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Georgia Tops CFB Playoff Poll

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IRVING – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Georgia is No. 1 — again — in the Associated Top 25 poll released Sunday, a spot the Bulldogs now have held for 22 straight weeks.

It is the second-longest stretch at No. 1 for any team, trailing Southern California, which topped the poll 33 straight weeks from 2003-05.

Georgia captured 54 of 62 first-place tallies from poll voters, who disagree with the College Football Playoff committee. For the second straight week, the committee put Ohio State at No. 1, followed by Georgia and Michigan in its standings.

The next CFP standings come out Tuesday.

The top eight in the AP poll remained unchanged this week. Michigan, with seven first-place votes, was No. 2, followed by Ohio State (one first-place vote), Florida State and Washington. Each team in the top five owns a 10-0 record.

No. 6 Oregon led a quartet of 9-1 teams and was followed by Texas, Alabama, Louisville and No. 10 Oregon State (8-2).

Louisville and Oregon State moved into the top 10 for the first time this season. Louisville last reached the top 10 in November 2016. The Beavers haven’t climbed that high since October 2012.

Moving out of the top 10 was Penn State, which fell three spots to No. 12, after its loss to Michigan on Saturday. Ole Miss also dropped three ticks to No. 13 after being beaten by Georgia.

Big losses on Saturday led Tennessee and Oklahoma State, both 7-3, to plummet in the poll.

The Volunteers fell seven spots to No. 21 after Missouri defeated them 36-7. The Cowboys dropped nine places to No. 24 after being manhandled by UCF 45-3.

Missouri’s win sent the Tigers up five notches to No. 11.

A trio of teams from non-power conferences — No. 17 Tulane (9-1), No. 18 James Madison (10-0) and No. 25 Liberty (10-0) — remained in the rankings.

Falling out was Kansas after being upset by Texas Tech. Kansas State (7-3) replaced them and landed at No. 23.

The two Kansas teams meet next Saturday on the Jayhawks’ home field in Lawrence.

–Field Level Media

Big East: Butler Cruises to “W”

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – All four BIG EAST teams in action Friday cruised to home victories and improved their records to 2-0. The closest margin of victory was 23 points.

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Butler scored 55 points in the first half in its 91-56 win over Southeast Missouri State. Guard Posh Alexander led five players in double figures with 15 points and went over the 1,000-point plateau for his career. The Bulldogs held SEMO to 29 percent shooting from the field.

No. 5 Marquette did not trail in its 95-65 victory against Rider. Kam Jones netted a team-high 23 points and added six rebounds, four assists, and four steals in 24 minutes of playing time. The Golden Eagles made 13 3-pointers.

No. 22 Villanova used a 13-0 run midway in the first half to gain control of its 83-57 victory against LeMoyne. Justin Moore led the Wildcats with 21 points. Brendan Hausen came off the bench to connect on 6-of-8 from 3-point range and finish with a career-high 18 points.

Xavier handled Jacksonville 79-56 with grad transfer guard Quincy Olivari scoring a team-high 17 points. The Musketeers had six players score between nine and 17 points. An early 13-2 run gave Xavier control of the contest. Guard Desmond Claude, who had 12 points, was the only starter who was on the team last season.

Patri_ts Lose to Colts in Germany

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Colts 10, Patri_ts 6

FRANKFURT – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Gardner Minshew passed for 194 yards, Jonathan Taylor scored the game’s only touchdown, and Indianapolis defeated sinking New England in Germany.

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The Colts (5-5) won their second straight game and enter their bye week at .500, while ensuring the Patriots (2-8) remained with the AFC’s worst record.

Minshew completed 18 of 28 passes and threw one interception. Taylor rushed 23 times for 69 yards, and Michael Pittman had a game-high eight catches for 84 yards for Indianapolis. The Colts intercepted Patriots quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe on consecutive possessions late in the fourth quarter.

 

Big East: Weekend Round-Up

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HARTFORD – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Connecticut, Creighton, Seton Hall and Providence notched double-digit wins while Georgetown and DePaul suffered close losses on a 4-2 Saturday for BIG EAST teams.

