“THE SCOREBOARD”
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE WEEK 7
ADAMS CENTRAL (6-0) AT SOUTHERN WELLS (1-5)
ANDERSON (2-4) AT KOKOMO (5-1)
ANDREAN (3-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (6-0)…..INDIANA SRN BROADCAST
ATTICA (0-6) AT RIVERTON PARKE (1-5)
BATESVILLE (5-1) AT GREENSBURG (0-6)
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (4-2) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (5-1)
BEECH GROVE (2-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (3-3)
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (5-1) AT COLUMBUS NORTH (3-3)
BLUFFTON (6-0) AT HERITAGE (5-1)
BOONE GROVE (4-2) AT WHITING (2-4)
BOONVILLE (3-3) AT PRINCETON (1-5)
BREBEUF JESUIT (3-2) AT TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (2-4)
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (5-1) AT MADISON (1-5)
CALUMET (2-4) AT WHEELER (3-3)
CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (1-4) AT UNION CITY (1-5)
CARMEL (4-2) AT BEN DAVIS (5-1)
CASCADE (4-2) AT OWEN VALLEY (2-4)
CASTLE (3-3) AT JASPER (4-2)
CENTER GROVE (5-1) AT PIKE (1-5)
CENTERVILLE (6-0) AT UNION COUNTY (0-6)
CHARLESTOWN (3-3) AT CORYDON CENTRAL (0-6)
CHURUBUSCO (2-4) AT CENTRAL NOBLE (2-4)
CLINTON CENTRAL (1-4) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (6-0)
CLINTON PRAIRIE (4-2) AT TAYLOR (1-5)
COLUMBUS EAST (2-4) AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH (6-0)
CONNERSVILLE (2-4) AT EAST CENTRAL (6-0)
COVENANT CHRISTIAN (3-3) AT CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL (2-4)…..INDIANA SRN BROADCAST
COVINGTON (3-3) AT SEEGER (5-1)
CRAWFORDSVILLE (0-6) AT LEBANON (2-4)
CULVER (0-6) AT CASTON (0-6)
DANVILLE (4-2) AT FRANKFORT (1-5)
DECATUR CENTRAL (4-2) AT GREENWOOD (4-2)
DELPHI (2-4) AT SHERIDAN (5-1)
DELTA (5-1) AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS (4-2)
EAST NOBLE (4-2) AT COLUMBIA CITY (5-1)
EASTBROOK (4-2) AT ELWOOD (1-5)
EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (4-2) AT TRI-CENTRAL (1-5)
EASTERN (PEKIN) (2-4) AT SALEM (1-5)
EASTERN GREENE (3-3) AT RED HILL (ILL.)
EASTSIDE (4-2) AT FREMONT (1-5)
ELKHART (2-4) AT SOUTH BEND ADAMS (1-5)
EVANSVILLE HARRISON (0-6) AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (0-6)
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (1-5) AT EVANSVILLE BOSSE (1-5)
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (6-0) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (6-0)……INDIANA SRN BROADCAST
FAIRFIELD (4-2) AT GARRETT (2-4)
FOREST PARK (4-2) AT NORTH POSEY (5-1)
FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (0-6) AT FORT WAYNE WAYNE (3-3)
FORT WAYNE DWENGER (3-3) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (4-2)
FORT WAYNE NORTH (2-4) AT FORT WAYNE SOUTH (1-5)
FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (0-6) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (5-1)
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (4-2) AT SOUTH VERMILLION (5-1)
FRANKLIN (4-2) AT PLAINFIELD (5-1)
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (4-2) AT FISHERS (4-2)
FRANKLIN COUNTY (3-3) AT SOUTH DEARBORN (3-3)
FRANKTON (3-3) AT MADISON-GRANT (5-1)
FRONTIER (4-2) AT TRI-COUNTY (2-3)
GARY WEST (3-3) AT GRIFFITH (3-3)
GIBSON SOUTHERN (4-2) AT WASHINGTON (2-4)
GOSHEN (0-6) AT PLYMOUTH (2-4)
GREENCASTLE (4-2) AT CLOVERDALE (2-4)
GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (5-1) AT YORKTOWN (4-2)
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (3-3) AT CLARKSVILLE (0-6)
GUERIN CATHOLIC (4-2) AT NORTHVIEW (5-1)
HAGERSTOWN (5-1) AT WINCHESTER (4-2)
HAMILTON HEIGHTS (6-0) AT TIPTON (1-5)
HAMMOND CENTRAL (4-2) AT HAMMOND MORTON (2-3)
HAMMOND NOLL (2-4) AT RIVER FOREST (3-3)
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (5-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS TECH (0-6)
HERITAGE HILLS (5-1) AT MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (4-2)
HIGHLAND (2-4) AT MUNSTER (2-4)
HOBART (5-1) AT HANOVER CENTRAL (6-0)
HOMESTEAD (3-3) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (4-2)
INDIAN CREEK (3-3) AT SPEEDWAY (2-4)
INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (5-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (3-3)
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (4-2) AT CINCINNATI LASALLE (OHIO)
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (6-0) AT MONROVIA (5-1)
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (3-3) AT LOUISVILLE MALE (KY.)
INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (4-2) AT TRITON CENTRAL (5-1)
INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (3-3) AT WES-DEL (1-5)
IRVINGTON PREP ACADEMY (0-6) AT EDINBURGH (0-6)
JAY COUNTY (4-2) AT SOUTH ADAMS (3-3)
JEFFERSONVILLE (0-6) AT NEW ALBANY (1-5)
KNOX (6-0) AT PIONEER (4-2)
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (3-3) AT TWIN LAKES (4-2)
LAKE CENTRAL (3-3) AT CHESTERTON (2-4)
LAKE STATION (2-4) AT SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (2-4)
LAKELAND (5-1) AT WEST NOBLE (6-0)
LAPEL (2-4) AT HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (5-1)…..INDIANA SRN BROADCAST
LAPORTE (1-5) AT CROWN POINT (6-0)
LAVILLE (5-1) AT JOHN GLENN (4-2)
LAWRENCE CENTRAL (2-4) AT NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (0-6)
LAWRENCEBURG (4-2) AT RUSHVILLE (2-4)
LEO (4-2) AT HUNTINGTON NORTH (1-5)
LEWIS CASS (3-3) AT MACONAQUAH (4-2)
LINTON-STOCKTON (5-1) AT NORTH KNOX (4-2)
LOWELL (2-4) AT KANKAKEE VALLEY (2-4)
MANCHESTER (2-4) AT WHITKO (1-5)
MARTINSVILLE (3-3) AT PERRY MERIDIAN (2-4)
MCCUTCHEON (3-3) AT LAFAYETTE JEFF (3-3)
MERRILLVILLE (5-1) AT VALPARAISO (4-2)
MILAN (4-2) AT PROVIDENCE (6-0)
MISHAWAKA (5-1) AT NORTHWOOD (4-2)
MISHAWAKA MARIAN (2-4) AT ANGOLA (0-6)
MISSISSINEWA (6-0) AT BLACKFORD (0-6)
MITCHELL (2-4) AT SCOTTSBURG (3-3)
MONROE CENTRAL (2-4) AT EASTERN HANCOCK (3-3)
MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (2-4) AT NEW CASTLE (1-5)
MUNCIE CENTRAL (1-5) AT MARION (2-4)
NEW HAVEN (6-0) AT BELLMONT (0-6)
NOBLESVILLE (3-3) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (5-1)
NORTH DAVIESS (4-2) AT NORTH DECATUR (3-3)
NORTH JUDSON (4-2) AT TRITON (4-2)
NORTH MIAMI (1-5) AT WABASH (0-6)
NORTH PUTNAM (1-5) AT WEST VIGO (1-5)
NORTH WHITE (6-0) AT SOUTH NEWTON (3-3)
NORTHFIELD (2-4) AT ROCHESTER (4-2)
NORTHRIDGE (5-1) AT CONCORD (4-2)
NORWELL (1-5) AT DEKALB (3-3)
OAK HILL (3-3) AT ALEXANDRIA (5-1)
PAOLI (5-1) AT CRAWFORD COUNTY (0-6)
PARKE HERITAGE (2-4) AT NORTH VERMILLION (4-2)
PHALEN ACADEMY (1-4) AT PARK TUDOR (6-0)
PIKE CENTRAL (1-5) AT TELL CITY (3-3)
PORTAGE (0-6) AT MICHIGAN CITY (3-3)
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-6) AT BREMEN (3-3)
PURDUE POLYTECHNIC (2-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (3-3)
RENSSELAER CENTRAL (2-4) AT BENTON CENTRAL (1-4)
RICHMOND (1-5) AT LOGANSPORT (2-4)
SEYMOUR (3-3) AT JENNINGS COUNTY (3-3)
SHELBYVILLE (3-3) AT NEW PALESTINE (4-2)
SHENANDOAH (1-5) AT NORTHEASTERN (5-1)
SILVER CREEK (4-2) AT NORTH HARRISON (5-1)
SOUTH BEND RILEY (6-0) AT NEW PRAIRIE (5-1)
SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (3-3) AT PENN (5-1)
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (2-4) AT JIMTOWN (2-4)
SOUTH PUTNAM (5-1) AT BROWN COUNTY (1-5)
SOUTHRIDGE (4-2) AT SOUTH SPENCER (2-4)
SOUTHWOOD (4-2) AT PERU (6-0)
SULLIVAN (3-3) AT EDGEWOOD (1-5)
SWITZERLAND COUNTY (4-2) AT SOUTH DECATUR (5-1)
TECUMSEH (0-6) AT SPRINGS VALLEY (5-1)
TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-6) AT SOUTHPORT (0-6)
TIPPECANOE VALLEY (6-0) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (4-1)
TRI (3-3) AT KNIGHTSTOWN (3-3)
TRI-WEST (5-1) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (4-2)
VINCENNES LINCOLN (5-1) AT EVANSVILLE NORTH (4-2)
WARREN CENTRAL (3-3) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (4-2)
WAWASEE (1-5) AT WARSAW (5-1)
WEST WASHINGTON (4-2) AT PERRY CENTRAL (3-3)
WESTERN (2-4) AT NORTHWESTERN (3-3)
WESTERN BOONE (4-2) AT SOUTHMONT (4-2)
WESTFIELD (5-1) AT AVON (0-6)
WHITELAND (3-3) AT MOORESVILLE (2-4)
WINAMAC (1-5) AT WEST CENTRAL (6-0)
WOODLAN (2-4) AT CULVER ACADEMY (2-4)
ZIONSVILLE (3-3) AT BROWNSBURG (6-0)
CONFERENCE STANDINGS: http://scoreboard.homestead.com/football/conf.htm#loaded
SECTIONAL STANDINGS: http://scoreboard.homestead.com/football/sect.htm#loaded
SAGARIN RANKINGS: http://scoreboard.homestead.com/football/classrate.htm#loaded
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AP POLLS
| 6A | ||||
| Rank-School | FPV | Rcd | TP | Pvs |
| 1. Brownsburg | (13) | 6-0 | 344 | 1 |
| 2. Center Grove | (3) | 5-1 | 320 | 2 |
| 3. Indpls Ben Davis | (2) | 5-1 | 308 | 3 |
| 4. Crown Point | – | 6-0 | 224 | 5 |
| 5. Hamilton Southeastern | – | 5-1 | 200 | 6 |
| 6. Fishers | – | 4-2 | 150 | 7 |
| 7. Westfield | – | 5-1 | 144 | 4 |
| 8. Indpls Cathedral | – | 4-2 | 124 | 8 |
| 9. Carmel | – | 4-2 | 78 | 10 |
| 10. Penn | – | 5-1 | 62 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Carroll (Fort Wayne) 12. Lake Central 10. Warsaw 4.
| 5A | ||||
| Rank-School | FPV | Rcd | TP | Pvs |
| 1. Bloomington North | (15) | 6-0 | 352 | 2 |
| 2. Ft. Wayne Snider | (3) | 5-1 | 286 | 1 |
| 3. Bloomington South | – | 5-1 | 278 | 5 |
| 4. Merrillville | – | 5-1 | 224 | 6 |
| 5. Mishawaka | – | 5-1 | 200 | 7 |
| 6. Valparaiso | – | 4-2 | 192 | 3 |
| 7. Lafayette Harrison | – | 5-1 | 140 | 8 |
| 8. Plainfield | – | 5-1 | 114 | 4 |
| 9. Decatur Central | – | 4-2 | 82 | 10 |
| 10. Floyd Central | – | 5-1 | 68 | 9 |
Others receiving votes: Concord 20. Ev. North 18. Franklin 6.
| 4A | ||||
| Rank-School | FPV | Rcd | TP | Pvs |
| 1. E. Central | (17) | 6-0 | 358 | 1 |
| 2. Ev. Reitz | (1) | 6-0 | 318 | 3 |
| 3. Ev. Memorial | – | 6-0 | 250 | 4 |
| 4. New Haven | – | 6-0 | 208 | 9 |
| 5. Northridge | – | 5-1 | 176 | 7 |
| 6. Kokomo | – | 5-1 | 172 | 2 |
| 7. New Palestine | – | 4-2 | 160 | 10 |
| 8. Greenfield | – | 5-1 | 130 | 5 |
| 9. Mississinewa | – | 6-0 | 46 | NR |
| 10. New Prairie | – | 5-1 | 42 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Columbia City 38. Indpls Brebeuf 34. S. Bend Riley 22. Indpls Roncalli 12. Pendleton Hts. 6. Leo 6. Jasper 2.
| 3A | ||||
| Rank-School | FPV | Rcd | TP | Pvs |
| 1. Indpls Chatard | (18) | 6-0 | 360 | 1 |
| 2. W. Lafayette | – | 5-1 | 252 | 4 |
| 3. Hanover Central | – | 6-0 | 226 | 6 |
| 4. Hamilton Hts. | – | 6-0 | 216 | 7 |
| 5. Guerin Catholic | – | 4-2 | 196 | 5 |
| 6. Gibson Southern | – | 4-2 | 144 | 10 |
| 7. Tippecanoe Valley | – | 6-0 | 128 | 9 |
| 8. Heritage Hills | – | 5-1 | 116 | 2 |
| 9. Tri-West | – | 5-1 | 102 | 8 |
| 10. Peru | – | 6-0 | 66 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Vincennes 42. Knox 38. Lawrenceburg 36. Batesville 26. W. Noble 24. Delta 8.
| 2A | ||||
| Rank-School | FPV | Rcd | TP | Pvs |
| 1. Bluffton | (9) | 6-0 | 312 | 2 |
| 2. Triton Central | (4) | 5-1 | 276 | 4 |
| 3. Linton | (2) | 5-1 | 258 | 5 |
| 4. Brownstown | – | 5-1 | 210 | 1 |
| 5. Heritage Christian | (2) | 5-1 | 206 | 6 |
| 6. N. Posey | – | 5-1 | 170 | 8 |
| 7. LaVille | – | 5-1 | 152 | 3 |
| 8. Indpls Scecina | – | 4-2 | 76 | 7 |
| 9. Ft. Wayne Luers | – | 4-2 | 72 | NR |
| 10. Alexandria | – | 5-1 | 34 | 10 |
| (tie) S. Vermillion | – | 5-1 | 34 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Paoli 22. Eastbrook 20. Andrean 14. Greencastle 6. Northeastern 6. Lafayette Catholic 2.
| 1A | ||||
| Rank-School | FPV | Rcd | TP | Pvs |
| 1. Indpls Lutheran | (17) | 6-0 | 340 | 1 |
| 2. Adams Central | – | 6-0 | 302 | 2 |
| 3. Carroll (Flora) | – | 6-0 | 266 | 3 |
| 4. Providence | – | 6-0 | 222 | 4 |
| 5. Indpls Park Tudor | – | 6-0 | 196 | 5 |
| 6. S. Putnam | – | 5-1 | 154 | 6 |
| 7. Sheridan | – | 5-1 | 138 | 7 |
| 8. Madison-Grant | – | 5-1 | 100 | 8 |
| 9. N. White | – | 6-0 | 68 | NR |
| 10. N. Judson | – | 4-2 | 30 | T10 |
Others receiving votes: W. Central 18. Triton 12. Springs Valley 10. N. Vermillion 4. Pioneer 4. Milan 4. Hagerstown 2.
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL REPORTED VOLLEYBALL SCORES
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/volleyball/scores/?date=9/26/2023
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL REPORTED BOYS SOCCER SCORES
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/scores/?date=9/26/2023
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER REPORTED SCORES
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/girls/scores/?date=9/26/2023
INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY NEWS
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GOLF STATE FINALS
ROUND 1 TEE TIMES: https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2023-24%20GGo%20First%20Round%20Pairings.pdf
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 5
THURSDAY, SEPT. 28
MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT WESTERN KENTUCKY | 7:30 P.M. | CBSSN
TEMPLE AT TULSA | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
JACKSONVILLE STATE AT SAM HOUSTON | 8 P.M. | ESPNU
FRIDAY, SEPT. 29
LOUISVILLE AT NC STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN
COLUMBIA AT PRINCETON | 7 P.M. | ESPNU
UTAH AT OREGON STATE | 9 P.M. | FS1
LOUISIANA TECH AT UTEP | 9 P.M. | CBSSN
CINCINNATI AT BYU | 10:15 P.M. | ESPN
SATURDAY, SEPT. 30
USC AT COLORADO | 12 P.M. | FOX
PENN STATE AT NORTHWESTERN | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
FLORIDA AT KENTUCKY | 12 P.M.
TEXAS A&M AT ARKANSAS | 12 P.M.
LOUISIANA AT MINNESOTA | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
UTAH STATE AT UCONN | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
CLEMSON AT SYRACUSE | 12 P.M. | ABC
UAB AT TULANE | 12 P.M. | ESPN2
SOUTH ALABAMA AT JAMES MADISON | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
BUFFALO AT AKRON | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
HOWARD AT ROBERT MORRIS | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
MORGAN STATE AT YALE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA LYNCHBURG AT DELAWARE STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
DARTMOUTH AT PENN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
EAST TENNESSEE STATE AT SAMFORD | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN MICHIGAN AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA AT BOSTON COLLEGE | 2 P.M. | CW NETWORK
NORTH CAROLINA A&T AT NORFOLK STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
AUSTIN PEAY AT LINDENWOOD | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
COLGATE AT CORNELL | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTH DAKOTA AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
YOUNGSTOWN STATE AT UNI | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE AT VALPARAISO | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
DRAKE AT MOREHEAD STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN CAROLINA AT THE CITADEL | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
MIAMI (OHIO) AT KENT STATE | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN+
ARIZONA STATE AT CAL | 3 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
WEBER STATE AT NORTHERN COLORADO | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTH DAKOTA AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA AT AUBURN | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
MICHIGAN AT NEBRASKA | 3:30 P.M. | FOX
KANSAS AT TEXAS | 3:30 P.M. | ABC
INDIANA AT MARYLAND | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
ILLINOIS AT PURDUE | 3:30 P.M. | PEACOCK
WAGNER AT RUTGERS | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
BOWLING GREEN AT GEORGIA TECH | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
HOUSTON AT TEXAS TECH | 3:30 P.M.
BAYLOR AT UCF | 3:30 P.M.
ARKANSAS STATE AT UMASS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTH FLORIDA AT NAVY | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
OLD DOMINION AT MARSHALL | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
BALL STATE AT WESTERN MICHIGAN | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT TOLEDO | 3:30 P.M. | ESPNU
BUCKNELL AT LAFAYETTE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MISSOURI AT VANDERBILT | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
BOISE STATE AT MEMPHIS | 4 P.M. | ESPN2
NEW MEXICO AT WYOMING | 4 P.M. | MOUNTAIN WEST NETWORK
CAMPBELL AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
TARLETON STATE AT SE LOUISIANA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
IDAHO AT EASTERN WASHINGTON | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
IDAHO STATE AT MONTANA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
PORTLAND STATE AT MONTANA STATE | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
VMI AT MERCER | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
HARVARD AT HOLY CROSS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
MISSOURI STATE AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
LSU AT OLE MISS | 6 P.M. | ESPN
KENNESAW STATE AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
CHATTANOOGA AT WOFFORD | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
OREGON AT STANFORD | 6:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
IOWA STATE AT OKLAHOMA | 7 P.M. | FS1
EAST CAROLINA AT RICE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT NORTH TEXAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
COASTAL CAROLINA AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN | 7 P.M. | NFL NETWORK
TROY AT GEORGIA STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TEXAS STATE AT SOUTHERN MISS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT NORTH TEXAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
GRAMBLING AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN KENTUCKY AT NORTH ALABAMA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
INDIANA STATE AT MURRAY STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
LAMAR AT HOUSTON CHRISTIAN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN ILLINOIS AT NORTHWESTERN STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE AT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE STATE AT UT MARTIN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
NOTRE DAME AT DUKE | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
SOUTH CAROLINA AT TENNESSEE | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
MICHIGAN STATE AT IOWA | 7:30 P.M. | NBC/PEACOCK
CHARLOTTE AT SMU | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
PITT AT VIRGINIA TECH | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
WEST VIRGINIA AT TCU | 8 P.M. | ESPN2
APPALACHIAN STATE AT UL MONROE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
SAN DIEGO STATE AT AIR FORCE | 8 P.M. | CBSSN
CENTRAL ARKANSAS AT SOUTHERN UTAH | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
UC DAVIS AT CAL POLY | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
NICHOLLS AT MCNEESE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
ALABAMA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN
NORTHERN ARIZONA AT SACRAMENTO STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
WASHINGTON AT ARIZONA | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
NEVADA AT FRESNO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | FS1
NFL SCHEDULE
WEEK 4 SCHEDULE
DETROIT LIONS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (THU) 7:15P (CT) 8:15P PRIME VIDEO
ATLANTA FALCONS VS JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (WEMBLEY) 2:30P (BST) 9:30A ESPN+
MIAMI DOLPHINS AT BUFFALO BILLS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
DENVER BRONCOS AT CHICAGO BEARS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
BALTIMORE RAVENS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT HOUSTON TEXANS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
LOS ANGELES RAMS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P FOX
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT TENNESSEE TITANS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P FOX
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P CBS
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT DALLAS COWBOYS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P FOX
ARIZONA CARDINALS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P FOX
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT NEW YORK JETS 8:20P (ET) 8:20P NBC
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT NEW YORK GIANTS (MON) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P ESPN
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
CINCINNATI 11 CLEVELAND 7
BALTIMORE 1 WASHINGTON 0
ARIZONA 15 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 4
DETROIT 6 KANSAS CITY 3
NY YANKEES 2 TORONTO 0
TAMPA BAY 9 BOSTON 7
MINNESOTA 11 OAKLAND 3
LA ANGELS 9 TEXAS 3
SEATTLE 6 HOUSTON 2
COLORADO 4 LA DODGERS 1
PHILADELPHIA 3 PITTSBURGH 2 (10)
ATLANTA 7 CHICAGO CUBS 6
MIAMI AT NY METS POSTPONED
ST. LOUIS 4 MILWAUKEE 1
LA DODGERS 11 COLORADO 2
SAN DIEGO 4 SAN FRANCISCO 0
NHL PRE-SEASON
BUFFALO 4 BOSTON 1
NY RANGERS 4 NY ISLANDERS 2
DETROIT 4 PITTSBURGH 3
CAROLINA 5 TAMPA BAY 2
ST. LOUIS 3 COLUMBUS 2
DALLAS 6 MINNESOTA 1
AND I 4 SAN JOSE 2
WNBA SCORES
NEW YORK 84 CONNECTICUT 77
LAS VEGAS 91 DALLAS 84
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
TUESDAY’S TRANSACTIONS
BASEBALL
Major League Baseball
American League
CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Placed OF Luis Robert Jr. on the 10-day IL. Selected the contract of OF Tyler Naquin from Charlotte (IL). Transferred RHP Jimmy Lambert from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL.
