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New on Sports Illustrated: Georgia Tech looks for more nighttime magic vs. Duke

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-football/game/2228970">
Georgia Tech will try to extend its streak of success in home games played at night when the Yellow Jackets host Duke on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta.
Georgia Tech (2-5, 2-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won four straight night games at home, including a 46-27 victory over Louisville on Oct. 9. The Yellow Jackets have won seven consecutive Saturday night home games, a streak that dates back to 2011.
But Duke (2-6, 1-6) has won the last three meetings in the series, including 41-23 last year in Durham, NC. The Blue Devils trail the all-time series 51-35-1, but have won five of the last six.
It has been a while since either team was on the field. Duke last played on Nov. 7 and dropped a 56-24 decision to rival North Carolina. The Blue Devils trailed 28-0 to start the game and 42-10 at halftime. Georgia Tech hasn't played since Oct. 31, a 31-13 loss to Notre Dame.
The Yellow Jackets had games against Pittsburgh and Miami (Fla.) postponed and rescheduled because of COVID-19. Duke had a game with Wake Forest canceled for the same reason.
"They've had a month off. I don't know how much they've adjusted or changed," Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. "It feels more like a bowl game (as far as timing). You hope you take care of the ball and play well early. It will have more that feeling than anything else."
Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins, who played more than a dozen true freshmen against Notre Dame, said, "Our guys are working hard. It's a crazy situation. We're just trying to keep having fun and getting better every single day."
Georgia Tech's offense is led by freshman quarterback Jeff Sims, who has thrown for 1,346 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 277 yards and four scores. Despite his inconsistencies, Sims has shown enough potential that James Graham, who started nine games last season, announced he was entering the transfer portal.
The Yellow Jackets have depth at running back in freshman Jahmyr Gibbs (369 yards rushing, 20 catches for 255 yards), Dontae Smith (193 yards) and Jamious Griffin (161 yards). Jordan Mason, last year's leading rusher, is finally healthy from an injury that has limited him to three games and 27 carries.
Georgia Tech's top defenders are linebackers Quez Jackson (57 tackles, 4 1/2 tackles for loss) and David Curry (53 tackles, 5 1/2 tackles for loss). But the Yellow Jackets have struggled to get to the opposing quarterback and have only 13 sacks.
Duke's offense is led by junior quarterback Chase Brice, a transfer from Clemson. Brice, who grew up in the Northeast Atlanta suburbs, has thrown for 1,722 yards and seven touchdowns. He threw for 155 yards against the Tar Heels, but was sacked three times.
The Blue Devils have a solid one-two punch at running back with Deon Jackson (580 yards, four TDs) and Mataeo Durant (592 yards, six TDs). The top pass-catchers are tight end Noah Gray (26 catches, 9.5 yard average), along with receivers Jake Bobo (23 catches, 11.9 yards) and Jalon Calhoun (25 catches, 10.3 yards).
The Duke defense is anchored by ends Chris Rumph II (7 1/2 sacks, 10 tackles for loss) and Victor Dimukeje (7 1/2 sacks, 8 1/2 tackles for loss). They are the school's first teammates to post 7 1/2 sacks together in the same single season.
--Field Level Media
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New on Sports Illustrated: Georgia Tech looks for more nighttime magic vs. Duke

Georgia Tech will try to extend its streak of success in home games played at night when the Yellow Jackets host Duke on Saturday at Bobby ...

New on Sports Illustrated: TCU taking nothing for granted vs. Kansas

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-football/game/2228763">
Fielding a team that looks vastly different because of injuries, TCU head coach Gary Patterson knows not to take an opponent lightly.
In fact, Patterson doesn't want anyone in his program to even consider the ease with which the Horned Frogs (3-4, 3-4 Big 12) are expected to beat winless Kansas (0-7, 0-6) on Saturday at Lawrence, Kan.
"We've only won three ballgames, so no one is going to get overlooked," Patterson said. "Right now, we're just worried about us, not Kansas."
No fewer than 20 TCU players have been lost for the season because of injuries, Patterson said, off a squad that includes just nine scholarship seniors. Those setbacks have only compounded the health issues created by COVID-19 and any players who have had to be scratched because of illnesses.
A two-week layoff since a 24-6 loss at West Virginia did not exactly brighten Patterson's outlook.
"You are what you are at this point," said Patterson, who stands 175-74 entering his 250th game as TCU's head coach. He has won 200 games with the Frogs when counting his time as defensive coordinator.
Only Kansas (15.1) ranks worse in scoring offense than TCU (24.0) among Big 12 teams. The Frogs' strength has been their ground game, which averages 177.3 yards and is triggered by quarterback Max Duggan, who has accounted for more rushing touchdowns (six) than passing (five).
Defensive end Khari Coleman leads all FBS freshmen with 9.5 tackles for loss, helping the TCU defense ratchet up its QB pressure with 12 sacks in the last three games.
Wide receiver Derius Davis returns after missing the West Virginia game. His 21.8-yard punt return average ranks second nationally and could challenge a Kansas punt coverage unit that allowed two touchdowns in one game earlier this season.
COVID-19 test results diminished depth along the defensive line and prompted the Jayhawks to postpone their game last week against Texas. Kansas has not played since a 62-9 loss at Oklahoma on Nov. 7, when the offensive line struggled mightily, allowing nine sacks.
Freshman quarterback Jalon Daniels left with an ankle injury late in that game but should be available against TCU.
"He practiced all last week. He'll practice this week," said Kansas coach Les Miles. "We'd expect him to be certainly a player."
Daniels averages 110.2 yards passing and has not yet thrown for a touchdown. He supplanted two veteran quarterbacks, senior Thomas MacVittie and junior Miles Kendrick, who each drew starts this season before Miles opted to see Daniels develop.
The shabby performance of the offensive line in the OU debacle led to the off-week dismissal of position coach Luke Meadows and the promotion of John Morookian. Kansas, which has been outscored by 33.3 points on average, is attempting to avoid the third winless season in its history and its second in six years.
Attendance on Saturday will be limited to participants' family members and essential personnel after Kansas extended its recent no-fans policy to Dec. 5.
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: TCU taking nothing for granted vs. Kansas

Fielding a team that looks vastly different because of injuries, TCU head coach Gary Patterson knows not to take an opponent lightly. In f...

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 24 Tulsa looking for more ways to win vs. Houston

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-football/game/2231453">
No matter how improbable, No. 24 Tulsa seems capable of penning a weekly, winning script.
The Golden Hurricane (5-1, 5-0 American), who will face the Houston Cougars (3-3, 3-2 American) on Saturday at TDECU Stadium, posted their fourth comeback victory of the season last week, rallying for a wild 30-24 double-overtime victory over Tulane that featured third-string quarterback Davis Brin engineering a 30-point outburst over the fourth quarter and two overtimes and standout linebacker Zaven Collins returning an interception 96 yards to seal the win.
Tulsa rallied from a 21-point deficit to stun SMU the previous week. Pulling off another miraculous comeback after starting quarterback Zach Smith and his backup Seth Boomer were sidelined due to injury represented something beyond an occasional lucky bounce.
"We're a little bit older team right now and we've got some guys that have really stepped up and are making plays," Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery said. "That's really the biggest difference. Whether that's a first-down play, a fourth-down play, a play down in the red zone -- it's just guys continuing to make those efforts and then come up on the right side of it.
"I just think there's a different level of confidence with this team and a desire to go ahead and get that done, and that's in all three phases: defensively, offensively and special teams. I think some of it is maturity, some of it is confidence and just guys putting themselves in a position to go make those plays and making it happen."
Smith is day to day as Tulsa prepares to face the Cougars. Still, what is certain is the Hurricane have been buoyed by past success and are armed with the knowledge that superior performances are a viable goal.
"We've still got a lot of good football left in us," Montgomery said. "I don't think we've played our best football yet, but we're finding ways to win and that's the most important thing at this stage."
COVID-19 protocols prevented the Cougars from playing SMU as scheduled last weekend, resulting in the fourth postponement of the season for Houston, which lost non-conference games against Rice, Baylor and North Texas in September to pandemic-related complications.
The Cougars had their contest against SMU rescheduled for Dec. 5.
"We're used to it. It ain't nothing new," Houston coach Dana Holgorsen said. "We're not going through anything that nobody else isn't going through as well. At this point, it's second nature. It's the third time that we've paused in the sixth game. We're doing fine.
"I think they look at what's going on around the country and say, 'Well, we're not alone when it comes to this.' There were 20 games (postponed or canceled) last week and I think 15 games the previous week."
The Cougars experienced roster attrition the previous week against USF but managed those losses ably. But when the number of available players diminished last week in advance of the SMU game, particularly at linebacker, Houston was left with no option other than a postponement.
That uncertainty bled into preparations for Tulsa. Holgorsen entered the week with game plans devised for the Golden Hurricane, SMU and Memphis, whom the Cougars are scheduled to play Dec. 12. But if he isn't granted clearance to conduct the requisite practices in advance of the meeting with Tulsa, Holgorsen is unsure how that game would unfold as scheduled.
"We got the game plan ready, but if you don't ever practice I don't know how you can line up to play," Holgorsen said.
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 24 Tulsa looking for more ways to win vs. Houston

No matter how improbable, No. 24 Tulsa seems capable of penning a weekly, winning script. The Golden Hurricane (5-1, 5-0 American), who wi...

