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  • Besides Bama, Georgia and Ohio State, who’s actually a contender? And who’s a pretender?

    Besides Bama, Georgia and Ohio State, who’s actually a contender? And who’s a pretender?

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    For close to 15 minutes Saturday afternoon, it seemed like Alabama was doomed. Bryce Young was hurt. Arkansas had all but erased a huge Crimson Tide lead. The college football world held its collective breath.

    For more than three quarters of action Saturday night, it seemed as if the kings had been dethroned. Georgia‘s offense sputtered. Missouri built a double-digit lead. The foundation of the college football world began to crumble.

    For five plays Saturday, Rutgers led Ohio State. No one really panicked here. It’s still Rutgers, and there was only so much stress to go around.

    In the end, college football’s Big Three of 2022 — the Buckeyes, Bulldogs and Tide — all survived. Ohio State rolled, Alabama used a pair of long runs to assert its dominance even without Young, and Stetson Bennett rallied Georgia to a 26-22 come-from-behind win. Order had been restored.

    It was a reminder that the Big Three are worthy of their place atop the sport, but also served notice that no one has a playoff berth carved into stone after just five weeks.

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    Jamon Dumas-Johnson is frustrated with Georgia’s defense as the Bulldogs give up a touchdown to go down by 10 in the second quarter to Missouri.

    Young’s injury served notice of how tenuous title hopes can be, even at a place like Alabama. And Ohio State has its own injury woes at the moment, with a trio of solid defenses awaiting on the schedule. Georgia has delivered back-to-back stinkers against the likes of Kent State and Missouri. After the game, Kirby Smart shrugged off the struggles by noting, “There’s nothing easy in the SEC.” Kansas State, which beat Missouri by 28 two weeks ago, might disagree, but who are we to argue with the coach who won last year’s national championship?

    So what happens if, one of these Saturdays, the Big Three don’t survive? Who’s next in the playoff pecking order?

    If Week 5 didn’t deliver the shocking upsets, it did offer some separation between the pretenders and contenders behind the Big Three.

    In Oxford, Ole Miss was decked out in helmets made of the same material used for those Coors Lite cans that turn blue when they’re cold, then delivered a silver bullet to Kentucky’ Wildcats playoff hopes. That the Rebels won with defense was an emphatic statement that Lane Kiffin’s team isn’t a one-dimensional attack. Kirby Smart and Jimbo Fisher each earned wins over Alabama last year, and Kiffin might now be the former Saban assistant with the best shot to upend his old boss.

    After NC State beat Clemson in double overtime last year in Raleigh, Dave Doeren celebrated with a red Solo cup and a cigar. We doubt Dabo Swinney will do the same after Clemson’s impressive 30-20 win over the 10th-ranked Wolfpack Saturday (though, perhaps he’ll indulge in a tall glass of milk and some wheat toast?), but the win was a statement that the Tigers are back in the playoff hunt in 2022. DJ Uiagalelei accounted for three total touchdowns, and the Clemson defense turned in a vintage performance, all but paying rent for the amount of time it spent in the NC State backfield.

    Baylor thwarted Oklahoma State twice last season, but on Saturday, the Cowboys delivered their response with a 36-25 win. Spencer Sanders, who struggled mightily in last year’s two losses, threw for 181 yards, ran for 75 more and accounted for two touchdowns. Mike Gundy’s team hasn’t gotten much love so far, but the Cowboys have won all four of their games by double digits and, if not for Big 12 power Kansas, would be a clear favorite to win the league.

    Iowa‘s plan to lull Michigan to sleep by playing offense failed miserably, too. The Hawkeyes punted on each of their first five full drives, which is usually a winning formula, but not against Blake Corum, who carried 29 times for 133 yards and a touchdown in Michigan’s 27-14 win.

    Meanwhile, Kentucky and NC State are likely to tumble out of the top 10. Penn State won, but served up five turnovers in an ugly performance against Northwestern. Minnesota couldn’t move the ball in a loss to the Purdue Owls with star tailback Mohamed Ibrahim sidelined. Oklahoma, Florida State and Washington all fell by the wayside in Week 5, too.

    We’re just one Saturday into October. We’re still farther from the finish line than the starting blocks. There’s little point in making sweeping declarations about the contenders at this point, but Week 5 did offer a clearer picture than we’ve had before.

    Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State keep winning — even if it hasn’t always been pretty.

    But Clemson, Michigan, Oklahoma State and others offered their own reminder that, while only four playoff invites will go out at year’s end, the Big Three don’t need to check their mailboxes just yet.

    It’s time to believe in TCU

    It’s just like we’ve been saying for weeks: It’s time the rest of the country started paying attention to the upstart Big 12 team that’s opened the season 4-0 and deserves to be ranked.

    Oh, no, not Kansas. We’re talking about TCU.

    After finishing last season 5-7 and firing Gary Patterson, the Horned Frogs were hardly considered contenders in the Big 12 this season, but Sonny Dykes has clearly injected some life into the offense, and Max Duggan has emerged as one of the nation’s most productive QBs.

    If you weren’t a believer before Saturday, the 27 points TCU hung on Oklahoma in the first quarter should’ve had you convinced. And if you’ve ever wondered how many big plays are needed before Brent Venables’ head explodes, well, this game certainly took a swing at providing an answer.

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    Taye Barber has no one anywhere near him downfield as he hauls in the 73-yard touchdown.

    TCU racked up 668 yards in the 55-24 win, including four plays of 60 yards or more.

    Duggan was sublime, throwing for 302 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 116 yards and two more scores. If the stat line looked familiar for Sooners fans, it should. In the playoff era, the only other Big 12 QB with 300 pass yards, 100 rush yards, three pass TDs and two on the ground in the same game was Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts in 2019. Duggan is just the eighth player in the playoff era from any conference to hit those marks against a Power 5 foe.

    So, if Oklahoma can officially be scratched off the list of playoff contenders, is it time to start thinking about TCU as a possible Big 12 champ?

    This is the Horned Frogs’ first 4-0 start since 2017 and they now have notable wins vs. the Sooners and SMU. They’ve put up 38 points in each of their first four games and, according to ESPN Stats & Information research, the 55 points vs. Oklahoma marked the most allowed by the Sooners since the 2019 Peach Bowl. That one came against Joe Burrow and LSU. The last time Oklahoma allowed 55 or more against an unranked foe was 2016. That one came against Patrick Mahomes. Yikes.

    Still, for all the deserved attention TCU’s big win will get, it’s worth noting the Horned Frogs couldn’t deliver on their mid-game trolling. The family of Roger Maris will now need to attend every TCU game until the Horned Frogs score 62.

    Rebels dunk UK, but hoops schools still flying high

    The Ole Miss defense delivered a brutal blow to Kentucky‘s SEC hopes Saturday with a 22-19 win, then the Ole Miss social media team delivered an even more brutal blow after the win.

    Somewhere, John Calipari is sipping a bourbon, throwing darts at a photo of Shaheen Holloway he keeps pinned to his wall and laughing. Yes, Kentucky remains a basketball school.

    The Wildcats had their chances to pull off a road win, but an early safety left Will Levis‘ finger looking like he was trying to use his hands to do long division and was left with a remainder.

    But all is not lost for the basketball schools.

    Kansas had a message to those cowards voting in the AP poll, holding Iowa State cyclones to just 26 yards on the ground in a 14-11 win. Jalen Daniels‘ Heisman campaign took a bit of a hit as he completed just seven passes for 93 yards (we’re assuming he got in early foul trouble), but the defense more than made up for the offensive shortcomings.

    Syracuse, too, moved to 5-0. The Orange played Wagner, which may or may not have been a bunch of elementary school kids standing on each others shoulders, wearing trench coats and jerseys.

    And UCLA toppled Washington in a statement win Friday night, moving the Bruins to 5-0, too.

    Add in 4-1 starts by North Carolina and Maryland, and the basketball schools are looking awfully good on the gridiron — even if Kentucky didn’t get its one shining moment at Ole Miss.

