“THE SCOREBOARD”
***********INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE WEEK 6***********
ANDERSON (1-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS TECH (0-5)
ANDREAN (2-3) AT HIGHLAND (2-3)
ANGOLA (0-5) AT FAIRFIELD (3-2)
AVON (0-5) AT FISHERS (3-2)
BATESVILLE (4-1) AT LAWRENCEBURG (4-1)
BEECH GROVE (2-3) AT MONROVIA (4-1)
BELLMONT (0-5) AT LEO (3-2)
BEN DAVIS (4-1) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (4-1)
BLOOMINGTON NORTH (5-0) AT NEW ALBANY (1-4)
BREBEUF JESUIT (2-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (3-2)
BROWNSBURG (5-0) AT WESTFIELD (5-0)
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (5-0) AT SEYMOUR (2-3)
CASCADE (3-2) AT NORTH PUTNAM (1-4)
CASTON (0-5) AT NORTH WHITE (5-0)
CENTER GROVE (4-1) AT LAWRENCE CENTRAL (2-3)
CENTRAL NOBLE (2-3) AT LAKELAND (4-1)
CHESTERTON (1-4) AT PORTAGE (0-5)
CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL (2-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (2-3)
CHULA VISTA EASTLAKE (CALIF.) AT HAMMOND CENTRAL (4-1)
CLARKSVILLE (0-5) AT PERRY CENTRAL (2-3)
CLOVERDALE (2-3) AT SOUTH DECATUR (4-1)
COLUMBIA CITY (5-0) AT NEW HAVEN (5-0)
COLUMBUS NORTH (2-3) AT TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-5)
CONCORD (3-2) AT GOSHEN (0-5)
CORYDON CENTRAL (0-5) AT SALEM (0-5)
CRAWFORD COUNTY (0-5) AT SPRINGS VALLEY (4-1)
CULVER (0-5) AT WINAMAC (0-5)
CULVER ACADEMY (2-3) AT KANKAKEE VALLEY (1-4)
DEKALB (2-3) AT HUNTINGTON NORTH (1-4)
DELPHI (1-4) AT CLINTON PRAIRIE (4-1)
EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (1-4) AT GRIFFITH (2-3)
EAST NOBLE (3-2) AT NORWELL (1-4)
EASTBROOK (3-2) AT BLACKFORD (0-5)
EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (3-2) AT CLINTON CENTRAL (1-3)
EASTERN GREENE (3-2) AT PAOLI (4-1)
EASTERN HANCOCK (3-2) AT MILAN (3-2)
EASTSIDE (3-2) AT PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-5)
EDGEWOOD (1-4) AT INDIAN CREEK (2-3)
ELWOOD (1-4) AT MADISON-GRANT (4-1)
EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (0-5) AT JASPER (3-2)
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (5-0) AT EVANSVILLE BOSSE (1-4)
EVANSVILLE NORTH (3-2) AT EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (1-4)
EVANSVILLE REITZ (5-0) AT CASTLE (3-2)
FLOYD CENTRAL (4-1) AT COLUMBUS EAST (2-3)
FORT WAYNE DWENGER (2-3) AT FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (0-5)
FORT WAYNE LUERS (3-2) AT FORT WAYNE NORTH (2-3)
FORT WAYNE SNIDER (5-0) AT HOMESTEAD (2-3)
FORT WAYNE SOUTH (0-5) AT FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (0-5)
FORT WAYNE WAYNE (3-2) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (3-2)
FRANKFORT (1-4) AT WESTERN BOONE (3-2)
FREMONT (1-4) AT CHURUBUSCO (1-4)
GREENCASTLE (3-2) AT BROWN COUNTY (1-4)
GREENSBURG (0-5) AT FRANKLIN COUNTY (2-3)
HAGERSTOWN (4-1) AT SHENANDOAH (1-4)
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (4-1) AT ZIONSVILLE (3-2)
HAMMOND NOLL (1-4) AT LAKE STATION (2-3)
HANOVER CENTRAL (5-0) AT MUNSTER (2-3)
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (4-1) AT COVENANT CHRISTIAN (3-2)
HERITAGE HILLS (5-0) AT GIBSON SOUTHERN (3-2)
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (3-2) AT FREDERICK DOUGLASS (KY.)
INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (5-0) AT GUERIN CATHOLIC (4-1)
INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (3-2) AT TRITON CENTRAL (4-1)
INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (4-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (5-0)
INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (2-3) AT PURDUE POLYTECHNIC (2-3)
JAY COUNTY (3-2) AT WOODLAN (2-3)
JEFFERSONVILLE (0-5) AT SILVER CREEK (3-2)
JENNINGS COUNTY (3-2) AT BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (3-2)
JIMTOWN (2-3) AT TIPPECANOE VALLEY (5-0)
JOHN GLENN (3-2) AT BREMEN (3-2)
KNIGHTSTOWN (2-3) AT CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (1-3)
KNOX (5-0) AT LAVILLE (5-0)
KOKOMO (5-0) AT MCCUTCHEON (2-3)
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (2-3) AT RENSSELAER CENTRAL (2-3)
LAFAYETTE JEFF (3-2) AT HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (4-1)
LAPEL (2-3) AT HERITAGE (4-1)
LAPORTE (1-4) AT MERRILLVILLE (4-1)
LEBANON (2-3) AT TRI-WEST (4-1)
LOWELL (2-3) AT HOBART (4-1)
MACONAQUAH (3-2) AT NORTH MIAMI (1-4)
MADISON (1-4) AT MITCHELL (1-4)
MANCHESTER (2-3) AT SOUTHWOOD (3-2)
MARION (2-3) AT LOGANSPORT (1-4)
MARTINSVILLE (3-2) AT WHITELAND (2-3)
MICHIGAN CITY (2-3) AT LAKE CENTRAL (3-2)
MISSISSINEWA (5-0) AT ALEXANDRIA (5-0)
MOORESVILLE (2-3) AT FRANKLIN (3-2)
MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (4-1) AT BOONVILLE (2-3)
NEW CASTLE (1-4) AT DELTA (4-1)
NEW PALESTINE (3-2) AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (5-0)
NEW PRAIRIE (4-1) AT SOUTH BEND ADAMS (1-4)
NOBLESVILLE (3-2) AT FRANKLIN CENTRAL (3-2)
NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) (1-4) AT GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (2-3)
NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (0-5) AT CARMEL (3-2)
NORTH DAVIESS (4-1) AT WEST WASHINGTON (3-2)
NORTH DECATUR (3-2) AT RUSHVILLE (1-4)
NORTH HARRISON (4-1) AT EASTERN (PEKIN) (2-3)
NORTH MONTGOMERY (3-2) AT CRAWFORDSVILLE (0-5)
NORTH NEWTON (0-5) AT FRONTIER (3-2)
NORTH POSEY (4-1) AT TECUMSEH (0-5)
NORTH VERMILLION (3-2) AT ATTICA (0-5)
NORTHEASTERN (5-0) AT CENTERVILLE (5-0)
NORTHRIDGE (4-1) AT WAWASEE (1-4)
NORTHWESTERN (2-3) AT TIPTON (1-4)
OAK HILL (3-2) AT FRANKTON (2-3)
PARK TUDOR (5-0) AT FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (0-5)
PARKE HERITAGE (2-3) AT COVINGTON (2-3)
PENDLETON HEIGHTS (3-2) AT MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (2-3)
PENN (4-1) AT MISHAWAKA MARIAN (2-3)
PERRY MERIDIAN (2-3) AT GREENWOOD (3-2)
PHALEN ACADEMY (1-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (4-1)
PIKE (1-4) AT WARREN CENTRAL (2-3)
PIKE CENTRAL (1-4) AT WASHINGTON (1-4)
PLAINFIELD (5-0) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (3-2)
PLYMOUTH (2-3) AT NORTHWOOD (3-2)
PRINCETON (1-4) AT NORTH KNOX (3-2)
PROVIDENCE (5-0) AT IRVINGTON PREP ACADEMY (0-5)
RICHMOND (1-4) AT MUNCIE CENTRAL (0-5)
RIVER FOREST (3-2) AT BOONE GROVE (3-2)
ROCHESTER (4-1) AT PERU (5-0)
SCOTTSBURG (3-2) AT CHARLESTOWN (2-3)
SEEGER (4-1) AT FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (4-1)
SHERIDAN (4-1) AT TAYLOR (1-4)
SOUTH ADAMS (3-2) AT ADAMS CENTRAL (5-0)
SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (3-2) AT ELKHART (1-4)
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (2-3) AT SOUTH BEND RILEY (5-0)
SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (2-3) AT NORTH JUDSON (3-2)
SOUTH DEARBORN (3-2) AT EAST CENTRAL (5-0)
SOUTH NEWTON (3-2) AT WEST CENTRAL (5-0)
SOUTH SPENCER (2-3) AT FOREST PARK (3-2)
SOUTH VERMILLION (4-1) AT RIVERTON PARKE (1-4)
SOUTHERN WELLS (1-4) AT BLUFFTON (5-0)
SOUTHMONT (4-1) AT DANVILLE (3-2)
SOUTHPORT (0-5) AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (4-1)
SOUTHSIDE HOME SCHOOL AT INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (2-3)
SPEEDWAY (1-4) AT CONNERSVILLE (2-3)
SULLIVAN (2-3) AT OWEN VALLEY (2-3)
SWITZERLAND COUNTY (3-2) AT EDINBURGH (0-5)
TELL CITY (3-2) AT SOUTHRIDGE (3-2)
TRI-CENTRAL (1-4) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (5-0)
TRITON (3-2) AT PIONEER (4-1)
TWIN LAKES (4-1) AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS (5-0)
UNION COUNTY (0-5) AT UNION CITY (0-5)
VALPARAISO (4-1) AT CROWN POINT (5-0)
VINCENNES LINCOLN (4-1) AT EVANSVILLE HARRISON (0-5)
WABASH (0-5) AT NORTHFIELD (1-4)
WARSAW (5-0) AT MISHAWAKA (4-1)
WES-DEL (1-4) AT MONROE CENTRAL (1-4)
WEST NOBLE (5-0) AT GARRETT (2-3)
WEST VIGO (1-4) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (4-1)
WESTERN (2-3) AT LINTON-STOCKTON (4-1)
WHEELER (2-3) AT GARY WEST (3-2)
WHITING (2-3) AT CALUMET (1-4)
WHITKO (1-4) AT LEWIS CASS (2-3)
WINCHESTER (3-2) AT TRI (3-2)
YORKTOWN (3-2) AT SHELBYVILLE (3-2)
******************INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL REPORTED VOLLEYBALL SCORES*************
SOUTH CENTRAL 3 MARQUETTE CATHOLIC 2
EASTERN HANCOCK 3 TRI 0
YORKTOWN 3 GREENFIELD CENTRAL 0
PENDLETON HEIGHTS 3 LAPEL 1
COWAN 3 UNION 0
VINCENNES RIVET 3 SHOALS 0
RITTER 3 CHRISTEL HOUSE 1
NOBLESVILLE 3 CARMEL 0
EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL 3 BOWMAN ACADEMY 0
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL 3 MOUNT VERNON 0
HERITAGE 3 FORT WAYNE LUERS 0
OAK HILL 3 ALEXANDRIA MONROE 0
RIVERTON PARKE 3 S. VERMILLION 1
FRANKLIN 3 INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 0
BROWNSBURG 3 WESTFIELD 1
MOUNT VERNON 3 TRITON CENTRAL 0
PLAINFIELD 3 TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 0
HOBART 3 WHEELER 2
CHERUBUSCO 3 FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY 0
FLOYD CENTRAL 3 COLUMBUS NORTH 1
*************INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER REPORTED SCORES**********
MORGAN TWP. 4 KOUTS 1
YORKTOWN 12 ANDERSON 0
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 7 W. VIGO 0
HEBRON 9 HAMMOND MORTON 1
NEW PRAIRIE 5 SOUTH BEND RILEY 0
TRITON CENTRAL 1 SCECINA 0
CULVER 3 LAVILLE 1
CORYDON CENTRAL 1 JEFFERSONVILLE 1
HUNTINGTON NORTH 4 FORT WAYNE WAYNE 1
BREMEN 1 JIMTOWN 0
NEW PALESTINE 1 ELTON HEIGHTS 1
TERRE HAUTE NORTH 9 S. KNOX 0
LEBANON 3 FRANKFORT 1
ANGOLA 6 NEW HAVEN 2
NORTH MIAMI 2 ROCHESTER 1
DANVILLE 0 TRI-WEST 0
WABASH 3 TRI-CENTRAL 1
VINCENNES RIVET 0 WASHINGTON CATHOLIC 0
MADISON 4 JENNINGS COUNTY 1
OAK HILL 9 ELWOOD 0
NORTHWESTERN 10 TAYLOR 1
LAKELAND 1 DEKALB 0
SHERIDAN 7 ROSSVILLE 0
ELKHART 0 CONCORDE 0
SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH 1 PENN 0
MARTINSVILLE 2 WHITELAND 0
BROWNSBURG 1 WESTFIELD 0
MISHAWAKA MARIAN 6 SOUTH BEND ADAMS 0
MOORESVILLE 5 FRANKLIN 0
BELLMONT 1 E. NOBLE 0
BREBEUF 1 RONCALLI 0
GUERIN CATHOLIC 0 CENTER GROVE 0
FRANKLIN CENTRAL 4 PERRY MERIDIAN 0
LAWRENCE NORTH 9 DECATUR CENTRAL 0
AVON 2 FISHERS 1
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 1 ZIONSVILLE 0
BISHOP CHATARD 1 HARRISON 0
**************INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER REPORTED SCORES**********
MUNCIE BURRIS 4 DELTA 1
MARQUETTE CATHOLIC 7 RIVER FOREST 2
SHAWE MEMORIAL 4 SWITZERLAND COUNTY 2
HAST 2 SOUTH BEND CLAY 0
MERRILLVILLE 5 MICHIGAN CITY 2
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC 2 ROSSVILLE 1
TERRE HAUTE NORTH 8 W. VIGO 0
EAST NOBLE 1 BELLMONT 0
MUNCIE CENTRAL 10 DALEVILLE 0
WHITE RIVER VALLEY 2 S. KNOX 0
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 10 OREGON DAVIS 1
TAYLOR 2 OAK HILL 0
PIKE 6 BEN DAVIS 2
HERRON 2 SOUTHWESTERN 0
ANGOLA 1 NEW HAVEN 0
BREBEUF 1 NORTH CENTRAL 1
SPEEDWAY 6 LAWRENCE CENTRAL 2
MARTINSVILLE 5 BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 1
INDIANAPOLIS TECH 3 PHALEN 1
MANCHESTER 3 MISSISSINEWA 0
SALEM 2 SCOTTSBURG 2
CROWN POINT 4 VALPARAISO 0
LEBANON 3 CHRISTEL HOUSE 0
SOUTHPORT 2 LAWRENCE NORTH 1
LOWELL 2 ANDREAN 1
HOBART 9 KANKAKEE VALLEY 0
PORTAGE 1 LAPORTE 0
CENTERVILLE 1 YORKTOWN 1
CHESTERTON 2 LAKE CENTRAL 0
HERITAGE 1 LEO 0
FORT WAYNE NORTHRUP 5 FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY 1
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL 2 EVANSVILLE MATER DEI 0
CASCADE 2 NORTHVIEW 0
JEFFERSONVILLE 9 CORYDON 0
FORT WAYNE JOINER 3 FORT WAYNE SNIDER 0
*****************INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GOLF REGIONALS**************
1. LAKE CENTRAL | SANDY PINES GC | SAT, 8 AM CT
FEEDER SECTIONALS: VALPARAISO, LAKE CENTRAL, LAPORTE, PENN, TWIN LAKES
2. EAST NOBLE | NOBLE HAWK GC | FRI, 8:30 AM ET
FEEDER SECTIONALS: NORTHRIDGE, ANGOLA, WARSAW COMMUNITY, HOMESTEAD, EASTBROOK
3. LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON | BATTLEGROUND GC | SAT, 9 AM ET
FEEDER SECTIONALS: HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE), WESTERN, GUERIN CATHOLIC, ATTICA, BROWNSBURG
4. LAPEL | EDGEWOOD GC | SAT, 9 AM ET
FEEDER SECTIONALS: NOBLESVILLE, MUNCIE CENTRAL, INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL, NEW PALESTINE, RICHMOND
5. WASHINGTON | COUNTRY OAKS GOLF CLUB | SAT, 8:30 AM ET
FEEDER SECTIONALS: NORTHVIEW, JASPER, EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL, NORTH KNOX, BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE
6. FRANKLIN COMMUNITY | THE LEGENDS GC | SAT, 8:30 AM ET
FEEDER SECTIONALS: BLOOMINGTON NORTH, GREENSBURG, CENTER GROVE, CORYDON CENTRAL, MADISON CONSOLIDATED
***************INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY**********************
MILESPLIT WEB SITE: HTTPS://IN.MILESPLIT.COM/
*******************COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 4 SCHEDULE******************
WEEK 4
THURSDAY, SEPT. 21
GEORGIA STATE AT COASTAL CAROLINA | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF AT ALABAMA A&M | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
FRIDAY, SEPT. 22
WISCONSIN AT PURDUE | 7 P.M. | FS1
BROWN AT HARVARD | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
NC STATE AT VIRGINIA | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
BOISE STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
AIR FORCE AT SAN JOSE STATE | 10:30 P.M. | FS1
SATURDAY, SEPT. 23
RUTGERS AT MICHIGAN | 12 P.M.
FLORIDA STATE AT CLEMSON | 12 P.M. | ABC
ARMY AT SYRACUSE | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
AUBURN AT TEXAS A&M | 12 P.M. | ESPN
WESTERN KENTUCKY AT TROY | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
KENTUCKY AT VANDERBILT | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
VIRGINIA TECH AT MARSHALL | 12 P.M. | ESPN2
SMU AT TCU | 12 P.M. | FS1
CORNELL AT YALE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
BUTLER AT STETSON | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
STONEHILL AT FORDHAM | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
LINDENWOOD AT ILLINOIS STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
MARIST AT VALPARAISO | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
MERCER AT FURMAN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT TOLEDO | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
LEHIGH AT DARTMOUTH | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
WOFFORD AT VMI | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT BALL STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
COLGATE AT HOLY CROSS | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN AT WESTERN CAROLINA | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN+
BETHUNE-COOKMAN AT JACKSON STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
UTAH TECH AT MISSOURI STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
MCNEESE AT EASTERN ILLINOIS | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
BRYANT AT PRINCETON | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA LYNCHBURG AT ROBERT MORRIS | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
CHATTANOOGA AT SAMFORD | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
OLE MISS AT ALABAMA | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
COLORADO AT OREGON | 3:30 P.M. | ABC
DUKE AT UCONN | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
MIAMI (FLA.) AT TEMPLE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN2
MARYLAND AT MICHIGAN STATE | 3:30 P.M. | NBC
BOSTON COLLEGE AT LOUISVILLE | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
BYU AT KANSAS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
TEXAS TECH AT WEST VIRGINIA | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
NEW MEXICO AT UMASS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE AT OLD DOMINION | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
OHIO AT BOWLING GREEN | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
DELAWARE STATE AT MIAMI (OHIO) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
PENN AT BUCKNELL | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MONMOUTH AT LAFAYETTE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
UTSA AT TENNESSEE | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
RICE AT SOUTH FLORIDA | 4 P.M. | ESPNU
CAL POLY AT PORTLAND STATE | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
SACRAMENTO STATE AT IDAHO | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
MONTANA AT NORTHERN ARIZONA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN MICHIGAN AT JACKSONVILLE STATE | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT SOUTH ALABAMA | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
DAYTON AT SAN DIEGO | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
GARDNER-WEBB AT EAST CAROLINA | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
ALBANY AT MORGAN STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
THE CITADEL AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
ALABAMA STATE AT FLORIDA A&M | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
SE MISSOURI STATE AT EASTERN KENTUCKY | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN COLORADO AT IDAHO STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
LIBERTY AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS AT LSU | 7 P.M. | ESPN
CHARLOTTE AT FLORIDA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
SAM HOUSTON AT HOUSTON | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
COLORADO STATE AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
NICHOLLS AT TULANE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
APPALACHIAN STATE AT WYOMING | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
SOUTHERN MISS AT ARKANSAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
NEVADA AT TEXAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
NICHOLLS AT TULANE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
AUSTIN PEAY AT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UT MARTIN AT NORTH ALABAMA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHWEST BAPTIST AT TARLETON STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
LINCOLN (CA) AT LAMAR | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
KENNESAW STATE AT TENNESSEE TECH | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTH AMERICAN UNIVERSITY AT UIW | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UAB AT GEORGIA | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN2
TEXAS AT BAYLOR | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
OHIO STATE AT NOTRE DAME | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
IOWA AT PENN STATE | 7:30 P.M. | CBS
MEMPHIS VS. MISSOURI (IN ST. LOUIS) | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
MISSISSIPPI STATE AT SOUTH CAROLINA | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
BUFFALO AT LOUISIANA | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN+
UCF AT KANSAS STATE | 8 P.M. | FS1
NORTH CAROLINA AT PITT | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
WESTERN ILLINOIS AT SOUTHERN UTAH | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
MONTANA STATE AT WEBER STATE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
UNLV AT UTEP | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN WASHINGTON AT UC DAVIS | 10 P.M. | ESPN+
CAL AT WASHINGTON STATE | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
KENT STATE AT FRESNO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
NEW MEXICO STATE AT HAWAI’I | 12 A.M. | SPECTRUM SPORTS PPV
USC AT ARIZONA STATE
UCLA AT UTAH
OREGON STATE AT WASHINGTON STATE
OKLAHOMA AT CINCINNATI
FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT ILLINOIS
AKRON AT INDIANA
LOUISIANA TECH AT NEBRASKA
MINNESOTA AT NORTHWESTERN
ARIZONA AT STANFORD
GEORGIA TECH AT WAKE FOREST
OKLAHOMA STATE AT IOWA STATE
TULSA AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS
*************NFL SCHEDULE**************
WEEK 3 SCHEDULE
NEW YORK GIANTS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (THU) 5:15P (PT) 8:15P PRIME VIDEO
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
TENNESSEE TITANS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
ATLANTA FALCONS AT DETROIT LIONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P FOX
HOUSTON TEXANS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
DENVER BRONCOS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P FOX
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT NEW YORK JETS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
BUFFALO BILLS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P CBS
DALLAS COWBOYS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS 1:25P (MST) 4:25P FOX
CHICAGO BEARS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P FOX
PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS 5:20P (PT) 8:20P NBC
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (MON) 7:15P (ET) 7:15P ABC
LOS ANGELES RAMS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (MON) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P ESPN
*******MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL*******
PHILADELPHIA 6 ATLANTA 5 (10)
MINNESOTA 5 CINCINNATI 3
TEXAS 15 BOSTON 5
WASHINGTON 13 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 3
KANSAS CITY 6 CLEVELAND 2
HOUSTON 2 BALTIMORE 1
SEATTLE 6 OAKLAND 3
ARIZONA 7 SAN FRANCISCO 1
NY METS 8 MIAMI 3
SAN DIEGO 3 COLORADO 2
LA ANGELS 8 TAMPA BAY 3
TORONTO 6 NY YANKEES 1
PITTSBURGH 13 CHICAGO CUBS 7
MILWAUKEE 8 ST. LOUIS 2
DETROIT 4 LA DODGERS 2
******MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL******
INDIANAPOLIS 14 ROCHESTER 11
*******WNBA SCORES******
(PLAYOFFS)
CONNECTICUT 90 MINNESOTA 75
******MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER******
CHARLOTTE 2 PHILADELPHIA 2
COLUMBUS 3 CHICAGO 0
DC 1 ATLANTA 1
MIAMI 4 TORONTO 0
MONTRÉAL 1 CINCINNATI 1
NY CITY 2 ORLANDO 0
NEW YORK 1 AUSTIN 1
HOUSTON 4 VANCOUVER 1
NASHVILLE 3 KANSAS CITY 0
LAFC 0 ST. LOUIS 0
SEATTLE 2 COLORADO 1
DALLAS 3 SALT LAKE 1
LA 4 MINNESOTA 3
PORTLAND 2 SAN JOSE 1
*************TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES***********
******************NFL NEWS******************
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
NEW YORK GIANTS (1-1) AT SAN FRANCISCO (2-0)
DATE: Thursday, September 21, 2023 GAME TIME: 8:15 PM EST
Prime Video: Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung
Westwood One: Kevin Kugler, Tony Boselli
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) NYG: 81 or 226 SF: 83 or 225 National: 88
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: Series tied, 17-17 (SF won 2 of past 3)
POSTSEASON: Series tied, 4-4
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 9/27/20: SF 36 at NYG 9
POSTSEASON: 1/22/12 NFC-C: NYG 20 at SF 17
GIANTS NOTES: GIANTS completed 21-point comeback in Week 2, tied-largest comeback win in franchise history. • QB DANIEL JONES completed 26 of 37 atts. (70.3 pct.) for 321 yards & 2 TDs vs. INT for 103.5 rating & had 59 rush yards & 13th-career rush TD last week. Aims for his 3rd road start in row with 300+ pass yards. Has 90+ rating in 2 of his past 3 Thursday starts. Since 2022, ranks 4th among QBs with 810 rush yards. • RB SAQUON BARKLEY had 6 catches, 92 scrimmage yards (63 rush, 29 rec.) & 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) in Week 2. Has rush TD in 2 of his 3 career Thursday games. Had 100 scrimmage yards (63 rush, 33 rec.) in his only career game vs. SF (11/12/18). • RB MATT BREIDA had 2,463 scrimmage yards & 10 scrimmage TDs in 3 seasons (2017-19) with SF. • TE DARREN WALLER had 6 catches for 76 yards last week. Had 72 rec. yards & TD catch in his only career game vs. SF (1/1/23 w/ LV). • WR JALIN HYATT (rookie) led team with 89 rec. yards in Week 2. • WR ISAIAH HODGINS had 1st rec. TD of season last week & has TD catch in 3 of his past 4. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with rec. TD. • DL DEXTER LAWRENCE had 1st TFL of season last week & has TFL in 3 of his past 4. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with TFL. • LB BOBBY OKEREKE had 8 tackles & TFL last week. Had TFL & PD in his only career game vs. SF (10/24/21 w/ Ind.). • S JASON PINNOCK set career highs with 13 tackles & 3 TFL in Week 2, 1st DB with 13 tackles & 3+ TFL since 2013 (Da’Norris Searcy). • CB ADOREE’ JACKSON aims for his 4th in row on road with PD. Had 8 tackles & 2 PD in his only career game vs. SF (12/17/17 w/ Ten.). Has 5 PD in 5 career Thursday games.
49ERS NOTES: 49ERS advanced to 2-0 for 3rd time in past 5 seasons • QB BROCK PURDY had 206 pass yards & 93.1 rating & 2ndcareer rush TD in Week 2. Has 8 TDs (7 pass, 1 rush) vs. INT for 132.8 rating in 3 career home starts. • RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY had 135 scrimmage yards (116 rush, 19 rec.) & rush TD in Week 2. Became 5th player in SB era with 40+ rush TDs (40) & 20+ rec. TDs (22) in 1st 7 career seasons. Ranks 2nd in NFL with 304 scrimmage yards. Aims for his 8th in row with TD. Has 221 scrimmage yards (160 rush, 61 rec.) & rec. TD in 2 career games vs. NYG. Has 5 TDs (3 rec., 2 rush) in 5 career Thursday games. • WR DEEBO SAMUEL had 6 catches, 101 scrimmage yards (63 rec., 38 rush) & his 15th-career rush TD in Week 2, his 15thcareer game with 100+ scrimmage yards. Had 9 receptions & career-high 191 scrimmage yards (159 rec., 32 rush) in his last Thursday game (12/23/21 at Ten.). • WR BRANDON AIYUK had 50+ rec. yards in 6 of his final 7 home games last season. Had 101 scrimmage yards (70 rec., 31 rush) & his 1st-career rush TD in last meeting. • TE GEORGE KITTLE has 4 rec. TDs in his past 4 on Thursday & has 75+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 Thursday games. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 2+ rec. TDs. Had 9 catches for 83 yards in his only career game vs. NYG (11/12/18). • DL NICK BOSA had 13 sacks & 14 TFL in 9 home games last season. Aims for his 3rd in row on Thursday with TFL. • LB FRED WARNER had 11 tackles & 1st sack of season in Week 2. Aims for his 3rd in row with TFL & PD. Had INT in last meeting. • LB DRE GREENLAW led team with 12 tackles in Week 2. • CB ISAIAH OLIVER had 1st INT of season last week.
NFL GAME NOTES
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (1-1) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (2-0)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
CBS: Beth Mowins, James Lofton, Jay Feely, Amanda Renner
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) IND: 133 or 383 BAL: 85 or 225
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: IND leads series, 8-6 (BAL won 4 of past 5)
POSTSEASON: IND leads series, 1-2
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/11/21: IND 25 at BAL 31
POSTSEASON: 1/6/13 AFC-WC: IND 9 at BAL 24
COLTS NOTES: QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON (rookie) had 2 rush TDs last week & became youngest QB in SB era (21 years, 118 days) with 2 rush TDs in a game. Tied for NFL lead with 3 rush TDs this season & is 3rd QB ever with 3 rush TDs in 1st 2 career games, joining Daunte Culpepper & Jack Thompson. • QB GARDNER MINSHEW completed 19 of 23 atts. (82.6 pct.) for 171 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs with 112.1 rating last week. Passed for 226 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 120.8 rating in only career start vs. Bal. (12/20/20 w/ Jax.). • RB ZACK MOSS led team with 107 scrimmage yards (88 rush, 19 rec.) & had rush TD in season debut last week, 2nd-career 100-yard game. Aims for his 3rd in row with 100+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. • WR MICHAEL PITTMAN led team with 8 catches for 56 yards last week. Is 1 of 3 in NFL (Justin Jefferson & Puka Nacua) with 8+ catches in each of 1st 2 weeks. Has rec. TD in 3 of his past 4. Had 6 catches for 89 yards & TD in last meeting & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Bal. with 55+ rec. yards. • WR ISAIAH MCKENZIE had TD catch in his last game vs. Bal. (10/2/22 w/ Buf.). • TE KYLEN GRANSON had 1st-career TD catch in Week 2. • DT DEFOREST BUCKNER had 2 TFL & sack last week & aims for 3rd in row with sack. Has sack in 2 of his past 3 on road. • DE KWITY PAYE had sack & FR in Week 2 & aims for 3rd in row with sack. Has sack in 3 of his past 4 on road. Buckner & Paye 1 of 3 pair of teammates each with sack in each of 1st 2 weeks. • LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN led team with 13 tackles & had TFL last week. Leads NFL with 30 tackles this season. • LB SHAQUILLE LEONARD has FR in each of 2 career games vs. Bal. • LB E.J. SPEED had 5 tackles, 2 TFL & sack in Week 2.
