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| Ryan Days Legend Bey Update Could Matter More Than It Seems |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 14 @ 00:02:03 PDT (13 reads) | |
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Ryan day offered a cautiously upbeat update on legend bey as ohio state gets ready for its biggest big ten test of the year against indiana.
the buckeyes head to bloomington for a matchup that brings together the last two national champions, with the game carrying extra weight because it will be the biggest home game in indiana football history. Ohio state knows the spotlight is going to be bright, and day sounded like a coach who would welcome any added burst he can get.
bey is one of the more explosive options on the roster, and after sitting out the previous two games, he finally got back on the field against maryland. Day said the true freshman has started to make progress.
hes taken some steps in the right direction for sure. Hes built a little momentum, so wed like to have another good week with him.
that was the main message: not a full breakout declaration, but enough to suggest bey is earning some trust back from the staff. Against the terps, he logged four carries for 13 yards in mop-up duty. It wasn’t a headline performance, but it did at least put him back between the lines.
his path back has not been smooth. It was somewhat surprising to see him play at all after some troubling off-the-field incidents surfaced. Even so, the latest sign points toward bey moving in the right direction and starting to pick up the kind of snaps a freshman needs to grow.
ohio state is still looking for more players who can create explosive plays alongside jeremiah smith. Smith remains the centerpiece of the offense and, as the source says, the best player in the country.
that’s not changing. But getting bey more involved could matter later in the season.
for this week, though, a major role seems unlikely. Bey simply has not had enough game action to become a reliable piece yet, and this is not the kind of matchup where a staff gets loose with trust.
bo jackson’s first 100-yard rushing game of the season also complicates bey’s chances of seeing meaningful work. Ohio state had gone all season without a back reaching that mark, so jackson’s production matters. If he becomes a dependable option, that only strengthens the backfield picture.
still, bey gives day another lever to pull if the offense needs a spark. If the buckeyes struggle to generate explosive plays, he could be the wildcard the staff turns to.
for now, bey appears to be making his way back onto the field. Whether that turns into a real climb up the depth chart is another question. He may be ahead of isaiah west, though, after west’s missed blitz pickup led to a pick-six.
in other news...
ohio state just turned up the heat on two committed 2027 targets
a maryland weekend at ohio state turned into more than just another recruiting stop, as the buckeyes used the visit to push harder with a pair of committed 2027 prospects. Linebacker james conrad and running back kingston allen both left columbus with scholarship offers from ohio state, adding two more names to a class that has already started to draw national attention well before the cycle gets serious.
conrad, who is committed to buffalo, picked up his first power 4 offer from the buckeyes, while allen, a wisconsin pledge, added ohio state to a growing list of programs chasing him. Both are highly regarded players with strong high school rsums, and the buckeyes are now firmly in the mix even before either one has reached the point where most recruiting battles really take shape. [Read more ????]
ohio state suddenly faces a tougher indiana test than expected
indiana has quietly put itself in a better position than many expected heading into its big ten meeting with ohio state. The hoosiers are mostly healthy, with tight end andrew barker the only long-term injured starter, and theyve also gotten a lift from the returns of defensive end daniel ndukwe and a.J. Harris. Those reinforcements have helped stabilize a defense that looks a lot sturdier than it did earlier in the season.
ohio state, meanwhile, is carrying a longer injury list into the matchup, with issues along the offensive line and among several receivers and defenders. For a buckeyes team that usually expects to dictate terms, that matters because it can complicate both protection and depth in a game where every healthy body counts. Indiana may still be the underdog, but it suddenly has the kind of availability edge that can make a november road test far less comfortable than projected. [Read more ????]
ohio state faces a bigger test than fans might think
indiana coach curt cignetti knows exactly what is waiting for his team when it lines up against no. 4 ohio state, and he spent part of the buildup acknowledging just how difficult the assignment is. With ryan day on the sideline and jeremiah smith driving the offense, the buckeyes bring the kind of firepower and consistency that has made them one of the most reliable powers in the college football playoff era, and indiana is treating the matchup like the kind of test that can expose almost any weakness.
ohio state also appears to be getting healthier at the right time, with several starters expected back after sitting out the previous game, while indiana recently regained defensive back a.J. Harris. That sets up a game with more than enough talent on both sides to make things interesting, but the larger question is whether indiana can withstand the buckeyes long enough to turn it into the kind of contest cignetti believes it needs to be. [Read more ????] |
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| Penn State Still Has A Run-Game Problem It Cant Quite Solve |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 14 @ 00:02:03 PDT (15 reads) | |
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Penn state is still trying to solve the same stubborn problem in its ground game, and the answer has not come easily.
against usc on saturday, the nittany lions’ longest run came from an unlikely source: rocco becht, who picked up 10 yards on a fourth-down keeper late in the first half to move penn state into field-goal range. That was about as much rhythm as the run game could muster. Even after trimming the backfield rotation to just two of the four running backs it has used before, penn state managed only 2.2 yards per carry.