    Auburn’s luck runs out

    The Bryan Harsin Experience just keeps getting weirder.

    Last week, Harsin was down to his fourth-string QB and just inches away from a loss to Missouri that seemed sure to be the final nail in his coffin — and he survived.

    Then this week, former Alabama QB A.J. McCarron made the unsubstantiated comment that Auburn had actually already fired Harsin, but was allowing him to keep coaching for a while longer, undoubtedly following the “Office Space” principle of simply fixing the glitch in payroll and assuming Harsin would eventually realize he was no longer employed.

    Nevertheless, Harsin was back on the sideline Saturday as Auburn hosted LSU, and for the first 20 minutes of action, it looked like he might find another escape hatch as Auburn jumped out to a 17-0 lead with 9:38 left in the first half.

    Then LSU figured out its offense, and Auburn never scored again. Its second-half drives: punt, turnover on downs, interception, punt, fumbled punt return, interception.

    Auburn will now be moving Harsin’s office downstairs to Storage B. They’ve got a lot of new people coming in, and they really need all the space they can get.

    U-Can!

    Ladies and gentlemen, UConn has an FBS win.

    Please, take a moment to gather your emotions.

    The Huskies engineered a 94-yard drive to score a go-ahead TD with 2:20 to play and finished with a shocking 19-14 win over Fresno State.

    It had been 1,050 days since UConn last won a game against an FBS opponent. In the interim, 23 teams have announced they’re changing conferences (including UConn, which went independent), Miami has been back — then not back — eight times, and James Madison, which was an FCS team a month ago, has won three games vs. FBS foes.

    Even that undersells just how long it’s been since UConn did something as unexpected as Saturday’s win. UConn had been a 19.5-point underdog — the money line for a UConn win was +1050 — and yet the Huskies pulled off a win. The last win was actually at home against equally woeful UMass in a game UConn was favored to win. To find UConn’s last FBS upset, you’d need to go all the way back to 2017. This was, like, five Taylor Swift albums ago.

    This is the beauty of UConn football. It serves as a time capsule for the rest of us, a means by which we can measure not the struggles of the Huskies, but rather how far the rest of us have come.

    Heisman Five

    Nearly every week this season, we’ve gotten an email from a reader accusing us of being a “Georgia homer.” It’s not true. We’re simply biased in favor of teams that win national championships. Still, last week, he noted Stetson Bennett‘s No. 2 ranking here and asked, “Do you even watch football? How do they let you get away with this stuff?”

    Well, dear reader, we’d like to let you know we flipped over to the Georgia-Missouri game several times this week during commercials in the big ULM-Arkansas State tilt, and we must admit — you’re right. Bennett did throw for 312 yards, but it was hardly a Heisman-worthy performance against woeful Missouri.

    So, we’re retiring Bennett from the Heisman Five and simply awarding him a Lifetime Achievement Award, which he can put on his trophy case next to his national championship trophy and his “World’s Greatest Dad” coffee mug Alabama’s defense gave him for Father’s Day this year.

    1. Alabama QB Bryce Young

    Nick Saban said Young’s shoulder injury isn’t serious, which is great news. Well, not for Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M Aggies, who’ll now lose by 30 next week, but for Alabama fans, it’s great news.

    2. Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud

    It was hardly Stroud’s best game — 13-of-22 for 154, two touchdowns and a pick — but Ohio State won easily and not it was actually a very sportsmanlike move to not pad his stats against Rutgers, as so many Ohio State QBs have done before.

    3. Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker

    Tennessee was off this week, but we assume Hooker at least got in a game of NCAA Football ’14, downloaded new rosters and threw for 600 yards and nine touchdowns against Florida, then sent some taunting text messages to dudes from the 2014 Gators just for fun.

    4. USC Trojans QB Caleb Williams

    Williams shrugged off last week’s struggles against Oregon State Beavers, accounting for TDs on each of USC’s first three drives against Arizona State on Saturday.

    5. North Carolina QB Drake Maye

    Maye threw for 363 and three touchdowns, ran for 73 and two more scores, and UNC dominated Virginia Tech Hokies 41-10. Maye has thrown for 300 yards and three TDs in four of his five games so far this season. And given that UNC’s defense has played horribly for most of the season, Maye’s going to have plenty of chances to keep putting up big numbers.

    Break up the Illini

    We’re five weeks into the season, and it feels like an appropriate moment for the college football world to take a quick step back, peruse the standings, and ask a question that has frustrated even the most renowned philosophers, scientists and scholars: Hey, is Illinois good?

    The Illini are 4-1 for the first time since 2015 after throttling Wisconsin 34-10 on Saturday, led by a Syracuse cast-off and an absolutely dominant run defense. It was Illinois’ biggest road win since 2015, according to ESPN Stats & Information research, and it snapped an eight-game losing streak at Camp Randall.

    On Saturday, QB Tommy DeVito pulled off a pretty neat trick: He ran for minus-2 yards in the game, but he also had three rushing touchdowns. It’s a rare feat to have five fewer rushing yards than rushing TDs, but at Illinois, DeVito has managed to combine a new-found scoring touch to go with his long established ability to serve as a tackling dummy. From 2019-21, DeVito was sacked 70 times at Syracuse, despite starting just 18 games. He’s been dumped in the backfield 11 more times this season, but he’s also racked up 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

    The big key to Illinois’ success thus far has been the defense, which has been a brick wall against the run. Wisconsin managed just 2 rushing yards on 24 carries Saturday, marking the worst output on the ground by the Badgers since 2015 against Northwestern. For the season, Illinois has allowed just 351 yards on the ground, and has held four straight opponents to less than 100 yards rushing.

    The most college football thing to happen Saturday

    Phil Jurkovec led Boston College to a 34-33 win over Louisville on Saturday, throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns, including completions of 50, 57 and 69.

    Unfortunately, the throw that’ll likely show up most on SportsCenter this week wasn’t one to remember. Jurkovec was essentially in a full-on Neo-in-The Matrix position as he tossed the ball backward in the general direction of running back Pat Garwo III. From there, it got silly.

    But hey, all’s well that ends well. Malik Cunningham scored two plays later to give Louisville the lead, but the Cardinals couldn’t hold on, as Boston College earned its first ACC win of the season.

    Under-the-radar play of the day

    Jaivian Lofton‘s catch to open the scoring in Liberty‘s game against Old Dominion would warrant its inclusion here regardless. It’s a ridiculous one-handed snag on a 34-yard TD. But what truly puts this one over the top is the reaction.

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    0:26

    Liberty QB Kaidon Salter lofts a ball into the end zone, where Jaivian Lofton makes a one-handed catch for the score.

    Lofton basically treated the catch like he was picking up a DoorDash order at Arby’s. Zero emotion. We hope Lofton is like this in every aspect of life. Ace a test? No biggie. Win the lottery? Cool, he’ll send you his routing number in the morning. Finds out Kansas is 5-0? OK, no one could take that in stride.

    Under-the-radar game of the day

    Holy Cross toppled Harvard 30-21 on Saturday to move to 5-0 and, perhaps, put in its claim as the best team in Massachusetts this season.

    Crusaders QB Matthew Sluka threw for 300 yards and two TDs, while Jalen Coker caught 10 balls for 166 yards in the win. It marked the first time Harvard lost a game by more than one possession since its 2019 opener.

    Holy Cross is now 5-0, including a road win against FBS Buffalo last month, giving the Crusaders a pretty good case as the Commonwealth’s top team. Holy Cross has head-to-head wins over Merrimack and Harvard now, and both BC and UMass are below .500 for the season. That leaves Stonehill (3-0) as the only other contender, and frankly, we just learned that Stonehill was in Massachusetts.

    Big bets and bad beats

    Syracuse was cruising toward an easy cover over FCS Wagner on Saturday, but it turns out, it was a little *too* easy.