New on Sports Illustrated: Week 13 Waiver Wire: Fantasy Football Pickups

<a href="https://www.si.com/fantasy/2020/11/30/week-13-waiver-wire">
It's the final week of the fantasy football regular season. This week's list of players could help fantasy teams punch their ticket to the postseason.
<h3>Fantasy Football Pickups: Week 13</h3>
Welcome to Week 13, the final week of the fantasy football regular season. The waiver wire is still crucial to fantasy football success, especially in the postseason. Each season a player emerges in Weeks 13 or 14 that helps catapult a team to the fantasy championship.
Below are a list of players who are available in at least 50% of public leagues and suggestions for all types of league formats: two-quarterback, PPR, or deep leagues. 
Let’s get to it:
<h3>Quarterbacks</h3>
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings: Even without superstar wide receiver Adam Thielen in action, Kirk Cousins had no problem carving up Carolina. Cousins threw for 307 yards and three touchdowns in Week 12, his third three-TD game in his last four and his second consecutive week with over 300 yards. The Vikings have an easy matchup against the Jaguars in Week 13.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins: With rookie Tau Tagovailoa ruled inactive due to a thumb injury, Fitzpatrick threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns. Miami’s passer should have a smooth outing in Week 13 when they take on the Bengals. If you play in a two quarterback league or perhaps have Tom Brady on a bye, Fitzpatrick offers good streaming value assuming Tua is inactive.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles: Granted this article is published on Sunday night and the Eagles aren’t playing until Monday night, but we are keeping an eye on Carson Wentz. Word out of Philadelphia is that if Wentz plays poorly, he could be pulled and replaced with Hurts. Coach Doug Pederson already confirmed their rookie quarterback will see more game action than usual.
Other QBs to consider: Colt McCoy, New York Giants
<h3>Running Backs</h3>
Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams: The Rams have used a three-man rotation at running back the last few weeks but in Week 12, Akers was the only Rams rusher to gain more than 20 yards. The Rams rookie gained 84 yards on just nine attempts, including a 61-yard romp. After not scoring for the first 10 weeks, Akers scored in Week 12, his second consecutive game with a touchdown.
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James White, New England Patriots: Shockingly available in the majority of leagues, White is starting to come on strong the last two weeks now that Rex Burkhead is done for the season. White caught six passes for 64 yards in Week 11 and scored two touchdowns in Week 13. If you play in a PPR league, White should be a strong consideration.
Devontae Booker, Las Vegas Raiders: Keeping an eye on Josh Jacobs, who injured his ankle late in the game. If Jacobs can’t play in Week 13, Booker could be this week’s top pickup as the Raiders play the defenseless Jets on Sunday.
Frank Gore, New York Jets: The ageless wonder was the only bright spot on the Jets offense in Week 13. Gore rushed for 74 yards and caught three passes. It’s not a spectacular game by any means, but it is serviceable for running back-needy fantasy teams in a deep league. Keep in mind fellow Jets running back LaMichael Perine is dealing with a high ankle sprain, which bodes well for Gore’s high volume usage.
Ito Smith, Atlanta Falcons: With Todd Gurley ruled out with a knee injury, Smith filled in nicely for the veteran back. Smith split time in the Atlanta’s backfield with Brian Hill and while both saw about the same amount of rushing attempts, Smith was the one who found the end zone. He finished with a team-high 65 yards and also caught four passes.
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Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions: Johnson has been the forgotten playmaker in the Lions backfield with rookie D’Andre Swift and Adrian Peterson seeing most of the work. But with Swift injured on Thanksgiving, Johnson totaled 98 yards with four catches and 11 rushing attempts. Johnson and the Lions take on the Panthers and Texans in the next two weeks, both of which have inferior rushing defenses.
Other RBs to consider: Brian Hill-Atlanta Falcons, DeAndre Washington-Miami Dolphins
<h3>Wide Receivers</h3>
T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts: Entering Week 12, Hilton had just one double-digit fantasy point performance and that was way back in Week 5. But Hilton had his best game of the year against the Titans on Sunday. He scored his first touchdown of the year and led the Colts with 81 yards. Indianapolis receivers have three great matchups the next three games as they take on the Texans twice and the Raiders.
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Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders: While the Raiders had one of their worst collective offensive outings of the year in Week 13, Renfrow managed to have his second-best performance of the season. He led Las Vegas with seven catches and 73 yards. No other Raiders playmaker—nope, not even Darren Waller—had more than five catches.
Collin Johnson, Jacksonville Jaguars: With D.J. Chark and Chris Conley ruled inactive, the Jaguars rookie stepped up from a statistical standpoint. Johnson saw eight targets, which he turned into four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Olabisi Johnson, Minnesota Vikings: With Adam Thielen out of the lineup, the Vikings second-year receiver tied for team-high seven catches and led the Vikings with 74 yards. Thielen reportedly had a false positive COVID test and is expected to return in Week 13 but given the Vikings' upcoming schedule, Johnson could be an option for fantasy teams in deep leagues.
Other WRs to consider: Gabriel Davis-Buffalo Bills, Breshad Perriman-New York Jets, Demarcus Robinson-Kansas City Chiefs
<h3>Tight Ends</h3>
Drew Sample, Cincinnati Bengals: With Brandon Allen under center, Sample had a team-high five catches and picked up 40 yards. Considering A.J. Green did not record a catch and Tyler Boyd had just 15 yards, it’s pretty clear Allen will use Sample as his security check-down as pressing the ball downfield doesn’t really fall into Allen’s repertoire.
Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys: If playing in a PPR league, Schultz offers decent value. He’s caught four or more passes in four straight games and hasn’t registered fewer than 22 yards since Week 6. It may not seem like much, but Schultz is TE7 over the last month of the season.
Other TEs to consider: Logan Thomas-Washington Football Team, Trey Burton-Indianapolis Colts

New on Sports Illustrated: Week 13 Waiver Wire: Fantasy Football Pickups

It's the final week of the fantasy football regular season. This week's list of players could help fantasy teams punch their ticket...

New on Sports Illustrated: Forde-Yard Dash: Change Abound As College Football Lurches Into December

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/30/college-football-coaching-changes-player-opt-outs-december">
The calender says it's quitting time in college football.
Forty names, games, teams and minutiae making news in college football, where the Syracuse quarterback is at least has Tom Brady for company in losing track of what down it is on a last-ditch drive:
<h3>FIRST QUARTER: CALENDAR SAYS IT’S QUITTIN’ TIME</h3>
We are lurching into what could well be the worst December in the history of the sport, and not just because games are being postponed, rescheduled and canceled in bulk. This sloppy stagger toward an extended finish line is colliding with an increasing number of people who will not stick around that long to participate.
Just because the powers that be stretched the regular season through Dec. 12 (and now, in some instances, through Dec. 19) doesn’t mean players or schools will abide by it when planning for the future. There will be opt-outs, especially in a pandemic. And there will be coaching changes, despite the pandemic. Because it’s that time of year.
We saw that Sunday, when at least three high-level players checked out of worsening situations and one school fired its coach. The opt-outs (1): LSU receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., Texas offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi and Florida State defensive back Asante Samuel Jr.
This normally would be the end of the regular season for teams not playing for a conference championship. The NFL Scouting Combine is still out there in early 2021, even though dates have not been firmed up, and there would be less time than ever to heal up from the season and prepare for that. Nobody should blame any player for deciding now is the time to move on, especially for seasons that are in the tank or heading that way.
</a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/lsu/football/terrace-marshall-forgoing-rest-of-2020-season">Marshall’s decision comes after the Tigers dropped to 3-4</a> with a loss to Texas A&M. Marshall’s parting performance for LSU was a splashy one for NFL scouts: 10 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown. But with the quarterback situation increasingly in flux—junior Myles Brennan is injured, freshman T.J. Finley was benched and berated by Ed Orgeron Saturday night, fellow freshman Max Johnson mopped up—Marshall might figure it is only downhill from here. Especially with Alabama and Florida looming.
Another potential first-round pick, Cosmi opted out after the 4-3 Longhorns’ loss to Iowa State all but eliminated them from the Big 12 championship game chase. Cosmi, considered one of the top tackle prospects in the draft, doesn’t need to put anything on tape against Kansas State, Kansas or in a bowl game to boost his stock.
And Samuel is getting out of the burning building that is Florida State, where the Seminoles are 2-6 and have had successive games canceled on game day due to someone’s COVID-19 issues. Samuel may not be a first-round pick but should be a second-day selection. Slogging through the misery that is the rest of this transition season to Mike Norvell in Tallahassee? Hard pass for Samuel.
Then there are the decisions being made at the coach level. <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/29/vanderbilt-derek-mason-head-coach-fired">Vanderbilt made one Sunday by firing</a> Derek Mason (2), a day after his program produced its only positive news of the season <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/28/sarah-fuller-vanderbilt-kicker-history">with the pioneering appearance of kicker Sarah Fuller</a>. While the timing seems odd—if not downright cold—the calendar is in play here as well.
<figure><img height="349" src="https://www.si.com/.image/c_fit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTc3MTcyNjMyMjMwMTc2NTA1/derek-mason.jpg" width="620" /></figure>
The early signing period starts Dec. 16th, which is before a lot of teams have finished playing. Waiting to make a coaching change until Dec. 20th, or even the 13th, would lead to a lot of lying to recruits about what coaching staff they would be signing with. Removing Mason now—he should have been fired last year, but that was on the watch of disastrous Vandy athletic director Malcolm Turner—gives the school more runway to have a new coach in place by mid-December. Or at least have a search well underway.
Who should the Commodores hire? That’s the hard part. It’s obviously a difficult job. For whatever reason, Vandy has not been able to develop a Stanford/Northwestern/Notre Dame niche as a program that can attract elite athletes who are also elite students. Part of that may be playing in the brutal Southeastern Conference; part of it may be a reluctance to do recruiting business the way it often has been done in the league. But being able to sell the value of a Vandy degree and a great city like Nashville should have some appeal to a recruiting demographic that could breed success.
Some names:
Clark Lea (3). The Notre Dame defensive coordinator is a star in the making who also happens to be a Vandy grad. He’d know what he’s getting into. The only problem: he checks every box Mason did when he was hired, a rising defensive coordinator who worked at an academic/athletic model school (Stanford, in Mason’s case). Very rarely do schools hire a coach who fits the mold of the guy they just fired.
Tony Elliott (4). The Clemson offensive coordinator is another star in the making who can sell some offensive sizzle and championship pedigree, not to mention Southern recruiting knowledge. Would he leave the Clemson cocoon for a job that has eaten more than a few coaches alive over the years? (Elliott can check in with Tigers offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell to see what he’d be getting into; Caldwell was Vandy’s offensive line coach from 2002-09 and interim head coach in 2010. He remains an obscure SEC icon for his one and only SEC media days appearance, in 2010, when he told stories about being in charge of insemination at a turkey farm as a teenager.)
Herb Hand (5). The Texas co-offensive coordinator was part of James Franklin’s staff at Vandy, and also worked with him at Penn State. He worked in the SEC at Auburn as well. His candidacy would be helped if Texas were in a better place as a program.
A hotshot from the Carolinas (6). The candidates there: Jamey Chadwell of Coastal Carolina and Will Healy of Charlotte. Both have head-coaching experience, which Mason lacked and the above candidates lack. Chadwell is authoring a dream season at Coastal, currently 9-0, while Healy is a familiar name in the area from his turnaround at Austin Peay and is 9-9 in his second season at Charlotte. Neither have a minute of coaching experience at a Power 5 program.
A service academy option guy (7). Jeff Monken at Army, Ken Niumatalolo at Navy or Troy Calhoun at Air Force. Vandy went the option route in the 1990s and had success with it during the Gerry DiNardo Era. (DiNardo still has the highest winning percentage for coaches who were at Vandy for 40 or more games since the early 1950s.) But this is a tough league to counterprogram given the athletes on defense—and, increasingly, the passing prowess of the SEC. Hard to win shootouts running fullback dives off tackle.
<h3>SARAH FULLER IS NOT FINISHED</h3>
A few more Dash thoughts on Vanderbilt’s barrier-breaking kicker, who has captured the attention of both casual fans and insecure, cave-dwelling men.
<figure><img height="465" src="https://www.si.com/.image/c_fit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTc3MTQ1NDIzMzQzOTIwODg5/sarah-fuller-pregame.jpg" width="620" /></figure>
Fuller said in a Sunday zoom call that she plans to continue with the football team (8) this season, hoping to improve her skills in a craft she’s just started to learn. Whether the Vandy soccer goalkeeper is the starting placekicker or not remains to be seen, depending on the availability of kickers who were sidelined due to COVID issues Saturday against Missouri <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/28/sarah-fuller-vanderbilt-kicker-history">when she broke the Power 5 football gender barrier.</a> “I’m sticking around until someone tells me to go,” she said. If anyone at Vandy tells her to go, shame on them.
Fuller’s impromptu halftime pep talk to her new teammates (“We need to be cheering each other on”) showed great self-confidence, but it also revealed two truths about college sports:
<ul>
<li>Athletes in sparsely attended Olympic sports are accustomed to being their own cheerleaders (9), instead of counting on tens of thousands of fans to do the work.</li>
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<li>An athlete from a winning culture (Vandy won the SEC soccer title this fall) often can recognize signs of a losing culture, and one of those is a lack of passion. The ‘Dores football team was undoubtedly beaten down by this point of the season, and one manifestation was a quiet sideline. If anything specific to the Missouri game cost Mason his job, it was a completely listless effort against a less-than-overwhelming opponent. If Fuller walked in and held up a mirror to some of her teammates, good for her.</li>
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Lastly: if you’re one of the many people (overwhelmingly male) who was bothered by a woman kicking a football (10), ask yourself why. There were a great many rationalizations for this discomfort offered on social media, but none of them made much sense. Was her kickoff a lousy kick? No. It was a directional pooch kick, as instructed, after being coached on the intricacies of kickoffs for less than a week. Was she in harm’s way on a return? Fuller is listed at 6-foot-2 and solidly built, and collisions are part of a goal keeper’s existence. If it had come to that, she might not have made a tackle but certainly would have survived. Could she make a field goal of any distance? We don’t know. She said her range limit was probably 38 yards, and while that isn’t going to win many starting jobs in Division I football it sure isn’t terrible for an emergency kicker who didn’t put on a helmet until Monday.
If you cannot celebrate a story of a smart, confident, upbeat woman taking on a unique challenge and breaking a gender barrier in a sport that is a male playground, that’s a you problem. Not a Vanderbilt problem or a Sarah Fuller problem. She has a bright future ahead, while a lot of her critics will still be stuck in a dwindling past.