No. 6 Connecticut got out of the gate quickly and rolled over Stonehill 107-67 at XL Center. All five starters reached double figures led by Tristen Newton’s 22 points. He also had seven rebounds, four assists and five steals. Freshman Stephon Castle added 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

No. 8 Creighton opened the second half with a 26-5 run and knocked off North Dakota State 89-60. Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 11 of the Bluejays’ first 16 points in the second half. Trey Alexander scored a game-high 21 points and posted seven rebounds, five steals and four assists.

Seton Hall rolled over Fairleigh Dickinson 85-55 at Walsh Gymnasium. Kadary Richmond had his second straight quality stat line. He contributed 14 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Grad transfer Jaden Bediako registered his fifth career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Providence was challenged by Milwaukee, picked second in the Horizon League, but nailed down a 79-69 victory. The Friars led 39-26 at intermission and were able to maintain a double-figure edge the rest of the way. Jayden Pierre scored a game-high 16 points. Transfer Josh Oduro added 13 points and 12 boards.

Georgetown led the entire second half but got caught in the final minute in its 68-67 loss to Holy Cross. The Hoyas led 57-46 with 8:35 remaining. Newcomer guards Jayden Epps and Rowan Brumbaugh led GU with 22 and 17 points, respectively.

DePaul fell behind 33-11 in the first half against Long Beach State, before a big second-half rally fell short in a 77-73 defeat. Transfer guard Elijah Fisher scored 20 of his team-high 25 points after the break.

The BIG EAST schedule continues tomorrow with the start of the Gavitt Tipoff Games. St. John’s hosts Michigan at Madison Square Garden at 6:30 p.m. ET followed by Xavier at Purdue at 8:30 p.m. Both games will be televised on FS1. Also, Villanova visits Penn on ESPN+ and Butler hosts East Tennessee State on CBS Sports Network. Both games tip at 7 p.m.

Game, Set, UnMatched

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PARKLAND, (Florida) – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Fifth Set, a tennis apparel company that provides patented “SweatRoute” technology to keep tennis players dry, comfortable, and at the top of their game, is making its product(s) available to the mass audiences. Serving-up its inaugural collection with men’s shorts, the product is now available exclusively on www.thefifthset.com and retails for $72.00. Shorts are available in three colors and four different sizes. The full product launch is coming off the heels of a successful Kickstarter campaign where the start-up crowdsourced more than $9,000 through pre-orders of the tennis shorts.

“The Fifth Set is a labor of love that solves a real problem that plagued my game for nearly 30 years — wet tennis balls from sweat-drenched pockets, causing a ‘sweat tsunami’ whenever I served,” said Yoni Malchi, The Fifth Set’s CEO and founder, as well as a lifelong tennis player. “After discovering a void in the market for tennis shorts with waterproof, breathable, and accessible pockets, I received a patent on my own design, which is a game-changer for tennis players at every level.”

The Fifth Set’s patented shorts offer three key differentiators:

  • Sweatproof: Pocket liners are constructed with a waterproof layer and heat-sealed seam. Combined with a water-resistant outer body, the shorts redirect moisture to keep tennis balls fully protected.
  • Breathable: The body and pocket liners are breathable to promote comfort, as well as quick and agile movement. The pocket liner’s microporous, waterproof layer protects from sweat while keeping the player cool.
  • Accessible: Pocket openings are unsealed, but stay closed, preventing sweat from seeping in and allowing quick accessibility for frequent use.

“During the pandemic, one of the biggest retail trends that evolved was that consumers have become more demanding for unique, top-quality products that are also function-specific,” said Danielle Malchi, co-founder of The Fifth Set. “With more people focused on fitness than ever before, consumers are seeking truly innovative products to help them reach their personal goals and needs, and we are here to support them in this endeavor.”

The company is based in Parkland, Florida.

Belichick Takes It One Trip at a Time

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FRANKFURT (Germany) – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Not to be confused with Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning, NFL fans in Germany will be treated to another matchup of popular NFL teams when the sub-.500 New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts play Sunday in Frankfurt.

After the NFL came to Germany for the first time last season, Frankfurt received a turn with games in consecutive weeks. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins 21-14 there last week.

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The Patriots (2-7), the designated home team, have international marketing rights in Germany and are a fan favorite there because of their German-born former offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer — not to mention their six Super Bowl victories from 2001 to 2018.