“we mixed up who the running backs have been and the scheme has been, and we havent been able to just find the perfect match yet,” taylor mouser said tuesday. “And its something that were desperate to find.”
the one time the penn state run game really clicked came against buffalo, by far its softest opponent to this point. The nittany lions rolled up 304 rushing yards in that game, and the staff spread the work across all four running backs, though the score played a part in that usage.
still, matt campbell made it clear he wants to keep the rotation tighter. He pointed to the pairing of carson hansen and james peoples as the kind of setup he’d like to see more often.
“i thought that rotation with (carson hansen) and james (peoples) was probably closer to where we would like to be, in terms of whats going on,” campbell said.
that kind of approach fits what campbell and mouser have done before. Both have plenty of background with either a true bell-cow back or a two-back system from their time at iowa state.
the difference now is that their former setup came with breece hall and david montgomery, two backs who went on to build strong nfl careers. Penn state has not yet shown it has anyone at that level through six weeks.
“last couple years, its been duo,” mouser said. “Weve been able to create great chemistry up front and hammer double teams and things like that, and for us, i think that you would say its probably been a wide zone and a gap emphasis for us to be able to allow those guys to be able to stay on combos.”
penn state has worked outside the tackles this season, trying to create space and let its backs run free, but the lanes have not opened the way the staff hoped.
quinton martin jr. May be the back best built for that style. He has not seen much action since the buffalo blowout, but against the bulls he flashed that speed with a 61-yard run after bouncing it outside. Mouser still sees real upside there and believes the former 4-star can help this season.
“i love quinton. I think hes a great kid and does all the right stuff,” mouser said. “So for us, putting him in a spot to be able to execute well at practice and then go out and do what he does well, and he did that today in practice.”
there were at least a few signs of life in the short-yardage game. Penn state went bigger in its personnel on short fourth-down situations, and that helped hansen get what he needed, including a 3-yard rushing touchdown.
“i do feel like there were some things even in that game that showed up as positives for us that i think we can build off of, and i think theres some other things that continue to show we have to figure out what we do well, and then have the ability to adjust when people take that away,” campbell said.
in other news...
penn state white out loss put one staff decision under a microscope
penn states white out loss to no. 19 usc left the nittany lions at 3-3 and sent the usual kind of postgame scrutiny in a different direction. The defeat was close enough to keep the discussion rooted in the details, from improvements by tight end andrew rappleyea and wide receiver chase sowell to the steady defensive presence of linebacker tony rojas, but it also sharpened attention on how the roster was being managed in a game that carried so much weight.
one of the cleaner storylines from the night was that some younger pieces kept showing signs of progress, even as the overall result slipped away. Safety marcus neal jr. Did not play, and running back james peoples had an inefficient outing, leaving penn state with a few more questions than answers as it tries to stabilize both sides of the ball after a loss that felt bigger than the final margin. [Read more ????]
penn states white out loss just changed the entire postseason conversation
the white out loss to usc did more than hand penn state a disappointing night at home. It also sent the postseason chatter in a sharply different direction, with the nittany lions now facing a much tougher path to anything resembling a deep run. What had been framed as a season with real playoff upside suddenly looks far less certain, and the national projections are reflecting that shift in a hurry.
around the sport, the picture has turned bleak enough that penn state is being slotted well outside the college football playoff conversation by major outlets. Some forecasts have already moved the lions into the bowl-picture tier, with possibilities ranging from the reliaquest bowl to the dukes mayo bowl. For a team that entered the night with bigger ambitions, the next few weeks are now about salvaging the strongest finish possible and seeing where the rest of the bracket chaos leaves them. [Read more ????]
penn states frustrating usc loss raised another big question
penn states 31-23 loss to southern cal at beaver stadium had plenty of familiar frustration attached to it, from the trojans efficient offense to the crowd of 114,419 that packed the building for a record-setting afternoon. Jayden maiava did the damage through the air with 301 passing yards and three touchdowns, while king miller added a 102-yard ground effort that helped usc stay in control.
for the nittany lions, the setback carried the kind of weight that goes beyond one regular-season result. A full house and a national-stage atmosphere only sharpened the disappointment, because this was the sort of home game penn state needed to turn into a statement. Instead, usc left with the win and penn state was left with another question hanging over a season already searching for answers. [Read more ????] |
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| Aidan Hutchinson Is Giving Michigan Fans Even More To Celebrate |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 14 @ 00:02:03 PDT (11 reads) | |
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Week 6 turned into another strong showcase for michigan’s nfl crowd, with aidan hutchinson once again headlining the group. The former wolverines star was right in the middle of detroit’s 45-21 win over the arizona cardinals, finishing with two assisted tackles, half a sack and two quarterback hits. He also helped bring down jacoby brissett on a key fourth down late, with arizona still trying to stay alive in the game.