New on Sports Illustrated: Forde-Yard Dash: Change Abound As College Football Lurches Into December

The calender says it's quitting time in college football. Forty names, games, teams and minutiae making news in college football, wher...

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New on Sports Illustrated: Broncos Coach Vic Fangio 'Disappointed' in Quarterbacks for Breaking COVID-19 Protocols

<a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/11/30/broncos-coach-vic-fangio-disappointed-quarterbacks-covid-19">
The Broncos were without all of their quarterbacks in Sunday's 31-3 blowout loss to the Saints.
Speaking to reporters following his team's 31-3 loss to the Saints on Sunday, Broncos coach Vic Fangio expressed his disappointment about the position his team was in heading into the game. Denver was forced to play with
</a><a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/11/30/denver-broncos-sad-quarterbacks-covid">practice squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton at quarterback</a> after every quarterback on its roster was ruled out as a high-risk close contact.
Broncos quarterback Jeff Driskel tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week, and fellow quarterbacks Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles were all ineligible to play after coming into contact with Driskel without wearing their masks.
"I was disappointed on a couple of levels, that our quarterbacks put us in this position, that our quarterbacks put the league in this position, we count on them to be the leaders of this team, so that's disappointing," Fangio said, <a href="https://twitter.com/BKDenverSports/status/1333199227908988930">according to Brandon Krisztal of KOA Radio Denver</a>.
Fangio said that the quarterbacks met at the team's facility during an off-day on Tuesday to study film. The group "got lax with their masks" and failed to adequately keep their distance from each other.
Denver was alerted that it would not have its quarterbacks available on Saturday, the day before the game. After unsuccessfully appealing to the league to postpone the game, the Broncos opted to go with Hinton. Hinton hadn't been able to take practice reps at the position and had never played in an NFL game before, though he did spend multiple seasons playing quarterback at Wake Forest.
The results went about as <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/11/30/denver-broncos-sad-quarterbacks-covid">most would expect</a>. Hinton was 1-for-9 for 13 yards and two interceptions, as the Broncos only mustered 112 yards of total offense. 
"I can easily say that was the most eventful 24 hours of my life, but when I got the call there was pure excitement," Hinton said, per the <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/vic-fangio-disappointed-in-broncos-qbs-for-not-following-covid-rules">team's postgame transcript</a>. "Of course, there was nerves and disbelief, but the encouragement the team gave me and guys just keeping me up the whole time. ...
"Coming in I knew that I had no idea what the speed of the game was like. I'm familiar with our concepts but it's a lot different from quarterback. So, coming in we knew it'd be a tough situation for sure. That was a challenge that I wanted to take on."

New on Sports Illustrated: Broncos Coach Vic Fangio 'Disappointed' in Quarterbacks for Breaking COVID-19 Protocols

The Broncos were without all of their quarterbacks in Sunday's 31-3 blowout loss to the Saints. Speaking to reporters following his te...

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 13 Michigan State seeks 2-0 start vs. Notre Dame

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-basketball/game/2287146">
No. 13 Michigan State seeks 2-0 start vs. Notre Dame
Foster Loyer found his shooting stroke during Michigan State's opener. He'll try to keep the hot hand going when the 13th-ranked Spartans host Notre Dame in the Fighting Irish's season opener on Saturday in East Lansing, Mich.
Loyer had trouble making baskets in practices this month, but the junior point guard scored a career-high 20 points, including six 3-pointers, as the Spartans (1-0) earned an 83-67 victory over Eastern Michigan on Wednesday.
"I have been seeing this all summer and all fall, except for the last two weeks," coach Tom Izzo said. "Poor guy. The last two weeks (he) hasn't made a shot. We're almost joking about it because he's probably the best shooter, and he just wasn't making shots. And to his credit his competitiveness, he made shots, and we got him good shots."
Loyer has emerged as the team's starting floor leader, replacing Cassius Winston, now a member of the Washington Wizards after being a second-round selection in the NBA draft.
"This is who Foster is," backcourt partner Joshua Langford said. "You know he's gonna lead us; he's going to do his job. And I'm just happy for him because, you know, it's kind of difficult playing behind Cash because he's such a great player. ... I'm just happy for him to see him get some reward with the consistency that he's put forward."
Langford and forward Joey Hauser took the court Wednesday after lengthy absences. Langford hadn't played since December 2018 due to foot injuries. Langford, a grad student, scored 10 points in 21 minutes.
Hauser sat out last season after transferring from Marquette. He committed three turnovers during a short span in the first half against Eastern Michigan but settled in during the second half. He contributed 15 points and nine rebounds in 23 minutes.
"It was different being back on the court, and it's been a long time," Hauser said. "As you can see, I was kind of struggling to get in the flow of the game, struggling to kind of find myself there. I think I was rushing a little bit too much, but I'm thankful for my teammates, they really picked me up (and) my coaches stay on me about just sticking to what I do best."
The Spartans will face a much tougher challenge in their second game. Eastern Michigan had just eight players available due to injuries and COVID-19-related issues.
The Fighting Irish had their scheduled Friday opener against No. 12 Tennessee canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Volunteers' program. Notre Dame won its opening game 19 consecutive campaigns under coach Mike Brey until a 76-65 loss to North Carolina last season.
Notre Dame, coming off a 20-12 season, is led by guard Prentiss Hubb (12.1 points, 5.1 assists per game last season). Hubb is joined in the backcourt by Dane Goodwin (10.8 ppg) while Juwan Durham (7.8 PPG, 4.6 rpg) and Nate Laszewski (7.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) provide experienced hands up front. The starting five is rounded out by Stanford transfer Cormac Ryan.
"These guys have played a lot of college basketball," Brey said. "They've been around, been in big games. I know it has been a while, but I think poise and handling tough stretches, those are the areas we're going to talk about. We have to be calm and understand there are going to be tough stretches that our leadership must get us through."
Since 1979, the two teams have met just twice, splitting a pair of ACC/Big Ten Challenge games in 2014-15 and 2017-18.
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 13 Michigan State seeks 2-0 start vs. Notre Dame

No. 13 Michigan State seeks 2-0 start vs. Notre Dame Foster Loyer found his shooting stroke during Michigan State's opener. He'll ...

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New on Sports Illustrated: Marcus Carr scores 28 points, leads Minnesota over LMU 88-73

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-basketball/game/2289744">
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Marcus Carr scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half and Minnesota beat Loyola Marymount 88-73 on Saturday night.
Both Gach added 17 points and Liam Robbins had 10 for the Golden Gophers (2-0). Carr, Gach, and Robbins combined for seven of the Gophers' eight 3-pointers.
Joe Quintana scored 19 points to lead five players in double-figure scoring for LMU (1-1). Eli Scott added 14 points and Dameane Douglas had 10, and each had a game-high nine rebounds.
Gach scored the first four points of the second half and added an alley-oop for a Jarvis Omersa dunk to cap a 24-12 run that stretched the Gophers' lead to 65-49 midway through the second half. Omersa received a technical foul for hanging on the rim.
RARE REPEAT
The teams will play again on Monday at Williams Arena. Due to COVID-19 restrictions in Minnesota, the Gophers are only allowed to play one opponent during a three-day span at home. LMU will replace North Dakota State. It will be the first time each team played consecutive opponents during the regular season.
ALMOST A GOPHER
Mattias Markusson, a 7-3 Swedish center, scored six points for LMU. Markusson entered the transfer portal and Minnesota, along with Louisville and San Diego State, were finalists. The senior is the Lions' all-time leader in field goal percentage at .591.
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For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP-Top25
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: Marcus Carr scores 28 points, leads Minnesota over LMU 88-73

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Marcus Carr scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half and Minnesota beat Loyola Marymount 88-73 on Saturday night. Bot...

New on Sports Illustrated: LSU looks to rebound vs. SE Louisiana

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-basketball/game/2289065">
LSU has given up a lot of points in its first two games of the season. Southeastern Louisiana has had a hard time scoring points in its first two games.
One of those trends will change when the Tigers (1-1) and Lions (0-2) meet Monday night in Baton Rouge, La.
LSU won its opener against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, 94-81, then lost to Saint Louis, 85-81.
"It's kind of the same old story," Tigers coach Will Wade said. "Our defense and rebounding has got to improve. We're going to keep working at it until we get it right."
LSU's first two opponents shot a combined 53.1 percent on field goals and 45.1 percent on 3-pointers.
"We've obviously got some work to do," Wade said. "We'll get it fixed. If we're going to be the team we want to be, we've got to dig in and be a little bit better defensively and be better on the glass."
The Tigers have shot the ball well themselves, making 52.7 percent of their field goals and 42 percent of their 3-pointers.
Freshman Cam Thomas scored 27 and 25 points in his first two college games.
The Lions shot 30.3 percent and made just one of 28 3-pointers in a 67-63 overtime loss at Purdue Fort Wayne in their season opener. They shot 39.7 percent and 4 of 21 from 3-point range in an 84-59 loss to Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday.
"I think this team is extremely focused," Nick Caldwell, who leads Southeastern Louisiana in scoring (11.5 ppg). "It's going to be a tough month but I think it will test the entire team's toughness and make us better when we start conference."
Southeastern will be playing the third game in a 10-game road trip to start the season, the longest road trip in program history.
"It's going to be tough," guard Byron Smith said. "The key is just staying focused, watching a lot of film and understanding that preparation for each game is the same no matter where we play."
The road trip will prepare the Lions for their first home game, which is their Southland Conference opener against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Jan. 2.
"This is a very motivated team that brings the best out of each other," Smith said. "We are all in it for the main goal which is to compete for a conference title."
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: LSU looks to rebound vs. SE Louisiana

LSU has given up a lot of points in its first two games of the season. Southeastern Louisiana has had a hard time scoring points in its fir...