“It’s a unique opportunity,” said coach Bill Belichick, whose Patriots teams are 3-0 in international games all-time. “When it gets there, we’ll look forward to it.”

Owners of the worst record in the AFC, the Patriots are not at all playing like the dynasty of the past two decades, and while it may have been unthinkable a few years ago, the proverbial seat is getting hotter for Belichick as New England continues to lose.

A 20-17 defeat to the Washington Commanders was the Patriots’ fifth loss in six weeks. They’ll have their bye week upon returning from Germany.

Mac Jones steadied to some degree after a dismal early October. He threw for 220 yards and one touchdown against Washington and didn’t take a sack, but he was intercepted on the last drive of the game as the Patriots scored just three points after halftime.

“Just being consistent and trying to work together,” Jones said of the offense’s struggles. “We have some young guys playing, and just making sure we’re all on the same page and out there executing each week. Like I say, each week’s different and it’s important to understand what we need to do this week.”

This week’s task involves getting past an opportunistic defense. Kenny Moore of the Colts (4-5) scored two pick-6s in a 27-13 win over the Carolina Panthers last week. That ended a three-game losing streak that saw the Colts allow 37, 39 and 38 points.

Jones is tied for the league lead with nine interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.

As for the Colts’ offense, Gardner Minshew has been under center since rookie Anthony Richardson’s season-ending shoulder injury. But the Colts are a run-first team, and while Jonathan Taylor is the household name, Zack Moss ranks second in the NFL with 615 rushing yards this season.

“We know this stretch, this back-half stretch, is where teams have to bolster up,” Taylor said. “You’re either gonna go up or you’re gonna go down, so (the game will) do a lot in order to make sure that we can continue to trend upwards.”

Both the Colts and Patriots are practicing at home through Thursday and taking a flight overseas Thursday night, landing Friday morning Frankfurt time.

“We’re going over there on a business trip to go win a football game,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “That’s the message — it’s just a long road trip. Stay focused.”

One player not making that trip is Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson, who reportedly is being disciplined for reporting late to the team hotel last Saturday.

Jackson did not practice Wednesday and was ruled out along with left tackle Trent Brown (personal/ankle) and wide receiver DeVante Parker (concussion) as the Patriots departed for Germany on Thursday.

Defensive lineman Christian Barmore (knee), linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (hamstring) and cornerback Jonathan Jones (knee) made the trip but were limited in practice.

On Thursday, the Colts ruled out tight end Andrew Ogletree (foot) and cornerback Julius Brents (quadriceps).

–Field Level Media

Patriots Prep for NFL/Germany Game

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FRANKFURT – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Not to be confused with Brady vs. Manning, NFL fans in Germany will be treated to another matchup of popular NFL teams when the sub-.500 New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts play Sunday in Frankfurt.

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After the NFL came to Germany for the first time last season, Frankfurt received a turn with games in consecutive weeks. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins 21-14 there last week.

The Patriots (2-7), the designated home team, have international marketing rights in Germany and are a fan favorite there because of their German-born former offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer — not to mention their six Super Bowl victories from 2001 to 2018.

“It’s a unique opportunity,” said coach Bill Belichick, whose Patriots teams are 3-0 in international games all-time. “When it gets there, we’ll look forward to it.”

Owners of the worst record in the AFC, the Patriots are not at all playing like the dynasty of the past two decades, and while it may have been unthinkable a few years ago, the proverbial seat is getting hotter for Belichick as New England continues to lose.

A 20-17 defeat to the Washington Commanders was the Patriots’ fifth loss in six weeks. They’ll have their bye week upon returning from Germany.

Mac Jones steadied to some degree after a dismal early October. He threw for 220 yards and one touchdown against Washington and didn’t take a sack, but he was intercepted on the last drive of the game as the Patriots scored just three points after halftime.

“Just being consistent and trying to work together,” Jones said of the offense’s struggles. “We have some young guys playing, and just making sure we’re all on the same page and out there executing each week. Like I say, each week’s different and it’s important to understand what we need to do this week.”

This week’s task involves getting past an opportunistic defense. Kenny Moore of the Colts (4-5) scored two pick-6s in a 27-13 win over the Carolina Panthers last week. That ended a three-game losing streak that saw the Colts allow 37, 39 and 38 points.