RAVENS NOTES: RAVENS are 2-0 for 1st time since 2020 & can begin season 3-0 for 1st time since 2016. • QB LAMAR JACKSON completed 24 of 33 atts. (72.7 pct.) for 237 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 112.8 rating & had 54 rush yards last week, his 48th-career game with 50+ rush yards, surpassing Cam Newton (47 games) for 2nd-most ever by QB (Michael Vick – 54). Had 504 total yards (career-high 442 pass, 62 rush) & 4 TD passes vs. 0 INTs with 140.5 rating in last meeting. Has 95+ rating, 0 INTs & 55+ rush yards in each of 2 career games vs. Ind. • RB GUS EDWARDS led team with 62 rush yards & had 1st rush TD of season in Week 2. Had rush TD in only career game vs. Ind. (11/8/20). • TE MARK ANDREWS had 5 catches for 45 yards & TD in season debut last week. Aims for his 4th in row with 5+ catches, incl. playoffs. Had 11 catches for career-high 147 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. • WR ZAY FLOWERS (rookie) had 62 rec. yards last week. Ranks 2nd among rookies with 13 catches & 140 rec. yards this season. • WR NELSON AGHOLOR had 5 catches for 63 yards & 1st TD of season in Week 2. • WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. has 13 catches & 214 rec. yards (107 per game) in 2 career games vs. Ind. • LB ROQUAN SMITH has 5+ tackles in 25 straight games, 3rdlongest active streak in NFL. Had 13 tackles & 3 TFL in only career game vs. Ind. (10/4/20 w/ Chi.). • LB PATRICK QUEEN aims for 12th in row with 5+ tackles. • LB JADEVEON CLOWNEY had sack & PD last week. Has 0.5+ sacks in 4 of his past 6 games vs. Ind. • S GENO STONE led team with career-best 9 tackles & had 2ndcareer INT in Week 2.
TENNESSEE TITANS (1-1) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-1)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
CBS: Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Aditi Kinkhabwala
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) TEN: 134 or 384 CLE: 81 or 226
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: CLE leads series, 36-31 (TEN won 3 of past 4)
POSTSEASON: TEN leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 12/6/20: CLE 41 at TEN 35
POSTSEASON: 12/24/88 AFC-WC: HOU 24 at CLE 23
TITANS NOTES: QB RYAN TANNEHILL completed 20 of 24 atts. (83.3 pct.) for 246 yards with 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs & 123.3 rating last week, 2nd-highest comp. pct. of career. Aims for his 3rd start in row vs. Cle. with 315+ pass yards, 3+ TD passes & 90+ rating. • RB DERRICK HENRY had 95 scrimmage yards (80 rush, 15 rec.) & rush TD last week, his 6th-straight game with 95+ scrimmage yards, longest active streak in NFL. Aims for his 4th in row on road with 115+ scrimmage yards. Had 159 scrimmage yards (84 rush, 75 rec.) & 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) in last road meeting. • RB TYJAE SPEARS (rookie) had 49 rush yards last week. • WR DEANDRE HOPKINS aims for 3rd in row with 4+ catches & 40+ rec. yards. Had 55 rec. yards & 2 TD catches in his last game vs. Cle. (10/17/21 w/ Az.). Has rec. TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. Cle. • WR TREYLON BURKS led team with 76 rec. yards in Week 2, his 2nd-career game with 75+ rec. yards. • WR NICK WESTBROOK-IKHINE had 1st TD catch of season last week. • S KEVIN BYARD tied career high with team-best 12 tackles last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 8+ tackles. Has 5+ tackles in 5 of his past 6 on road. Has 4 INTs in his past 3 vs. Cle. Has 27 career INTs, tied 4th-most among active safeties. • CB SEAN MURPHY-BUNTING had 5 tackles & career-high 3 PD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 5+ tackles. • CB TRE AVERY had 8 tackles, TFL & PD in season debut last week. • LB HAROLD LANDRY had 1st sack of season in Week 2. • DE DENICO AUTRY has sack in each of 1st 2 weeks of season. Has sack in 3 of his past 4. Aims for his 3rd in a row vs. Cle. with TFL. • DT JEFFERY SIMMONS has 5 tackles & sack in each of 1st 2 weeks of season. Had 7 tackles in last meeting.
BROWNS NOTES: QB DESHAUN WATSON passed for 235 yards & TD vs. INT last week. Has 19 TDs (17 pass, 2 rush) vs. 5 INTs with 119.2 rating in 6 career games vs. Ten., most TD passes vs. any opponent in career. Has 2+ TD passes in each game vs. Ten. & aims for his 3rd in row with 325+ pass yards, 3+ TD passes & 115+ rating. • RB JEROME FORD led team with career-high 131 scrimmage yards (106 rush, 25 rec.) with TD catch last week. • RB PIERRE STRONG rushed for 2nd-career TD in Week 2. • WR AMARI COOPER had team-high 7 catches for 90 yards last week. Has 50+ rec. yards in 5 of his past 6. Has 55+ rec. yards in each of 4 career games vs. Ten., with rec. TD in each of past 2. • WR DONOVAN PEOPLES-JONES had 92 rec. yards & TD catch in last meeting. • TE DAVID NJOKU had 4 catches for 48 yards last week. Had TD catch in last home meeting. • DE MYLES GARRETT has 4 sacks in 3 career games vs. Ten., with sack in each game. Has TFL in 6 of his past 7 vs. AFC South. Has 7.5 sacks over his past 6 home games. • DE ZA’DARIUS SMITH had TFL in Week 2. Has 4 sacks & 2 FFs in his past 2 vs. Ten. • DE OGBO OKORONKWO aims for 3rd in row with TFL. Had career-high 2 sacks in his last game vs. Ten. (12/24/22 w/ Hou.). • LB SIONE TAKITAKI had 1st sack of season last week. • LB JEREMIAH OWUSU-KORAMOAH tied career-best with 2 TFL in Week 2. Has 6+ tackles in 3 of his past 4 at home. • CB DENZEL WARD had 5 tackles, 2 PD & 1st FF of season last week, his 8th-straight game with PD, longest active streak in NFL. • S GRANT DELPIT had 6 tackles, INT & FR last week, 1st-career game with both INT & FR. Aims for 3rd in row with 6+ tackles & PD.
ATLANTA FALCONS (2-0) AT DETROIT LIONS (1-1)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
FOX: Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth, Kristina Pink
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) ATL: 132 or 391 DET: 104 or 228
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: DET leads series, 25-14 (ATL won 2 of past 3)
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 12/26/21: DET 16 at ATL 20
FALCONS NOTES: ATLANTA advanced to 2-0 for 1st time since 2017. • QB DESMOND RIDDER had career highs in pass yards (237) & rush yards (39) & had 2 TDs (1 pass, 1st-career rush TD) in Week 2. • RB BIJAN ROBINSON (rookie) recorded 172 scrimmage yards (124 rush, 48 rec.) in Week 1, his 1st-career game with 100+ rush yards. Ranks 2nd among rookies & 2nd among RBs in scrimmage yards (255) this season & leads all RBs with 10 receptions. • RB TYLER ALLGEIER rushed for 48 yards last week. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 4 of his past 5 on road & aims for his 3rd in row on road with 115+ scrimmage yards. • WR DRAKE LONDON led team with 6 catches for 67 yards & had 1st rec. TD of season in Week 2, his 5th-career TD catch. Has 5+ catches in 3 of his past 4 on road. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with 7+ catches & 70+ rec. yards. • WR MACK HOLLINS had 60 rec. yards in Week 2. • TE KYLE PITTS had 6 catches for 102 yards in last meeting. • DL GRADY JARRETT had 2 TFL in his only career game at Det. (9/24/17). • DL DAVID ONYEMATA had career-high 2 PD in Week 2 & aims for his 3rd in row with PD. Had sack in his only career game at Det. (10/4/20 w/ NO) & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Det. with TFL. • LB KADEN ELLISS led team with 6 tackles & had 1st sack of season last week, his 9th-career sack. • CB A.J. TERRELL had 2 PD in Week 2, his 7th-career game with 2+ PD. • CB TRE FLOWERS had 1st PD of season last week. • S RICHIE GRANT had 6+ tackles in 7 of his 8 road games last season.
LIONS NOTES: QB JARED GOFF completed 28 of 35 atts. (80 percent) for 323 yards & 3 TDs vs. INT for 121.8 rating in Week 2, his 14th-career game with 300+ pass yards & 3+ TD passes. Had 383 consec. pass atts. between INTs, 3rd-longest streak in NFL history. Has 36 TDs vs. 5 INTs for 112.5 rating in his past 14 home games. Aims for his 5th in row at home with 115+ rating & 7th in row at home with 2+ TD passes. • RB DAVID MONTGOMERY had 74 scrimmage yards (67 rush, 7 rec.) & rush TD in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row with rush TD. Had 121 scrimmage yards (67 rush, 54 rec.) & rush TD in his last game vs. Atl. (11/20/22 w/ Chi.). • RB JAHMYR GIBBS (rookie) had team-high 7 receptions & 56 scrimmage yards (39 rec., 17 rush) in Week 2. Aims for his 3rd in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. • WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN had 6 receptions for 102 yards in Week 2, his 7th-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Aims for his 4th in row with 6+ catches. Had 9 catches for 91 yards & rec. TD in last meeting. • WR JOSH REYNOLDS had 5 catches for 66 yards & 2 rec. TDs last week, his 3rd-career game with 2 rec. TDs. • TE SAM LAPORTA had 5 receptions for 63 yards in Week 2, 1st rookie TE ever with 5+ catches in each of his 1st 2 games. • DL AIDAN HUTCHINSON has 0.5+ sacks in 3 of his past 4 at home. Aims for his 3rd in row at home wth PD. • LB ALEX ANZALONE had 1st sack of season in Week 2. Has 5+ tackles in 19 straight games tied for 4th-longest active streak in NFL. • LB JACK CAMPBELL (rookie) had 5 tackles last week. • S KERBY JOSEPH aims for his 3rd in row at home with PD. • CB JERRY JACOBS had career-high 8 tackles in Week 2.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-0) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (1-1)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
FOX: Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Shannon Spake
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) NO: 121 or 386 GB: 109 or 229
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: GB leads series, 17-10 (NO won 3 of past 4)
THE LAST TIME … REG. SEASON: 9/12/21: GB 3 at NO 38
SAINTS NOTES: QB DEREK CARR passed for 228 yards last week. Has 569 pass yards (284.5 per game) & 4 pass TDs in 2 career games vs. GB. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. GB with 275+ pass yards & 2+ TD passes. • QB TAYSOM HILL rushed for 75 yards in Week 2. • RB JAMAAL WILLIAMS had 2 rush TDs in his last game vs. GB (1/8/23 w/ Det.). Had 2,946 scrimmage yards & 18 scrimmage TDs (10 rush, 8 rec.) in 4 seasons (2017-20) with GB. • RB TONY JONES had 1st 2 career rush TDs last week. • WR MICHAEL THOMAS had team-high 7 catches for 55 yards last week. Aims for his 8th in row with 5+ receptions. Had 7 catches for 82 yards in his only career game vs. GB (10/22/17). Has 538 career receptions, most-ever by player in 1st 75 games. • WR CHRIS OLAVE had 6 catches for team-high 86 rec. yards in Week 2. Is 1 of 3 (Justin Jefferson & Puka Nacua) with 85+ rec. yards in each of 1st 2 weeks. Aims for his 4th in row with 5+ catches. • DE CAMERON JORDAN has TFL in 2 of his past 3 on road. Has 3 TFL in his past 4 vs. GB. • DE CARL GRANDERSON had sack & 3rd-career FF in Week 2. Has sack in 4 of his past 5. Aims for his 3rd in row in 2023 & 4th in row on road with sack. • LB DEMARIO DAVIS had 37th-career sack in Week 2. Aims for his 4th in row with TFL & 12th in row with 5+ tackles. Has 3 sacks in 3 career games vs. GB. • CB MARSHON LATTIMORE aims for his 3rd in row with PD. Has PD in 2 of his 3 career games vs. GB. • CB PAULSON ADEBO had 1st-career FR in Week 2. • S MARCUS MAYE had 1st sack of season in Week 2. Aims for his 6th in row with 5+ tackles.
PACKERS NOTES: QB JORDAN LOVE had 3 TD passes vs. 0 INTs for 113.5 rating in Week 2 & became 4th QB ever (Case Keenum, Patrick Mahomes & HOFer Kurt Warner) with 3+ TD passes & 0 INTs in 2 of his 1st 3 career starts. Can make 1st-career home start in Week 3. • RB AARON JONES had 932 scrimmage yards (103.6 per game) & 4 TDs (2 rush, 2 rec.) in 9 home games last season. Rushed for 131 yards & TD in his only career home game vs. NO (10/22/17). Has rush TD in 2 of his 3 career games vs. NO. • RB A.J. DILLON rushed for 55 yards in Week 2. Had 3 rush TDs in his final 3 home games last season. • WR CHRISTIAN WATSON had 6 TDs (5 rec., 1 rush) in his final 7 home games last season. • WR JAYDEN REED (rookie) had 1st 2 career rec. TDs last week. • WR DONTAYVION WICKS (rookie) had 1st-career TD catch in Week 2. • LB QUAY WALKER had career-high 17 tackles & PD in Week 2, his 4th-career game with 10+ tackles & most tackles by any player last week. Has 6 PD in his past 6 & aims for his 3rd in row with PD. Has 5+ tackles in each of his 9 career home games. • LB DE’VONDRE CAMPBELL had 14 tackles last week. Has 5+ tackles in 5 of his past 6 at home. Has 6+ tackles in 4 of his past 5 vs. NO. • LB RASHAN GARY had 1st half sack of season last week. Since Week 4 of 2021, has 12 sacks, 11 TFL, 3 FF & 2 FR in his past 11 home games. • LB PRESTON SMITH aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ tackles. • CB JAIRE ALEXANDER aims for his 3rd in row with PD. • CB RASUL DOUGLAS had 2 PD & 1st INT of season last week, his 15th-career INT. Aims for his 3rd in row with PD.
HOUSTON TEXANS (0-2) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-1)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
FOX: Chris Myers, Robert Smith, Jen Hale
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) HOU: 108 or 387 JAX: 83 or 230
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY REG. SEASON: HOU leads series, 28-14 (won 9 of past 10)
THE LAST TIME … REG. SEASON: 1/1/23: JAX 31 at HOU 3
TEXANS NOTES: • QB C.J. STROUD (rookie) completed 30 of 47 atts. (63.8 pct.) for 384 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 103.5 rating last week, 2nd-most pass yards in any NFL game this season. Has 58 completions, 2nd-most ever by player in 1st 2 career games, & 626 pass yards, 5th-most ever by player in 1st 2 games. • RB DAMEON PIERCE had 113 scrimmage yards (99 rush, 14 rec.) & rush TD in last road meeting. Has TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. division. Has 75+ scrimmage yards in 6 of 8 career road games. • RB DEVIN SINGLETARY had 7 catches for 43 yards in only career game vs. Jax. (11/7/21 vs. Buf.). • WR NICO COLLINS set career highs in catches (7) & rec. yards (146) & had 4th-career TD catch last week. Is 1 of 4 in NFL with 80+ rec. yards in each of 1st 2 weeks. Has rec. TD in 2 of past 3. Had 65 rec. yards in last road meeting. • WR ROBERT WOODS had 6 catches & 50+ rec. yards in each of 1st 2 weeks, incl. 74 rec. yards last week. Has 5+ catches in 4 of 5 career games vs. Jax. • WR TANK DELL (rookie) had 7 catches for 72 yards & 1st-career TD in Week 2. • DE JERRY HUGHES had sack in last meeting. • LB DENZEL PERRYMAN has 8+ tackles in each of 1st 2 games of season. Has TFL in 3 of his past 4. Has 10 tackles in 2 of his past 3 vs. Jax. • LB HENRY TO’OTO’O (rookie) had 7 tackles in Week 2. • S M.J. STEWART had 10 tackles & 1st FF of season last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 5+ tackles & 3rd in row on road with FR. • CB DEREK STINGLEY had 6 tackles in Week 2. Had 7 tackles. 2 PD & only career INT in last road meeting. • CB STEVEN NELSON aims for 3rd in row with PD.
JAGS NOTES: • QB TREVOR LAWRENCE totaled 242 yards (216 pass, 26 rush) with 0 INTs last week. Completed 17 of 21 atts. (81 pct.) for 152 yards in last meeting. Has 10 TDs (7 pass, 3 rush) vs. 2 INTs with 106.1 rating in his past 5 starts vs. division. • RB TRAVIS ETIENNE had 100+ scrimmage yards in both games vs. Hou. last season, incl. 140 scrimmage yards (108 rush, 32 rec.) & rush TD in last meeting. Has rush TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. division. • WR CHRISTIAN KIRK led team with career-high 11 catches for 110 yards last week. Aims for his 4th in row at home with 6+ catches & 90+ rec. yards. • WR CALVIN RIDLEY had 5 catches for 88 yards & TD in only career game vs. Hou. (10/6/19 w/ Atl.). • TE EVAN ENGRAM had 6 catches for 57 yards last week. Is 1 of 2 AFC TEs (Hunter Henry) with 5+ catches in each of 1st 2 weeks. Had 6 catches for 69 yards in last home meeting. • LB JOSH ALLEN had 6 tackles, sack & FF in last meeting. Has 6 sacks in his past 4 vs. divison, with sack in each game. • LB FOYESADE OLUOKUN had 10 tackles & 4th-career FR last week. Aims for his 4th in row with 10+ tackles. Has PD in 4 of past 5. Had 8 tackles, 2 TFL & sack in last home meeting. • LB DEVIN LLOYD led team with 11 tackles & had 2 PD in Week 2. Had 6+ tackles in both games vs. Hou. last season. • LB K’LAVON CHAISSON had 4th-career sack last week. Had sack in last meeting. • S ANDRE CISCO had 2 PD & 4th-career INT last week. Aims for 3rd in row at home with PD. Cisco & CB TYSON CAMPBELL are 2 of 3 in AFC (Amani Hooker) with INT & FF this season. • S RAYSHAWN JENKINS had 8 tackles & 2 PD in Week 2. Aims for his 9th in row at home with 5+ tackles & 4th in row with PD.
DENVER BRONCOS (0-2) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (2-0)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
CBS: Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) DEN: 98 or 388 MIA: 158 or 231
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: MIA lead series, 12-6-1 (DEN won 3 of past 4)
POSTSEASON: DEN leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 11/22/20: MIA 13 at DEN 20
POSTSEASON: 1/9/99 AFC-DIV: MIA 3 at DEN 38
BRONCOS NOTES: QB RUSSELL WILSON totaled 364 yards (308 pass, 56 rush) with 3 TD passes vs. INT for 107.3 rating last week, his 5th-career game with 300+ pass yards & 50+ rush yards, 3rd-most in NFL history. Is 1 of 3 QBs (Kirk Cousins & Jordan Love) with 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating in each of 1st 2 weeks. Has 5 TD passes with 101.5 rating in 3 career starts vs. Mia. Has 5,023 career rush yards & became 3rd QB ever (Cam Newton & Michael Vick) with 5,000+ career rush yards. • RB JAVONTE WILLIAMS had 58 scrimmage yards (44 rush, 14 rec.) last week & aims for 3rd in row with 55+ scrimmage yards. • RB JALEEL MCLAUGHLIN (rookie) had 1st-career rush TD last week. • WR COURTLAND SUTTON had team-high 5 catches for 66 yards in Week 2. Has rec. TD in 2 of past 3. • WR JERRY JEUDY has 5+ catches in 5 of his past 6. • WR BRANDON JOHNSON had career-high 66 rec. yards & 2 rec. TDs in Week 2. • WR MARVIN MIMS had 113 rec. yards, incl. 60-yard TD catch last week, becoming 1st Den. rookie with 100+ rec. yards in a game since 2020 (Jerry Jeudy). • S JUSTIN SIMMONS led team with 10 tackles last week. Has 5+ tackles & INT in each of 2 career games vs. Mia, incl. INT-TD in last road meeting. Has 27 career INTs, tied-4th most among active safeties. • CB PAT SURTAIN III is 1 of 6 in AFC with 3+ PD (3) this season. • LB JOSEY JEWELL had 9 tackles & PD in Week 2, his 15thstraight game with 5+ tackles. • LB RANDY GREGORY had 2 TFL, sack & PD last week. • LB JONATHON COOPER had career-best 8 tackles, team-high 2 sacks & 1st-career FF in Week 2. • LB NIK BONITTO had 2 TFL & 1st sack of season last week
DOLPHINS NOTES: DOLPHINS can begin season 3-0 in consecutive years for 1st time since 1994-96. • QB TUA TAGOVAILOA completed 21 of 30 atts. (70 pct.) for 249 yards & TD vs. INT with 92.2 rating last week. Had 8 TDs vs. 3 INTs & 103.4 rating in 6 home starts last season, with 0 INTs in 5 of 6 starts. Leads NFL with 715 pass yards this season. • RB RAHEEM MOSTERT led team with 121 rush yards & 2 rush TDs in Week 2, his 3rd-career game with 115+ rush yards & 2ndcareer game with 2 rush TDs. Aims for his 5th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. Ties for NFL lead with 3 rush TDs this season & is only AFC RB with rush TD in each of 1st 2 weeks. • WR TYREEK HILL had 5 catches for 40 yards & TD last week, his 3rd-straight game with 5+ catches, incl. playoffs. Leads NFL with 3 rec. TDs this season & ranks 3rd with 255 rec. yards. • WR JAYLEN WADDLE led team with 86 rec. yards last week & is 1 of 3 in AFC (Keenan Allen & Nico Collins) with 75+ rec. yards in each of 1st 2 weeks. Aims for his 4th in row at home with 5+ catches. • CB XAVIEN HOWARD had 6 tackles & 1st INT of season last week. Aims for his 5th in row with PD. Has 7 PD & 3 INTs in 2 career games vs. Den. Has 29 career INTs & can become 6th active player with 30. • S JEVON HOLLAND led team with 11 tackles & had PD last week. Is 1 of 2 DBs (Camryn Bynum) with 10+ tackles in each of 1st 2 weeks. Aims for 6th in row with 5+ tackles. • LB BRADLEY CHUBB had 7 tackles, 2 TFL, sack & FF in Week 2. Aims for 3rd in row with TFL. Was selected No. 5 overall by Den. in 2018 & had 33 TFL & 26 sacks in 49 career games (2018-22). • LB DAVID LONG had 7 tackles & 1st-career sack last week. • LB ANDREW VAN GINKEL had sack last week. Had FF in last meeting. • DT CHRISTIAN WILKINS had 1st sack of season in Week 2.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (0-2) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (0-2)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
FOX: Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) LAC: 99 or 389 MIN: 113 or 232
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: MIN leads series, 8-6 (won past 3)
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 11/14/21: MIN 27 at LAC 20
CHARGERS NOTES: QB JUSTIN HERBERT passed for 305 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 104.2 rating last week, his 23rd-career game with 300+ pass yards, surpassing HOFer Dan Marino for 3rd-most such games ever by QB in 1st 4 seasons. Has 8 TDs (7 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs with 107 rating over his past 4 in reg. season. • RB AUSTIN EKELER had TD catch in last meeting. Has 4 rush TDs in his past 3 on road, incl. playoffs. Has 393 catches in 90 career games & can become 4th-fastest RB ever to reach 400 catches. • WR KEENAN ALLEN had 8 catches for team-high 111 yards & 2 TDs last week, his 9th-career game with 2+ rec. TDs. Has 5+ catches in 10 straight games, tied 2nd-longest active streak in NFL. Aims for his 4th in row on road with 100+ rec. yards. Has 29 catches & 330 rec. yards (110 per game) in 3 career games vs. Min., with 8+ catches & 95+ rec. yards in each game. • WR MIKE WILLIAMS had 8 catches for 83 yards in Week 2. Has 75+ rec. yards in 7 of his past 8 on road. • TE GERALD EVERETT had 47 rec. yards last week. Had 5 catches for 54 yards in his last game vs. Min. (9/26/21 w/ Sea.). • LB JOEY BOSA led team with 2 sacks in Week 2, his 11th-career game with 2+ sacks. Had sack & FF in last meeting. Aims for his 4th in row on road with TFL. • LB KHALIL MACK had 5 tackles & PD last week. • LB KENNETH MURRAY had 10 tackles, 2 TFL & 1st sack of season last week. Had TFL in last meeting. • LB TULI TUIPULOTU (rookie) had 1st-career sack in Week 2. Aims for 3rd in row with TFL. • S DERWIN JAMES led team with 11 tackles last week, his 3rd-straight game with 6+ tackles. Has PD in 3 of his past 4. Had 8+ tackles in both career games vs. Min. incl. 12 tackles & PD in last meeting.
VIKINGS NOTES: QB KIRK COUSINS completed 31 of 44 atts. (70.5 pct.) for 364 yards & 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 125.6 rating, his 48th-career 300- yard game & 8th-career game with 4+ TD passes. Can become 5th QB ever with 325+ pass yards & 2+ TD passes in each of his team’s 1st 3 games of season. Is 9-2 with 25 TDs (23 pass, 2 rush) vs. 5 INTs for 102.5 rating in his past 11 home starts. Passed for 294 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 109.5 rating in last meeting. • WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON had 11 catches for 159 yards in Week 2. Has 10 career games with 150+ rec. yards, tied with HOFer Lance Alworth (10) for most by player in his 1st 4 seasons in NFL history. Has 5,134 rec. yards in 52 career games, tied with Alworth (52) for fewest games to reach 5,000 rec. yards in NFL history. Is 5th player since 1970 with 150+ rec. yards in each of his team’s 1st 2 games of season & 1st since 2011 (Steve Smith). Can become 1st player since 2013 (Josh Gordon) with 150+ rec. yards in 3 straight games. Has 100+ rec. yards in 3 straight games twice in his career (Weeks 4-6 & Weeks 14-16 in 2022). Had 9 catches for 143 yards in last meeting. • WR JORDAN ADDISON can become 5th rookie ever with 50+ rec. yards & rec. TD in each of his 1st 3 career games. • TE T.J. HOCKENSON had 7 catches for 66 yards & 2 rec. TDs in Week 2, his 3rd-career game with 2 rec. TDs. Has 7+ catches in 4 of his past 5. Can become 3rd TE ever with 7+ receptions in each of his team’s 1st 3 games of a season. • LB DANIELLE HUNTER had 3 sacks in Week 2, his 4th-career game with 3+ sacks. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack & 2+ TFL. Had sack, 2 FF & FR in his only career game vs. LAC (12/15/19). • DL HARRISON PHILLIPS had career-high 13 tackles last week. • S CAMRYN BYNUM career-high 15 tackles last week.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (0-2) AT NEW YORK JETS (1-1)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
CBS: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) NE: 135 or 385 NYJ: 82 or 227
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: NE leads series, 71-53-1 (won past 14)
POSTSEASON: NE leads series, 2-1
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 11/20/22: NYJ 3 at NE 10
POSTSEASON: 1/16/11 AFC-DIV: NYJ 28 at NE 21
PATS NOTES: • QB MAC JONES completed 31 of 42 atts. (73.8 pct.) for 231 yards & TD vs. INT last week. Aims for 4th in row with 225+ pass yards. Has 2+ TD passes in 4 of past 5. Completed 23 of 27 atts. (career-high 85.2 pct.) for 246 yards with 104.6 rating in last meeting. Has 0 INTs in 3 of 4 career starts vs. NYJ. • RB RHAMONDRE STEVENSON rushed for 50 yards & 1st TD of season last week. Aims for 5th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. Has 80+ scrimmage yards in 6 of his past 7 on road. Had 225 scrimmage yards (112.5 per game) in 2 games vs. NYJ last season. • RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT had 153 scrimmage yards (105 rush, 48 rec.) in only career game vs. NYJ (10/13/19 w/ Dal.). • WR DEVANTE PARKER had 6 catches for team-high 57 rec. yards in season debut last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with 6+ catches & 50+ rec. yards. Has 75+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 on road. • WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER had 5 catches in Week 2. • TE HUNTER HENRY is 1 of 2 in NFL (Mike Evans) with 5+ catches, 50+ rec. yards & rec. TD in each of 1st 2 weeks. Has 5+ catches in 4 straight games, longest active streak among TEs. • TE MIKE GESICKI had 5 catches in Week 2.Has 40+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 vs. NYJ. • LB MATTHEW JUDON has sack in each of 1st 2 weeks of season. Had 1.5 sacks in last meeting. • LB JOSH UCHE had sack in last road meeting. Had 0.5+ sacks in 4 of his final 5 road games last season. • S KYLE DUGGER had TFL & PD last week. Had sack in last meeting. • CB CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ (rookie) had 1st-career INT last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 6+ tackles & PD. • CB MYLES BRYANT had 6 tackles, career-high 2 TFL & PD in Week 2. Aims for his 6th in row with 5+ tackles.
JETS NOTES: QB ZACH WILSON totaled 206 yards (170 pass, 36 rush) last week. Had career-high 355 pass yards with 2 TD passes in last home meeting. Has 0 INTs in 2 of his past 3 starts vs. NE. • RB BREECE HALL has 70+ scrimmage yards in 6 of his past 7. Has 344 scrimmage yards (172 per game) in 2 career games vs. division. Has 497 scrimmage yards (124.3 per game) in 4 career home games. • RB DALVIN COOK has 162 scrimmage yards (81 per game) in 2 career games vs. NE. • WR GARRETT WILSON had 83 rec. yards last week, incl. 68-yard TD catch, longest reception of career. Is 1 of 2 AFC WRs (Tyreek Hill) with rec. TD in each of 1st 2 weeks. Has 80+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. Had 6 catches for 115 yards in last home meeting. • WR ALLEN LAZARD had 6 catches for 116 yards in only career game vs. NE (10/2/22 w/ GB). • WR MECOLE HARDMAN has rec. TD in each of 2 career games vs. NE. • TE TYLER CONKLIN had team-high 5 catches for 50 yards in Week 2. Had 6 catches for 79 yards in last home meeting. • DL QUINNEN WILLIAMS had 6 tackles & 2 TFL last week. Aims for 3rd in row with TFL. Had sack in both games vs. NE last season & has TFL in each of 5 career games vs. NE. • DL SOLOMON THOMAS had 1st sack of season in Week 2. • LB C.J. MOSLEY had 9 tackles, TFL & PD last week. Aims for his 6th in row with 7+ tackles. Aims for his 4th in row vs. NE with 9+ tackles. • CB SAUCE GARDNER had 6 tackles, PD & 1st-career FF last week. Had 2 TFL in last home meeting. • S JORDAN WHITEHEAD had 9 tackles & TFL in Week 2. Had 6 tackles & 2 TFL in last meeting. Leads NFL with 3 INTs this season.
BUFFALO BILLS (1-1) AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (2-0)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME:1:00 PM ET
CBS: Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan, AJ Ross
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) BUF: 146 or 390 WAS: 111 or 233
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: BUF leads series, 10-5 (won 8 of past 9)
POSTSEASON: WAS leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 9/26/21: WAS 21 at BUF 43
POSTSEASON: 1/26/92 SB XXVI: WAS 37 at BUF 24
BILLS NOTES: QB JOSH ALLEN completed 31 of 37 atts. (83.8 pct.) for 274 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 124.5 rating last week. Has 180 career combined pass & rush TDs, surpassing Russell Wilson (177) for 4th-most ever by QB in 1st 6 seasons. Passed for 358 yards with 5 TDs (4 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs & 129.8 rating in last meeting. Has 7 TDs (5 pass, 2 rush) with 123.6 rating in 2 career starts vs. Was. Has 2+ TD passes in 4 of his past 5 vs. NFC. • RB JAMES COOK rushed for career-high 123 yards in Week 2. Aims for his 5th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. • RB LATAVIUS MURRAY had 1st rush TD of season last week. Had 68 rush yards & rush TD in only career game vs. Was. (11/12/17 w/ Min.). • RB DAMIEN HARRIS had 1st rush TD of season in Week 2. • WR STEFON DIGGS had 7 catches for 66 yards in last week & is 1 of 5 in NFL with 7+ catches in each of 1st 2 weeks. Has 447 rec. yards (111.8 per game) in 4 career games vs. Was. Has 75+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5 vs. NFC. • WR GABE DAVIS had 6 catches for team-high 92 yards & TD in Week 2. Has rec. TD in 2 of his past 3 on road. • TE DAWSON KNOX had 1st TD catch of season last week. Has rec. TD in 5 of his past 6. Had TD catch in last meeting. • TE DALTON KINCAID (rookie) had 5 catches for 43 yards last week. • DE GREG ROUSSEAU had TFL & PD in Week 2. Has sack in 3 of his past 4 vs. NFC. • DT ED OLIVER aims for 3rd in row with TFL. Has 0.5+ sacks in 3 of his past 4 on road. • LB MATT MILANO is 1st LB since 2013 (DeAndre Levy) with INT in each of team’s 1st 2 games of season. Aims for his 5th in row with PD. Had 7 tackles, 2 TFL & FR in last meeting. • LB TERREL BERNARD had 1st-career INT last week.
