. The Denton, Texas native was named to the 2022-23 Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll.

The Sycamores are set to open the 2024 season under second-year head coach Paul Lawrence on Thursday night at Memorial Stadium against Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Pomeroys is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S SOCCER

MASTODONS TRAVEL TO BALL STATE TO BEGIN REGULAR SEASON PLAY

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer team travels to Ball State to kick off the regular season on Thursday (Aug. 15) at 4 p.m.

Game Day Information
Who:  Ball State Cardinals 
When: Thursday, August 15 | 4 PM
Where: Muncie, Ind.
Live Stats: Link
Watch: Link

Know Your Foe
Ball State was 8-8-3 and 6-2-3 in the Mid-American Conference last season. The Cardinals return their top goal scorer, Avery Fenchel, from the last two seasons. Fenchel scored 11 goals in each of the last two seasons. Ball State finished third in the MAC last season.

Series History
Ball State leads the series history 15-2-1. The Mastodons secured a win in their last matchup in 2022.

Going For Goal
Purdue Fort Wayne returns six of the 11 goal scorers from last season: Bella Reitano, Morgan Gallagher, Zoe Greenhalge, Lauren Klusek, Malia Velker, Kailey Hansen.

Touching Up The Record Book
Bella Reitano sits in 10th place for career goals per game in the Purdue Fort Wayne record book. Reitano is just two goals and two assists away from placing top 10 in both career record books.

On and Off The Pitch
Lizzie Haub was named to the 2023 Horizon League All-Academic Team and received 2023 CSC Academic All-District Honors.

‘Dons Wear Prada
Gigi Ricciardi did a fashion industry internship based in Florence, Italy this summer.

Coming Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will host their first home 2024 regular season game on Sunday (Aug. 18) against Illinois State. 

EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER

UE WOMEN’S SOCCER BEGINS THE SEASON HOSTING LIPSCOMB

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The 2024 campaign kicks off for the University of Evansville women’s soccer team on Thursday evening at home at Arad McCutchan Stadium.

The Purple Aces first match of the 2024 season is also UE’s home opener as they welcome the Lipscomb Bison to Evansville on Thursday night. The Aces bring back 20 players from the 2023 campaign including its top four offensive performers this year. Sophomore forward Chrysta Vasquez leads the way for UE after scoring two goals in her 2023 campaign. Junior midfielder Kaylee Woosley helped lead the team in points with one goal and two assists. While senior forward Hailey Autenrieb and sophomore forward Taylor Johnson followed with three points from a goal and an assist apiece.

In a preseason poll of league head coaches, Evansville was picked to finish ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference. Missouri State landed the top spot with seven first-place votes and 116 points, closely followed by 2023 regular season champions Drake. The Aces earned 32 points in the preseason poll while UIC (3rd, 87 points), UNI (4th, 85 points), Valparaiso (5th, 83 points), and Murray State (6th, 73 points) fill out the remaining top six spots. Belmont (7th, 54 points), Indiana State (8th, 42 points), Illinois State (10th, 23 points), and Southern Illinois (11th, 22 points) round out the poll.

The Aces will look to build upon a strong defensive season in 2023. UE set a new single-season record for ties with nine draws in 17 games in 2023. Of those nine ties, four were clean sheets from goalkeeper Miya Danek. Danek returns in goal for Evansville in 2024 for her final collegiate season after making national rankings in 2023. Danek was in the Top 100 in saves per game (4.65) and total saves (79) and top five in the Valley. UE also returns All-MVC Second Team member defender Rachel Rosborough for 2024 in her fifth season.

Along with 20 returners, the Aces add 11 new players to their 2024 roster. Evansville welcomes redshirt sophomore transfer Mary McArdle, freshman Allie Lammers, Emmy Brenner, Olivia Colson, Lindley Amick, Taylor Wehrer, Olivia Mills, Anna Duncan, Maria Meade, and Brielle LaBerge.