FOOTBALL
BALTIMORE RAVENS — Signed OLB Kyle Van Noy to the practice squad.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS — Signed WR Simi Fehoko.
HOCKEY
National Hockey League
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
NEW JERSEY DEVILS — Assigned F Cam Squires to Cape Breton (QMJHL) and F Cole Brown to Brantford (OHL).
COLLEGE
RHODE ISLAND — Named Emma Hartan assistant women’s gymnastics coach.
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
BIG 12’S NEW MEMBERS SEE EVIDENCE OF EXCITEMENT IN TICKET AND MERCHANDISE SALES AND RISING DONATIONS
Cincinnati enjoyed about as much success as possible for a Group of Five football program the last five years. The Bearcats were fixtures in the Top 25, won a couple of conference championships and played for a third, and they even made it to a College Football Playoff.
The realization of joining the highest ranks of big-time college sports didn’t hit home until Fox television’s traveling Big Noon Kickoff pregame show arrived on campus for the inaugural Big 12 game against Oklahoma.
“When I first came to school here, I would have never imagined anything like this ever coming to Cincinnati,” 2020 UC graduate Harrison Alt said as he hung out near the show set Saturday. “But to see it here and have it in person, it’s great.”
Cincinnati, Houston, Central Florida and BYU knew Big 12 membership would have its privileges when they accepted invitations two years ago. As they’ve begun competing in the league, ticket and merchandise sales have soared and donations have set records.
All four football teams are picked to finish in the bottom half of the 14-team Big 12, and they went a combined 0-4 in their conference openers. The first head-to-head meeting of newcomers happens Friday night when Cincinnati visits BYU.
Fueled by facility projects underway or on the drawing board and bolstered by increased revenue from donations and media rights, all four plan to compete for championships soon in a conference that will expand further with the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah in 2024.
For now, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF and BYU are soaking in their new environment.
Houston has been waiting for this since it was left out of the 1996 merger of the old Big Eight and Southwest Conference. The Cougars spent 17 years in Conference USA and 10 in the American Athletic Conference and were teased with Big 12 membership in 2016 before the conference decided to put off expansion.
“Our fan base has operated with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder these last 28 years, so I think there’s just general excitement to be back,” said Garrett Klassy, Houston’s chief revenue officer.
Combined attendance for Houston’s opener against UTSA and the Big 12 opener against TCU was over 74,000, the highest for the first two home games of a season in program history.
Houston’s season ticket sales hit 27,000, up almost 8,000 from a year ago, and the athletic department has exceeded 5,000 donor accounts for the first time. Annual giving is up 45% this year and a campaign called Houston Rise has raised nearly $70 million for construction of a $140 million football operations center.
BYU played as an independent for 12 years following decades in the Mountain West and its previous iterations. The school sold all 40,000 of its football season tickets by April, the earliest ever, and the women’s soccer and volleyball teams set single-game attendance records in the first month of their seasons.
“I know Cougar Nation has wanted this for so long,” said David Almodova, BYU’s senior associate athletic director for external relations. “We’ve felt like we should have been a part of it for so long. Now that the opportunity is here, we want to take full advantage of it.”
Sales of BYU gear set records the past three years and are up 9.6% this year, BYU managing director of retail services Mark Clegg said, and was fueled by a promotion offering a fan pack of goodies to customers who spent, appropriately, $112.
Central Florida’s season-ticket allotment of 27,000 was sold out in May and an unprecedented three Big 12 home games were sold out by June. The average price for a ticket to this week’s game against Baylor is $102 on the secondary market, substantially higher than any game in past seasons, senior associate athletic director for communications John Heisler said.
Officials project the Knights will set a program record for football season attendance, and the school already has sold a record number of men’s basketball tickets.
For fiscal year 2023, private donations from UCF’s major gift-giving group were up 44% and merchandise licensing royalties were up 23%, Heisler said.
Cincinnati vice president for development Steve Rosfeld said philanthropy to UC athletics has quadrupled since 2013. Fiscal years 2022 and ‘23 brought in a combined $65.7 million compared with $37.4 million in 2020 and ’21, Rosfeld said. A campaign to raise $100 million from January 2020 to June 2024 reached its goal nine months ahead of schedule.
“This is a storied program and our community expects to play at the highest levels, and we have a donor base that has certainly helped build readiness for a very long time,” Rosfeld said. “This conference membership in the Big 12 and competing with really outstanding institutions has elevated our excitement as a community because it’s a long-term investment.”
HEISMAN RANKINGS: PAC-12 ARMS DAZZLE THROUGH 1ST ACT
The Heisman race is in full sprint after the first month of the season.
5. Cameron Ward, QB, Washington State
- 1,389 passing yards, 74.5% completion, 16 total touchdowns, 0 INT
We’re granting Washington State coach Jake Dickert’s request for more publicity for Ward. The quarterback racked up 404 yards and five total touchdowns in a hotly contested victory over Oregon State. Ward’s performance was par for the course, as the Cougars have thrived with the former Incarnate Word transfer under center.
Ward sits third in the Pac-12 with 347.3 passing yards per game to go along with 16 total scores (13 passing, three rushing). The Cougars have a bye week before they resume a conference slate that includes road games at UCLA and Oregon a couple weeks later. The 6-foot-2, 223-pound junior is seemingly flying under the radar in a conference that features numerous quarterback stars.
4. Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State
- 1,028 passing yards, 61.2% completion, 12 total touchdowns, 1 INT
Florida State sprang out of the gate with a sensational showing in its season opener against LSU. Travis made a statement with his performance against a touted SEC defense, accounting for 342 yards and five total touchdowns. The 23-year-old also displayed his grit after sustaining an injury but remaining in the Seminoles’ win against Boston College.
The sixth-year passer again illustrated his value with national attention in a battle between two perennial ACC powers; Travis connected with Keon Coleman in overtime to help snap FSU’s seven-game losing streak to Clemson. He led the way with 289 passing yards and accounted for three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) while playing through a nagging shoulder issue. The Noles will enjoy some home cooking at Doak Campbell Stadium following a bye next week, which includes a matchup against an upward-trending Duke on Oct. 21.
3. Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
- 1,169 passing yards, 79.4% completion, 12 total touchdowns, 1 INT
Nix entered the Heisman conversation in emphatic fashion. Oregon halted the Colorado hype train with a dominating victory, and the 23-year-old completed 28 of 33 passes for 276 yards and four total touchdowns. The Ducks star has provided consistency through the team’s four outings, leading the Pac-12 with a 79.4% completion rate.
Head coach Dan Lanning emphatically stated Oregon prefers wins over clicks, and the Ducks’ slate will pick up next month after closing September out versus Stanford. After back-to-back matchups against Washington and Washington State, the Ducks will end October against Utah’s stifling defense.
2. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
- 1,636 passing yards, 74.6% completion, 16 total touchdowns, 2 INT
Washington has been pouring it on opponents through the first month of the season. Its star under center deserves credit as the Huskies ascend into the top-25 rankings. Penix leads the nation with 409 passing yards per game to go along with 16 passing touchdowns. The 23-year-old completed 20 of 25 passes for 375 yards and four TDs in the first half of a blowout victory over Michigan State.
Penix is one of the most prolific passers and boasts video game numbers in multiple categories such as passer rating (209.58) and yards per attempt (11.9). The Huskies dispatched Cal to little fanfare last weekend as Penix ranked up 304 yards and four scores in the win. The Huskies will face off against a scrappy Arizona squad Saturday and will be well-rested for a looming battle with Oregon in a matchup that will have major implications for the Pac-12.
1. Caleb Williams, QB, USC
- 1,200 passing yards, 74.3% completion, 18 total touchdowns, 0 INT
Pro wrestling icon Ric Flair once said, “To be the man, you’ve gotta beat the man.” So far nobody has been able to slow down Williams. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has dazzled against lackluster competition to begin USC’s 2023 schedule. The Trojans find themselves in cruise control after their first four outings thanks to Williams’ mastery of the offense. The superstar junior is a more polished version of the player who won the trophy last year. With a receiving corps headlined by Tahj Washington, Brenden Rice, and dynamic freshman Zachariah Branch, Williams’ improvement is evident with each outing.
Williams passed for 1,054 yards and nine total touchdowns through his first four games in 2022. The junior signal-caller has exceeded those marks with 1,200 yards and 18 scores and leads the country with a 223.07 QB rating in the same number of contests to begin 2023. A game pitting two of the most recognizable faces in college football in Williams and Colorado’s Deion Sanders should be entertaining. The tests will only increase for USC in the coming weeks with back-to-back matchups against Notre Dame and Utah looming in the distance.
NO. 6 PENN STATE BRINGS DOMINANT DEFENSE TO NORTHWESTERN
Penn State players cling to a theory about turnovers.
So far, it has served the No. 6 Nittany Lions remarkably well.
Penn State (4-0, 2-0 Big Ten) enters Saturday’s visit to conference rival Northwestern as the lone Football Bowl Subdivision program that hasn’t committed a giveaway this season.
“If you drop the ball, you’re cheating everybody’s dreams,” Nittany Lions fullback Kaytron Allen said. “We’re chasing dreams. This is our dream. You can’t lose it.”
While the Nittany Lions haven’t lost a game this season thanks in great part to their ball security, a tough defense also has propelled their unbeaten start.
In Penn State’s most recent game, a 31-0 shutout of visiting Iowa, the defense held the Hawkeyes to 76 total yards — the program’s stingiest effort against a Big Ten foe. The Nittany Lions forced four fumbles a week after notching five takeaways in their conference opener at Illinois, a 30-13 victory.
It all adds up to a unit that leads the nation in multiple defensive categories, including total defense (219.5 yards per game), pass defense (138 yards per game), first downs allowed (46) and turnover margin (plus-11).
“Stats sometimes tell a story and kind of reinforce some things that you’re doing,” Nittany Lions coach James Franklin said.
To Northwestern counterpart David Braun, Penn State’s defensive objectives are clear.
“They’re aggressive. They’re balanced. You can’t find a weakness on that defense,” said Braun, the Wildcats’ interim coach. “Really well-coached. Willing to play tight coverage. Mix in some different looks. Put stress on you on first and second down.”
The Wildcats (2-2, 1-1) are coming off a 37-34 overtime victory at home against Minnesota last Saturday.
After falling behind 31-10 through three quarters, Northwestern rallied to tie the game at 31 on Ben Bryant’s 11-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Henning with two seconds remaining in regulation. The game-winner was a 25-yard TD pass from Bryant to Charlie Mangieri in OT.
While Northwestern welcomed the victory, to be sure, Braun acknowledged he hopes the players harness a better sense of urgency against the Nittany Lions and going forward this season.
“On both sides of the football, we need to find some of that mojo in the first quarter to get going,” Braun said. “I think that only helps an offense turn positive plays into positive drives and points.”
Wildcats wideout Bryce Kirtz earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week plaudits with his standout effort against the Golden Gophers. Kirtz had 10 receptions for 215 yards and two touchdowns — all career bests — while posting the fourth-highest single-game receiving yardage total in school history.
Saturday will offer a matchup of quarterbacks aiming to build off big games. Bryant was 33-of-49 passing for 396 yards and four TDs with no interceptions.
While his yardage total of 166 wasn’t as prolific, Penn State’s Drew Allar also threw for four scores, including a pair to Tyler Warren.
Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions will aim to keep rolling behind their defense. Linebacker Curtis Jacobs helped pace the effort against Iowa with two fumble recoveries.
Penn State has won eight of the last 10 meetings with Northwestern and boasts a 15-5 edge in the all-time series.
NO. 21 TENNESSEE HAS SCORE TO SETTLE WITH SOUTH CAROLINA
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel dismissed the notion that last season’s loss to South Carolina will provide any additional motivation for his team this weekend.
With that in mind, the 21st-ranked Volunteers will head into their Southeastern Conference home opener on Saturday looking to extend their winning streak in Knoxville, Tenn., to 12 games.
As for Heupel’s most recent trip to Columbia, S.C. … well, Spencer Rattler did his best to make sure it wasn’t fun. Rattler completed 30 of 37 passes for 438 yards and six touchdowns to fuel the Gamecocks’ 63-38 thrashing of Tennessee on Nov. 19, 2022. The loss effectively ruined the Volunteers’ playoff chances.
“It’s a new week every week,” Heupel said Monday. “Last year, they were more physical than us. They competed harder than we did on that night. We didn’t handle the environment the right way. Those are lessons that have to continue to move forward with us as a program, but last year has nothing to do with this week.”
This season, Tennessee (3-1, 0-1 SEC) rebounded from a 29-16 setback to Florida on Sept. 16 — a decision that sent the Volunteers tumbling 12 spots in the poll — by breezing to a 45-14 victory over UTSA last Saturday.
Joe Milton III rushed for an 81-yard touchdown on the first play, marking the 27th time in 30 games under Heupel that Tennessee has scored a touchdown in the first quarter.
Milton added two passing touchdowns and Dylan Sampson rushed for 139 and a pair of scores for the Volunteers, who bolted to a 31-0 lead at halftime. Tennessee rolled up 512 total yards and averaged 9.2 yards per carry.
The Volunteers also forced three turnovers, and that defensive effort would be a welcome sight for Heupel as his club hopes to contain Rattler.
“He’s a really good player. He’s played at a high level; he’s played a lot of football. He’s playing extremely well right now, (and) he was dynamic in that football game (last year), but he has that in his arsenal,” Heupel said.
“We gotta do a really good job of getting him in third-and-long, (because) last year we didn’t get off the field on third-and-long. Some of that was him standing in there and making some special plays. We gotta do a great job of bottling him up and applying pressure at the same time.”
Rattler helped South Carolina (2-2, 1-1) rebound from a 24-14 loss to No. 1 Georgia on Sept. 16 by tossing three touchdowns in a 37-30 victory over Mississippi State last Saturday. Rattler, named the co-SEC Offensive Player of the Week, completed 18 of 20 passes for 288 yards.
Xavier Legette proved to be Rattler’s most trusted target, getting five receptions for 189 yards and two scores.
“He works that way in practice, and it shows on Saturday nights,” Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer said of Legette. “He’s a fantastic player. … Proud of him the way that he continues to work, and, like I said last week, we’ve got to continue to bring some of these other receivers along. Trey Knox did a nice job — four catches, that was big.
“All those other receivers, while Juice (Wells, foot injury) is out, it’s not just Legette that we can count on. These other guys have to continue to make strides.”
NO. 2 MICHIGAN HEADS TO NEBRASKA FOR FIRST ROAD TEST
Michigan hasn’t left Ann Arbor this season while compiling a 4-0 record against overmatched opponents.
That will change Saturday as the second-ranked Wolverines head to Nebraska for a Big Ten contest in Lincoln.
Michigan (4-0, 1-0) hasn’t given up more than seven points in any of its games this season, including a 31-7 triumph over Rutgers in its conference opener last Saturday. Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh returned to the sidelines after serving a three-game suspension for alleged recruiting violations.
Harbaugh wants to make sure the Wolverines don’t board the plane without something very important.
“Pack a good football team to go on the road, especially the defense,” he said. “Make sure you’ve got your defense packed. Don’t leave them at home.”
That defense has allowed 23 points this season. The Wolverines haven’t forced a lot of turnovers (five), but they’ve held opponents to an average of 2.8 yards per carry and 6.3 yards per pass attempt. They have eight sacks and haven’t allowed a fourth-down conversion.
Except for running back Blake Corum, the Michigan offense has been rather ordinary. Corum is averaging 87.8 rushing yards per game and has scored a nation-leading eight rushing touchdowns.
J.J. McCarthy has an eye-popping completion rate of 79.8 percent with eight touchdowns, but he’s also been picked off three times.
Corum commented after the latest win that the offense was still a work in progress, but Harbaugh emphasized the positives in his weekly press conference.
“To a man, I thought there was some really, really good things. Whether it was the running game, the passing game, the quarterbacking was at a really high level,” he said. “There were a lot more plays this week … where all 11 were doing what they were supposed to be doing and doing it at a really high level, in-sync type of level. Just keep trying to build on that.”
Corum and the Wolverines’ other top back, Donovan Edwards, will look for holes against a Cornhuskers defense that has allowed a stingy 1.8 yards per carry.
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule knows that stat won’t discourage Michigan.
“It’ll challenge every single aspect of every single thing you do defensively, because they’re not afraid to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to run this ball and get it to the unblocked player,’” Rhule said. “The standard for them is, ‘Hey, make that guy miss. And if he tackles you once, you have to make him miss the next time.’”
The Cornhuskers (2-2, 0-1) have won their last two games, both out of conference.
They defeated Louisiana Tech 28-14 last Saturday behind quarterback Heinrich Haarberg, who rushed for 157 yards and a touchdown and also threw for a score. Anthony Grant ran for 135 yards and a touchdown.
Jeff Sims, who started the season at quarterback, has missed the last two games with a lower leg injury. It was uncertain who will start on Saturday.
“This is a great opportunity,” Rhule said. “We have good players. We expect our players to play well. This game will be about blocking and tackling and covering, getting open and making throws.”
The Wolverines lead the all-time series 7-4-1, including a 4-2 mark since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011.
NO. 7 WASHINGTON ROLLS HEAVY ARTILLERY INTO ARIZONA
No. 7 Washington rolls into Tucson with the nation’s best offense and the top-rated passer to face an improved defense when the Huskies visit Arizona on Saturday night.
The Huskies (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) received one vote at No. 1 in this week’s Associated Press poll, have scored at least 41 points in each game and have won every contest by at least 27 points. The closest was last weekend’s 59-32 decision vs. Cal.
Michael Penix Jr. threw for more than 400 yards in three of those games, including 473 at Michigan State. He is averaging 409.0 passing yards, while the Huskies are putting up 593.2 total yards per game.
“We never relax,” Penix said. “We want to make sure we score every time we get the ball. That’s our mentality.”
Arizona (3-1, 1-0) has been building program momentum in coach Jedd Fisch’s third season, and the Wildcats are expecting a Red-Out sellout crowd of about 51,000 for Saturday’s game. Arizona is giving up 314.2 yards per game, and the defense has dropped its average yards per play allowed to 4.97 from last season’s mark of 6.59.
But the Wildcats barely scraped past Stanford in a 21-20 road victory last week and haven’t faced anything close to the kind of firepower that Washington possesses.
“We need to have an incredible environment on Saturday night,” Fisch said. “We have to play our best football. We’ve got to play better than we played all year.”
It’s not clear if Arizona will have starting quarterback Jayden de Laura, who left late in the third quarter against Stanford with a right ankle injury. He was the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year at Washington State in 2021 before starting the past 16 games for the Wildcats.
Redshirt freshman Noah Fifita finished up against Stanford, leading the go-ahead drive and finishing 4-for-4 passing, including completing two throws that helped take the final 3:08 off the clock to preserve the victory. Fisch said the offense would be the same, no matter who is at quarterback.
“They’ve learned the offense the exact same way,” Fisch said of his quarterbacks. “They’ve been at the exact same meetings and they have very similar skill sets in a lot of ways. So nothing changes.”
The Huskies surround Penix with arguably the nation’s best receiving corps, including Rome Odunze (27 catches, 544 yards, four touchdowns), Ja’Lynn Polk (21-427-4) and Jalen McMillan (20-311-3). McMillan missed last week’s game against Cal due to a minor injury, but DeBoer said Monday he is “very optimistic” he would be available at Arizona.
Last year’s game was a shootout in Seattle, with the Huskies winning 49-39. Penix threw for a career-high 516 yards to go along with four touchdowns. For Arizona, de Laura threw for an even 400 yards and four scores.
“We continue to grow,” Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said.
“We know what we want to be. I can tell you the energy in the locker room the last two weeks, first half and second half, it’s been different than before. There’s energy but there is like this determination and this focus to come out of the locker room, hard-charging and to separate ourselves. I think there is a killer instinct that this team is developing.”
NO. 22 FLORIDA TACKLES ROAD WOES, SERIES LOSING STREAK AT KENTUCKY
There was a time when the Florida Gators could beat Kentucky with one hand tied behind their backs.
Florida wideout Ricky Pearsall may need only one hand to make a spectacular catch, but the No. 22 Gators will have their hands full against the unbeaten Wildcats in Southeastern Conference action Saturday in Lexington, Ky.
Kentucky (4-0, 1-0 SEC) returns home after opening the conference calendar with a 45-28 victory at Vanderbilt last Saturday.
The Wildcats have won the last two meetings with Florida and three of the last five in a rivalry that once saw the Gators sweep 31 straight meetings from 1987 to 2017. Kentucky won 26-16 last season in The Swamp and entered this week as a slight favorite at Kroger Field.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops insisted that the past “really doesn’t have any bearing” on Saturday’s game.
“There’s a term that we use a lot in our program and that is divine discontent,” he said. “We know there’s more out there. We know we can play better. And that ought to be our motivation. …
“We’re still hungry and nobody’s content with what we’re doing and we’re looking forward to a great opportunity here this week with the Florida team that we know is always extremely talented (and a) very good team.”
The Gators (3-1, 1-0) enter with three straight wins since a season-opening setback at then-No. 14 Utah. Florida defeated Charlotte 22-7 last Saturday but hasn’t played outside Gainesville since that Aug. 31 loss in Salt Lake City.
Florida held Charlotte to 10 first downs and 211 total yards, including 78 rushing yards on 29 attempts.
“Defensively we were lights out outside of one possession,” said head coach Billy Napier, whose Gators are giving up just 13.5 points per game.
Graham Mertz completed 20 of 23 passes for 259 yards and one touchdown against the 49ers. Pearsall posted six catches for 104 yards, including a fantastic one-handed grab in the first quarter — despite absorbing a huge hit from two defenders.