COMMANDERS NOTES: COMMANDERS overcame 18-point deficit to win in Week 2, largest road comeback win since 11/4/90 (21-point deficit at Det.). • QB SAM HOWELL had career highs in completions (27), pass yards (299), pass TDs (2) & rating (108.8) in Week 2, his 1stcareer game with 100+ rating. Has pass TD & rush TD in each of his 1st 2 home starts. • RB BRIAN ROBINSON had career-high 129 scrimmage yards (87 rush, career-high 42 rec.) & 1st-career game with 2 rush TDs last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD & 10th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. • RB ANTONIO GIBSON had 53 scrimmage yards (44 rec., 9 rush) last week. Had 104 scrimmage yards (73 rec., 31 rush) & TD catch in last meeting. • WR TERRY MCCLAURIN led team with 5 receptions for 54 yards & rec. TD last week, his 22nd-career TD catch. Had 62 rec. yards in last meeting. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 9 of his past 11 at home. • TE LOGAN THOMAS had 1st TD catch of season last week, his 13th-career rec. TD. Had rec. TD in last meeting. • DE CHASE YOUNG tied his career high with 1.5 sacks in Week 2. • DE MONTEZ SWEAT had 1.5 sacks last week & aims for his 3rd in row with 1.5+ sacks. • DT DARON PAYNE had sack & 2 TFL in Week 2. Has 2+ TFL in 3 of his past 4. • LB CODY BARTON led team with 10 tackles & had FR last week, his 10th-career game with 10+ tackles. • CB EMMANUEL FORBES (rookie) had 1st-career INT in Week 2. Aims for his 3rd in row with PD. • S KAMREN CURL aims for his 3rd in row with 9+ tackles.
CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-2) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (1-1)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 4:05 PM ET
CBS: Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) CAR: 133 or 383 SEA: 85 or 225
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: SEA leads series, 8-4 (won 3 of past 4)
POSTSEASON: SEA leads series, 2-1
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 12/11/22: CAR 30 at SEA 24
POSTSEASON: 1/17/16 NFC-DIV: SEA 24 at CAR 31
PANTHERS NOTES: QB BRYCE YOUNG (rookie) aims for his 3rd in row with 20+ completions & TD pass. • RB MILES SANDERS had 43 rush yards last week. Has 70+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his past 4 road games. • RB CHUBA HUBBARD tied his career high with 5 receptions & had 50 scrimmage yards (34 rec., 16 rush) in Week 2. Aims for his 5th in row on road & 9th in row overall with 50+ scrimmage yards. Had 99 scrimmage yards (74 rush, 25 rec.) & rush TD in last meeting. • WR ADAM THIELEN led team with 7 receptions & 54 rec. yards & had 1st rec. TD of season in Week 2. Has 20 receptions for 200 yards & 3 rec. TDs in his past 3 vs. Sea. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Sea. with TD catch & 4th in row vs. Sea. with 5+ catches & 50+ rec. yards. • LB BRIAN BURNS has TFL in 4 of his past 5 overall & 4 of his past 5 on road. Had half sack in last meeting. • LB FRANKIE LUVU had 9 tackles, 3 TFL & 2 sacks in Week 2, his 2nd-career 2-sack game. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack. Has 12 TFL in his past 7. Had 2 TFL, sack & PD in last meeting. • LB JUSTIN HOUSTON had 1st half sack of season in Week 2 & has 112 career sacks, tied 3rd-most among active players. Aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. Had 2 TFL & sack in his only career game at Sea. (12/23/18 w/ KC). • DT DERRICK BROWN aims for his 4th in row with 7+ tackles. • S VONN BELL had 7th-career INT last week. Had 9 tackles & FR-TD in his only career game at Sea. (9/22/19 w/ NO). • S XAVIER WOODS had 8 tackles & 2 PD in Week 2. • CB C.J. HENDERSON had 7 tackles last week. Had INT in last meeting.
SEAHAWKS NOTES: • QB GENO SMITH completed 32 of 41 atts. (78 percent) for 328 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 116.3 rating in Week 2, his 8thcareer game with 300+ pass yards. Has TD pass in 11 of his past 12 home starts. Had 3 TDs vs. 2 INTs in last meeting. • RB KENNETH WALKER had 1st 2 rush TDs of season last week. Has 4 games with 2 rush TDs since 2022, 2nd-most among RBs. Has 50+ scrimmage yards 6 of his past 7 home games & aims for his 5th in row at home with 65+ scrimmage yards. • WR TYLER LOCKETT led team with 8 receptions for 59 yards & 2 rec. TDs last week, his 10th-career game with 2+ rec. TDs, 6th-most among active WRs. Has 423 scrimmage yards (105.8 per game) & 4 TDs (3 rec., 1 rush) in his past 4 vs. Car. Aims for his 5th in row vs. Car. with TD. • WR DK METCALF had 6 catches for team-high 75 yards in Week 2. Had 5 catches for 71 yards & TD in last meeting & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Car. with TD catch. • WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA (rookie) had 5 receptions in Week 2. • TE NOAH FANT had 56 rec. yards last week, his 18th-career game with 50+ rec. yards. • LB BOBBY WAGNER had 10 tackles last week & aims for his 3rd in row with 10+ tackles. Has 5+ tackles in each of his 6 career games vs. Car. • LB JORDYN BROOKS had 11 tackles in Week 2 & aims for his 3rd in row with 11+ tackles. Had 10 tackles in last meeting. Has 21 games with 10+ tackles since 2021, 2nd-most in NFL. • CB TRE BROWN had 1st-career sack, 1st-career FF & 40-yard INT-TD in Week 2, his 1st-career INT & 1st-career TD. • S JULIAN LOVE led team with 13 tackles & had 3rd-career FR in Week 2. Had sack in his last game vs. Car. (9/18/22 w/ NYG).
DALLAS COWBOYS (2-0) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (0-2)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 4:25 PM EST
FOX: Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston, Pam Oliver
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) DAL: 134 or 384 AZ: 81 or 226
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: DAL leads series, 56-33-1 (ARI won 6 of past 7)
POSTSEASON: ARI leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 1/2/22: ARI 25 at DAL 22
POSTSEASON: 1/2/99 NFC-WC: ARI 20 at DAL 7
COWBOYS NOTES: DALLAS became 5th team in SB era to score 70+ points & allow 10-or-fewer points in 1st 2 weeks of season. • QB DAK PRESCOTT completed 31 of 38 atts. (81.6 pct.) for 255 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 112.2 rating in Week 2, his 8th-career start with 80+ comp. pct., 3rd-most among QBs since 2016. Has 6 TDs (5 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs for 117.3 rating in 2 career starts vs. Ari. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Ari. with 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating. • RB TONY POLLARD had career-high 7 receptions & 109 scrimmage yards (72 rush, 37 rec.) last week, his 13th-career game with 100+ scrimmage yards. Has 5 TDs (3 rush, 2 rec.) in his past 5 on road. • WR CEEDEE LAMB led team & tied his career high with 11 receptions & had 143 rec. yards in Week 2, his 11th-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Has 5+ catches in 8 of his past 9 on road & in 11 of his past 12 overall. • TE JAKE FERGUSON had 1st rec. TD of season in Week 2. • TE LUKE SCHOONMAKER (rookie) had 1st career rec. TD last week. • LB MICAH PARSONS had 2 sacks, 3 TFL, his 7th-career FF & 4th-career FR in Week 2. Is 6th player since 1982 with 10+ games (10) of 2+ sacks in 1st 3 seasons. Aims for his 3rd in row overall with sack. Had 2 TFL in last meeting. • DT OSA ODIGHIZUWA had sack in Week 2. Aims for his 3rd in row on road & 4th in row overall with sack. • CB TREVON DIGGS had 2 PD & 1st INT of season last week. Has 18 career INTs, tied-most in NFL since 2020. • S JAYRON KEARSE & S MALIK HOOKER each had 1st INTs of season in Week 2.
CARDS NOTES: QB JOSH DOBBS completed 21 of 31 atts. (67.7 pct.) for 228 yards & 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs for career-high 99.9 rating last week, his 1st-career game with 2+ TDs & his 1stcareer rush TD. Aims for his 5th start in row with 20+ completions. • RB JAMES CONNER rushed for 106 yards & had 1st rush TD of season in Week 2, his 11th-career game with 100+ rush yards. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 22 consec. games, 3rd-longest active streak in NFL. Aims for his 5th in row at home with 100+ scrimmage yards & 6th in row at home with TD. • TE ZACH ERTZ had 6 catches for 56 yards in Week 2. Is 1 of 2 TEs (T.J. Hockenson) with 6+ catches in each of 1st 2 weeks. Has 68 career games with 5+ catches, 3rd-most among active TEs. Had 7 receptions in last meeting. • WR MARQUISE BROWN had 6 catches for 54 yards & 1st rec. TD of season last week, his 25th-career TD catch. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 4 of his past 5 & aims for his 3rd in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. Had rec. TD in his only career game vs. Dal. (12/8/20 w/ Bal.). • WR MICHAEL WILSON (rookie) had 56 rec. yards in Week 2. • S JALEN THOMPSON had 7 tackles, TFL & 6th-career INT last week. Aims for his 8th in row with 5+ tackles. • S K’VON WALLACE led team & tied his career high with 8 tackles in Week 2. • S ANDRE CHACHERE had 1st 2 career PD last week. • LB ZAVEN COLLINS had 1st half sack of season in Week 2. Has PD in 3 of his past 4. Has TFL in 3 of his past 4 at home. • LB KYZIR WHITE had 1st sack of season last week. • LB DENNIS GARDECK had sack & 2 TFL in Week 2. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack & TFL. Had FR in last meeting.
CHICAGO BEARS (0-2) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1-1)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023
GAME TIME: 4:25 PM ET
FOX: Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) CHI: 135 or 385 KC: 82 or 227
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: CHI leads series, 7-6 (Away team won past 3)
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 12/22/19: KC 26 at CHI 3
BEARS NOTES: QB JUSTIN FIELDS passed for 211 yards & had 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) in Week 2, his 11th-career rush TD. Has rush TD in 4 of his past 5 on road. Aims for his 7th in row on road with TD pass. • RB KHALIL HERBERT had 58 scrimmage yards (35 rush, 23 rec.) in Week 2. Aims for his 3rd in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. • WR DJ MOORE led team with 6 receptions for 104 yards in Week 2, his 1st 100-yard game with Chi. & 16th of his career. Has 100+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 on road. • WR CHASE CLAYPOOL had his 13th career rec. TD last week, his 1st TD catch with Chi. • TE COLE KMET had 4 catches for 38 yards last week. Has 4+ receptions in 6 of his past 7. • LB TREMAINE EDMUNDS led team & tied his career high with 16 tackles in Week 2, his 17th-career game with 10+ tackles. Has 47 tackles (9.4 per game) in 5 career games vs. KC, incl. playoffs. Had 10 tackles in his last game at KC (10/16/22 w/ Buf.). • LB T.J. EDWARDS had 12 tackles in Week 2 & is 1 of 7 with 10+ tackles in each of 1st 2 weeks. Aims for his 6th in row in reg. season with 10+ tackles. Had 6 tackles & PD vs. KC in SB LVII (w/ Phi.). • DL YANNICK NGAKOUE had sack in his last game vs. KC (9/25/22 w/ Ind.). Aims for his 3rd in row overall vs. KC & 3rd in row at KC with sack. Has TFL in 4 of his past 5 vs. KC. • DL RASHEEM GREEN had blocked FG last week, 1st Chi. blocked field goal since 10/9/22. • DB JAQUAN BRISKER had 5 tackles & PD in Week 2. Aims for his 4th in row with PD & 9th in row with 5+ tackles. • DB JAYLON JOHNSON had 3rd-career FF in Week 2. • DB TYRIQUE STEVENSON (rookie) aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ tackles.
CHIEFS NOTES: QB PATRICK MAHOMES completed 29 of 41 atts. (70.7 pct.) for 305 yards & 2 TDs vs. INT with 98.1 rating last week, his 42ndcareer game with 300+ pass yards, surpassing HOFer Dan Marino (41 games) & Matt Ryan (41) for most ever by QB in 1st 9 seasons (Mahomes currently in 7th season). Passed for 251 yards with 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs for 112.1 rating in last meeting. Aims for his 6th in row at home with 2+ TD passes, incl. playoffs. • RB ISIAH PACHECO led team with 70 rush yards in Week 2. Aims for his 7th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards, incl. playoffs. • RB JERICK MCKINNON has 386 scrimmage yards (96.5 per game) & 4 TDs (2 rush, 2 rec.) in his past 4 vs. Chi. • TE TRAVIS KELCE had 70th-career TD catch in season debut last week, his 4th-straight game with rec. TD, incl. playoffs. Had 8 catches for 74 yards & TD in last meeting. Has 818 career receptions & surpassed HOFer Shannon Sharpe (815) for 4th-most ever by TE. • WR SKYY MOORE led team with career-high 70 rec. yards & had 1st-career reg. season TD catch in Week 2. • WR KADARIUS TONEY had team-high 5 catches last week. • WR JUSTIN WATSON aims for his 4th in row with 45+ rec. yards. • DT CHRIS JONES had 1.5 sacks & PD in season debut last week. Has 6 sacks in his past 4 in reg. season, with sack in each game. Had sack in last meeting. Had 8 sacks in 8 home games last season. • DE GEORGE KARLAFTIS had career-best 1.5 sacks last week. Has 0.5+ sacks in 4 of his past 5. • LB NICK BOLTON led team with 8 tackles in Week 2 & aims for his 12th in row with 7+ tackles. Has 10+ tackles in 3 of his past 4 vs. NFC. • CB L’JARIUS SNEED had 7 tackles, 2 PD, TFL & FR last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 6+ tackles & TFL. • S JUSTIN REID aims for 4th in row with 6+ tackles.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1-1) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-1)
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 2023 GAME TIME: 8:20 PM ET
NBC: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark
Westwood One: Ryan Radtke, Mike Golic
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) PIT: 81 or 226 LV: 85 or 225 National: 88
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: LV leads series, 14-11 (won 2 of past 3)
POSTSEASON: Series tied, 3-3
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 12/24/22: LV 10 at PIT 13
POSTSEASON: 1/1/84 AFC-DIV: PIT 10 at LAA 38
STEELERS NOTES: QB KENNY PICKETT passed for 222 yards with TD vs. INT last week. Completed 26 of 39 atts. (66.7 pct.) for 244 yards with TD vs. INT in last meeting. Aims for his 4th in row on road with 0 INTs. Is 4-0 in his past 4 starts in primetime. • RB NAJEE HARRIS rushed for 43 yards last week. Had 95 scrimmage yards (53 rush, 42 rec.) in last meeting. Aims for 3rd in row vs. LV with 80+ scrimmage yards & 5+ catches. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with TD. Has 389 scrimmage yards (97.3 per game) with 3 TDs (2 rec., 1 rush) in 4 career games on SNF. • RB JAYLEN WARREN had 86 scrimmage yards (career-high 66 rec., 20 rush) in Week 2. Aims for 3rd in row with 4+ catches. • WR GEORGE PICKENS had 4 catches for career-high 127 yards & 1st TD of season. Has 70+ rec. yards & TD catch in 2 of his past 3. Had 5 catches for 57 yards & TD in last meeting. Has 55+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5 in primetime. • WR ALLEN ROBINSON has 6+ catches in 3 of his past 4 on SNF. • TE PAT FREIERMUTH had 7 catches for 66 yards in last meeting. • LB T.J. WATT had 2 TFL, sack, PD & go-ahead 16-yard FRTD in 4th qtr. last week, 1st-career TD. Is 2nd player since 2000 (Bertrand Berry in 2009) with sack & FR in each of team’s 1st 2 games of season. Tied for NFL lead with 4 sacks in 2023. Aims for his 5th in row with 0.5+ sacks. Had TFL & PD in last meeting. • LB ALEX HIGHSMITH had 7 tackles, sack, FF & 1st-career INTTD last week. Aims for 4th in row with 7+ tackles & TFL. Had sack in last meeting. Has sack in 3 of his past 4 in primetime. • LB COLE HOLCOMB had 8 tackles, TFL & FF last week. Is only player in NFL with FF in each of 1st 2 weeks of season. • DT LARRY OGUNJOBI had sack & FR in Week 2. Had TFL in last meeting. Aims for his 5th in row vs. AFC West with TFL.
RAIDERS NOTES: QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO completed 16 of 24 atts. (66.7 pct.) for 185 yards last week. Had 277 pass yards in only career start vs. Pit. (9/22/19 w/ SF). Has 11 TDs (10 pass, 1 rush) vs. 4 INTs with 100.8 rating in 8 career starts on SNF. Is 3-0 with 6 TDs (5 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs & 111.6 rating in his past 3 starts in primetime. • RB JOSH JACOBS had 5 catches for 51 yards in Week 2. Had 50 scrimmage yards (44 rush, 6 rec.) in last meeting. Has 95+ scrimmage yards in 6 of his past 7 at home. Has 1,200 scrimmage yards (92.3 per game) & 10 rush TDs in 13 career games in primetime, with 100+ scrimmage yards & rush TD in 3 of his past 4. • WR DAVANTE ADAMS had 6 catches for 84 yards & TD last week, his 88th-career rec. TD, surpassing Larry Fitzgerald (87) for 5th-most ever by player in 1st 10 seasons. Aims for his 5th in row with 5+ catches & 65+ rec. yards. Has rec. TD in each of his past 12 games on SNF, with 115+ rec. yards in each of his past 4. Has 29 rec. TDs in 41 career primetime games & can become 7th player ever with 30 career primetime rec. TDs. • WR JAKOBI MEYERS had 9 catches for 95 yards in his last game vs. Pit. (9/18/22 w/ NE). • WR HUNTER RENFROW had TD catch in last meeting. Has rec. TD in 4 of his past 5 in primetime. • DE MAXX CROSBY had 7 tackles last week & aims for his 4th in row with 5+ tackles. Has sack in 2 of past 3. Has 5 sacks in his past 4 in primetime. • LB DIVINE DEABLO had 10 tackles & 1st-career sack last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 9+ tackles & TFL. • LB ROBERT SPILLANE led team with career-high 14 tackles & had sack in Week 2. Aims for 3rd in row with TFL. • CB MARCUS PETERS aims for his 4th in row vs. Pit. with PD.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-0) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-0)
DATE: Monday, September 25, 2023 GAME TIME: 7:15 PM ET
ABC: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters
Westwood One: Mike Mayock
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) PHI: 81 or 226 TB: 83 or 225 National: 104 or 227
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: Series tied, 8-8 (TB has won past 3)
POSTSEASON: TB leads series, 3-2
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/14/21: TB 28 at PHI 22
POSTSEASON: 1/16/22 NFC-WC: PHI 15 at TB 31
EAGLES NOTES: • PHILADELPHIA is 2-0 for 2nd-consecutive season. • QB JALEN HURTS had 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 pass) in Week 2. Has 9 games with 2+ rush TDs, trailing only Cam Newton (10) for most such games by QB all-time. Has 28 rush TDs in 47 games, tied with Newton (28) for most rush TDs by QB in 1st 50 career games. Had 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 pass) in last reg. season meeting. Has 325+ pass yards in 2 of his past 3 Monday games. Aims for his 3rd in row on MNF with both pass & rush TD. • RB D’ANDRE SWIFT rushed for career-high 175 yards & had 19th-career rush TD in Week 2, most rush yards by PHI RB since LeSean McCoy (217 rush yards on 12/8/13). • WR DEVONTA SMITH had 4 catches for 131 yards & rec. TD in Week 2, his 8th-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. • WR A.J. BROWN had TD catch in his only career game vs. TB (10/27/19 w/ Ten.). Has 5+ catches in 3 of his 4 career MNF games. Has 50+ rec. yards in 8 of his 9 road games with Phi. • TE DALLAS GOEDERT led team with 6 catches last week. Had 6 catches for 92 yards in 2021 NFC-WC at TB (1/16/22). • DE JOSH SWEAT had 30th-career sack & 6th-career FF last week. Has 9 sacks in his past 8 games. Aims for his 4th in row in primetime with sack. • DT FLETCHER COX had 14th-career FR last week. • DT JORDAN DAVIS had 1st-career full sack in Week 2 & aims for his 3rd in row with 0.5+ sacks & TFL. • DT JALEN CARTER (rookie) aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. • LB HAASON REDDICK has TFL in 6 of his past 7 road games. • CB DARIUS SLAY aims for his 4th in row with PD. Has 12 PD & 3 INTs in his past 7 primetime games.
BUCS NOTES: QB BAKER MAYFIELD completed 26 of 34 atts. (76.5 pct.) for 317 yards & TD pass vs. 0 INTs for 114.5 rating in Week 2, his 11th-career game with 300+ pass yards. Passed for 204 yards with 86.2 rating in his only career start vs. Phi. (11/22/20 w/ Cle.). • RB RACHAAD WHITE had 5 catches with 103 scrimmage yards (73 rush, 30 rec.) & 2nd-career rush TD in Week 2, his 3rd-career game with 100+ scrimmage yards. Had 6 catches, 69 scrimmage yards (41 rec., 28 rush) & TD catch in his only career Monday game (12/5/22 vs. NO). • WR MIKE EVANS had 6 catches for 171 yards & rec. TD in Week 2, his 8th-career game with 170+ rec. yards, 2nd-most among active players. Is only player with 6+ catches & TD catch in each of 1st 2 weeks. Had 10 catches for 83 yards & rec. TD in last home meeting. Has 5 catches & rec. TD in 6 of his 7 career Monday games. • WR CHRIS GODWIN had 5 catches for 58 yards last week, his 16th-straight game with 5+ receptions, longest active streak in NFL. Has rec. TD in 3 of his past 4 on Monday. Aims for his 5th in row on Monday with 5+ catches & 50+ rec. yards. Had 5 catches for 56 yards & rec. TD in last home meeting. • TE CADE OTTON tied his career high with 6 catches last week. • LB LAVONTE DAVID has 55 tackles (7.9 per game) & 10 TFL in 7 career Monday games. Had FR in last home meeting. • LB DEVIN WHITE aims for his 5th in row on MNF with 5+ tackles. • LB SHAQUIL BARRETT had 1st sack of season & 1st-career INT-TD in Week 2. Had sack & 2 TFL in last meeting. • LB JOE TRYON-SHOYINKA had 2nd-career 2-sack game last week. • DL VITA VEA had 1.5 sacks in Week 2. Aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. Had half sack in last meeting.
LOS ANGELES RAMS (1-1) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (0-2)
DATE: Monday, September 25, 2023 GAME TIME: 8:15 PM ET
ESPN: Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick, Dan Orlovsky, Laura Rutledge
Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) LAR: 85 or 229 CIN: 158 or 228 National: 88
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: CIN leads series, 8-6 (won 3 of past 4)
POSTSEASON: LAR leads series, 1-0
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/27/19: CIN 10 at LAR 24
POSTSEASON: 2/13/22 SB LVI: LAR 23 at CIN 20
RAMS NOTES: QB MATTHEW STAFFORD passed for 307 yards in Week 2 & is 1 of 2 (Kirk Cousins) with 300+ pass yards in each of 1st 2 weeks. Has 59 career 300-yard games, 2nd-most among active QBs. Has 52,723 career pass yards in 193 games & surpassed HOFer Peyton Manning (52,606) for 3rd-most pass yards by QB in 1st 200 career games in NFL history. Passed for 283 yards & 3 TDs in SB LVI vs. Cin. • RB KYREN WILLIAMS set career highs in catches (6) & scrimmage yards (100) & had 1st-career game with rush TD & rec. TD last week. Is only player with 2 TDs in each of 1st 2 weeks & can become 5th player since 2000 with 2+ TDs in each of his team’s 1st 3 games of season. • WR PUKA NACUA (rookie) had15 receptions for 147 yards in Week 2, most receptions by rookie in single game in NFL history. Is 1st player all-time with 10+ catches & 100+ rec. yards in each of his 1st 2 games. Leads NFL with 25 catches, most catches by player in 1st 2 career games. Is 3rd player ever (Michael Thomas & Andre Rison) with 25+ catches in his team’s 1st 2 games of season. • WR TUTU ATWELL had career-high 7 receptions for 77 yards last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with 6+ catches & 75+ rec. yards. • DT AARON DONALD had 2 sacks in SB LVI vs. Cin. Had sack & 3 TFL in last reg. season meeting. Has 14 TFL in his past 9 on road. • LB ERNEST JONES led team with 10 tackles in Week 2, his 5thcareer game with 10+ tackles. Had 7 tackles, 2 TFL, sack & PD in SB LVI vs. Cin. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with TFL & 3rd in row overall with 9+ tackles. • LB BYRON YOUNG (rookie) aims for his 3rd in row with 0.5+ sacks. • LB MICHAEL HOECHT aims for his 3rd in row on road with 0.5+ sacks. • DB JORDAN FULLER had 1st-career FF last week.
BENGALS NOTES: QB JOE BURROW passed for 222 yards & 2 TDs last week. Had 263 pass yards & TD pass vs. 0 INTs with 100.9 rating in SB LVI vs. LAR, only career start vs. Rams. Has 1,400 pass yards (280 per game) with 11 TDs (10 pass, 1 rush) vs. 2 INTs for 101.3 rating in 5 career starts in primetime. • RB JOE MIXON led team with 95 scrimmage yards (59 rush, 36 rec.) last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 70+ scrimmage yards. Has 150 scrimmage yards (75 per game) & rec. TD in 2 career games vs. LAR (incl. SB LVI). • WR JA’MARR CHASE has 5+ catches in 10 straight games, tied 2nd-longest active streak in NFL. Had 5 catches for 89 yards in SB LVI vs. LAR. Has 80+ rec. yards in 8 of his past 9 at home. Has 50+ rec. yards in each of 3 career games in primetime. • WR TEE HIGGINS led team with 8 catches for 89 yards & 2 TDs last week, 3rd-career game with 2 rec. TDs. Had 4 catches for 100 yards & 2 TDs in SB LVI vs. LAR. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 in primetime, incl. in his last game on MNF (10/31/22 at Cle.). • WR TYLER BOYD had 6 catches for 52 yards in Week 2. Has 5+ catches in each of 2 career games vs. LAR, incl. SB LVI. • DE TREY HENDRICKSON aims for his 3rd in row vs. LAR with sack, incl. postseason. Has 5.5 sacks in 5 career games on MNF, with 0.5+ sacks in each game. • LB LOGAN WILSON aims for his 7th in row with 8+ tackles & 3rd in row with TFL. Had 9 tackles, 3 TFL & PD in SB LVI vs. LAR. • LB GERMAINE PRATT aims for 3rd in row with 9+ tackles. • CB CHIBODE AWUZIE had PD in Week 2. Has PD in each of 4 career games vs. LAR, incl. INT in SB LVI. • S DAX HILL led team with career-high 11 tackles & had PD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 6+ tackles & PD.
RAMS TRADE AKERS TO VIKINGS
The Minnesota Vikings are acquiring running back Cam Akers from the Los Angeles Rams, both teams announced Wednesday.
The Rams sent Akers and a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick to the Vikings in exchange for a conditional sixth-round selection in 2026.
Rams coach Sean McVay said Monday that an Akers trade was likely on the horizon and that the Rams had discussions with other teams about the former second-round pick. Akers was made a healthy scratch for the team’s Week 2 contest against the San Francisco 49ers. Akers struggled in Week 1, rushing for just 29 yards on 22 carries.
In Minnesota, Akers will be reunited with head coach Kevin O’Connell, who served as his offensive coordinator with the Rams. Akers will join a backfield that’s headlined by Alexander Mattison. Mattison has averaged 3.3 yards per carry this season, with 62 yards on 19 carries.
Akers rushed for 786 yards and seven touchdowns across 15 appearances last season. It was his first full campaign since tearing his Achilles in July 2021, which sidelined him for the first 17 weeks of that season.
With Akers gone, L.A. will likely continue to rely on running back Kyren Williams. Williams has tallied 104 rushing yards and four total touchdowns through two games.
ADAMS BLASTS BILLS’ RAPP AFTER LATE HIT: HE HAS NO ‘TRUE PURPOSE’
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams took a shot at Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp for his helmet-to-helmet hit during their Week 2 matchup.
“Was it unnecessary?
“Was it unnecessary? Completely, obviously,” Adams said Wednesday, according to Logan Reever of 8 News Now. “But certain players play a certain way, too. Some people, out of control, they fly around, they don’t really have much true purpose out there. I mean, playing a half field on one side, you run over and hit somebody in the head on the other side of the field.”
Adams wasn’t able to finish the Raiders’ 38-10 loss to the Bills on Sunday after taking the late hit. He left the game to be evaluated but didn’t enter the concussion protocol. Rapp was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
“That’s the kind of stuff that contributes to you not being on the field,” Adams added. “That’s why you’re in when you’re blowing us out by 25 at the end of the game. Maybe if that man learns how to play the game the right way, he’ll see the field. Until then, he’ll have to go and live off of plays like that, I guess.”
Adams, a three-time first-team All-Pro, caught six passes for 84 yards and one touchdown against the Bills.
Meanwhile, Rapp finished the contest with one tackle and a fumble recovery while playing 15% of Buffalo’s defensive snaps.
BEARS DC ALAN WILLIAMS RESIGNS TO FOCUS ON ‘HEALTH AND FAMILY’
Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned from his position Wednesday due to health reasons, a team spokesperson confirmed to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin.
“I am taking a step back to take care of my health and family,” Williams said in a statement. “I appreciate the opportunity to work with the Chicago Bears, a storied NFL franchise with a rich history.”
Williams added that he plans to return to the NFL once he’s addressed his health.
A Bears spokesperson also said rumors that Halas Hall was raided were false and that police hadn’t been to the facility in connection to Williams.
The former Bears defensive coordinator was absent for last Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after leaving the team due to personal reasons. Head coach Matt Eberflus served as the defensive coordinator in the 27-17 loss.
Williams was in his second season as Chicago’s DC.
REPORT: RAIDERS PLACE JONES ON NFI LIST AS DE DEALS WITH PERSONAL ISSUE
The Las Vegas Raiders placed pass-rusher Chandler Jones on the non-football illness list, sources told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Jones, who’s been away from the team facility this month, missed Las Vegas’ first two games this season while dealing with what the Raiders described as a “private” issue. By placing the former first-round pick on the NFI list, the Raiders won’t have the 11-year veteran for at least their next four games, notes Mark Anderson of The Associated Press.
“It’s a personal situation and a private matter,” Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said Sept. 6, according to NFL.com. “We have dealt with it.”
Jones has strongly criticized the Raiders on social media. He recently suggested in since-deleted posts that he no longer wants to play for McDaniels and Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler.
Earlier this month, the 33-year-old said the Raiders’ front office sent someone from the city’s crisis response team to his home. He said the club hasn’t allowed him to play this year.