    The line closed at Syracuse -54, which seemed about right given that Wagner is 1-27 since 2019 and had already lost to Rutgers by 59 this season. And, as expected, Syracuse rolled early, jumping out to a 49-0 lead at the half.

    Easy cover, right?

    Well, no. Wagner waved the white flag, and sports books waived the bets.

    Syracuse went on to win 59-0 — a cover for the Orange and the under, but due to the shortened quarters, the bets didn’t count. Kudos to Caesars for having the courage to say what the rest of us were thinking.

    There’s no such thing as easy money, but the service academies at least offer something close. Air Force hosted Navy on Saturday in the first Commander’s Cup matchup of the season, and that means it’s time to throw some money on the under. What was the total? Doesn’t matter. Whatever the total is, bet the under. In the playoff era, the under in Commander’s Cup games is 22-2-1, and it’s hit 77% of the time.

    In this case, the the total closed at 38. It’s a low number. Low enough to worry about the under? Heck, no.

    OK, so you bet the under, then Air Force found the end zone on its opening drive on a 67-yard pass play. Now you’re worried, right? Ah, still no.

    Of the remaining 19 drives in the game, 10 ended with punts. The others: a Navy touchdown, two field goals (including one after Navy got the ball deep in Air Force territory), a turnover on downs, two fumbles (including one in the red zone), a missed field goal and a seven-play drive that chewed up the final 3:49 of the game.

    That, friends, is a recipe for another under. Final score: Air Force 13, Navy 10.

    The under has now covered in nine straight games that featured two of the three service academies, and 14 of the last 15.

    Oklahoma State jumped out to a big lead and cruised to a 36-25 win over Baylor. The Cowboys had been a 2.5-point favorite, which is hallowed ground for head coach Mike Gundy. As ESPN’s Chris Fallica noted, since 2016, Oklahoma State is now 14-3 in games when the spread is +/- 3.5 points, including a ridiculous 13-2 in those situations on the road.

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  • No. 5 Clemson tops No. 10 NC State 30-20 in ACC showdown

    No. 5 Clemson tops No. 10 NC State 30-20 in ACC showdown

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    CLEMSON, S.C. — DJ Uiagalelei ran for two touchdowns and threw for a third as No. 5 Clemson won its 11th consecutive game, its 37th straight at home and took control of the ACC Atlantic with a 30-20 victory over No. 10 North Carolina State on Saturday night.

    The Tigers (3-0 ACC) started 5-0 for the seventh time in eight years and completed a two-week stretch where they bested the two teams thought most likely to block their return atop the division — first with a 51-45 OT win at No. 22 Wake Forest last Saturday and now the Wolfpack (4-1, 0-1) at Death Valley.

    Uiagalelei ignited the Tigers right before and right after the half to build a lead that N.C. State, playing in its first-ever Top 10 matchup, couldn’t overcome.

    Uiagalelei finished a 75-yard scoring drive by stretching the ball over the goal for a 1-yard score to move in front 13-10. Then, after Clemson’s defense forced a three-and-out with a pair of sacks on Wolfpack quarterback Devin Leary, Uiagalelei cashed in again with 7-yard touchdown throw to tight end Jake Briningstool.

    “Lost the turnover margin, lost the line of scrimmage, you don’t win many games like that,” Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said.

    Clemson’s defense did the rest, holding the potent Wolfpack to just a field goal over the first 29 minutes of the second half in building a 17-point lead. The Tigers also picked off Leary and recovered a fumble when N.C. State went for it on 4th-and-13 down 10 with less than nine minutes left.

    Clemson, which hasn’t lost at home since November 2016, matched Florida State’s ACC mark of 37 straight at home set from 1992-2001. The Tigers’ 11 in a row since last season in the longest current streak in the FBS.

    “We’re definitely not there yet,” Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry said. “But I can say the mindset for four quarters definitely showed up tonight.”

    Clemson also holds tiebreakers in the division over the Demon Deacons and Wolfpack.

    Clemson and N.C. State came in with two of the highest-scoring offenses in the ACC and figured to trade trips to the end zone throughout. Instead, it was a struggled for each to find points in the first 30 minutes.

    The Wolfpack and preseason ACC player of the year Devin Leary broke through first with a 2-yard TD to tight end Cedd Seabrough late in the second quarter to go up 10-6 with less than two minutes left in the half.

    That’s when Uiagalelei got things going with his scoring run to send the Tigers into the break ahead 13-10 instead of trailing. He sealed the win with a 9-yard touchdown run with 3:04 left. Uiagalelei completed 21 of 30 passes for 209 yards and ran for a team-high 73 yards.

    Leary was 28 of 47 passing for 245 yards and an interception. He also rushed for a 4-yard TD with less than a minute left as the Wolfpack finished with their fewest points this season.

    THE TAKEAWAY

    North Carolina State: The Wolfpack have plenty of talented players, but got rattled in that time right around halftime to allow Clemson’s two touchdowns. NC State now has to cross its fingers that the Tigers lose twice in their final five ACC games.

    Clemson: The Tigers have had to prove their offense was legit all season and, while they didn’t pile up the points like in their first four games, they made enough plays to show themselves once again as the ACC’s top contender.

    BRESEE OUT

    Starting defensive tackle Bryan Bresee missed his second game of the past three after dealing with a non-football medical condition that Clemson said involved blood tests and observation. Bresee and his family are still mourning 15-year-old Ella Bresee, who died of brain cancer last month and has been an inspiration to her brother’s team with the phrase, “Ella Strong.” Bryan Bresee got good news about the tests late this week and his condition won’t have a long-term impact, Clemson said.

    UP NEXT

    North Carolina plays No. 23 Florida State at home next Saturday.

    Clemson goes to Boston College next Saturday night.

    ———

    More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap—top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2

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  • No. 9 Oklahoma St. beats No. 16 Baylor 36-25 in B12 rematch

    No. 9 Oklahoma St. beats No. 16 Baylor 36-25 in B12 rematch

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    WACO, Texas — Jaden Nixon returned the second-half kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, and ninth-ranked Oklahoma State beat No. 16 Baylor 36-25 on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s Big 12 championship game.

    Nixon’s return started a flurry of 39 combined points in the third quarter. He found an open gap in the middle of the field and then broke free from the grasp of Devyn Bobby at the Oklahoma State 35.

    Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders continued his outstanding play. He finished 20-of-29 passing for 181 yards with a touchdown and an interception and ran 14 times for 75 yards.

    The Cowboys (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) also beat Baylor in the regular season last year, but came up inches short of their first conference title since 2011 when the Bears made a fourth-down stop just short of the end zone in the final seconds of the championship game.

    After Nixon’s return, Baylor (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) responded with Blake Shapen’s 49-yard TD pass to Monaray Baldwin, who added a 70-yard catch-and-run score later in the third. True freshman Richard Reese had a 1-yard TD run on a short drive set up when Christian Morgan intercepted Sanders.

    Another long kickoff return for Oklahoma State, with Brennan Presley taking it to midfield after Reese scored, was followed immediately by Braydon Johnson’s incredible 49-yard catch and then Dominic Richardson’s 1-yard run. The Cowboys added a 19-yard field goal after Shapen’s fourth-down incompletion from the Baylor 33 gave Oklahoma State the short field.

    Sanders threw seven picks in his two games against Baylor last season, including four in the Big 12 title game, but he was more efficient this time.

    Shapen completed 28 of 40 passes for 345 yards and Baldwin caught seven passes for 174 yards. Reese had 85 yards and a score on 17 carries. Six of the true freshman’s TDs have come in Baylor’s three home games.

    THE TAKEAWAY

    Oklahoma State: The Cowboys were solid coming off their open date to play outside of Stillwater for the first time, and faced their first ranked opponent. Oklahoma State some highlight catches for Sanders, including Bryson Green’s contested leaping catch in the back of the end zone for an 8-yard TD on their opening drive. On Johnson’s 49-yard catch in the third quarter, he reached back and through a defender to make the grab near the sideline, and when twisting and turning, his left foot slid out of bounds just short of the end zone.