Mertz hasn’t thrown an interception since the opener and Pearsall leads the team in catches (26) and receiving yards (362). Trevor Etienne has rushed for 329 yards, including 172 in a Sept. 16 upset of then-No. 11 Tennessee.
Including the loss at Utah and a pair of neutral-site defeats in his first season on the job in 2022, Florida is just 1-6 outside of Gainesville under Napier.
“I think this is a big week,” Napier said. “Obviously Kentucky has a really good football team. We’ve got a ton of respect for Coach Stoops and the program that he’s built there, the consistency in which they play and the brand of football that they play — the fundamentals, the philosophy.
“It’s a tough place to go play.”
Devin Leary, a transfer from NC State, has thrown for 1,060 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions for the Wildcats. Ray Davis, a Vanderbilt transfer, leads Kentucky with 314 rushing yards and five TDs. While with the Commodores last season, Davis ran for 122 yards in a 31-24 upset of a 20th-ranked Gators squad.
UTAH MUST KEEP RIDING ITS DEFENSE UNTIL RISING RETURNS. NOTRE DAME-DUKE IS WEEK 5’S BEST MATCHUP
Utah has quietly emerged as a top-10 team with convalescing quarterback Cam Rising yet to play a down and a defense that so far has put up better numbers than the 2019 unit that is regarded as the Utes’ best ever.
To be determined is whether the Utes can keep doing what they’ve been doing as they move along in a stretch in which five of seven opponents are ranked.
The offense has been limited without Rising, who hasn’t played since he tore his ACL in the Rose Bowl. The defense has allowed one touchdown to each of its first four opponents, but such dominance is unlikely to continue with Southern California, Oregon and Washington — all national top-three offenses — on the horizon.
The immediate concern is Saturday’s game at No. 19 Oregon State, which is coming off a loss at Washington State and needs a win to avoid dropping off in the Pac-12 race.
There are three other games matching Top 25 teams: No. 24 Kansas at No. 3 Texas, No. 13 LSU at No. 20 Mississippi and No. 11 Notre Dame at No. 17 Duke.
Kansas has played the 84th-toughest schedule so far and lost 18 in a row against top-10 opponents. The Jayhawks haven’t beaten a top-10 team in a true road game since 1995. Texas’ most recent 5-0 start was in 2009.
LSU needs to be careful. All four of its losses to Ole Miss since 2009 have come in Oxford.
Another game sure to draw huge viewership is No. 8 Southern California at Colorado, where Deion Sanders and his Buffaloes try to rebound from their humbling 42-6 loss at Oregon.
BEST GAME
No. 11 Notre Dame (4-1) at No. 17 Duke (4-0), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
The Fighting Irish are in bounce-back mode after their devastating, last-second home loss to Ohio State. Sam Hartman should be motivated to get another crack at Duke. As Wake Forest’s quarterback last year, he threw for 347 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted on his last pass in a 34-31 loss to the Blue Devils.
Duke has won four straight by 20-plus points to open a season for the first time in program history. The last three of those have come against undistinguished opponents, and that Labor Day win over then-No. 9 Clemson has lost some of its luster with the Tigers struggling.
HEISMAN WATCH
LSU QB Jayden Daniels overcame a slow start to throw for four touchowns against Arkansas last week. He also became the sixth FBS player in history to throw for 10,000 yards and rush for 2,000 in a career. Now come back-to-back road games against ranked opponents — this week at No. 20 Mississippi and next week at No. 23 Missouri.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
3 — Consecutive Tulsa opponents that have the Owls nickname — Temple, Florida Atlantic and Rice.
8 — FBS teams that have not thrown an interception.
34 — Points against Oklahoma, the fewest through four games against the Sooners since 1992.
48 — Arizona receiver Jacob Cowing’s nation-leading streak of games with a catch.
275 — Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is the only player in the country with 275-plus rushing yards and 275-plus receiving yards.
UNDER THE RADAR
West Virginia (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) at TCU (3-1, 1-0), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Each team has won three straight since season-opening losses. Neal Brown and the Mountaineers would love to steal a road win here and move on against a schedule devoid of heavyweights except for Oklahoma. Chandler Morris and Emani Bailey are on nice rolls for the Horned Frogs, who have won eight of nine home games under Sonny Dykes.
HOT SEAT
Rice’s Mike Bloomgren has a winnable home game against an East Carolina team that’s lost each of its three games against FBS opponents by at least 15 points. The Owls (2-2, 0-1) are in their first season in the American Athletic Conference after moving from Conference USA, but Blomgren’s 18-41 record over six seasons doesn’t give him much grace.
NFL NEWS
THE STARTING 11 — ROOKIES SURFACING IN BIG WAYS AS NFL SPEEDS INTO OCTOBER
As a baby, TANK DELL got his nickname from his mom. Her son had a head reminiscent of a front-line offensive ground weapon.
Last week, Dell introduced himself to the National Football League as Houston’s front-line offensive air weapon.
The rookie third-round selection caught five passes for 145 yards and a touchdown in an impressive road victory. His rookie quarterback, No. 2 overall selection C.J. STROUD, is only the third player ever to reach 900 passing yards over his first three NFL games. The next player drafted, No. 3 overall selection WILL ANDERSON, became the first Texans rookie to block a field goal since J.J. WATT in 2011.
Houston’s center, sixth-round rookie JARRETT PATTERSON, has helped give Stroud time in the pocket, while linebacker HENRY TO’OTO’O – a fifth-round selection – leads the team with 20 tackles. Even the Texans’ punter and holder, undrafted free agent TY ZENTNER, made key contributions in last week’s win.
“I don’t care where you were drafted, how we acquired you,” said rookie head coach DEMECO RYANS. “Are you playing football the right way – the Texans brand of football? If you play that, then you’ll play for us.”
Ryans, the 2006 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, knows all about playing football the right way.
Miami’s DE’VON ACHANE knows all about speed. In the Dolphins’ 70-20 win last week, the rookie third-round selection became just the second NFL player ever – and the first since John F. Kennedy was President – with 200 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns and two touchdown receptions in a game.
In Philadelphia, JALEN CARTER and NOLAN SMITH know all about championships, having won consecutive national titles at Georgia. Now, as key pillars in Philadelphia’s front seven, the rookies are literally big reasons the undefeated Eagles are leading the NFL in rushing defense (48.3 yards allowed per game) and are tied for the league lead with four fumble recoveries.
Rookies all over the NFL are abundant and explosive. And look out, because as the NFL enters October, the lights have come on and the game is starting to slow down.
The Starting 11 entering Week 4…
1. DOLPHINS, BILLS ON COLLISION COURSE: Fresh off one of the most prolific offensive performances in NFL history, MIAMI (3-0) is seeking its first 4-0 start since 1995. Standing in the way is one of the league’s most complete teams, BUFFALO (2-1), and the NFL’s toughest place to win, Highmark Stadium. Since 2020, the Bills own the NFL’s best home record (25-6, .806), including the postseason.
- Sunday’s game (1:00 PM ET, CBS) is only the third time in the last 37 seasons (1987-2023) that two teams will face off the week after each won by 34-or-more points (Kansas City topped Denver, 30-23, in Week 8, 2018; Pittsburgh defeated Cincinnati, 33-20, in Week 14, 2015).
- Miami (43.3 points per game) and Buffalo (30.3) are the NFL’s top two teams in scoring this season. The Dolphins’ 130 points are the second most by a team in its first three games of a season in NFL history, trailing only the 1968 DALLAS COWBOYS (132).
- When the Dolphins have the ball on Sunday, the NFL’s top offense (550.3 yards per game) will face the league’s No. 2 defense (Buffalo has allowed just 253.0 yards per game). Miami’s 1,651 yards of total offense are the most by a team in its first three games of a season in NFL history.
- Since the Bills selected quarterback JOSH ALLEN seventh overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Buffalo is 9-2 against Miami, including the postseason, having won nine of its last 10 against the Dolphins. Allen has started each of those 11 games and completed 250 of 395 attempts (63.3 percent) for 3,036 yards and 30 touchdowns with seven interceptions for a 104.8 rating.
- Since the Dolphins hired MIKE MCDANIEL as head coach prior to the 2022 season, quarterback TUA TAGOVAILOA leads the NFL in passer rating (108.8). Last week, the Dolphins recorded 726 total yards of offense and became the fourth team in NFL history, including the postseason, to reach 70 points in a game, the first in 57 years. Miami is the second team in NFL history, including the postseason, to record 700 yards of total offense in a game, joining the LOS ANGELES RAMS (735), Sept. 28, 1951.
- Dolphins running back RAHEEM MOSTERT leads the NFL in 2023 with six rushing touchdowns, while wide receiver TYREEK HILL ranks first with four touchdown receptions.
- This year, the Bills lead NFL with nine takeaways and seven interceptions. They’re also tied for second in the league with 12 sacks. Last week, Buffalo became the first team with nine sacks and four interceptions in a game since the Cowboys on Sept. 29, 1985.
2. NUMBER OF THE WEEK – 18: The number of receptions this season by Lions rookie tight end SAM LAPORTA, surpassing former Packers Pro Bowler KEITH JACKSON (17 in 1988) for the most by a tight end in his first three career games in NFL history. LaPorta, who caught eight passes for 84 yards and one touchdown last week, is the first rookie tight end in league annals with at least five receptions in each of his first three career games. He enters Week 4 leading all NFL tight ends with 186 receiving yards.
- DETROIT (2-1) and GREEN BAY (2-1) kick off Week 4 on Thursday Night Football at Lambeau Field (8:15 PM ET, Prime Video). The Lions are bidding for their best start since they opened 3-1 in 2017.
- Since Green Bay hired MATT LAFLEUR as head coach in 2019, the Packers own the NFL’s best record in games decided by three points or less: 11-4 (.733). Two of Green Bay’s three games this season have been decided by one point. Last week, the Packers trailed 17-0 entering the fourth quarter but stormed back to claim an 18-17 victory. Green Bay became the third team since 2000 to be shut out through three quarters and overcome a deficit of 17-or-more points in the fourth quarter to win.
- The Lions and Packers share one of the league’s streakiest series. One team has swept the season series in six of the last seven years. The clubs have split their meetings only once in that span, in 2021. Detroit enters having won its last three over the Packers, including the 2022 season finale in Green Bay.
3. TO WEMBLEY, INFINITY, AND BEYOND: The NFL returns to London this week when the JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-2) host the ATLANTA FALCONS (2-1) at Wembley Stadium (9:30 AM ET, ESPN+). Sunday’s matchup is the first of three straight weeks of London games and also marks the NFL’s 25th regular-season contest at Wembley, since the Giants defeated the Dolphins, 13-10, on Oct. 28, 2007. It’s the 10th franchise trip to London for Jacksonville, which will remain in the city to play a second London contest in Week 5 against Buffalo at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Sunday also is Atlanta’s fourth regular-season game outside the United States. The Falcons are 1-1 all-time in London and 1-0 in Toronto, Canada.
4. SPOTLIGHT – INDIVIDUAL MATCHUP: A pair of Pro Bowlers, center CREED HUMPHREY and defensive lineman QUINNEN WILLIAMS, are expected to face off when KANSAS CITY (2-1) visits the NEW YORK JETS (1-2) on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC).
- Since the beginning of 2022, the Jets’ defense leads the NFL in fewest yards allowed per play (4.83). In that same span, Kansas City’s offense ranks second in the league with 6.33 yards per play, trailing Miami (6.51).
- Three University of Cincinnati products – Kansas City tight end TRAVIS KELCE and starting safety BRYAN COOK, and Jets cornerback SAUCE GARDNER – will be in action on Sunday. Last season, Kelce became the first tight end in NFL history with seven career seasons (2016-22) of at least 1,000 receiving yards. Cook has started every game for the Chiefs this season. And Gardner, who led all NFL players last season with 20 passes defensed, earned the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Both Cook (62nd overall) and Gardner (fourth overall) were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.
5. SPOTLIGHT – TEAM MATCHUP: No NFL defense through three weeks has been as impressive as CLEVELAND (2-1), which leads the league in both fewest yards allowed per game (163.7) and fewest points allowed per game (10.7). That unit gets a formidable test at home against BALTIMORE (2-1) on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS).
- The Browns have allowed opponents to enter the red zone on only two possessions this season, with no touchdowns. Baltimore, meanwhile, ranks fifth in red-zone offense (72.7 percent) and second in third-down efficiency (51.1 percent).
- Since 2021, Cleveland defensive end MYLES GARRETT leads the NFL with 36.5 sacks. During that time, the Browns are 9-2 when Garrett records at least 1.5 sacks in a game.
- Ravens quarterback LAMAR JACKSON has averaged 6.4 yards per carry since the beginning of his MVP season in 2019. That’s the best mark in the NFL in that span with a minimum of 275 attempts.
- Cleveland bids for its third 3-1 start in four seasons under head coach KEVIN STEFANSKI, whose Browns also opened 3-1 in 2020 and 2021. Prior to that season, the team had not started a season 3-1 or better since 2001.
6. STREAK SPEAK: SAN FRANCISCO (3-0) looks for its 14th straight regular-season win this week, entering with the NFL’s longest active winning streak. When the 49ers host ARIZONA (1-2) on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, FOX), San Francisco also will bid for its 10th consecutive home win (including the postseason), and 15th Levi’s Stadium win over its last 16 home games.
- Since Week 14 of last season, when quarterback BROCK PURDY made his first NFL start, the 49ers own the NFL’s best record (8-0) and top takeaway margin (plus-13), having committed a league-low four turnovers.
- Sunday’s game features two of the NFL’s top four rushing leaders, including Arizona running back JAMES CONNER, who ranks fourth with 266 yards. In last week’s win, Conner posted 116 scrimmage yards (98 rushing, 18 receiving) and a rushing touchdown. The 49ers’ CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY leads the league with 353 rushing yards.
- Since the beginning of 2019, the 49ers have had three defensive coordinators: ROBERT SALEH, DEMECO RYANS and STEVE WILKS. Still, the team leads the NFL in fewest yards allowed per game (299.9) over that span.
7. DID YOU KNOW?: Three games on the Week 4 schedule feature two teams at 2-1: DETROIT at GREEN BAY on Thursday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, Prime Video); BALTIMORE at CLEVELAND (1:00 PM ET, CBS); and TAMPA BAY at NEW ORLEANS (1:00 PM ET, FOX). Recent history has shown that 2-1 teams that win in Week 4 have a much better chance of reaching the playoffs. Since 1990, 64.3 percent of teams that started 3-1 have made the postseason, while just 37.1 percent that opened 2-2 were able to advance to the playoffs.
8. UNDER-THE-RADAR STORYLINE: Several familiar faces will visit their old places this week. … Running back EZEKIEL ELLIOTT leads NEW ENGLAND (1-2) in his return to DALLAS (2-1) on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, FOX). … Wide receiver ADAM THIELEN and CAROLINA (0-3) welcome his old club, MINNESOTA (0-3), to Charlotte on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX) … Quarterback JAMEIS WINSTON could get a home start for NEW ORLEANS (2-1) against his first NFL team, TAMPA BAY (2-1) on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX). … Linebacker FOYESADE OLUOKUN and wide receiver CALVIN RIDLEY see their former teammates when JACKSONVILLE (1-2) meets ATLANTA (2-1) in London (9:30 AM ET, ESPN+) … Linebacker KHALIL MACK and the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (1-2) host the franchise that drafted him, the LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-2) on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, CBS) … And, defensive ends JADEVEON CLOWNEY and ZA’DARIUS SMITH along with the CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-1) host their former team, the BALTIMORE RAVENS (2-1), on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS).
9. TREND TIME: The NFL enters October this week. Since 2011, only one Super Bowl champion has lost more than one game in October during its title season. Two of those Super Bowl champions in that stretch – SEATTLE (2-1) and the NEW YORK GIANTS (1-2) – meet this week on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN/ABC).
- Seattle captured that Super Bowl title 10 years ago at MetLife Stadium. This week, the Seahawks return to MetLife, where the team is 5-0 all-time, including the postseason.
- Seattle (28-12, .700) also owns the best winning percentage in the history of Monday Night Football.
- In 20 all-time meetings, the Giants and Seahawks have each won 10 games.
10. NEXT GEN STATS NOTE OF THE WEEK: The MIAMI DOLPHINS own each of the five fastest ball-carrying speeds in the NFL this season. Rookie running back DE’VON ACHANE holds the top spot (21.93 MPH on a 67-yard rushing touchdown) along with the fifth spot (21.50 MPH on a 3-yard rush). Wide receiver TYREEK HILL holds the second (21.66 MPH on a 47-yard reception) and fourth spots (21.52 MPH on a 35-yard touchdown catch). And running back RAHEEM MOSTERT holds the third spot (21.62 MPH on a 43-yard rushing touchdown).
11. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: This week, the Eagles have an opportunity to become just the sixth team this century to begin 4-0 in consecutive seasons, joining the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2017-20), DENVER BRONCOS (2015-16), NEW YORK GIANTS (2008-09), INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2005-07) and ST. LOUIS RAMS (2000-01). Philadelphia has started 3-0 in two straight seasons for the first time since 1992-93.
- PHILADELPHIA (3-0), which won the NFC East last season, was the last team to win consecutive NFC East crowns, from 2001-04. The division’s current streak of 18 seasons (2005-22) without a repeat champion is the longest stretch in NFL history. This week, the Eagles host WASHINGTON (2-1) on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX).
- Last season, in Week 10 at Lincoln Financial Field, the Commanders were the first NFL team to defeat the 8-0 Eagles, led by wide receiver TERRY MCLAURIN (eight catches, 128 yards) and running back BRIAN ROBINSON (86 yards on 26 carries with one touchdown).
- The Eagles have won 20 of the last 21 regular-season games started by quarterback JALEN HURTS. Washington’s Week 10 win over Philadelphia last season marked the only defeat.
REPORT: JETS SIGN VETERAN QB SIEMIAN
The New York Jets are adding a quarterback after all.
Veteran signal-caller Trevor
Veteran signal-caller Trevor Siemian is signing to the team’s practice squad, a source told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The 31-year-old arrives as the Jets struggle to get quality production from the quarterback position in the wake of Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending Achilles tear. Since Rodgers went down in Week 1, former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson has completed 52.4% of his passes for two touchdowns and four interceptions.
New York has lost both games that Wilson started, but head coach Robert Saleh said Monday that the team would stick with Wilson and that he wasn’t the reason the team lost Sunday against the New England Patriots.
Siemian is no stranger to the Jets, having spent the 2019 season with the franchise. He’s bounced around the league since then, spending time with the Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, and, most recently, the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals released him before the 2023 regular season began.
A seventh-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2015, Siemian has thrown 42 touchdowns to 28 interceptions over his career and holds a record of 13-17.
COWBOYS SWEAT HUDDLE INTEL OF NEW PATRIOTS EZEKIEL ELLIOTT, WILL GRIER
Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is concerned longtime Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback Will Grier are telling secrets.
As the New England Patriots prepare to travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys on Sunday, Elliott and Grier add tangible value with their knowledge of the inner workings of the Cowboys’ operation.
“Certainly Will knows where a lot of the bones are buried,” Schottenheimer said. “Zeke obviously does as well. Those are thing you talk about, and you think about, ‘OK, let’s adjust this one.’ We certainly have more than one hand signal for most of our core concepts, and sometimes you can use it to your advantage because they think they know what’s coming. And they hear something they think, ‘Oh, hey, it’s this’ and we’re smart enough to adjust those things.”
Grier was waived in August when the Cowboys made a trade to acquire Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers.
Elliott played 103 career regular-season games in Dallas and was released in the offseason. He’s a close friend of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and has unique insight, despite the team changing offensive coordinators from Kellen Moore to Schottenheimer. But head coach Mike McCarthy has taken over play-calling this season.
The cat-and-mouse game can work both ways.
Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore played for the Patriots from 2017-20 and was a prized pupil of head coach Bill Belichick. Well-traveled wide receiver Brandin Cooks spent the 2017 season in New England.
“Everybody does it, you get a player that’s been somewhere, you talk to him about different things,” Schottenheimer said. “And then you’re very selective about how much you put into it. Excited to see Will, it’ll be great to see him, but I’m sure he is definitely being interrogated and spending a lot of late nights with their defensive coaching staff.”
PACKERS, LIONS THINNED BY INJURIES IN FIGHT FOR DIVISION LEAD
Fighting for first place in the NFC North, the Packers and Lions renew acquaintances in Green Bay on Thursday night with Detroit determined to beat its rival for the fourth consecutive time.
“Certainly you want these more, because they’re for the division,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “These count. They have a significant impact on being a division winner.”
The Packers last beat the Lions in Week 2 of the 2021 season. Detroit ushered in the Jordan Love era by beating Aaron Rodgers in the regular-season finale at Lambeau Field last season (20-16).
“I know what they’re all about,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “It’s a tough, gritty team.”
Campbell started the week with a sleepover in his own office Sunday night, burying the idea of enjoying the win over the Atlanta Falcons for 24 hours. But he gets goosebumps thinking about the atmosphere that awaits the Lions, whose season-ending win in January also was in primetime.
“I told the rookies yesterday, ‘Get ready to live, man. This is good stuff here. These are the things that you’ll never forget when you’re done playing,’” Campbell said.
Love rallied the Packers from a 17-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to beat the New Orleans Saints, 18-17, in his first home start last week.
Short-week scenarios involving health are again relevant on either side.
Lions left tackle Taylor Decker plans to attempt to play Thursday with a high-ankle sprain that kept him out the past two games. He was one of four offensive linemen on the injury report Monday.
If Decker holds up, right tackle Penei Sewell can return to his usual position.
Even if the front five isn’t whole, Campbell expects pass protection in front of Jared Goff to be better and the running game to make progress. After rushing for 2,179 yards last season, Detroit is averaging a full yard less per carry — 3.6 yards and 24th in the NFL — through three games in 2023.
Green Bay’s ground game is down as well (3.43 yards per carry ranks 26th), denting the Packers’ play-action passing attack. Injuries to the line and starting running backs David Montgomery (Lions) and Aaron Jones (Packers) created shuffling and a negative domino effect.
Jones and purported No. 1 receiver Christian Watson (hamstring) are trending toward playing this week. Watson hasn’t played this season after collecting seven TDs as a rookie. He caught five passes for 104 yards in the Week 18 loss to the Lions last season. Jones had 21 total carries for 73 yards in two losses to the Lions in 2022.
“We’ve got a lot of ball in front of us and obviously we’ve got a great test in front of us. It would certainly help us if those two guys were available,” LaFleur said.
There is less optimism about starting left tackle David Bakhtiari (knee) and left guard Elgton Jenkins (knee). Jenkins was injured Sept. 17 at Atlanta. Bakhtiari hasn’t played since Week 1 and right tackle David Tom (knee) couldn’t finish the game last week.