Jones joined the Raiders during the 2022 offseason on a three-year contract. The four-time Pro Bowler recorded 4.5 sacks in his first season with the club.
GIANTS’ BARKLEY, THOMAS, OJULARI RULED OUT FOR WEEK 3
New York Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas and pass-rusher Azeez Ojulari won’t play in the team’s Thursday night matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, the team announced Wednesday.
Both players are
Both players are dealing with hamstring ailments. Neither played in New York’s come-from-behind win against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2 due to their injuries.
The team also officially ruled out running back Saquon Barkley due to an ankle sprain that’s expected to sideline him for three weeks, and offensive lineman Ben Bredeson, who’s battling a concussion.
Thomas, a second-team All-Pro in 2022, didn’t allow a sack or quarterback hit in the team’s Week 1 loss to the Dallas Cowboys but was flagged twice, per PFF.
Ojulari, meanwhile, is looking to rebound in 2023 after appearing in just seven games last season. The 23-year-old edge defender assisted on one tackle against the Cowboys.
DID MISSING EX-NFL PLAYER SERGIO BROWN POST VIDEOS ABOUT MOTHER’S DEATH? POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING
MAYWOOD, Ill. (AP) — Police in suburban Chicago are checking on the authenticity of Instagram videos that appear to show missing former NFL player Sergio Brown discussing the recent death of his mother, who died following an assault.
Brown, 35, is still considered a missing person, Maywood police spokesperson Carmen Rivera said in an email Tuesday, acknowledging police were aware of the videos and were investigating. Rivera did not immediately return messages Wednesday seeking an update.
In a video posted Monday to an Instagram page that appears to belong to Sergio Brown, a man resembling Brown calls reports about the death of his 73-year-old mother, Myrtle Brown, “fake news.”
“Fake news, fake news, fake news. It has to be the FBI,” the man says in the rambling, expletive-filled video, in which he says he thought his mother “was on vacation” in the Mexican state of Sinaloa.
In another video posted to his Instagram story Tuesday, the man references the film “Finding Nemo,” repeating the movie’s famous line, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming,” the Chicago Tribune reported.
Myrtle Brown’s body was found Saturday near a creek behind her home in Maywood, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) west of Chicago. Relatives had told police they could not locate her or Sergio Brown.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office ruled Myrtle Brown’s death a homicide Sunday, saying she was injured during an assault.
Police said Sunday they were trying to find Sergio Brown and asked anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact them.
Brown’s brother, Nick
Brown’s brother, Nick Brown, memorialized their mother Sunday on social media, calling her “strong, caring, diligent, fancy, funny.” He asked anyone who knows his brother’s whereabouts to share information with police.
“I want him to know that I love you and please come home,” Nick Brown wrote.
Sergio Brown, who graduated from Proviso East High School in Maywood, played college football for Notre Dame before his time with the NFL. He played defensive back from 2010 through 2016 with the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills.
QB BRYCE YOUNG’S STATUS FOR SUNDAY UNCERTAIN BECAUSE OF ANKLE INJURY; ANDY DALTON MAY GET START
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Bryce Young did not participate in Wednesday’s walkthrough practice because of an ankle injury, opening the door for the possibility of veteran Andy Dalton starting on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
Panthers coach Frank Reich said at this point it’s too early to know if the No. 1 overall pick will be able to play.
Carolina is 0-2 as Young and the Panthers offense have struggled to find their groove.
Dalton took first-team reps as Young looked on, per Reich. Young was injured at some point in Carolina’s 20-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Monday night, although he did complete the game and threw a touchdown and 2-point conversion pass on his final drive.
The Panthers have signed Jake Luton to the practice squad, and he could be promoted as the team’s backup quarterback if Young can’t play. He spent time in training camp with Carolina.
“If Andy is the starter, we have a lot of confidence.” Reich said. “This is why you bring someone like Andy in. Our goal is to put our team in position to win championships and despite a tough start that is our vision, that is our goal and what we’re working toward. My experience personally as a player and as a coach is that you’re going to need somebody for one game or two or three somewhere along the line. If Andy plays we believes he gives us a very good chance to win.”
Reich said the game plan would not change much if Dalton starts.
Young and Dalton were not made available during the team’s open locker room session on Wednesday.
Dalton is 83-77-2 as a starter during his previous 12 NFL seasons, while throwing for 244 touchdowns and 144 interceptions. He spent nine seasons in Cincinnati before one-year stops in Dallas, Chicago and New Orleans.
Dalton started 14 games last season for the Saints, going 6-8 with 18 TD passes and nine interceptions.
Running back Miles Sanders said he’s not worried if Dalton is pressed into starting, saying the veteran is well prepared.
“It would actually be kind of a dream come true to play with Andy,” Sanders said. “Me being from Pittsburgh and being a Steelers fan I know what Andy can do (having played with the Bengals). So yeah, it would be an honor playing with him.”
Young has struggled in his first two career starts, although the team’s offensive line hasn’t given him much time to throw. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama has completed 59.2% of his passes for 299 yards with two TDs and two picks.
The Panthers also listed four players as limited on Wednesday, including outside linebackers Brian Burns (ankle) and Justin Houston (calf), running back Miles Sanders (pectoral), and linebacker Chandler Wooten (knee).
The team has added veteran linebacker Deion Jones to the roster after Shaq Thompson was placed on injured reserve with a broken leg. Kamu Grugier-Hill is expected to start in Thompson’s spot on Sunday.
RAVENS BRINGING BACK VETERAN RB KENYAN DRAKE
The Baltimore Ravens are bringing back running back Kenyan Drake, signing the veteran to their practice squad.
Drake, 29, indicated his return in a post to X and NFL Network also reported the move.
He was one of three RBs brought in this week for workouts with the club, joining James Robinson and Ronald Jones. He helps bolster a unit that took a hit with the season-ending injury to J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) in Week 1.
Drake spent training camp with the Indianapolis Colts.
He was with the Ravens in 2022, playing in 12 games (five starts). He rushed for 482 yards and four touchdowns and also caught 17 passes for 89 yards and a score.
Drake has rushed for 3,866 yards and 33 TDs in 101 career games (44 starts) for four teams since being selected in the third round of the 2016 draft by the Miami Dolphins.
REPORT: BROWNS BRING BACK RB KAREEM HUNT
The Browns are expected to re-sign running back Kareem Hunt, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Wednesday.
The 28-year-old free agent and former NFL rushing champion worked out for team on Tuesday.
Hunt would help the Browns replace his good friend Nick Chubb, who is out for the season with torn knee ligaments.
Coach Kevin Stefanski announced Tuesday that Jerome Ford will be the featured back Sunday against Tennessee.
Hunt played the last four seasons with Cleveland before being allowed to walk in free agency.
He has rushed for 4,025 yards and 31 touchdowns and caught 211 passes for 1,806 yards and 17 TDs in 76 games (36 starts) with the Kansas City Chiefs (2017-18) and Browns.
Hunt led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards as a Chiefs rookie in 2017, earning a Pro Bowl selection and Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Kansas City drafted the Ohio native in the third round out of Toledo.
FIELDS FEELS OVERCOACHED: GOAL IS TO ‘SAY F IT,’ PLAY OFF INSTINCTS
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields said his poor performance in Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have been due to an overload of information from his coaches.
“I wasn’t necessarily
“I wasn’t necessarily playing my game. I felt like I was kind of robotic,” Fields said Wednesday, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. “Not playing like myself. My goal this week is just to say, ‘F it’ and just go out there and play football how I know how to play football.”
Asked why he played robotically, Fields said it “could be coaching,” according to Josh Schrock of NBC Chicago.
“They are doing their job when they are giving me what to look at, but at the end of the day, I can’t be thinking about that when the game comes,” he said.
“I prepare myself throughout the week, and then when the game comes, it’s time to play free at that point. Thinking less and playing more.”
Despite an offseason of hype, Chicago sits at 0-2 after Sunday’s loss, and Fields’ expected third-year leap has yet to materialize. He completed 16 of 29 passes for 211 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions, including a pick-6, in the Week 2 defeat.
Fields’ struggles with accuracy and working against pressure have continued into 2023. His 60.6% completion percentage ranks 26th in the NFL, and his percentage of times sacked per pass play of 13.2% is the second-worst mark. He ranks 31st out of 32 qualifying quarterbacks in QBR and 26th in passer rating.
He’s also failed to make a significant impact as a runner, producing just 62 yards and one score on 13 runs, a year after rushing for 1,143 yards. The quarterback suggested he’ll look to use his legs more.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus had no issues with Fields’ critiques of the offense, agreeing that his quarterback needs to play with his desired freedom.
“Having him be in the flow, having him be free is what we want,” said Eberflus, according to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. “I want him to speak free to us. I want him to be honest.”
Chicago will go on the road to play the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3.
******************COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS*****************
LSU SAFETY BROOKS RECOVERING FROM EMERGENCY SURGERY TO HAVE BRAIN TUMOR REMOVED, FAMILY SAYS
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU safety Greg Brooks has undergone surgery to remove “a large brain tumor,” his family announced Wednesday.
“Doctors successfully performed the procedure Friday to remove the mass,” the family said in a social media post that was verified by LSU athletics spokesman Michael Bonnette. “We are awaiting biopsy results.”
Brooks abruptly left the team last week and missed the 12th-ranked Tigers’ 41-14 victory at Mississippi State.
On Monday, coach Brian Kelly said Brooks had a “medical emergency” and could not estimate when he might return to football. He declined to go into specifics because the family was not yet ready to have that information made public.
This Saturday, LSU hosts Arkansas, the team for which Brooks played three seasons before transferring to LSU in 2022.
“Greg continues to fight and we await further clarity on the extent of that battle,” the Brooks family announcement said. “His incredible strength of character gives us confidence, but we also know that he needs our support now more than ever.”
Brooks, who grew up in the New Orleans area, started 13 games for the Tigers last season, when he intercepted two passes to go with a sack, a forced fumble and three tackles for losses. He finished that season with five passes defended and 66 solo or assisted tackles.
Brooks also played in the first two games this season and was in on eight tackles.
LSU regularly played a three-safety lineup when Brooks was on the field. Last weekend, the Tigers started three linebackers instead. Freshman safety Ryan Yiates saw more snaps in Brooks’ absence when LSU went to a formation with five defensive backs.
After LSU’s last victory on Saturday, Kelly told the team he wanted to dedicate a game ball to Brooks.
GRAB THE CHIPS AND YOUR FAVORITE BEVERAGE BECAUSE A FULL DAY OF TOP 25 GAMES AWAITS ON WEEK 4 SLATE
College football fans will want to get to the market or get their fall yard work done early Saturday so they can settle in to watch what on paper is the best day of games in a long time.
There are six games matching AP Top 25 teams, the most in September since 2006. The main attraction is No. 6 Ohio State at No. 9 Notre Dame at night.
Viewers will face hard decisions in the afternoon and might want to consider activating multiple screens.
That’s when we’ll find out if No. 13 Alabama can get its offense going with Jalen Milroe back at quarterback against No. 15 Mississippi; if Deion Sanders and No. 19 Colorado can continue their capitvating run on the road against No. 10 Oregon; and if the injured Cam Rising will be able to play for the first time this season in No. 11 Utah’s home game against No. 22 UCLA.
No. 7 Penn State hosts its annual “Whiteout” against No. 24 Iowa and No. 14 Oregon State will be at No. 21 Washington State in games that will go head-to-head with Ohio State-Notre Dame.
The day’s warmup act: No. 4 Florida State at unranked Clemson in a possible preview of the ACC championship game.
BEST GAME
No. 6 Ohio State (3-0) at No. 9 Notre Dame (4-0), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
The Buckeyes found their rhythm in a sharp performance on both sides of the ball in a 63-10 win over Western Kentucky last week. Confidence is not an issue for Notre Dame, either. Heisman Trophy candidate Sam Hartman has led the Irish to 184 points, their most through four games since 1914.
This is only the teams’ eighth all-time meeting, but it’s the fifth as a top-10 matchup. Notre Dame hasn’t beaten the Buckeyes since 1936.
The winner can check a box on the to-do list for earning a College Football Playoff spot. The loser can take solace in the fact it’s still early and there are big games to come.
HEISMAN WATCH
Bo Nix has completed 78% of his passes and thrown for eight touchdowns with no interceptions while leading No. 10 Oregon to a 3-0 start, yet he’s overshadowed in his own conference by 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, the prolific Michael Penix Jr. and brash newcomer Shedeur Sanders.
This week is Nix’s opportunity to go from fringe Heisman candidate to serious contender when Colorado, the best show in college football right now, comes to Eugene for a Pac-12 opener.
Nix has beaten Portland State, Texas Tech and Hawaii — and the Buffaloes don’t move the needle most years. This year they do.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
9 — Consecutive September games won by UCLA.
10 — Penn State’s streak of games in which it has scored at least 30 points, the longest in the nation.
16 — Wake Forest’s nation-leading number of sacks, with 10 of them coming last week against Old Dominion.
31 — Washington’s scrimmage plays of 20 yards or longer, most in the nation.
2012 — The last time Texas has started 4-0.
UNDER THE RADAR
BYU (3-0) at Kansas (3-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The Cougars open their first run through the Big 12 on a seven-game win streak dating to last season and coming off a thrilling come-from-behind win at Arkansas.
New defensive coordinator Jay Hill has the Cougars playing aggressively, and his unit’s confidence is high after sacking KJ Jefferson four times. That’s good, because Hill’s charges will be going against Jayhawks QB Jalon Daniels at his best. Daniels is completing 75% of his passes for 287 yards per game since missing the opener with back tightness.
HOT SEAT
Tom Allen’s seat at Indiana began warming up during an eight-game losing streak to end 2021 and got hotter by the week in 2022. It’ll be downright blistering if the Hoosiers (1-2) don’t beat Akron (1-2) of the MAC at home Saturday.
Indiana gets credit for making a game of it against Louisville after falling behind 21-0, and starting QB Tayven Jackson looks to be the right guy. Allen goes into the Akron game a 16 1/2-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, and he’s 12-2 against non-Power Five opponents, with both losses coming to Cincinnati.
Given that Allen’s buyout is $20 million, the administration might not have the stomach to make a change. That could easily change if the Hoosiers don’t take care of business this week and the bottom falls out in October.
*******************MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL**********************
MLB ROUNDUP: CORBIN CARROLL MAKES ROOKIE HISTORY AS D-BACKS ROLL
Corbin Carroll had four hits, scored three runs and stole two bases to help the host Arizona Diamondbacks to a 7-1 win against the San Francisco Giants in the finale of their two-game series on Wednesday afternoon in Phoenix.
Carroll, who also slugged his 25th homer, became the first rookie in major league history to record at least 25 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season. Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly (12-7) allowed one run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked three.
Ketel Marte also homered, and Christian Walker and Gabriel Moreno each had three hits and an RBI for Arizona, which has won five in a row in its bid for a wild-card spot.
Giants starter Logan Webb (10-13) was tagged for three runs and nine hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked two. The Giants are three games back of the Chicago Cubs for the third and final wild card. Seven of San Francisco’s final 10 games are against the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
Astros 2, Orioles 1
Mauricio Dubon delivered a walk-off, RBI single for host Houston, which maintained its half-game lead in the American League West with a come-from-behind win over Baltimore.
The AL East-leading Orioles had their four-game winning streak snapped. With Tampa Bay also losing Wednesday, Baltimore maintained its 2 1/2-game lead over the Rays in the division.
Houston needed just six pitches to score the winning run off Danny Coulombe (5-2) in the bottom of the ninth. Yainer Diaz doubled on Coulombe’s first pitch and moved to third when Chas McCormick grounded out to second. Dubon singled to right on the next pitch. Ryan Pressly (4-5) threw a perfect top of the ninth to earn the win for Houston.
Twins 5, Reds 3
Jorge Polanco hit a two-out, two-run single in the top of the top of the ninth inning to rally Minnesota past host Cincinnati despite Reds starter Hunter Greene’s 14 strikeouts.
Willi Castro homered and had two hits and two runs scored, Christian Vazquez had a double among his two hits. The win by Minnesota — coupled with Cleveland’s loss to Kansas City on Wednesday — lowered the Twins’ magic number for clinching the American League Central to one.
Jhoan Duran (3-6) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning and Griffin Jax pitched around a leadoff walk in the ninth to notch his third save. Minnesota entered the ninth trailing 3-2 but scored three off Reds All-Star closer Alexis Diaz (9-5).
Phillies 6, Braves 5 (10 innings)
Bryson Stott poked a two-run double down the left-field line with two outs in the 10th inning, lifting the visiting Philadelphia Phillies to a victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Stott’s first hit of the series came against losing pitcher A.J. Minter (3-6), who gave up two runs (one earned) with four walks in one inning. Nick Castellanos paced the Phillies with a two-run homer and a solo shot. The right fielder also threw out the potential game-winning runner at the plate in the ninth to force extra innings.
The Phillies stretched their lead for the first wild-card playoff spot to three games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Braves have lost five of their last six games since clinching a sixth straight National League East title.
Blue Jays 6, Yankees 1
Kevin Gausman (12-9) struck out 10 in six solid innings and visiting Toronto extended its winning streak to five by pulling away late in New York.
Toronto beat the Yankees for the 17th time in the past 25 meetings in the Bronx and stayed a game ahead of the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners in the American League wild-card race.
Trying to avoid their first losing season since 1992, the Yankees lost their third straight and dropped back to .500. Michael King (4-7), transitioning from reliever to starter, set a career high with 13 strikeouts and walked none, giving up only one run on five hits over seven innings.
Padres 3, Rockies 2
Pinch hitter Ji Man Choi drove in the tiebreaking run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning as San Diego rallied for two runs in the seventh inning to defeat visiting Colorado to complete a three-game sweep and extend the Padres’ longest winning streak of the season to seven straight games.
Luis Garcia (2-3) worked a scoreless top of the seventh to earn the win. Josh Hader picked up his 31st save, getting Brendan Rodgers on a game-ending fly to right with the tying run on third. Hader had a win and two saves in the sweep.
Rockies starter Chase Anderson took the loss to fall to 0-6 despite allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in his first outing since pitching seven no-hit innings against the Giants last Friday.
Angels 8, Rays 3
Brandon Drury homered twice and finished with five RBIs, rookie Nolan Schanuel stretched his on-base streak to 24 games and Los Angeles won in St. Petersburg, Fla., to end a six-game losing streak.
Andrew Wantz (2-0) earned the win with two innings of relief behind starter Reid Detmers, who tossed 96 pitches and allowed just one unearned run in four innings.
For Tampa Bay, Manuel Margot went 3-for-4, doubled and scored. Isaac Paredes was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI, and Yandy Diaz doubled in two runs. The Rays were just 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Tampa Bay starter Aaron Civale (7-4) pitched three innings and recorded seven strikeouts. However, he surrendered six runs on seven hits.
Nationals 13, White Sox 3
Lane Thomas belted a grand slam to help host Washington cruise to victory over Chicago in the rubber match of the three-game series.
Washington’s Joey Meneses homered among his three hits and Dominic Smith also went deep. CJ Abrams hit a two-run double and Luis Garcia had three hits and scored four runs for the Nationals. The Nationals, who won the last two games of the three-game series, posted their most runs in a game this season. Nationals starter Josiah Gray (8-12) posted his first victory since July 22 after holding the White Sox to one run in five innings.
The White Sox have lost seven consecutive series. Andrew Vaughn posted two of the team’s six hits and drove in a run with a groundout.
Royals 6, Guardians 2
Nelson Velazquez homered to lead Kansas City past visiting Cleveland, completing a three-game sweep.
After a pair of first-inning Guardians errors, Velazquez pounded his 15th homer above the left field bullpen for a 3-0 lead. It was the 37th home run surrendered by Guardians starter Lucas Giolito, third most in baseball.
Giolito (8-14) allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings, walking three with six strikeouts. He has lost six of his last seven starts and 3 of 4 for Cleveland. Angel Zerpa (3-3) recorded his second consecutive long-relief win, striking out four and allowing three hits while retiring 16 of 19 batters over 5 1/3 shutout innings. It was Zerpa’s career-long relief appearance.
Pirates 13, Cubs 7
Joshua Palacios’ three-run homer highlighted a seven-run fourth inning and Connor Joe added a two-run shot as visiting Pittsburgh earned a rare victory over Chicago, handing the Cubs their ninth loss in 12 games.
Joe, rookie Jared Triolo — who also homered — and Ke’Bryan Hayes had three hits apiece for the Pirates, who beat Chicago for just the second time in 12 meetings this season..
Cubs ace Justin Steele (16-5) gave up six straight singles to open the fourth and end his night. Chicago answered with five runs in the bottom of the fifth against the Pirates’ own All-Star, Mitch Keller (13-9).
Rangers 15, Red Sox 5
Texas responded to an early four-run deficit with 15 unanswered runs, crushing visiting Boston in Arlington, Texas.
Boston received a three-run homer from Adam Duvall and a solo shot from Bobby Dalbec to take a 4-0 lead into the home half of the second inning. That’s when the Rangers’ offense came to life, however. Boston starter Brayan Bello (12-10) was tagged for eight runs on eight hits in three innings to take the loss.
Jonah Heim headlined the six-run frame with a three-run blast of his own, with Mitch Garver clubbing a solo home run and Marcus Semien ripping a two-run single. Texas scored at least two runs in each of the next four frames to turn a modest two-run edge into a 15-4 advantage. Josh Jung and Evan Carter also went deep during the rout.
Tigers 4, Dodgers 2
Rookie right-hander Reese Olson gave up one run over six innings as visiting Detroit avoided a three-game sweep with a victory over Los Angeles.
Tyler Nevin and Carson Kelly each had two hits and an RBI as the Tigers improved to 4-2 on a 10-game California road trip and staved off elimination in the American League Central for another day. Kerry Carpenter had two doubles and two runs for Detroit. Olson (5-7), who didn’t allow a hit over the first three innings, gave up a total of two hits and two walks while striking out five.
Max Muncy hit a home run, one of just three hits for the Dodgers, who saw their five-game winning streak come to an end. It was the first defeat for Los Angeles since wrapping up the National League West title on Saturday. Rookie right-hander Bobby Miller (10-4), who is expected to have a role in the Dodgers’ postseason rotation, gave up two runs on three hits over six innings. He walked one and fanned seven.
Mets 8, Marlins 3
Kodai Senga pitched six strong innings, and South Florida-raised Mark Vientos belted two solo homers as New York played spoiler, defeating host Miami.
Brandon Nimmo had a homer, double and a single, scoring three runs for New York. The Mets, who are out of playoff contention, won two of three games in the series. Senga (12-7), a standout MLB rookie after playing pro ball in Japan from 2012 to 2022, allowed seven hits, two walks and two runs with three strikeouts. It was his 15th straight start allowing three earned runs or fewer.
Miami, bidding for an NL wild-card playoff berth, played its second straight game without second baseman Luis Arraez, who leads the majors with a .354 batting average. He has a sprained left ankle. In addition, the Marlins lost third baseman Jake Burger in the third inning. Burger felt right-quad tightness while chasing an errant throw.
Mariners 6, Athletics 3
Dominic Canzone drove
Dominic Canzone drove in a season-best four runs, George Kirby threw seven effective innings and Seattle kept pace in the American League West by completing a three-game sweep of host Oakland.
Seattle’s 12th win in 13 games over the A’s in the season series allowed the Mariners to remain tied with the Texas Rangers for second place in the AL West, a half-game behind the Houston Astros. Playing in his 53rd major league game, Canzone teed off on debuting A’s rookie Joey Estes for a two-run homer in the second inning. Julio Rodriguez bombed his 31st homer and Cal Raleigh his 29th leading off the fifth.
Promoted from Triple-A to make the start, Estes went 4 2/3 innings for the A’s, allowing six runs (five earned) and six hits.
Brewers 8, Cardinals 2
Josh Donaldson hit a three-run homer and Tyrone Taylor hit two solo shots as Milwaukee rolled past host St. Louis.
Mark Canha hit a three-run double for the Brewers, who reduced their magic number to win the National League Central title to five games.
Brewers starting pitcher Adrian Houser (7-4) earned his sixth victory in his last seven starts. He held the Cardinals to one run on four hits in six innings while striking out four and walking two. Losing pitcher Zack Thompson (5-7) allowed four runs on five hits in five innings. He struck out four batters and walked one.
*******************WNBA PLAYOFFS*********************
SUN STOP LYNX, EARN ANOTHER SEMIFINAL BERTH
Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner produced double-doubles Wednesday night as the third-seeded Connecticut Sun stopped the sixth-seeded Minnesota Lynx 90-75 in Minneapolis to win the teams’ first round WNBA playoff series 2-1.
Bonner hit 8 of 13 shots from the field to score 25 points while adding 10 rebounds and six assists. She became the fifth player in league history to score 1,000 playoff points and the third to compile 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in postseason action.
Thomas finished with 28 points and 12 assists for the Sun, who also got 18 points off the bench from Tyasha Harris. Connecticut shot 58.3 percent in the first half and finished the night at 55.4 percent from the field.
Napheesa Collier starred in defeat for Minnesota with a game-high 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting. However, she didn’t have enough help. Kayla McBride, who fired in a game-high 28 points on Sunday in an 82-75 victory that evened the series, managed just 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting. Bridget Carleton came off the pine to score 13.
Connecticut advances to the semifinals for the fifth straight year. The Sun will travel to Brooklyn on Sunday for Game 1 of a best-of-five series against the New York Liberty.
Connecticut never trailed, taking control midway through the first quarter by rattling off 14 straight points in a 2:20 span. Bonner capped the run with a 3-pointer at the 4:45 mark for a 20-6 lead, and the Sun took a 26-19 advantage to the second period.
Minnesota made a push early in the second, closing within one on Carleton’s 3-pointer with 7:56 left and trailing by only three as late as Collier’s mid-range jumper at the 5:42 mark. However, the Sun ended the half with a 17-5 burst, using a Bonner buzzer-beater to take a 49-34 lead at the break.
The teams mostly traded buckets in the third quarter, with Tiffany Hayes driving for a last-minute layup that allowed Connecticut to stretch the margin to 65-49 going to the fourth period.
*******************COLLEGE ATHLETICS**************************
BOSTON COLLEGE SUSPENDS SWIMMING, DIVING PROGRAMS DUE TO HAZING
Boston College suspended its men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs indefinitely after the university determined hazing incidents “occured within the program.”
Details about the hazing allegations, the severity or any specific incidents involving the team were not disclosed.
Members of the program will continue to receive academic and medical resources available to all Boston College student-athletes, the university said.
“The University does not — and will not — tolerate hazing in any form,” Boston College said in a release Wednesday.
The men’s and women’s teams were both last in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season. The first event on the schedule listed on the athletics website was an intrasquad meet Saturday. The first competitive meet listed is Oct. 7 against host George Washington in Washington, D.C.
“Consistent with university policy, the matter will be investigated by the Office of the Dean of Students and adjudicated fairly and impartially through the student conduct process,” the university said.
No coaches or
No coaches or athletes are named and athletic department officials offered no further comment.
Swimming and diving head coach Joe Brinkman was hired prior to last season. As a collegiate swimmer, he twice earned nominations for the NAIA Champion of Character award and received the Mid-South Conference Champion of Character award.
Prior to his hire in August 2022, Brinkman spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Notre Dame.
TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS
********************COLTS NEWS************************
COLTS QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON IN CONCUSSION PROTOCOL, NOT PRACTICING
Quarterback Anthony Richardson remains in concussion protocol and unavailable to practice as the Indianapolis Colts prep for a Week 3 trip to Baltimore.
Gardner Minshew relieved Richardson on Sunday and guided the Colts to a 31-20 win, completing 19 of 23 passes for 171 yards with a touchdown toss to tight end Kylen Granson.
Coach Shane Steichen said Richardson is “in a good spot,” but plans to keep their communication private. Steichen said it’s possible the rookie can progress enough to be ready to play the Ravens on Sunday.
Starting center Ryan Kelly also missed Wednesday’s practice and is in concussion protocol.
Richardson was forced out of the game for the second time in two career games when he absorbed a hard hit. The Colts led the Texans 14-0 behind two Richardson TD runs when he left to be evaluated for a concussion. In Week 1, he was assisted to the sideline in the final minute of the game after trying to run the ball in for a score against the Jaguars.
Steichen shut down inquires about running back Jonathan Taylor, who is on the physically unable to perform list and hasn’t been with the team on gameday. Steichen said he wasn’t going to answer additional questions about Taylor, including whether he would be on the sideline with his teammates in Baltimore.
Richardson, 21, is 30-of-47 passing for 279 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also has 13 carries for 75 yards and three touchdowns.
*****************INDIANA PACERS NEWS*******************
REPORT: PACERS WILLING TO DISCUSS TRADING G BUDDY HIELD
The Indiana Pacers have begun talks with guard Buddy Hield on a potential trade after failing to extend his contract that expires after the 2023-24 season, The Athletic reported Wednesday citing league sources.
Hield, 30, is in the final year of contract worth $19.2 million and is open to a trade, though no deal is imminent, according to the report.
He started 73 of 80 games last season for the Pacers, averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals. He shot 42.5 percent from 3-point range (288 of 677) and has made more shots from distance (1,381) in the last five seasons than any player in the NBA.
Potentially one of the top free agents after next season, the 6-foot-4 Hield had signed a four-year, $94 million extension when he was with the Sacramento Kings in 2019, according to reports.
The Kings traded Hield, Tyrese Haliburton and Tristan Thompson to the Indiana Pacers on Feb. 8, 2022 for Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, Domantas Sabonis and a 2023 second-round draft pick which became forward Jordan Walsh of Arkansas.
Hield was the sixth pick of the 2016 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans out of Oklahoma. He was dealt to the Kings in February 2017. For his career, Hield averages 16.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 0.9 steals in 548 games (369 starts).
******************INDIANA FOOTBALL********************
INDIANA FOCUSES ON SELF-IMPROVEMENT AGAINST AKRON
Indiana head coach Tom Allen expects more from his defense.
The Hoosiers (1-2) had one takeaway in a 21-14 loss to Louisville last week, which is short of the ask from Allen. He wants three per game to help Indiana protect its young quarterback from being overburdened in tight games.
“Still not enough takeaways. Got a goal of three every game,” Allen said. “Needed another one; and three, it would be ideal to get what we need to get to be able to set up our offense in a better way.”
Quarterback Tayven Jackson does benefit from dynamic running back Jaylin Lucas, the team’s leading rusher (141 yards, two TDs) and second on the team in receiving (15-138-1). Still, Allen noted teams are loading the box with eight defenders and forcing Jackson to make decisions and plays off-script. The only route to wins from this point forward is better blocking up front, he said.
“To me, it’s about executing and executing at a high level of confidence, and being able to play at the speed I want us to play at from the opening quarter on,” Allen said. “That’s going to be the emphasis, and like I said, we’ll know more next weekend where we feel after the first few games.”
Akron (1-2) hasn’t found much to like offensively this season, ranking 129th in total offense (262.7 per game) and 130th in rushing offense (42.3).
Akron is coached
Akron is coached by former Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead, with whom Indiana has familiarity, and vice versa. The Zips were in the game last week at Kentucky despite 77 total yards in the first half.
Akron trailed only 14-3 in the third quarter before the Wildcats rattled off 21 consecutive points to close it out.
“I thought it was a much better performance from the inside to the 20s,” Moorhead said of his quarterbacks.
Zips quarterbacks DJ Irons and Jeff Undercuffler Jr. have combined for 661 yards passing, three touchdowns and four interceptions.
“(Indiana) is tough, physical, blue collar. They’ve got a scheme that makes you really have to prepare. It’s going to be another really big challenge,” Moorhead said.