    Baylor: The Bears had won nine consecutive home games since a 42-3 loss to Oklahoma State in the 2020 regular-season finale. That game was pushed back two months because of COVID-19, and played when Baylor was without 47 people — players, coaches and support personnel — and had one full-time offensive assistant coach at the game.

    POLL IMPLICATIONS

    Oklahoma State will certainly remain in the top 10, and maybe even climb a spot. Baylor could hang in near the bottom of the poll since both of its losses are against Top 25 teams, or could fall completely out of the rankings.

    UP NEXT

    Oklahoma State plays Texas Tech next Saturday at home.

    Baylor has a Saturday off before playing its next game at West Virginia on Oct. 13, a Thursday night.

    ———

    More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap—top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2

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  • Man shot several times at California youth football game

    Man shot several times at California youth football game

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    ONTARIO, Calif. — A 34-year-old man was shot several times and seriously wounded at a youth game Saturday morning in Southern California, police said.

    Ontario police said the man was targeted on a sidewalk between the playing field and parking lot at Colony High School.

    No one else was injured, and there was no further threat.

    The wounded man was taken to a nearby hospital and listed in serious condition, spokesperson Sequoia Payton said.

    An unknown number of suspects fled, and the motive was not known, Payton said.

    Police were interviewing witnesses for more information.

    The game was not a school-sponsored event, police said.

    ———

    This story has been corrected to reflect that the man was not shot on the field as police previously reported.

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  • TCU trolls Oklahoma using Aaron Judge’s HR chase

    TCU trolls Oklahoma using Aaron Judge’s HR chase

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    Trolling has become a mainstay in college football, and the TCU Horned Frogs executed a perfect joke at the No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners‘ expense.

    TCU jumped all over Oklahoma, outscoring the Sooners 27-10 in the first quarter. The Horned Frogs continued to pile up the points and held a 41-17 lead at halftime. Oklahoma’s starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel exited the game in the second quarter after being hit while sliding, which put the Sooners at a bigger disadvantage. Linebacker Jamoi Hodge, who hit Gabriel, was penalized for targeting and ejected.

    The Horned Frogs were playing at the same time that New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was attempting to break Roger Maris’ American League home run record against the Baltimore Orioles. It has been the talk of not only baseball but the entire sports world over the past couple of weeks.

    Well, after running back Kendre Miller scored on a 69-yard run in the third quarter to make it a 48-17 ball game, TCU’s Twitter account burned OU with a timely troll.

    Neither the Horned Frogs or Judge reached 62 on Saturday. TCU finished with 55 points and Judge finished 0-2 with two walks. Oklahoma’s 55 points allowed on Saturday are the second most it has allowed in a game against an unranked opponent in program history. The Sooners allowed 59 points to the Texas Tech Red Raiders in 2016, a game that OU won 66-59.

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  • Dupree decries Favre comparison in fraud case

    Dupree decries Favre comparison in fraud case

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    9:33 AM ET

    • John BarrESPN.com

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        • Joined ESPN in June 2003
        • Winner: 2013 Peabody Award; 2011 Edward R. Murrow Award/Video Investigative Reporting
        • Covers breaking news, investigative pieces and human interest features

    Marcus Dupree, who rose to fame in Mississippi and beyond after a brief but impressive football career that became the subject of an ESPN documentary, is speaking out about his alleged role in a sprawling welfare fraud case that has also entangled Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Brett Favre and dozens of others.

    A lawsuit filed in May by the Mississippi Department of Human Services alleges Dupree was illegally paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal welfare money that was intended for the state’s neediest families. On Wednesday, Dupree denied wrongdoing in an interview with ESPN.

    “I don’t appreciate being lumped into something like I took money,” Dupree said. “I worked too hard on my reputation to do the right thing and be the right person, and I don’t like what’s going on.”

    Dupree, 58, grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where his highlight-reel-worthy performances as a high school running back made him the most sought-after football recruit in the country. Dupree was a standout in his freshman season at the University of Oklahoma in 1982, but his career was ultimately hampered by injuries. His football journey was profiled in a 2010 ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, “The Best That Never Was.”

    During his post-playing days, Dupree maintained local-celebrity status within his home state, frequently appearing at public functions or events staged through his foundation.

    But his name didn’t appear with any frequency in the national media until the results of a state audit in Mississippi became public and a lawsuit was then filed by the state in May against Dupree, his foundation and dozens of other defendants.

    According to the lawsuit, from August 2017 to September 2019 Dupree was paid $371,000 from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds.

    A Mississippi Department of Human Services initiative called Families First for Mississippi, run by two nonprofits, illegally funneled the federal welfare money to Dupree, the lawsuit states, in exchange for his work as a “celebrity endorser” and “motivational speaker.”

    An investigation by Mississippi Today was the first to reveal that the nonprofits that paid Dupree and others either misspent or stole at least $77 million in welfare funds in what’s considered the worst public corruption case in state history.

    Dupree told ESPN he “was shocked” when he learned that Nancy New, the head of one of the nonprofits, the Mississippi Community Education Center, had pleaded guilty to 13 felony counts of bribery, fraud and racketeering. Dupree said he was not aware the money New had used to pay him had come from misappropriated welfare funds.

    According to a 2019 state audit, Dupree was paid, in part, for “equine assisted learning,” which Mississippi’s state auditor, Shad White, told ESPN meant “teaching people how to ride horses.”

    White said his office found “limited evidence” Dupree or anyone else ever delivered those sorts of services to the needy.

    But Dupree insists he did mentor teens at his 15-acre horse farm in Flora, Mississippi.

    “I mentored the kids through the horses by having responsibility, cleaning the stalls, and, if you got good with that, I’d let you ride a horse. Most of the parents just wanted them to be around me. I’m passionate about what we did, and for the state to be talking about ‘Oh, none of that happened,’ yes it did,” Dupree said.

    Dupree said he couldn’t quantify how many times he mentored teens at his horse farm, but he says over the roughly two-year period he was paid by the state he also made 20 to 30 appearances working as a liaison for Families First, traveling Mississippi to speak in prisons and schools and recording radio commercials.

    “I was all over the state. I signed a contract and I did my job,” Dupree said.

    “I’m getting lumped in with whatever Brett Favre and the Governor had going on. I didn’t even know about that, nothing. I was shocked when I heard it. I can’t wait until we go to court. I don’t know what Brett did. I can only speak for Marcus.”

    Marcus Dupree on fraud allegations

    Dupree provided ESPN several photos of what appear to be teenage boys, whom he says he mentored at his stables in Flora, as well as photos from numerous public appearances.

    “If Mr. Dupree would like to argue that the amounts he was paid were reasonably justified for the number of speeches given and can show proof of the speeches, he will be able to make that argument in a court,” White said.

    On April 13, 2018, Dupree’s foundation purchased the horse farm and residence in Flora where Dupree lives for $855,000. The five-bedroom, 4,100-square-foot home is valued at just over $1 million, according to the real estate website Zillow.

    According to an audit conducted by White’s office, $171,000 in TANF money was used as the down payment toward Dupree’s home and surrounding property.

    White told ESPN such purchases “would be unallowable because of the prohibition against purchasing real property with TANF funds.” He also noted the “unreasonableness” of using federal welfare money, intended for job training and assistance for needy families, to help purchase a five-bedroom home and a horse farm for a state-contracted employee.

    The nonprofit that funneled the money to Dupree went as far as to “guarantee the residence through the bank with a six-year lease from April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2024,” according to the state audit. The monthly lease payments for the property totaled $9,500, the audit states.

    Dupree said he has no intention of paying the state back, as White’s office has demanded. “I have a lawyer, and I’m just waiting to see how it all pans out,” Dupree said.

    In October 2021, Dupree’s lawyer, J. Matthew Eichelberger, sent a sharply worded letter to White.

