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Archives for November 19, 2023

NFL: Week 11 Previews

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CLEVELAND: Week 11 of the NFL season will begin to separate the serious playoff contenders from the mediocre middle of the pack.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) at Cleveland Browns (6-3): In pursuit of AFC North-leading Baltimore, already a Week 11 winner, the Browns and Steelers are leading with defense. That’s especially true with Cleveland turning to rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Deshaun Watson (shoulder) is out for the season after being injured last week. DTR is an electric athlete who makes his second start under better circumstances than the first, a 28-3 loss at Baltimore. He learned less than three hours before kickoff against the Ravens that he’d be the first-team QB, and threw three INTs while being sacked four times. Cleveland’s defense is built to be a great asset to any quarterback. The Browns are getting their second look at Kenny Pickett and the Steelers, who won the Week 2 matchup 26-22. T.J. Watt’s 16-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter was the difference. Each team has won four of its past five games.

Chicago Bears (3-7) at Detroit Lions (7-2): The Lions play five of their final eight games against their three NFC North rivals, beginning with a home matchup against the last-place Bears on Sunday. The Lions are seeking their first division title since 1993, back when it was known as the Central division and included the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “If you aspire to win a division, you have to win your division games,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. “That’s the bottom line here.” The Lions hold a 1 1/2-game advantage over Minnesota, which has won five straight games. They’ll play the Vikings twice in the last three games of the season. Detroit’s task against Chicago might be a little more difficult with the return of QB Justin Fields. He has recovered from a right thumb injury that cost him four games. Detroit’s offensive playmakers piled up big numbers in the 41-38 thriller over the Chargers last week. QB Jared Goff threw for 333 yards and two touchdowns. Amor-Ra St. Brown caught eight of those passes for 156 yards and a score. The 1-2 backfield punch of former Bears starter David Montgomery and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 193 yards and three touchdowns.

Los Angeles Chargers (4-5) at Green Bay Packers (3-6): Los Angeles is optimistic the playoffs are possible despite losing three of its past five games. The Chargers are coming off a 41-38 setback on a last-second field goal to the Lions. Chargers QB Justin Herbert said he and his teammates remain confident. The team scored a season high in points last week, however it also surrendered a season high in points. To catch Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City, the Chargers must slow down Packers quarterback Jordan Love. He passed for 289 yards and two touchdowns, and rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed hauled in five catches for 84 yards and a score for his best performance of the season. The Packers have a 10-2 advantage in the all-time series. Winning close games isn’t Green Bay’s forte this season and the Packers gave up a second-half lead and lost 23-19 to the Steelers last week. Of six defeats this season, four were one-score games they fumbled on the road: at Atlanta (25-24), at Las Vegas (17-13), at Denver (19-17) and last week.

Las Vegas Raiders (5-5) at Miami Dolphins (6-3): The Raiders are 2-0 since firing Josh McDaniels and handing the keys to Antonio Pierce, who has quickly energized the squad. The visit to Miami is the only road contest during a six-game stretch for the Raiders. “We were fortunate that my first two games were at home,” Pierce said of the shift since he replaced McDaniels. “Now we are on the road. It’s good to go through adversity. (Miami) is a good football team.” Miami leads the AFC East by 1 1/2 games over the Buffalo Bills and has outscored opponents by averaging 31.7 points per game. The Raiders average 17.2 points this season. Rookie speedster RB De’Von Achane had seven touchdowns before missing the past four games and could be ready to return from a knee injury. Miami dropped two of its past three games, but the setbacks were to last season’s Super Bowl teams (Chiefs and Eagles). Raiders RB Josh Jacobs is rejuvenated under new leadership. He rushed for a then-season-best 98 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-6 win over the Giants in Pierce’s coaching debut and another season high with 116 yards in last Sunday’s 16-12 win over the Jets.

New York Giants (2-8) at Washington Commanders (4-6): Rookie Tommy DeVito gets the call again for the Giants and he draws the Commanders’ defense, which allowed Seattle to score on its final three possessions in a 29-26 loss last week after blowing a late lead against the Eagles prior to that. The Commanders went from No. 3 in yards allowed in 2022 to the fourth-worst entering Week 11. New York has lost seven of its last eight with the lone win coming at home over Washington, 14-7, on Oct. 22. Despite that defeat, the Commanders are a double-digit favorite for the first time since 2017. Health woes continue to haunt the Giants, who are depending on RB Saquon Barkley to move the chains and keep the offense in the game. Playing behind a patchwork offensive line, DeVito has been sacked 11 times the last two weeks. Washington’s offense is a bright spot and the Commanders are closer than ever to being convinced QB Sam Howell is the franchise passer they’ve coveted for years.

Dallas Cowboys (6-3) at Carolina Panthers (1-8): If an ideal time for 2021 first-round CB Jaycee Horn’s return from injury existed, this might be that spot. The Cowboys are the lone team in the NFL this season that has reached the 40-point level in three different games. “This past month, we’re hitting on all cylinders,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. While Horn (hamstring) coming back from IR isn’t certain, the Panthers do expect pass rusher Brian Burns in the lineup on Sunday. But Dak Prescott could be hitting another level. He threw for 404 yards last weekend against the New York Giants, giving him three consecutive games above the 300-yard mark. WRs CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks both eclipsed the 150-yard receiving mark last week, and the Cowboys ran for 168 yards. Lamb is the first player in NFL history with three straight games of double-figure catches and 150-plus receiving yards. The Panthers called a reverse at play-caller this week. Head coach Frank Reich will return to calling plays after handing those duties to Thomas Brown last month.