Jones is tied for the league lead with nine interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.

As for the Colts’ offense, Gardner Minshew has been under center since rookie Anthony Richardson’s season-ending shoulder injury. But the Colts are a run-first team, and while Jonathan Taylor is the household name, Zack Moss ranks second in the NFL with 615 rushing yards this season.

“We know this stretch, this back-half stretch, is where teams have to bolster up,” Taylor said. “You’re either gonna go up or you’re gonna go down, so (the game will) do a lot in order to make sure that we can continue to trend upwards.”

Both the Colts and Patriots are practicing at home through Thursday and taking a flight overseas Thursday night, landing Friday morning Frankfurt time.

“We’re going over there on a business trip to go win a football game,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “That’s the message — it’s just a long road trip. Stay focused.”

One player not making that trip is Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson, who is reportedly being disciplined for reporting late to the team hotel last Saturday.

Jackson did not practice Wednesday, nor did tackle Trent Brown (personal/ankle). Eight players were limited, including wide receiver DeVante Parker (concussion), defensive lineman Christian Barmore (knee), linebacker Ja’Whuan Bentley (hamstring) and cornerback Jonathan Jones (knee).

Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (knee), tight end Andrew Ogletree (foot), linebacker Zaire Franklin (knee) and cornerback Julius Brents (quadricep) sat out Wednesday’s walkthrough. Cornerback Troy Brown (concussion) was limited.

–Field Level Media

Nuggets, Jokic Edge GS Warriors

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Nikola Jokic produced 35 points and 13 rebounds, Reggie Jackson scored 20 points and the host Nuggets beat the Golden State Warriors 108-105 on Wednesday in a matchup of the past two NBA champions.

Michael Porter Jr. added 17 points while Aaron Gordon finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for Denver, which swept a four-game homestand.

Stephen Curry put up 23 points and Klay Thompson had 15 for the Warriors, who have lost two of their past three games. Thompson’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer slipped out of his hands.

The Warriors played without Draymond Green (personal reasons) and Gary Payton II (non-COVID illness). Denver guard Jamal Murray missed his second straight game with a right hamstring strain.

76ers 106, Celtics 103

Joel Embiid had 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots, Tyrese Maxey added 25 points and nine rebounds and host Philadelphia held on to clip Boston.

Tobias Harris scored 17 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 14 for the Sixers, who won their sixth game in a row following a one-point loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in their season opener.

Kristaps Porzingis led the Celtics with 29 points, Derrick White added 19 and Jayson Tatum had 16 points, 15 rebounds and six assists. Trailing 106-103, the Celtics had a chance to tie the game, but Porzingis missed a 3-point try with 6.2 seconds left.

Kings 121, Trail Blazers 118 (OT)

Domantas Sabonis’ free throw with 42.8 seconds remaining in overtime broke a tie, Malik Monk dropped in a pair of foul throws with 13 seconds left and Sacramento snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory over visiting Portland.

The Trail Blazers’ Jerami Grant (38 points, nine rebounds) had two looks at a potential tie but missed consecutive 3-point attempts in the final 9.1 seconds. The extra session was required after Monk scored the final four points of regulation for the Kings.

Sabonis led the Kings with 27 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Monk had 23 points and a team-high 10 assists.

Suns 116, Bulls 115 (OT)

Grayson Allen scored 26 points while sinking a career-high eight 3-pointers and Kevin Durant added 25 points to lift Phoenix past host Chicago in overtime.

Jusuf Nurkic scored the go-ahead layup off a screen-and-roll pass from Durant with 7.3 seconds left in OT and finished with 20 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists. Nurkic missed two free throws with 0.4 seconds to go, but the Bulls’ backdoor lob attempt on their final possession was unsuccessful.

Making his regular-season debut for the Suns after dealing with back spasms during the preseason, Bradley Beal contributed 13 points. His night featured three 3-pointers, as Phoenix finished 19-for-48 from beyond the arc.

Heat 108, Grizzlies 102

Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 30 points and added 11 rebounds to fuel visiting Miami past Memphis, which remains winless at home in four tries.