    “Neither Mr. Dupree, nor his foundation, will be making any payment in response to your demand. Make no mistake: Mr. Dupree earned the money he was paid, and he never had any reason to believe the money was being improperly spent by state officials,” Eichelberger wrote.

    To date, six people have been indicted in the pending welfare fraud case. Five have pleaded guilty.

    Brett Favre is not among those facing criminal charges, but, like Dupree, he remains a defendant in the ongoing civil lawsuit filed by the state of Mississippi in May. Text messages show he pressured Phil Bryant, a former Mississippi governor, to obtain $5 million in funds to help build a new volleyball center at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter played the sport. Favre has denied wrongdoing.

    Dupree said negative press involving Favre in recent months has damaged his own reputation.

    “I’m getting lumped in with whatever Brett Favre and the governor had going on. I didn’t even know about that, nothing. I was shocked when I heard it. I can’t wait until we go to court. I don’t know what Brett did. I can only speak for Marcus.”

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  • Muskett leads Monmouth to 35-7 victory over Lehigh

    Muskett leads Monmouth to 35-7 victory over Lehigh

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    BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Tony Muskett threw three touchdown passes, Dymere Miller had 125 receiving yards and Monmouth defeated Lehigh 35-7 on Saturday.

    Muskett threw touchdown passes of 39 yards to Miller and 52 yards to Assanti Kearney en route to a 21-0 halftime lead. The Hawks’ advantage was 35-0 before Lehigh’s Gaige Garcia scored on a 1-yard run with 45 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

    Muskett completed 20 of 27 passes for 261 yards with the three touchdowns and one interception. He also scored on a 1-yard run. Monmouth (3-2) had 229 yards on the ground for 490 total yards. Jaden Shirden had 108 yards rushing on 20 carries.

    Lehigh’s Brayten Silbor was 10-of-22 passing for 139 yards. Garcia had 71 yards rushing on eight carries for the Mountain Hawks (1-4).

    —-

    More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap—top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2

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  • Ole Miss honors James Meredith 60 years after integration

    Ole Miss honors James Meredith 60 years after integration

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    JACKSON, Miss. — The University of Mississippi is paying tribute to 89-year-old James Meredith 60 years after white protesters erupted into violence as he became the first Black student to enroll in what was then a bastion of Deep South segregation.

    As it has done on other 10-year anniversaries of integration, the university is hosting celebrations and academic events. On Saturday, Meredith is being honored during the Ole Miss-Kentucky game, two days after he attended the Rebels’ practice to speak to players.

    “He came and revolutionized our thinking. He came to open our closed society,” Donald Cole, who retired in 2018 as the university’s assistant provost and head of multicultural affairs, said during a celebration Wednesday night.

    The enigmatic Meredith, who lives in Jackson, has long resisted the label of civil rights leader, as if civil rights are separate from other human rights. He says his effort to enter Ole Miss was his own battle to conquer white supremacy.

    Meredith being honored at the Ole Miss-Kentucky game is an ironic echo of history.

    Two days before Meredith enrolled on the Oxford campus in 1962, race-baiting Gov. Ross Barnett worked a white crowd into a frenzy at a stadium in Jackson. Ole Miss fans waved Confederate flags to support their Rebels over the Kentucky Wildcats — and to defy any move toward racial integration.

    “I love Mississippi,” Barnett declared. “I love her people! Our customs! I love and I respect our heritage!”

    The next evening, Barnett quietly reached an agreement with U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy to let Meredith enter Mississippi’s oldest public university. Meredith already had a federal court order.

    White mobs of students and outsiders erupted when he arrived on the leafy campus with the protection of more than 500 federal law enforcement officers. The attorney general’s brother, President John F. Kennedy, deployed National Guard troops to quell the violence, and Meredith enrolled on Oct. 1.

    During the event Wednesday at the university, Meredith told an audience: “In my opinion, this is the best day I ever lived. But there’s some more truth. Celebration is good. I don’t think there’s anybody in this house or in the state of Mississippi that think the problem has been solved.”

    Meredith has said for the past several years that he’s on a mission from God, to persuade people to abide by the Ten Commandments. He said Wednesday that he sees a special role for Black women to lead the way in restoring moral order to American society.

    “There’s nothing in Mississippi that God, Jesus Christ and the Black woman cannot fix,” Meredith said.

    Meredith grew up in segregated Mississippi before finishing high school in Florida. He served in the Air Force and attended Jackson State College, a historically Black school in the state capital, before suing to gain admission to Ole Miss.

    A resident and a French journalist were killed in the violence as Meredith enrolled. More than 200 officers and soldiers were wounded and 200 people were arrested.

    Federal marshals provided Meredith with round-the-clock protection until he graduated with a political science degree in 1963. Meredith said Wednesday that most of his knowledge about what was happening on campus came from the marshals.

    “Most of them were scared to death of the Mississippi people with rifles and shotguns,” he said.

    U.S. Marshals Service Director Ronald L. Davis named Meredith an honorary deputy marshal during the ceremony Wednesday. Davis, who is Black, said Meredith brought widespread change to American society.

    “You chose a path that was not traveled — one with much resistance, one with fear and threats and violence, and you went there anyway,” Davis said.

    The University of Mississippi had about 21,850 students on all of its campuses in the 2021 fall semester, with about 12.7% Black enrollment. About 38% of Mississippi residents are Black.

    Ethel Scurlock, the first Black dean of the university’s honors college, said during the keynote speech Wednesday that she had not yet been born when Meredith integrated Ole Miss in 1962 or when he was shot soon after setting out on his March Against Fear in 1966.

    “But Mr. Meredith, I am here today,” Scurlock said. “I am the unborn baby that you were willing to go to war for.”

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  • College football Week 5: Scott Van Pelt’s Winners

    College football Week 5: Scott Van Pelt’s Winners

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    A 7-2 week moves us to 19-11. I’ve given out three straight winners in the NFL as well in our Wednesday Head-to-Head segment, but adding that on to the official record, would be tacky. I’m many things — tacky ain’t one of them. So, we are officially 19-11. You want nine more? That’s convenient — that’s how many are on the card.

    Friday

    No. 15 Washington (-3, 64.5) at UCLA
    10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

    Van Pelt’s pick: UCLA (+3)

    If you are familiar with the segment, you can guess certain teams in certain spots that are given. UCLA at home on Friday against red hot and unbeaten Washington is one of those teams. Bruins at home to get us soaring into Saturday off a late-night Friday cover. We are buying it to 3.

    SVP: 5-2 ALL-TIME PICKING AGAINST WASHINGTON WITH UNRANKED TEAM

    Saturday

    Purdue at No. 21 Minnesota (-12, 53.5)
    12 p.m. ET on ESPN2, Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

    Van Pelt’s pick: Purdue (+12)

    We are active in the noon window. Watch Gameday, settle in and fire, right? Why wouldn’t ya? Minnesota has been dump-trucking people. The Gophers outscored four opponents by 159 points. But we can’t yell “Bang that big drum!” if we take them — can we? We cannot. So, gimme double digits and the Boilers.

    SVP: 5-2 ALL-TIME PICKING PURDUE

    No. 7 Kentucky at No. 14 Ole Miss (-7, 54.5)
    12 p.m. ET on ESPN, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Mississippi

    Van Pelt’s pick: Ole Miss (-7)

    Question for the Grove? Are … You … Ready? Well, I am ready to lay points with the Rebs with Kentucky in town. Meet you at The Library to celebrate.

    SVP: 10-4 ALL-TIME PICKING SEC FAVORITES

    No. 18 Oklahoma (-7, 46) at TCU
    12 p.m. ET on ABC, Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas

    Van Pelt’s pick: TCU (+7)

    Feels like we’re late to back the Horned Frogs this year — well, yeah. Went against them last week and paid the price, we will buy it up to 7 and hope for the best with OU visiting the stockyards.