Tennessee Titans (3-6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3): Jacksonville’s five-game winning streak come to a halt with a 34-3 dismantling by the San Francisco 49ers last week. Jacksonville surrendered three passing touchdowns to Brock Purdy, while Jaguars’ QB Trevor Lawrence tossed a pair of interceptions and was sacked five times. While head coach Doug Pederson said he’s sure the team will “bounce back,” he also admitted Lawrence (knee) isn’t healthy. The loss to the 49ers marked the first multi-interception game of the season for Lawrence, who has been picked off six times while throwing nine touchdowns through nine games. He’s completed 67.3 percent of his passes this season 2,120 yards. The Titans lost back-to-back road games to the Steelers and Buccaneers, spinning their tires in the running game. Derrick Henry and Tyjae Spears combined for just 42 rushing yards last week. Rookie Will Levis, in his third start, completed just 19 of 39 passes for 199 yards and an interception. The Titans seem to be getting a bit healthier ahead of their first meeting of the season with the Jaguars, who won the winner-take-all regular-season finale in 2022.

Arizona Cardinals (2-8) at Houston Texans (5-4): Above-.500 in November for the first time since 2019, there’s an unrecognizable element in the air in Houston: playoff talk. QB C.J. Stroud has the Texans squarely in the postseason conversation with eight games to play, but head coach DeMeco Ryans said the challenge is to focus on the game in front of them. Up next is a critical fight with the division-leading Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3) on Nov. 26 on the Texans’ home turf. Stroud leads the NFL with 291.8 passing yards per game and is sixth with a 101.0 rating. He is the linchpin of an offense scoring 24.1 points per game — 10th in the league — and averaging 372.5 yards per game, good enough for sixth. Arizona is better equipped to put up points in Kyler Murray’s second game back from his 2022 ACL injury. The Cardinals rank 31st in opponent quarterback rating (101.0) and 29th with an opponent completion percentage of 69.1. The statistics point to Stroud rolling again, especially if his offensive line continues to sweep a pristine pocket clear of obstacles. Houston allowed one sack over 41 dropbacks in a 30-27 road victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Of importance in that mission, left tackle Laremy Tunsil (knee) has been fighting to practice.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) at San Francisco 49ers (6-3): A rematch of the 49ers’ 35-7 win in the same stadium last December pits a pair of teams that snapped losing streaks last week. The Bucs halted a four-game losing skid with a 20-6 triumph over the visiting Tennessee Titans last Sunday. The Buccaneers now find themselves a half-game behind the New Orleans Saints for first place in the mediocre-at-best NFC South. San Francisco, which also played last week’s game in the state of Florida, ended a three-game slide with a 34-3 rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 49ers remain tied with the Seattle Seahawks atop the NFC West. The Buccaneers have a tall order ahead in San Francisco, which ranks tied for third in the NFL in points scored per game (28.0) and tied for second in points allowed (15.9). The trade deadline addition of DE Chase Young produced some scary flashes of dominance last week. Christian McCaffrey, who has made himself at home in the end zone of late, saw his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown come to an end at 17 games (including playoffs). But he scored three TDs in the win over Tampa Bay last season.

New York Jets (4-5) at Buffalo Bills (5-5): Too early to be dubbed an elimination game, but peering ahead at the remaining schedule for both teams might make one wonder. Status quo wasn’t working for the Bills, who fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey following a 24-22 loss at home to the Broncos that featured four turnovers and a pair of last-minute penalties that set up Denver’s game-winning field goal. The Bills can’t afford to stall out, already 1 1/2 games behind Miami in the division and currently behind the wild-card teams in the AFC. The next five weeks bring games at Philadelphia (8-1), the bye week, at Kansas City (7-2), versus Dallas (6-3) and at the Los Angeles Chargers (4-5). Curbing turnovers — Josh Allen has 15 this season — becomes the task of new coordinator Joe Brady. Jets head coach Robert Saleh’s defense has clamped down on Allen the way few teams have in recent years. It forced four turnovers in Week 1 (three interceptions, one fumble), but New York’s offense has gone 36 possessions without a TD.

Seattle Seahawks (6-3) at Los Angeles Rams (3-6): The Rams are coming off a bye and QB Matthew Stafford is expected to return to the starting lineup after missing one game with a sprained ligament in the thumb on his throwing hand. The Rams won the first meeting between NFC West rivals, outscoring Seattle 23-0 in the second half in Week 1 to win 30-13. The Seahawks are tied atop the division with the 49ers and hoping for more consistent play from QB Geno Smith. Smith was 9 of 11 on the final two drives against Washington last week but could be without WR Tyler Lockett (hamstring) this week. The Rams have lost three consecutive games. Stafford returns for the Rams after missing a 20-3 loss at Green Bay on Nov. 5, but rookie WR Puka Nacua (knee) might miss his chance for an encore against Seattle. Nacua had 10 catches for 119 yards in the September matchup.