Lipscomb comes into the start of the 2024 season picked second in the ASUN preseason poll with two players earning preseason awards. Midfielder Bella Carapazza and defender Lucy Ream both made the preseason All-ASUN Team after big seasons in 2023. Carapazza was the 2023 ASUN Freshman of the Year while Ream was named to the 2023 ASUN All-Conference Second Team. The Bison finished 2023 in the semifinals of the ASUN Tournament as the number one seed.

Thursday night’s opener will not be streamed.  Live stats are available at GoPurpleAces.com.

VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER

JOINER NAMED PRESEASON FIRST TEAM ALL-MVC; VALPO PICKED FIFTH

Valpo senior forward Addy Joiner (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) has been named a preseason First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection as the conference office released its preseason poll and teams on Wednesday. The Beacons were picked to finish in fifth place in the Valley standings in the polling of the conference’s head coaches.

A two-time All-MVC selection, Joiner netted eight goals last season, tying her for third in the MVC and moving into a tie for ninth on the program’s single-season goals chart. She enters her final campaign tied for sixth in program history with 18 career goals, tied for seventh with 40 points and tied for eighth with six match-winning goals.

Coming off of a regular season MVC championship in 2022 and a conference tournament title last season, Valpo was picked fifth in the preseason poll, garnering 83 points — just shy of UIC in third position (87) and UNI in fourth place (85). Missouri State topped the poll with 116 points and seven first-place votes, while Drake placed second with 109 points and three first-place nods.

All 20 players from the 2023 roster who did not graduate return in 2024, including five regular starters. The Beacons did graduate a decorated class of nine players, however, which accounted for 54.2% of the team’s minutes played last year. 10 newcomers join the program this year as well as Valpo looks to claim a championship for a third straight season. The campaign gets underway Sunday afternoon at Chicago State.

TAYLOR ATHLETICS

TU ANNOUNCES FREE ADMISSION TO HOME SOCCER MATCHES DURING WELCOME WEEKEND

UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor athletics department is pleased to announce that admission will be free to the Trojans’ home soccer matches ahead of and during TU’s Welcome Weekend.

Neither the Taylor men’s home-opening soccer match versus Defiance on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m., nor the men’s-women’s doubleheader at 4 and 7 p.m. on Aug. 24, will be ticketed.

Additionally, TU has announced that single-game and season tickets are on sale now at TaylorTrojans.com/tickets for all home athletic events beginning Aug. 28.

Single-game tickets are $6 for soccer, $8 for volleyball and $10 for football, while 2024-2025 all-sport passes are available for fans to purchase for $125.

INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEBSITES

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

25 – 10 – 34 – 2 – 29 – 27 – 23

August 15, 1905 – Philadelphia A’s future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Rube Waddell no-hits St Louis Browns, 2-0 in 5 innings

August 15, 1912 – New York Yankee Guy Zinn sets record by stealing home twice in a game

August 15, 1990 – Oakland A’s Number 25, Mark McGwire is 1st to hit 30 HRs in each of his 1st 4 seasons

August 15, 1992 – Striker Brian Deane, Number 10 scored both goals for Sheffield United to open the season with a 2-1 home win over Manchester United at Bramall Lane. The first of Deane’s goals was the first in European Premier League’s inaugural season.

August 15, 1993 – Nolan Ryan, Number 34 324th & final victory, Rangers 4, Indians 1

August 15, 1997 – The Los Angeles Dodgers retired Tommy Lasorda’s Number 2. Of course that was his number as the manager of the LA club. As a player Lasorda pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954 wearing Number 29 and in 1955 as the bearer of the Number 27 jersey. He finished his playing career in 1956 as a member of the Kansas City athletics wearing Number 23. His managerial tenure lasted from 1976 through 1996 with the Dodgers as he was a 4 time manager of the Year, won two NL pennants, and two World Series championships. His Win /Loss total was 1599-1439

August 15, 2012 – Seattle Mariners’ Felix Hernandez, Number 34 becomes 23rd pitcher to throw a perfect game (1-0 vs Tampa Bay)

FOOTBALL HISTORY

August 15, 1952 – The 19th Chicago Charities College All-Star game in played at Soldier Field and the Champion LA Rams overcome the young stars by a score of 10-7 in front of a crowd north of 88,000 people. The game’s MVP, always the top College All-Star performing player was Babe Parilli the former Kentucky quarterback.