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New on Sports Illustrated: North Carolina counting on youngsters against UNLV

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-basketball/game/2273040">
North Carolina is putting its fortunes on the offensive end in the hands of freshmen.
It's just a matter of which newcomers will be most crucial for the No. 16 Tar Heels when they meet UNLV in a first-round game of the relocated Maui Invitational on Monday night at the downtown arena in Asheville, N.C.
"We weren't nearly as smooth offensively as I wanted us to be," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said of the season-opening 79-60 victory against visiting College of Charleston.
But there were moments to relish for the Tar Heels after one game. Many of those came from the backcourt combination of freshmen Caleb Love and R.J. Davis.
"It was a different vibe," North Carolina forward Armando Bacot said of the newcomers handling the ball.
Davis and Love were the first pair of freshman guards to start North Carolina's first game of the season since Bobby Frasor and Marcus Ginyard in 2005-06.
Love posted 17 points in his college debut, while Davis scored 11. Love said he likes the possibilities.
"The team goes as the point guard goes," Love said. "(Davis and I) have to get better at more chemistry. Us as a backcourt, I think we're so lethal."
It wasn't all smooth for the Tar Heels in the first game. They saw a 14-point lead turn into a one-point deficit before finding their footing again.
"I liked what happened to our team," Williams said of dealing with the Cougars' second-half comeback.
UNLV didn't have such a good ending to its first game of the season. The Runnin' Rebels lost 91-78 to visiting Montana State despite Bryce Hamilton's 27 points.
There's lots for second-year coach T.J. Otzelberger to fix with his team. Among the tasks: creating energy without fans in the stands.
"It is something we are going to continue to work on and drive home because we have to be a lot better than we were from an effort and competitive standpoint from start to finish," Otzelberger said.
Nick Blake notched 16 points for the Runnin' Rebels in the opener. Only three scholarship players had appeared in a game for UNLV prior to the Montana State game.
On the to-do list for North Carolina is an improved shooting performance.
"I think we're going to be a much better shooting team than we were last year," Williams said. "We didn't show it (in the first game)."
New faces also could play a key role for the Tar Heels. One of them is freshman Day'Ron Sharpe, who scored 13 points in his debut. Walker Kessler and Puff Johnson are likely to see more action after some of their preseason activity was reduced due to COVID-19 protocols.
"They're back with us," Williams said. "They're good and gave us a few minutes. Hopefully they'll help us down the road."
North Carolina holds a 4-1 all-time series lead vs. UNLV. They most recently met on Dec. 29, 2012, in a game won by the Tar Heels.
The Maui Invitational was moved from Hawaii because of the coronavirus pandemic. Otzelberger is counting on his team improving before the Mountain West season.
"Those are opportunities we will embrace as we continue to move our program forward," he said.
North Carolina and UNLV are in the same bracket of the tournament with Alabama and Stanford, with a semifinal matchup coming Tuesday and a consolation-bracket game for Monday night's losing teams.
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: North Carolina counting on youngsters against UNLV

North Carolina is putting its fortunes on the offensive end in the hands of freshmen. It's just a matter of which newcomers will be mo...

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New on Sports Illustrated: Kansas State looks to avoid 0-3 in UMKC matchup

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-basketball/game/2276198">
Kansas State is saddled with an 0-2 start for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
With Missouri-Kansas City coming to Manhattan, Kan. on Monday night, the Wildcats will look to avoid their first 0-3 start since 1965-66.
UMKC (2-1) will be looking to rebound from its first setback of the season to Southeast Missouri State on Saturday. Neither of the Kangaroos' victories came against NCAA Division I opponents.
K-State opened the season with back-to-back double-digit losses home to Drake (80-70) and Colorado (76-58). The Wildcats were tied or led in the second half of both games before fading down the stretch.
"We made some progress, but tonight it was 20-some," head coach Bruce Weber said following the Colorado loss regarding his team giving 40 minutes of effort. "Now we've got to get to 25-30."
Weber's crew has struggled with depth this season because of positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing. Many days, the Wildcats could only practice 4-on-4 because there weren't enough available players for 5-on-5.
Combined with the fact that there are nine new players on this year's team, finding cohesion has been difficult.
"I think the thing that happens is they try to go make plays on their own, instead of letting the game come," Weber said. "And part of that is practice. Being together, playing together, understanding when we need a shot, getting it to the right people at the right time. It's just going to be a matter of time, working together and working through some of these things."
The Wildcats have been led by senior Mike McGuirl, the lone player with more than one year's experience on the team. McGuirl is averaging 15.0 points per game. Freshman Nijel Pack is averaging 10.5 point per game.
UMKC has five players averaging in double-figures, led by Josiah Allick (19.0). The 'Roos are shooting 66 percent from the floor, including 35.1 percent from three-point range.
Their loss to SEMO was decided late when the Redhawks hit a 3-pointer to ice the game.
"We didn't finish plays, we fouled, we have to play better defensively," head coach Billy Donlon said. "We cannot give our opponent 35 attempts at the line.
"We will grow from it; we will get better. This team will be playing its best basketball in February."
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: Kansas State looks to avoid 0-3 in UMKC matchup

Kansas State is saddled with an 0-2 start for the first time since the 2002-03 season. With Missouri-Kansas City coming to Manhattan, Kan....

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New on Sports Illustrated: St. John's looks to stay perfect vs. BC

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-basketball/game/2280228">
The St. John's Red Storm and the Boston College Eagles are set to meet on Monday night in a non-conference, neutral-court game in Uncasville, Conn.
Boston College (1-1) battled No. 3 Villanova in its opener before losing 76-67. The Eagles then rebounded and defeated Rhode Island, 69-64.
St. John's (2-0) is off to a great start after beating Saint Peter's and LaSalle. Red Storm newcomer Vince Cole, a 6-5 junior-college transfer, was named the MVP of the Lapchick Tournament, won by St. John's. Cole, a two-time junior-college All-American, is averaging 20.0 points and shooting 46.2 percent on 3-point attempts.
Two other Storm newcomers -- freshman Posh Alexander and junior-college transfer Isaih Moore -- were named to the five-player all-tournament team. Alexander is averaging 12.0 points, 4.0 steals and 3.0 assists. The 6-foot-10 Moore is averaging 10.5 points and is leading the team in rebounds (8.0).
"We have to continue to get better," Storm coach Mike Anderson said. "We have to shore up the live-ball turnovers.
"When you have two guys out, you are asking a lot of your newcomers. We have two double-figure scorers who are not even on the court right now."
Anderson was referring to 6-8 wing Julian Champagnie, who has missed two straight games due to a sprained ankle, and guard Rasheem Dunn, who missed the second game due to a concussion.
"Julian will be a game-time decision on Monday," Anderson said. "Rasheem took a spill, got some stitches and is at home. He is going through the concussion protocol."
Anderson said he is grateful to have Cole, who played off the bench in the first game before moving into the starting lineup against LaSalle.
"He has a knack for getting buckets -- he can score," Anderson said. "You got to have guys you can go to (like Cole). He came in with that reputation as a scorer, but he's also getting more in tune on defense. He's just finding his way."
Meanwhile, the Eagles are led by Wynston Tabbs, a 6-2, third-year guard who missed half his freshman year and all of last season due to left-knee surgery. On Thursday, however, Tabbs produced the first double-double of his career, getting 16 points and a career-high 10 rebounds against Rhode Island.
Tabbs, who had missed 676 days between games, is averaging 13.5 points in two contests this season. He averaged 13.9 points as a freshman.
Up front, Steffon Mitchell is BC's rock. He has made 84 starts and is averaging 9.0 points and 9.5 rebounds this season. Last season, he made the ACC's All-Defensive team.
"Any coach would want a guy like Mitchell," BC sixth-year coach Jim Christian said. "He doesn't need the ball every possession to dictate play."
Rich Kelly, a 6-1 graduate transfer from Quinnipiac, is averaging 10.0 points off the Eagles bench.
One issue for the Eagles, however, is the foot injury that forced guard Jay Heath to miss BC's second game. In the opener, Heath had 16 points on 7-for-14 shooting. He averaged 13.1 points last season, which was second best on the team.
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: St. John's looks to stay perfect vs. BC

The St. John's Red Storm and the Boston College Eagles are set to meet on Monday night in a non-conference, neutral-court game in Uncas...

New on Sports Illustrated: Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill Chasing NFL Records vs. Buccaneers

<a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/11/30/patrick-mahomes-tyreek-hill-chiefs-nfl-yardage-records">
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and wide receiver Tyreek Hill challenged two longstanding NFL records on Sunday.
<figure><img height="349" src="https://www.si.com/.image/c_fit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTc3MTY5Njg5MTAzODM2OTIx/patrick-mahomes-kansas-city-chiefs.jpg" width="620" /></figure>
The Chiefs sport the most explosive offense in the NFL, and Kansas City's dynamic duo chased the record books in a matchup against the Buccaneers on Sunday. 
Kansas City wide receiver Tyreek Hill tallied 210 receiving yards in the first half in Tampa Bay, challenging the all-time single-game yardage record. And Hill's quarterback started the contest on a similar pace. 
Patrick Mahomes entered the locker room at halftime with 359 passing yards, putting him on pace to set the single-game passing yardage record.
</a><a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/02/03/patrick-mahomes-chiefs-nfl-mvp-award-kansas-city-quarterback">Mahomes won MVP</a> in 2018, and he <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/02/03/kansas-city-chiefs-patrick-mahomes-win-super-bowl-liv">won Super Bowl MVP</a> last season. But Sunday marked perhaps the greatest performance of his career.
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You have to travel far back in the annals of NFL history to find the record Mahomes is chasing on Sunday. Former Rams quarterback Norm Van Brocklin set the single-game yardage record back in 1951, throwing for 554 yards in an opening-day win over the New York Yanks. Van Brocklin won two NFL championships in his career, but no game is remembered quite like his record-setting contest nearly seven decades ago. 
Hill is challenging a record set more recently. Former Rams receiver Flipper Anderson holds the single-game yardage record for wideouts, tallying 336 yards on 15 catches in 1989. Los Angeles tallied just 20 points on the day, but Anderson's record-setting performance was enough to give the Rams a three-point victory. 
Kansas City entered Sunday's contest leading the AFC West at 9–1. The Chiefs are looking to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the Patriots in 2003-04.
This post will be updated at the conclusion of Sunday's game.