that performance pushed hutchinson to four sacks through five games, and he continues to anchor detroit’s defensive front.
jaishawn barham also kept his rookie season on track, turning in seven tackles in dallas’ 24-16 loss to tampa bay. The former michigan linebacker now has 28 tackles through five games, and three of those outings have ended with exactly seven stops.
nico collins gave houston another reason to smile in a 26-3 win over tennessee, hauling in five catches for 56 yards as the texans picked up their first victory of the season. Through three appearances, the former michigan receiver has stacked up 249 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
plenty of other wolverines found their way onto the stat sheet around the league.
in cincinnati’s 31-24 win over miami, dax hill posted four tackles, all but one of them solo, while dj turner ii added a pass breakup and erick all jr. Caught three passes for 25 yards. On the other side, josh uche finished with three tackles and two solo stops for the dolphins.
josh metellus was busy for minnesota in the vikings’ 23-13 win over new orleans, collecting five tackles with four solo stops.
jourdan lewis logged four tackles, three solo, in jacksonville’s 19-17 win over philadelphia.
the giants and commanders played to a 27-27 tie in overtime, and several wolverines were involved there too. Mike sainristil had five tackles, four solo, for washington.
j.J. Mccarthy carried the ball twice for two yards for new york, jon runyan jr. Started at guard, and dominic zvada went 2-for-5 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points.
aj barner finished with three receptions for 20 yards in seattle’s 32-29 loss to san francisco.
chicago’s 31-7 loss to green bay included eight tackles and two tackles for loss from devin bush, plus two catches for 19 yards from colston loveland.
rashan gary made six tackles, four solo, in tampa bay’s 24-16 win over dallas, while barham added his seven-tackle day for the cowboys.
kwity paye had one assisted tackle in new england’s 45-17 win over las vegas.
and in buffalo’s 37-34 win over the rams, the result closed out the week 6 slate on a high-scoring note.
in other news...
jim harbaughs college return just became a michigan legacy issue
jim harbaughs path back to the college game just got a lot more complicated, and for michigan it lands like more than a distant ncaa footnote. Harbaugh, now leading the los angeles chargers, has been hit with a show-cause order that runs through 2038, the latest reminder that the violations tied to his michigan tenure still have a long tail. The penalty comes out of multiple ncaa investigations involving recruiting violations and a sign-stealing scheme, and it is the sort of ruling that reaches well beyond one coachs rsum.
for michigan fans, the bigger issue is what it means for the programs place in the post-harbaugh era. A show-cause order like this does not just cloud a potential return to college coaching, it effectively shuts the door on it for the length of the sanction if a new school ever wanted to bring him in. So even as harbaughs name remains tied to the wolverines recent success, the legacy conversation now includes the reality that one of the most prominent figures in program history is, at least for the foreseeable future, a pro coach with a college future that has been put on ice. [Read more ????]
michigans qb debate hits a boiling point before penn state
michigans offense keeps circling back to the same question: how much of the recent uneven play comes down to bryce underwood, and how much is tied to the way the unit is being asked to function? The struggles against minnesota were a reminder that underwood has been more comfortable at home than on the road, and the pressure he faced only sharpened the scrutiny on an offense that has not found a steady rhythm.
penn state arrives next, and with it another chance for underwood to show the kind of bounce-back the wolverines need. The bigger concern, though, is whether the coaching staff can put him in better positions to succeed, because the debate around michigans quarterback play is now colliding with broader questions about the game plan itself. [Read more ????]
michigan suddenly faces a defining home test fans cant ignore
after a bye week and two straight losses, michigan is heading into a stretch that can say a lot about where this season is going, starting with penn state and then a home date that has suddenly taken on a bigger edge. Bryce underwood is still the starting quarterback as the wolverines try to steady themselves, but the margin for error is getting thinner with each week.
the big ten also announced that michigan will host indiana on october 24 at noon et on fox, and that matchup now looks far more compelling than it did a month ago. Indiana is unbeaten and ranked no. 5 after beating nebraska, and the hoosiers still have ohio state ahead before arriving in ann arbor, so michigan could be catching one of the leagues hottest teams at exactly the wrong time. [Read more ????] |
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| Astros Could Face A Tough Isaac Paredes Decision This Winter |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 14 @ 00:02:03 PDT (11 reads) | |
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The yankees’ third-base situation could be in for another shakeup, and houston’s isaac paredes may end up sitting near the top of the list of possible answers.
ryan mcmahon didn’t give new york much offense in his first go-round, batting .213/.279/.357 with 11 home runs and a .635 ops. He is owed $16 million in 2027, and even the part of his game that usually carries him - his defense - wasn’t at its usual level. That leaves the yankees with a decision: try to move some of the salary in a trade, or find a new starter at third and keep mcmahon around as a bench option.