Minnesota Vikings (6-4) at Denver Broncos (4-5): In the primetime spotlight for the second consecutive week, the Broncos might warrant a little attention thanks to a three-game winning streak including a win over the Chiefs and a pair of two-point wins (Bills, Packers). Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell might be thinking “hold my beer, Sean Payton” as he heads to the Rockies with a five-game winning streak while overcoming the loss of key players including quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver Justin Jefferson (hamstring). The Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints (27-19) last Sunday and could get a big boost with Jefferson back from injured reserve. QB Joshua Dobbs, acquired from the Cardinals to replace Cousins, won his first start with the Vikings last week after leading a late rally the week prior at Atlanta. The anticipated Sean Payton Effect might be showing through in Russell Wilson’s performance. His 104 passer rating is significantly higher than the 84.4 clip a season ago. Wilson has completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 1,806 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. The Broncos’ running game, another Payton staple, is picking up the pace in the second half of the season. Javonte Williams has led the way with 436 rushing yards to go along with 109 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

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Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (7-2): Whether dubbed Super Bowl 57.5 or the Kelce Clan Reunion, there’s been nothing swift about the success of the teams that battled for the Lombardi Trophy in February. The Eagles have the NFL’s best record. The Chiefs lead the AFC and swept the last four meetings with the Eagles, including 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12. Chiefs coach Andy Reid is the winningest head coach in the history of both franchises, logging 140 victories (including playoffs) for the Eagles from 1999-2012 and 136 since taking over the Chiefs in 2013. Nine months ago in Glendale, Ariz., it was all about QBs. Patrick Mahomes, playing on an injured ankle, threw two of his three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and set up the winning field goal with a gutsy 26-yard scramble. He won his second Super Bowl MVP award. Jalen Hurts was just as effective. He completed 27 of 38 passes for 304 yards and a touchdown and rushed 70 yards for three touchdowns. He used his legs to pick up the game-tying score — and the two-point conversion — with 5:15 remaining. Both are in the MVP conversation again in 2023. Hurts has completed a career-high 68.9 percent of his passes for 2,347 yards with 15 touchdowns but also eight interceptions. He has seven rushing TDs.

–Field Level Media

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NBA: Round-up from Saturday

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SAN FRANCISCO – Chet Holmgren hit a game-tying 3-pointer in regulation and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 10 of his 40 points in overtime as the Oklahoma City Thunder swept two games from the Golden State Warriors with a 130-123 victory on Saturday night in California.

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Holmgren finished with a season-best 36 points and Jalen Williams had 22 for the Thunder, who used 19 3-pointers and 59.4 percent shooting from behind the 3-point arc to outgun the Warriors 128-109 on Thursday.

Chris Paul countered Gilgeous-Alexander’s first hoop of overtime with a 3-pointer to give the Warriors one final lead at 120-119 before the Thunder star hit three mid-range shots and a layup.

Andrew Wiggins went 5 of 8 on 3-pointers as he scored a season-high 31 points for Golden State, which got Stephen Curry back from a two-game absence due to a sore knee. Curry also hit five 3-pointers and finished with 25 points.

The Thunder were able to send the game into overtime when Holmgren caught an inbounds pass in the left corner with 1.6 seconds remaining and buried a 3-pointer for a 117-all tie.

Bulls 102, Heat 97

DeMar DeRozan hit the go-ahead jumper with 21.9 seconds left and scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as host Chicago rallied from a 21-point deficit to earn a victory over Miami.

The Bulls did not get the lead until Alex Caruso hit an open 3-pointer from the left side to make it 97-94 with 51.8 seconds left. After Jimmy Butler sank a game-tying 3-pointer with 42.7 seconds left, DeRozan made a turnaround 18-footer from the left elbow over rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. to make it 99-97.

Nikola Vucevic added 15 points for the Bulls, who outscored Miami 101-75 over the final 41-plus minutes. Butler led the Heat with 25 points on 8-of-16 shooting. The Heat sped out to a 22-1 lead as they made nine of their first 11 shots.

Grizzlies 120, Spurs 108

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points and visiting Memphis turned the game around with an 18-0 run in the fourth quarter, roaring from behind to beat hapless San Antonio.

The Grizzlies trailed 99-93 with 10:01 to play but swept to the lead with their 18-0 outburst over the ensuing 5 1/2 minutes, with Ziaire Williams capping the surge with a 3-pointer. San Antonio missed all eight of its shots in that pivotal stretch.

Desmond Bane added 26 points for Memphis, with Santi Aldama racking up 17 points and 10 rebounds. Keldon Johnson led the Spurs with 22 points. Victor Wembanyama added 19 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocked shots.

Knicks 122, Hornets 108

Jalen Brunson poured in 32 points and Donte DiVincenzo drained seven 3-pointers on the way to a season-high 25 points as New York kept rolling by defeating host Charlotte.

Julius Randle provided 21 points as the Knicks won for the sixth time in their past seven games. New York has also won three straight road games.

LaMelo Ball tallied 34 points, aided by eight 3-pointers, and rookie Brandon Miller had a season-best 29 points, but the Hornets were saddled with their fourth loss in a row.

Timberwolves 121, Pelicans 120

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 29 points, including a game-winning field goal with five seconds left, and Minnesota overcame a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat host New Orleans.

Anthony Edwards added 23 points and Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Wolves.

Brandon Ingram scored 30 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Pelicans. Zion Williamson was given the night off as New Orleans completed a back-to-back amid a stretch of four games in six days.

Bucks 132, Mavericks 125

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 40 points on 18-for-26 shooting from the field to help rally Milwaukee to a win over visiting Dallas.