Indiana is 3-0 all-time in the series and meets Akron for the first time since a 35-20 victory in 2010 behind four touchdown passes from Ben Chappell.
*****************INDIANA VOLLEYBALL********************
KJOLHEDE DOMINATES BIG TEN OPENER
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Senior middle blocker Savannah Kjolhede played the defensive game of her life on Wednesday night, blocking a career-high 12 shots, a part of 18 total team blocks for the Hoosiers, as the Indiana Volleyball team (11-3, 1-0) beat Illinois on Wednesday night (September 20) in Wilkinson Hall.
IU dominated Illinois in the opening set and rallied to control sets three and four as head coach Steve Aird and company knocked off the visiting Fighting Illini 3-1 (25-13, 24-26, 25-17, 25-17).
Tonight’s win marks a third-straight victory in a Big Ten home opener after beating Michigan State (2021) and Iowa (2022) in consecutive years.
Junior outside hitter Mady Saris and sophomore outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles each chipped in 11 kills to lead a balanced offensive attack for IU.
The Hoosiers have put together back-to-back wins over Illinois (Nov. 23, 2022 and Sept. 20, 2023) for the first time since winning both matchups in the 2000 season. IU’s eight-game winning streak is the longest since 2017.
IU will hit the road Sunday afternoon for the 14th all-time matchup against the nation’s top-ranked program when it heads to Madison to face the No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers on BTN+.
Stats and Notes
Team
• The Hoosiers were far the superior team statistically on Wednesday night, outhitting the Illini .203 to .053 with an equal number of kills (43) on 12 fewer swings while making 20 fewer errors.
• IU blocked 18 shots, the most by the program since an 18-block performance against Northwestern last November. It was the sixth time in the 25-point rally era (since 2008) that IU has blocked 18-or-more shots as a team in a single match.
• The 18 blocks were the most in a four-set match by an IU team since recording 21 across four sets at Michigan in 2016. Kjolhede, who blocked 12 shots, had the most stuffs by an IU player in a four-set match since Ashley Benson in 2010.
• Nine services aces on the evening extended the team’s streak of five-or-more aces in a match out to 12-consecutive contests. Haworth and Saris had three each to lead the Hoosiers.
• IU’s eight-game winning streak is the longest by the program since the 2017 season, making it the longest in the six-year tenure of Aird.
#10 Haworth, Camryn
• The junior was all over the court for IU as she recorded her fourth double-double of the season on 36 assists and 10 digs.
• She recorded three service aces, including a nasty cut serve that beat Illinois’ Raina Terry to her inside in the third set. Haworth has now recorded at least one ace in 17-straight games.
• Haworth is now tied for seventh in program history, alongside Jordan Haverly, with 127 aces. She is just four away from breaking the program’s rally-era record of 130.
#15 Kjolhede, Savannah
• Perhaps her best career defensive night, Kjolhede provided a massive career high with 12 blocks including two solo stuffs. She blocked six shots in the final set.
• She became the 14th player in program history with 300 career blocks in an IU uniform, doing it in a match she became just the seventh player in IU history to tally 12-or-more blocks in a single match.
#32 Gary, Ramsey
• A statement game on national television for the freshman, Gary posted a career high 24 digs to anchor IU’s defense on Wednesday night.
• Just two digs from matching the freshman single-game rally era record, Gary has now recorded 15+ digs in four-straight matches.
Scoring Recap
Set 1: Indiana 25, Illinois 13
• The Hoosiers dominated the visitors from the opening ball in the first frame, holding the Illini to just .029 hitting offensively while acing them three times.
• After a kill from Illinois’ Jessica Nunge brought the score within two (7-5), the Hoosiers outscored the visitors 18-8 the rest of the way.
• Saris served six-consecutive balls late in the set as the lead ballooned to 12 at 23-11 and then at 25-13 as IU took the opening set in commanding fashion.
Set 2: Illinois 26, Indiana 24
• A much more balanced set, Illinois held the lead for most of the set before conceding late and rallying to win the frame 26-24.
• The two teams combined for nine aces in the second set between tough serving and poor passing but an edge in hitting percentage and offensive efficiency tipped the scales the way of Illinois.
• Illinois thought they’d closed out the set 25-21 but a challenge from Aird and Indiana revealed a four-contact play and handed IU the point.
• Three-straight points after the challenge in the favor of IU brought the match level at 24-all before the Illini closed out the final two balls.
Set 3: Indiana 25, Illinois 17
• Illinois hit .000 in the third set (9-9-34) behind a stout Indiana defense as the hosts bounced back for a 25-17 win.
• Kjolhede had two kills and three blocks in the set while her middle blocker counterpart, graduate student Kaley Rammelsberg, notched three kills of her own.
• IU went on a 9-0 run to break the score open at 16-6. Illinois would make a late push but an ace from Saris and an attack error gave IU the advantage.
Set 4: Indiana 25, Illinois 17
• IU’s block broke open in the fourth set, swatting eight shots as the visitors hit negative (8-11-31) to close out the match.
• Kjolhede had six blocks herself in the frame while Saris had four kills to lead the Hoosiers offensively.
• An 8-1 run forced Illinois head coach Chris Tamas into his second timeout down 10 points. The visitors would close the gap to just five but IU rallied to close the match out in four sets.
*****************INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL*********************
IU MEDIA DAY-MIKE WOODSON
MIKE WOODSON: Welcome. How is everybody doing? Good.
Well, let me just start by saying it’s been a very productive summer, meaning I had to go in and have knee surgery, get my knee replaced, and along with my staff, I hobbled around this summer and we were able to build our basketball team back with six newcomers and scholarship guys, and then we’ve got four walk-ons, so we’ve got 10 new people to our ballclub. A lot of work that’s got to be done before we open up against Marian here in our practice game.
With that being said, I’ll open the floor up for questions.
Q. I wanted to start with Mackenzie Mgbako. Saw a lot of offensive ability there. I’m curious, what do you see, and how impactful do you feel he can be for you guys this year, especially on the offensive end, with the points you need to replace?
MIKE WOODSON: Only time will tell. He’s capable of putting the basketball in the hole. He’s shown that this summer. We’ve got to help him as coaches and put him in the best position possible to be successful and help us.
I’m expecting big things from him, but I’m not putting a lot of pressure on him. He’s a freshman.
I think when you’re building a basketball team, you’ve got to reach out and get a little bit from everybody. The freshmen that were freshmen last year that are sophomores, they’ve got to step up and play like sophomores, and juniors that are seniors like X and Galloway, they’ve got to give us more. Sophomores got to give us more.
There’s a lot that’s got to be done between now and the time we step out on the floor against Marian and start playing actual basketball, but Mackenzie is a big part to the puzzle. That’s why we went and recruited him.
Q. Curious, you mentioned needing more from X. What exactly do you mean by that, and what are the two or three things you look at going into the season that he needs to do well for you guys to be successful as a team?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, I thought two years ago, make no mistake about it, we got in the tournament because of Xavier Johnson and his play coming down the home stretch.
Last year was a setback year for him. We didn’t come into last season thinking that we would lose our starting point guard, and that was a blow for us in the stretch where we struggled to win games.
This year, X has played more basketball games in college than anybody on our ballclub, so I expect him to lead, be a point guard and be a leader on and off the floor and put us in position to win basketball games. That’s what it’s all about.
Q. Following along with X, this time a year ago he wouldn’t have expected to be here just in the sense he thought he’d be out of eligibility and moved on. How have you seen him approach just all the things that you talk about needing from him, the day-to-day, the leadership, the things that maybe, again, he wouldn’t have expected to be in this role but now embracing it and really trying to sort of be everything you and this team need him to be?
MIKE WOODSON: I think he’s doing all the right things, along with Galloway. I named both of those two guys captains. But again, we’ve got to play games. We’ve got to get better and practice on both ends of the floor. He’s got to play a role in that.
I’m hard on captains. I’ve always been that way. Bob Knight was hard on me as a captain when I was here. You’re not given that title just to be given it. You’ve got to earn it, and you’ve got to be held accountable in terms of not only putting yourself in position to help us win, but getting guys to play at a high level around you. That’s important.
Q. Mike, your third year, obviously, and last year I heard you say a few times when you answered questions that some things were still new to you in terms of being a coach. Now that you’re in your third year, how comfortable are you with being a college coach, recruiting, NIL, et cetera, and what expectations do you have for yourself in your third year and how does that project to expectations for the program?
MIKE WOODSON: I took this job to win Big Ten titles and national titles and I’ve fallen short the first two years. I’m always optimistic as a coach when I go into a season. This season is no different.
We’ve got to go and win a Big Ten title, and then once we’re fortunate to get into tournament play, then we figure it out there.
This summer, I recruited more. I had to. We lost four seniors. We lost three guys that left with — basically we lost 10 guys last year with the two walk-ons, as well.
So we had to go out and build our team back. I’m pleased with the players that we’ve brought in, knowing that when you add a lot of pieces to your team, there’s a lot of work that comes with that.
I’m not pleased and happy right now where we are as a ballclub because there is a lot of work that’s still left on the table that we’ve got to get these guys to understand who we are and what we’re about and how we want to play on both ends of the floor.
Only time will tell. We start official practice on the 26th where I can get them a little longer now. That hour, four hours a week, it’s okay, but it’s not like being out on the floor two and a half, three hours. That’s what I’m looking forward to.
Q. You mentioned the guys you lost. Trayce was here four years, Race was here six, Kopp started for two years. Obviously you know that Schifino, first-round pick. You lost a lot of quality players. How do you go about putting a new lineup together, and do you anticipate a different style of play this year?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, again, I think practice and competition in practice will unveil who starts because I don’t know right now who’s really going to be the starters. That’s important, but what’s important to me along with my staff is getting players to play at a high level and playing together and doing it the right way on both ends of the floor. That’s what’s going to be the driving force in winning basketball games, I think.
You know, I think all our guys are curious. They’re eager. They come to work. They accept coaching. That’s important when you’re talking about building a team.
Only time will tell. I mean, it’s hard to sit here and predict anything. I would never do that anyway. But at the end of the day, hard work, guys dedicated to what we’re trying to get done will put us in position to win basketball games, I think.
Q. What about style of play?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, it’s hard to say. If I asked you guys, did we post the basketball more than we ran pick-and-roll last year, you would probably say we did. But we didn’t. 53 percent of our play last year was pick-and-roll basketball; 47 percent was posting the basketball. Where the first year we dominated the post with Trayce. I would have been foolish not to utilize him. But we expanded him out on the floor a little bit last year, and he was able to do some things in that area.
I don’t know; I’m still looking at our style of play. I think you still have to mix it up. You’ve got to have post play, and everybody is playing pick-and-roll, which I was accustomed to doing in the pros. It’s nothing new to me.
But only time will tell in terms of our style and where we go with it.
Q. You mentioned the turnover, 10 new faces. Does your experience as an NBA coach with free agency and all that make you better suited to sort of handle the transfer portal era and all the kids coming in and out? Do you think that helps being able to build a team when you’re used to in the NBA having to flip over a roster quicker than college used to be?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, I did it in Atlanta where we flipped that roster within two, three years, and then I can’t sit here and say, look, I’ve got to wait — I don’t want to wait. My clock is ticking. I want everything this year.
But in New York, I did it in one year where we brought in nine players and surrounded Carmelo Anthony with nine different players and was able to go and win the division and get to the second round of the Playoffs. That was a good run for our ballclub.
But I had veteran guys when I did that. I’m dealing with young players now. You have to be patient with a lot of these young guys.
I understand that, but then on the flipside, I’ve got to be myself and I’ve got to coach and push and try to get guys to do things at a higher level than probably they’re used to doing. That’s going to be important moving forward, I think.
Q. Mike, your sophomores, CJ, Kaleb and Malik, just how do you see them attack this off-season, and what steps are you looking for from those guys this season?
MIKE WOODSON: The beauty about this summer, a lot of these guys, they stuck around and they put in the work, especially CJ and Kaleb Banks. I’m expecting more out of them. They’re not freshmen anymore. I need more. We need it as a ballclub.
They’re working in that area. They’ve done some pretty good things this summer for us. But we still as a team, we have a ways to go yet.
Q. Going back to the roster turnover, when you’re in the portal or getting those late recruits like Mackenzie, what type of players did you try to approach and go after this year?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, you’re talking about this summer?
Q. Yeah, throughout the summer and the transfer portal.
MIKE WOODSON: Well, again, I might have told Zach in our interview, listen, when I took this job, I made it clear to my staff that we had to go and recruit the best players, and they were like, damn, you just got here, you just can’t go to the top, and I’m like, why not.
I think we’ve positioned ourselves to be able to sit at the table with all the top players. That’s not to say you’re going to get them, but if you’re not sitting there, then you don’t have an opportunity at all.
Mackenzie kind of stumbled into our hands, which was an amazing story. I mean, I don’t want to get too deep into it, but at the end of the day, his mom gave us an opportunity to recruit him, and once he got here, we were able to close the deal and keep him here.
Same thing with Ware. This is a 7’2″ guy that a lot of teams wanted. But it takes work. My staff, coaching staff, have done a tremendous job of putting me in position to be able to get to the table and sit with these guys and be able to talk Indiana basketball and what I think and how I think they can help us and how I can help them.
Q. You’ve talked in the past about the importance of scheduling tough early in the preseason. You’ve got a lot of new faces this year. How do you expect that gauntlet that you’ve put together in the non-conference to kind of form the team chemistry this year?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, it’s going to put us in position. We have a tough schedule this season. I thought the last two years our schedule was tough.
My thing is it doesn’t matter who you play. If you’re not ready to play and ready to play at a high level, any team in college basketball can beat you. I like competition. That’s just my nature. That’s how I’ve been all my life as a player and coach. You can’t be scared of competition, man, or you’re in the wrong game.
This season is a tough season in terms of scheduling and the teams that we filled it this year to play. But it’s what it is, man. We’ve just got to take it one game at a time and see what happens.
Q. One of the things about when you sit at the table with the best players is when they get here, much like Jalen last year, they might only be here for a year. With a sixth-year point guard this year, do you feel there’s more of a sense of urgency to be really good fast because it’s maybe just one year with this specific group?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, that’s a great question. There’s always urgency on my part. I mean, I want to win now. Yeah, losing Jalen and Trayce, that’s huge. But hell, it gives other guys an opportunity to step up and play and be noticed and make a difference and help your team win basketball games, because that’s what it’s all about.
I mean, I like our players that we’ve landed. It’s on me; I’ve got to coach them up and get them ready to play basketball. That’s what it’s all about.
Q. You mentioned the goals of wanting to win a Big Ten title. From your first two years, what were your observations of the conference and just what will it take for you guys to try to get over that hump and win one?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, again, I thought we put ourselves in pretty good position the last two years. In the tournament we were right there. I just didn’t get them over the hump, man, and that’s something that I live with every day of my life.
Somehow I’ve got to get them over the hump. I’m the coach, and I’ve got to get them over the hump where we can hang another banner in here. I mean, that’s all I think about, man. I don’t think about any — it’s not about me. It’s about these student-athletes that I’ve fielded this year for our ballclub, and I’ve got to try to put them in the best position possible to be successful.
Q. You mentioned X and Trey as two guys who are captains on this team. How have you seen them grow into those roles?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, they’ve earned it. Unfortunately X didn’t get a chance to show what he did the first year last season because of his injury, and make no mistake about it, I say it, you guys probably couldn’t see it and didn’t write about it enough, but losing Xavier Johnson last year was huge for our team. I mean, it hurt us.
We were able to regroup and recover from it, and a lot of that had to do with Jalen and the supporting cast. We just didn’t feel sorry. We got after it in practice and was able to maintain.
X is back this year, and again, like I said, he’s done it a little bit longer than most of the young men that we’ve got on our team, so I expect more. He’s wearing that captain title on his head, so you’ve got to give me more, you’ve got to do more to help us win basketball games, and he will.
Q. Coach, when you look at what Xavier having to sit out, do you feel like he’s hungrier to be back in there or has he picked up right where he left off?
MIKE WOODSON: I think he’s hungry. I’m sure it was the first time he’s ever been hurt where he’s missed practically the whole season, so he’s got to be hungry. This is his last go-around. He can’t come — hell, how many years is this, six years for him? Hell, he’s an old man. Hell, he can’t come back for seven, so he’s got to give us all he can give us this year to make it right.
But I do think he’s hungry, absolutely I do.
Q. It seems like Kel’el Ware has a ton of potential but had an up-and-down freshman season. How do you get him to reach that full potential?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, when I recruited that young man I told him, you cannot go back and get what happened the year before. You can’t. The word is out; they knocked you and said, hey, you’re lazy, you don’t work hard, and if you make a commitment to me, that’s got to change.
I’m not always the easiest coach to play for, but I’m in your corner and I’m fair and I want what’s best for you and my ballclub, and he made the commitment to me, and I’m going to push him to play at a higher level to help us win basketball games.
I can’t think or worry about what happened in Oregon. That’s gone. He’s got to move forward and build a new life here with the Indiana basketball team. That’s what it’s all about to me.
****************IU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL****************
MEDIA DAY
TERI MOREN: Well, it’s an incredible time of year right now. We are very, very excited. We’re about a week and a half out from the official start, although we have had a little bit of an early start from our trip over to Greece this summer in August, which was amazing.
The only athlete that was not with us on that trip was Henna. She was at home in Finland representing her country playing basketball.
Got a really good look at our squad for this upcoming season. Got a lot of very interesting talented pieces. Got some big shoes to fill with the departure of Grace Berger, but very, very confident that we have added some really great pieces in Lenee and Jules and Sharnecce, and so we are just really excited about what’s ahead of us.
Our schedule is incredibly difficult, but that’s how we want it. I’m just happy to be up here with Syd and Sara today for the start of what’s going to be I think an exciting season.
Q. How long did it take you to get over the feeling of disappointment of losing to Miami in the home playoff game when you had such optimistic feelings going into the tournament?
SYDNEY PARRISH: I don’t think we’re over it, and I think that’s kind of going to put us on a good first step into the season because I don’t think you can get over it after the great season we had during the regular season and the postseason.
I really, for me at least, I’m not over it. People still mention it a lot and it kind of hurts. I think that’ll just be another thing that drives us through the season.
Q. What are the biggest things that you were able to take away from that trip to Greece over the summer from a basketball standpoint?
SARA SCALIA: I think, yeah, just helped bring our team together, not only on the court but off the court, too, just spending a lot of time together.
And it was just a good start to be able to play with the team that we’re about to play with this year and just kind of get to know each other more and build that chemistry.
SYDNEY PARRISH: Just going off of Sara, I think it really helped our team chemistry more than anything. Obviously it’s important to play together on the court, but getting really close with the freshmen and the transfers coming in, I think that’s what’s really going to separate us from what we started with last year compared to this year.
Q. Sydney and Sara, women’s basketball, I think it’s eight consecutive 20-win seasons now, five consecutive tournaments, two Sweet 16s, an Elite 8. What’s it been like to be a part of the group that took IU women’s basketball to the national stage, and why do you think it has happened?
SARA SCALIA: I mean, yeah, it’s definitely something like really special to be a part of. What we do here is not like many other schools.
We put in the work to get to where we have been. It’s not just lucky that we win that many games a year.
It’s good to see the work that our team puts in pay off as we go into the season.
SYDNEY PARRISH: Going off of that, I just think that players like Grace Berger and Mackenzie Holmes, they set the foundation and me and Sara came in as transfers last year and I think we’re lucky that our staff and those players built it for us. We just kind of joined the ride last year, so it’s been fun for us to be a part of such a special group and a special program.
Q. For either of you, following on from that, when you bring in transfers, when you bring in obviously accomplished high school recruits, basically what’s the process of helping them understand where the expectation level is when you talk about players that came before who set a foundation and now you’re building on that? How do you pass that on?
SYDNEY PARRISH: I think that our coaching staff does a really good job in the recruiting process, letting them know what our standards are in this program, and they come in knowing what work needs to be put in and what needs to be done on the court and off the court.
I really think it starts from our coaching staff and how they recruit and who they’re recruiting. And I think like Sharnecce, Jules, and Lenee have done an amazing job coming in and already putting in so much hard work. They’re special and they’re a good group to have in this program.
Q. Both of you, second seasons here. How comfortable are you going into this season as opposed to last season, especially after the way things ended last year?
SYDNEY PARRISH: A lot more comfortable this season. We had seven new girls last year come on the team, so I think we’re all just super nervous. We didn’t really know what to expect. We had never played together. We had a lot of injuries last summer.
So this summer just — like going to Greece helps a lot, playing with each other, those extra practices we got, and just getting to know each other more on a personal level. I think we’re a lot more comfortable going into this season, and we’re really excited.
Q. As Sydney said, the focus is always on the end of the season. That’s what lingers. But the vast majority of what this team did last year was positive. How do you build, take that and contextualize that and build on that while also feeding off the hunger a little bit of the end, too?
SARA SCALIA: Yeah, I think just the biggest thing is to just not necessarily be satisfied with how we ended last year, but also realize how much we accomplished. We did a lot of good things last year. We can’t just let one game dictate how well we did throughout the season.
I think just going into this year is just keep doing what we’ve been doing, taking it game by game, and obviously our end goal is to play our best basketball by the end of the year, so we’re going to keep striving towards doing that.
Q. Coming off the season and the career that Mackenzie has already had, how did you see her approach the off-season, and how much do you think she’s capable of this year?
SYDNEY PARRISH: I mean, she is an All-American, so it’s pretty fun to play with an All-American, and she’s just one of the hardest workers I’ve ever played with and been around. She’s always in the gym, whether that’s extra conditioning, extra lifting, extra workouts, making sure her body is healthy, being in the training room.
She definitely is a very, very special player, and I’m just really excited to see how she plays this year with us. We couldn’t be more grateful to have her on the court with us for another year, so thank you, Mackenzie, for coming back.
Q. Sort of a similar question for you, just how progressively you’ve built this program over the last couple years. What, if anything, is different about the way you talk about culture, the way you preach it when there’s no more climbing to do, you are close to the top of the mountain and it’s about staying there and setting yourself there?
TERI MOREN: Well, I think you have to continue to be able to articulate to recruits, prospects, how we got here and what we believe are the standards in our program and why we are to the place that we are.
Syd said it perfectly: You have to find the recruits that are about the things that we value, and that’s the work piece. That’s the character piece. That’s the team piece.
As we all know, in athletics, it’s one thing to build it. It’s another thing to sustain it. Recruiting has changed for us in terms of the talent pool that we’re now recruiting. We’re up against the very best. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
But we still are who we are. We’re the team that has always prided itself in its work ethic. We’re the team that will continue to play with a chip on its shoulder. We’re the team that kind of feels like we still have so much to achieve.
That’s why we are who we are, is because we walk into whether it’s Cook Hall or Assembly Hall every day with this workmanlike attitude that we haven’t achieved anything yet.
That’s what I love about our team and their mindset. They’re still — as we always say, there’s more work to be done.
Q. This time last year you pointed to Chloe Moore-McNeil as a player who was primed to have a breakout season. Curious, at this point is there another player on the team that you think is in a similar position?
TERI MOREN: Yeah, and I was right, right?
That’s a great question. You know, I don’t know. I feel like with the returners that we have, the experience that we have, the vets that we have — here’s what I do know. The three that we brought in, those new kids are going to have to help us, and they’re going to have to grow up quicker than normal.
We usually say by the time that they return from Christmas break you’re no longer freshmen. You’ve got to be wiser and you have to grow up faster.
I think we’re going to need the three of them from the beginning right out of the gates to show up and give us really good minutes, and I think they’re capable of that.
Q. You being a part of that FIBA team that just took home gold, first of all, what was that experience like, and was there anything that you took away from a coaching standpoint watching the overseas games and overseas teams that you want to implement here?
TERI MOREN: Well, being a part of USA Basketball is always a special invite. Anytime you have the opportunity to represent your country, that’s a big deal.
I will say that Madrid, Spain, which was far different from Greece, but nonetheless, they were both still really, really great trips, the trip to Spain was more of a work trip, though.
Yes, in order to go over there and win a gold you’re going to be up against some really great international teams. What I always love about that experience, being on — having to prep and do scouting reports, you pick up a lot of subtle things that they do over there in terms of their spacing, how they play, and you hope that you can come back and put some of those into place with your own team.
But it was a summer of — you always want to get better, just like as a team. As the coach here, I’m always looking for opportunities to get a little bit better. Being over there in Colorado for a week and then certainly in Spain for two weeks served the purpose of me becoming what I hope is a better basketball coach.
Q. When you look back now that you’ve been a little farther removed now at the end of the season, those three close losses you guys had, what do you feel like went wrong for you guys in those late-game situations?
TERI MOREN: I don’t know that I feel — well, a couple different things happened. When we were at Iowa for the end of that, that was a little bit — hindsight is always 20/20, and would you do something differently in terms of schematically. We might have done that.
It was unfortunate Chloe falls down, can’t get to Caitlin quick enough, and she has to shoot one hell of a shot in order to beat us at their place.
Then you fast forward to — I’m going to assume you’re talking about the Big Ten Tournament where Mack gets dinged up in the first round against Michigan State and she’s not the same Mackenzie against Ohio State.
Then we go into the NCAA Tournament with Mackenzie not practicing for 12 days before we play. Even though she doesn’t play in the first round against Tennessee Tech, she plays, starts in the first half, a little bit rusty, had to get her feet, which we knew was going to be the case, but we didn’t get off to a very good start there, either.
You’ve got to give credit where credit is due. Miami came out and punched us pretty good in that first half and we didn’t respond. But we did play from behind. I thought we made it a game. I thought we had a chance there.
It could have easily gone into overtime, but it didn’t.
I think to hear these guys talk about it, it’s something that they remember. It’s something that motivates them.
For me, I think as I’ve gotten older in this game, I think I’m more wise in that one game, those three games don’t define the season that we had. It was incredible.
I don’t want to take anything away from that. You win the first-ever Big Ten championship in 40 years, you get the No. 1 seed, never happened in this program. There’s a lot of things that could have — you might list that did go wrong, but that list of all the things that went right is far greater.
Q. The growth in terms of interest in this program has been exponential over the last few years. I think this year you’re going to more reserved seating. Do your players sense that when you’re out around the community or state, and how much more can it grow?
TERI MOREN: Yeah, it’s interesting how often prior to us going to reserved seating, how often I do get stopped and asked — well, first of all, how much they enjoy watching our program, but then there’s always that follow-up question, what are you going to do with the seating problem, what are you going to do with the parking problem.
As I always tell them, I have a bigger job, and that’s to coach women’s basketball, and I will take their concerns elsewhere.
We’ve done that, and we’re excited that we’ve — I wouldn’t say created problems because I think Scott would tell you that it is not a problem at all to have to have reserved seating and parking for women’s basketball.
But it did become a little bit of an issue because our fans, we try to get down here and warm up, and 90 minutes prior to tip-off there’s a line of people that are trying to hustle down here to get great seats. That to me is a great problem to have.
Yeah, we’re obviously thrilled and we’re grateful that it’s turned into what it’s become. I think I can speak for our entire program, but especially those players that play, there’s nothing like being in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall playing in front of our fans.
Q. Mackenzie has got a real chance to pass Tyra and become the program’s all-time leading scorer. I know most of this answer could depend on team results this year, but what sort of legacy has she built here, and what sort of legacy do you think she can leave behind?
TERI MOREN: Well, to be the first All-American, you can end there, right?
But you know, again, the best part of my job is watching our players come in as freshmen and then watching their transformation or the evolution of them as players and also as people.
So Mack’s has been such a great story in terms of when she came in here and couldn’t give anybody eye contact and she was very shy and timid, and I think it wasn’t until halfway through Big Ten season her freshman year where she started becoming a little bit, not as confident as she is, but a little bit more confident that she could play at this level.
I don’t know in her wildest dreams if she ever thought she could become the All-American that she’s become here, but Syd hit it on the head: You only do that one way and that’s to get in here and do your work every single day.
She and Coach Rhet have continued to — every day, days off, there’s no such thing for Mackenzie.
She should be really proud of herself. I know I’m extremely proud of her, not for the player that she’s become, for the person that she’s become, and how she’s gone about her work.
She’s a pure example of there’s no secret sauce to any of it. It’s what your habits are every single day.
I think her legacy will be one that Grace Berger left us. How you build this is by coming in and wanting to do the work, wanting to be passionate about the work, wanting to be passionate about this place in helping us be successful, and whatever that looks like, whatever it takes, they’ll do.
She has a chance to become the all-time leading scorer. Nobody is going to be cheering for her harder than I will be.
Q. Sydney kind of alluded to it, but is there a sense of unfinished business when it comes to this season after the early exit to the NCAA Tournament?
TERI MOREN: Yeah, I think she answered it for all of us, for all of those players especially. I think Lenee and Jules and Sharnecce certainly weren’t a part of that, but there’s no question with the chemistry and the closeness of this group that they’ve had conversations regarding that.
So that’s okay, for them to — it can’t be all of their motivation, because like I said, I don’t want it to take away from all the other great things that we accomplished a year ago, but certainly if they want to use it for fuel, I’m okay with that.
Q. You’ve got the five banners behind you for men. Obviously IU men have been a leader for years. How you are setting the stage for IU women? What does that mean to you and this program to know that they reach out to you now, that Indiana is one of the leaders when it comes to women’s basketball?
TERI MOREN: Well, I’m extremely grateful. None of it’s done without having a great staff. None of it can be done without having great players and then great support from whether it’s Scott, Maddy, all of it. You know, Lowe, Kevin, our strength and conditioning coach, Ben, our athletic trainer. It takes a small village to do something like we’ve been able to do, and I’m so grateful for all those people.
You know, it’s cool that I can represent us and I can talk about Indiana women’s basketball.
When Coach Rhet and I arrived here nine years ago, it’s hard to believe we’re going into our 10th season, we always said we wanted to — the tradition had always been on the men’s side, and we wanted to build our own tradition.
When people spoke of Indiana basketball, it wasn’t exclusive just to men’s basketball. Anybody that knows me knows that I’m a huge Indiana men’s basketball fan, but one of the goals here was for us to create this excitement in Bloomington, in Indianapolis, in the surrounding areas that people wanted to come and watch Indiana women’s basketball.
So to sit here and be able to say, now that the state of Indiana has two teams that they can be really proud of, it means a lot.
Q. I want to take that one step further. When Mike was talking about his expectations for his team, he was talking about adding a banner and Big Ten championships and all that. It struck me that nothing would be more meaningful than the first banner for women’s basketball. Are you ready to embrace that expectation? Do you feel like the team is ready to embrace that expectation for this season?
TERI MOREN: There’s no question. I said it a year ago I think at Hoosier Hysteria that we wanted one of those back there, and I’ll continue to say it. We’ve been so close.
Anytime that you have the opportunity to get to a Sweet 16, get to an Elite 8, the way we have and you realize it’s just that one game and you’re playing for a Final Four, you’re playing for a National Championship, we’ve tasted it, if you will. We know what it takes to get there.
There’s no question that we have everything we need in order to be able to do that, to win a National Championship.
I think everybody is excited. I think maybe pundits on the outside — Grace Berger, those are some huge shoes to fill, but I still really, really like our pieces. I’ll bet on these guys, knowing what I’ve — by seeing what I’ve been able to see with them inside of practice, I do think we have a chance.
Q. Going through the transfer portal process, what really stood out to you about Sharnecce, her game, who she is as a person?
TERI MOREN: Yeah, I think one of the concerns for us was how do we protect Mack a little bit in terms of her reps. So I think going out and finding a post player that can come in like Sharnecce — obviously she was a terrific player at UT Martin and has the statistics to back some of that up.