New on Sports Illustrated: Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill Chasing NFL Records vs. Buccaneers

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and wide receiver Tyreek Hill challenged two longstanding NFL records on Sunday. The Chiefs sport the ...

New on Sports Illustrated: Len Bias, Paul Pierce Headline 2021 College Basketball Hall of Fame Class

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/30/college-basketball-hall-of-fame-len-bias-paul-pierce-antawn-jamison">
The College Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2021 includes Len Bias, Paul Pierce and Antawn Jamison.
Former Maryland star Len Bias, a two-time All-American who died of a drug overdose days after being selected with the No. 2 pick in the 1986 NBA draft, was selected for induction to the College Basketball Hall of Fame's class of 2021 on Sunday.
Bias is one of six players and two coaches to be inducted. The other players include: Kansas's Paul Pierce, North Carolina's Antawn Jamison, Ohio State's Jim Jackson, UCLA's David Greenwood and Bradley's Hersey Hawkins.
Coaches Tom Penders and Rick Byrd were also inducted into the Hall of Fame. Penders, 75, amassed over 600 career victories and led Rhode Island, Texas, George Washington and Houston to the NCAA tournament. Byrd, 67, coached at Belmont for 33 years, leading the Bruins to eight NCAA tournaments.
Bias won the ACC's Player of the Year Award in 1985 and 1986, averaging 20.9 points per game across the two seasons. He helped lead the Terrapins to two Sweet Sixteen appearances during his college career.
Pierce starred for the Jayhawks for three seasons, and was a first-team All-American as a junior in 1998. That season, Jamison was named the consensus National Player of the Year after averaging 22.2 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He helped lead North Carolina to its 14th Final Four appearance in program history. Both players skipped their senior seasons and were taken among the top 10 picks in the 1998 NBA draft.
The class of 2021 will be enshrined in a ceremony in Kansas City next November.
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: Len Bias, Paul Pierce Headline 2021 College Basketball Hall of Fame Class

The College Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2021 includes Len Bias, Paul Pierce and Antawn Jamison. Former Maryland star Len Bias, a two-...

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New on Sports Illustrated: Key Takeaways From Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. Bout and Legends Only League Debut

<a href="https://www.si.com/boxing/2020/11/29/mike-tyson-roy-jones-legends-only-league-results">
The first night of the Legends Only League was a successful premiere.
Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. stayed competitive throughout their eight-round exhibition, ending the opening night of Tyson’s Legends Only League with a draw—and, perhaps, leaving viewers wanting to see more.
<figure><img height="349" src="https://www.si.com/.image/c_fit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTc3MTUzMTkwNTIzODM5NjQ5/mike-tyson-roy-jones.jpg" width="620" /></figure>
Long past their primes, there were moments when the 54-year-old Tyson’s hooks made the viewer question the year, hitting the 51-year-old Jones with body shots and presenting a far more respectable outing than he did in an embarrassing loss to Kevin McBride in 2005. Though fleeting, both fighters had moments where they reminded the paying audience why they were once elite, and neither looked out of place in the setting.
There were also points during the bout where it looked exactly like an exhibition, most noticeably with a fatigued Tyson cutting his punches short in the final three rounds and instead sparring with Jones instead of hitting the knockout blow. That was emblematic of the entire night, as this was an entertainment show that featured the occasional fight. But even though it was bereft of some of the normal fight card touches, this show offered a fun presentation of boxing that never mocked the sport.
Hosted (yes, there was a host) by Mario Lopez, the broadcast team of Mauro Ranallo, Israel Adesanya, and “Sugar” Ray Leonard called the fights. The mellifluous Michael Buffer performed the ring announcing, and just to reinforce this was anything but an ordinary fight night, there were musical acts throughout, most notably by Snoop Dogg, YG, and Wiz Khalifa.
Taking place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the pay per view delivered an incredibly high level with its production values. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there was no crowd in attendance, but the dark, smokey set was effective in highlighting the action in the ring instead of lamenting the fact that paying customers were not in the building. There was a captivating, pro wrestling vibe to the ring entrances, and the LED boards behind the ring added a tremendous amount to the broadcast.
Here are the results from the pay per view:
-- Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. fought to a draw in the main event heavyweight bout
-- Jake Paul knocked out Nate Robinson in a light heavyweight bout
-- Badou Jack defeated Blake McKernan by unanimous decision in a light heavyweight bout
-- Jamaine Ortiz defeated Sulaiman Segawa by referee stoppage to win the vacant WBC USNBC Silver Lightweight Championship
-- Edward Vazquez defeated Irvin Gonzalez by split decision to win the vacant WBC USNBC Featherweight Championship
And here are my takeaways from an enjoyable show:
Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. accomplished what they set out to do, which was put on an entertaining bout that was worth the price of the pay per view.
<figure><img height="568" src="https://www.si.com/.image/c_fit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTc3MTUzMjMyOTM2NjQyMjk3/courtesy-joe-scarnici_4.jpg" width="620" /></figure>
Tyson had his moments where he owned the ring, and Jones fans had to have delighted in seeing his patented no-look jab. There was also far too much clinching and smothering, but they never reached a low point nor did they set back the sport. Incredibly, the entire night turned out to be a tribute to boxing, with performances from hungry young stars like Edward Vazquez and Jamaine Ortiz, as well as a dominant outing from Badou Jack. Tyson and Jones were the draws, and they delivered a more-than-respectable exhibition to close out the night.
****
Nate Robinson’s fight against Jake Paul was remarkably similar to his NBA career, as he was all offense and no defense.
The winner of three NBA Slam Dunk competitions, Robinson also had moments where he played a key role for the Boston Celtics in their 2010 NBA Finals defeat of the Los Angeles Lakers, but his bout against Jake Paul will not be added to the highlight reel.
Robinson was knocked out in the second round by Paul’s overhand right. He was too aggressive, continually leaving himself open, which set up a sequence that nearly knocked him out at the beginning of the first round, then led to the KO in round two.
Following the win, Paul called out Conor McGregor for a fight. No one should hold their breath for that bout to occur any time soon.
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****
There were more than just fights to this card. In addition to some very good hip-hop performances, a standout performance took place in the broadcast booth.
Israel Adesanya has no plans to leave the UFC, where is the reigning Middleweight Champion, <a href="https://www.si.com/mma/2020/11/19/israel-adesanya-broadcast-team-mike-tyson-roy-jones">but he was phenomenal on the broadcast</a>. He had instant chemistry with Mauro Ranallo, who was announced on Saturday as Al Bernstein’s replacement. Adesanya’s passion was visible and he clearly did his homework for the fight. He also had some fantastic delivery, most notably when dropping insight on the one-sided Badou Jack-Blake McKernan bout, stating, “I’d like to say that was a fight, but that was an ass-whipping.”
Snoop Dogg also joined the socially distant broadcast booth, which led to a mention of Snoop’s cousin, pro wrestler Sasha Banks by Ranallo, who is a former WWE broadcaster.
****
Badou Jack and Mauro Ranallo carved their names into history tonight, as both hold the distinction of being part of Tyson-Jones as well as the Mayweather-McGregor fight card from August of 2017.
Jack, who is donating his full purse to charity, used the fight against Blake McKernan as much-needed exposure to build interest for a rematch with Jean Pascal. Entering the McKernan fight, Jack had dropped two in a row, including a split decision defeat to Pascal last December.
Jack could not deliver the flashy knockout, but he blasted McKernan throughout the eight-round bout. McKernan absorbed an outrageous amount of punishment, eating shot after shot. Jack earned the victory via unanimous decision, and though boxing is a highly political world, there is no one more deserving for a bout with Pascal than Jack.
**** 
The first night of the Legends Only League was a successful premiere.
The structure of the card was smart. It began with up-and-coming talent opening the night, a showcase of one legitimate boxer in Badou Jack to add credibility, and then influencers in Jake Paul and Nate Robinson. The main event featured two big draws, especially Mike Tyson. That is a recipe that can work, permitting the shows don’t run too often.
The draw was an odd way to finish the night. Tyson clearly won six of the eight rounds against Jones, so a rematch between Tyson and Jones will only tell us that this draw was preordained. But there is plenty of potential moving forward, including the intrigue of a Tyson-Evander Holyfield showdown.
This speaks to both his charisma and the lack of current boxing draws, but as the calendar approaches 2021, this pay per view proved there is still interest in watching Tyson box.
Justin Barrasso can be reached at <a href="mailto:JBarrasso@gmail.com">JBarrasso@gmail.com</a>. Follow him on Twitter @<a href="https://twitter.com/JustinBarrasso">JustinBarrasso</a>.

New on Sports Illustrated: Key Takeaways From Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. Bout and Legends Only League Debut

The first night of the Legends Only League was a successful premiere. Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. stayed competitive throughout their eig...

New on Sports Illustrated: SI Top 10: Big Ten's Wobbly Week Opens the Door for Another Tier of Contenders