Damian Lillard added 27 points for the Bucks, who won their fourth consecutive game and their second in as many nights. Milwaukee outscored the Mavericks 43-27 in the final quarter and rallied after trailing by as many as 12 in the second half.

Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 39 points, 33 in the second half. Luka Doncic had 35 points for Dallas, which has now lost two of its past three games, and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 17.

–Field Level Media

Clemson Wins, Top 25 College Football Round-up

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CLEMSON, SC – Cade Klubnik passed for a touchdown and ran for another as host Clemson took advantage of No. 20 North Carolina’s mistakes in a 31-20 victory Saturday, giving the resurgent Tigers their third straight win.

Will Shipley rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown and Phil Mafah gained 84 yards and scored on a fourth-down play as the Tigers (7-4, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) completed their league schedule. Klubnik threw for 219 yards on 21-for-32 passing and rushed for 44 yards in a rematch of last year’s ACC title game.

North Carolina’s quest for a spot in the ACC Championship game was dashed earlier in the day when Louisville won at Miami. The Tar Heels (8-3, 4-3) have lost three of their last five games.

North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton ran for 178 yards on 19 carries, but he lost two fumbles after not fumbling in the team’s first 10 games. Quarterback Drake Maye was 16-for-36 for 209 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.

No. 1 Georgia 38, No. 18 Tennessee 10

Carson Beck completed 24 of 30 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns, and the Bulldogs cruised to a road win over the Volunteers in an SEC matchup in Knoxville, Tenn.

Georgia (11-0, 8-0 SEC) remained perfect and increased its winning streak to 28 straight games since the end of the 2021 campaign. The Bulldogs moved into a tie for the longest winning streak in SEC history. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint had seven catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns to lead Georgia. Dillon Bell caught one touchdown and passed for another on a trick play, and Brock Bowers finished with seven catches for 60 yards and a score.

Joe Milton III completed 17 of 30 passes for 147 yards for Tennessee (7-4, 3-4). Jaylen Wright finished with 90 rushing yards and a touchdown for the Volunteers, whose 14-game home winning streak ended.

No. 2 Ohio State 37, Minnesota 3

TreVeyon Henderson ran for 146 yards and two touchdowns in less than three quarters when the Buckeyes defeated the Golden Gophers in Columbus, Ohio.

Next for the Buckeyes (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) is a trip to Ann Arbor on Nov. 25 to play No. 3 Michigan with a spot in the conference title game at stake as well as implications for the CFP. Henderson broke open a close game with a career-long 75-yard TD on the first play of the third quarter to make it 20-0. Marvin Harrison Jr. had a 4-yard TD catch to make it 27-0. Harrison, a Heisman Trophy contender, had three receptions for 30 yards and one score before being rested midway through the third quarter. Kyle McCord was 20 of 30 for 212 yards and two TDs for the Buckeyes.

Minnesota’s Athan Kaliakmanis completed 11 of 19 for 89 yards, an interception and a lost fumble.

No. 3 Michigan 31, Maryland 24

Blake Corum rushed for 94 yards and two touchdowns as the Wolverines withstood the Terrapins’ upset bid and recorded their 1,000th program victory in College Park, Md.

Derrick Moore had a fumble return for a touchdown and Mike Sainristil and Darrius Clemons picked off Taulia Tagovailoa for Michigan (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten), which led by 20 points midway through the first half. J.J. McCarthy passed for 141 yards and was intercepted once.

Billy Edwards Jr. scored all three of Maryland’s touchdowns on 1-yard runs. Tagovailoa passed for 247 yards for the Terrapins (6-5, 3-5).

No. 4 Florida State 58, North Alabama 13

The Seminoles overcame a 13-point deficit and the early loss of Heisman Trophy candidate Jordan Travis to remain unbeaten with a win over FCS foe North Alabama in Tallahassee, Fla.

Backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker completed 13 of 23 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns for the Seminoles (11-0). Rodemaker could be their quarterback going forward after Travis left Doak Campbell Stadium via ambulance late in the first quarter after an ugly ankle injury at the end of a 16-yard scramble.

At that point, Florida State faced its largest deficit of the year. The Lions (3-8) got their attention with 86- and 80-yard touchdown drives to start the game. Noah Walters threw 13- and 6-yard strikes to Takairee Kenebrew and J.J. Evans, respectively. Walters finished the game 13 of 26 for 65 yards with an interception. Kenebrew’s scoring grab was the 26th of his career, a school record.

No. 5 Washington 22, No. 11 Oregon State 20

Michael Penix Jr. threw two touchdown passes and Dillon Johnson rushed for 89 yards as the Huskies survived a scare and edged the Beavers in Pac-12 play at Corvallis, Ore.

Rome Odunze caught seven passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns for Washington (11-0, 8-0 Pac-12), which clinched a spot in next month’s Pac-12 championship game. Penix was just 13-of-28 passing for a season-low 162 yards.

Damien Martinez rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns for Oregon State (8-3, 5-3). DJ Uiagalelei completed 15 of 31 passes for 166 yards and two interceptions for the Beavers, who gained 319 yards.

No. 6 Oregon 49, Arizona State 13

Bo Nix passed for 404 yards and tied a school record with six touchdown passes in a little over two quarters and the Ducks rolled over the Sun Devils in a Pac-12 matchup in Tempe, Ariz.