paredes could fit that opening. Bleacher report’s joel reuter pointed to the astros infielder as a possible trade chip this winter, noting houston’s roster could be headed toward a small reset. “The astros are at an interesting crossroads, with a starting rotation that needs to be rebuilt, aging stars like jose altuve and carlos correa, and two key bats closing in on free agency in paredes and jeremy peña,” reuter wrote.
he added, “a larger rebuild would make sense, but even if they just retool, paredes remains a logical trade candidate given the infield logjam and his one remaining year of control,” he added.
that makes him a name the yankees have reason to monitor. In 2026, paredes put up 25 home runs, 94 runs batted in and a 4.0 bwar, production that would clearly look better in new york’s infield mix. It would also give the yankees more flexibility, with mcmahon, jose caballero and anthony volpe all still in the conversation at third.
houston could decide to move paredes before he reaches free agency in 2028, and if that happens, new york is among the teams likely to check in. The problem for the yankees is that this winter’s free-agent class at third base is thin, with alec bohm and isiah kiner-falefa highlighted as the top names. If new york wants a real upgrade at the hot corner, paredes looks like one of the cleaner fits, even if it takes a prospect or two to make it happen.
in other news...
yankees fans can dream on one wild ronald acua trade idea
a wild idea surfaced on social media this week when former yankees outfielder cameron maybin floated the possibility of new york pursuing ronald acua jr., Then reworking the roster around him. The concept would push aaron judge into a heavier designated hitter and right field mix, a move that speaks to just how much star power would be required to even imagine acua in pinstripes.
of course, the obstacle is bigger than lineup fit. Acua, the 2023 nl mvp, has made it clear he wants to stay in atlanta, even as the braves keep the kind of long-term control that can fuel speculation if they ever decide not to extend him beyond next season. For yankees fans, it is the sort of dream scenario that lives in the margins of the offseason chatter, bold enough to imagine and remote enough to keep hanging in the air. [Read more ????]
former yankees hitting coach just landed a role fans will watch
the marlins have turned back to a familiar face in dillon lawson, hiring him as their new hitting coach after a season in which the club settled for a league-average offensive performance. Lawson had already spent time with miami this summer as a roving hitting coach, giving the organization a chance to see him up close before making the move to replace pedro guerrero.
for yankees fans, lawsons path will still be worth tracking because of the coaching rsum he built before landing in miami. He worked in the yankees system as a minor league hitting coordinator and then as the clubs major league hitting coach, adding to experience with the red sox, astros and in college baseball. Now he gets another shot to shape a lineup, and it comes at a time when the marlins are looking for a clearer offensive identity. [Read more ????]
yankees left field question could reveal cashmans real priority
the yankees are in the familiar spot of trying to sort out left field after an early postseason exit, and this one may say as much about the organizations priorities as it does about the roster. The basic question is whether brian cashman wants to commit to a true full-time corner outfielder or lean toward a player who can move around the diamond and keep the lineup flexible, a decision that can ripple beyond just one position.
one name that has surfaced as a possible fit is mauricio dubon, whose versatility and championship background make him an easy player to picture in that type of role. For now, though, this is more a reflection of where the yankees could go than where they have already gone, since there has been no confirmed approach or offer from the club as it sorts through its options. [Read more ????] |
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| Notre Dame Faces One Early Test That Could Decide BYU Showdown |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 14 @ 00:02:03 PDT (13 reads) | |
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Notre dame is heading into the kind of week that tells you exactly where a season stands. The no.
2 fighting irish, still unbeaten after their 58-7 rout of stanford, are now turning their attention to a trip west for a top-10 matchup with no. 8 byu in provo.
it’s the first of three major tests looming on notre dame’s regular-season slate, and the conversation after practice made one thing clear: the irish know the physical and mental edge they’ll need to carry into utah.
defensive coordinator chris ash said byu’s offense earns respect because it does the simple things extremely well.
yeah, it starts, they got really good players, ash said about the cougars offense. They got good players and theyve got good coaches.
theyve been executing the system for a while and they just play really hard. They play hard.
they dont beat themselves. Theyre disciplined.
they dont really do anything fancy, but they do it exceptionally well and theyre hard to beat. You got to go beat them.
theyre not going to beat themselves. Thats really what stands out on film.
that sense of urgency carried through the rest of the post-practice comments. Middle linebacker drayk bowen pointed to the need to keep sharpening the way notre dame begins games, especially with a top-15 opponent waiting.
yeah, just making sure that were doing the right things in practice to make sure that were starting fast, bowen shared. Keep echoing it throughout.
its still been a theme throughout the season, making sure were starting games fast. Whether its a key to victory on offense or defense.
just making sure that the first drive, were going out there, were setting the tone and making sure that were doing the things that were supposed to do on that first drive, first quarter, and then ultimately throughout the game to make sure that were not giving up big plays and doing things that we need to do.
on the offensive line, right tackle guerby lambert said byu’s reputation for toughness is familiar, but it doesn’t change notre dame’s approach.