Behind a makeshift line the past two weeks, Goff is consistently connecting with rookie Sam LaPorta, including a 45-yard touchdown in Week 3. LaPorta has 18 receptions in his first three games, an NFL record for a tight end. He’s second on the team to Amon-Ra St. Brown (21-275-1) in catches.
Sewell and Goff are on high alert for outside linebacker Rashan Gary, who was awarded the defensive game ball last week in his third game back from a torn ACL. Gary had 3.0 sacks to boost Green Bay’s comeback win. He had five pressures in 20 pass-rush opportunities.
“The postgame, you could see how much it means to that kid,” Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry said. “You talk about all-in.”
POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING IF UNPRESCRIBED DRUGS FACTORED INTO DEATH OF EX-NFL PLAYER MIKE WILLIAMS
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Police are investigating the death of former NFL player Mike Williams in Tampa after getting information that he may have received unprescribed drugs from someone while hospitalized after a construction site accident.
The Tampa Police Department said in an email Tuesday that the probe involves “unprescribed narcotics by an outside party.” Williams died Sept. 12 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa at age 36, two weeks after he was injured in a construction accident that left him partially paralyzed.
“We take all allegations of criminal activity seriously, and detectives are working tirelessly on this active investigation,” the Tampa police email said. The investigation was first reported by the Tampa Bay Times.
The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s office is also investigating the death.
Williams was a fourth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010 following a standout college career at Syracuse. He had 65 receptions for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie and started 52 of the 54 games he appeared in over four seasons with Tampa Bay.
The native of Buffalo was traded to his hometown team in 2014. He played nine games, finishing with eight catches for 142 yards and one TD in his lone season with the Bills. He finished his career on the Kansas City Chiefs’ roster during the 2016 offseason.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
BROOKS ROBINSON, ORIOLES THIRD BASEMAN WITH 16 GOLD GLOVES, HAS DIED. HE WAS 86
BALTIMORE (AP) Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson, whose deft glovework and folksy manner made him one of the most beloved and accomplished athletes in Baltimore history, has died. He was 86.
The Orioles announced his death in a joint statement with Robinson’s family Tuesday. The statement did not say how Robinson died.
The Orioles held a moment of silence before their game against the Washington Nationals, and the teams lined up outside their dugouts to pay their respects. Also before the game, fans gathered around the 9-foot bronze statue of Robinson inside Camden Yards.
“Great player, great guy on the field, great guy off,” said fellow Orioles Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, who was overcome with emotion. “Respectful, kind. And you don’t meet too many guys like that. Brooks was a genuine person. There was no acting. Brooks was just a genuine person.”
Coming of age before the free agent era, Robinson spent his entire 23-year career with the Orioles. He almost single-handedly helped Baltimore defeat Cincinnati in the 1970 World Series and homered in Game 1 of the Orioles’ 1966 sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers for their first crown.
Robinson participated in 18 All-Star Games, won 16 consecutive Gold Gloves and earned the 1964 AL Most Valuable Player award after batting .318 with 28 home runs and a league-leading 118 RBIs.
“An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, he will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of baseball,” the team said.
He finished with 268 homers, drove in 1,357 runs and batted a respectable .267 in 2,896 career games. Not bad for ol’ No. 5, the boy from Arkansas.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred described Robinson as “one of the greats of our National Pastime,” calling him a “model of excellence, durability, loyalty and winning baseball for the Orioles.”
MLB Player Association Executive Director Tony Clark cited Robinson’s role as an advocate for his fellow players.
“Tributes to Brooks Robinson will duly note his brilliance at third base … . But his impact transcended the field — as a prominent voice in the early days of the MLBPA and a relentless advocate for his fellow players through his work with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.”
The Hall of Fame applauded Robinson’s role as a member of its board.
“For generations of fans, Brooks Robinson’s talent on the field was surpassed only by his incredible character and integrity. His love of the Hall of Fame brightened Cooperstown, as did his devotion to the Museum as a long-standing and valued member of our Board of Directors.”
Robinson will be forever remembered for his work ethic and the skill he displayed at the hot corner, where he established himself as one of the finest fielding third baseman in baseball history, whether charging slow rollers or snaring liners down the third-base line.
“Brooks was maybe the last guy to get into the clubhouse the day of the game, but he would be the first guy on the field,” said former Orioles manager Earl Weaver, who died in 2013. “He’d be taking his groundballs, and we’d all go, ‘Why does Brooks have to take any groundballs?’
“I wouldn’t expect anything else from Brooks. Seeing him work like that meant a lot of any young person coming up. He was so steady, and he steadied everybody else.”
Robinson arrived in Baltimore in September 1955 as an 18-year-old after spending most of his first professional season in baseball with Class B York. He went 2 for 22 with the Orioles and struck out 10 times.
He jockeyed between the majors and minors until July 1959, when he stuck around in Baltimore for good.
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker recalled Robinson’s friendship during the early years of his own career, when he broke in with Atlanta in the late 1960s.
“I’m just sad. Another great one is called to heaven,” Baker said. “They got some all-stars up there.
“He was really nice to me when I was a rookie with the Braves. We used to barnstorm with him all the time and he was a real gentleman. … I never heard anything negative about him, ever. And he was on a team that with the Orioles had a number of African-American players. I think they had 10 or 12. They all loved him. That’s saying a lot. Especially back in that day.”
Brooks Calbert Robinson Jr. was born in Little Rock on May 18, 1937. He eventually made Baltimore his home but never really lost his southern twang, which was just fine with fans in blue-collar Baltimore, who appreciated his homespun charm and unassuming demeanor.
Dubbed “Mr. Oriole,” he was a sports hero in Charm City, in the pantheon with former Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas and Orioles infielder Cal Ripken, who performed for a different generation.
Many Orioles rooters who never got to see Robinson play still were able to enjoy his observations as he was part of team broadcasts.
Ripken was known as The Iron Man because he played in 2,632 consecutive games, but Robinson wasn’t fond of sitting on the bench, either. From 1960-1975, he played in at least 152 games in 14 seasons and in 144 games the other two years.
“I’m a guy who just wanted to see his name in the lineup everyday,” he said. “To me, baseball was a passion to the point of obsession.”
Robinson retired in 1977 after batting only .149 in 24 games. His jersey was retired that year.
Robinson’s most memorable performance came as MVP of the 1970 World Series, when the Orioles bounced back from their stunning defeat to the New York Mets the year before and Robinson redeemed himself after batting just 1 for 19 in that series. Because he was so sensational in the field during Baltimore’s five-game triumph over the Reds, few remember he hit .429 and homered twice and drove in six runs – or that he made an error on his first play in the field.
In Game 1, Robinson delivered the tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning. One inning earlier, he made a sensational backhanded grab of a hard grounder hit down the line by Lee May, spun around in foul territory and somehow threw out the runner.
Robinson contributed an RBI single in the second game and became forever a part of World Series lore with his standout performance in Game 3. He made a tremendous, leaping grab of a grounder by Tony Perez to start a first-inning double play; charged a slow roller in the second inning and threw out Tommy Helms; then capped his memorable afternoon with a diving catch of a liner by Johnny Bench. The Series ended, fittingly, with a ground out to Robinson in Game 5, a 9-3 Orioles win.
“I’m beginning to see Brooks in my sleep,” Reds manager Sparky Anderson said during the Series. “If I dropped this paper plate, he’d pick it up on one hop and throw me out at first.”
Anderson also said, “He can throw his glove out there and it will start 10 double plays by itself.”
Palmer and other teammates would say that the country got to see what Robinson did routinely during the regular season. Robinson used to blush when asked to recall his heroics in October 1970.
“I tell people that I played 23 seasons and I never did have five games in a row like I did in that World Series,” he said. “It was a once in a lifetime five-game series for me, and it just happened to be in a World Series.”
His legacy in Maryland continued long after his retirement.
There’s a Brooks Robinson Drive in Pikesville, and the annual state high school All-Star game played at Camden Yards is named in his honor.
MLB ROUNDUP: BREWERS CLINCH NL CENTRAL DESPITE LOSS TO CARDS
Miles Mikolas allowed one run over seven innings to pace the visiting St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-1 win over Milwaukee on Tuesday night, but the Brewers still clinched the National League Central title.
Milwaukee wrapped up the division when the Chicago Cubs lost 7-6 at Atlanta on Tuesday night. It marks the third division title for the Brewers over the last six seasons.
Mikolas (8-13) gave up five hits, struck out five and walked two in a 101-pitch outing. Drew VerHagen followed with a perfect eighth and Ryan Helsley struck out the side in the ninth for his 13th save in 18 opportunities for the Cards.
Brewers starter Adrian Houser (7-5) allowed four runs on three hits in five innings, striking out five and walking two. Carlos Santana had an RBI double for Milwaukee.
Phillies 3, Pirates 2 (10 innings)
Johan Rojas singled to center field with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning and host Philadelphia clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season, beating Pittsburgh.
Rojas had two hits and Brandon Marsh hit a solo home run for the Phillies. Aaron Nola pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed four hits and one run with eight strikeouts and no walks. Jeff Hoffman (5-2) earned the win.
Henry Davis hit a home run and single and Bryan Reynolds added a homer for the Pirates. Mitch Keller gave up three hits and two runs with six strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
Twins 11, Athletics 3
Matt Wallner hit a grand slam to highlight a five-run first inning and Alex Kirilloff also homered as Minnesota handed Oakland its record 109th loss this season with a victory in the opener of a three-game series in Minneapolis.
Donovan Solano went 4-for-4 with a walk, a double and three runs, and Christian Vazquez had a three-run double for the American League Central Division champion Twins.
Seth Brown had a two-run homer for the A’s, whose 109th loss broke a tie with the 1979 squad that finished 54-108 for most losses in a season since the team moved to Oakland in 1968. The franchise record is 117 set by the Connie Mack-managed Philadelphia Athletics (36-117) in 1916.
Rockies 4, Dodgers 1 (Game 1)
Nolan Jones homered among his two hits, Brendan Rodgers had three hits and Colorado beat Los Angeles in the first game of a split doubleheader in Denver.
Chase Anderson (1-6) tossed five shutout innings and Tyler Kinley got the final three outs for his fifth save of the season for the Rockies, who snapped a seven-game skid.
Jason Heyward had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers opener Caleb Ferguson (7-4) allowed three runs on three hits in just two-thirds of an inning.
Reds 11, Guardians 7
Elly De La Cruz went deep twice for his first career multi-homer performance, lifting visiting Cincinnati over Cleveland.
De La Cruz went deep to lead off the fourth inning and added a two-run shot in the ninth to boost his home-run total to 13 on the season. He also had an RBI single in the fifth inning. Christian Encarnacion-Strand launched a two-run homer, TJ Friedl also went deep and Spencer Steer ripped an RBI triple for the Reds.
Cleveland’s Bo Naylor launched a three-run blast and Kole Calhoun and Andres Gimenez added back-to-back homers.
Orioles 1, Nationals 0
Gunnar Henderson homered, Kyle Bradish pitched eight strong innings and Baltimore defeated visiting Washington to reduce its magic number to clinch the AL East to two.
In his longest outing of the season, Bradish (12-7) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out four. He lowered his ERA to 2.86. Yennier Cano struck out the side in the ninth for his eighth save.
Nationals starter Josiah Gray (8-13) nearly matched Bradish, allowing a run on five hits over six innings. Keibert Ruiz and Luis Garcia each reached on a single and a walk for Washington.
Tigers 6, Royals 3
Pinch hitter Akil Baddoo and Parker Meadows hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning and host Detroit snapped Kansas City’s six-game winning streak.
Baddoo’s 11th homer of the season broke a 2-2 deadlock. Spencer Torkelson supplied a two-run double for the Tigers in the opener of a three-game series. Jason Foley (3-3) pitched one scoreless inning of relief to pick up the win.
Salvador Perez, Nick Pratto and Nick Loftin drove in the runs for the Royals. Kansas City starter Zack Greinke gave up one hit and one walk in five scoreless innings.
Yankees 2, Blue Jays 0
Austin Wells hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning and visiting New York defeated Toronto.
Clay Holmes pitched around a single in the bottom of the ninth to earn his 23rd save of the season, while Jordan Romano (5-7) took the loss.
Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman allowed three hits and two walks with five strikeouts in seven shutout innings.
Rays 9, Red Sox 7
Manuel Margot went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs while Rene Pinto hit a two-run homer as visiting Tampa Bay scored seven runs through the first three innings before holding on to beat Boston.
The Rays jumped out to a 7-0 lead to support starter Zach Eflin (16-8), who didn’t allow a run until Enmanuel Valdez hit a three-run homer in the fifth. After the Red Sox pulled within 7-6 in the seventh, Harold Ramirez’s run-scoring groundout and an RBI single from Jonathan Aranda delivered two key insurance runs in the Rays’ half of the eighth.
Valdez went 3-for-4 with four RBIs for Boston. Red Sox starter Tanner Houck (5-10) allowed seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits over three innings.
Braves 7, Cubs 6
Atlanta scored two runs in the eighth when right fielder Seiya Suzuki dropped a fly ball, allowing the Braves to complete a rally from a six-run deficit and beat visiting Chicago.
With runners at second and third and two outs, Sean Murphy hit a fly that Suzuki misplayed, allowing Matt Olson and Forest Wall to score. The Braves, who trailed 6-0 entering the bottom of the sixth, rallied for the two decisive unearned runs against ex-Brave Drew Smyly (11-10).
The winning pitcher was Brad Hand (5-2), who pitched a scoreless eighth, and Raisel Iglesias worked the ninth, allowing a one-out single but then striking out two to earn his 31st save. Chicago retained a half-game lead for the final NL wild card over the Miami Marlins, who had their scheduled road game against the New York Mets rained out.
Diamondbacks 15, White Sox 4
Christian Walker went 3-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs and Ketel Marte also went deep as visiting Arizona routed Chicago.
Arizona opened a one-game lead over the Cubs for the second of three NL wild-card spots. Marte, who had missed the previous two starts due to an illness, hit a solo home run in the eighth.
Chicago grabbed a first-inning lead, as Eloy Jimenez launched a three-run home run to left-center field following one-out singles from Andrew Benintendi and Andrew Vaughn. White Sox starter Jose Urena (0-7) allowed seven runs (four earned) and four hits in four innings.
Dodgers 11, Rockies 2 (Game 2)
Freddie Freeman homered among his two hits, James Outman added four hits and Los Angeles beat Colorado to gain a split of a day-night doubleheader in Denver.
Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez each had three hits for Los Angeles. The Dodgers pulled away with a five-run second inning. Los Angeles starter Bobby Miller (11-4) allowed two runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out nine in seven innings.
Elehuris Montero homered and finished with two hits and Nolan Jones and Charlie Blackmon also had two hits for the Rockies. Ryan Feltner (2-4) gave up five runs on six hits in three innings to take the loss.
Angels 9, Rangers 3
Brandon Drury smacked a three-run homer and Reid Detmers pitched seven solid innings to lead Los Angeles over Texas in Anaheim, Calif.
Michael Stefanic and Eduardo Escobar drove in two runs apiece for Los Angeles, which won for just the third time in the past 13 games. Detmers (4-10) allowed one run and four hits over seven innings to halt a five-start winless stretch.
Rangers star Corey Seager sustained a bruised forearm when hit by Detmers in the fifth inning, and he departed after the top of the sixth. Texas manager Bruce Bochy said X-rays were negative.
Padres 4, Giants 0
Juan Soto belted two home runs, Seth Lugo fell one out short of a complete-game shutout and San Diego squared its three-game series at San Francisco.
Lugo (8-7) tossed a career-high 8 2/3 innings. He gave up three hits, walked three and struck out seven. Josh Hader got the final out — a strikeout of Wilmer Flores — with two aboard in the ninth for his 32nd save.
Giants opener John Brebbia (3-3) gave up one run, Soto’s first-inning solo shot, in 1 1/3 innings. Soto hit his 35th homer of the year, a two-run blast, in the seventh off Ryan Walker.
WNBA NEWS
BREANNA STEWART EDGES ALYSSA THOMAS AND A’JA WILSON FOR WNBA MVP AWARD IN TIGHT RACE
NEW YORK (AP) — Breanna Stewart earned the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player award for the second time in her career Tuesday in a very close race.
There were only 13 points separating Stewart from second-place finisher Alyssa Thomas of Connecticut and last year’s MVP A’ja Wilson of Las Vegas. Stewart received 446 points (20 first-place votes, 23 second-place votes and 17 third-place votes). Thomas had 439 points (23, 12 and 25). Wilson received 433 points (17, 25, 17 and 1).
With Stewart and Thomas separated by seven points, this marks the second-smallest margin between the first- and second-place finishers in the history of the award. The closest finish was a two-point difference between Sheryl Swoopes and Lauren Jackson in 2005.
The 13 points separating Stewart and Wilson represent the smallest margin between first- and third-place vote-getters for MVP in WNBA history, surpassing the 45-point difference in 2013 between Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne.
“It hurt like hell, it really did,” Wilson said of not being named MVP. “But it’s all part of the game.”
All the WNBA awards are voted on by a 60-person national media panel and had them vote for their top five choices for the MVP award. Players were awarded 10 points for a first-place vote, seven points for a second-place vote, five points for a third-place vote, three points for a fourth-place vote and one point for a fifth-place vote.
The Liberty’s star forward was impressed with the way the other two top candidates played this season.
“The competitive camaraderie that we have with one and another, but also the way we’re continuing to show excellence in different ways and be the conversation, that’s the way the league needs to go,” Stewart said. “Have people watching different players and making sure they see greatness on all different levels.”
The 29-year-old Stewart, who also won the award in 2018, made the decision to move closer to home and come to New York as a free agent this past offseason. The move has paid immediate dividends for her and the Liberty. The AP Player of the Year helped the team finish the regular season with the second best record and was the WNBA’s second leading scorer, averaging a career-best 23 points a game. She scored over 40 points three times this season, including 45 in her home debut.
Now she has the Liberty back in the semifinals of the playoffs for the first time since 2015, although her team trails Connecticut 1-0 in the best-of-five series. She’s the first New York player ever to win the league’s top honor.
Wilson, who edged Stewart 478-446 last season in the MVP balloting, had another stellar season, averaging a career-best 22.8 points and 9.5 rebounds in leading the Aces to a record 34 wins. She had 29 games of 20 points or better this season. She’s upped her game in the playoffs as Las Vegas looks to become the first repeat champion since Los Angeles did it back-to-back in 2001-02.
The Aces first have to get by the Dallas Wings in the semifinals.
“It hurts across the board,” Wilson said about her third-place finish in voting, “but at the end of the day, I’m not going to harp on it very long because we have a competitive team to play against in Dallas, and that’s my main focus. (Coach) Becky (Hammon) called me, and I was like, ‘Give me 24 hours and I’m here.’”
Thomas was the first player in league history to record at least 600 points, 400 rebounds and 300 assists in a single season. She also set a league high with 27 double-doubles — including six triple-doubles — and set a league record with 316 assists — 7.9 per game — despite playing forward.
TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS
COLTS NEWS
COLTS RELEASE UNOFFICIAL DEPTH CHART FOR WEEK 4 GAME VS. LOS ANGELES RAMS
OFFENSE
» WR: Michael Pittman Jr.
» LT: Bernhard Raimann
» LG: Quenton Nelson, Arlington Hambright
» C: Ryan Kelly, Wesley French
» RG: Will Fries, Josh Sills
» RT: Braden Smith, Blake Freeland
» TE: Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree
» TE: Kylen Granson, Will Mallory
» WR: Josh Downs, Isaiah McKenzie
» WR: Alec Pierce
» QB: Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew, Sam Ehlinger
» RB: Zack Moss, Trey Sermon, Jake Funk
- On Monday, head coach Shane Steichen said that Anthony Richardson and Ryan Kelly were still in concussion protocol.
- Gardner Minshew started in place of Richardson in Week 3 and completed 27 of his 44 passes for 227 yards and threw a touchdown pass to Zack Moss.
DEFENSE
» DE: Kwity Paye, Tyquan Lewis, Jake Martin
» DT: DeForest Buckner, Taven Bryan
» NT: Grover Stewart, Eric Johnson II, Adetomiwa Adebawore
» DE: Samson Ebukam, Dayo Odeyingbo, Isaiah Land
» WLB: Shaquille Leonard, Grant Stuard
» MLB: Zaire Franklin, Segun Olubi
» SAM: E.J. Speed, Cameron McGrone
» CB: JuJu Brents, Darrell Baker Jr.
» FS: Rodney Thomas II, Trevor Denbow
» SS: Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross
» N: Kenny Moore II, Tony Brown
» CB: Dallis Flowers, Jaylon Jones
- JuJu Brents made his NFL debut Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens. In that game he had four tackles, a pass deflection, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
- Zaire Franklin has had double-digit tackles in each game this season. Against Baltimore, he had 15 as well as a sack, tackle for loss and quarterback hit.
SPECIALISTS
» P: Rigoberto Sanchez
» PK: Matt Gay
» H: Rigoberto Sanchez
» LS: Luke Rhodes
» KR: Dallis Flowers, Isaiah McKenzie, Josh Downs
» PR: Dallis Flowers, Isaiah McKenzie, Josh Downs
- Matt Gay made history in Week 3 after making four 50+ yard field goals in the Colts 22-19 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER
DESPITE DOMINANCE, INDIANA TIES MICHIGAN
BLOOMINGTON — On several occasions, Indiana men’s soccer (3-3-3, 0-1-2 B1G) came inches away from taking three points from its Big Ten matchup with Michigan (2-3-4, 1-0-2 B1G) Tuesday (Sept. 26) night on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Instead, the contest ended in a scoreless draw.
IU fired 19 shots and seven on frame, but nothing fell its way. Two shots were saved by fingertips into the woodwork in the 60th minute. IU later had two shots inside the box in the 90th minute, but both were pushed away by Michigan defenders getting deflections at the last moment.
Michigan was held to five shots as Indiana earned its fifth clean sheet in nine matches.
KEY MOMENTS
• 18′ – Junior midfielder Patrick McDonald had the first great chance for either side with a shot from 19 yards out that challenged U-M freshman goalkeeper Isaiah Goldson to dive to his left for the save.
• 40′ – Michigan best chance came late in the first half as, within a couple of minutes, two corners rebounded to senior midfielder Quin Rogers at the top of the box. Senior goalkeeper JT Harms saved both.
• 45′ – IU seemed to have its breakthrough in the waning moments of the first half as senior defender Hugo Bacharach headed off the cross bar and in from a great McDonald cross. As celebrations erupted, the offside flag went up.