Nix completed 24 of 29 passes and matched the school record of six TDs. Ty Thompson then took over for Nix as the Ducks (10-1, 7-1 Pac-12) continued their march to the conference championship game Dec. 1 in Las Vegas. Thompson also threw a touchdown pass, giving the Ducks a team-record-tying seven for the game. Troy Franklin (eight catches, 128 yards) and Patrick Herbert (three, 78) had two touchdown receptions each, while Tez Johnson (six, 80), Gary Bryant Jr. (three, 82) and Casey Kelly (one, 19) each had one touchdown reception.

Trenton Bourguet was 20-of-37 passing for 142 yards for the Sun Devils, and Cam Skattebo and Jalin Conyers combined to go 5 of 10 for 63 yards.

No. 7 Texas 26, Iowa State 16

Quinn Ewers passed for 281 yards and two touchdowns, and CJ Baxter ran for 117 yards as the Longhorns overcame a slew of mistakes to beat the Cyclones in a key Big 12 Conference game in Ames, Iowa.

Texas (10-1, 7-1 Big 12) remained alone atop the league standings and all but clinched a spot in the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 2 in Arlington, Texas. Ewers completed 23 of 33 passes and Xavier Worthy caught four of his throws for 77 yards. Baxter, playing in place of the injured Jonathon Brooks, had his first collegiate 100-yard rushing game.

Iowa State (6-5, 5-3) got 323 yards passing and two TDs from Rocco Becht. Jayden Higgins hauled in seven passes for 104 yards.

No. 8 Alabama 66, Chattanooga 10

Jalen Milroe passed for 197 yards and three touchdowns in one half as the Crimson Tide rolled to a victory over the Mocs at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Milroe completed 13 of 16 passes before exiting and helping the Crimson Tide (10-1) win their ninth consecutive game. Justice Haynes rushed for two scores and Jase McClellan, Roydell Williams and Richard Young each added one for Alabama.

Luke Schomburg completed 10 of 21 passes for 107 yards and one interception for the Mocs (7-4), who are ranked 16th in the FCS Coaches Poll. Chattanooga starting quarterback Chase Artopoeus missed the game with a shoulder injury.

No. 9 Missouri 33, Florida 31

Harrison Mevis kicked a 30-yard field goal with seven seconds left to lift the Tigers past the Gators.

Mevis also kicked field goals of 22, 38 and 24 yards as the Tigers (9-2, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) furthered their bid for a New Year’s Six bowl bid. Missouri moved 62 yards to set up Mevis’ winning kick, with Brady Cook completing a 27-yard pass to Luther Burden III on fourth-and-17 to extend the drive. Cook passed for 331 yards and one touchdown and ran for another. Cody Schrader rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown, and Burden caught nine passes for 158 yards.

Backup Florida quarterback Max Brown rallied the Gators from a 30-21 fourth-quarter deficit to a 31-30 lead. Trey Smack kicked a go-ahead 35-yard field goal with 1:36 left. Trevor Etienne gained 119 total yards and scored two touchdowns for Florida (5-6, 3-5). Graham Mertz completed 14 of 21 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns before suffering an apparent collarbone injury in the third quarter.

No. 10 Louisville 38, Miami 31

Jack Plummer’s 58-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman Jr. with 4:17 left in the game proved to be the winning score for the visiting Cardinals, who held off the Hurricanes in South Florida.

Louisville (10-1, 7-1 ACC) will face No. 4 Florida State for the conference title in Charlotte, N.C., on Dec. 2.

The victory marks the first double-digit-win season for the Cardinals since 2013, their lone campaign in the American Athletic Conference. Meanwhile, Miami (6-5, 2-5) will finish with a losing record in conference play for the second straight season.

No. 12 Penn State 27, Rutgers 6

Kaytron Allen rushed for two touchdowns and Demeioun Robinson made a big defensive play to lead the Nittany Lions over the Scarlet Knights at University Park, Pa.

Alex Felkins kicked two field goals and Kevin Winston had an interception for Penn State (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten), which defeated Rutgers for the 17th consecutive time. The Nittany Lions are 32-2 all-time against the Scarlet Knights.

Jai Patel kicked two field goals for Rutgers (6-5, 3-5), which lost its third straight contest. Gavin Wimsatt completed 10 of 16 passes for 130 yards and one interception.

No. 13 Ole Miss 35, UL Monroe 3

Jaxson Dart passed for 310 yards and three touchdowns to lift the Rebels over the Warhawks in a nonconference game in Oxford, Miss.

Dart threw all of his touchdown passes during a third-quarter blitz that enabled the Rebels (9-2) to finish 7-0 at home. They visit Mississippi State on Thanksgiving night to complete the regular season.

Jiva Wright passed for just 56 yards and the Warhawks (2-9) totaled just 258 yards.

No. 14 Oklahoma 31, BYU 24

After quarterback Dillon Gabriel was injured, freshman Jackson Arnold proved to be a steady hand, guiding the Sooners over the host Cougars at Provo, Utah.

Taking over after Gabriel went down with a head injury late in the first half, Arnold was 5 of 9 for 33 yards passing and rushed for 24 yards on eight carries as Oklahoma (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) won its second consecutive game after back-to-back defeats. Gavin Sawchuk scored the go-ahead score for the Sooners midway through the fourth quarter.

Jake Retzlaff was 15-of-26 passing for BYU with 173 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Aidan Robbins had 182 yards rushing for BU (5-6, 2-6), which lost its fourth consecutive game and has dropped five of their last six in conference play.