    SVP: 8-5 ALL-TIME PICKING AGAINST OKLAHOMA

    Iowa State (-3, 59) at Kansas
    3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kansas

    Van Pelt’s pick: Iowa State (-3)

    This hurts me to do. I love Lawrence and the Jayhawks story. But with Kansas rolling and unbeaten, why are the Jayhawks underdogs at home to Iowa State? Makes no sense to you, does it? Does to me. If you know — you know. Gotta lay the number here. Sorry, Kansas — I know you’re furious.

    SVP: 7-4-1 ALL-TIME PICKING IOWA STATE

    Virginia Tech at North Carolina (-9, 54.5)
    3:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network, Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

    Van Pelt’s pick: Virginia Tech (+9)

    This one was a late add. Not sure on what kind of weather we are looking at in Chapel Hill, but if they play as normal on the field or if you have to ride around in boats, your defense isn’t slowing many people down. We will take the generous candy and the road team from Blacksburg.

    SVP: 6-3 ALL-TIME PICKING VIRGINIA TECH

    California at Washington State (-4, 53.5)
    5:30 p.m. ET, Martin Stadium, Pullman, Washington

    Van Pelt’s pick: California (+4)

    Coogs, we love ya for getting the late score to help us get a cover for Winners last week. I’m afraid that might have taken a chunk out of the psyche. We are on Cal plus the small number on the Paloose.

    SVP: 7-3 ALL-TIME PICKING CALIFORNIA

    Virginia at Duke (-3, 52)
    7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN3, Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, North Carolina

    Van Pelt’s pick: Virginia (+3)

    The last two are concerning. Virginia, you got us to the window last week in a weird one at Syracuse. The number in Durham seems a bit light. Lots of extra juice this week — so be it — we are buying this to 3 and scratching our heads curious if UVa is the right side here.

    SVP: 6-2 ALL-TIME PICKING VIRGINIA

    No. 1 Georgia (-29, 54.5) at Missouri
    7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network, Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri

    Van Pelt’s pick: Mizzou (+29)

    Last one — HOTYBS. What’s a HOTYBS? A Hold On To Your Butt Special. Mizzou, you covered for us on the plains last Saturday. But going against Georgia is terrifying even when you get 29. Looking for a show of hands out there — who’s with me? Not one human. Hell with it — it’s fine — we’ll do it. We’ll take the Tigers.

    SVP: 1-4 ALL-TIME PICKING UNRANKED TEAMS vs NO. 1 TEAM

    OK. There’s your 9-er. Birdcage — reverse — no tease.

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  • Brumfield TD run sparks UNLV over New Mexico 31-20

    Brumfield TD run sparks UNLV over New Mexico 31-20

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    LAS VEGAS — Doug Brumfield threw for 233 yards and ran for a second-half touchdown as UNLV scored 24 unanswered points and beat New Mexico 31-20 on Friday night.

    Brumfield rolled to his left before diving over a defender and into the end zone from six yards out to tie the game 17-17 midway through the third quarter. Aidan Robbins added a 3-yard TD run that gave UNLV (4-1, 2-0 Mountain West Conference) the lead for good early in the fourth.

    Geordon Porter made a one-handed, 39-yard catch that led to a George Steinkamp 36-yard field goal to pull the Lobos to 24-20 with 12:43 remaining.

    Marshall Nichols’ 35-yard punt pinned the Lobos at their 10 with 53 seconds left before the Rebels added a 12-yard pick-6 four plays later.

    After the Lobos jumped out to a 17-0 lead, Daniel Gutierrez made field goals from 41, 50 and 47 yards to get UNLV within 17-9 at halftime.

    Miles Kendrick ran for a pair of 8-yard touchdowns in the first quarter for New Mexico (2-3, 0-2). Kendrick completed 13 of 25 passes for 163 yards with two interceptions and added 61 yards on the ground.

    ———

    More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap—top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2

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  • Arch Manning breaks Eli, Peyton’s HS records

    Arch Manning breaks Eli, Peyton’s HS records

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    Quarterback Arch Manning broke his high school’s records for career passing yards and touchdowns on Friday, marks previously held by his uncles, Eli and Peyton Manning.

    Coming into Friday’s game, Arch Manning was 110 yards away from breaking Eli’s career passing record at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. Arch broke that mark, along with Peyton’s record of 93 career touchdowns after tossing five in the first half.

    Manning is the No. 2 prospect in the 2023 class and the No. 2 quarterback behind Malachi Nelson, a USC commit. He’s a 6-foot-3, 204-pound recruit who is the son of Cooper Manning and the grandson of Archie Manning.

    His recruitment was widely covered and highly anticipated given his lineage. After taking visits and considering schools, including Georgia, Clemson, Ole Miss and others, Manning committed to Texas.

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  • College football Week 5 betting trends: Is Clemson on upset alert?

    College football Week 5 betting trends: Is Clemson on upset alert?

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    Week 5 of the college football season features more teams around the country starting their conference schedule, including five matchups between ranked teams in the AP Top 25.

    No. 2 Alabama takes on No. 20 Arkansas in Fayetteville, No. 7 Kentucky will travel to Oxford to face No. 13 Ole Miss in a battle of undefeated SEC teams, No. 22 Wake Forest squares up against No. 23 Florida State and No. 5 Clemson welcomes No. 10 NC State to Memorial Stadium for a primetime ACC showdown on ABC.

    But which games should bettors look at across this weekends slate?

    We have everything you need to make your wagering decisions ahead of Week 5.

    Check out all of the betting notes and trends courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information.

    Thursday

    Utah State at No. 19 BYU (-24, 61.5)
    8 p.m. ET on ESPN, LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo

    • Utah State is one of four FBS teams that is 0-4 ATS this season.

    • Utah State is 2-10 ATS as a double-digit underdog since the start of the 2017 season (1-1 ATS under Blake Anderson).

    • Kalani Sitake is 3-2 SU and ATS against Utah State since becoming BYU head coach.

    • The 24-point spread is the largest BYU has been favorited against Utah State since 2008 (-29).

    Friday

    No. 15 Washington at UCLA (-3.5, 64.5)
    10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, Rose Bowl, Pasadena

    • Washington is one of eight FBS teams that is 4-0 ATS this season.

    • All five Washington road games have gone under the total since the start of last season.

    • UCLA is 4-1 ATS in its last five games against Washington.

    • Road favorites are 5-0 SU, 3-2 ATS in Pac-12 play this season.

    Saturday

    No. 4 Michigan (-10, 42.5) at Iowa
    12 p.m. ET, Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City

    • Iowa is 9-2 ATS against AP Top-5 ranked teams since the start of the 2008 season.

    • Michigan is 11-4 ATS as a favorite since the start of last season, best such cover percentage in the Big Ten over that span (min. 10 games as a favorite).

    • Seven of Michigan’s last eight road games have gone over the total.

    • Michigan has lost four consecutive games outright at Iowa (2-2 ATS).

    No. 7 Kentucky at No. 14 Ole Miss (-7, 54.5)
    12 p.m. ET on ESPN, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford

    • Kentucky is 15-5-2 ATS against AP-ranked teams since the start of the 2015 season.

    • 15 of Kentucky’s 20 road games have gone under the total since the start of the 2018 season.

    • This is the largest favorite Ole Miss has been against an AP Top 10 team since the FBS/FCS split in 1978.

    • Ole Miss is 0-3 ATS as a favorite against AP Top 10 teams since the FBS/FBS split in 1978.

    No. 18 Oklahoma (-3, 46) at TCU
    12 p.m. ET on ABC, Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth

    • Oklahoma is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games against TCU.

    • The over is 15-3 in Oklahoma games following a straight-up loss since the start of the 2012 season.

    • TCU is 1-5 ATS as an underdog since the start of last season.

    • Road favorites are 12-6 SU and 8-9-1 ATS in Big 12 play since the start of last season (Oklahoma 0-3 ATS in that spot).