yeah, a little bit, lambert explained when asked if byus physical reputation gets the juices flowing for the offensive line during the week of practice. But, i mean, i feel like every week we come into the game with the same expectation to be physical as we can be, no matter whos lined up across from us.
cornerback dj mckinney also brought a personal layer to the matchup, noting that he has seen the cougars regularly during his college career and is now set for his first trip to provo.
yeah, theyre going to be a well-coached team, mckinney raved about the cougars program. Ive played them almost every season ive been in college, so, you know, its always fun playing those guys. But this is going to be the first time i actually go to provo, so thats going to be a new experience, and im just looking forward to it.
the irish left no doubt against stanford, but the tone around the program now shifts toward something much bigger: a road showdown against a disciplined byu team that will test notre dame on both sides of the ball.
in other news...
notre dame defense faces one big question entering byu trip
notre dames defense could look a little different for its trip to byu, with the injury report offering a mix of concern and relief heading into the matchup. Cornerback leonard moore is listed as questionable, while linebacker kyngstonn viliamu-asa has been cleared after being taken off the report, a useful development for a unit that has had to manage its depth carefully in recent weeks.
jason onyes status is also worth watching after he was upgraded to questionable following a left ankle injury that kept him out for more than five games. Brauntae johnson, meanwhile, remains on a longer recovery path after foot surgery and is expected back around november, leaving notre dame to sort through just how much of its defensive backfield and front it can count on in a tricky road spot. [Read more ????]
notre dame faces a road test marcus freeman still has to pass
notre dames trip to provo comes with the kind of spotlight that has a way of exposing the same old questions. The irish have not won a true road game against a top-10 opponent since 2012, and under marcus freeman they have gone 2-4 in true road games against ranked teams. Now they head to face undefeated byu, ranked eighth, in a setting that should feel every bit as unforgiving as the stakes attached to it.
for freeman, this is more than another ranked matchup on the schedule. It is a chance to show that notre dame can carry its talent, poise and playoff hopes into a hostile road environment and actually finish the job. The irish have been good enough at home and strong enough overall to stay in the national picture, but until they solve a test like this one, the lingering doubt about their ceiling will keep hanging over them. [Read more ????]
byus undefeated start faces its biggest test yet against notre dame
the no. 2 fighting irish are headed into a week 7 matchup that should say plenty about where both programs really stand, with undefeated byu bringing its perfect start into south bend for a top-10 clash. Notre dame has looked like a legitimate heavyweight by the advanced numbers, and cj carr has already pushed himself into the heisman trophy conversation as the offense continues to gain national attention.
byu, ranked no. 8, has earned this moment by staying unbeaten and steady through the first part of the season, but this trip will demand answers in every phase against a notre dame team built to test weaknesses. The betting market expects a tight one, which only adds to the stakes in a game that could reshape the picture for both teams in the second half of the season. [Read more ????] |
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| UCLA Now Waits On A Brutal Nico Iamaleava Injury Twist |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 14 @ 00:02:03 PDT (11 reads) | |
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The conversation between ucla and oregon didn’t end when the ducks walked off the field saturday, and it hasn’t stayed on the scoreboard, either.
what’s still hanging in the air is nico iamaleava’s knee injury. The ucla senior quarterback left in the second quarter against oregon and is now expected to be out indefinitely after missing the second half. Reports about the injury surfaced monday, and the topic quickly turned to whether oregon coach dan lanning had checked in with ucla coach bob chesney about iamaleava’s condition.
chesney made it clear lanning did.
hes as stand up as a man and football coach as you possibly can be. He not only called me about nico, but he also called me when we were in the hotel when our plane was delayed, chesney said.
that kind of exchange fits the way chesney and lanning have interacted this season. Both coaches are among the younger names in college football, and chesney said earlier in the year that he reached out to lanning after oregon quarterback dante moore was concussed in the second quarter of the ducks’ road game against usc.
“i just wanted to make sure if he needed anything, that he knew i was there. Even if it was just to stop over real quick and make sure theres someone in the football world to say hi, thats what i wanted to be able to do and just make sure he understood that he wasn’t just left behind all alone here in l.A., Chesney said about his offer two weeks before the bruins traveled to autzen stadium.
the injury itself came on a play late in the second quarter, when iamaleava was tackled on oregon’s 22-yard line by senior defensive lineman bear alexander and junior inside linebacker jerry mixon. He came back in after missing one snap and threw an interception, then emerged from halftime in street clothes.
the tackle drew plenty of attention online, especially a zoomed-in clip that focused on alexander’s hand movement and made it look like he was “punching” toward the ucla quarterback’s head.
asked about alexander’s actions, chesney called it egrigious. Lanning pushed back on the idea that alexander was trying to hit iamaleava, saying the motions were aimed at the ball.
you know, bear knows that. I think he feels bad about that.