No. 15 LSU 56, Georgia State 14

Jayden Daniels threw six touchdown passes and ran for two more scores as the Tigers routed the Panthers in their nonconference mismatch in Baton Rouge, La.

Daniels added to his Heisman Trophy-worthy resume by passing for 413 yards and rushing for 96 for the Tigers (8-3). He tied Joe Burrow’s school record with eight touchdowns in one game.

Darren Grainger passed for 179 yards and a touchdown and Marcus Carroll rushed or 87 yards and a score on 15 carries to lead the Panthers (6-5), who lost their fourth consecutive game.

No. 16 Iowa 15, Illinois 13

Kaleb Johnson’s 30-yard touchdown run with 4:43 left lifted the Hawkeyes over the Illini that clinched the Big Ten West Division title at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.

Quarterback Deacon Hill completed 19 of 29 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown while Iowa’s defense forced a safety and broke up 13 passes — four by cornerback Jermari Harris — to take Iowa (9-2, 6-2) to its second Big Ten championship-game appearance in three years.

Illinois quarterback John Paddock, the Big Ten’s reigning Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 507 yards against Indiana, hit 22 of 47 passes for 215 yards. Reggie Love III rushed 18 times for 64 yards and the lone touchdown for Illinois (5-6, 3-5), which must win Saturday against Northwestern at home to claim a bowl berth.

No. 17 Arizona 42, No. 22 Utah 18

The Wildcats raced to a 28-point lead, including scoring on a blocked punt return, to win their fifth consecutive game by beating the Utes in Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona (8-3, 6-2 Pac-12) kept alive hopes of reaching the conference championship game by defeating its fourth ranked team during its winning streak, which is the school’s longest since starting the 2014 season with five consecutive wins.

Noah Fifita passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns for the Wildcats, who led Utah (7-4, 4-4) by four touchdowns one play into the second quarter. But the Utes, playing without three key defenders, battled to within 28-10 before Arizona’s Treydan Stukes intercepted a pass from Bryson Barnes with 11:22 left.

No. 19 Notre Dame 45, Wake Forest 7

Sam Hartman threw for 277 yards and four touchdowns and the Fighting Irish pulled away to trounce the visiting Demon Deacons in South Bend, Ind.

Hartman, a transfer from Wake Forest, completed 21 of 29 passes without a turnover against his former team. He was intercepted seven times in his previous four games. Audric Estime led the ground attack for Notre Dame (8-3) with 115 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown, and Rico Flores Jr. caught eight passes for 102 yards.

Wake Forest quarterback Michael Kern completed 11 of 20 passes for 80 yards, and running back Justice Ellison had 63 yards on 15 carries.

No. 21 Kansas State 31, No. 25 Kansas 27

Will Howard accounted for three touchdowns as the Wildcats scored 15 unanswered points to defeat the host Jayhawks in Lawrence, Kan.

Kansas State (8-3, 6-2 Big 12) won its 15th straight game in the rivalry. Howard was 13 of 24 passing for 165 yards and two touchdowns, plus a rushing touchdown.

Freshman Cole Ballard, who was making his first career start for Kansas (7-4, 4-4), completed 11 of 16 passes for 162 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Devin Neal, a native of Lawrence, Kan., ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries.

No. 23 Oklahoma State 43, Houston 30

The Cowboys scored 27 unanswered points spanning the halves to rally past the host Cougars.

Oklahoma State (8-3, 6-2 Big 12) posted 501 yards of total offense. Alan Bowman finished with 348 yards passing and two touchdowns against an interception, a pick-six. Ollie Gordon II rushed for 164 yards and had three TD runs, and Brennan Presley had 15 catches for 189 yards for the Cowboys.

Donovan Smith went 17-of-29 passing for 235 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Houston. Along the way, he hit Jonah Wilson with a 60-yard TD bomb. Smith also caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Joseph Manjack IV.

No. 24 Tulane 24, Florida Atlantic 8

The Green Wave held serve in their battle for the American Athletic Conference crown, defeating the host Owls in Boca Raton, Fla.

Michael Pratt threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns for Tulane (10-1, 7-0 AAC), which kept pace with UTSA (7-0) atop the conference. The leaders will meet in New Orleans on Friday.

Daniel Richardson completed 24 of 31 passes for 202 yards with one touchdown and one interception for Florida Atlantic (4-7, 3-4), which lost any hope of bowl-game eligibility. LaJohntay Wester, who entered leading the AAC in catches (93) and receiving yards (1,042), added 11 and 86, respectively.

-Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Nov 19

by

By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Charissa Thompson, NFL sideline reporter for FOX Sports and NFL Prime on Amazon (Thursday Night Football), walked herself into a hailstorm of negativity this week when she participated on an industry podcast and explained to listeners that she periodically “made up” comments and attributed them to head coaches who blew-off a halftime or pregame interview.

While speaking on an episode of the “Pardon My Take” podcast, Thompson said, “I’ve said this before, so I haven’t been fired for saying it, but I’ll say it again: I would make up the report sometimes, because … the coach wouldn’t come out at halftime, or it was too late and I didn’t want to screw up the report.

“So I was like, ‘I’m just gonna make this up.’ Because first of all, no coach is gonna get mad if I say, ‘Hey, we need to stop hurting ourselves, we need to be better on third down, we need to stop turning the ball over … and do a better job of getting off the field.’ They’re not gonna correct me on that,” she continued. “So I’m like, ‘It’s fine, I’ll just make up the report.’”