    Purdue at No. 21 Minnesota (-10.5, 53.5)
    12 p.m. ET on ESPN2, Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

    • Minnesota is one of eight FBS teams that is 4-0 ATS this season.

    • Minnesota has been a double-digit favorite in three of their four games this season (3-0 ATS in those games).

    • Purdue is 19-7 ATS as a road underdog since the start of the 2014 season (8-4 ATS in that spot under Jeff Brohm).

    • Purdue is 10-4 ATS against AP-ranked teams under Jeff Brohm, best such cover percentage in the Big Ten over that span.

    Texas Tech at Kansas State (-7.5, 57.5)
    3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan

    • Kansas State is 4-0-1 ATS against Texas Tech since the start of the 2017 season.

    • Kansas State is 12-5-1 ATS as a favorite under Chris Klieman, the best cover percentage as a favorite in the Big 12 since the start of the 2019 season.

    • Texas Tech is 2-4 SU and ATS against AP-ranked opponents since the start of the last season.

    • Favorites of seven or more points are 0-3 ATS in Big 12 play this season.

    Oregon State at No. 12 Utah (-10.5, 56.5)
    2 p.m. ET, Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City

    • Oregon State is one of eight FBS teams that is 4-0 ATS this season.

    • Oregon State is 4-0 ATS as a double-digit underdog since the start of the 2020 season.

    • Oregon State is 10-2 ATS as a road underdog since the start of the 2019 season, the best cover percentage among Power 5 programs over that span (min. 5 games as a road underdog).

    • Utah is 3-0 ATS this season as a double-digit favorite.

    No. 2 Alabama (-16.5, 61.5) at No. 20 Arkansas
    3:30 p.m. ET, Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville

    • Alabama has never lost outright to Arkansas under Nick Saban (8-6-1 ATS).

    • Alabama is 18-6 SU, 12-12 ATS on the road against AP Top-20 SEC opponents under Nick Saban.

    • Arkansas is 5-5 SU, 6-4 ATS following a straight-up loss under Sam Pittman.

    • Arkansas has not beaten an AP Top-5 team since 2007 (0-17 SU, 8-9 ATS).

    Rutgers at No. 3 Ohio State (-41, 59.5)
    3:30 p.m. ET, Ohio Stadium, Columbus

    • Rutgers is 7-1 ATS as a road underdog since the start of the 2020 season, the best such cover percentage in the Big Ten over that span (min. 5 games as a road underdog).

    • All eight Rutgers away games since the start of last season have gone under the total.

    • Ohio State is 9-4 ATS at home in Big Ten play under Ryan Day.

    • Ohio State is 17-9-1 ATS as a favorite in Big Ten play under Ryan Day.

    No. 9 Oklahoma State at No. 16 Baylor (-2.5, 54.5)
    3:30 p.m. ET, McLane Stadium, Waco

    • Oklahoma State is 5-0 ATS on the road since the start of last season; 1 of 3 teams in the FBS with an undefeated ATS record on the road since the start of last season (min. 2 road games).

    • Oklahoma State is 10-2 ATS as an underdog since the start of the 2018 season, the best such cover percentage in the FBS over that span (min. 2 games as an underdog).

    • Baylor is 3-0 ATS against AP Top-10 teams since the start of last season.

    • Baylor is 6-1 ATS as a home favorite since the start of last season.

    Northwestern at No. 11 Penn State (-25.5, 52)
    3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, Beaver Stadium, University Park

    • Northwestern is 0-5 ATS in road games since the start if last season.

    • Northwestern is 0-5 ATS in its last five games following a straight-up loss.

    • Penn State is 4-8 ATS when favorited by 20 or more in Big Ten play under James Franklin.

    • Penn State is 4-7 ATS as a home favorite in Big Ten play since the start of the 2019 season.

    No. 22 Wake Forest at No. 23 Florida State (-6.5, 66)
    3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee

    • Wake Forest is 16-6 ATS against AP-ranked teams under Dave Clawson.

    • Each of the last seven games Wake Forest-Florida State games have gone under the total.

    • This is the first time under Mike Norvell that Florida State has been a favorite against a AP-ranked opponent.

    • Florida State has covered four consecutive ACC games dating back to last season.

    No. 17 Texas A&M at Mississippi State (-3, 46)
    4 p.m. ET on SEC Network, Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville

    • All four of Texas A&M’s games have gone under the total this season.

    • Texas A&M is 0-6 SU and 3-3 ATS as a road underdog under Jimbo Fisher.

    • Mississippi State is 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS as a favorite in SEC play under Mike Leach.

    • Mississippi State is 7-4 ATS against Texas A&M since the FBS/FCS split in 1978.

    No. 1 Georgia (-27.5, 54.5) at Missouri
    7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network, Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field, Columbia

    • Georgia is 5-0 ATS in road games since the start of last season (all as favorites).

    • All 4 of Georgia’s games have gone under the total this season.

    • Missouri is 6-14 ATS as a double-digit underdog over the past 10 seasons, the worst such cover percentage in the SEC over that span.

    • Missouri has covered 4 of its last 5 games against AP Top 5 teams.

    No. 10 NC State at No. 5 Clemson (-6.5, 42)
    7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, Memorial Stadium, Clemson

    • Clemson is 19-7-1 ATS against AP Top 10 teams under Dabo Swinney.

    • Clemson is 9-2 ATS under AP Top 10 ACC teams under Dabo Swinney.

    • NC State is 4-12 ATS in road games since the start of the 2019 season.

    • NC State is 0-3 SU and 2-1 ATS on the road against AP Top 5 teams under Dave Doeren.

    Georgia Tech at No. 24 Pittsburgh (-24, 50.5)
    8 p.m ET on ACC Network, Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh

    • Pittsburgh is 0-3 ATS in home games this season.

    • Pittsburgh is 4-0 ATS against Georgia Tech since the start of the 2018 season.

    • All four of Georgia Tech’s games this season have gone under the total.

    • Georgia Tech is 3-10 ATS against AP-ranked teams over the past 5 seasons, the worst such cover percentage in the ACC over that span.

    Arizona State at No. 6 USC (-26, 61.5)
    10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

    • All four of Arizona States games have gone under the total this season.

    • Arizona State is 4-0 ATS against AP Top 10 teams since the start of the 2016 season.

    • The 26-point spread is the largest favorite USC has been in a Pac-12 game since 2017.

    • All four of USC’s games this season have gone under the total.

    Stanford at No. 13 Oregon (-16.5, 62.5)
    11 p.m. ET, Autzen Stadium, Eugene

    • Stanford is 3-15 ATS following a straight-up loss since the start of the 2019 season.

    • Stanford is 2-10 ATS as an underdog since the start of last season.

    • Oregon has covered 4 consecutive games as a home favorite.

    • Oregon is 9-15-1 ATS as a double-digit favorite over the past five seasons.

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  • ‘He’s like Mr. Texas’: Colt McCoy pays off bet

    ‘He’s like Mr. Texas’: Colt McCoy pays off bet

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    TEMPE, Ariz. — Colt McCoy paid his debt Tuesday.

    Three days after his Texas Longhorns lost to the Texas Tech Red Raiders — the alma mater of his head coach, Kliff Kingsbury — the Arizona Cardinals‘ backup quarterback had to wear a Texas Tech hat, shirt and shorts.

    But it wasn’t Kingsbury’s bet.

    “No, no, I wouldn’t do that to him,” the former Red Raiders coach said. “I wasn’t gonna make that bet because I’m not wearing that burnt orange s—, I can assure you.”

    The Red Raiders beat then-ranked No. 22 Texas, 37-34, in overtime Saturday, the first time Texas Tech beat its in-state rivals at home since 2008.

    McCoy, who played for Texas from 2005 to 2009, is the only Longhorn on the Cardinals. In addition to Kingsbury, Arizona has two other Texas Tech products: wide receiver Antoine Wesley and assistant coach Kenny Bell.