its one of the first things he said to me, i didnt want to - i wasnt trying to hurt the guy. And i dont think thats how he got hurt, it was actually on a lower extremity.
you dont want to see it play out like that, but you want your players to be aggressive and punch the ball out, lanning added.
in other news...
uclas oregon breakthrough just turned into a brutal new reality
uclas promising stretch against oregon came with a cost that is now reshaping the rest of the season. Quarterback nico iamaleava went down with a knee injury in that game, leaving the bruins to adjust on the fly at the most important position on the field as the schedule turns more demanding.
the expectation now is that cal poly transfer ty dieffenbach will step into the starting role, a major shift for a team trying to keep its footing through a tough run ahead. With the passing game suddenly in transition, ucla will lean more heavily on running back wayne knight and a defense that will need to keep the bruins in games while the offense finds its new rhythm. [Read more ????]
ucla suddenly has a new offensive question after stunning oregon win
uclas stunning 17-15 win over oregon in eugene gave the bruins a rare road breakthrough and a result they can hang onto for a long time, but it also came with a fresh offensive wrinkle. The passing game never really found traction, and with the quarterback room forced into an in-game adjustment, ty dieffenbach had to navigate the second half in difficult circumstances while the defense and special teams helped carry the night.
the bruins will celebrate the first win in eugene since 2004, but the bigger question now is how the offense sorts itself out from here. Morgan looked like the most dependable option in the air attack, yet the bigger swing plays belonged on defense, where scooter jackson and tashawn james helped flip field position and momentum, leaving ucla with a victory and one more issue to untangle heading into the next week. [Read more ????]
nico iamaleava hit has ucla fans angry for another reason
a late-game hit on nico iamaleava has kept ucla talking long after the whistle, and not just because the quarterback was dealing with a knee injury. What drew the most frustration was the sequence itself, with no flag thrown even as the bruins watched the play unfold and wondered how it was missed in real time.
the aftermath has only sharpened the debate around oregon defensive tackle bear alexanders role in the tackle. Ucla coach bob chesney raised concerns about the missed call and iamaleavas health, while dan lanning said alexanders late punch was not meant to cause harm, leaving bruins fans irritated by the play and the absence of any discipline to follow. [Read more ????] |
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| Michael Malone Starts With One ACC Debate UNC Fans Wont Ignore |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 14 @ 00:02:03 PDT (12 reads) | |
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The acc’s preseason picture is starting to come into focus, and north carolina isn’t getting much love as michael malone takes over in chapel hill.
when the league’s annual preseason basketball event wrapped up in uptown charlotte last week, media voters lined up their picks for the 2026-27 season. The results are now out, and the tar heels landed at no. 5 in the conference poll, well behind duke and without a single first-place vote.
duke came in as the clear favorite, collecting 45 first-place votes and 861 points. Virginia followed with one first-place vote and 778 points, then louisville with one first-place vote and 758 points, and miami with one first-place vote and 753 points. North carolina checked in next with 658 points.
the rest of the preseason order had clemson at 6th with 623 points, florida state at 7th with 519, nc state at 8th with 502, virginia tech at 9th with 489, and smu at 10th with 443. Syracuse, pitt, stanford, wake forest, california, notre dame, boston college, and georgia tech rounded out the field. There were 48 total voters.
unc also came up empty on the preseason all-acc teams, with no tar heel making either the first or second team. That stood out a bit given terrence brown’s resume at utah and the expectation that neo avdalas could make a bigger splash in chapel hill than he did at virginia tech.
the rookie vote brought at least one small bright spot for carolina. Duke’s joaquim boumtje boumtje won acc preseason rookie of the year with 34 votes, but north carolina’s maximo adams finished fourth with three votes after his preseason exhibition performance in the win over usc last friday.
the full rookie vote went to joaquim boumtje boumtje of duke, followed by caleb gaskins of miami with five votes, cameron williams of duke with four, maximo adams with three, harris reynolds of clemson with one, and deron rippey of duke with one.
in other news...
unc keeps showing a toughness tar heels fans havent seen recently
the tar heels 21-17 win over pittsburgh was the kind of result that can start to change the tone around a program, not just because it showed up in the standings, but because of how unc handled the middle of the game. Under bill belichick, this team has begun to look mentally sturdier than the one fans watched a year ago, and that has been a notable shift as the 2026 season has taken shape. Jordan shipp gave the offense a needed spark, while the secondary kept holding up when the game got tight.
there is still work to do, though, and the remaining questions are the ones that usually separate a promising team from a truly complete one. The running game has not yet become consistent, and billy edwards jr. Still has room to settle in as the tar heels push deeper into the season. Even so, the emergence of tight ends jelani thurman and shamar easter is another sign that unc is finding ways to stay in games and finish them with a toughness that had been missing. [Read more ????]