OUCH!

In the name of a long history of sideline reporters from Lesley Visser to Pat O’Brien to Hannah Storm to Ahmad Rashad to the late Tony Siragusa, Ms. Thompson set NFL game coverage back 25 years or more.

Why?

Explained David Aldridge, an editor for The Athletic but widely known as an NBA beat reporter and then sideline reporter for the NBA on TNT, “Writing about sideline reporting, much less doing it, is fraught with peril.

“Amend that. “Peril” is not precise here. More accurately, those who think the job is superfluous will never believe there is any value to the reporting gleaned from those who do it best, or to the real-time reporting on injuries and strategy.

“But that doesn’t mean Charissa Thompson’s admission that she, apparently more than once, simply made up halftime reports when she couldn’t speak to coaches coming off or back onto the field during her time as a Fox Sports sideline reporter for football games isn’t immensely corrosive to my business. Thompson, a host for Fox Sports and for NFL games on Amazon Prime, apologized Friday and said she “chose the wrong words” during an interview but added she “never lied” during her halftime reports.

“Too late,” wrote Aldridge, feeling the pain of 1,000+ cuts by social media critics.

“There is an assault on journalism,” D.A. continued. “It is ongoing and unceasing. It is an extension of the assault on truth by powerful people — in autocratic governments, in multinational corporations, garden-variety jerks — who don’t want to be regulated or challenged or criticized. It is a sign of journalism’s ongoing power that it is under such relentless attack by so many.

“It is working: Journalism is now regularly among the least trusted professions, and misinformation thrives. A lie on X/Twitter or IG or TikTokmetastasizes in the collective social bloodstream, swallowed whole by many who don’t know better — and, sadly, promoted by many who do.

“The best journalism provides a necessary counterweight to that fiction. It is the seeking of truth, and the conveying of actual events – how they happened, and why they matter,” noted Aldridge in a column posted under The Athletic’s banner.

It’s not that difficult, says this columnist, and this incident should not be blown out of proportion as we all volley-in our claims to journalistic integrity. Couldn’t Thompson simply state, “Coach “X” wasn’t able to stop for our sideline interview but earlier in the week, he stressed x, y and z for his team to succeed today.

 

Would a viewer think less of her? Would the game producer wonder why she missed the interview although their two-way communication set-up would’ve tipped-off the TV truck in real time? Would a network executive think less of her, and might it reflect negatively on future assignments?

Maybe so, maybe not. It would’ve been a non-issue if she simply told the truth – to her colleagues and the viewers (the fans). Without a doubt, Thompson needed to tell the truth.

Ahh, the truth. It sets you free in every profession except journalism and nightly cable TV entertainment shows, camouflaged as news coverage.

“Newspapers don’t tell the truth under many different, and occasionally innocent, scenarios,” wrote Aldridge’s old boss, the late, great Ben Bradlee(editor of the Washington Post from 1968 to 1991). “Mostly when they don’t know the truth. Or when they quote someone who does not know the truth.

“And more and more, when they quote someone who is spinning the truth, shaping it to some preconceived version of a story that is supposed to be somehow better than the truth, omitting details that could be embarrassing.

“And finally, when they quote someone who is flat-out lying. There is a lot of spinning and a lot of lying in our times — in politics, in government, in sports and everywhere. It’s gotten to a point where, if you are like me, you no longer believe the first version of anything. It wasn’t always that way,” said Bradlee in an October 22, 2014 opinion piece that quoted his own essay, excerpted from the Press-Enterprise Lecture he delivered at the University of California, Riverside, on Jan. 7, 1997.

Bradlee’s words are often paraphrased: “We don’t always print the truth. We print what people tell us is the truth.”

That’s an illuminating statement – whether in 1973 or 2023 – when the truth is batted around into self-admitted “alternate facts.” A scary situation for sure.

Back to Thompson: The reporter apologized and will try to move on.

“Working in media I understand how important my words are and I chose the wrong words to describe the situation. I’m sorry,” Thompson wrote.

But the fallout has begun, and many journalists are carrying the weight of Thompson’s unbelievable and unforgivable action(s), captured on live tape to be played forever and ever. Ideally, it will be discussed at journalism schools to teach an important lesson.

There’s a sub-plot underneath all of the discussion on truth, made-up coaches’ comments and everything being written in the wake of Thompson’s failures. The sideline reporters, as well as the pre-game hosts and studio talking heads, are all seeking on air time. Like playing time for a player, airtime is controlled by the game producers at the live remote broadcasts, and it is as valuable as gold.

No airtime, no recognition.

No recognition, no chance to advance one’s career.

We’ve heard it all before.

It’s all about money, exposure, self-promotion, ego, and perceived upward mobility for a coveted network assignment. It’s a cut-throat world in sports television, and making up quotes and strategies for a football coach is not the way to advance.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Boston Bruins veteran and fan favorite Milan Lucic is stepping away from the team, effective immediately. “The Boston Bruins are aware of an incident involving Milan Lucic Friday evening,” the team said in a statement. “Milan is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team. The organization takes these matters very seriously and will work with the Lucic family to provide any support and assistance they may need. We will have no further comment at this time.”

Boston Police said the department could neither confirm nor deny any investigation into an incident involving Lucic.

The veteran forward has been sidelined with a foot injury after taking a puck off his skate. He was eligible for return but Bruins coach Jim Montgomerysaid Lucic had fallen behind on his rehabilitation program.