• 60′ – Lady luck seemed to tease IU in the 60th minute. Freshman forward crossed low to senior forward Karsen Henderlong, and the veteran shot first-time with his right foot and pounded it towards the near post. Goldson threw his left hand at it and got just enough to push it off the post and away. IU collected and recycled to the left for junior forward Tommy Mihalic, who shot from distance. Goldson was lucky to get a piece of it, as the curling effort traveled away from the keeper’s leap to his left, but his fingertips made just enough contact to see it smack into the crossbar.
• 90′ – IU was unlucky again in the final minute as Mihalic found Henderlong wide open in the box. Henderlong quickly chested it down, turned and fired, but U-M sophomore defender Nolan Miller flew in with a challenge just in time to deflect. The ball came to Bacharach, who shot on goal with his left but was blocked by the head of sliding graduate defender Moshtaba Al-Hasnawi. In the second half, Indiana outshout Michigan 13-1.
NOTABLES
• Kickoff was delayed by 30 minutes due to wet field conditions from rain Tuesday afternoon.
• Indiana moves to 24-4-5 against Michigan all-time.
• IU earned its fifth clean sheet and has kept a 0.56 goals against average this season. Tuesday’s match was the seventh in which the Hoosiers have kept their opponent to single-digit shots.
UP NEXT
Indiana has a week before traveling to play Kentucky next Tuesday (Oct. 3) in Lexington. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER RANKS NO. 16 IN UNITED SOCCER COACHES POLL
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana women’s soccer climbed into the national polls coming in at No. 16 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, the organization announced on Tuesday.
The Hoosiers are off to their best start since 2013 with an undefeated record of 9-0-2 while posting a 3-0 record in the Big Ten.
This is the highest ranking in program history. IU last appeared in the polls in March 2021 where they were ranked No. 24.
Recently, Indiana shutout No. 18 Northwestern, 2-0, knocking off their first ranked opponent since 2017 to earn their third conference win.
Additionally, IU was also recognized in TopDrawerSoccers’ national poll coming in at No. 17.
BUTLER VOLLEYBALL
BUTLERVB PREP FOR FIRST CONFERENCE ROAD TRIP TO FACE GEORGETOWN AND VILLANOVA
INDIANAPOLIS. – The Butler volleyball team hits the road this weekend for the first time in BIG EAST Conference play. The Bulldogs will head to the nation’s capital to face Georgetown on Friday at 7 PM. The weekend will wrap up with a match on Saturday at 7 PM against Villanova in Pennsylvania.
Bulldog Bits
-Butler dropped both matches to open BIG EAST play last weekend, losing in three sets against Xavier on Wednesday and No. 11 on Friday.
-Jaymeson Kinley collected a conference-best 39 digs (6.50 digs per set) in the two matches last week against Xavier and No. 11 Creighton.
-Kinley is just 12 digs shy of moving up to third in Butler’s all-time career digs list.
-Destiny Cherry hit for a .435 average with 11 kills and only one error in the last two matches, which ranks sixth in the conference.
-Elise Ward cracked 100 kills against Creighton last week for the first time in her BU career.
-As a team, Butler ranks fifth nationally with 38.10 attacks per set totaling 1867 attacks this season.
-The Bulldogs are rated second in the BIG EAST with 15.80 digs per set while also ranking third with 15.60 assists per set.
-Butler has dominated Georgetown, holding a 16-3 all-time record. The Bulldogs enter the series on a six-game winning streak including a sweep last season winning 3-0 and 3-1.
-BU also leads the all-time series against Villanova with an overall record of 10-8. However, the Wildcats have recently had Butler’s number after they claimed six of the last seven matches.
-Butler split the series last season against Villanova winning the set 3-1 at home before falling 3-2 in the match on the road.
-Cora Taylor notched double-doubles in both conference road matches last season with 33 assists and 12 digs against the Hoyas followed by 41 assists and 12 digs against the Wildcats.
-Kinley leads the BIG EAST and ranks 13th in the country with 10.22 digs per set this season with 256 total digs.
– Taylor leads the BIG EAST with 10.33 assists per set this season, which ranks 33rd in the nation, while also totaling 506 assists on the season.
SCOUTING GEORGETOWN: The Hoyas head into their conference home opener with an impressive 10-4 overall record. Georgetown flew out the gates to begin their 2023 campaign 4-0 before falling to Iona 3-1. After a tough tournament at the DC Showdown, went on another 3-0 spurt to close out the non-conference schedule. The Hoyas would then start BIG EAST conference play with a sweep over DePaul before Marquette flipped the script sweeping Georgetown 3-0 in Milwaukee to close out the weekend with a 1-1 conference record.
Georgetown’s defense has held opposing hitters to a conference-best .150 hitting percentage in their first two conference matches. The Hoyas were expected to finish 11th in the 2023 BIG EAST preseason coaches poll.
SCOUTING VILLANOVA: The Wildcats also hold a winning record of 9-5 overall this season, but they have faced some struggles to begin the conference slate. Villanova started the season 3-1 with their sole loss against Iona, The team then hosted Catholic Challenge, losing to Notre Dame (3-0), but then winning six of their last seven matches highlighted by a 3-1 win over Santa Clara. The Wildcats then joined Butler as one of four teams at 0-2 in the conference still searching for their first conference win after dropping both matches last weekend to Marquette (3-0) and DePaul (3-2).
Villanova has done a solid job limiting their mistakes on offense as they hold a .234 hitting percentage, which ranks second in the conference. Madeline Barber has been the Wildcats’ most efficient play on offense with a .341 hitting percentage on 92 kills to just 19 errors.
CAN YOU DIG IT: Butler’s defense has been crucial to their success so far this season. As a team, the Bulldogs currently sit in second in the conference with 774 total digs and 15.80 digs per set, which ranks 39th in the country. Six different Bulldogs have also posted match-high digs in the double figures this season, including Jaymeson Kinley (26), Cora Taylor (18), Mariah Grunze (18), Abby Maesch (18), Elise Ward (15), and Reese Bates (11).
Three Butler student-athletes have already racked up over 100 digs this season, including Kinley (234), Taylor (109) and Grunze (100). Kinley currently ranks 13th in the country with 5.22 digs per set.
MOVING UP THE LIST: The two-time BIG EAST Libero of the Year Jaymeson Kinley moved to fourth in Butler’s all-time list with 1710 career digs last weekend. After her marks of 618 digs and 5.42 digs per set became the best marks in program history last season, Kinley is now just 12 digs away from moving up to third in career digs and is currently on pace to break the record of 2009 digs this season.
Kinley collected a conference-best 39 digs (6.50 digs per set) in the two matches last week against Xavier and No. 11 Creighton.
WARD THE WICKED: Elise Ward has become a breakout star for the Bulldogs this season. The freshman from Orland Park, Ill. burst onto the scene racking up kills in the double figures in five of her last seven matches including a match where she posted 20 kills and 15 digs against Morehead State. Ward became the first Bulldog hitter to record 20 kills in a match as a freshman since Anna Logan had 21 kills against Southern Illinois in 2015.
Ward cracked 100 kills on Friday for the first time in her BU career. She reached the mark after collecting a team-high 10 kills in the last match against No. 11 Creighton.
HIGH-FLYING DAWGS: The Bulldog offense has been a well-oiled machine as they have shown no issues of getting the ball into the hands of their hitters. Butler currently ranks fifth in the nation with 38.10 attacks per set while their 1865 total attacks rank 63rd in the country. Junior Mariah Grunze was targeted for an average of 11.02 attacks per set on offense this season, which is second in the BIG EAST and ranks 27th in the nation, while the Georgia transfer Abby Maesch holds an average of 9.52 attacks per set.
Grunze and Maesch are the only duo in the BIG EAST to each have an average of at least 9.50 attacks per set this season. The pin-hitting duo has also combined for a conference-best 967 attacks.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Butler takes a trip to the East Coast for the first conference road matches of the season. The Bulldogs struggled on the road last year going 3-6 with their wins coming against Georgetown, Providence, and Seton Hall.
The last time the Bulldogs won their first conference match of the season was in 2021 when they beat Georgetown 3-1.
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs will head back home to resume the BIG EAST action next week with consecutive matches against Seton Hall and St. John’s.
The Bulldogs will face Seton Hall on Oct. 6 at 6 PM followed by a match the next day against St. John’s on Oct. 7 at 5 PM.
IUPUI VOLLEYBALL
JAGS FALL IN FIVE-SET THRILLER TO GOLDEN GRIZZLIES, 3-2
INDIANAPOLIS – A five-set thriller in the Jungle on Tuesday night ended with the IUPUI volleyball team on the wrong side of the outcome falling, 3-2 to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. The Jaguars served up 15 aces in the loss with junior Briana Brown collected four.
In the opening set of the match, the Jaguars came out hot taking the 25-16 victory. The Jags went on an 8-0 to take the early lead at 15-6, Brown contributed three service aces during that span. IUPUI also showed their accuracy in the first set with 15 kills on 35 attempts for a .257 hitting percentage compared to Oakland’s .037.
The Jags couldn’t keep the pace in set two, falling to Oakland, 25-18. IUPUI still collected two aces in the second set.
After the Golden Grizzlies tied the match up at 1-1, IUPUI quickly recovered taking set three, 25-19. The Jags outhit Oakland 13-9 with a hitting percentage of .250. They also doubled their service aces with five in the third set.
Oakland once again tied the match up at 2-2, forcing a fifth set with a 25-17 fourth set win. Attack errors proved costly for the Jags as they committed 10 versus Oakland’s three.
The fifth set was evenly matched with Oakland taking a 7-5 lead but the Jags fought back going on a 6-1 run with two aces from Grace Purichia. The 11-8 lead wouldn’t hold as Oakland took the set and match at 15-13.
Brown led the Jaguar’s attack with 16 kills while also collecting four aces and nine digs. Freshman Maia Long followed with 14 kills and Emily Alan had 11. Addie Evans kept the ball in play with a team-high 19 digs while Brooke Phillips collected 11 and Purichia totaled 12. Purichia also led the team in assists with 44.
The Jags are now 6-9 overall and still look for their first Horizon League win at 0-4 in conference play. IUPUI will get that chance on Saturday when they travel to Purdue Fort Wayne for a 7:00 PM first serve.
BALL STATE FOOTBALL
CARDINALS OPEN 49TH SEASON IN MAC, SATURDAY AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State opens Mid-American Conference play this week while visiting Western Michigan. Since joining the Mid-American Conference in 1973 and playing its first MAC football season in 1975, Ball State plays its 49th MAC opener on Saturday against the Broncos.
** Ball State last won a MAC opener on Oct. 5, 2019 at Northern Illinois, 27-20. Even in its MAC Championship season of 2020, the Cardinals fell in their MAC opener against Miami.
** Ball State sustained a humbling setback last Saturday, falling behind 14-0 to Georgia Southern before taking its fourth offensive snap. The Cardinals trailed 23-0 at intermission, and 40-0 before adding a late field goal.
** The Cardinals are trying to get back on track in the MAC, three years removed from a conference title in 2020. After its 5-1 campaign in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and a win in the Camellia Bowl, Ball State finished 4-4 in the league in 2021 and 3-5 in 2022. Behind veteran-laden offensive and defensive lines leading play at the line of scrimmage, Ball State has high hopes of returning among MAC contenders in 2023.
** Non-conference play featured a pair of road bouts against SEC powers Kentucky and Georgia, and saw the Cardinals show respectability despite scores made worse by second-quarter turnovers in each. A home opener against Indiana State produced a 45-7 win, but last week’s setback vs. Georgia Southern was an unexpected gut check.
** The prevailing theme in the Ball State locker room this week: “We’re 0-0 and a new season begins!”
WHAT A WIN MEANS:
** The Cardinals will run their record to 2-3 and win their first road game of the season. It would be the Cardinals’ first road win since beating Kent State 27-20 last season in Ohio.
** It would mark the first time Ball State won its MAC opener since a 2019 win at Northern Illinois.
** Mike Neu will capture his 35th victory as head coach of his alma mater, passing Brady Hoke’s win total from 2003-08 with the seventh-most career coaching wins at Ball State.
INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
INDIANA STATE OPENS IOWA ROAD SWING THURSDAY NIGHT AT DRAKE
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State embarks on one of its longest road trips of the 2023 fall season as the Sycamore hit the road to Iowa on Thursday night to take on Drake University. Kickoff in Des Moines at Drake Stadium is set for 8 p.m. ET with the match scheduled to be carried on ESPN+.
Indiana State (1-3-6, 0-1-1) hits the road in conference play for the second time in 2023 as the Sycamores open up the road trip swing at Drake and Northern Iowa (Sunday). The Sycamores are coming off their first conference loss of 2023 after dropping a 2-0 decision this past Sunday at Memorial Stadium to Valparaiso.
Drake (6-3-2, 2-1) is coming off its first loss in conference play this season after dropping a 3-1 decision at UIC this past Sunday following back-to-back 2-1 wins over both Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois. The road trip ended an eight-game home stand at Drake Stadium that featured the Bulldogs posting a 4-2-2 record with wins over North Dakota State, Omaha, UNI, and SIU.
Indiana State suffered just its third defeat of the 2023 season this past weekend as the Sycamores dropped a 2-0 mark to the visiting Beacons. Valparaiso scored in the second and the 22nd minutes of the contest to take the win against the Sycamores.
Mackenzie Kent was a force at the top of the Indiana State offense as the forward posted a trio of shots with all three on target in the contest. Her ability to draw the defense allowed Alexa Mackey, Audrey Stephens, Brooklyn Woods, Anna Chor, and Lina Fasquelle to launch shots in the contest.
The Sycamore keepers had several key plays in the second half to keep the game within striking distance. Maddie Alexander advanced out of the net to corral a 1v1 opportunity in the 53rd minute, while Alexa Seiler had a pair of key plays in the box to keep it a two-score game.
Indiana State’s offense has been consistently on point in the 2023 season with ISU sitting 15th in the NCAA in shots on goal percentage at 0.573. The Sycamores continue to press on target posting at least six shots on goal and eight shots overall in six of the last seven matches.
Maddie Helling remains ISU’s scoring leader through the first 10 matches of the season with two goals on the year. Lina Fasquelle, Mackenzie Kent, Chloe Tesny, and Adelaide Wolfe have also scored on the year to pace the Sycamores.
Kent is the team’s shot leader on the year with 22 shots and 13 on goal, while Alexa Mackey and Brooklyn Woods both have eight shots with six on target on the year. Helling also have seven shots with six on goal in 2023.
Maddie Alexander has been the primary keeper in net for the Sycamores through the midway point of the season as the senior goalkeeper has surrendered just 10 goals over 838:10 in play. She has posted a 1.07 goals-against-average with 41 saves over 10 starts. Alexa Seiler has also lined up in two matches while posting a save against UT Martin.
Indiana State picked up its last win against the Bulldogs back in the 2021 spring season when the Sycamores shut out Drake, 1-0, at Memorial Stadium. The Sycamores’ last win at Drake came back in the 2013 season as ISU topped the Bulldogs, 1-0, in double overtime.
Drake was selected fourth overall in the MVC Women’s Soccer preseason poll as voted on by the head coaches. The Bulldogs received 84 points after a 2022 campaign that featured the team posting a 4-2-4 record in conference play in finishing fifth in the conference standings.
The Bulldogs featured the return of forward Emma Nagel (five goals, one assist) from the 2022 season and the senior has lived up to the billing with five goals and two assists through the first 11 matches. She posted a trio of game-winning goals on the season while leading the team with eight shots on goal.
Layla Kelbel has added three goals and two assists on the year, while Angela Gutierrez has two goals and a trio of assists in 2023. Overall, Drake’s offense has posted 105 total shots on the season with 49 on target.
Addie Ford and Kelti Wise have both lined up in goal in 2023 with Ford the primary recipient for playing time in the net. The freshman has lined up in 671:56 with a 1.07 goals-against-average and a 0.771 saves percentage over 77 shots. Wise has made five appearances with three starts on the year including earning a win against Green Bay.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S SOCCER
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s soccer team (4-2-1) looks for their fifth straight win on Wednesday in a non-league game vs. Adrian.
Game Day Information
Who: Adrian Bulldogs (1-5-2) vs. Purdue Fort Wayne (4-2-1)
When: Wednesday, September 27 | 5 PM ET
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Tickets: Free
Know Your Foe
Adrian picked up their first win of the season on Saturday with a 1-0 decision over Grace Christian. Alex Greene had the Bulldogs’ goal in the 53rd minute. They also have a tie over Earlham and Defiance.
Series History
The ‘Dons lead the all-time series 1-0-1. Both meetings came in 1980.
RPI Time
The Mastodons’ 52nd ranking in the latest NCAA RPI is the best in the Horizon League.
Smart Shooting
Purdue Fort Wayne ranks 13th in Division I in shot accuracy with 51.2 percent of their shots being on goal. Seth Mahlmeister is third in the Horizon League with 56.0 percent of his shots being on goal. Mahlmeister averages 2.00 shots on goal per game, a conference-best and No. 7 nationally as well.
Beat The Streak:
The Mastodons are undefeated in their last five games with the last four being victories:
T 2-2 vs. Bellarmine
W 3-0 at Milwaukee
W 1-0 vs. Chicago State
W 2-1 at Green Bay
W 3-1 vs. Wright State
– The four match-win streak is the Mastodons’ longest since 2018 (also four).
– The five-match unbeaten streak if the Mastodons’ longest since 1999, and their longest as a Division I member.
– This is the first time the ‘Dons have won three straight league matches since 2000, the Mastodons’ final year as a Division II member in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
– Should the Mastodons win over Adrian, it would be their longest unbeaten streak (6) since an unbeaten streak of 14 in 1999. That included a 10-match win streak.
– Should the Mastodons win at Robert Morris on Saturday; it would be the Mastodons’ first four-match league winning streak since 1999.
Balanced Attack:
The Mastodons have seen seven different players score a goal this season. Seth Mahlmeister owns a team-best four goals. Both of Abe Arellano’s goals were game-winning goals, one against Milwaukee and one against Green Bay. His two game-winning goals are tied for the Horizon League lead in that category.
A Helping Hand:
Soshi Fujioka owns four assists, tied for the league lead with Ben Hegge from NKU for most assists. He picked up one off a corner kick on Saturday against Wright State.
Non-League Challenges:
The ‘Dons opened the regular season with a trip to Wisconsin to play at Wisconsin and Marquette. Both squads have been ranked in the top 25 in the nation this season. Purdue Fort Wayne tied Michigan State 2-2 in exhibition play and the Spartans recently made their initial appearance in the top 25.
Up Next:
The ‘Dons head to Moon Township, Pa. on Saturday (Sept. 30) to play Robert Morris in league play.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE VOLLEYBALL
CLEVELAND STATE TAKES HORIZON LEAGUE MATCH FROM MASTODONS
CLEVELAND – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 15-25, 25-21) Horizon League match at Cleveland State on Tuesday (Sept. 26).
A pair of freshmen led the Mastodons offensively, with Panna Ratkai and Ashby Willis had 15 and 13 kills, respectively.
The Mastodons jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the opening set after an ace from LonDynn Betts and a block from Jena Medearis, but the Vikings tied it up four points later. After the ‘Dons led 14-13, CSU used a 9-1 run to get within range of a set point.
The ‘Dons had a similar start to set two (8-5) after kills from Iris Riegel and Ratkai, but the Vikings went on an 8-1 run to go up four. They never trailed again.
Purdue Fort Wayne dominated in set three, hitting a very efficient .433 with just two errors. The set included a 5-0 Mastodon run with an ace from Taya Haffner. The ‘Dons ended on a 4-0 push, with kills from Ratkai and Haffner and an ace from Ratkai. The freshman had six of her 15 kills in the third.
The two teams were tangled in the fourth until a 3-0 run from the home team to force a timeout at 14-10. From there, the Vikings held the lead for the duration.
Cleveland State’s Liberty Torres had a match-high 16 kills. Betts had a match-high 21 digs.
Purdue Fort Wayne falls to 5-11, 0-4 Horizon League. CSU improves to 9-6, 3-1. The Mastodons return home on Saturday (Sept. 30) with a match against rival IUPUI at 7 p.m.
SOUTHERN INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
USI FALTERS IN 3-1 LOSS TO EIU
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana (6-9, 2-2 OVC) played in front of a record-breaking crowd Tuesday night at Screaming Eagles Arena despite falling to Eastern Illinois University (14-1, 4-0 OVC) in four sets. The Screaming Eagles brought in 375 fans, the most for a regular season volleyball match since the opening of Screaming Eagles Arena in 2019.
A late push by the Panthers handed the Eagles a 25-19 opening-set loss. USI held an early 9-6 lead off five kills with three coming from senior outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio). Despite leading 16-13, USI witnessed a 7-1 surge from EIU that reversed the Eagles’ advantage. Junior outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana) stopped the bleeding with a kill until the Panthers’ offense lit up with four straight points and ultimately claimed the set victory. USI had a match-high .346 attacking percentage with 11 kills and just two errors but EIU’s 16 kills were too much to handle.
The Eagles flourished in the second frame by dominating the Panthers, 25-16. USI kicked off the set with an 8-2 lead that began with three kills from Bednar and was capitalized by a kill from senior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois). The Eagles continued to surge by taking a 16-7 lead and then extending it to 24-13 after an all-around effort. The Panthers did make a late push with a 3-0 stint until junior setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana) placed a perfect skip-set kill in no-mans-land to secure the victory and tie the match at 1-1. USI’s defense stood tall in the set, holding EIU to just six kills and forcing seven errors. The Eagles’ offense threw down a match-high 15 kills and just two errors.
A sluggish performance from USI allowed EIU to take the match lead and win the set, 25-19. The Eagles held a solid 10-6 advantage early in the frame thanks to three Anderson aces. It was all USI until EIU scored eight of the next 10 points to gain a 14-12 lead. Weber and Anderson tacked on a couple of kills to knot it up at 14 before the Panthers struck three straight points to regain the advantage. A Bednar kill and an ace from junior middle hitter Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) kept the Eagles alive, but the Panthers took control and scored eight of the final 11 points to seal the set. USI had a match-low .083 hitting percentage with eight kills and five errors.
The Panthers’ offense took over late in the fourth frame to defeat the Eagles, 25-18, and take a 3-1 match win. USI once again held an early 9-6 advantage off five kills and a pair of aces. After a Downing ace made it 14-12, EIU stole the show and scored 13 of the last 17 points of the set. The Panthers put up six kills during the run while USI had six offensive errors, four attacking and two service.
Anderson and Bednar led the group offensively as Anderson nabbed a match-high 17 kills and five aces while Bednar totaled 15 kills and three blocks. Downing produced a match-high five blocks to pair with a career-high four aces as Sobieralski led the group with 30 assists and 11 digs for her eighth double-double of the 2023 campaign.