unc players sound different as belichick faces his first duke test
bill belichick says north carolina feels like a different program now than it did a year ago, and the tar heels have given him some proof lately. A full offseason under the staff, plus the chance to see repeat opponents, has helped sharpen the teams preparation and engagement, while the road win at pittsburgh gave the group another sign that the work is starting to carry over on saturdays.
center christo kelly pointed to the growth inside the locker room as much as anything else, noting stronger leadership from players and a level of trust that wasnt as evident before. He also said belichick has been open to feedback, a notable detail as unc heads into duke week with its biggest in-state measuring stick still ahead and the real question being whether all that internal progress shows up when the tar heels need it most. [Read more ????]
uncs biggest acc question did not go away against pitt
north carolinas 21-17 win over no. 25 pittsburgh gave the tar heels something they badly needed: a quality conference victory and proof that the defense and playmakers can hold up in a game with real stakes. At 3-2 overall and 1-1 in acc play, the tar heels have steadied themselves a bit, and the performance against pitt showed they can win with toughness and timely execution even when the margin for error is slim.
but the bigger issue in chapel hill did not disappear just because the record looks better on paper. Sixth-year senior billy edwards jr. Has not yet delivered the kind of consistent quarterback play north carolina needs, and the inconsistency at that spot remains the teams most obvious question as acc play moves on. If the production does not improve, the coaching staff may have to consider other options, which makes the next stretch feel especially important for a team trying to prove this win was a step forward, not just a one-night rescue. [Read more ????] |
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| Syracuses First Gerry McNamara Lineup Already Raised Big Questions |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 14 @ 00:02:03 PDT (11 reads) | |
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Uncasville, conn. - Gerry mcnamara’s first game as syracuse men’s basketball coach has come with plenty of early lineup shuffling, a few flashes from the orange’s newcomers, and the kind of choppy start you’d expect from an exhibition against a heavyweight like uconn.
at mohegan sun arena on tuesday night, syracuse opened its preseason schedule against the huskies in what is the first of three exhibition games before the season begins nov. 2. The game is airing on nbc sports boston, and out-of-market fans can stream it on cuse.Com/watch for free.
syracuse’s starting five featured garwey dual, gavin doty, aiden tobiason, sadiq white jr. And tasman goodrick, with goodrick’s inclusion standing out a bit. Uconn, meanwhile, went with silas demary jr., Colben landrew, jayden ross, nik khamenia and oskar giltay, choosing a bigger look with braylon mullins unavailable.
the orange got the game’s first field goal after more than four minutes when white scored in transition, but uconn answered right away with a nik khamenia three. From there, the opening minutes had the feel of a true exhibition: a lot of whistles, a lot of substitutions, and not much rhythm.
both teams struggled to clean things up offensively early. Syracuse had four turnovers before the first media timeout, while uconn had already been hit with three offensive fouls, including two on jayden ross.
the orange also took a hit when tobiason came up limping and grabbing at his hamstring after a turnover. He left quickly and went to the locker room, with kiyan anthony taking his spot.
by the 11:34 mark, uconn led 12-6. Syracuse was shooting 2-for-7 from the field and had turned it over six times.
khamenia had eight points and was the only player on either side to have hit a three at that point. Silas demary scored over moesch, najai hines finished over siby, and after kiyan anthony snapped a three-plus minute syracuse scoring drought with a driving layup, uconn came right back with an alley-oop to hines.
syracuse also had garwey dual pick up his second foul shortly after the media break, leading to more rotation juggling. Ryan moesch entered, while syracuse also used abdramane siby, francis folefac and later amarri monroe. The fouls kept piling up, and the orange entered the bonus by 7:58, a useful development for an offense searching for easier points.
that stretch produced some better signs. Moesch went 1-for-2 at the line, then luke wilson and monroe each made a pair of free throws after syracuse drew shooting fouls.
wilson then powered in a post move on hines to tie the game at 13, giving the orange their first true post-up basket of the night. Uconn had gone nearly three minutes without a point by then.
syracuse was still taking some punches, though. Uconn pushed back with five straight points out of the media timeout, including khamenia’s second triple after syracuse lost him on the left wing. That prompted a gerry mcnamara timeout, with the huskies pulling ahead 18-13.
the orange finally got a response from beyond the arc when sadiq white knocked down his first three, banking it in after a putback dunk by najai hines. The teams then traded threes - egor amosov for uconn and gavin doty for syracuse, giving doty his first points in front of his hometown crowd.
syracuse thought it had another bucket when doty’s next attempt appeared to be goaltended by hines, but the whistle never came. On the other end, moesch made a strong defensive play, stripping khamenia in transition and forcing a turnover.
at the 2:53 mark, uconn led 26-21. White paced syracuse with seven points, and moesch had five of the orange’s nine rebounds.
mcnamara’s roster is a very different look from last season’s group. Syracuse returns just two scholarship players from last year, kiyan anthony and sadiq white, and has rebuilt around a mix of transfers and international players.