Adebayo made 8 of 15 shots from the floor and 14 of 16 attempts from the free-throw line. That effort came on the heels of his 22-point, 19-rebound, 10-assist performance in the Heat’s 108-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.

Miami’s Tyler Herro sustained a right ankle sprain after landing on the foot of Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. during the first quarter. Herro did not return to the contest, finishing with six points and two assists in eight minutes. Jackson scored a team-high 28 points.

Wizards 132, Hornets 116

Kyle Kuzma pumped in 33 points and Washington snapped a four-game losing streak with some huge offensive bursts against host Charlotte.

Danilo Gallinari and Delon Wright paced Washington’s bench scoring with 18 points apiece. The Wizards’ reserves outscored the Hornets’ backups 72-23.

LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 34 points and seven assists. Gordon Hayward added 18 points.

Rockets 128, Lakers 94

Jalen Green scored a game-high 28 points while Alperen Sengun chipped in 19 as host Houston extended its winning streak to four games with a wire-to-wire victory over injury-ravaged Los Angeles.

Green was efficient throughout, making 11 of 15 attempts. Sengun was 8 of 10 from the floor while, like Green, adding seven rebounds.

The Lakers, who added Anthony Davis (hip) to a long list of sidelined rotation players, dropped their third game in a row. Los Angeles reserve Rui Hachimura scored a team-high 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds in his return from a four-game absence caused by a concussion.

Pacers 134, Jazz 118

Aaron Nesmith scored 24 points to lead six players in double figures as Indiana took control in the fourth quarter to beat Utah in Indianapolis.

Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin scored 22 points apiece, while Tyrese Haliburton scored all 16 of his points in the second half for the Pacers, who have won three of their past four games.

Jordan Clarkson scored 33 points to lead the Jazz, who lost their fourth straight. Lauri Markkanen had 24 points and nine rebounds.

Knicks 126, Spurs 105

Julius Randle posted another double-double for host New York, which scored the first 13 points of the game and was never seriously threatened in a win over San Antonio.

Randle finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds in his seventh double-double in eight games this season. Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 25 points while RJ Barrett had 24 points for the Knicks, who committed just four turnovers.

Jeremy Sochan scored 16 points while Malaki Branham and No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama each had 14 points for the Spurs, who have lost three straight. Wembanyama missed his first seven shots from the field and scored just six points in the first three quarters.

Nets 100, Clippers 93

Lonnie Walker IV scored a season-high 21 points and host Brooklyn survived a shaky finish to defeat Los Angeles and keep James Harden winless with his new team.

Walker stepped up for the Nets after Cam Thomas was lost for the final 20:33 due to a sprained left ankle. Royce O’Neale clinched Brooklyn’s first home win by hitting a 3-pointer with 18.3 seconds to go.

The Clippers’ Paul George scored 24 to lead all scorers, but they shot just 39.6 percent and missed 28 of 36 3-point tries in their third straight defeat. Harden contributed 12 while hearing boos every time he touched the ball against the team that traded him to Philadelphia at the 2022 trade deadline.

Timberwolves 122, Pelicans 101

Anthony Edwards scored 26 points and dished eight assists as Minnesota cruised past New Orleans in Minneapolis.

Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting for the Timberwolves, who won their fourth game in a row. Rudy Gobert registered 17 points and 21 rebounds.

Brandon Ingram scored 24 points on 11-for-25 shooting and rookie Jordan Hawkins added 14 points for the Pelicans, who lost their third straight game.

Bucks 120, Pistons 118

Damian Lillard had 34 points as host Milwaukee overcame Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ejection and a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Detroit.

Bobby Portis had 18 points for the Bucks, and Brook Lopez added 14, including a pivotal 3-pointer in the late going. Antetokounmpo was whistled for a technical in the first quarter and picked up another three minutes into the second half, triggering an automatic ejection. He stared down Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart after a dunk.

Cade Cunningham put up 33 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and Marcus Sasser supplied 26 points for the Pistons, who have lost six straight games.

Raptors 127, Mavericks 116

Pascal Siakam recorded season bests of 31 points and 12 rebounds and also had five assists to help Toronto knock off host Dallas.