As a team, the Eagles had 43 kills, 38 assists, and 11 aces to pair with 45 digs and six blocks. The Panthers recorded 50 kills, 44 assists, and nine aces along with 58 digs and four blocks.
NEXT UP FOR THE EAGLES:
The Eagles look for their first road win of the season when they take on Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. The reigning Ohio Valley Conference Champions go into the match 2-10 overall and hold a perfect 2-0 conference record after defeating Tennessee Tech University, 3-2 in each match.
USI and TSU battled twice last season with the Lady Tigers taking both matches, 3-1 and 3-2.
VALPO VOLLEYBALL
HICKEY SURPASSES 1,000 CAREER DIGS; VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO UIC TUESDAY
Valpo volleyball sophomore libero Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) became the quickest player in program history to reach 1,000 career digs on Tuesday evening as the Beacons faced UIC in MVC action, but the visiting Flames spoiled the end of the night as Valpo fell by a 3-1 (25-18, 20-25, 25-18, 25-21) final for its first defeat in Valley play.
How It Happened
Valpo never led in the opening set, with an early 5-1 UIC spurt giving the Flames a 9-5 advantage en route to the first-set victory.
The Beacons gained control of the second frame with four straight points early on — including a kill and a block by senior Mallory Januski (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) — to go ahead 8-4.
Valpo pushed its lead to as many as six points in the second half of the set, and while UIC cut the lead to three points at 19-16, the Beacons prevented the Flames from scoring consecutive points the rest of the way as they evened the match at one set apiece.
The third set was the most back-and-forth of the evening, containing 11 ties and eight lead changes. Valpo led by three points on multiple occasions early in the frame, and while UIC battled back to go in front multiple times, the Beacons prevented the Flames from ever extending their lead past one point through the middle stages of the set.
In the battle for control, the two squads were tied at 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and finally at 17-17. At that point, the one run which would prove to be decisive broke in favor of UIC, as the Flames ended the set on an 8-1 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Valpo led through the early stages of the fourth set, but was never able to push its lead above two points. Approaching the midway point of the frame, UIC reeled off a 5-1 spurt to turn a 10-9 Valpo edge to a 14-11 Flames lead.
The Beacons battled back, with consecutive kills from junior Elise Swistek (LaPorte, Ind./New Prairie) tying the set at 15-all. The two teams were tied at 16-16 before back-to-back points for UIC gave the Flames the lead for good, as Valpo got back to within one point at 18-17 and later at 21-20, but was never able to again tie the set.
Inside the Match
With her 16th dig of the match early in the third set, Hickey became the 24th player in Valpo volleyball history to hit the 1,000-dig milestone for her career.
Hickey reached the milestone in just 49 matches, the fastest player in both Valpo history and MVC history to crack four digits in digs. Previous Valpo liberos Taylor Root and Rylee Cookerly both hit 1,000 digs in the 52nd match of their respective careers.
Meanwhile, Cookerly previously shared the fastest to 1,000 among Valley players with Illinois State’s Courtney Pence, who also hit the mark in her 52nd career match.
Hickey ended the evening with 1,014 career digs, as she went on to total a match-high 30 digs — the fifth 30+ dig performance of her collegiate career. She also matched a career best with 10 assists, in the process posting her second career double-double.
Swistek paced Valpo offensively with 14 kills, just one off her career best, and added 11 digs as well for a double-double.
Fifth-year middle Miranda Strongman (Wolverine Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Central [LIU]) reached double figures in kills for the third straight match to open Valley play, finishing with 10 kills on .320 hitting.
Freshman Mara Thomas (Bogart, Ga./Athens Academy) saw extended action at setter in Valpo’s 6-2 Tuesday and took advantage to post the first double-double of her collegiate career, recording season highs of 15 assists and 14 digs.
Senior Victoria Bulmahn (McCordsville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) dished out a team-best 20 assists.
Next Up
Valpo (10-6, 2-1 MVC) continues its challenging start to the MVC slate this weekend with the Iowa road trip, starting with a Friday night match at UNI. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER
SOCCER RETURNS HOME FOR PAIR OF MATCHES THIS WEEK
Valparaiso (5-2-3, 0-0-0 MVC)
Thursday, Sept. 28 – Missouri State (7-1-3, 2-0-1 MVC) – 7 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 1 – Murray State (2-6-3, 0-0-3 MVC) – 1 p.m.
Next Up in Valpo Soccer: With four points under its belt after two MVC road matches, the Valpo soccer team returns home to Brown Field for the first time in nearly a month this week for a pair of fixtures. It’s a battle of defending champions Thursday evening as the Beacons face 2022 MVC Tournament champion Missouri State, while Sunday afternoon’s matchup is against the Murray State program which knocked Valpo out of last year’s conference tournament.
Previously: Valpo opened MVC play with an unbeaten weekend on the road, playing to a 1-1 draw at Evansville before turning around to win at Indiana State by a 2-0 final. Chase Ray scored in both matches for the Beacons.
Looking Ahead: A three-match homestand ends next Thursday, Oct. 5 as Valpo takes on Illinois State. Next Sunday, Oct. 8, the Beacons return to the road to play at Drake.
Following the Beacons: Both of this weekend’s matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Links for the live video and live stats can be found at ValpoAthletics.com.
Head Coach John Marovich: In his 16th season at the helm of the Valpo program, John Marovich holds a 126-114-45 (.521) record both overall and at Valpo as a head coach. The 2014 Horizon League Coach of the Year and the head of the 2022 MVC Coaching Staff of the Year, Marovich holds Valpo’s all-time records for both victories and winning percentage.
Series Notes: Missouri State – The Bears hold a 5-3-1 advantage in the all-time series, but it is Valpo with a slim 3-2-1 edge since joining the Valley. Last season, Missouri State dealt the Beacons their lone loss in MVC regular season action, as a 52nd minute goal was the difference in Springfield in a 1-0 match.
Murray State – Valpo leads the series with the Racers, 5-2-0. The two sides split last season’s pair of matchups – the Beacons took the regular season meeting by a 2-1 final, earning the road win behind goals from Addy Joiner and Abby White and a penalty save by Nikki Coryell, but Murray State gained a measure of revenge in the semifinals of the MVC Tournament with a 1-0 victory at Brown Field.
Scouting the Opposition: Missouri State – The Bears enter Thursday’s match with a 7-1-3 overall record on the season and atop the MVC table with a 2-0-1 mark through three conference matches, including wins over Illinois State (4-1) and Belmont (2-0) in their last two matches. Gracie English has scored a team-high four goals, while Hailey Chambliss leads the Bears with nine points (3g, 3a). Camielle Day has played the vast majority of time in goal and owns a 0.71 GAA and a .816 save percentage.
Murray State – The Racers enter the weekend at 2-6-3 on the season, including an 0-0-3 start to MVC play, and will play at UIC Thursday prior to Sunday’s showdown. All three of MSU’s draws to start conference play have been 0-0 standoffs, with Griselda Revolorio earning all three clean sheets. Mary Hardy has two of the Racers’ six goals on the year and has also picked up a pair of assists.
Valpo Picked Second in Preseason Poll: The Beacons were chosen to finish in second place in preseason polling of the MVC head coaches. Valpo, which picked up one first-place vote and tallied 107 points in the polling, trailed only Missouri State in the voting. The Beacons far outpaced third-place UIC, which totaled 92 points. Notably, the program has matched or surpassed its preseason projection in each of its first six seasons in the Valley.
Quartet of Preseason Honorees: Plenty of individual standouts have helped Valpo get to the point where it is regarded as one of the Valley’s top programs, and four of them were honored with preseason All-MVC accolades. Fifth-year Nicole Norfolk joined seniors Lindsey DuSatko and Nikki Coryell as preseason First Team All-MVC selections, while junior Addy Joiner picked up Honorable Mention accolades.
Looking Back at Last Season: Valpo’s journey up the MVC table over the last few years culminated last season with a dramatic final day of the regular season which saw the Beacons emerge with the MVC regular season championship – Valpo’s first team title in any sport since joining the Valley. The Beacons finished the season with an 8-7-4 overall record, including a 7-1-2 mark in MVC action to claim the regular season crown. Nikki Coryell was named MVC Goalkeeper of the Year for a third straight season, while John Marovich, Brianne Barnes and Noah Smith were honored as the Valley Coaching Staff of the Year. Nicole Norfolk was named a Third Team All-Region honoree as well.
Regular Season Champions: Trailing by two points entering the final match day, Valpo needed a win and some help to earn the 2022 MVC regular season title, and got both. Molly O’Rear’s goal in the 36th minute against Indiana State not only gave the Beacons a lead they would not surrender, it put Valpo atop the live conference table for good, as Illinois State led Missouri State at that point, 2-0, en route to a 4-2 win. For Valpo, it was the program’s fourth regular season conference championship. Valpo previously won Mid-Continent Conference regular season crowns in back-to-back seasons in 2005 and 2006, and posted a perfect record to claim the 2014 Horizon League regular season title.
Who’s Back and Who’s New: Valpo returns 18 letterwinners, including nine starters, from last year’s squad which claimed the MVC regular season title. The returnees accounted for 16 of the Beacon’s 19 goals and 17 of their 18 assists in Valley play last season. 11 newcomers round out the 2023 roster – nine incoming freshmen, one transfer and one redshirt.
Incremental Improvement: Since finishing joint sixth in the MVC table and missing out on the conference tournament via tiebreaker during the 2018 season, Valpo has improved its position in the final Valley standings each of the next four seasons. Valpo closed out the regular season in fifth place in 2019, finished tied for third in the spring of 2021 and were regular season runners-up in the fall of 2021 before claiming the regular season crown last fall.
Defense Stands Tall: Valpo’s success in conference play the last few years starts in the back with the strong play of three-time MVC Goalkeeper of the Year Nikki Coryell and the Beacons’ defense. Last season’s championship side surrendered just five goals in 10 Valley regular season matches and did not give up more than one goal in any conference fixture. In fact, dating back to the start of the spring 2021 campaign, Valpo has surrendered one goal or fewer in 27 out of 28 MVC matches – the lone exception being the fall 2021 regular season finale at Loyola.
Strong Nonconference Record: The Beacons finished nonconference play with a 4-2-2 record. This year’s side is the first Valpo team to finish above .500 in nonconference action since the 2017 squad went 6-5-0 outside of Valley play. It is the program’s best nonconference record since going 4-1-4 in 2014.
Starting Conference on the Right Foot: Valpo picked up points in both of its matches to open MVC play last week, rallying for a 1-1 draw before taking down Indiana State by a 2-0 final. It is the fourth straight Valley campaign that Valpo has opened with winning or drawing each of its first two matches. In all, Valpo has been unbeaten through two conference matches 12 times in program history – eight of those teams remained unbeaten through three matches, while four of those squads went at least four matches unbeaten to start conference play.
A Ray of Hope: Senior midfielder Chase Ray entered last week’s action with 56 career appearances in the Brown and Gold, but with no collegiate goals to her credit. But Ray broke that duck in a big way last weekend, finding the back of the net in back-to-back matches to account for two of Valpo’s three goals. Her 37th-minute goal at Evansville equalized that contest and she followed by scoring just 72 seconds in for the eventual match-winner at Indiana State.
Don’t Blink: Fans barely had time to settle in their seats in Terre Haute on Sunday afternoon before Ray struck for the match’s opening goal at the 1:12 mark, just missing cracking the program’s top-five fastest goals to start a match all-time. It was Valpo’s quickest opening goal since Rita Craven hit just 64 seconds in against Green Bay on Oct. 17, 2015.
Two Goals is Better Than One: Ray wasn’t the only Beacon to pick up her second goal of the season on Sunday, as Sam Gountounas scored an insurance tally in the 22nd minute to join her goal earlier this season against Eastern Illinois. With the addition of Ray and Gountounas, Valpo has six players who have scored at least two goals this year – matching the most by a Valpo side since the 2007 squad had seven players score at least twice.
DuSatko Cracks a Top Ten: Senior Lindsey DuSatko has been a chance creating machine lately, with four assists to her credit now over the last six matches after she picked up an assist on Sunday at Indiana State on Gountounas’ goal – while she didn’t get an assist on the opener, it was DuSatko’s cross which started the chance which ended up with Ray scoring against the Sycamores. DuSatko is up to 10 assists for her career, moving her into a tie for sixth in program history for career helpers.
Etch Her Name in the XI: With 10 starts this season under her belt – all of which she has played the full 90 minutes – fifth-year center back Nicole Norfolk is up to 76 career appearances and 76 career starts in the Valpo uniform. The 76 starts are tied for eighth-most by a player in program history, while with her next appearance, Norfolk will also crack the top-10 for matches played.
Joiner Just Keeps Scoring: One season after pacing Valpo in the goal-scoring department, junior Addy Joiner has continued her prolificacy in 2023. She netted just the eighth hat trick in program history on August 31 against Chicago State, and eight days later found the back of the net again for the eventual match-winner at Youngstown State. Joiner has scored a team-high five goals this year, tied for second in the Valley, and has 15 career goals to rank tied for eighth in program history.
Making Debuts: Six players have made their first appearances in the Valpo uniform this season, five of those collegiate debuts. DePaul transfer Aubrey Ramey started and played all 90 minutes at right back in both matches on opening weekend, tallying an assist in the opener against Eastern Illinois. Freshman Anna Cup also played all 180 minutes on opening weekend, slotting in immediately at center back. Freshman Daisy Boardman debuted with a 55-minute stint off the bench against EIU and then made her first collegiate start against NIU, going 58 minutes. Freshman Julianna De Simone saw her first collegiate action with a 26-minute shift on the front line versus NIU. Freshman Eve Miller made her collegiate debut with 20 minutes off the bench at Purdue, while most recently, freshman Hannah Gabriel came in for a 30-minute stretch in the win over Chicago State.
Three-Time Goalkeeper of the Year: Senior goalkeeper Nikki Coryell has quite simply been the Valley’s top goalkeeper throughout her career, as she has been honored as the MVC Goalkeeper of the Year in each of her three seasons. Last season, Coryell posted an 8-5-4 record with a 0.91 GAA and an .800 save percentage, posting seven clean sheets. Coryell and the Valpo defense surrendered just five goals in 10 MVC matches last season and posted five shutouts – matching the program record for the most clean sheets within conference play in a single season. In her three Goalkeeper of the Year campaigns, Coryell has posted a cumulative GAA of 0.59 and a save percentage of .878 in conference play. In 26 MVC fixtures, she holds a 16-4-6 record and has recorded 14 shutouts, giving up one goal or fewer in 25 of those 26 matches.
Running Up Top: Senior forward Lindsey DuSatko enters the 2023 campaign having earned All-Conference honors in each of the last two seasons, as she was a Second Team honoree in 2021 and a First Team choice last season. The pacey forward was tied for second among Valley players with four assists in MVC-only play in 2022, picking up a helper apiece in four of Valpo’s regular season conference wins, and scored a goal as well. DuSatko assisted on the match-winning goal in the Beacons’ win at Murray State and scored the game-tying goal in Valpo’s draw with Southern Illinois.
Locking Down the Back Line: Fifth-year center back Nicole Norfolk has been the linchpin in the Valpo defense ever since stepping onto campus prior to the 2019 season. The stalwart in the back was a First Team All-MVC honoree in 2022 after earning Second Team recognition the previous year. Valpo’s record holder for consecutive minutes played by a field player, Norfolk played all but 14 minutes of Valpo’s first 15 matches of the 2022 season before suffering an injury in mid-October. With Norfolk on the field during Valley regular season play, Valpo surrendered just one goal in 544 minutes of play. Norfolk added Third Team All-Midwest Region honors to her resume as well last season.
She Scores, We Win: Junior forward Addy Joiner was more than just a spark off the bench in 2022 – she was an assassin in front of goal. A First Team All-MVC honoree, Joiner finished the regular season with a Valley-high seven goals on the year and eventually concluded the season in second place with her seven tallies. The two-time MVC Offensive Player of the Week scored six of her seven goals in Valley play, one apiece in six of Valpo’s seven MVC victories. Her six goals in conference play were the most by a Valpo player in league action since Jackie Kondratko netted six goals in Horizon League matches in 2009.
Wait, There’s More!: The aforementioned four First Team All-MVC honorees from a season ago represent just over half of the total number of honorees from last season’s regular season champions. Fifth-year midfielder Allie Anderson picked up Second Team All-MVC recognition in 2022, while junior left back Abby White was a Third Team All-MVC choice. Sophomore Molly O’Rear rounds out last year’s award winners, as she claimed a spot on the MVC All-Freshman Team.
Even More on Last Year’s Awards: Valpo’s four First Team honorees in 2022 set a program record for postseason honors, as the program previously boasted three First Team All-League recipients on three occasions. The Beacons have had multiple First Team All-MVC honorees each of the last three seasons, and also have had at least one representative on the MVC All-Freshman Team in each of their six seasons in the conference.
VALPO FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL TO STEP OUTSIDE OF PFL PLAY VS. SMSU
Southwest Minnesota State (1-3, 1-3 NSIC)
at Valparaiso (0-3, 0-1 PFL)
Game #4 Saturday, Sept. 30, 1 p.m. CT
Brown Field (5,000) – Valparaiso, Ind.
This Week in Valpo Football: The Valparaiso University football team will play its second of back-to-back home games this week as Southwest Minnesota State comes to town for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Saturday afternoon. After opening Pioneer Football League play last week, the Beacons will step outside of league action for the nonconference finale against a first-time opponent. The first 250 Valpo students will receive free student section t-shirts.
Previously: Games that come down to the wire have become the norm for the Valpo football program in recent seasons, and the Beacons were on the wrong end of a heart-pounding battle for the second straight contest, falling 36-30 in overtime on homecoming Saturday against Marist. The first quarter of each half was a positive one for Valpo, which outscored the guests 24-3 in the first and third quarters combined, but the Red Foxes held a 27-6 advantage in the second and fourth stanzas. Marist tied the game on a touchdown with 14 seconds left before a blocked PAT by Kurt Kessen sent the game to overtime. Solomon Davis had a career day with 10 catches for 175 yards.
Series Notes: This will mark the first ever meeting between Valpo and Southwest Minnesota State. This will be Valpo’s first game against an NCAA Division-II opponent since 2019, when the team fell at Truman State (Sept. 21) and vs. University of Charleston (19-13). Valpo will seek its first victory over a Division-II opponent since Sept. 20, 2014 at William Jewell (39-30). Division-II programs do offer athletic scholarships, while the Pioneer Football League does not permit athletic scholarships.
Following the Beacons: Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+ with legendary Valpo voice Todd Ickow (play-by-play) and longtime Northwest Indiana sportscaster Brian Jennings (analyst) on the call. In addition, the radio commentary will be available on 95.1 FM WVUR, The TuneIn Radio App and ValpoAthletics.com. For in-game updates, follow @valpoufootball on Twitter. Links to live video, audio and stats will be available on ValpoAthletics.com.
Head Coach Landon Fox: Landon Fox (14-30) is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Valparaiso University football program in 2023. Over the last three seasons, Fox has led Valpo to 12 Pioneer Football League victories, the most in a three-year period in program history. The program finished with a PFL record of .500 or better for a third consecutive season in 2022, the first time that has occurred since 1998-2000. Prior to that, Valpo had not had a stretch of three straight years with a league record of .500 or better since 1961-1964. The program won four PFL games in the same season just once in the 26 seasons prior to Fox’s arrival. Now, the program has reached that threshold in three straight seasons and three of the first four years under his direction (Spring 2021, Fall 2021, 2022). During his four years in charge of the program, Valpo has boasted 43 All-PFL honorees and 22 academic all-PFL selections. During his second season at the helm in Spring 2021, Fox was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award – which is presented annually to the FCS National Coach of the Year – after guiding Valpo to its best winning percentage since 2003 and tying for the squad’s best winning percentage since 1999. He led his team to Pioneer Football League runner-up honors, the program’s highest finish in the league standings since the PFL championship season of 2003. Fox’s defensive roots paid dividends on that side of the football in his second year at the helm, as the team enjoyed its best defensive season in four decades. Valpo held opponents to 283.3 yards per game, the program’s best total defense in the last 40 years. In Year 1 of the Fox Era in 2019, Valpo ranked in the Top 5 in the PFL in scoring defense (32.0, fifth), total defense (381.6, fourth), rushing defense (184.2, fourth) and passing defense (197.3, fifth). After spending the previous 11 seasons as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the University of Dayton, Fox was named the head football coach at Valpo prior to the 2019 season. He helped the Flyers finish with 10 winning seasons in his 11 years on staff and guided a defensive backfield that produced one All-American, four Academic All-Americans, two PFL Special Teams Players of the Year and three corners who were invited to NFL Rookie Minicamp. Prior to joining Dayton’s staff, Fox served as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Wayne State University in Detroit from 2005-2007. He also spent time as a defensive graduate assistant at Ball State University (2004), Dayton (2002-2003) and Lakeland College (2001). Fox began his coaching career as an assistant varsity coach at Preble Shawnee High School in Camden, Ohio during the 2000 season. During his playing days, Fox was a team captain and all-conference performer at Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio from 1995-1999 and graduated with a degree in physical education and health in May 2000 before earning his master’s degree in education from Lakeland in May 2002.
Flag-Free Football
In the first three games of the season, Valpo has been penalized 12 total times for 80 yards, averaging 26.7 penalty yards per game.
The Beacons lead the FCS nation in fewest penalty yards permitted per contest.
Only four teams in all of Division-I – including both FCS and FBS – have been charged with fewer penalty yards per game than Valpo – Iowa, Michigan, Navy and Army.
Among PFL and National Leaders
Valpo punter Evan Matthes has averaged a PFL-best 46.0 yards per punt this year. He ranks third nationally in FCS in punting average.
Solomon Davis is among the league and national leaders in a variety of categories. He tops the PFL in receiving touchdowns (three) and ranks second in both receiving yards per game (91.7) and receptions per game (5.7). He is 16th nationally in receiving yards per game, 11th in receiving TDs and 27th in receptions per game.
Tyler Geiman has been credited with eight pass breakups this season. He leads the FCS nation in passes defended per game at 2.7 and is tied for the D-I national lead (FBS and FCS) in that category with Navy’s Rayuan Lane.
A Big Day for Davis
Solomon Davis had 10 receptions for 175 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 4 game vs. Marist, posting career highs in all three areas.
Davis became the first Valpo player with 10 receptions in a game since Tanner Kuramata on Nov. 22, 2014 vs. Davidson.
Davis had the most receiving yards by a Valpo player since Kuramata’s 200 on Nov. 16, 2013 vs. Dayton.
Davis became just the third player in the FCS nation with 175 or more receiving yards in a game this season, joining New Hampshire’s Dylan Laube (295) and UIW’s Brandon Porter (201).