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/29/si-top-10-big-ten-wobbly-week-thanksgiving">
Ohio State may be shut out of the Big Ten championship and Northwestern suffered its first loss of the season on Saturday. Which teams could benefit?
When the greatest active coach in college football cannot participate in his No. 1-ranked team’s rivalry game, you would assume that is the dominant headline of the weekend—any weekend. But on the same day Nick Saban missed the Iron Bowl after
</a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/25/nick-saban-covid-positive-alabama-auburn">testing positive for COVID-19</a>, a woman <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/28/vanderbilt-sarah-fuller-first-woman-power-5-football-kicker">played in a Southeastern Conference game</a> and a MAC running back tied the NCAA single-game record with eight rushing touchdowns.
This 2020 season can’t stop, won’t stop, with the story angles.
Sarah Fuller etched her name into history as the first woman to play in a Power 5 conference game, kicking off for Vanderbilt against Missouri and then <a href="https://bit.ly/33nUjDw">charming the socks off everyone after the game</a>. At the same time, Buffalo’s diminutive Jaret Patterson was <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/28/buffalo-jarret-patterson-ties-ncaa-record-for-rushing-touchdowns-in-game">shredding Kent State for 409 rushing yards</a> (second-most in FBS history) and those eight TDs. Patterson also now has 710 rushing yards in his last two games, which is assuredly an FBS record.
<figure><img height="465" src="https://www.si.com/.image/c_fit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTc3MTUxMTUzMDk4NzI5MjA5/gettyimages-1229842975.jpg" width="620" />
<figcaption>Buffalo Bulls running back Jaret Patterson runs with the ball for a touchdown during the first half against the Kent State Golden Flashes.</figcaption>
</figure>
There were other momentous happenings during this holiday weekend, as a pair of undefeated teams were swept aside. Oregon was <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/28/oregon-state-upsets-oregon-pac-12-college-football">upset by rival Oregon State</a>, dealing a likely death blow to the Pac-12’s already slim College Football Playoff hopes. (The Ducks were only 15th in the first CFP rankings, which tells you how far that league had to go just to get into contention.) Northwestern’s late-starting, low-scoring winning formula fell apart in an <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/29/michigan-state-upsets-northwestern-first-loss">upset loss to a bad Michigan State team</a>, likely ejecting the Wildcats from playoff consideration unless they win out.
The Northwestern loss couples with Ohio State’s <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/23/college-football-week-13-game-postponements-cancel-covid-19">COVID-19-related game cancellation at Illinois</a> to put the Big Ten into further turmoil. The Buckeyes (4-0) would likely be eliminated from conference title eligibility if they missed another game, and many teams that have a one-week virus problem ultimately have a two-week virus problem. Within the Big Ten, both Wisconsin and Maryland missed consecutive weeks.
If Ohio State can’t play Saturday against Michigan State, it will be looking at a five-game regular season that almost certainly precludes a spot in the title game. Then it would be up to the selection committee to decide whether a team that plays about half as many games as its prime competitors is worthy of a playoff spot.
But as Buckeyes athletic director Gene Smith pointed out on a zoom call Saturday morning, football concerns are not foremost in Columbus this weekend. “Last thing on my mind,” Smith said, when asked about the possible permutations involved in playing for Big Ten and national championships.
One other Big Ten storyline: Penn State (1-5) won a game for the first time in 2020. That should make the team it beat, Michigan (2-4), feel even worse than it already does about a miserable season in Ann Arbor.
On to the Top Ten:
1. <a href="https://www.si.com/college/alabama/">Alabama</a>
Last game: <a href="https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamacentral/alabama-football-torches-auburn-in-42-13-blowout-win">beat Auburn, 42-13</a> 
Next game: at LSU Saturday
Nick Saban watching the Iron Bowl at home had to have been an all-time stresser for his wife, Terry, who normally gets to watch Alabama games from a luxury box and well-removed from her high-intensity husband. “I sat here and felt a little helpless, but I could see things and yell at things, listen to Mrs. Terry cheer downstairs,” Saban said. “It is a little different. It still feels good to win.”
Saban watched his Crimson Tide offensive juggernaut roll on, posting a 21st consecutive game scoring at least 35 points — and NCAA record. Receiver DeVonta Smith continued his spectacular play since running mate Jaylen Waddle was injured against Tennessee; in the past three games Smith has 27 catches for 518 yards and eight touchdowns. Meanwhile, the continued evolution of Alabama’s defense has made the Tide a complete team and ended any serious debate about who is No. 1.
2. <a href="https://www.si.com/college/notredame/">Notre Dame</a>
Last game: <a href="https://www.si.com/college/notredame/football/notre-dame-football-beats-north-carolina">beat North Carolina, 31-17</a> 
Next game: Syracuse Saturday
The Fighting Irish gave up 14 points in the first 12 minutes at North Carolina Friday, spurring thoughts of a Tar Heels ambush. But defensive coordinator Clark Lea dialed in his adjustments thereafter and limited UNC to just three points the rest of the game as Notre Dame rolled to 9-0. The pet phrase in the sport these days is “complementary football,” and the Irish are playing that—offense, defense and special teams working on concert. The only real concern about Notre Dame the first few weeks was whether the offense was explosive enough, but the Irish have steadily added to their roster of playmakers as the season has progressed. This marked a sixth straight game racking up more than 425 yards total offense.
DELLENGER: <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/28/notre-dame-bruising-counter-spread-age">Bruising Irish Offer Something That's Missing in the Spread Age</a>
3. <a href="https://www.si.com/college/clemson/">Clemson</a>
Last game: <a href="https://www.si.com/college/clemson/football/clemsons-31-first-quarter-points-leads-to-easy-win-over-pitt">beat Pittsburgh, 52-17</a> 
Next game: at Virginia Tech Saturday
This was the first time we’ve seen the Tigers since losing to Notre Dame Nov. 7, and the first time we’ve seen star quarterback Trevor Lawrence since Oct. 24. Lawrence’s month-plus COVID sabbatical did not diminish his skills—he was 26-of-37 for 403 passing yards, the second-highest total of his career—and as expected, a pent-up Clemson pounced quickly on an overmatched opponent. The score of this one was 31-0 in the first quarter, the highest-scoring first quarter in school history. Clemson also joined Florida State’s 2013 national championship squad as the only ACC teams ever to score 34 or more points in each of the first nine games of a season.
4. <a href="https://www.si.com/college/ohiostate/">Ohio State</a>
Last game: beat Indiana, 42-35, Nov. 21 
Next game: at Michigan State Saturday
This is where the intrigue lies going forward. Can the Buckeyes play their last two regular-season games, and if so, with how many players and coaches? Team doctor Jim Borchers said Saturday morning that Ohio State surpassed the Big Ten’s 7.5 percent positive-rate threshold for its team population, which numbers 170 people—that means least 13 positives among players, coaches and staff. Presumably that rate will need to decrease below the threshold for Ohio State to play at Michigan State Saturday, although athletic director Gene Smith said his team could have taken the field at Illinois as scheduled. “Could we have played? Sure,” Smith said. “Was it the right thing to play? No.” For his part, coach Ryan Day said his team can have adequate prep for the Spartans with a full practice Thursday and a walk-through Friday. We’ll see whether Ohio State can meet that bare-minimum preparation deadline.
5. Cincinnati
Last game: beat Central Florida 36-33, Nov. 21 
Next game: at Tulsa Dec. 12
The Bearcats’ game at Temple was canceled. While playing the 1-6 Owls would not have helped Cincy’s strength of schedule, it lost the potential for earning style points with a big win at a time when some playoff competitors were struggling. Clearing Northwestern out of the unbeaten ranks helps Cincinnati, which ultimately could wind up in a playoff resumé battle with a second team from the SEC or a second from the ACC. The Bearcats need to root for an upset loss or two in those conferences.
6. Texas A&M
Last game: <a href="https://www.si.com/college/lsu/football/lsu-offense-falls-flat-to-texas-am">beat LSU, 20-7</a> 
Next game: at Auburn Saturday
The Aggies nearly had their first shutout of the Jimbo Fisher Era, but the Tigers scored in the final minute on a rainy Saturday night in College Station. Still, A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko has really started to dial in his unit, holding the past two opponents to a total of 10 points while recording five takeaways. That defensive performance helped offset an ugly game from mercurial quarterback Kellen Mond (11-of-34 for 105 yards, but no turnovers for the third straight game). The Aggies’ more reliable offensive performer continues to be running back Isaiah Spiller, who racked up 141 rushing yards on 27 carries against LSU.
7. <a href="https://www.si.com/college/florida/">Florida</a>
Last game: <a href="https://www.si.com/college/florida/football/florida-gators-football-kentucky-wildcats-game-recap-victory-kyle-pitts">beat Kentucky, 34-10</a> 
Next game: at Tennessee Saturday
The dominant image from the Gators’ victory Saturday was head coach Dan Mullen ripping into defensive coordinator Todd Grantham during the first half, when the Gators could not stop Kentucky from methodically monopolizing the ball. Grantham eventually returned fire in a yelling match that kept going for a while, perhaps underscoring Mullen’s frustration with a defense that has not played particularly well this season. Mullen deflected a question about it afterward with a joke: "I'll be honest with you," Mullen said, not being honest in the slightest. "I got home from Thanksgiving dinner. We're neighbors. He had his Christmas lights up on the front door. I said. 'We don't put Christmas lights up until after Thanksgiving.' He was adamant that, 'Yes, we do.' So we agreed to disagree.” The disagreements subsided in a second half that saw Grantham’s defense shut out Kentucky, while tight end Kyle Pitts returned from injury to catch three touchdowns.
8. <a href="https://www.si.com/college/byu/">BYU</a>
Last game: beat North Alabama, 66-14, Nov. 21 
Next game: San Diego State Dec. 12
The Cougars are in the Twilight Zone, not playing an FBS opponent for several weeks. An attempt to quickly schedule a game against Washington fell through, with both programs basically pointing the finger at the other for not making it work. (This is universally true in scheduling disagreements, not just on-the-fly COVID scheduling.) As of now, BYU remains a very good team without enough good games on its schedule, and after being stuck with a No. 14 ranking in the first CFP standings, playoff hopes are a telescoping long shot.
9. <a href="https://www.si.com/college/indiana/">Indiana</a>
Last game: <a href="https://www.si.com/college/indiana/football/indiana-uses-dominating-run-game-to-beat-maryland-big-ten-east-showdown">beat Maryland, 27-11</a> 
Next game: at Wisconsin Saturday
The Hoosiers survived the worst career start for quarterback Michael Penix Jr., a struggle that ended with a leg injury in the third quarter. Penix’s status will be evaluated after “some more tests, figure it out,” coach Tom Allen said after the slog past Maryland. Indiana’s special season isn’t likely to gain any additional altitude without Penix, especially with Wisconsin next on the schedule, but it can take heart in winning this one largely without him. Indiana pounded out 230 yards on the ground and produced three more defensive takeaways, giving the Hoosiers defense a whopping 16 interceptions on the season.
10. Miami
Last game: beat Virginia Tech, 25-24, Nov. 14 
Next game: North Carolina Dec. 12
The Hurricanes currently are looking at what might be the longest gap between games of any ranked team this season, going from Nov. 14 to Dec. 12 after their game scheduled for Dec. 5 against Wake Forest was canceled Saturday. Miami still could have an outside shot at the ACC championship game, but it needs losses from Clemson and/or Notre Dame and it needs to play some more games. Check back to see whether the ACC finds an opponent for Miami next Saturday in its now-weekly reshuffling of the schedule.

New on Sports Illustrated: SI Top 10: Big Ten's Wobbly Week Opens the Door for Another Tier of Contenders

Ohio State may be shut out of the Big Ten championship and Northwestern suffered its first loss of the season on Saturday. Which teams coul...