But I really feel like we needed to have another post player that can come in and not just help us but take some of those reps away from Mackenzie. I think Mack is back there, she’s not going to like to hear that, but the reason is because we know that the last two years, Mack has battled some injuries down the stretch, and so I’m not going to call it load management, but I will say that we’re going to have to try to protect Mack as well as we can in practices, long practices.
This is a long season, and a lot of those reps are going to be going to Sharnecce.
I think you’re going to see a young lady in Sharnecce that’s going to continue to improve inside of our program and really, really help us.
But great kid. She and Chloe played summer ball together, so good friends there. Another kid from the Tennessee area.
So we’re excited. She has a tremendous upside to her.
Q. Asking about another player specifically, Yarden, obviously a really good freshman season. Maybe sometimes it felt like with all the experienced talent around her, maybe people didn’t give her enough attention. How have you challenged her to push herself on this season where when you’ve got someone that has scored, rebounded, shot the ball like she did as a freshman, where do you tell her, let’s grow this area of your game next?
TERI MOREN: Well, I think one of the particular areas, and she’s been working with AP a lot in her player development is she obviously shot the ball, as you mentioned, at a really high clip. But I want to be able to utilize her like we utilized Grace Berger, as a post.
There was often times that we felt good about the matchup that Grace had on her, and we had play calls that would send Grace to the low block, play with her back to the basket.
We feel like we can do some unique things because she’s a big guard and put her in positions with her back to the basket and not always revert back to her little fadeaway, that international fadeaway that she brought with her from Israel.
We want her to play with more moxie, play with more tenacity, and as we call it in our practices, put people in the basket, which means you play through contact, you score, you get yourself to the free-throw line.
That’s really been — this summer, that, her conditioning, her strength. When she showed up in Greece, I felt like she had gotten taller, but it wasn’t that her height changed. Her shoulders had changed. She filled out in her shoulders.
So Kevin and her trainer over in Israel stayed in contact those couple months that she was back there, so she’s really filled out shoulder-wise. She’s still shooting the ball really well.
I like to be able to be creative with her, like I said, with her back to the basket a little bit more where she can take advantage of her size.
Q. We talked last year about how there was excitement about the group that was coming in but just some questions just because there were so many new pieces. Now it’s not that way. There are fewer new pieces. How much more comfortable are you guys going into the season and knowing that you can continue building upon what you did last season?
TERI MOREN: Yeah, I think Syd hit it on the head again. Anytime you can take international trips the way we did, it just helps with those new kids. When Lenee and Jules and Sharnecce, they already understood the work piece, but just the time that you can spend together and getting to another one another. There’s not just a real not just camaraderie, but just a chemistry. This is a group that really enjoys being around each other.
We just had a recruit in over the weekend, and it’s not often that — they left my house to go and I think get ice cream or do something. It’s not often that you have your entire team do that. It’s usually the host and maybe two or three other teammates. But the entire team went.
That’s unusual, especially when you have some older kids like we have with Mack. Mack is a fifth year. She’s been here forever, but Mack has always wanted to be a part of the process, recruiting process for us.
I think that’s where it starts. There’s a specialness that this group has that they really, really enjoy one another. Doing this as long as I have, that will translate on to the floor. Teams that like each other seem to be teams that play well with one another.
********************PURDUE FOOTBALL*********************
GAME 4 PREP: BOILERS HOST BADGERS FOR FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – With non-conference games in the books, Purdue Football begins Big Ten play with a Friday night matchup under the lights of Ross-Ade Stadium. The Boilermakers host Wisconsin in the first conference game under head coach Ryan Walters. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on FS1.
QUICK HITS
• In 135 seasons of Purdue Football, the Boilermakers have never hosted a Big Ten opponent on a Friday. This week’s contest will be the 13th Friday game in school history.
• Purdue and Wisconsin have split the all-time matchups in September, winning three times apiece.
• Purdue is in the middle of a three-game homestand, as four of the Boilermakers’ five September games are at home.
• The Boilermakers began the 2022 campaign 1-2 before winning seven of their next nine games and claiming the Big Ten West outright.
• The Purdue defense has forced an interception in seven straight games, dating back to last season’s win over Illinois (Nov. 12, 2022).
• Purdue’s Air Raid offense makes a Big Ten-best 24 completions per game and ranks second in passing offense with 275.0 yards per game.
• Purdue has had a different leading receiver in all three games this season: Deion Burks vs. Fresno State (152 yards), Max Klare at Virginia Tech (64 yards), Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen vs. Syracuse (114 yards).
• Freshman Dillon Thieneman leads the nation in solo tackles per game (8.7) alongside Wisconsin’s Hunter Wohler.
TIME FOR B1G FOOTBALL
• Purdue enters conference play as the reigning Big Ten West champions, capturing the division title for the first time in school history in 2022.
• The Boilermakers have posted a 6-3 conference record each of the past two years, winning six B1G games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1997 and 1998 under Joe Tiller.
• The 12 Big Ten wins over the past two seasons are tied for the most in the West division alongside Iowa, while ranking third throughout the conference behind Michigan (17) and Ohio State (16).
• Purdue has won two of the past three conference openers (24-20 win over Iowa in 2020, 13-9 win over Illinois in 2021).
A DAUNTING SCHEDULE
• The Boilermakers wrapped up a difficult non-conference slate. After facing a Fresno State team that has won 12 straight games dating back to last season followed by a road trip to Lane Stadium to battle Virginia Tech, Purdue squared off against an ACC opponent for the second consecutive week in Syracuse.
• Fresno State and Syracuse remain unbeaten on the season with both teams sitting at 3-0 and outscoring their opposition a combined 250-93 (176-38 not including Purdue).
• Purdue was one of only five Power 5 teams to play non-conference games against Power 5 opponents in back-to-back weeks (Colorado, Pitt, Utah, Virginia Tech).
• In conference play, Purdue faces a pair of opponents who made the College Football Playoff last season; the Boilermakers host Ohio State (Oct. 14) and travel to Michigan (Nov. 4).
HONORARY CAPTAIN
• Mel Gray (1982-83) will serve as Purdue’s honorary captain for Friday night’s contest.
• In two seasons starting at tailback for the Boilermakers, Gray rushed for 1,765 yards to rank 18th in program history. He found the end zone 14 times on the ground, tied for the 14th most by a Boilermaker.
• As a member of the Detroit Lions (1989-94), Gray was a three-time First Team All-Pro and played in four Pro Bowls as a return specialist.
• Over his 12-year NFL career (169 games), he tallied more than 13,000 return yards (10,250 kicking, 2,753 punting) and produced nine touchdown returns.
• Gray also owns the third-most rushing yards in a game against Wisconsin by a Boilermaker, when he ran for 180 yards in 1982. That mark is still tied for 22nd in Purdue single-game history.
OPPONENT SNAPSHOT
• Wisconsin enters B1G play and Friday night’s matchup with a 2-1 record with a road loss at Washington State (31-22) sandwiched in between home victories over Buffalo (38-17) and Georgia Southern (31-22).
• The Badgers are a perfect 12-for-12 in the red zone this season, nine of the opportunities resulting in touchdowns.
• Wisconsin tops the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns (10) and yards per carry (5.71) with Chez Mellusi (267 yards, 6.7 ypc, 4 TDs) and Braelon Allen (255 yards, 7.1 ypc, 4 TDs) leading the ground attack.
• Junior safety Hunter Wohler averages 8.7 solo tackles per game to tie for the nation’s best alongside Purdue freshman Dillon Thieneman.
• Luke Fickell is in his first season as Wisconsin’s head coach after spending the past six seasons at Cincinnati.
MAMA, THERE GOES THAT THIENEMAN
• In just his first three games of his career, Dillon Thieneman has already become a leader on the Boilermaker defense.
• The Westfield, Indiana, native leads the nation in solo tackles, averaging 8.7 per game. Thieneman’s 31 tackles are more than double his nearest teammate and rank fourth in the Big Ten (14th nationally).
• He became the first freshman in school history to record an interception in each of his first two games, his two INTs ranking ninth nationally and pacing the Big Ten alongside fellow Boilermaker Cam Allen.
• Thieneman has led Purdue in tackles in all three games (10 vs. Fresno State, 7 at Virginia Tech, 14 vs. Syracuse), while becoming the first Purdue freshman to record multiple double-digit tackle games since Ja’Whaun Bentley (New England Patriots) in 2014.
• His first career INT marked just the third time since 1996 that a Purdue true freshman made an interception in their debut (1999 – James Dunnigan vs. UCF, 2016 – Josh Hayes vs. Eastern Kentucky).
• Thieneman earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors following his first collegiate game.
OPENING DRIVES
• The Boilermakers have been successful on their opening drives this season, racking up 218 yards with three red zone appearances and a pair of touchdowns.
• Hudson Card is 11-of-13 for 183 yards and a touchdown, hitting seven different receivers.
• Purdue drove 92 yards on the first drive of 2023, capped off by an 84-yard pass from Card to Deion Burks.
• Starting the game against Virginia Tech, the Boilermakers marched 75 yards down the field; Card completed 4-of-6 passes for 54 yards, while Devin Mockobee rushed three times for 21 yards with a 15-yard touchdown run serving as the exclamation point.
• The Boilermakers got the ball inside the 5-yard line against Syracuse before getting stopped on fourth down.
ALLEN SOARING UP THE INT CHARTS
• With interceptions in each of the past two games, senior safety Cam Allen continues to soar up Purdue’s all-time INT list.
• The Bluefield, Virginia, native hauled in his first INT of the season at Virginia Tech, helping the Boilermakers beat the Hokies in his return to his home state.
• Allen intercepted a pass versus Syracuse, the 12th of his career, to move into solo third in Purdue history and one away from Ricard Allen in second with 13.
• He passed several Boilermakers who recorded 11 career interceptions: Rod Woodson, Adrian Beasley, Jimmy Young, Marc Foster, Don Anderson and Bob Corby.
NO. 2 BECOMES A NO. 1 TARGET
• Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen recorded 127 receiving yards through his first three seasons as a Boilermaker, but he has become a primary target for quarterback Hudson Card.
• Yaseen has made 18 catches for 218 yards through the first three games of the season to eclipse his career total entering the 2023 campaign.
• He leads the Big Ten with 6.0 receptions per game.
• Yaseen recorded his first double-digit reception and 100-yard receiving game against Syracuse, setting career highs with 10 catches for 114 yards to pace the Purdue receiving corps.
*******************PURDUE WOMEN’S SOCCER***************
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Purdue soccer team begins a two-game roadtrip on the east coast with a matchup at Maryland on Thursday, September 21, at 7 p.m. ET, at Ludwig Field in College Park, Maryland.
The game will be broadcast live on B1G+, and live stats are available at UMTerps.com. Updates from College Park also can be found by following and connecting with @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
The second weekend of Big Ten competition begins as both Purdue and Maryland are coming off defeats to top-20 opponents. The Boilermakers suffered a 1-0 loss to No. 18 Northwestern in a hard-fought matchup at Folk Field, while the Terrapins opened conference play with a 4-0 loss at No. 6 Penn State. Purdue heads to Maryland with a 3-6-0 record, 0-1-0 in the Big Ten, with an 0-2-0 mark on the road.
The Boilermakers have scored 15 goals with 18 assists for 48 points on 107 shots and 47 shots on target. Eight of Purdue’s 15 goals have come from different players, and four of those are first career goals. The Old Gold and Black have allowed 15 goals on 88 shots, 42 on goal.
Sophomore forward Kayla Budish leads the team with eight points, and she and junior forward/midfielder Gracie Dunaway share the team lead of three goals. Dunaway also paces the squad with 22 shots and is second on the team with six points, along with senior midfielder Emily Mathews and junior forward Megan Hutchinson. Mathews has a team-leading four assists, and freshman forward Lauren Omholt’s 11 shots on goal is the best on the team. In goal, senior Charlotte Cyr has made 26 saves with a 1.79 goals-against average and a .34 save percentage.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
Maryland owns a 3-2-4 record and a 0-1-0 mark in Big Ten play after a 4-0 loss at No. 6 Penn State on September 15. That defeat snapped a three-game win streak, with two wins at home to improve the Terrapins’ record at Ludwig field to 2-0-1. UMD’s streak featured triumphs vs. Towson (1-0) and George Mason (2-0) and at Binghamton (1-0).
The Terps have scored nine goals with four assists on 114 shots, 54 on goal. Maryland has allowed 10 goals with 10 assists on 86 shots, 35 on target. Ava Morales leads the team with three goals and six points, while Lisa McIntyre is second with five points and shares the team lead with 19 shots. In goal, Liz Beardsley has played every minute and has made 25 saves for a .714 save percentage with a 1.11 goals-against average.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE TERRAPINS
Purdue is 4-3-0 in the all-time series against Maryland and 1-2-0 in College Park. The Boilermakers visit Ludwig Field for the first time since 2019 when they suffered a 2-1 loss. That’s also how the series began, in 2014 at UMD, and Purdue’s only other trip to Maryland was a 2-1 win in double overtime in 2015. The two teams most recently squared off a year ago at Folk Field, where the Terps earned a 3-1 win to conclude the 2022 season. Budish scored for the home side in the matchup, assisted by Mathews.
LAST TIME OUT: EDGED IN HARD-FOUGHT BIG TEN OPENER
In a tightly-contested battle to open Big Ten play, Purdue was edged by No. 18 Northwestern 1-0 on September 17 at Folk Field. The Boilermakers played right with the 18th-ranked and unbeaten Wildcats for the duration of the 90-minute contest, but a goal in the 57th minute proved to be the difference. NU’s score came after a red card was shown to Purdue to set up the goal-scoring free kick.
The Boilermakers played the final 34 minutes down a player but continued to fight for chances and earn opportunities up until the final whistle. Purdue out-shot Northwestern 10-9, and both teams had three shots on goal. The Boilermakers held a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks while NU had 11 fouls called against them to the home side’s 10. Two yellow cards also were issued to the Wildcats.
Omholt had a game-high-tying three shots, with a game-best two shots on target. Mathews and Dunaway each recorded two shots, with one of Mathews’ going on goal. Cyr and sophomore goalkeeper Kailey Kimball each made one save, and NU’s keeper stopped all three shots she faced.
Prior to the game, Purdue recognized its senior class of Cyr, Mathews, Zoie Allen, Kelsi Carrico, Lauren Holleran, Callie Ingram, Nicole Kevdzija and Victoria Kevdzija. At halftime, Boilermaker soccer alumnae were honored on the field to cap the Alumnae Reunion Weekend.
A complete recap from the game is available at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
UP NEXT: WEEKEND OUT EAST CONCLUDES IN NEW JERSEY
Purdue’s weekend on the east coast wraps up at Rutgers on September 24. Kickoff in Piscataway, New Jersey, is at 1 p.m. ET.
******************PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL***************
BOILERMAKERS, EDEY RANKED HIGH IN THE ALMANAC PRESEASON POLLS
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – One of the top publications on college basketball, the Almanac, has ranked Purdue No. 3 in its preseason poll released online today.
In addition, the publication named senior center Zach Edey the preseason National Player of the Year in addition to being a first-team All-American. It also ranked Fletcher Loyer No. 100 on its list of top-100 players.
The preseason publication, created by the Field of 68 contingent, Heat Check Basketball, 3 Man Weave and Verbal Commits, is regarded one of the top preseason publications on the market.
The Boilermakers are ranked in the top three in almost every early top-25 poll, which mostly features the trio of Purdue, Kansas and Duke in some order. The Boilermakers went 29-6 a year ago, won the Big Ten regular-season title by three games, won the Big Ten Tournament and was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Purdue was ranked No. 1 in the country for a nation’s-best seven weeks a year ago.
Head coach Matt Painter welcomes back all five starters, returning almost 90 percent of its production while also welcoming in four highly-regarded newcomers (Myles Colvin, Will Berg, Camden Heide, Lance Jones).
Related to the top-25, Purdue will face No. 4 Michigan State, No. 11 Gonzaga, No. 13 Arizona and No. 20 Alabama during the regular season, with possible games against No. 2 Kansas, No. 7 Marquette and No. 9 Tennessee and an exhibition game against No. 21 Arkansas.
Meanwhile, Edey was named the publication’s preseason National Player of the Year, returning for his senior season after a dominant junior campaign. Edey won all six National Player of the Year awards, winning the Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, The Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA), Associated Press (AP) National Player of the Year, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Player of the Year and The Sporting News National Player of the Year. In addition, he has won the Pete Newell Big Man of the Year Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation’s top center.
Edey is looking to become the first consensus, back-to-back NPOY since UCLA’s Bill Walton in 1971-72 and 1972-73. Ralph Sampson was named in three years from 1981 to 1983, but was only consensus in 1982.
He was named a 2023 first-team All-American by every outlet and in June was named a finalist for the top Male College Athlete ESPY award by ESPN. He was also a finalist for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award, presented to the nation’s top amateur athlete.
Edey became the first Boilermaker since Glenn Robinson in 1994 to win National Player of the Year accolades. He is also the fifth Big Ten Player in the last 14 years to be named National Player of the Year joining Evan Turner (2010), Trey Burke (2013), Frank Kaminsky (2015) and Luka Garza (2021) as National Players of the Year.
Edey earned Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year after a remarkable junior season at Purdue. He was named a consensus first-team All-American, the second straight season that Purdue has had a consensus All-American (Jaden Ivey, 2022), after averaging 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists per game.
He became the first player in NCAA history (since blocks became an official NCAA stat) to record at least 750 points, 400 rebounds, 70 blocks and 50 assists in a season, ranking sixth nationally in scoring, second in rebounds, 19th in blocked shots and 21st in field goal percentage (.607), the only player in the NCAA database to rank in the top 25 of all four categories in the same season.
He finished the season ranking sixth on Purdue’s single-season chart for points (757), first in rebounds (438), fifth in field goals made (290), 14th in field goal percentage (.607), first in dunks (76) and second in double-doubles (27).
He has scored in double-figures in 51 straight games, the longest streak in the country, and fourth-longest streak in school history.
For his career, Edey has scored 1,533 points with 847 rebounds, 148 blocks and 106 assists, shooting almost 62 percent from the field.
Meanwhile, sophomore Fletcher Loyer was ranked No. 100 on The Almanac’s list of top-100 players after a solid freshman campaign. Loyer was second on the team in scoring (11.0 PPG) and his 59 made 3-pointers were the third most by a freshman in school history.
Loyer was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times, tying a Purdue school record, while being selected as the Big Ten Player of the Week on Jan. 16, after pouring in a career-high 27 points with a freshman-record six 3-pointers against Nebraska.
******************BUTLER VOLLEYBALL**********************
BUTLERVB FALLS IN BIG EAST OPENER AGAINST XAVIER 3-0
INDIANAPOLIS — The Butler volleyball team lost in a three-set battle against Xavier (25-23, 25-22, 25-21) during the BIG EAST Opener. The Bulldogs were neck-in-neck with the Musketeers throughout all three sets, but ultimately dropped to 6-6 on the season and 0-1 in conference play.
Set 1: Xavier 25-23
The Musketeers began the first set on top gaining an early 7-4 lead. Butler responded with two 3-0 spurts to take a 12-11 lead using kills from Mariah Grunze and Destiny Cherry. Xavier then fought back with four straight points to regain the lead at 17-14. A serving ace from Jaymeson Kinley helped the Bulldogs rally back to tie the score at 18-18. A kill from Cherry helped keep Butler alive at 23-23, but the Musketeers would ultimately score on the last two points to win the set. Cora Taylor led the set with 10 assists and five digs.
Set 2: Xavier 25-22
The momentum in the second set started in the Bulldogs’ favor after they took a 5-3 lead using another kill from Cherry. A 5-0 run by Xavier helped flip the score to give them an 8-5 lead and the Musketeers would then slowly extend their lead to 17-11. Butler wasn’t ready to give up that easily, using a 5-0 spurt with kills from Grunze and Cherry to crawl back to within one point at 22-21. Xavier then woke up eventually closing out the set 25-22.
Set 3: Xavier 25-21
The Bulldogs fell behind early in the third frame after Xavier took a 4-1 lead. Butler then charged back to take a 10-7 lead using kills from Sawyer Jones and Grace Boggess. The Musketeers hung around and soon took back the lead at 16-15. Consecutive kills from Abby Maesch helped Butler recapture the lead at 17-16. Xavier followed that up by taking an insurmountable lead at 18-17 eventually closing out the third set on a 3-0 run to clinch the match.
Stat of the Match
Jaymeson Kinley jumped to fourth on the Butler all-time career digs list after her career total reached 1,688 digs. Kinley totaled a match-high 17 digs (5.67 digs per set).
Inside the Box Score
Taylor earned her fourth double-double of the season totaling 30 assists and 12 digs.
Kinley finished with 17 digs and a serving ace.
Grunze led the match with 12 kills and six digs.
Cherry hit for a match-high .667 average with six kills and no errors.
Boggess tallied seven kills and a solo block.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will return to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Friday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. against nationally ranked Creighton to conclude the first week of the BIG EAST competition inside.
******************BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER*****************
BULLDOGS OPEN BIG EAST PLAY ON ROAD AT (RV) XAVIER
The Butler women’s soccer team opens BIG EAST competition on Thursday evening, traveling to (rv) Xavier for a 7pm kickoff. The Bulldogs (4-4-1, 0-0-0 BIG EAST) are coming off a 4-0 win over Ball State, while the Musketeers (7-2-0, 0-0-0 BIG EAST) most recently defeated Rice, 4-2
Bulldog Bits
(as of 9/17/23)
With seven goals, Norah Jacomen it tied for the lead in the BIG EAST and ranks 20th nationally. Her 15 offensive points ranks second in the conference (32nd), and her shot accuracy (.583) ranks fourth (86th).
Talia Sommer’s four assists rank second in the BIG EAST and 50th nationally, and her 10 points are fourth in the conference.
Norah Jacomen was selected BIG EAST Freshman of the Week for the second week in a row after her performance vs. Ball State. Alexei Whittaker and goalkeeper Addie Marshall were named to the Weekly Honor Roll.
Butler is 1-2 against ranked or receiving-votes opponents this season. The Bulldogs lost (0-3) to RV Virginia Tech, lost (1-4) to No. 12 Notre Dame, and won (2-1) vs. No. 25 TCU.
Teams on the remaining schedule that are currently ranked or receiving votes are (rv) Xavier (Sept. 21) and No. 17 Georgetown (Oct. 22).
vs. Ball State
Norah Jacomen scored her sixth and seventh goals of the season.
Alexei Whittaker’s second and third goals of the season give her a career-total of three.
Talia Sommer’s two assists give her four for the season and eight for her career.
Alana Wood’s assist was her first of the season and the fourth of her career.
Leila Lister’s assist was a career first.
Emily O’Malley’s assist was her second of the season and the second of her career.
Aliya Diagne’s assist was her first of the season and the fifth of her career.
Addie Marshall saw her first collegiate appearance, first start, and first win, and first shutout in goal for Butler.
The Matchup
SERIES RECORD: Butler leads, 13-10-4
PREVIOUS MEETING: Sept. 22, 2022 – Indianapolis – Xavier 1, Butler 0
Xavier has won three of the last four contests, from 2019-2022.
Butler’s last win (4-0) was March 14, 2021, in Indianapolis.
The teams played two scoreless double-overtime matches in 2017 and 2018.
Butler won five straight matches from 2012-2016.
Scouting (rv) Xavier
Previous match: at Rice W, 4-2
In addition to Rice, notable wins for Xavier include: Louisville (2-0), Saint Louis (1-0), and Pitt (2-1). The Musketeers lost to Illinois (1-0) and Lamar (1-0).
Individual Statistics
Offensive standouts for Xavier include:
#17 Samantha Wiehe (4g, 2a)
#4 Shelby Sallee (4g)
#5 Kennedy Clark (2g, 3a)
#7 Regan Dancer (2g, 1a)
#2 Jane Olcott (4a)
#19 Sonia Vargas (2g)
#1 Maria Galley (7-2-0) is the primary keeper for the Musketeers. She has allowed 6 goals (.68 GAA) and has made 32 saves (.842 SV%).
*****************BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL*******************
LET THE #MACTION BEGIN; WVB HOSTS CENTRAL MICHIGAN
THIS WEEK IN BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL: It is the first week of Mid-American Conference play for the Ball State women’s volleyball team which hosts Central Michigan for a two-match series inside Worthen Arena … The action begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, with fans encouraged to wear red as the Cardinals look to RED OUT the Chippewas … The teams will battle again Friday at 6 p.m. in the series finale.
FOLLOW THE ACTION: Fans unable to make their way to Worthen Arena, can follow the action with live stats for both matches courtesy of Ball State athletics … In addition, both matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and SL Digital radio … Updates from the matches will also be provided on the team’s X feed: @BallStateWVB.
BALL STATE ALL-TIME: In its 52nd season of play, Ball State boasts a 998-641-2 (.609) all-time record in women’s volleyball … The Cardinals have captured 12 MAC West Division Championships, 10 MAC Regular Season Championships and eight MAC Volleyball Championship titles … Ball State has made 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including three of the last four seasons … BSU has also earned one bid into the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
IN #MACTION: Ball State concluded the 2022 regular season as the winningest program in league play with a 433-215 (.668) all-time Mid-American Conference record … Western Michigan is second on the list, seven matches behind the Cardinals at 426-222 (.657) … Central Michigan enters the week in seventh at 323-326 (.498).
THE WORTHEN FACTOR: The Cardinals own an even better record when playing at home, boasting a 309-96 (.763) mark inside Worthen Arena after the Ball State Invitational (Aug. 25-26) … Looking at just opponents from the MAC, Ball State is 226-58 (.796) when battling in Worthen Arena … Overall, no MAC opponent owns a winning record inside Worthen Arena, as the Cardinals have at least a .632 winning percentage against all league schools on its current home floor.
MAC PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATION: For the second straight season, the Ball State women’s volleyball program was selected to repeat at the Mid-American Conference West Division champion in the league’s annual preseason poll … The Cardinals received 61 points and 11 of the 12 first-place votes to win the division … Western Michigan was second with one first place vote and 43 points … In addition, the Cardinals received five votes to win the MAC Tournament which will be hosted by the league’s top seed … Bowling Green was selected to win the MAC East Division and earned six votes to win the tournament.
PRESEASON HONORS: In addition to the team being picked to win the MAC West Division, fifth-year middle Marie Plitt and junior setter Megan Wielonski have been named to the preseason All-MAC team … Both were first team all-conference selections in each of the past two seasons, with Wielonski earning 2021 MAC Freshman of the Year honors and 2022 MAC Setter of the Year accolades.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES: Ball State holds a 52-37 lead in the all-time series versus Central Michigan including a 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-22) victory over the Chippewas in the semifinals of the 2023 MAC Volleyball Championship played in Worthen Arena on Nov. 21 … CMU did win the two regular season meetings between the teams last season, played Sept. 23-24 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan … Overall, Ball State holds a 29-14 edge in matches played in Muncie, including a 25-6 edge in matches played in Worthen Arena … Ball State has won the last three meetings on its home floor, with CMU’s last win in Muncie coming March 20, 2021 by a score of 3-1 (25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 25-20).
SCOUTING BALL STATE:
• The Cardinals closed its pre-conference slate with a 3-0 sweep of East Tennessee State last Saturday … The win snapped a seven-match losing streak in which the Cardinals battled some of the nation’s top teams, including three programs (No. 11 Creighton, No. 23 Dayton and No. 25 Western Kentucky) currently inside the Top 25 of the AVCA/Taraflex Coaches Poll.
• Ball State enters the CMU series as one of the nation’s top blocking programs, ranking second in the MAC and 90th nationally with a 2.25 blocks-per-set average … Senior middle Lauren Gilliland leads the way, ranking sixth in the league at 0.92 block per set, while Marie Plitt is 10th at 0.88.
• On the attacking front, redshirt freshman Aniya Kennedy leads the squad and is ninth in the league with a 3.18 kills-per-set average … Plitt is BSU’s top attacker by percentage, boasting a .316 hitting percentage which is sixth in the league.
SCOUTING CENTRAL MICHIGAN:
• The Chippewas enter the week with a 6-6 overall record after going 1-2 at last weekend’s Capital Credit Union Classic hosted by Green Bay … CMU scored a 3-0 sweep over the host Phoenix, while being swept by Saint Thomas (MN) and South Dakota.
• Central Michigan is one of the nation’s top serving teams, ranking second in the MAC and 26th nationally with a 2.00 aces-per-set average … CMU has served up 98 total aces on the year which ranks 12th nationally, led by 26 aces from Devon Bright which puts her eighth nationally at 0.65 aces per set.
• The Chippewas have a balanced offensive attack with eight players averaging at least 1.40 kills per set, paced by Krystina Kasson at 2.66 … Claire Ammeraal has set the CMU offense to a .207 hitting percentage and owns one of the league’s three triple doubles so far this season with 11 kills, 13 digs and 52 assists in a 3-2 win over Missouri State (Sept. 10).
BALL STATE QUICK HITS:
• After playing its last eight matches on the road, the Cardinals welcome a stop at Worthen Arena this week as Ball State is 28-3 at home over the last three seasons … In fact, BSU has won its last 18 MAC regular season home matches, with its last regular season MAC home loss coming to the Chippewas March 20, 2021.
• Marie Plitt has picked up right where she left off last season, leading the squad with a .316 (83-16-212) attack percentage so far this season … Her best effort came in the win over Purdue Fort Wayne (Aug. 26) when she smashed 10 kills on 12 swings with one error for a .750 attacking mark … Plitt also hit .500 in the season opener versus Gonzaga (Aug. 25) and has hit .500-or-better in 29 career matches … Last time out, Plitt hit .467 (7-0-15) to help lead the Cardinals to a 3-0 win over ETSU (Sept. 16) to help her earn a spot on the Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic All-Tournament Team.
• Thanks to her solid start to the year, Marie Plitt enters Mid-American Conference play ranked third on Ball State’s all-time list with a .349 career hitting percentage … Plitt has steadily improved each year, hitting .295 as a freshman, .316 as a sophomore, .360 as a junior and a Ball State single season record .404 last year … She is the first player in program history to hit .400-or-above in a single season.
• In addition, Plitt became just the 13th player in program history to reach 1,000 career kills with her first of 10 markers in last season’s NCAA Tournament opening round match at No. 16 Marquette … With 1092 career kills, Plitt needs 43 more to break into the top 10 in program history, with Mindy Stanley (1993-96) currently ranking 10th at 1,135.
• Fifth-year defensive specialist Havyn Gates has served as Ball State’s starting libero in 10 of BSU’s 11 matches so far this season, and has now started in the off-colored jersey 15 times in her Ball State career … She was credited with a season-high 26 digs in the near upset at No. 20 Creighton (Sept. 1) and followed with 22 versus UNI (Sept. 2), giving her 26 career matches with 20-or-more digs … Gates’ Ball State career-high is 33 digs in the five-set thriller at Central Michigan (Sept. 24, 2022) … Gates, who registered 42 digs in a match as a freshman at Indiana Wesleyan in 2019, has 1,906 career digs including 782 in her three seasons at BSU and 1,124 over her two-year career at IWU.
• Megan Wielonski, who currently ranks seventh in program history with 3,121 career assists, has proven to be one of the nation’s elite setters … In fact, her 3,121 career assists currently rank 19th among all active NCAA Division I players … As a freshman, she finished the 2021 season ranked second nationally with 1,394 total assists … Her sophomore campaign saw her ranked fourth nationally with 1,358 total assists in 2022 … 11 matches into the 2023 season and Wielonski is 99th nationally with 368 total assists.