August 15, 1958 – The 25th Chicago Charities College All-Star game in played at Soldier Field and the College Stars WIN over the defending Champs , the Detroit Lions  by a score of 35-19 in front of a paid attendance of 70,000. The game’s MVP, always the top College All-Star performing player was a split decision that year with Co-MVPs Illinois HB/WR, Bobby Mitchell and Michigan State QB Jim Ninowski sharing the honor.

August 15, 1960 – The Calvary Stampeders of the CFL move into a new venue, McMahon Stadium.

August 15, 1960 – In a rare NFL exhibition game played in Canada the Chicago Bears defeated the NY Giants 16-7 in Toronto.

August 15, 1994 – According to NFL.com there was the All-time record crowd of 112,376 attending the American Bowl game. Yes the Houston Oilers defeated the Dallas Cowboy , 6-0 in Mexico City. The American Bowl was a series of preseason games held outside of the United States from 1986-2005.

Hall of Fame Birthday for August 15

August 15, 1929 – Jerry Groom was a center from Notre Dame that became enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.  After graduation he played in the NFL for the Chicago Cardinals from 1951 thru the 1955 seasons, making the Pro Bowl in 1954.

August 15, 1950 – Sam Cunnigham was a former USC fullback that entered the College Football Hall of Fame in the 2010 class of enshrinees. he was part of USC’s 1972 National Championship team and was voted as an All-American that same season. He played in the NFL for the New England Patriots from 1973 through the 1982 season and in 1978 made the Pro Bowl. He is NFL quarterback Randall Cunnigham’s older brother. Wow does that family have some offensive talent in their bloodline!

August 15, 1945 – Gene Upshaw is a former All-Pro Guard of the Oakland Raiders. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined the offensive lineman after his 15 fantastic seasons with the Raiders. Upshaw was the first player in NFL history to play in a a Super Bowl in three different decades ( 1967, 1978 & 1980). He came from the smaller NAIA college of Texas A & I. After he retired from playing he became a integral part of the NFLPA where he eventually served as the organization’s Executive Director.

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Aug. 15

1905 — Rube Waddell of the Philadelphia Athletics pitched a five-inning no-hit game to beat the St. Louis Browns 2-0.

1916 — In a classic pitching duel, Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox beat Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators, 1-0, in 13 innings at Fenway Park.

1945 — The Chicago Cubs routed the Brooklyn Dodgers 20-6, at Ebbets Field. Paul Gillespie knocked in six runs with two home runs and a single to lead the attack.

1955 — Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves hit a home run off Mel Wright of the St. Louis Cardinals to give Spahn a homer in every NL park.

1975 — Baltimore manager Earl Weaver was ejected twice by umpire Ron Luciano. Weaver was thrown out in the first game and was ejected before the second game.

1989 — Dave Dravecky of the San Francisco Giants, in his second start after coming back from cancer surgery on his pitching arm, broke his arm but earned the win in a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Expos. In the sixth inning, after throwing a wild pitch to Tim Raines, he collapsed and clutched his left arm in agony.

1990 — Philadelphia’s Terry Mulholland pitched the record eighth no-hitter of the season as the Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants 6-0. The season’s eighth no-hitter surpassed the modern record of seven set in 1908 and 1917.

1990 — Mark McGwire hit a grand slam in the 10th inning to become the first major leaguer to hit 30 or more homers in his first four seasons and lifted the Oakland Athletics to a 6-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

2001 — Trevor Hoffman pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 300th career save, completing a two-hitter that lifted the San Diego Padres over the New York Mets 2-1.

2005 — Randy Winn hit for the cycle in his first four at-bats in San Francisco’s 7-3 win over Cincinnati.

2011 — Jim Thome belted his 600th home run an inning after he hit No. 599 to help the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 9-6. Thome became the eighth player to reach 600.