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New on Sports Illustrated: Michigan State Hands No. 8 Northwestern Its First Loss of the Season

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/29/michigan-state-upsets-northwestern-first-loss">
Northwestern will likely slip quite a bit in the College Football Playoff rankings after reaching its highest AP ranking since 1996.
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Matt Coghlin made a tiebreaking 48-yard field goal with 3:35 left, and Michigan State handed No. 8  Northwestern its first loss of the season with a 29-20 victory Saturday.
The Wildcats (5-1, 5-1) were coming off a 17-7 victory over Wisconsin that put them in contention for a spot in the College Football Playoff. That prospect likely was dashed with the loss to the Spartans, but they remain in control of the Big Ten West.
The Spartans (2-3, 2-3) lost a 17-0 lead, but went back ahead by forcing three turnovers in the fourth quarter and making the most of two big kicks by Coghlin.
Northwestern grabbed a 20-17 lead early in the fourth on Cam Porter’s 3-yard run.
The Spartans rallied on Coghlin’s 44-yard field goal after forcing a turnover one snap following Rocky Lombardi’s interception.
Northwestern turned the ball over again, and receiver Berkeley Holman was carted off the field following the play.
Shakur Brown broke on Peyton Ramsey’s pass
</a><a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/29/northwestern-berkeley-holman-carted-off-michigan-state">and made contact with Holman</a>, who lay motionless on the field while the school’s medical staff evaluated him.
Holman was carefully strapped to a backboard and lifted onto a cart. After Holman’s teammates surrounded him to offer support, he lifted his left arm and extended his thumb.
The Wildcats punted on their next possession, facing a fourth-and-10 from their 22, with a few minutes left.
Lombardi converted a third-and-8 from his 38 with a run after Northwestern called a timeout, taking time off the clock until punting from midfield with 32 seconds left.
The Wildcats ended the game by throwing laterals from deep in their end, trying to extend the play as time expired, only to have the Spartans recover the ball in the end zone for a touchdown at a fan-free game.

New on Sports Illustrated: Michigan State Hands No. 8 Northwestern Its First Loss of the Season

Northwestern will likely slip quite a bit in the College Football Playoff rankings after reaching its highest AP ranking since 1996. EAST ...

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New on Sports Illustrated: Northwestern WR Berkeley Holman Carted Off After Collision With Michigan State CB

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/11/29/northwestern-berkeley-holman-carted-off-michigan-state">
Northwestern receiver Berkeley Holman collided with Michigan State cornerback Shakur Brown.
It was a somber, scary moment at Spartan Stadium. 
Northwestern wide receiver Berkeley Holman was carted off following a helmet-to-helmet collision with Michigan State cornerback Shakur Brown. 
The collision occurred as Brown intercepted a pass intended for Holman. The medical staff had been on the field for a while before a cart and stretcher made its way out,
</a><a href="https://twitter.com/colton_pouncy/status/1332832443166990338?s=20">The Athletic's Colton Pouncy reported.</a> Holman's facemask was <a href="https://twitter.com/chrissolari/status/1332832882264457217?s=20">reportedly</a> cut off of his helmet. 
As Holman was carted off the field, the entire Northwestern squad gathering around him. The receiver raised his left arm and gave everyone watching a thumbs up. 
<div>
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The junior made his 2020 season debut in a victory over Wisconsin last week. He appeared in 12 games with two starts as a sophomore, making nine catches for 124 yards. 
Holman is <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamHoge/status/1332835718545223681?s=20">reportedly</a> awake, alert and talking, but is on the way to a local hospital for precautionary measures.

New on Sports Illustrated: Northwestern WR Berkeley Holman Carted Off After Collision With Michigan State CB

Northwestern receiver Berkeley Holman collided with Michigan State cornerback Shakur Brown. It was a somber, scary moment at Spartan Stadi...

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New on Sports Illustrated: Illinois ready for measuring-stick game against No. 3 Ohio State

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-football/game/2230252">
Illinois looks to carry the confidence from two straight victories into its home game against a seemingly vulnerable No. 3 Ohio State on Saturday.
Illinois (2-3 Big Ten and overall) forced five Nebraska turnovers in a 41-23 Illini win last Saturday to improve to 7-2 in the past two seasons when winning the turnover margin, and coach Lovie Smith sees an opportunity to measure his team against the Buckeyes (4-0, 4-0).
"We played our best ball the last time out, and we're are excited about playing one of the best teams in college football," he said Monday. "We set the bar last week. Let's see where we can go from here."
Ohio State looked shaky Saturday against Indiana, almost giving up a 28-point, third-quarter lead before prevailing 42-35.
Indiana's relentless blitzing pressured Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields into throwing his first three interceptions of the season, doubling his career total in two seasons with the Buckeyes and sacking him five times.
"We certainly could have put him in some better spots coaching-wise," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. "He also could have made some better decisions throwing the ball away in danger."
Of concern for the Buckeyes is their inability to close out games. On Nov. 7 they led Rutgers 35-3 at halftime but were outscored 24-14 in the second half for a 49-27 win.
The Hoosiers trailed 35-7 three minutes into the third quarter but rallied with Michael Penix Jr. shredding the unproven Ohio State secondary for 491 passing yards and five touchdowns, including four plays of 50-plus yards.
"The glaring issue was the big plays, and this defense was designed not to give up big plays," Day said Tuesday. "The issues are correctable."
Illinois likely will try a different route to defeat the Buckeyes for the first time in 10 tries.
Quarterback Brandon Peters returned from missing three games due to testing positive for COVID-19 and was 18 for 25 for 205 yards and a touchdown but also ran for a score as part of the Illini's 285 rushing yards and four TDs on the ground against Nebraska.
"Brandon played well, played good football, and that's what we expected from him," Smith said.
The Illini average 222.4 rushing yards per game, second in the Big Ten to the Buckeyes' 233.3 average.
"They have two extremely good backs. They both run very hard. The offensive line, they move well," Ohio State linebacker Tuf Borland said. "They have different schemes we don't see every day, so we have our work cut out for us."
Chase Brown (26 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown) surpassed 100 yards for the second straight game, and Mike Epstein tied his career rushing high with 113 yards, but getting yardage might be harder because Ohio State yielded minus-1 yard rushing on 16 carries by the Hoosiers.
Ohio State will counter with Master Teague III, who rushed for a career-high 169 yards on 26 attempts vs. the Hoosiers.
--Field Level Media
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: Illinois ready for measuring-stick game against No. 3 Ohio State

Illinois looks to carry the confidence from two straight victories into its home game against a seemingly vulnerable No. 3 Ohio State on Sa...

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New on Sports Illustrated: No. 12 Indiana looks to rebound against Terrapins

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-football/game/2230258">
Indiana football coach Tom Allen is not out for moral victories, just regular ones.
After suffering its first loss of the season at Big Ten power Ohio State, the No. 12 Hoosiers (4-1, 4-1 Big 12) will look to bounce back on Saturday when they host Maryland (2-1, 2-1) at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
Indiana rallied from down 28 points in the second half, but fell short in a 42-35 loss to the No. 3 Buckeyes. Starting quarterback Michael Penix passed for a career-high 491 yards and five touchdowns in the loss, while senior receiver Ty Fryfogle had 7 catches for 218 yards and three TDs to earn Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second straight week.
Shortly after the loss, in an impassioned postgame speech, Allen implored his team to stay together.
"Even though we did not accomplish our goal on Saturday, that does not alter the process that we go through to recreate what we want on game day, which is a win at the end of the day," Allen said. "So, bottom line is that we are still in that quest for four quarters of our best football. Has not happened yet and it is going to happen. And our goal is it happens on Saturday against Maryland."
Fryfogle has emerged as the most productive wide receiver in the Big Ten, with 31 catches for 642 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. Defensively, Indiana forced three more takeaways against Ohio State. The Hoosiers have a league-high 13 interceptions on the season and are tied with Northwestern for the conference lead in takeaways (15).
"We've been giving good disguises, showing a coverage here and there, and then switching it up," said Indiana safety Jamar Johnson, who had two interceptions last week against Ohio State. "Also, in the offseason and preseason we were catching jugs, doing a lot of ball drills."
Maryland will be playing its first game since beating Penn State 35-19 on Nov. 7. The Terrapins canceled their last two games against Ohio State and Michigan State due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the team.
Maryland head coach Mike Locksley, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, will coach the team virtually this week but, pending testing results, plans to return to the team and coach from the sidelines on Saturday. Locksley said the Terrapins managed to stay sharp mentally and physically through the two-week pause.
"To see those guys show back up with the right kind of mindset and attitude, going into a great opportunity like Indiana, shows that we're making steps and progress as a program," Locksley said.
The Terrapins have been led this season by transfer quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, a transfer from Alabama. Tagovailoa, the younger brother of former Alabama and current Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, has passed for 676 yards over his last two games, the most for a Maryland quarterback since Scott Milanovich passed for 692 yards in back-to-back games in 1994.
Tagovailoa also has been effective escaping the pocket with 56 yards rushing and two rushing scores this season.
"Anytime a quarterback can beat you with his arm and his legs it is a big concern and so you got to do a tremendous job of containing him," Allen said.
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 12 Indiana looks to rebound against Terrapins

Indiana football coach Tom Allen is not out for moral victories, just regular ones. After suffering its first loss of the season at Big Te...

New on Sports Illustrated: Kansas State, Baylor set for chance at redemption

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-football/game/2228666">
Two teams limping down the stretch will square off Saturday night as Baylor hosts Kansas State at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas.
The Bears have lost five straight since winning their first game against Kansas. K-State hasn't won since a 55-14 defeat of Kansas helped the Wildcats reach No. 16 in the AP poll. Their third straight defeat, a 45-0 whitewashing at Iowa State, was their worst loss in five seasons.
"Hopefully they're a little ticked off," K-State coach Chris Klieman said Monday when asked about his players' attitudes. "In the same respect, our leaders are tremendous leaders. We had a good week of practice last week after a tough loss to Oklahoma State. I can promise you that we'll have a good week of practice this week after a tough loss to Iowa State.
"It's part of the learning process."
Kansas State (4-4, 4-3 Big 12) has a slim chance at a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game, but the Wildcats have to win out (they host Texas on Dec. 5) and they need some help.
The first thing they need is to get healthy. They've been battling COVID-19 absences all year, several times finding out the day before games that they'd have enough players to play. They defeated Oklahoma on the road in that situation in the conference opener, but against the Cyclones the lack of practice time was evident.
K-State's biggest problem has been finding consistency on offense. True freshmen quarterback Will Howard and running back Deuce Vaughn have showed signs of brilliance but also have been unimpressive at times.
With a thin margin for error for his team, Klieman isn't looking past Baylor.
"They have guys who are going to fight and battle," he said. "It's going to be a heck of a football game. I'm a huge (quarterback) Charlie Brewer fan. I think he's a winner and an exceptional college football player."
Baylor (1-5, 1-5 Big 12) has also dealt with a thin roster, to the point that they have only played six games so far. The Bears will make up their game against Oklahoma State on Dec. 12.
Baylor has been in every game, beginning with a double-overtime loss at West Virginia and most recently in a one-point loss at Texas Tech on Nov. 14. Four of their five losses have been on the road, so some home cooking might help.
Baylor's first-year coach Dave Aranda said his team has to be ready for a battle with K-State.
"I've got a lot of respect for Kansas State," he said. "Kansas State does a great job of attacking in the run game. They're really smart in their attack. It strikes you when you see it because they're subtle in the way they out-number you.
"I can see the struggles they're going through with the depth-chart changes. It's a fight, to a certain degree, we're all fighting. I've got a lot of respect for their staff, and I feel for them. I'm sure, come Saturday night they'll put up a big fight for us."
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: Kansas State, Baylor set for chance at redemption

Two teams limping down the stretch will square off Saturday night as Baylor hosts Kansas State at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas. The Bears...