• In addition to being one of the nation’s top setters, Megan Wielonski is one of the country’s top servers with 116 career aces … As a freshman, she ranked eighth among all NCAA Division I players with 58 aces, including a career-high seven vs. Ohio (Sept. 30, 2021) … Her 58 aces in 2021 tied as the sixth most in a single season in Ball State history and were a single season record for a BSU setter, topping Amber Seaman’s total of 51 in 2018 … Last season, she ranked 55th nationally with 46 service aces, while she has a team-leading 12 aces so far this season.
• Madison Buckley has made a big impact so far this season, ranking second on the squad with a 2.48 kills-per-set average … Her biggest match so far came at No. 20 Creighton (Sept. 1) when she smashed a career-high 14 kills, a mark she later tied versus UIC (Sept. 9) … Buckley started the year with 10 kills in the win over Gonzaga (Aug. 25), her first career match in double figures, and added a team-high 13 kills at Western Kentucky (Sept. 15).
• Aniya Kennedy enters the CMU series as one of the league’s top attackers, ranking ninth in the MAC with her team-leading 3.18 kills-per-set average … She has smashed double-digit kills in six matches, while leading the team in kills in five matches … Kennedy’s best match came versus UNI (Sept. 2) when she smashed a career-high 16 kills, the most for a Ball State student-athlete in a match so far this season and a mark she tied last Saturday versus ETSU.
• Aniya Kennedy became the first Ball State student-athlete to earn league weekly honors this season when she was named the MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week after the Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic … Kennedy finished the weekend leading all MAC West Division attackers with a 3.71 kills-per-set average, smashing double-digit kills in both of Ball State’s matches … She also hit an impressive .267 (26-10-60) for the week.
• In addition to leading the squad with a 3.18 kills-per-set average, Aniya Kennedy has been one of Ball State’s most efficient attackers, ranking second among BSU’s regulars with a .236 hitting percentage … She led Ball State with a .375 (13-4-24) rate of success versus LSU (Sept. 3), while posting a .467 (9-2-15) effort in the win over Purdue Fort Wayne (Aug. 26) … Kennedy added a career-best .556 (16-1-27) hitting percentage last time out versus ETSU (Sept. 16).
• Lauren Gilliland has been a force at the net so far this season, leading the squad and ranking sixth in the MAC with a 0.92 blocks-per-set average … She has collected 24 total blocks on the year, including a team-best six solo blocks … Gilliland is second among active Cardinals with 319 career blocks, trailing only Marie Plitt’s 370 … Plitt’s total is tied for sixth in program history, as she climbed three spots with her eight total blocks at the Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic, while Gilliland ranks 15th.
****************NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER****************
GAME 9 – AT #16 DUKE
DURHAM, N.C. – Soaring high after a dominant start to ACC play, the No. 10 ranked Notre Dame women’s soccer squad (5-1-2, 1-0-0) will have a major road test this week. Up first, a ranked showdown in Durham on Thursday night with the No. 16 Blue Devils (5-2-0, 1-0-0). That match will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on ACCNX.
Last season, Notre Dame ended the regular season with Duke with a share of the regular-season title on the line. The two sides battled to a 2-2 draw with Korbin Albert scoring both goals.
ANOTHER ACC SEASON UPON US
Since Notre Dame joined the ACC in 2013, the Irish are 59-34-9 in conference games. Their .623 winning percentage in conference games ranks 4th amongst ACC schools. A season ago, the Irish earned a three-seed in the ACC Tournament. This year, the Irish were predicted to finish fourth in the league.
In addition, Notre Dame tied its most-ever All-ACC selections with five.
RECENT MOVES PAYING DIVIDENDS
Coach Norman has experimented with his lineup as of late and recent moves are paying offensive dividends. First off, Maddie Mercado has played more of an attacking center mid instead of forward. She has now scored three times over the last four games. Mercado leads the team in scoring with four goals and 10 points.
Another move was moving Kristina Lynch from right-wing to forward. Lynch has now scored a goal in back-to-back games and boasts three on the season.
TRENDING
Notre Dame ranks 19th in the country and 4th in the ACC in shots per game with 19.0. Maddie Mercado leads the Irish in this category with 3.6 shots per game, which ranks 34th in the nation and 2nd in the league.
The team is averaging 2.4 goals per match, which is what they averaged a year ago. Last year’s 2.4 goals per match was the highest since 2008.
The Irish have scored multiple goals in every game this season except its 1-0 loss to Michigan. Notre Dame has secured back-to-back games scoring three goals.
ASSIST LEADER – LEAH KLENKE
Leah Klenke has become the main cog that runs the Notre Dame offense. Klenke leads the team with five assists, which ranks 23rd nationally and third in the league.
Klenke recorded her first multi-assist performance with two against Wake Forest in the ACC opener on Sept. 15.
A GLANCE AT THE DEFENSE THIS YEAR
An interesting case study for Notre Dame’s defensive unit this season. They are only allowing 2.6 shots on goal per match thus far – a lower mark than last year (3.0); however, teams are making the most of their minimal opportunities. The Irish have allowed eight goals through eight matches aka 1.0 goal per match – a higher rate than last year’s 0.7 per match.
The Irish have earned two shutouts this season.
TURNED A “CORNER” THIS SEASON
You can say the Irish have turned a corner in 2023 in terms of scoring off of set pieces, specifically corner kicks. Last season, the Irish ranked 1st in the ACC in corners per game (6.4), but only had three goals to show for the 146 total corners taken.
This year has been quite a different story. Out of 51 corners taken, the Irish have scored four goals — two from Gaetino, one from Fisher and one from Ospeck.
Now add in a goal scored off of a free kick from Mercado and the Irish have scored five set-piece goals out of their 19 total goals on the year.
GOAL SCORERS FROM ALL OVER
Currently, five players have three goals or more. In total, eight different Irish have found the back of the net this season.
All-in-all, the Irish have tallied 19 goals on the year. Last season, 47 of the team’s 56 goals came from Albert, Wingate, Mercado and Van Zanten.
*****************PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S SOCCER************
MASTODONS PUT UNBEATEN LEAGUE RECORD TO TEST WITH CLEVELAND STATE AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer team will welcome Cleveland State and travel to Northern Kentucky this week for a pair of Horizon League matches.
Game Day Information (Thursday)
Who: Cleveland State Vikings
When: Thursday, September 21 | 7 PM
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Tickets: FREE!
Match Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Cleveland State
Game Day Information (Sunday)
Who: Northern Kentucky Norse
When: Sunday, September 24 | 1 PM
Where: Highland Heights, Ky. | NKU Soccer Stadium
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Match Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Northern Kentucky
Know Your Foes
• Cleveland State is 3-5-1 and 0-1-1 to start the Horizon League slate. The Vikings are coming off a 2-2 tie at IUPUI after a 2-1 loss against Milwaukee. Erica Leinweber has a team-high four goals this season. Liv Fain has spent the majority of the season between the sticks, allowing 16 goals in 745 minutes.
• Northern Kentucky is 3-2-4 this season with an 0-1-1 start to Horizon League action. The Norse tied IUPUI at home, then fell at Youngstown State. They will travel to Oakland, who tied with the Mastodons, before welcoming the ‘Dons. NKU has had nine different players score a goal, with Kylie Anderson leading the way with three.
Series Histories
• Cleveland State holds a narrow advantage in the all-time series 4-3-1. The Mastodons and Vikings are even over the last three games 1-1-1. Bella Reitano scored in last year’s 1-1 draw.
• Northern Kentucky is up 6-2 in the series against the Mastodons, dating back to the Mastodons’ first season in 1999. The ‘Dons have never won at NKU. Gigi Ricciardi scored the game-winning goal last season.
Home Sweet Hefner!
Purdue Fort Wayne is unbeaten at home since October 27, 2021. In that time, they are 9-0-5 at the Hefner Soccer Complex. It is the longest home unbeaten streak in program history.
A New Attendance Record
The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer program set a new all-time attendance record on September 14 when Robert Morris visited the Hefner Soccer Complex. It was the fourth annual Party at the Pitch, which garnered a record attendance of 1,014.
Defend The Fort
Samantha Castaneda is 32nd in the country among goalkeepers with four shutouts to her name. This mark ties her for the most in the Horizon League. She is also top-50 nationally with a 0.843 save percentage and 43 saves.
No Goals For You
Purdue Fort Wayne had a 350:16 stretch without giving up a goal from August 25-September 7. It was the most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal in program history, topping a 297-minute stretch in 2013.
Give Me Some Mo
Morgan Reitano is a top-10 goal scorer in program history.
1. Kristin Macdonald – 25 (2000-03)
2. Lisa Underwood – 23 (2009-11)
3. Shacina Hersey – 21 (2000-03)
4. Anika Apar – 18 (2004-06)
5. Tara O’Toole – 16 (2008-11)
6. Lindsay Williamson – 13 (2002-05)
7. Morgan Reitano – 11 (2019-23)
Kristin Mahoney – 11 (2003-04)
Last Time Out
Purdue Fort Wayne picked up a point for the Horizon League table with a 1-1 draw at Oakland.
Coming Up
The Mastodons will return home for a Horizon League contest against Youngstown State on September 30.
******************EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER****************
WOMEN’S SOCCER HOSTS VALPARAISO THURSDAY ON “GIRL SCOUT NIGHT”
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women’s soccer team will return home briefly on Thursday night to host reigning Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Valparaiso on “Girl Scout Night at UE.” Kick-off is set for 6 p.m. and anyone involved in the Girl Scouts of Southwest Indiana can get $3.00 tickets, with the chance of purchasing special scout patches for just $2.00.
For Evansville, Thursday’s match will be the only home match in UE’s first four Valley games, as the Purple Aces opened MVC play last Friday with a 1-1 draw at Illinois State. Sophomore forward Amy Velazquez (Avon, Ind./Avon) scored her first career goal in the 82nd minute last Friday, and the UE defense limited Illinois State to just four shots on goal to earn the draw. Defense has been UE’s calling card so far this year, as the Purple Aces have surrendered just seven goals through the first seven matches, and they have limited the opposition to just a 37.6 percent shot accuracy so far.
Valparaiso will play its first Valley match of the year on Thursday night, after going 4-2-2 in non-conference play. Junior forward Addy Joiner currently leads the Beacons’ attack with five goals, as she ranks second in the MVC in goals scored. Joiner earned first-team all-MVC honors a year ago at striker, and she helped Valparaiso earn the regular-season Valley crown with a league-best seven regular-season goals.
All-time, Evansville leads the series 11-5-4 over Valparaiso. All-time in MVC play, UE leads the series 6-3-2. Evansville and Valparaiso have played just twice in Evansville since the Beacons returned to the MVC in the sport of women’s soccer in 2017, with the Purple Aces posting a 1-0 win in 2018 and the two teams playing to a 0-0 draw in the COVID spring season of 2021. Valparaiso has not won in Evansville since the 2004 season.
Thursday’s match can be seen live on ESPN+.
**************SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER**************
WOMEN’S SOCCER GEARS UP FOR LITTLE ROCK AND OVC PLAY
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer begins the Ohio Valley Conference season against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Thursday. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.
Southern Indiana (1-5-3) heads into OVC play with momentum, carrying a three-match unbeaten streak into Thursday’s contest. The Screaming Eagles are 1-0-2 in the last three games, including a 1-1 tie last time out at the University of Kansas City last Thursday in the non-conference finale.
In the battle against the Roos, USI was tested. Despite being outshot by Kansas City 28-12 overall and 10-3 in shots on goal, USI fought hard on the defensive end to keep it a low-scoring match. The Eagles scored first in the 1-1 draw. With just over a minute before halftime, sophomore forward Payton Seymour (Louisville, Kentucky) scored her first career goal. The Roos tied the match midway into the second half.
Coming off the match against Kansas City, USI had two players recognized with OVC Player of the Week accolades on Tuesday. Sophomore defender Charli Grafton (Sunriver, Oregon) was named OVC co-Defensive Player of the Week. In the centerback position, Grafton won 70 percent of her defensive duels and 100 percent of aerial duels. Plus, Grafton had nine clearances, eight interceptions, three blocked shots, and a 70 percent distribution rate out of the back in a full 90 minutes against Kansas City. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Anna Markland (Hoover, Alabama) was named OVC co-Goalkeeper of the Week for the second consecutive week. On her toes from the opening kickoff against Kansas City, Markland made a career-best nine saves. The netminder was strong in facing 28 shots by the Roos, the most shot attempts the Screaming Eagles have seen this season.
On the season, freshman forward Pilar Torres (Chula Vista, California) leads USI with a pair of goals and 13 shot attempts. Sophomore midfielder Peyton Murphy (Bargersville, Indiana) has 11 shots. Torres is tied for third in the Ohio Valley Conference in shots, while Murphy is inside the top 10. Between the posts, Markland is second in the OVC with a 1.27 GAA and fifth with 36 saves. As a team, USI is first in the OVC with a 1.22 GAA and third with 80 shots. The Screaming Eagles are top-100 in the nation in shot accuracy at 50 percent.
Thursday’s match against Little Rock will be the second all-time meeting between the two schools. USI will be looking for a little revenge, as Little Rock captured the first meeting last season with a 1-0 win on USI’s field. The Trojans came away with the victory after scoring the game-winning goal with less than three minutes left in the match. The Trojans’ sophomore midfielder Amaya Arias scored the game-winner.
Little Rock is 3-2-4 overall and 0-1-0 in conference action. The Trojans kicked off their conference slate on Sunday, suffering a 1-0 loss to Morehead State University. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak and an unbeaten streak of five matches. In a defensive contest that featured a combined 12 shots, Morehead State scored it’s the game’s only goal in the 42nd minute. Arias led the Trojans with three shots.
The Trojans have scored 13 goals this season at a rate of 1.44 goals scored per game. Little Rock also averages 10.8 shots per outing while placing over 52 percent of shots on target. Senior midfielder Karina De Paoli paces Little Rock with four goals and eight points in 2023. Sophomore defender Colleen Gilliland and freshman forward Emily Jensen have each found the back of the net twice this season. Jensen’s 12 shots are second on the team behind Arias’ 16 shots. In goal, playing time has been split between graduate keeper Marie Cimatti and sophomore keeper Peyton Urban. Cimatti has made four starts, including last time out against Morehead State, and has posted a 1.75 GAA with 15 saves. Urban has started five matches, posting a 1.40 GAA with 26 saves.
The matchup in Little Rock on Thursday can be with a subscription to ESPN+. Additional coverage links are on the USI Women’s Soccer schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
****************VALPO VOLLEYBALL**********************
VOLLEYBALL OPENS MVC PLAY WITH TRIO OF HOME MATCHES
Valparaiso (8-5, 0-0 MVC)
Friday, Sept. 22 – Missouri State (6-6, 0-0 MVC) – 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 23 – Southern Illinois (8-3, 0-0 MVC) – 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 26 – UIC (9-4, 0-0 MVC) – 6 p.m.
Next Up For Valpo Volleyball: Missouri Valley Conference play opens up for the Valpo volleyball team with a flurry of home matches at the ARC, as the Beacons take the floor three times in a five-day span.
The MVC slate kicks off against Missouri State Friday evening, with head coach Carin Avery being honored prior to the match in recognition of her breaking Valpo Athletics’ all-time wins record last weekend. Homecoming festivities continue Saturday night against Southern Illinois, with the 20-year reunion of the 2003 team which won the Mid-Continent Conference regular season and tournament titles. The stretch of matches closes Tuesday evening against UIC.
Previously: Valpo went 2-1 in its final nonconference tournament of the season at the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational, falling in four sets to SIUE before rebounding with decisive sweeps of both Miami (Ohio) and Purdue Fort Wayne.
Looking Ahead: The always challenging Valley schedule continues next weekend with the first road trip of conference play, as the Beacons head to UNI and Drake.
Following the Beacons: All three matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Links for the live video and live stats are available via ValpoAthletics.com.
Head Coach Carin Avery: In her 22nd season as head coach at Valparaiso, Carin Avery has won 479 matches (479-233, .673) at the helm of the program and has led Valpo to three league regular season and tournament titles. The program has made seven postseason appearances under Avery, including three NCAA Tournament appearances, and advanced to the championship match of the 2021 NIVC. A two-time Mid-Con Coach of the Year, Avery has coached 60 All-League recipients over her tenure at Valpo, which has spanned three different conferences. She is Valpo’s all-time leader in both victories and winning percentage, and owns a 534-257 (.675) record overall as a head coach.
Series History: Missouri State – The Bears hold a 10-4 advantage in the all-time series, including an 8-4 mark since Valpo joined the Valley. Last season, MSU earned a 3-0 win in Springfield in the lone meeting between the two sides – a matchup which two Valpo regulars missed due to illness. Emma Hickey had a match-high 22 digs in that contest.
Southern Illinois – Valpo is 9-5 all-time against the Salukis, including a commanding 9-2 series lead since joining the Valley. The Beacons have won the last four in the series, including a four-set win in Carbondale in last season’s lone meeting. Valpo outblocked SIU 13-2 in that win, highlighted by seven rejections apiece by Miranda Strongman and Gretchen Kuckkan.
UIC – Valpo owns a 31-27 overall record against the most-common opponent in program history and is a commanding 22-8 against the Flames under Coach Avery. But it was UIC which earned victories in all three meetings last season in the two programs’ first matchups as MVC foes.
Scouting the Opposition: Missouri State – The Bears come into MVC play with a 6-6 overall record, most recently taking two of three at their home tournament last weekend with wins over Lindenwood and Western Illinois and a loss to Arkansas State. Azyah Green leads the team in both hitting percentage (.291) and blocks/set (1.02), while Teagan Polcovich averages a team-best 4.91 digs/set.
Southern Illinois – The Salukis enter the weekend with an 8-3 overall record and own the best nonconference winning percentage in the Valley. SIU won both of its matches in the Saluki Invitational last weekend, taking down UT Martin and Oakland. Nataly Garcia averages a team-high 3.15 kills/set, while Imany Hartfield hits at a .384 clip.
UIC – The Flames, who will also take on MSU and SIU before Tuesday’s match, are 9-4 through nonconference action, including wins over Northwestern and Loyola and a loss to DePaul last weekend. Martina Delucchi boasts 3.64 kills/set and Ayat Amin 3.28 kills/set, while Becca Oldendorf hits at a .460 clip – 11th nationally – with 2.29 kills/set.
Valpo Picked Sixth in Preseason Poll: Valpo has been picked to finish in sixth place in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2023, according to preseason polling of the conference’s head coaches. The Beacons accumulated 73 points in the polling to come in at sixth position, outpacing Illinois State by two points. UNI claimed seven of 12 first-place votes and nipped Drake by two points for the top spot in the poll.
Looking Back at Last Season: The Beacons enjoyed another successful season in 2022, finishing the campaign with a 22-11 overall record. Valpo posted a 9-9 mark in MVC play to finish in sixth place in the newly-expanded 12-team conference and won a match at the MVC Tournament for its fourth straight appearance. The Beacons earned an at-large bid to the 2022 NIVC, their third showing in the tournament in the last five seasons. After a record-setting rookie campaign, freshman libero Emma Hickey was named a Second Team All-MVC and MVC All-Freshman Team honoree.
What’s Back: Valpo returns plenty of experience from last year’s squad, as 11 letterwinners are back this year, including four starters plus the libero. In all, 98% of the assists, 89.3% of the digs, 62.7% of the blocks and 60.9% of the kills from last season are back in 2023.
Who’s New: Joining the 11 returnees on this year’s team are six players looking to make an impact in their first season as Valpo. The sextet includes four true freshmen and two transfers – one fifth-year grad transfer and one sophomore.
Top of the Charts: With Valpo’s win over Purdue Fort Wayne to close out last weekend’s action, head coach Carin Avery owns 479 wins at the helm of the Valpo volleyball program, surpassing Valpo Athletics Hall of Fame member Emory Bauer for the most wins by a Valpo head coach across all sports in department history.
Bauer amassed his victories over three different sports, collecting 361 wins in 28 seasons as head coach of the baseball program, 109 victories in 22 years guiding the football team and eight wins in one season as men’s basketball head coach.
Avery’s record total, meanwhile, has obviously come all at the helm of the Valpo volleyball program. In her 22nd season as head coach, Avery’s teams have averaged better than 22 wins per year in her first 21 years guiding the program. Valpo has finished with a winning record 19 times and has posted 20 or more victories 17 times. Under Avery, Valpo has posted the six winningest seasons in program history, including a program-best 29 wins in 2004.
Celebrating the 2003 Team: Saturday night’s match will feature the 20-year reunion of the 2003 Valpo squad. The 2003 team posted a 27-8 overall record, setting a then-program record for wins in a season, and won the program’s first outright Mid-Continent Conference regular season title with a 13-1 Mid-Con record. They went on to win the Mid-Con Tournament as well and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. That year’s team featured three major Mid-Con award winners – Cyndi Norman, Setter of the Year; Sara Silcox, Defensive Player of the Year; Carin Avery, Coach of the Year.
Back Home Again: Valpo returns home to the ARC this weekend for the first time since Sept. 2, looking to defend the home court as it has done so well over the past few years. With wins in their first three home matches this season, the Beacons are now 29-9 at the ARC since the start of the spring 2021 season – good for a .763 winning percentage.
All-Tournament Team Honorees: Six different Valpo players combined for nine All-Tournament Team selections in the season’s first four weekends:
Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational – Emma Hickey, Mallory Januski
Stacheville Challenge – Januski, Miranda Strongman
Popcorn Classic – Bella Ravotto (MVP), Olivia Blackketter, Januski
EIU Volleyball Invitational – Strongman, Sam Warren
Three Times the Fun: Parse the above list and you’ll see senior middle Mallory Januski picking up a trio of All-Tournament Team honors this season. It is the first time a Valpo player has earned spots on three All-Tournament teams in the same season since Allison Ketcham did so in 2018. But, one of Ketcham’s honors came in the postseason at the MVC Tournament – Januski is the first Valpo player in the Carin Avery era to receive three All-Tournament Team spots from solely early-season, preconference tournaments.
Swinging Away: Januski has been on an absolute tear on the attack recently for the Beacons. At last weekend’s Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational, the senior led Valpo with 27 kills on just 50 swings, hitting at a .480 clip – highlighted by 10 kills on .643 hitting in the sweep of Miami. Over Valpo’s last eight matches, Januski has hit at least .350 in seven of them, putting down 70 kills on .459 hitting over those seven contests with a kill percentage of 51.9%. Januski smashed Valpo’s single-season hitting percentage last year at .353 and is outpacing that mark this year, entering Valley play swinging at a .385 clip – good for second among MVC players.
Yahtzee, Again: It might not have been as dramatic as the first time she accomplished the feat this year, but fifth-year middle Miranda Strongman made her mark on Valpo’s record book yet again as she posted five service aces in a single match for the second time this season, doing so again Sept. 16 versus Miami. That mark again ties the program record for aces in a match in the 25-point era, making her one of just three players with multiple five-ace matches in this era, joining Ariel Cudney and Rachel Bruinsma. The first time Strongman tallied five aces this year, all of them came in a six-point span to close out a sweep of ULM Aug. 26.
Chasing Milestones: A pair of Beacons are closing in on back-row milestones as MVC play begins. After tallying 55 digs last weekend at the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational, sophomore libero Emma Hickey owns 937 career digs, leaving her 63 away from becoming the 24th player in Valpo volleyball history with 1,000 career digs. Meanwhile, fifth-year outside Bella Ravotto is up to 1,423 digs for her career – a mark which ranks 35th among active D-I players – and is just 53 digs shy of cracking Valpo’s career top-10 in the category.
A Balanced Attack: Last year’s Valpo team was notable for its balance on the attack, and this year’s squad has been no different. Bella Ravotto’s 2.47 kills/set leads the Beacons, but ranks just 24th overall among Valley players. Five regulars are averaging between 1.77 and 2.47 kills/set through the season’s first 13 matches.
Capturing Crowns: The Beacons’ triumph in the Popcorn Classic added yet another crown to the program’s trophy case. Valpo has now won 34 in-season tournament titles in head coach Carin Avery’s time at the helm of the program. The team has won at least one tournament in 17 of her seasons, and multiple tournaments 11 times. Those tournament titles have come in 14 different states.
Another 20-Win Campaign: It’s a milestone that has become routine for the program, yet still impressive in its totality – Valpo finished with 22 wins in 2022 and has now won 20 or more matches in 17 of Carin Avery’s 21 seasons as head coach. Even more remarkably, one of the four seasons Valpo didn’t reach 20 wins was the shortened spring 2021 campaign, when the program played just 20 matches total. The Beacons also secured their 19th winning season in Avery’s 21 seasons at the helm.
Top Half Finishes:
Top Half Finishes: In addition to the 20-win season, the Beacons also secured a top-half finish in the MVC standings as they finished in sixth place in the 12-team conference. Valpo has now finished in the top-half of the Valley standings in each of its six years in the conference, the only MVC program to accomplish that feat – Illinois State had finished top-half each of the last five years, but dropped out of the top-six in 2022. Going back further, Valpo has posted top-half conference finishes in 20 of Avery’s 21 seasons – as well as qualifying for the conference tournament in each of her 21 seasons – and 29 of the last 30 years overall.
Digging Deep: Valpo continued its long tradition of strong back row play last fall, finishing 10th nationally and leading the MVC with 17.27 digs/set. The program has ranked among the top-30 nationally in digs/set in each of the last 12 seasons, highlighted by the 2017 campaign in which it led the nation with 20.03 digs/set. Other top finishes include third nationally in the spring 2021 season (20.37/set), a fourth-place rank in 2010 and a sixth-place finish in 2015. Since the move to 25-point scoring, only seven teams have averaged more than 20 digs/set over the course of a season, and Valpo is the only program to have done it twice. 2018 saw Valpo lead the nation with 2,613 total digs – a mark which set a program single-season record and a Division I record in the 25-point era.
Hickey Sets New Standards: Emma Hickey made an immediate impact on Valpo’s backcourt and the record books in her rookie season. She set Valpo and MVC freshman record for digs in a season, finishing with 735 total digs, and led the Valley and ranked fourth nationally with 5.70 digs/set. No D-I freshman was within 200 digs of her season total, while it was tied for the second-most digs by a D-I freshman in the last 12 seasons. Her 735 digs are tied for fourth overall on Valpo’s single-season chart and rank sixth in MVC history as well.
Januski Runs the Middle: Senior middle Mallory Januski bided her time behind a pair of All-Conference middles in her first two seasons at Valpo, but given the opportunity in 2022 to run with a starting role, Januski took full advantage. She led Valpo and ranked fourth in the Valley with a .353 hitting percentage, a mark which smashed the program’s single-season record. Januski also ranked seventh in the Valley with 0.98 blocks/set, tallying 122 total blocks — seventh-most by a Valpo player in the 25-point era. That total includes a monster 13-block performance at Murray State, a program record for the 25-point era.
******************MARIAN VOLLEYBALL*******************
HIGH-OCTANE OFFENSE PACES MARIAN’S SWEEP OVER NO. 15 BETHEL
INDIANAPOLIS – Paced by an efficient offense and strong defensive presence, the Marian volleyball team won its third consecutive match Wednesday night with a sweep of No. 15 Bethel University. Marian improves to 10-5 overall on the season and 4-1 in Crossroads League play with the upset win, claiming their fifth win over Bethel in the last five meetings.
Marian owned the tempo in both the first and second sets, starting the night by opening the game on a 4-0 run. The lead quickly jumped to nine for Marian as the attackers got loose, while a block from Madison Brooks and Averi Lanman helped the early scoring surge. Bethel would chip back within two points, however a run fueled by kills from Khori Dryden and Gabby Fish gave the Knights the momentum, as the lead bounced from two to eight. The home advantage would grow to nine by set’s end, as Fish and Dryden put down the final kills to complete the 25-16 set one victory.
Mikayla Christiansen helped Marian set the tempo in the second set, as the first-year Knight was the attacking force early on with a pair of kills in a 5-2 opening sprint. Bethel would claw back to get within one point as the set moved past 20 rallies, but Dryden and Nicole Wilkinson helped keep Marian in front. After a timeout with the Knights leading 12-9, Marian continued to hold strong, trading points but never losing the lead. Marian won the race to 20 points as an error helped increase their cushion, and set the tone in the final stretch as Katie Hardegree won the second set with a service ace, completing the 25-20 win.
Leading 2-0 in the match, the Knights let off the gas in the third set, allowing the Pilots to lead much of the early stages in the set. Marian took their first lead of the game at 10-9 on a block from Jaymison Summers and Madison Brooks, but were unable to keep control as Bethel flirted with the lead. The set continued to go back and forth until the final stages, with the third set coming to a deadlock 17 times in total. With the score tied 24-24, Marian took the first set point on a kill from Fish, but an attack error prolonged the game. Dryden made up for an error and put Marian at match point, with the freshman getting set by Brooks for the winning kill. Dryden’s 13th and final kill of the game gave Marian the 27-25 win, securing the sweep on the Pilots.
Dryden’s 13 kills were good for a match-high, while Fish posted 11 kills and a .417 hitting percentage. Brooks finished with nine kills in the win, and Christiansen had eight.
Marian’s defense was led by 16 digs for libero
Emma Lyons
Emma Lyons, while Lanman and Brooks each had four total blocks. Logan Smith led the Knights’ setters with 20 assists while Hardegree posted 18.
Marian will have a quick turnaround as they look to continue their winning streak, hosting Grace College on Friday night at 7 p.m.