    But Kingsbury didn’t reach out to McCoy, who’s currently on injured reserve with a calf sprain after the upset.

    “He’s hurt,” Kingsbury said. “You can see his face. He looks like his dog died, man. I don’t rub it in.

    “He’s like Mr. Texas. Like that is the guy in the state of Texas. So, I wouldn’t do him like that.”

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  • Lions Legacy Club Becomes First NIL Collective Dedicated to Penn State Football

    Lions Legacy Club Becomes First NIL Collective Dedicated to Penn State Football

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    New program will connect student-athletes with local and national revenue-earning opportunities

    Press Release
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    updated: Sep 6, 2022


    STATE COLLEGE, Pa., September 6, 2022 (Newswire.com)
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    Former Penn State football and retired NFL players have partnered with Blueprint Sports to unveil the Lions Legacy Club – the first name, image, and likeness (NIL) collective to specifically support student-athletes in the Penn State Football program. While other NIL collectives have been formed surrounding Penn State athletics, the Lions Legacy Club is the first one dedicated exclusively to football.

    The Lions Legacy Club is spearheaded by former Lions quarterback, Chris Ganter, who will serve as general manager alongside former Penn State football and retired NFL players including Ki-Jana Carter and Michael Mauti. 

    “I am honored to lead the Lions Legacy Club and give back to the football program that has given me so much throughout my life,” said Ganter. “Knowing how competitive the college football landscape can be, our goal is to create top notch opportunities for these student-athletes and make a significant impact to ensure a sustainable future for the program.”

    Through the Lions Legacy Cub, local and national businesses can align their brands with Penn State football players by creating custom marketing campaigns, securing speaking engagements and autograph sessions, and more. Tax-deductible contributions can also be made through the BPS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating, encouraging and assisting student-athletes in their efforts to engage with the local community through charitable causes. The BPS Foundation is one of the first NIL organizations in the country to earn a federal tax exemption.

    “We are confident this collective is off to a great start, especially under Chris Ganter’s leadership,” said Michael Mauti, retired NFL player. “The heart of Penn State football lives strong in all of us and we hope to share this passion with the fans, families, and alumni that we will engage with, to grow the organization.”

    Chris Ganter’s roots in Penn State football go back decades, as his father also coached at Penn State for nearly 30 years. Ganter has worked in sports and entertainment management for over a decade, with organizations including the Pittsburgh Pirates and The Jonas Brothers Change for the Children Foundation.

    “There hasn’t been a more exciting time to be a student-athlete, than right now,” said Ki-Jana Carter, retired NFL player. “The Lions Legacy Club is truly a special group with the expertise and passion to take Penn State football to new heights and help student athletes earn the compensation they deserve for working hard on and off the field.”

    Through the Lions Legacy Club, all participating student-athletes will receive guidance on the fundamentals of financial and tax management to ensure all transactions are compliant with current guidelines.

    For more information visit lionslegacyclub.com and follow @lionslegacyclub on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.   

    About Blueprint Sports 

    Founded in Las Vegas in 2020 and backed by Andre Agassi, eight-time Grand Slam tennis champion, Blueprint Sports (BPS) powers the industry’s leading name, image, and likeness (NIL) collectives for alumni, supporters, and businesses, connecting them with student-athletes at their favorite university. BPS’ national portfolio of collectives support student-athletes in communities across the country, including Friends of Spike, around Gonzaga University, Friends of Wilbur & Wilma, around the University of Arizona, Friends of Basevols, around the University of Tennessee, Friends of UNILV, around the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Friends of the Pack, around the University of Nevada Reno, Friends of Rocky, around The University of Toledo and more. The Blueprint Sports management team possesses over 50 years of college and professional sports experience, spanning the Pac-12 Conference, IMG, Learfield, and Nevada Athletics Commission. For more information visit blueprintsports.com, @PoweredByBPS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

    About Name, Image, Likeness (NIL)

    On June 30, 2021, the Division 1 Board of Directors approved an interim name, image, and likeness policy. This new policy allows all NCAA D1, D2, and D3 student-athletes to be compensated for their NIL as of July 1, 2021. Student-athletes can now engage in paid community appearances, autograph sessions, youth coaching engagements, and sports marketing campaigns.

    Media Contacts:

    Allison Monette, allison@blueprintsports.com, 702.373.7190

    Dana Sullivan Kilroy, dana@theferrarogroup.com, 775.828.2495

    Source: Blueprint Sports

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  • The Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation to Present at 2018 American Football Coaches Association Convention January 7-10 (Booth #1833) at Charlotte Convention Center

    The Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation to Present at 2018 American Football Coaches Association Convention January 7-10 (Booth #1833) at Charlotte Convention Center

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    Retired National Champion Villanova Football Coach Andy Talley to Speak at Convention on Monday, January 8th.

    Press Release
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    updated: Dec 20, 2017


    VILLANOVA, Pa., December 20, 2017 (Newswire.com)
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    ​The Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation, which raises awareness, funds and registers donors on behalf of the national Be The Match Registry®, will be represented by its founder, recently retired 2009 National Champion Villanova Football Coach Andy Talley, and members of the foundation staff at the 2018 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina this coming January 7 to January 10 at the Charlotte Convention Center, in Booth #1833. 

    In addition, Coach Talley will speak at the 2018 AFCA Convention on Monday, January 8, delivering remarks on how the assembled college football coaches can help build the bone marrow donor registry in their communities.  Coach Talley’s presentation is scheduled for approximately 3:49 p.m. ET during the AFCA Convention General Session at the Charlotte Convention Center.

    Coach Talley and the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation will also host the “Get in the Game Coach Appreciation Happy Hour, A Celebration of Saving Lives!” for the football coaches currently active in the foundation’s registration efforts, on Sunday, January 7, at the Westin Charlotte.

    The mission of the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation is to increase the odds of finding lifesaving donors for patients in need of a marrow transplant, by registering young, committed donors to the Be the Match Registry.

    A nationally-recognized champion football coach, Andy Talley began his involvement in the fall of 1992 during his long tenure as head coach of the Villanova University Wildcats Football program.  He had been made aware of the devastating odds facing those in need of bone marrow transplants through a Philadelphia radio show health segment, and held his first on-campus testing, registering over 200 student-athletes and coaching staff from the Villanova University community that fall.

    After several years of grass-roots development and campaigns that involved Talley’s friends in the college football coaching ranks, he was tirelessly raising funds from independent donors to cover the cost of tissue-typing kits (which now consist solely of a cheek swab).

    During spring football practice at Villanova in 2008, Coach Talley received a phone call from Be The Match.  Over the past 25 years, Be The Match, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program®, has managed the largest and most diverse marrow registry in the world. Be The Match wanted to partner with Coach Talley to expand his on-campus drive efforts. Together they formed the “Get in the Game. Save a Life” initiative.

    Talley formally launched the non-profit Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation in November 2010. Since the launch, Coach Talley has enlisted over 80 college football programs to participate in the “Get in the Game, Save a Life” initiative, with each college football program hosting their own on-campus donor drives each spring.

    Since 2008, the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation’s “Get in the Game, Save a Life” registry drives have been responsible for adding over 84,000 potential donors. More importantly, there have been nearly 400 transplants that have occurred with the program’s donors, giving those patients a second chance at life.

    The Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation’s fundraising efforts include events, such as their annual “Bash” in the Philadelphia area and a number of golf outings, to help support the expense of registering approximately 10,000 new bone marrow donors each year.  With a price tag of $100 per donor per test, the program relies on charitable donations from corporate sponsors and individuals to support the program.  To date, the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation has raised over $400,000 in support of the Be The Match program.

    Additional information about the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation is available on their website at http://www.TalleyBoneMarrow.org.

    Media Contact:
    Jim DeLorenzo, Jim DeLorenzo Public Relations
    Phone: 215-266-5943
    E-mail:  jim@jhdenterprises.com

    Source: The Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation

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