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New on Sports Illustrated: NC State looks to lock in against skidding Syracuse

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-football/game/2254527">
North Carolina State struggled defensively in consecutive losses to North Carolina and Miami.
The last two games, however, have gone better for North Carolina State's defense. The Wolfpack look to continue producing on the defensive end Saturday afternoon when they visit last-place Syracuse.
The Wolfpack (6-3, 5-3 ACC) enter Saturday with two straight wins after allowing a combined 92 points to the Tar Heels and Hurricanes. Before that two-game stretch, NC State had not allowed more than 29 points since a pair of high-scoring games in the first two weeks of the season - a win over Wake Forest and a loss to Virginia Tech.
Since losing to Miami, the Wolfpack have allowed 36 points while beating Florida State and then top 25-ranked Liberty. On Saturday, the Wolfpack eked out a 15-14 win over the Flames when linebacker Vi Jones blocked a 39-yard field goal with 1:18 remaining.
The blocked field goal came on a night when NC State's defense allowed 279 yards while registering three sacks and three takeaways. The defense compensated for an offense that struggled at times by converting 4 of 14 third downs and committing nine penalties.
"Defense, obviously, was really, really good tonight," Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said. "The three takeaways, the fourth-down stop, blocked field goal to win it, they carried us. It was awesome to see those kids rise up against a really good Liberty offense."
NC State's next challenge is not letting up against an opponent ravaged by injuries and has the least effective offense in the ACC. Syracuse (1-8, 1-7 ACC) lost quarterback Tommy DeVito to injury five games ago and has sputtered offensively with an offense that ranks last in the conference in scoring (16.2 points), rushing yards (86.7) and passing yards (163).
"They are always a tough team when we play them up there," Doeren said of Syracuse, which scored 51 points against the visiting Wolfpack in 2018. "It's a team that will play hard and have an edge to them."
In Friday's 30-0 loss at Louisville, quarterback JaCobian Morgan exited with an apparent head injury after being sacked in the third quarter. Morgan completed 5 of 12 passes for 40 yards and one interception while getting sacked three times before the injury.
Morgan's status remains unknown for NC State, but Syracuse is desperate to halt a six-game losing skid. The Orange have been outscored 207-93 since beating Georgia Tech on Sept. 26.
In last Friday's loss, Syracuse finished with 137 yards, got seven first downs, and crossed midfield just three times. The defense, which started five freshmen, allowed 26 first downs and was on the field for more than 41 minutes.
"Those guys got twice as many plays as us, our defense was out there twice as many times," Orange coach Dino Babers said 'It gets to be disappointing, obviously, not being able to produce on one side of the ball. It gets extremely frustrating."
North Carolina State leads the all-time series 11-2. The Wolfpack totaled eight sacks in a 16-10 win at Raleigh last season.
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: NC State looks to lock in against skidding Syracuse

North Carolina State struggled defensively in consecutive losses to North Carolina and Miami. The last two games, however, have gone bette...

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New on Sports Illustrated: No. 7 Cincinnati focuses on AAC, not CFP, vs. Temple

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-football/game/2231454">
Undefeated and No. 7 Cincinnati might be on the edge of the conversation for the College Football Playoff, but all coach Luke Fickell said he is focusing on is getting an American Athletic Conference title for his Bearcats.
"We don't talk about outside," Fickell said after his team's 36-33 win last week over UCF. "We talk about opportunities to win a championship. We have not done that yet. If we can do that, it will give us an opportunity to continue to state our case for our league and whatever people believe in."
Next up for the Bearcats (8-0, 6-0 AAC) is Saturday's game at Temple, where a win would eliminate the possibility of any messy tie-breaking procedures to get the Bearcats into the AAC Championship Game on Dec. 19.
The Owls (1-6, 1-6 AAC) are on a five-game losing streak and are closing a frustrating season marred by COVID-19 cases and injuries.
Last week the Owls started a walk-on freshman at quarterback after Anthony Russo had a positive COVID-19 test and injuries sidelined sophomores Trad Beatty and Re-al Mitchell, who had stepped in when Russo was out four games because of a shoulder injury.
With freshman Matt Duncan suspended for violating team rules, Temple started Kamal Gray, who completed only 10 of 21 passes for 95 yards. Branden Mack moved over from his wide receiver position at the start of the second half, but went down with a shoulder injury that has sidelined him his week.
Russo has returned to practice, but coach Rod Carey said he isn't sure he will be ready for game action.
"He hasn't thrown a ball in two weeks, so we don't know," Carey said.
Gray will start again if Russo can't play.
Fickell has no such issues. His quarterback, junior Desmond Ridder, is having a banner season (66.5 completion percentage, 227.6 average yards a game passing, and 65.8 rushing), and he rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two in the win over UCF. He has rushed for 11 touchdowns and passed for 16 for the season.
"The guy never ceases to amaze me," Fickell said. "I love it when people start to doubt him or start to question what is he doing or how good is he or can he really throw the football. All those things to him just really make him better, make him lock in and focus."
The Bearcats are looking to improve to 9-0 for the first time since the 2009 team finished the regular-season 12-0 under coach Brian Kelly before losing to Florida in the Sugar Bowl.
After the trip to Temple, the Bearcats will have an open date before going to Tulsa on Dec. 12. Home field in the AAC title game could be on the line if the Golden Hurricane (5-1, 5-0 AAC) beat Houston and Navy in their next two games.
--Field Level Media
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New on Sports Illustrated: No. 7 Cincinnati focuses on AAC, not CFP, vs. Temple

Undefeated and No. 7 Cincinnati might be on the edge of the conversation for the College Football Playoff, but all coach Luke Fickell said ...

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 6 Florida aims to build another streak vs. Kentucky

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-football/game/2227892">
The No. 6-ranked Florida Gators will look to create another winning streak against Southeastern Conference foe Kentucky on Saturday in Gainesville, Fla.
The two SEC East opponents have met 70 times, with the Gators (6-1, 6-1 SEC) holding a 52-18 advantage over the Wildcats (3-5, 3-5).
But it was the teams' meeting two years ago - at Florida, where games usually have been one-sided - that stunned the college football world, as the Wildcats snapped one of the sport's longest streaks.
Kentucky used a 20-point, second-half rally to beat the Gators 27-16 on Sept. 8 that year, winning for the first time since 1986.
In the driver's seat in the SEC East after defeating rival Georgia 44-28 on Nov. 7, Florida has to defeat just two of its last three opponents - Kentucky, at Tennessee (2-5) on Dec. 5, and at home against LSU (3-3) on Dec. 12 - to clinch the division and advance to the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 19.
The Gators appeared to go through the motions for a half at winless Vanderbilt on Saturday before pulling away for a 38-17 victory. They received 383 passing yards and three touchdown passes from standout quarterback Kyle Trask, who leads the nation in TD passes with 28.
Florida coach Dan Mullen said Monday that Trask would get back his top target this weekend - star tight end Kyle Pitts (24 catches, 414 yards, eight TDs).
"He's such a playmaker, he's such a leader," said Mullen, whose squad beat Kentucky 29-21 last year. "The matchup problem he causes defenses is great to have him back with us."
The Wildcats suffered through a soul-searching loss Saturday in Tuscaloosa, falling 63-3 to top-ranked Alabama - the third-worst defeat in school history since 1950.
Three of the top four shellackings suffered by the Wildcats have come in the Sunshine State against the Gators.
With Steve Spurrier at the helm, Florida drubbed the Wildcats in 1994 and 1996 - 73-7 and 65-0, respectively - and Urban Meyer's Florida team walloped them 63-5 in 2008.
But despite most recently mounting a winning streak over Florida in 1976 and 1977, the Wildcats lately have fought fiercely in the series.
In the past six meetings, all but one game was close - Florida's 45-7 rout in 2016 - and four were decided by eight points or less.
In Saturday's bad loss to the Crimson Tide, eighth-year Kentucky coach Mark Stoops was without many key contributors, including top rusher Chris Rodriguez, who has amassed 562 yards and a team-high six touchdowns.
Kentucky started strong with 121 yards in the first quarter, but the offense generated just 27 yards in the second half and tried desperately with quarterbacks Terry Wilson, Joey Gatewood and Beau Allen.
While Stoops said there were good points to take from the big loss, junior defensive end Joshua Paschal worried about the long-term effect on younger teammates.
"This is not acceptable for us. We know that as players, as a whole football team, as a whole organization," Paschal said.
"As leaders, we are going to put it on the young guys, so the young guys know that this isn't acceptable, this is not who we are, this won't happen again."
--Field Level Media
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New on Sports Illustrated: No. 6 Florida aims to build another streak vs. Kentucky

The No. 6-ranked Florida Gators will look to create another winning streak against Southeastern Conference foe Kentucky on Saturday in Gain...

New on Sports Illustrated: Louisville, BC finally have a game date

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/college-football/game/2228881">
A moving target on the schedule appears to finally be settled as the Boston College Eagles host the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday afternoon at Chestnut Hill, Mass.
The Atlantic Coast Conference matchup had originally been set to be played Friday before being pushed back to Dec. 12 as part of schedule changes brought on by an outbreak of COVID-19 on the Miami Hurricanes. Needing to shake things up yet again after Clemson-Florida State was postponed over the weekend, the Eagles-Cardinals game moved back up to Saturday, marking the second-to-last contest of the season for each team.
Boston College (5-4, 4-4 ACC) takes the field for the first time since a 45-31 loss to No. 2 Notre Dame on Nov. 14. Louisville (3-6, 2-6) enters off a 30-0 blowout victory over Syracuse last Friday.
Louisville holds a 7-5 edge in the all-time series, though Boston College has won two of the last three meetings, including at Chestnut Hill in 2018.
This time, the Cardinals come in with serious momentum after dominating Syracuse in their most complete effort of the season. The defense held the Orange to 137 total yards, and quarterback Malik Cunningham did his part to put the game away with one touchdown apiece on the ground and in the air.
Cunningham did throw two interceptions, increasing his season total to 11. Six have come in his last three games.
Louisville is preparing to welcome back tight end Marshon Ford (272 yards, five touchdowns) from an undisclosed injury Saturday before getting three weeks off prior to its season finale Dec. 19 against Wake Forest.
"It is certainly not ideal to have a three-week layoff," said coach Scott Satterfield. "I don't really fully understand how and why we got to this point, but obviously I had no control over that, so it is what it is. We will make the most out of it."
Boston College's season is set to end on a more typical note at Virginia on Dec. 5. The team will have had two weeks off since its loss to the Fighting Irish but can take solace in the fact it hasn't dropped two games in a row all season.
"The sign of a great team is you lose a game and, just like we have all year, you fix it and you go out and you win a game," said coach Jeff Hafley. "We need to do that."
Against the Fighting Irish, the Eagles forced three turnovers, increasing their total on the season to 17, which is behind only UCF (19) among FBS teams.
--Field Level Media
</a>

New on Sports Illustrated: Louisville, BC finally have a game date

A moving target on the schedule appears to finally be settled as the Boston College Eagles host the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday aftern...