Block Party
Kurt Kessen blocked Marist’s potential go-ahead PAT after their game-tying score in the closing seconds of regulation to send the homecoming game to overtime.
As a team, this was Valpo’s second blocked kick of the season as Wade Abrams turned away a punt in Week 2 at Indiana Wesleyan.
Valpo is one of 14 teams in the FCS nation that has blocked multiple kicks this season.
The team’s most recent blocked PAT prior to the Marist game was also courtesy of Kessen on Oct. 15 of last season vs. Butler.
Kessen has now blocked three kicks in his collegiate career.
Homecoming Cliffhangers
Seven straight Valpo homecoming games have been decided by seven points or fewer, including last season’s 28-21 win over San Diego and this year’s 36-30 overtime loss to Marist.
Valpo enjoyed tight wins in 2016 (24-20 vs. Davidson) and 2017 (27-24 vs. Stetson) before close losses in 2018 (40-35 vs. Davidson), 2019 (19-13 vs. University of Charleston) and 2021 (27-24 in OT vs. Marist).
Valpo has not had a homecoming game decided by more than seven points since 2015, a 38-6 loss to San Diego.
Close Calls
Valpo’s 36-30 overtime loss to Marist in Week 4 represented the latest in a longstanding trend of close games under head coach Landon Fox. This marked the team’s second straight loss by fewer than seven points after dropping the Week 2 game 24-22 at Indiana Wesleyan before the Week 3 bye.
Valpo played six one-score games in 2022, four in Fall 2021, four in Spring 2021 and four in 2019. The Week 4 game against Marist was the 20th game decided by seven points or fewer in Fox’s 44 games as Valpo head coach.
The Beacons are 7-13 in those 20 one-score games.
The loss to the Wildcats was Valpo’s first defeat by three points or fewer since a one-point setback vs. Butler on Oct. 15 of last season. The loss to the Red Foxes was the team’s first overtime game since 2021, also homecoming and also against Marist.
This marks the first time Valpo has had back-to-back one-score losses since three such defeats in succession late in November 2019 – at Davidson (27-21), vs. Morehead State (27-21) and at Butler (24-21).
UINDY MEN’S SOCCER
HOUNDS BREAK INTO TOP 10 IN DII COACHES POLL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The UIndy men’s soccer team was voted eighth in the country in the new United Soccer Coaches DII poll, released Tuesday.
The Greyhounds are 6-0-1 on the season. The team picked up two more GLVC wins over the weekend, defeating Rockhurst and William Jewell at Key Stadium. Carl Ringstrom was named the GLVC Offensive Player of the Week, after scoring both game-winning goals for UIndy over the weekend.
The Greyhounds go back on the road to face Missouri-St.Louis on Friday. Action is slated to begin at 8:30 p.m. ET in St. Louis, Mo.
UNITED SOCCER COACHES DII POLL
| Rank | School | Prev | W-L-T |
| 1 | Franklin Pierce University | 1 | 6-0-0 |
| 2 | California State University Chico | 5 | 7-0-0 |
| 3 | Florida Tech | 4 | 4-0-3 |
| 4 | Midwestern State University | 5 | 7-0-1 |
| 5 | Limestone University | 8 | 6-0-1 |
| 6 | California State University-Los Angeles | 2 | 5-0-1 |
| 7 | Colorado State University-Pueblo | 3 | 6-1-1 |
| 8 | University of Indianapolis | 11 | 6-0-1 |
| 9 | Lynn University | 10 | 5-0-2 |
| 10 | Mercyhurst University | 19 | 6-0-0 |
| 11 | Maryville University of St. Louis | 12 | 6-1-1 |
| 12 | University of Charleston | RV | 6-1-0 |
| 13 | Cal Poly Pomona | 14 | 4-0-2 |
| 14 | Clayton State University | 16 | 7-1-0 |
| 15 | Rollins College | 15 | 3-0-3 |
| 16 | Northeastern State University | 22 | 3-1-2 |
| 17 | Post University | 20 | 3-1-2 |
| 18 | St. Mary’s University (Texas) | 16 | 5-2-1 |
| 19 | Gannon University | 7 | 6-0-1 |
| 20 | Southern New Hampshire University | 9 | 4-1-2 |
| 21 | California State University-San Bernardino | 21 | 3-1-2 |
| 22 | Southern Nazarene University | RV | 4-2-2 |
| 23 | University of Illinois-Springfield | 24 | 5-1-2 |
| 24 | Colorado Mesa University | RV | 5-2-1 |
| 25 | Rogers State University | 13 | 4-2-2 |
MARIAN MEN’S GOLF
KNIGHTS WIN SECOND TOURNAMENT OF FALL CAMPAIGN AT NAIA MIDWEST INVITATIONAL
Silvis, Ill. – The Marian men’s golf team completed their second tournament of the fall season on Tuesday afternoon, tying for first place at the NAIA Midwest Invitational. In the 15-team field, the Knights tied with Midland for the overall lead, ending the two days with a score of 589. Weston Ogden led the Knights individually, finishing fifth in the field.
The Knights held second place after day one of the tournament with a round one score of 294, while on the second day carding a 295. Marian held a lead at times during the second round on Tuesday, as they overtook Mt. Mercy who led after day one. Midland charged back and shot even par as a team on the final day, racing back to tie Marian for the team lead.
Marian’s top individual in the field was Weston Ogden, who finished fifth overall in the field. Ogden fired consecutive rounds of +1 golf, carding a 72+72=144 in his fifth place finish. Ogden was named to the all-tournament team.
Lane Zedrick finished seventh overall in the field with a score of 73+73=146, finishing four strokes over par.
Luke Beetz
Luke Beetz and Brandon Heffner both tied for 17th, as the pair of Knights shot a 150 score over 36 holes. Beetz shot a 74 in the first round and 76 in the second, while Heffner had the inverse score carding a 76 in round one and 74 in round two.
Will Pruitt was the final member of the Knights lineup in the field, as he finished 31st overall with a score of 75+79=154.
The Knights took down a pair of teams receiving votes in the latest NAIA Rankings, finishing ahead of (RV) Roosevelt and (RV) Missouri Baptist. Roosevelt finished third, Northwestern (Iowa) finished fourth, and Mt. Mercy finished fifth to close the top-five teams in the field.
Marian will next compete in Memphis, Tennessee in the month of October. The Knights will play at the Memphis Shootout, hosted at TPC Southwind by Sterling. The tournament is October 9 and 10.
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 | 98 | 59 | .624 | – | 46 – 30 | 52 – 29 | 30 – 18 | 22 – 10 | 21 – 11 | 7 – 3 | W 3 |
| Y-Tampa Bay | 96 | 62 | .608 | 2.5 | 53 – 28 | 43 – 34 | 28 – 20 | 23 – 9 | 18 – 14 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Toronto | 87 | 70 | .554 | 11 | 41 – 35 | 46 – 35 | 19 – 28 | 22 – 10 | 16 – 16 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| NY Yankees | 80 | 77 | .510 | 18 | 42 – 39 | 38 – 38 | 21 – 29 | 17 – 12 | 19 – 13 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| Boston | 76 | 81 | .484 | 22 | 39 – 41 | 37 – 40 | 22 – 25 | 19 – 13 | 15 – 17 | 2 – 8 | L 3 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| X-Minnesota | 84 | 73 | .535 | – | 46 – 33 | 38 – 40 | 13 – 19 | 29 – 23 | 19 – 11 | 7 – 3 | W 2 |
| Detroit | 74 | 83 | .471 | 10 | 33 – 43 | 41 – 40 | 7 – 25 | 31 – 16 | 15 – 17 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| Cleveland | 74 | 84 | .468 | 10.5 | 41 – 39 | 33 – 45 | 16 – 16 | 22 – 27 | 17 – 15 | 4 – 6 | L 3 |
| Chi White Sox | 60 | 97 | .382 | 24 | 30 – 46 | 30 – 51 | 11 – 20 | 23 – 29 | 12 – 21 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| Kansas City | 54 | 103 | .344 | 30 | 31 – 47 | 23 – 56 | 7 – 23 | 20 – 30 | 11 – 20 | 8 – 2 | L 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Texas | 88 | 69 | .561 | – | 50 – 31 | 38 – 38 | 20 – 12 | 19 – 13 | 27 – 20 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Houston | 86 | 72 | .544 | 2.5 | 39 – 42 | 47 – 30 | 16 – 17 | 14 – 17 | 31 – 20 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| Seattle | 85 | 72 | .541 | 3 | 42 – 34 | 43 – 38 | 13 – 18 | 20 – 13 | 30 – 17 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| LA Angels | 71 | 87 | .449 | 17.5 | 36 – 41 | 35 – 46 | 14 – 18 | 18 – 14 | 20 – 28 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Oakland | 48 | 109 | .306 | 40 | 26 – 55 | 22 – 54 | 8 – 24 | 13 – 17 | 13 – 36 | 2 – 8 | L 2 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| X-Atlanta | 101 | 56 | .643 | – | 49 – 27 | 52 – 29 | 34 – 15 | 20 – 9 | 21 – 12 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| Y-Philadelphia | 88 | 69 | .561 | 13 | 48 – 31 | 40 – 38 | 24 – 25 | 18 – 11 | 18 – 15 | 8 – 2 | W 6 |
| Miami | 81 | 75 | .519 | 19.5 | 46 – 35 | 35 – 40 | 25 – 24 | 16 – 14 | 14 – 17 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| NY Mets | 71 | 85 | .455 | 29.5 | 39 – 36 | 32 – 49 | 21 – 25 | 13 – 19 | 18 – 14 | 3 – 7 | L 4 |
| Washington | 69 | 89 | .437 | 32.5 | 34 – 47 | 35 – 42 | 17 – 32 | 14 – 19 | 15 – 16 | 4 – 6 | L 2 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| X-Milwaukee | 88 | 69 | .561 | – | 45 – 31 | 43 – 38 | 18 – 14 | 29 – 18 | 13 – 19 | 5 – 5 | L 3 |
| Chi Cubs | 82 | 75 | .522 | 6 | 45 – 36 | 37 – 39 | 11 – 18 | 29 – 20 | 17 – 16 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| Cincinnati | 81 | 77 | .513 | 7.5 | 38 – 43 | 43 – 34 | 15 – 17 | 20 – 29 | 18 – 14 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| Pittsburgh | 74 | 83 | .471 | 14 | 38 – 40 | 36 – 43 | 14 – 14 | 25 – 27 | 16 – 15 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| St. Louis | 69 | 88 | .439 | 19 | 33 – 45 | 36 – 43 | 14 – 18 | 19 – 28 | 13 – 19 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| X-LA Dodgers | 97 | 60 | .618 | – | 53 – 28 | 44 – 32 | 17 – 14 | 19 – 14 | 31 – 16 | 7 – 3 | W 1 |
| Arizona | 83 | 74 | .529 | 14 | 43 – 35 | 40 – 39 | 14 – 18 | 20 – 12 | 29 – 23 | 7 – 3 | W 1 |
| San Diego | 78 | 80 | .494 | 19.5 | 44 – 37 | 34 – 43 | 16 – 16 | 11 – 21 | 26 – 25 | 8 – 2 | W 1 |
| San Francisco | 78 | 80 | .494 | 19.5 | 44 – 33 | 34 – 47 | 13 – 18 | 20 – 13 | 25 – 23 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| Colorado | 57 | 100 | .363 | 40 | 35 – 41 | 22 – 59 | 14 – 20 | 13 – 17 | 13 – 37 | 2 – 8 | L 1 |
X – Clinched Division, Y – Clinched Playoff Spot
| AL Wild Card Standings | |||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Last 10 | Streak | |
| Y-Tampa Bay | 96 | 62 | .608 | +10.0 | 53-28 | 43-34 | 5-5 | W 1 | |
| Toronto | 87 | 70 | .554 | +1.5 | 41-35 | 46-35 | 7-3 | L 1 | |
| Houston | 86 | 72 | .544 | – | 39-42 | 47-30 | 3-7 | L 1 | |
| Seattle | 85 | 72 | .541 | 0.5 | 42-34 | 43-38 | 4-6 | W 1 | |
| NY Yankees | 80 | 77 | .510 | 5.5 | 42-39 | 38-38 | 6-4 | W 2 | |
| Boston | 76 | 81 | .484 | 9.5 | 39-41 | 37-40 | 2-8 | L 3 | |
| Detroit | 74 | 83 | .471 | 11.5 | 33-43 | 41-40 | 6-4 | W 2 | |
| Cleveland | 74 | 84 | .468 | 12.0 | 41-39 | 33-45 | 4-6 | L 3 | |
| LA Angels | 71 | 87 | .449 | 15.0 | 36-41 | 35-46 | 3-7 | W 1 | |
| Chi White Sox | 60 | 97 | .382 | 25.5 | 30-46 | 30-51 | 4-6 | L 1 | |
| Kansas City | 54 | 103 | .344 | 31.5 | 31-47 | 23-56 | 8-2 | L 1 | |
| Oakland | 48 | 109 | .306 | 37.5 | 26-55 | 22-54 | 2-8 | L 2 |
| NL Wild Card Standings | |||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Last 10 | Streak | |
| Y-Philadelphia | 88 | 69 | .561 | +6.0 | 48-31 | 40-38 | 8-2 | W 6 | |
| Arizona | 83 | 74 | .529 | +1.0 | 43-35 | 40-39 | 7-3 | W 1 | |
| Chi Cubs | 82 | 75 | .522 | – | 45-36 | 37-39 | 4-6 | L 1 | |
| Miami | 81 | 75 | .519 | 0.5 | 46-35 | 35-40 | 6-4 | W 2 | |
| Cincinnati | 81 | 77 | .513 | 1.5 | 38-43 | 43-34 | 5-5 | W 2 | |
| San Diego | 78 | 80 | .494 | 4.5 | 44-37 | 34-43 | 8-2 | W 1 | |
| San Francisco | 78 | 80 | .494 | 4.5 | 44-33 | 34-47 | 3-7 | L 1 | |
| Pittsburgh | 74 | 83 | .471 | 8.0 | 38-40 | 36-43 | 5-5 | L 2 | |
| NY Mets | 71 | 85 | .455 | 10.5 | 39-36 | 32-49 | 3-7 | L 4 | |
| St. Louis | 69 | 88 | .439 | 13.0 | 33-45 | 36-43 | 4-6 | W 1 | |
| Washington | 69 | 89 | .437 | 13.5 | 34-47 | 35-42 | 4-6 | L 2 | |
| Colorado | 57 | 100 | .363 | 25.0 | 35-41 | 22-59 | 2-8 | 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 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 130 | 71 | 1-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 3 W | |
| Buffalo Bills | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 1.0 | 91 | 35 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 W | |
| New England Patriots | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 2.0 | 52 | 59 | 0-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| New York Jets | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 2.0 | 42 | 61 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 78 | 40 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 1.0 | 45 | 77 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 L | |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 1.0 | 86 | 87 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Denver Broncos | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 2.0 | 69 | 122 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 3 L | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 56 | 70 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 71 | 55 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Cleveland Browns | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 73 | 32 | 2-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 1.0 | 46 | 67 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 1 W | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Indianapolis Colts | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 74 | 70 | 0-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 W | |
| Houston Texans | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 1.0 | 66 | 73 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 1.0 | 57 | 75 | 0-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| Tennessee Titans | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 1.0 | 45 | 67 | 1-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 L | |
| National Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 84 | 59 | 1-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 3 W | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 1.0 | 86 | 38 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Washington Commanders | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 1.0 | 58 | 86 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 L | |
| New York Giants | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 2.0 | 43 | 98 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 90 | 42 | 1-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 3 W | |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 1.0 | 87 | 88 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 W | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 2.0 | 69 | 62 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 2.0 | 72 | 67 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Green Bay Packers | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 80 | 62 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Detroit Lions | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 72 | 63 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 2.0 | 69 | 82 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 3 L | |
| Chicago Bears | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 2.0 | 47 | 106 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 3 L | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Atlanta Falcons | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 55 | 54 | 2-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| New Orleans Saints | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 53 | 50 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0.0 | 58 | 59 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 2.0 | 54 | 81 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-3-0 | 0-2-0 | 3 L |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1877 With their 19th victory in the last 20 games, the Red Caps, aka the Red Stockings, clinch the National League pennant, beating the Hartford Dark Blues, 13-2. James ‘Deacon’ White, the league’s leading hitter, paces Boston’s attack with a 4-for-4 performance.
1898 Reds’ first baseman Jake Beckley handles a record 22 chances, making 21 putouts and one assist without committing any errors. The Cincinnati infielder’s defensive abilities contribute to the home team’s 9-2 victory over the Cleveland Spiders League Park.
1904 Cleveland Naps’ (Indians) hurler Bob Rhoads holds Boston hitless until Chick Stahl singles with two outs in the ninth. In four years, the right-hander will become the first pitcher ever to no-hit the Red Sox.
1905 Boston Pilgrim hurler Bill Dinneen pitches the season’s fourth no-hitter, beating the White Sox, 2-0. The right-hander, who will become an American League ump 17 days after he retires in 1909, is the only person in major league history ever to pitch a no-hitter and call one as an umpire.
1914 Nap Lajoie joins Cap Anson and Honus Wagner as the only major leaguers to record 3,000 career hits when he doubles off Marty McHale in the Indians’ 5-3 victory over New York at League Park. The Cleveland infielder will end his 21-year Hall of Fame career in 1916 with 3,243 hits.
Amazon Napoleon Lajoie: King of Ballplayers
1919 In a complete-game effort at Shibe Park, Yankee right-hander Bob Shawkey establishes a franchise record when he strikes out 15 batters in a 9-2 victory over Philadelphia. In 1978, Ron Guidry will fan 18 batters, breaking the 59-year-old record, also shared by Whitey Ford, who had tied the mark in 1959 in a 14-inning game against Washington.
1920 An article in the Philadelphia North American quotes local gambler Bill Maharg saying he and former major league pitcher Billy Burns offered eight White Sox players $100,000 to throw the 1919 World Series. The team will become infamously known as the Black Sox.
1920 At Chicago’s Comiskey Park, 33-year-old Joe Jackson’s sixth-inning double off Tiger hurler Hooks Dauss breaks a scoreless tie, putting the White Sox ahead, 2-0. ‘Shoeless’ Joe’s game-winning hit will be the last of his 13-year career when the players on the grand jury list are indefinitely suspended for the rest of the season as the probe of the 1919 World Series fix is investigated.
1928 Lefty Grove is the first pitcher to strike out the side on nine pitches for the second time in his career. Last month, the A’s southpaw also accomplished the feat, becoming the only hurler to do it twice in one season.
1928 At the Polo Grounds, the Giants unveil bronze tablets in memory of two former players, Christy Mathewson and Ross Youngs. The future Hall of Famers were much-beloved and respected by their manager John McGraw, a tyrant known to be critical toward his ballplayers in the dugout.
1930 In a 13-8 victory over the Reds at Wrigley Field, Hack Wilson hits two home runs, establishing a new National League mark for homers. The Cub outfielder’s total of 56 for the season will stand until Mark McGwire breaks the record in 1998.
1931 Nick Altrock becomes the first player to appear in major league games in five decades. The 54-year-old former left-hander accomplishes the feat as a pinch-hitter when he walks and is promptly picked off first base in the Senators’ 4-2 loss to Boston at Griffith Stadium.
1935 The Cubs clinch their 14th National League pennant when the team beats the second-place Cardinals in the first game of a doubleheader sweep at Sportsman’s Park, 6-2. The victory marks Chicago’s 20th consecutive win, a streak extended to the National League record of 21 with a 5-3 triumph in the nightcap.
1936 Replacing Johnny Mize, tossed by an ump for arguing, Cardinal rookie first baseman Walter Alston makes an error in handling two chances and strikes out in his only major league at-bat. However, ‘Smokey’ will win seven pennants and four World Series in his 23-year Hall of Fame career as Dodger manager from 1954 to 1976.
1938 In Detroit’s 10-2 rout of St. Louis in the nightcap of a twin bill, Hank Greenberg hits two home runs, both off Bill Cox, to extend his major league-leading total to 58. The pair of round-trippers gives the Tiger first baseman 39 at Briggs Stadium, establishing a major league record for the most round-trippers hit at home in one season.
1938 An ailing Lou Gehrig hits his 493rd and final major league home run off Senators’ right-hander Dutch Leonard. On the same date 15 years earlier, the Yankee first baseman had gone deep off Bill Piercy at Fenway Park for his first career home run.
1940 On the last day of the season at Cleveland Stadium, some Indian fans shower the field with fruit and vegetables, delaying the game against the Tigers. The visitors’ bullpen proves not to be a safe haven when an unruly fan drops a basket of green tomatoes on Birdie Tebbetts’ head.
1940 The Tigers clinch the American League pennant, beating the Indians, 2-0. Rookie right-hander Floyd Gieball gets his second and final big league win to seal the deal.
1942 On the last day of the regular season, the Cardinals clinch the National League pennant as sore-armed hurler Ernie White throws a five-hit complete-game, beating the Cubs in the first game of a twin bill, 9-2. The Redbirds also win the nightcap to finish the season with 11 victories in their final 12 games.
1946 In Detroit’s Briggs Stadium, Indian fireballer Bob Feller ties Rube Waddell’s major league mark with his 343rd K of the season. Future research, however, will show the future Hall of Famer had struck out 349 in 1904.
1951 Bill Sharman, recently called up from Fort Worth, is one of 15 Dodgers ejected by umpire Frank Dascoli for bench jockeying after a close call at home plate. The future basketball Hall of Famer will never play in the big leagues, and thus he will become the only player to be ejected from a major league game without ever appearing in one.
1952 After striking out in the first inning, Boston third baseman Eddie Matthews becomes the first National League rookie to hit three home runs in a game. The 20-year-old freshman’s round-trippers in the third, sixth, and eighth innings contribute to the Braves’ 11-3 victory over the Dodgers at Ebbets Field.
1952 In the Braves’ 11-3 rout in Brooklyn, Eddie Mathews becomes the first rookie to hit three home runs in a game. The 20-year-old first baseman’s offensive output helps the team break a ten-game losing streak in a game that will become the last victory for the National League franchise representing the city of Boston.
1953 In a fitting finale that draws only 3,174 fans at Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis plays their last game as the Browns, losing their 100th game of the season, an 11-inning, 2-1 loss to Chicago. Next season the team will move to Baltimore and will become the Orioles.
1954 The first episode of NBC’s Tonight Show, featuring Steve Allen as the host along with announcer Gene Rayburn and bandleader Skitch Henderson, airs nationally for the first time. Giants center fielder Willie Mays, the NL’s leader in batting and eventual MVP of the circuit, appears as one of the first guests on the 90-minute innovative broadcast that will become a staple of late-night television.