STORMING: St. John’s is 2-2 over their first four games and will play Utah on Sunday for third place honors in the Shriner’s Charleston Classic in South Carolina. Coach Rick Pitino has seen the fatigue and lack of familiarity before as he blends an entirely new team together.

“We played a really good first half,” said Pitino after the Johnnie’s loss to Dayton. “We had one defensive breakdown [in the first half]. When you’re playing a team and the game is see-sawing back-and-forth with [eight] lead changes, you can’t blow coverage.

“We had 11 blown coverages in that game after having one in the first half. So, why is that?

“Because you have 14 guys that have not played together and are not used to this type of defense. Defense hasn’t been their personality. It’s like the best player on a high school team where the coach says stay out of foul trouble and let the other guys play defense. That’s what happening right now.

“We have a bunch of guys that were the best offensive player on their team and now in order to win the BIG EAST, they have to play defense and it’s going to take some time.”

TROUBLES: It was a bad week for two rising entities in the sports world. Out in Las Vegas, this weekend’s Formula 1 race was besieged by logistical problems. Wrote Autoweek: “The first day of track activity at the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix proved to be quite the embarrassment for the FIA and Formula 1 after a loose drain cover caused significant delays and amended sessions.

“It was a lesson in humility for Formula 1—which is the promoter of a Grand Prix for the first time—after relentlessly and arrogantly hyping its event as one of the biggest sporting spectacles of the year,” continued Autoweek.

The second practice session, due to begin at midnight in Vegas, was delayed, as officials continued to work on the 30 man-hole covers along the famed Las Vegas Strip.

Race officials are being proactive when discussing the new talk of the town, the $2.3 billion “Sphere” which can illuminate the sky. F1 and the FIA, motorsports global governing body, have barred the Sphere from displaying blue, red or yellow when cars are on the track, so as to not to disorient drivers who look for those colors on trackside LED panels to convey key information, such as danger near the track.
The damaged So-Fi Center in Florida (Photo: Twitter/X)

In the TGL indoor golf world – featured prominently here last week with the announcement of the Boston Common Golf team – the roof caved in on Tuesday night.

Literally.

Thankfully, no one was injured during or after the incident, but the air-supported dome appeared to be significantly damaged as of Wednesday morning. As of publication, there is no clear cut prognosis for the new building (TGL’s studio, so to say), nor its effect on scheduling.

Lastly, we had a “Delay of Drone” at this week’s NFL Thursday Night Football game. The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday confirmed it is investigating a rogue drone that was spotted hovering above M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The sighting led game officials to temporarily halt the Ravens-Bengals game in the second quarter. Another delay came later during the fourth quarter, but Ravens representatives said at the time it was unrelated to the drone.

In a statement Friday, representatives for the Maryland Stadium Authority said security and Maryland State Police were able to locate the drone pilot and directed him to immediately land the drone. The individual was unaware of the restrictions but did not have a waiver to operate the drone in the vicinity of the stadium during the game. Authorities have since forwarded details of the incident to the FAA’s law enforcement assistance program.

TIDBITS: The annual Tradition at TD Boston Garden is on the horizon. The Tradition is the annual celebration of sports in Boston and a fundraising gala for the Sports Museum on the Garden’s two Suite Levels. Since 2002, the Sports Museum has been privileged to honor a host of sports legends at the event, including Bill Russell, Ted Williams, David Ortiz, Martina Navratilova, Jack Nicklaus, Lawyer Milloy, Pedro Martinez, Red Auerbach, Larry Bird, Ray Bourque, Doug Flutie, Cam Neely, Aly Raisman, John Hannah, Nancy Kerrigan, Chante Bonds, Shaquille O’Neal, and many more. The Class of 2023 is a fitting continuation of that line-up of superstars and it will take place on the floor of the Garden on November 29.

The honorees for 2023 are Dennis Eckersley (Baseball), Kevin Faulk(Football), Glenn “Doc” Rivers (Basketball), Brianna Scurry (Soccer), Bob Sweeney (Ice Hockey), and Dana White (Special Legacy Award for his creation of Mixed Martial Arts entity, The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

SPECIAL OFFER: Feel free to forward this e-newsletter to your friends, family, neighbors, strangers, plumbers, fire fighters, astronauts and other sports fans with hopes they subscribe with this new Thanksgiving to Christmas holiday special discount offer. It is as inexpensive as Substack can make it (except for the many freebies which – at the least – boost my circulation numbers).

Special Holiday Discount

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: To say that I’m a big fan of bass guitarist Will Lee (not Will Leitch) is a bit like saying I’ve been rooting for the Johnnies all these years (saw my first game at Alumni Hall when Calvin Murphy and his Niagara University Purple Eagles visited Queens on February 13, 1969 – St. John’s 97, Niagara 60). Aside from an occasional charity concert, most of my Will Lee fandom revolves around his lead-bass role with the Fab Faux (Best Beatles cover band of all time) and his work as a long-time member of the CBS Orchestra and Paul Shaffer’s band for David Letterman. … Somehow or another, I stumbled upon a Letterman Show posted to YouTube. Although I’ve seen him sing dozens of Beatles/Paul McCartney ballads, I can say, I did NOT know Will Lee had this performance within him:

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly Sunday Sports Notebook and news column written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 10pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a sports-filled compilation of interesting notes, quotes and quips.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.