2012 — Felix Hernandez pitched the Seattle Mariners’ first perfect game and the 23rd in baseball history, overpowering the Tampa Bay Rays in a 1-0 victory. It was the third perfect game in baseball of the season — a first — joining gems by Chicago’s Philip Humber against the Mariners in April and San Francisco’s Matt Cain against Houston in June.

2014 — Mo’Ne Davis, one of two girls at the Little League World Series, threw a two-hitter to help Philadelphia beat Nashville 4-0. Davis, the first girl to appear for a U.S. team in South Williamsport since 2004, had eight strikeouts and no walks.

2015 — Jackie Bradley Jr. had two homers, three doubles, and seven RBIs, powering Boston past Seattle 22-10.

2022 — The Rangers fire manager Chris Woodward. While the club is in third place in the AL West after two consecutive last-place finishes, it is still 12 games below .500 and 23 games out of first after having spent some $500 million on free agents in the off-season. He is replaced on an interim basis by coach Tony Beasley.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

Aug. 15

1948 — Babe Didrikson Zaharias wins the U.S. Women’s Open golf title over Betty Hicks.

1950 — Ezzard Charles knocks out Freddie Beshore in the 14th round to retain his world heavyweight title.

1965 — Dave Marr edges Jack Nicklaus and Billy Casper to take the PGA Championship.

1966 — Jose Torres retains his world light-heavyweight title with a unanimous decision over Eddie Cotton in Las Vegas.

1993 — Greg Norman lips his putt on the PGA Championship’s second playoff hole, giving Paul Azinger the title and leaving Norman with an unprecedented career of Grand Slam playoff losses. Norman, despite winning his second British Open title a month earlier, has lost playoffs in three other majors — 1984 U.S. Open, 1987 Masters, 1989 British Open.

1993 — Damon Hill, son of the late Graham Hill, becomes the first father-son Formula One winners when he takes the Hungarian Grand Prix.

1995 — Monica Seles returns to the WTA Tour after a 28-month absence following her 1993 stabbing with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Kimberly Po at the Canadian Open.

1999 — Tiger Woods makes a par save on the 17th hole and holds on to win the PGA Championship by one stroke over 19-year-old Sergio Garcia. Woods, 23, becomes the youngest player to win two majors since Seve Ballesteros in 1980.

2004 — In Athens, Greece, the U.S. men’s basketball team loses 92-73 to Puerto Rico, the third Olympic defeat for the Americans and first since adding pros. American teams had been 24-0 since the professional Olympic era began with the 1992 Dream Team. The U.S Olympic team’s record was 109-2, entering the game.

2005 — Phil Mickelson delivers another dramatic finish in a major, flopping a chip out of deep rough to 2 feet for a birdie on the final hole and a one-shot victory in the PGA Championship.

2007 — Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy pleads guilty to felony charges for taking cash payoffs from gamblers and betting on games he officiated in a scandal that rocked the league and raised questions about the integrity of the sport.

2010 — Martin Kaymer wins the PGA Championship in a three-hole playoff against Bubba Watson. Dustin Johnson, with a one-shot lead playing the final hole at Whistling Straits, is penalized two strokes for grounding his club in a bunker on the last hole. The two-shot penalty sends him into a tie for fifth.

2012 — Felix Hernandez pitches the Seattle Mariners’ first perfect game and the 23rd in baseball history, overpowering the Tampa Bay Rays in a brilliant 1-0 victory. It’s the third perfect game in baseball this season.

2012 — The U.S. breaks a 75-year winless streak at Azteca Stadium with an 80th-minute goal by Michael Orozco Fiscal and Tim Howard’s late sprawling saves in a 1-0 victory over Mexico.

2014 — Mo’Ne Davis, one of two girls at the Little League World Series, throws a two-hitter to help Philadelphia beat Nashville 4-0 in the opener for both teams. Davis, the first girl to appear for a U.S. team in South Williamsport since 2004, has eight strikeouts and no walks.