1959 In addition to being thrown out trying to steal a base, Phillies’ second baseman Sparky Anderson goes 0-for-3 in a 5-2 loss to Milwaukee at County Stadium. The season finale marks the end of the 25-year-old infielder’s playing career, but the future Hall of Fame manager’s participation in 152 contests will establish a record for the most games ever played by someone who spent only one year in the major leagues.
1960 Ryne Duren makes his first start in two years memorable when he strikes out the first five batters he faces in the Yankees’ 5-1 victory over Washington. The feat ties a modern major league record shared by Lefty Gomez (Yankees), Dazzy Vance (Dodgers), and Walter Johnson (Senators).
1961 In front of only 1,717 fans at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, Bob Sprout appears in his only major league game. The Angels starter, who once struck out 22 batters in a seven-inning no-hitter in the minor leagues, starts against the Senators, allowing four hits and two runs in four innings, and has no role in the decision of his team’s 8-6 victory over Washington.
1961 Sandy Koufax breaks the National League mark for strikeouts in a season, surpassing Christy Mathewson’s mark of 267 established in 1903. Unlike the turmoil caused by commissioner Ford Frick’s mandate of having to hit 61 homers by the 154th game in the extended 162-game schedule to break the single-season standard, the Dodgers southpaw’s 268th punch-out, occurring in the 151st game of the season, compared to the 142-game sked played early in the century raises no controversy.
1963 At Colt Stadium, Houston’s skipper Harry Craft starts an all-rookie team that includes future stars like Joe Morgan, Rusty Staub, Jimmy Wynn, and Jerry Grote. The Colt .45s freshman team, whose average age is 19-years and four months old, loses to the Mets, 10-3, with 17-year-old starting pitcher Jay Dahl making his only major league appearance.
1964 The Philadelphia Inquirer stops its current practice of printing the Phillies magic number, citing the countdown digit has lost its significance in the National League race. The fading Phils, which had a 6.5 game lead just six days ago, now clings to a half-game margin, and the team will need to beat the contenders they will face in five of the six remaining games to clinch the once ‘certain’ pennant.
1964 The Houston Colt .45’s play their final game in Colt Stadium, the team’s home ballpark since joining the National League in 1962. The future Astros beat the Dodgers, 1-0, in the 12th inning when Jimmy Wynn’s single plates Bob Aspromonte.
1967 Jim Bunning ties a National League record, suffering his fifth 1-0 defeat of the season. The hard-luck Phillies right-hander loses to the Astros when, after two quick outs in the 11th, Rusty Staub doubles and scores on Chuck Harrison’s single.
1967 Ferguson Jenkins posts the first of his six 20-game win seasons when the Cubs beat the Reds at Crosley Field, 4-1. The Canadian right-hander will lead the American League with 25 victories after Chicago deals the future Hall of Famer to the Rangers in 1974.
1973 Nolan Ryan surpasses Sandy Koufax’s major league mark for strikeouts in a season when he throws three fastballs past Rich Reese, the last batter of the game, for his 383rd of the year. The Angels’ right-hander, who finishes the year with 21 wins, whiffs 16 batters in 11 innings en route to a complete-game 5-4 victory over Minnesota at Anaheim Stadium.
1983 Mookie Wilson becomes the Mets’ all-time career stolen-base leader when he swipes second base in the fifth inning of a 4-3 win against Pittsburgh at Three Rivers Stadium. The New York center fielder will add to his franchise-breaking total of 140 in the same frame when he takes third base on the front end of a double steal with Darryl Strawberry.
1989 After Gregg Jeffries grounds out to second base to end the Mets’ disappointing season, he charges the mound and wrestles Phillies’ reliever Roger McDowell to the ground. The fight, which sparks a season-ending bench-clearing brawl, is apparently ignited by the Phillies’ reliever when he says something to his former New York teammate, who is running to first, but the rookie infielder will claim his anger resulted from a brushback pitch thrown a few days earlier by the Philadelphia pitcher.
1989 The Bay area fans have a good day when the Giants and A’s clinch their divisions. Oakland wins the American League West with a 5-0 victory over the Rangers, and San Francisco backs into the National League West title when the second-place Padres lose in extra innings to the Reds, 2-1.
1992 Randy Johnson ties Ron Guidry’s American League mark for strikeouts in a game for left-handers. The Mariners southpaw fans 18 batters in eight innings of work in the team’s 3-2 loss to Texas at Arlington Stadium.
1992 Gary Carter doubles deep to right field in the seventh inning in his last major league at-bat, driving in Larry Walker with the lone run in the Expos’ 1-0 victory over the Cubs. The Montreal fans show their appreciation for one of the most beloved and talented players in franchise history with a long and loud standing ovation, causing the Kid to make two curtain calls to acknowledge the enthusiastic crowd when removed from the game.
1992 The Twins win their 523rd game with Tom Kelly as their manager when the team beats the Royals at the Metrodome, 4-0. The victory makes the Minnesota native the winningest skipper in team history, surpassing the standard set by Sam Mele from 1961 to 1967.
1993 Cubs’ reliever Randy Myers tosses a perfect ninth inning to become the first National League pitcher to record 50 saves in a season when the team beats the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine, 7-3. The 30-year-old southpaw closer, best known for being one of the Reds’ Nasty Boys, will finish the season with a major-league-leading 53 saves.
1993 Bo Jackson’s three-run home run is the difference in Chicago’s 4-2 win over Seattle. The victory enables the White Sox to clinch their first American League West title in ten years.
1993 Mike Piazza, who broke the major league rookie record for home runs by a catcher earlier in the month, sets another mark for round-trippers when he hits his 34th, surpassing the previous L.A. Dodger mark shared by Steve Garvey (1977) and Pedro Guerrero (1985). Duke Snider established the franchise record with 43 homers playing with Brooklyn in 1956.
1993 With a 2-0 victory over the Brewers in Milwaukee’s County Stadium, the Blue Jays clinch their third consecutive American League East title. Toronto will beat the Phillies in six games, capturing their second straight World Series.
1996 Mark Wohlers sets a Braves record with his 39th save of the season. The right-handed reliever is less than perfect, throwing two wild pitches to give up a ninth-inning run, but hangs on to preserve Atlanta’s 6-4 victory over the Expos at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium.
1996 Baseball suspends Roberto Alomar for five games for spitting in the face of home plate umpire John Hirschbeck. After appealing the decision, the Oriole second baseman plays the next day, helping Baltimore clinch the wild card.
1996 In a 12-3 loss to the Rockies at Coors Field, Giants left fielder Barry Bonds swipes his 40th base to become only the second player in major league history to have 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in the same season. Jose Canseco became the charter member of the 40-40 club in 1988, playing for the A’s.
1998 In the season finale, Mark McGwire ends the historic season by hitting his 69th and 70th home runs in the Cardinals’ 6-3 win over the Expos. Big Mac’s #70, which he strokes his last at-bat off Expos’ rookie Carl Pavano of Southington, Connecticut, also establishes a National League record for round-trippers hit at home with his 38th Busch Stadium blast.
1998 On the last day of the season, Detroit pinch-hitter Bobby Higginson homers with two outs off of Blue Jay Roy Halladay to spoil the 21-year-old rookie’s bid for a no-hitter. The right-hander from Colorado comes within one out of throwing a no-no in his second major league start in the Blue Jays’ 2-1 victory over the Tigers at the SkyDome.
1998 The 1998 Yankees win their seventh straight game to end the season with a .704 winning percentage. The Bronx Bombers (114-48) become the first team since the 1954 Indians (111-43) to play over .700 ball for the entire season.
1998 In the Reds’ 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh, two sets of brothers appear in the same lineup for the first time in major league history. Stephen Larkin plays first base, Bret Boone covers second, Barry Larkin is the shortstop, and Aaron Boone plays third, making up the all-brother infield.
1998 Padres’ reliever Trevor Hoffman ties the National League saves record as he gets three straight outs in a 3-2 victory over Arizona. His 53rd save (out of 54 chances) matches the standard set by current teammate Randy Myers, who did it for the Cubs in 1993.
1998 Greg Vaughn’s eighth-inning two-run round-tripper is the difference in the Padres’ 3-2 victory over Arizona at Bank One Ballpark. With his 50th home run, the San Diego left fielder joins Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Ken Griffey, Jr. in reaching the milestone, marking the first time four players have accomplished the feat in the same season.
1999 Gabe Kapler takes the field donning a numberless uniform during the last game at Tiger Stadium, while other players in the starting lineup wear the uniform numbers corresponding to the members of the fan-selected All-Time Detroit Tigers team. The center fielder’s back is blank as a tribute to Ty Cobb, who never wore a number.
1999 In the Tiger Stadium finale, Detroit catcher Robert Fick hits the last round-tripper, a grand slam, in the home team’s 8-2 victory over the Royals. The contest marks the 6,873rd and final major league game played at the historic 87-year-old park on the corner of Trumbull and Michigan.
2000 The United States Olympic team, managed by former Dodger skipper Tommy Lasorda, stuns the world, beating the much-favored Cuban team to win its first gold medal in its national pastime. Ben Sheets ends Cuba’s 21-game Olympic winning streak with a 4-0 shutout.
2000 Darin Erstad breaks the major league record for RBIs in a season by a leadoff batter. The Angels’ outfielder collects his 99th RBI in a 9-7 loss to the A’s, surpassing Nomar Garciaparra’s total of 98 batting first for the Red Sox in 1997.
2001 In the first game at Wrigley Field since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Sammy Sosa proudly carries an American flag out to right field while making his customary pregame dash to his position to salute the bleacher fans, much to the delight of the Northside crowd. Later in the game, after hitting his 59th home run, the native of the Dominican Republic rounds the bases displaying the flag again, waving the Stars and Stripes when crossing the plate and coming out of the dugout for a curtain call.
2002 In his first full season as a closer, John Smoltz, preserving a Braves’ 3-1 victory over the Mets, converts his 54th save to establish a new National League mark. Randy Myers (Cubs – 1993) and Trevor Hoffman (Padres – 1998) had previously shared the record.
2002 At Cleveland’s Jacobs Field, first baseman Jim Thome establishes a new single-season Indian home run record by hitting his 51st homer. Albert Belle hit 50 for the Tribe in 1995.
2003 At Veterans Stadium, Javy Lopez hit his 42nd home to break the major league record for home runs hit by a catcher. In 1996, Mets’ backstop Todd Hundley hit 41 to surpass Roy Campanella’s 1953 mark.
2003 Cubs’ slugger Sammy Sosa blasts his 40th home run to establish a National League record by reaching the plateau for the sixth consecutive season, surpassing Ralph Kiner and Duke Snider. The Chicago right fielder needs another 40-homer season to equal Babe Ruth’s major league mark, set from 1926 to 1932.
2003 With a startling rally, the Tigers avoid equaling the modern major league record of 120 losses set by the expansion 1962 Amazin’ Mets. It takes one of the biggest comebacks in franchise history when Detroit beats the Twins on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth after trailing by eight runs, 9-8.
2005 The Braves back into their 14th straight division flag with the Mets beating the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, 3-2. The record streak started in 1991 when Atlanta played in the NL West.
2005 Jimmy Rollins extends his hitting streak to 32 games with a seventh-inning single off Mets reliever Juan Padilla. The Philadelphia shortstop breaks the 106-year-old Phillies record, surpassing Ed Delahanty, who hit safely in 31 consecutive games in 1899.
2006 Anibal Sanchez (10-3) tosses five innings, winning Florida’s 7-2 victory over the Reds. The 22-year-old right-hander, along with Scott Olsen (12-9), Josh Johnson (12-7), and Ricky Nolasco (11-10), make the Marlins the first team in major league history to have four rookie pitchers win ten or more games.
2006 Accomplishing the milestone in only 77 gates, the Yankees surpass the four million in attendance for the second consecutive year. The Bronx Bombers join the 1991-93 Blue Jays as the only teams in baseball history to reach that mark in more than one season.
2007 Ryan Hanigan becomes the first person born in Washington, D. C. to play in the major leagues. The 27-year-old Reds rookie doubles off Brewers’ ace Ben Sheets in his first big-league at-bat.
2007 In addition to pitching 6.1 innings of scoreless ball, Micah Owings goes 4-for-4 with three doubles and three RBIs in the Diamondbacks’ 8-0 victory over the Pirates at PNC Park. The 24-year-old right-hander, who will collect the Silver Slugger award for his offensive prowess, is the first pitcher since Whitey Ford (Yankees – 1963) to have two four-hit games in one season.
2009 Paul Beeston is appointed for a three-year term as president and CEO of the Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre, the home of the Toronto franchise. In October of 2008, the former MLB president took the position on an interim basis, replacing Paul Godfrey.
2010 “It’s a tough situation for us. A lot of the visiting teams come in and wonder where are all the fans. It’s actually a little bit embarrassing for us. We’re one game away from clinching a postseason spot.” – EVAN LONGORIA, Rays’ third baseman commenting on the team’s low attendance. With an opportunity to see their team clinch a postseason berth, only 12,446 fans attend the Rays game against Baltimore at Tropicana Field. Inspired by third baseman Evan Longoria’s criticism of the low attendance figures, the club will make 20,000 free tickets available in the series finale to get more ‘energy’ into the domed ballpark.
2010 The Phillies capture their fourth consecutive NL East title when they beat Washington, 8-0, behind Roy Halladay’s two-hit complete game. Unlike the previous seasons, when the Fightin’ Phils’ trademark was the big bats in the lineup, this year’s squad excelled due to a strong starting rotation that included Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, in addition to Halladay.
2011 After giving up five runs in the top of the tenth inning, the Diamondbacks score six times in the bottom of the frame in an amazing 7-6 come-from-behind victory over the Dodgers. Arizona infielder Ryan Roberts delivers the decisive blow in the Chase Field contest, a walk-off grand slam with two outs.
2012 In the Tigers’ 5-4 victory over Kansas City at Comerica Park, Doug Fister establishes a new American League record when he strikes out nine consecutive batters, one shy of Tom Seaver’s major league mark. Detroit’s 6-foot-8 right-hander whiffs the last batter in the fourth frame, striking out the side in the next two innings and continues the streak until Salvador Perez, his first victim, grounds out to the shortstop on a 1-2 pitch to end the seventh inning.
2012 With New York’s 6-5 victory over Pittsburgh at Citi Field, R. A. Dickey becomes a 20-game winner, the first Mets hurler in 22 years to accomplish the feat. The 37-year-old knuckleballer is the sixth pitcher in the 50-year history of the franchise to reach the milestone, along with Tom Seaver (1969, 1971, 1972, and 1975), Jerry Koosman (1976), David Cone (1988), and Frank Viola (1990).
2012 Fernando Rodney sets a franchise record when he notches his 46th save of the season, throwing a scoreless ninth inning in the Rays’ 3-2 victory over Chicago at U.S. Cellular Field. The 35-year-old right-handed closer surpasses the team mark established in 2010 by Rafael Soriano.
2015 With Houston’s 4-2 victory over the Rangers, Dallas Keuchel becomes the first pitcher to win every start at his home park in a single season, going 15-0 at Minute Maid Park. The 27-year-old southpaw finishes the campaign with a 20-8 record and a 2.48 ERA for the second-place Astros.
2019 At Angel Stadium, Will Harris becomes the first Astro hurler to throw an immaculate inning since Brandon Backe accomplished the feat on April 14, 2004. In the bottom of the eighth inning in the team’s 4-0 victory over the Halos, the right-hander reliever retires the only three batters he faces on nine pitches, getting Kaleb Cowart, Matt Thais, and Michael Hermosillo to all strike out swinging.
2020 Yankees’ second baseman DJ LeMahieu becomes the first player to capture the batting title in both leagues, finishing the Covid-shorten season with a .364 BA to lead the American League. Four seasons ago, the 32-year-old infielder, while playing for the Rockies, batted .348 to take the Senior Circuit crown.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
September 27, 1942 – In what may be one of the most ironic games in NFL history the New York Football Giants defeated the Washington Redskins by the score of 14-7. According to NFL FILMS website this game has the stats of the very odd indeed! By looking at the final score it doesn’t seem like that uncommon of a game but when you look in detail at the box score all you can do is shake your head! The Giants did not achieve one first down in the entire game, and their 51 total yards would make the onlooker even more shocked. But when you see the fact that 50 of those 51 yards came on one touchdown pass play, your chair will topple over! The other TD was a 66 yard interception return by the Giants defensive back Neil Adams. Oh and did I add that the team they beat that day was the eventual 1942 NFL Champions? Yes this was the Redskins only loss that season, as Sammy Baugh and the ‘Skins were up to almost every challenge and I bet after the game the Washington faithful were shaking their heads too!
Kicking Long Shots
September 27, 2012 – According to ESPN.com Cleveland Browns kicker Phil Dawson had a whale of a half! In the second half of the Browns game versus their rival Baltimore Ravens, Dawson did his best to try and help his team keep pace with the high flying Ravens by making a record 3 field goals in one half of 50 yards or more! His successful kicks after halftime at the lengths of 51, 50 & 52 yards accounted for more than half of the Browns points as they fell 23-16. Interestingly enough, the kicker for the Ravens that day, Justin Tucker tied Dawson’s NFL record of 3 from over 50 in a half on November 27, 2016 when Tucker booted kicks of 52, 57 and 54 yards in the first half of the Ravens 19-14 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Top QB One Game Performance
September 27, 2018 – LA Rams Quarterback Jared Goff sets an unbelievable NFL record as he has a perfect passer rating while throwing for 465 yards and five touchdowns in one game! The Rams needed every bit of it too as they narrowly escaped with a 38-31 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in a Thursday Night football thriller!
The Bard of South Bend
September 27, 1912 – William ‘The Bard” Shakespeare was a former University of Notre Dame halfback and kicker. No this is not the Bill Shakespeare that wrote the famous plays like Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet but he was quite graceful and poetic on the gridiron! The National Football Foundation tells us that this William was a great punter, runner and passer for the Irish during the mid-1930’s. As a sophomore he punted five times and held a 53.2 yard average. That stat earned him more playing time as a junior where he kept a lofty punt average of 40 yards per kick on 41 punts but also established himself as a ball carrier. By the time his senior year rolled around the Bard was a hero, especially showcased in the Ohio State game when he entered the game with his team trailing the Buckeyes by one point and tossed a perfect touchdown pass with 32 seconds remaining in the game to take the Golden Domers to victory. During that same 1935 season against Pittsburgh, Shakespeare had one punt travel 86 yards! Talk about flipping the field! That season he was voted in as a first team All-American. After college William served in the U.S. Military and during World War II as a Captain won four battle stars and a Bronze Star for gallantry during battle! The National Football Foundation selected William Shakespeare into their College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
4 – 22 – 19 – 32 – 6 – 14 – 45 – 12 – 30
September 27, 1905 – Boston’s Bill Dinneen no-hits Chicago White Sox, 2-0
September 27, 1914 – Cleveland 2nd baseman Nap Lajoie, playing most appropriately for the Naps, collected his 3,000th hit
September 27, 1919 – Pitcher Bob Shawkey sets then Yankee record with 15 strike-outs
September 27, 1919 – Boston Red Sox slugger Babe Ruth takes his MLB home run record to 29 with a 3rd inning blast in a 7-5 defeat at the Washington Senators’ Griffith Stadium
September 27, 1923 – New York Yankee Lou Gehrig hit his 1st of his 493 home runs
September 27, 1930 – Chicago Cub’s Hack Wilson‘s 2 home runs gave him a National League record of 56 bombs over the fence for the season
September 27, 1931 – MLB’s Lou Gehrig, Number 4 completes his 6th straight season, playing in every game.
September 27, 1931 – The Closest National League batting race ends when St. Louis Cardinals Chick Hafey‘s .34889 beats out NY Giants Bill Terry .34861
September 27, 1940 – Detroit Tigers second pitcher, Number 22, Floyd Giebell‘s in just the 3rd victory of his career game, won an epic pitching battle for a 2-0 pennant clinching win defeating Bob Feller, Number 19 of the Cleveland Indians
September 27, 1961 – Sandy Koufax, Number 32 of the LA Dodgers set a National League strikeout season record at 269
September 27, 1964 – Despite 3 home runs by Johnny Callison, Number 6, the Phillies lost a game 14-8 to the Braves. Callison had 31 blasts out of the park that season for Philadelphia.
September 27, 1967 – Can you give the guy some offensive support please! Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Number 14, Jim Bunning ties a National League record of 5, 1-0 losses in a year
September 27, 1968 – St Louis Cardinals’ ace pitcher Number 45, Bob Gibson threw his 13th shutout of year in a 1-0 score over the Houston Astros
September 27, 1970 – Ken Boswell, Number 12 set a record for 2nd basemen of having 85 games without an error
September 27, 1973 – Nolan Ryan, Number 30 of the California Angels struck out 16 Minnesota Twins batters in 11 innings of work, for record 383 of season, and a 5-4 Angels win.
September 27, 1983 – Tim Raines, Number 30 of the Montreal Expos became the 1st in the MLB since Ty Cobb to steal 70 & drive in 70 runs
September 27, 2008 – Greg Maddux, Number 30 won his final start of his career (#355), while pitching for the San Diego Padres
TV WEDNESDAY
BOWLING
8 p.m.
FS1 — PBA: The Elias Cup, Finals, Portland, Maine
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)
6 p.m.
BTN — Maryland at Rutgers
7 p.m.
ACCN — Louisville at Notre Dame
ESPNU — Texas A&M at Florida
8 p.m.
BTN — Wisconsin at Ohio St.
SECN — Auburn at Arkansas
MLB BASEBALL
2 p.m.
MLBN — Arizona at Chicago White Sox
9:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Houston at Seattle OR San Diego at San Francisco
NHL HOCKEY
6:30 p.m.
NHLN — Preseason: Buffalo vs. Toronto, St. Thomas, Ontario
10 p.m.
NHLN — Preseason: Los Angeles at Vegas
SOCCER (MEN’S)
3 p.m.
CBSSN — SPFL: Livingston at Rangers
7:55 p.m.
FS2 — CONCACAF Caribbean Cup Group Stage: Harbour View FC vs. SV Robinhood, Group B, Kingston, Jamaica
8:30 p.m.
CBSSN — U.S. Open Cup: Houston FC at Inter Miami CF, Final
TENNIS
6 a.m.
TENNIS — Tokyo-WTA, Astana-ATP Early Rounds
10 p.m.
TENNIS — Ningbo-WTA Quarterfinals; Tokyo-WTA, Astana-ATP, Beijing-ATP Early Rounds
6 a.m. (Thursday)
TENNIS — Ningbo-WTA Quarterfinals; Tokyo-WTA, Astana-ATP, Beijing-ATP Early Rounds