OG Anunoby added 26 points and Dennis Schroder had 18 for the Raptors, who won for the third time in the past four games. Scottie Barnes contributed 14 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

Luka Doncic registered 31 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and four steals for the Mavericks, who fell for just the second time in eight games this season. Kyrie Irving added 22 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. buried five 3-pointers while scoring 17 points.

Thunder 128, Cavaliers 120

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a season-high 43 points to lift host Oklahoma City past Cleveland.

The Thunder closed out their season-high, six-game homestand with a 3-3 record, winning the final two games. Oklahoma City swept the two-game season series with the Cavaliers.

Caris LeVert led Cleveland with 29 points off the bench while Evan Mobley added 22 and Donovan Mitchell had 20. Mitchell shot just 1 of 9 from beyond the 3-point arc, however.

–Field Level Media

CFP Polls: Florida State Remains No. 4

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INDIANAPOLIS – Florida State remained No. 4 in the second College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday night, but oddsmakers see the Seminoles with the easiest path to the final four.

The top eight teams remained unchanged from the initial CFP rankings released last week, including Florida State being fourth behind Ohio State, Georgia and Michigan.

However, the Seminoles have already clinched a spot in the ACC championship game. Their likely opponent is No. 11 Louisville, which has remaining regular-season games against Virginia, Miami and Kentucky.

Florida State has -320 odds to reach the CFP at DraftKings, where Georgia is -240 and Michigan is -160. Interestingly, Ohio State is +110 behind even No. 6 Oregon (-110), with the Buckeyes staring at a Nov. 25 road showdown against the Wolverines to close the regular season.

The Ducks, who are working toward a rematch against No. 5 Washington in a potential Pac-12 title game, are being offered at -140 ahead of the Huskies at +155 to win the conference.

While Florida State has the shortest odds to reach the CFP, the Seminoles are not the title favorites.

That honor currently belongs to Michigan at +220, followed by Georgia (+260) and then Florida State (+600). Ohio State is being offered at +700 ahead of Alabama at +800 and Oregon at +1000. Washington is +1200 to win the title.

The most title money at the book has supported Michigan, with the Wolverines drawing 14 percent of the total bets and money wagered. Next are Ohio State at 14 percent and 13 percent, respectively, and Alabama at 11 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

CFP RANKINGS
1. Ohio State
2. Georgia
3. Michigan
4. Florida State
5. Washington
6. Oregon
7. Texas
8. Alabama
9. Ole Miss
10. Penn State
11. Louisville
12. Oregon State
13. Tennessee
14. Missouri
15. Oklahoma State
16. Kansas
17. Oklahoma
18. Utah
19. LSU
20. Notre Dame
21. Arizona
22. Iowa
23. Tulane
24. North Carolina
25. Kansas State

–Field Level Media

Big East: Johnnies Open Up

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JAMAICA ESTATES – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Three of the four league teams in action on Tuesday enjoyed season-opening wins at home. Creighton, St. John’s and Georgetown tasted victory. DePaul let a late lead get away and absorbed a loss.

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Creighton, ranked eighth in both national polls, used an early 19-2 run en route to a 105-54 win over Florida A&M. Guard Trey Alexander scored a game-high 20 points, which included 7-of-8 shooting from the field. Newcomer guard Steven Ashworth scored 17 points in 18 minutes. Center Ryan Kalkbrenner blocked his 200th career shot in his 100th career game.

The new coaches at St. John’s and Georgetown enjoyed their debuts. St. John’s beat Stony Brook 90-74 in Rick Pitino’s first game as the Johnnies’ headmaster. Familiar face Joel Soriano led the way with 22 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. He made 9-of-12 from the floor, including both 3-point attempts. Newcomer forward Chris Ledlum added 16 points, 14 boards and four assists.

Georgetown coach Ed Cooley liked what he saw in the Hoyas’ 94-57 victory over LeMoyne. Frontcourt newcomers helped pave the way. Supreme Cook paced five Hoyas in double figures with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting. He also pulled down 13 rebounds. Dontrez Styles added 15 points and 10 boards.

Hosting Purdue Fort Wayne, DePaul recovered from a 41-33 halftime deficit to take a 68-62 lead with under four minutes remaining before losing 82-74. Guard Chico Carter Jr. shined in his DePaul debut with 18 points and eight rebounds.