****************SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS***************
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
******MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STANDINGS*******
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Y-Baltimore | 93 | 56 | .624 | – | 45 – 30 | 48 – 26 | 30 – 18 | 20 – 8 | 19 – 10 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| Y-Tampa Bay | 92 | 59 | .609 | 2 | 50 – 25 | 42 – 34 | 26 – 18 | 23 – 9 | 16 – 13 | 7 – 3 | L 2 |
| Toronto | 83 | 67 | .553 | 10.5 | 41 – 34 | 42 – 33 | 15 – 25 | 22 – 10 | 16 – 16 | 6 – 4 | W 3 |
| NY Yankees | 76 | 74 | .507 | 17.5 | 39 – 36 | 37 – 38 | 19 – 27 | 17 – 12 | 19 – 13 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Boston | 74 | 76 | .493 | 19.5 | 38 – 38 | 36 – 38 | 22 – 24 | 18 – 11 | 14 – 15 | 2 – 8 | L 4 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 79 | 71 | .527 | – | 43 – 32 | 36 – 39 | 13 – 19 | 29 – 23 | 16 – 10 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Cleveland | 72 | 78 | .480 | 7 | 39 – 36 | 33 – 42 | 14 – 14 | 22 – 24 | 17 – 15 | 5 – 5 | W 3 |
| Detroit | 70 | 79 | .470 | 8.5 | 32 – 43 | 38 – 36 | 7 – 25 | 30 – 16 | 13 – 15 | 7 – 3 | W 4 |
| Chi White Sox | 57 | 93 | .380 | 22 | 30 – 45 | 27 – 48 | 9 – 19 | 23 – 29 | 12 – 21 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| Kansas City | 48 | 102 | .320 | 31 | 28 – 47 | 20 – 55 | 7 – 23 | 17 – 29 | 8 – 20 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Houston | 84 | 66 | .560 | – | 38 – 37 | 46 – 29 | 15 – 15 | 14 – 14 | 30 – 19 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Texas | 82 | 67 | .550 | 1.5 | 45 – 30 | 37 – 37 | 18 – 11 | 19 – 13 | 23 – 19 | 6 – 4 | L 3 |
| Seattle | 81 | 68 | .544 | 2.5 | 41 – 33 | 40 – 35 | 13 – 18 | 20 – 13 | 26 – 13 | 3 – 7 | L 3 |
| LA Angels | 68 | 82 | .453 | 16 | 35 – 40 | 33 – 42 | 13 – 16 | 17 – 12 | 19 – 27 | 4 – 6 | L 5 |
| Oakland | 46 | 103 | .309 | 37.5 | 24 – 50 | 22 – 53 | 8 – 24 | 11 – 14 | 13 – 33 | 4 – 6 | L 4 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| X-Atlanta | 96 | 53 | .644 | – | 47 – 25 | 49 – 28 | 30 – 12 | 19 – 9 | 21 – 12 | 5 – 5 | L 3 |
| Philadelphia | 81 | 68 | .544 | 15 | 43 – 31 | 38 – 37 | 18 – 24 | 17 – 11 | 18 – 15 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| Miami | 78 | 72 | .520 | 18.5 | 43 – 32 | 35 – 40 | 24 – 22 | 14 – 13 | 14 – 17 | 6 – 4 | W 3 |
| NY Mets | 69 | 80 | .463 | 27 | 39 – 36 | 30 – 44 | 19 – 20 | 13 – 19 | 18 – 14 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Washington | 66 | 84 | .440 | 30.5 | 31 – 43 | 35 – 41 | 16 – 29 | 14 – 19 | 15 – 16 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Milwaukee | 84 | 65 | .564 | – | 45 – 30 | 39 – 35 | 17 – 12 | 26 – 16 | 13 – 19 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| Chi Cubs | 78 | 72 | .520 | 6.5 | 41 – 34 | 37 – 38 | 11 – 17 | 28 – 18 | 14 – 16 | 2 – 8 | L 5 |
| Cincinnati | 78 | 73 | .517 | 7 | 36 – 39 | 42 – 34 | 15 – 17 | 19 – 27 | 18 – 14 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Pittsburgh | 70 | 80 | .467 | 14.5 | 38 – 40 | 32 – 40 | 14 – 13 | 21 – 25 | 16 – 15 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| St. Louis | 66 | 83 | .443 | 18 | 32 – 42 | 34 – 41 | 14 – 18 | 17 – 25 | 12 – 17 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| X-LA Dodgers | 91 | 57 | .615 | – | 48 – 26 | 43 – 31 | 17 – 14 | 19 – 14 | 27 – 14 | 7 – 3 | W 3 |
| Arizona | 79 | 72 | .523 | 13.5 | 41 – 35 | 38 – 37 | 14 – 18 | 20 – 12 | 27 – 23 | 6 – 4 | W 3 |
| San Francisco | 76 | 74 | .507 | 16 | 43 – 32 | 33 – 42 | 13 – 18 | 20 – 13 | 23 – 17 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| San Diego | 72 | 78 | .480 | 20 | 39 – 36 | 33 – 42 | 16 – 16 | 9 – 20 | 22 – 24 | 6 – 4 | W 4 |
| Colorado | 56 | 93 | .376 | 35.5 | 34 – 40 | 22 – 53 | 14 – 20 | 13 – 14 | 12 – 33 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
X – Clinched Division, Y – Clinched Playoff Spot
***********WILD CARD STANDINGS***************
| AL Wild Card Standings | |||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Last 10 | Streak | |
| Y-Tampa Bay | 92 | 59 | .609 | +9.0 | 50-25 | 42-34 | 7-3 | L 2 | |
| Toronto | 83 | 67 | .553 | +0.5 | 41-34 | 42-33 | 6-4 | W 3 | |
| Texas | 82 | 67 | .550 | – | 45-30 | 37-37 | 6-4 | L 3 | |
| Seattle | 81 | 68 | .544 | 1.0 | 41-33 | 40-35 | 3-7 | L 3 | |
| NY Yankees | 76 | 74 | .507 | 6.5 | 39-36 | 37-38 | 6-4 | L 1 | |
| Boston | 74 | 76 | .493 | 8.5 | 38-38 | 36-38 | 2-8 | L 4 | |
| Cleveland | 72 | 78 | .480 | 10.5 | 39-36 | 33-42 | 5-5 | W 3 | |
| Detroit | 70 | 79 | .470 | 12.0 | 32-43 | 38-36 | 7-3 | W 4 | |
| LA Angels | 68 | 82 | .453 | 14.5 | 35-40 | 33-42 | 4-6 | L 5 | |
| Chi White Sox | 57 | 93 | .380 | 25.5 | 30-45 | 27-48 | 3-7 | L 1 | |
| Kansas City | 48 | 102 | .320 | 34.5 | 28-47 | 20-55 | 4-6 | L 1 | |
| Oakland | 46 | 103 | .309 | 36.0 | 24-50 | 22-53 | 4-6 | L 4 |
| NL Wild Card Standings | |||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Last 10 | Streak | |
| Philadelphia | 81 | 68 | .544 | +3.5 | 43-31 | 38-37 | 4-6 | L 1 | |
| Arizona | 79 | 72 | .523 | +0.5 | 41-35 | 38-37 | 6-4 | W 3 | |
| Miami | 78 | 72 | .520 | – | 43-32 | 35-40 | 6-4 | W 3 | |
| Chi Cubs | 78 | 72 | .520 | – | 41-34 | 37-38 | 2-8 | L 5 | |
| Cincinnati | 78 | 73 | .517 | 0.5 | 36-39 | 42-34 | 5-5 | L 1 | |
| San Francisco | 76 | 74 | .507 | 2.0 | 43-32 | 33-42 | 6-4 | W 1 | |
| San Diego | 72 | 78 | .480 | 6.0 | 39-36 | 33-42 | 6-4 | W 4 | |
| Pittsburgh | 70 | 80 | .467 | 8.0 | 38-40 | 32-40 | 5-5 | W 1 | |
| NY Mets | 69 | 80 | .463 | 8.5 | 39-36 | 30-44 | 5-5 | W 1 | |
| St. Louis | 66 | 83 | .443 | 11.5 | 32-42 | 34-41 | 5-5 | W 1 | |
| Washington | 66 | 84 | .440 | 12.0 | 31-43 | 35-41 | 3-7 | W 1 | |
| Colorado | 56 | 93 | .376 | 21.5 | 34-40 | 22-53 | 5-5 | L 1 |
Y – Clinched Playoff Spot
*************NFL STANDINGS************
| American Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Miami Dolphins | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 60 | 51 | 0-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| New York Jets | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 32 | 46 | 1-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Buffalo Bills | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 54 | 32 | 1-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 W | |
| New England Patriots | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 2.0 | 37 | 49 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Las Vegas Raiders | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 27 | 54 | 0-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 37 | 30 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 58 | 63 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 2 L | |
| Denver Broncos | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 49 | 52 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 L | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Baltimore Ravens | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 52 | 33 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 33 | 52 | 1-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Cleveland Browns | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 46 | 29 | 1-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 2.0 | 27 | 51 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 2 L | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 40 | 38 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Indianapolis Colts | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 52 | 51 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Tennessee Titans | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 42 | 40 | 1-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Houston Texans | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 29 | 56 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 L | |
| National Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Dallas Cowboys | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 70 | 10 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 59 | 48 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Washington Commanders | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 55 | 49 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 2 W | |
| New York Giants | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 31 | 68 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 W | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 60 | 30 | 0-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 53 | 43 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 50 | 61 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 2.0 | 44 | 51 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 2 L | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Green Bay Packers | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 62 | 45 | 0-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Detroit Lions | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 52 | 57 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 45 | 54 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 2 L | |
| Chicago Bears | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 37 | 65 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 L | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Atlanta Falcons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 49 | 34 | 2-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| New Orleans Saints | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 36 | 32 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 47 | 34 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 2.0 | 27 | 44 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 2 L | |
X – Clinched Playoff Spot, Y – Clinched Division, Z – Clinched Home Field Advantage
***********TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY************
1892 John Clarkson becomes the fifth pitcher in major league history to record his 300th victory when the Spiders beat the Pirates, 3-2, at Cleveland’s League Park. The 31-year-old right-hander will compile a 328-178 record during his 12-year Hall of Fame career in the big leagues.
1896 Connie Mack announces he is leaving the Pirates to manage the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers of the Western League. The light-hitting catcher retires as a full-time player to accept the deal, including twenty-five percent of the club, a precursor to his 54-year reign as the American League A’s owner.
1925 Barney Friberg catches an inning in a 9-7 loss against Pittsburgh, the only position on the field the Phillies utility man hadn’t yet played this season. Ripley’s Believe or Not highlights his achievement in its syndicated cartoon.
1934 “If I’da known he was gonna throw one, I’da thrown one, too.” – DIZZY DEAN, after his brother tosses a no-hitter in the nightcap of a doubleheader.
In the second game of a twin bill at Ebbets Field, 22-year-old Cardinal hurler Paul Dean, called Daffy by his teammates, becomes the fifth rookie to throw a no-hitter, beating the Dodgers, 3-0. His brother Dizzy held Brooklyn hitless until the eighth inning in the opener, settling for a two-hitter in the team’s 13-0 blanking of the Bums.
1941 The Giants become the first major league team to start four Jewish players when Harry Danning (C), Harry Feldman (P), Morrie Arnovich (LF), and Sid Gordon (CF) take the field at the Polo Grounds. The game also marks the first time a Jewish pitcher and a Jewish catcher form the battery when 30-year-old backstop Danning calls the pitches for 21-year-old rookie right-hander Feldman, who is making his second big league start.
1947 W8XCT, the station to become known as WLWT, carries the first televised Reds’ game. An estimated home audience of 10,000 viewers watches their hometown heroes lose to the Pirates in the Sunday afternoon contest at Crosley Field, 11-7.
1947 At Fenway Park, Johnny Pesky finishes the day with 202 hits when he collects two hits in both ends of a doubleheader against the Senators. The 28-year-old shortstop surpasses the 200-hit mark for the third time in as many seasons, becoming the first player to lead a league in hits in his first three seasons.
1949 At Wrigley Field, the Phillies beat Chicago, 3-1, for their 78th victory. The win guarantees the club its first winning season since 1932, snapping a 16-year streak of futility.
1951 In his major league debut, Cardinals hurler Jack Collum throws a two-hit shutout against the Cubs at Sportsman’s Park, 6-0. The 24-year-old rookie southpaw, who developed a natural screwball due to losing part of his index finger in a farm accident, will post a 32-28 record during his nine-year tenure with six big-league teams.
1952 In front of the season’s second-largest crowd, with many of the 8,822 fans rooting for the Dodgers, the Braves play their final home game in Boston. Brooklyn catcher Roy Campanella hits the last home run at Braves Field in an 8-2 victory over the Milwaukee-bound club.
1954 Rookie pitcher Bob Grim wins his 20th game when the Yankees defeat the Senators, 3-1. Due to arm troubles, the 24-year-old right-hander will eventually be used exclusively in relief, becoming a selection for the All-Star team in that role for the American League squad in 1957.
1956 At Fenway Park, the Yankees strand 20 runners, losing to the Red Sox, 13-7. The number of players left on base sets a big-league record for a nine-inning game.
1959 With an eight-inning 12-hit effort in the Braves’ 8-6 victory over Pittsburgh at Forbes Field, lefty Warren Spahn earns his 20th victory for the fourth consecutive season and the tenth time in his career. The southpaw will compile 13 seasons with twenty or more wins during his 21-year Hall of Fame tenure in the major leagues.
1963 When first base umpire Doug Harvey tosses skipper Danny Murtaugh and coach Frank Oceak, Gene Baker takes over the club’s reins in the final two innings, becoming the first black to manage a team at the major-league level. The former Kansas City Monarchs, Chicago Cubs, and Pirates infielder’s historic moment is spoiled when Willie Davis hits a three-run walk-off home run, giving the Dodgers a 5-3 victory over the Bucs in the Chavez Ravine contest.
1964 In the first of ten consecutive losses, the front-running Phillies lose to the Reds at Connie Mack Stadium, 1-0. The game’s only run scores in the sixth inning when Chico Ruiz steals home, a play many fans believe is the harbinger of the season-ending collapse, which will see the team blow a six-and-half game lead with 12 left to play.
1964 Returning from a West Coast road trip, the Phillies are greeted at the airport by over 2,000 pennant-fever fans when they arrive in Philadelphia early in the morning. In front of the National League by six and a half games with only 12 games to play, the team will suffer a ten-game losing streak and not make it to the postseason.
1966 The smallest crowd in the 46-year-old history of Chicago’s Wrigley Field watches the Cubs beat Cincinnati, 9-3. The 530 fans in attendance for the Wednesday afternoon contest see Billy Williams and Adolfo Phillips go deep in a game that takes only two hours and twenty-four minutes to complete.
1969 In a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the tenth inning at Candlestick Park, LA’s Pete Mikkelsen retires the first two Giants batters before intentionally walking Willie McCovey, who is 4-for-4 in the game. The Dodger reliever then issues free passes unintentionally to the next two hitters to load the bases, losing the game when shortstop Maury Wills boots pinch-hitter Jim Davenport’s ground ball.
1970 Oakland southpaw Vida Blue, in his eighth major league start, becomes the 11th rookie to throw a no-hitter. The A’s 21-year-old freshman, who will become the AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner next season, beats the Twins at Oakland Coliseum, 6-0.
1971 By a 10–2 vote, the American League gives the cash-strapped Senators approval to move to Arlington next season, with only the Orioles and White Sox casting negative votes. In 1961, Charlie O. Finley had explored shifting his Kansas City A’s to the welcoming Metroplex in Texas but received no support from his fellow owners.
1971 Dave McNally wins his 20th game for the fourth consecutive season when he blanks New York at Yankee Stadium, 5-0. The southpaw becomes the first of the four 20-game winners on the club, which will include Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, and Pat Dobson.
1973 In Detroit, John Hiller goes 3.2 innings in the Tigers’ 5-1 victory over the Red Sox, notching his 38th save, a club record. Two years ago, the southpaw reliever suffered a heart attack as a 27-year-old.
1973 On the day they get to .500, the Mets move into first place for the first time since May 27th, half a game ahead of Pittsburgh in the ‘NL Least.’ Thanks to Tom Seaver’s complete-game five-hitter, New York evens its record at 77-77 with a 10-2 victory, the 21st in the last 29 games.
1975 Jim Rice suffers a broken bone in his hand after being hit by a Vern Ruhle pitch in the first inning of the team’s 6-5 victory over the Tigers in Detroit. The injury will cause the 22-year-old Red Sox rookie sensation to miss the remainder of the season, including the World Series.
1975 Gaylord Perry goes the distance, limiting Chicago to six hits in the team’s 8-2 win at White Sox Park. The victory gives the Ranger right-hander the identical career win-loss record (215-174) of his brother, Jim, released by the A’s in August after getting his final major league decision earlier in the month.
1979 In the Royals’ 13-4 rout of the A’s at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, U.L. Washington hits two three-run home runs, one left-handed and one right-handed. The pair of round-trippers will be the only ones the Kansas City shortstop hits in the 101 games he plays this season.
1981 Phillies southpaw Steve Carlton becomes the all-time National League strikeout leader when he fans Andre Dawson in the third frame of the team’s 1-0 loss in 17 innings at Montreal. Lefty, who tosses ten shutout innings and fans a dozen batters in the Olympic Stadium contest, surpasses Cardinal legend Bob Gibson with his 3,118th career strikeout, taking over the top spot in the Senior Circuit.
1986 Jimmy Jones tosses a one-hit shutout in his major league debut when San Diego blanks Houston, 5-0. The 22-year-old # 1 draft pick, who will post a 43-39 record during his eight-year big league career with the Padres, Yankees, and Astros, allows only a third-inning triple to the opposing pitcher Bob Knepper.
1987 Darryl Strawberry and Howard Johnson become the first teammates to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in the same season when the ‘Straw’ swipes two bags in the Mets’ 7-1 victory over Chicago at Wrigley Field. The southpaw swinger is only the tenth member of the 30-30 club but is the fourth player, along with HoJo, Indians’ right fielder Joe Carter, and Reds center fielder Eric Davis to accomplish the feat this season.
1987 Howard Johnson breaks a 53-year-old National League record when he strokes his 36th home run as a switch hitter in the Mets’ 7-1 victory over Chicago at Wrigley Field. The third baseman’s historic homer, the team’s franchise-high seventh grand slam of the season, surpasses the mark established by Cardinals’ first baseman Ripper Collins in 1934 but is far less than the major league record of 54 set in 1961 by Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle.
1988 Kevin McReynolds steals his 21st and final base of the season when he swipes second base in the fifth inning of the Mets’ 4-3 victory over the Phillies at Shea Stadium. The New York outfielder finishes the campaign without being caught, surpassing the major league record set by the A’s Jimmy Sexton with 16 stolen bases not being thrown out in 1982.
1988 Astros’ right-hander Bob Knepper tosses a one-hitter, beating Pete Smith, who also throws a complete game, and the Braves, 1-0. The only Atlanta hit in the two-hour-and-four-minute Astrodome contest is Dale Murphy’s second-inning infield single.
1995 John Vander Wal sets a major league record with his 26th pinch-hit of the season. The Rockies pinch-hitter’s historic hit is a seventh-inning solo home run off Sergio Valdez in Colorado’s 5-3 loss to the Giants at Candlestick Park.
1997 At Kauffman Stadium, Indians starter John Smiley breaks his arm, throwing a curveball warming up in the bullpen. The southpaw, obtained in a midseason trade from the Reds, was recently placed on the disabled list due to tendinitis.
1998 Jason Kendall sets a new National League record for catchers when he swipes his 26th base in an 8-1 loss to the Giants at Candlestick Park. The Pirates’ backstop surpasses the previous mark set by John Stearns, playing for the Mets in 1978.
2000 Vladimir Guerrero, in the team’s 10-3 victory over Florida, establishes an Expo single-season home run record by hitting his 43rd round-tripper. ‘Vlad the Impaler’, who breaks the record he set last year, goes deep to center field off A.J Burnett in the fifth inning of the Olympic Stadium contest to establish the new mark.
2001 Ranger infielder Alex Rodriguez hit his 47th home run, tying the major league mark for round-trippers by a shortstop in a season. The Cubs’ legend Ernie Banks established the record in 1958.
2001 The Mets donate their day’s pay, which totals approximately $500,000, from tonight’s game with the Braves at Shea to a rescue fund for the families of the firefighters and policemen killed in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. The contest is the first professional baseball game played in New York since the tragedy.
2001 A crowd of 41,235 at Shea Stadium witnesses baseball’s return to New York City for the first time since the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Uplifting ceremonies before and during the game, including performances by Diana Ross, Marc Anthony, Lisa Minnelli, and NYPD bagpipers, pay tribute to victims of the tragedy. Mike Piazza’s eighth-inning home run gives the Mets a 3-2 dramatic victory over the Braves.
2003 Greg Maddux, with Atlanta beating the Marlins, 8-0, becomes the first pitcher to win at least 15 games in 16 consecutive seasons. The Braves’ righty, who pitched five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit en route to his 288th career victory, had shared the record with Cy Young.
2004 Raul Ibanez, in the Mariners’ 16-6 rout over LA, ties an American League record shared by 20+ players when he collects six hits in the nine-inning contest. The mark for the most hits in an AL game is nine, accomplished by Cleveland’s Johnny Burnett in an 18-inning marathon against Philadelphia.
2005 At Shea Stadium, Mudcat Grant and Al Downing welcome Marlins’ southpaw Dontrelle Willis to the “Black Aces,” a fraternity of African-Americans 20-game winners in a big-league season. Beating the Nationals earlier in the month, the D-Train became the 13th black to accomplish the feat and plans to join the Aces’ foundation to promote baseball in the African-American community.
2006 David Ortiz, hitting his 51st and 52nd homers, breaks the Red Sox’s franchise record of 50 in a single season, established by Jimmie Foxx in 1938. ‘Big Papi’ also surpasses his own major league mark for home runs set by a DH with 45, two more than the standard he set last season.
2008 Behind southpaw Scott Kazmir’s solid outing, throwing six scoreless innings, the Rays, who have never finished higher than fourth in the American League East Division during the first decade of their existence, clinch a postseason berth with a 7-2 victory over Minnesota. Carlos Pena’s two doubles and solo home runs by Cliff Floyd and Fernando Perez provide the offensive in Tampa Bay’s historic win at Tropicana Field.
2008 After a moving ceremony celebrating the history of the 85-year-old ballpark, New York beat the Orioles in the last game ever played at Yankee Stadium, 7-3. Babe’s daughter, Julia Ruth Stevens, throws out the ceremonial first pitch, with team captain Derek Jeter at the end of the game, surrounded on the mound by his teammates, bids farewell to ‘House Ruth Built,’ addressing 54,610 fans attending the Bronx finale.
2009 Dave Clark, the team’s third-base coach, replaces Cecil Cooper as the slumping Astros manager. ‘Coop,’ after signing a contract extension to manage until the end of the 2010 season, piloted his club to a 171-170 record, including a disappointing 70-79 mark this season, during his two-year tenure in the Houston dugout.
2010 A 6-4 come-from-behind victory over Cleveland at Target Field and Chicago’s loss in Oakland clinches the AL Central Division for the Twins. Minnesota, who had to play a 163rd game the previous two seasons to determine a division winner, becomes the first club to secure a postseason berth this season.
2010 Obtained in an off-season trade with Blue Jays, Roy Halladay becomes the Phillies’ first 20-game winner since Steve Carlton reached the milestone 28 years ago and the first right-hander to accomplish the feat for the club since Robin Roberts posted a 23-14 record in 1955. The 5-3 victory over Atlanta, Philadelphia’s ninth straight win that increases the team’s NL East lead to five games over the fading Braves, make ‘Doc’ the 17th pitcher to accomplish the feat in both leagues, having compiled two 20-win seasons with the Blue Jays.
2013 Matt Carpenter breaks Stan Musial’s 1953 Cardinals single-season record for two-baggers hit by a left-handed batter when he doubles for the 54th time this season, reaching the milestone in the fifth inning of the team’s 7-2 victory over the Brewers at Miller Park. Joe Medwick established the overall franchise mark, hitting 64 during the 1936 campaign.
2013 Mariners left fielder Raul Ibanez’s 29th round-tripper, his 300th career home run, ties him with Ted Williams for the most hit in a season by a player who is 41 or older. In his final year as a major leaguer, the’ Splendid Splinter hit that many in 1960 while playing with the Red Sox.
2013 The Tigers tie the game with a six-run rally in the bottom of the ninth, then beat the White Sox in extra innings, 7-6. Omar Infante ends the Comerica Park contest by hitting a bases-loaded infield single in the 12th for the walk-off victory.
2018 In the Mets’ 4-2 victory over the Nationals in Washington, Jacob deGrom delivers his 23rd consecutive quality start to break the single-season major league record, previously shared by Cardinal aces Bob Gibson (1968j and Chris Carpenter (2005). The 30-year-old right-hander allowed one run in seven innings, lowering his E.R.A. to 1.77 and improving his record to 9-9.
2019 With two years left on his contract, the Padres fired manager Andy Green, citing communication issues. During his four seasons with the Friars, the 42-year-old skipper compiled a 274-366 (.428) record, never finishing higher than fourth in the five-team NL Western Division.
2020 The A’s become the first team to clinch a division in the shortened Covid-19 season, securing the flag on an off day when an Astros’ loss to Mariners puts the second-place club 6.5 games behind with six to play. The victory marks Oakland’s first championship since 2013, but the team will be making their third straight postseason appearance, facing the White Sox in the new three-game Wild Card series.
*****************FOOTBALL HISTORY******************
September 21, 1969 – A 98 yard punt is kicked in a professional NFL football game. Yes you read that correctly 98 green grass yards! New York Jets punter Steve O’Neal took the snap from the two yard line and caught and punted the ball from deep in his own endzone. The ball sailed past a Denver Bronco punt return man who had his arms outstretched and landed at the Denver 33 yard line. The impact with the ground sent the kick screaming towards the Denver goal line and apparently into the end zone. WOW! Needless to say it is a records that will probably stand the test of time!
September 21, 1980 – Rookie strong safety Johnnie Johnson of the Los Angeles Rams has a 99 yard pick-six! Not to be outdone by the rook, Ram’s veteran cornerback Rod Perry intercepted a pass of his own and returned it 83 yards as LA exploded for 37 second half points in a 51-21 blowout of the Green Bay Packers.
September 21, 1980 – New York Jets quarterback Richard Todd sets a single game record by completing 42 passes in a game! The Jets signal caller didn’t have much choice in the matter when the visiting San Francisco 49ers with Joe Montana under center jumped out to an early 24-0 lead in the first half. Being down by four scores took any thoughts of the running the ball in the game plan right out the window. The 42 receptions didn’t help the Jets to overcome the deficit though as the Niners left Shea Stadium with a 37-27 victory.
September 21, 1982 – NFL players began a strike on this day that lasted for 57 days. The strike forced the NFL to shorten the normally 16 game schedule to a condensed 9 game regular season and placed a unique 16 teams into a special playoff format. 8 teams from each Conference were seeded and divisional standings were ignored. The Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns each made the special playoff cut with losing records. The champion of the NFL was still decided in a final game though as the Super Bowl XVII played at the Rose Bowl was won by the Washington Redskins 27-17 over the Miami Dolphins.
September 21, 1986 – A record 884 yard of total passing was registered in one game as the New York Jets toppled the Miami Dolphins 51-45 in Overtime. Quarterbacks Ken O’Brien and Dan Marino were slinging the old pigskin around the yard that day.
September 21, 1986 – Kick return specialist Mel Gray of the New Orleans Saints runs a kick back 101 yards for a score. It wasn’t enough as the San Francisco 49ers held onto win 26-17.
HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR SEPTEMBER 21
September 21, 1934 – Brock Strom was a former tackle from the Air Force Academy. Out of high school Strom attended Indiana University but soon transferred to the Air Force Academy. That first season in 1955 the entire Falcon squad was made up of Freshmen. The group all received their experience together and in a few years they would be something special. What a windfall for the Air Force Academy when the 6 foot even 217 pound tackle, Brock Strom became the team’s very first All-American football player in 1958. The 1958 Falcons were a special group as they went undefeated all the way to playing in the Cotton Bowl against a strong opponent in Texas Christian University. As part of that regular season was the memorable 13-13 tie against the heavily favored Iowa Hawkeyes. Strom was a national hero as well receiving two distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars and three Air Medals. He later became one of the top men in the U.S. Space Defense Program! The National Football Foundation selected Brock to enter into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
September 21, 1940 – Sandy Stephens was a quarterback from the University of Minnesota. Mr. Stephens became college football’s very first first-team All-American quarterback of African American descent. Sandy’s playing time with the Golden Gophers was not alway rosey. The first season with the team they finished a dismal 2-7, but with Stephens under center the next year they bid for one of the greatest program turn-arounds in football history as they won the Big ten Title and played in the Rose Bowl where they won the National Championship! The next season Stephens and the Gophers returned to the Rose Bowl and won the game again defeating UCLA 21-3! Minnesota has only retired 4 jersey numbers and Sandy Stephen’s number 15 is one of them. Sandy Stephens was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
*************NUMBERS IN SPORTS*************
17 – 21 – 7 – 20 – 10 – 32 – 37 – 45 – 31
September 21, 1906 – New York Highlanders 1st baseman Hal Chase had 22 put-outs to tie MLB record in a 6-3 win over Chicago White Sox at South Side Park
September 21, 1934 – St Louis Cardinals pitching Dean brothers shut-out Brooklyn Dodgers in a doubleheader. Dizzy Dean (Number 17), in a 13-0 rout andsibling Paul Dean (NUmber 21), presented a 3-0 no-hitter. The Dean brothers would help the Cardinals claim the World Series that season with performances like these.
September 21, 1956 – New York Yankees set dubious MLB record, stranding 20 on base. Yanks Number 7, Mickey Mantle hit a 500′ plus homer but rival Boston Red Sox win 13-9 at Fenway Park
September 21, 1969 – New York Jet Steve O’Neal, Number 20 punted a ball 98 yards against Denver Broncos
September 21, 1970 – Oakland Athletics Number 17, Vida Blue threw a no-hit gem against the Minnesota Twins, providing a 6-0 A’s victory
September 21, 1973 – Nate Archibald, who wore Number 10 that season, signed 7 yr contract with NBA KC Kings for $450,000. The man they called Tiny Archibald stood 6′-1″ tall, short on the courts but a giant in basketball history.
September 21, 1980 – LA Ram Johnnie Johnson, Number 20 scored on a 99 yard interception
September 21, 1981 – Philadelphia Phillies lefthander Steve Carlton, Number 32 struck out a NL record 3,118th when he sat down Andre Dawson of the Expos
September 21, 1986 – New Orleans Saints Mel Gray, Number 37 returned kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown
September 21, 1986 – San Diego Padre Jimmy Jones, Number 45 pitched 1-hitter in his major league debut
September 21, 1997 – Mike Piazza, Number 31 became the 2nd to hit a home run out of Dodger Stadium
September 21, 1997 – New York Yankee Number 45, Cecil Fielder hit his 300th HR
*****************TV THURSDAY****************
| COLLEGE FOOTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Georgia State at Coastal Carolina | 7:30pm | ESPN |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| DP World: Cazoo Open De France | 7:30am | GOLF |
| MLB REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| LA Angels at Tampa Bay | 1:10pm | MLBN Bally Sports |
| Milwaukee at St. Louis | 1:15pm | MLBN Bally Sports |
| NY Mets at Philadelphia | 7:05pm | SNY NBCS-PHI |
| Atlanta at Washington | 7:05pm | Bally Sports MASN/2 |
| Toronto at NY Yankees | 7:05pm | Sportsnet YES |
| Baltimore at Cleveland | 7:10pm | MASN/2 Bally Sports |
| Pittsburgh at Chi. Cubs | 7:40pm | ATTSN-PIT MARQ |
| Detroit at Oakland | 9:40pm | NBCS-CA Bally Sports |
| San Francisco at LA Dodgers | 10:10pm | MLBN NBCS-BAY Spectrum |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| UEFA Europa League: Bayer Leverkusen vs Häcken | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: LASK Linz vs Liverpool | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Union Saint-Gilloise vs Toulouse | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Qarabağ vs Molde | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Sheriff vs Roma | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Servette vs Slavia Praha | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Rennes vs Maccabi Haifa | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Panathinaikos vs Villarreal | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Legia Warszawa vs Aston Villa | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Zrinjski vs AZ | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Ferencváros vs Čukarički | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Genk vs Fiorentina | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Aberdeen | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: HJK vs PAOK | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Fenerbahçe vs Nordsjælland | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Ludogorets vs Spartak Trnava | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Olympiakos Piraeus vs Freiburg | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Ajax vs Olympique Marseille | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Brighton & Hove Albion vs AEK Athens | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Sparta Praha vs Aris | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Rangers vs Real Betis | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: West Ham United vs Bačka Topola | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Atalanta vs Raków Częstochowa | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Sturm Graz vs Sporting CP | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Slovan Bratislava vs KÍ | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Breidablik | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Zorya vs Gent | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Dinamo Zagreb vs Astana | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Viktoria Plzeň vs Ballkani | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Club Brugge vs Beşiktaş | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Lugano vs Bodø / Glimt | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Belgrano vs Platense | 4:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Unión Santa Fe vs Godoy Cruz | 5:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Brasileirão: Santos vs Cruzeiro | 6:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Brasileirão: Vasco da Gama vs Coritiba | 6:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Argentinos Juniors vs Talleres Córdoba | 6:15pm | Paramount+ |
| Brasileirão: Athletico-PR vs Internacional | 6:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: River Plate vs Atlético Tucumán | 8:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Brasileirão: Grêmio vs Palmeiras | 8:30pm | Paramount+ |
| NWSL: Angel City vs Orlando Pride | 10:00pm | CBSSN |