dual, the mcneese transfer, is back after dealing with a collarbone injury through the summer and is expected to anchor the defense. Doty arrived from siena with mcnamara after spending time in albany, while temple transfer aiden tobiason, app state transfer luke wilson and international prospect abdramane siby all add length and depth.
amarri monroe, the 2024-25 maac player of the year from quinnipiac, is currently eligible after receiving a temporary injunction in his case against the ncaa for a fifth year of eligibility.
syracuse freshman mark morano is not playing because of a lower-leg injury.
uconn is also missing a key piece. Braylon mullins, who hit the buzzer-beater that knocked off duke in last year’s regional final, is out tuesday with an undisclosed injury.
in other news...
syracuse gets an early rivalry test fans have missed for years
after years without seeing one another on the floor, syracuse and uconn are finally set to meet again tuesday night in an exhibition at mohegan sun arena in uncasville, connecticut. It is the first matchup between the longtime rivals since 2018, and while it will not count in the all-time series, it still offers a familiar jolt of interest for two fan bases that know the history well.
for both programs, the game is more than a nostalgic nod to an old big east feel. It gives the coaching staffs a chance to sort through rotations, evaluate new pieces and get a better read on lineups before the regular season begins, all against an opponent that can quickly expose what still needs work. [Read more ????]
syracuses lone freshman could force his way into a bigger role
ryan moeschs path to syracuse has already been a little unusual, and that is part of what makes him one of the more interesting pieces on this roster. A four-star prospect from central new york, he first committed to siena before following coach gerry mcnamara to syracuse, a move that gave him a chance to stay close to home while joining a program he grew up around. For moesch, the chance to wear syracuse on his chest carries a hometown pride that goes well beyond the usual freshman storyline.
he is expected to open the season as a backup guard, which makes his early role fairly clear even if his long-term one is not. Freshmen do not often arrive with a direct path to meaningful minutes, especially in a rotation where the staff will want reliability from the outset, but moesch has the kind of local connection and recruiting pedigree that can keep him in the conversation if he proves ready. How much he plays may be decided over time, and that gives syracuse one of its more intriguing subplots as the season unfolds. [Read more ????]
syracuses early kenpom outlook puts gerry mcnamara on the spot
kenpoms preseason ratings for the 2026-27 college basketball season give syracuse a modest early lift, slotting the orange at no. 80 overall after a rough recent stretch. It is an improvement from where the program finished last season, and it comes as the school turns the page from adrian autry and hands the job to gerry mcnamara, whose first order of business is to steady a program that still has plenty to prove.
the acc picture does not make that task any easier, either. Syracuse opens at no. 14 in the conference in kenpoms preseason view, which leaves little margin for error once league play arrives. Mcnamara inherits a team that at least starts from a better statistical place than a year ago, but the broader question is whether that modest bump translates into something more meaningful by the end of the season. [Read more ????] |
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| Saints Rookie Class Is Already Raising A Frustrating Early Question |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 14 @ 00:02:03 PDT (12 reads) | |
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The new orleans saints’ 2026 draft class has not exactly sprinted out of the gate, but the early backlash may be getting ahead of itself.
draft expert justin melo did not sugarcoat it, calling the group “lackluster” and ranking the saints 26th among nfl draft classes so far this season. That placement feels fair enough. The bigger issue is the way some observers seem ready to file the whole class away as a miss after only five games.
a lot of the conversation starts and ends with production, and yes, most of the rookie class has been quiet. But the saints are also trying to evaluate this group without what was supposed to be its biggest early-impact piece: jordyn tyson. He hasn’t played yet, and that matters more than people want to admit.
melo pointed to injuries as part of the explanation, and that’s hard to argue with. Five games is a tiny sample, especially for a class that was never built to light the league on fire immediately. The expectations were more measured than that from the start.
christen miller has taken the most visible hit so far. Being a healthy scratch in week 4 is tough to defend, and melo noted that miller “couldnt crack the rotation versus the falcons,” which gets right to the problem.
miller played in week 1, saw the field again last week, and then suddenly disappeared from the lineup. He did flash some quality play in limited snaps against minnesota, but the saints expected him to be part of the rotation with davon godchaux, and that hasn’t really happened.
barion brown has been something closer to a wash as a return specialist. The one real jolt he’s provided came before halftime against the ravens, when he delivered a big return that helped the saints close the gap. Outside of that, his impact has been more neutral than explosive, though that’s not exactly shocking in the return game, where splash plays tend to come and go.
bryce lance has also been quiet, but he came into the league with a development curve attached. The north dakota state product was viewed as someone who might grow into the role, not seize it right away, and there was a belief he’d land as the fifth receiver on the depth chart this year. Tyson’s injury and ja’lynn polk’s sudden retirement changed the math on lance’s importance, but he hasn’t risen to the moment yet.
the fourth-round pick has not made the leap, though that also fits the original scouting picture. Jeremiah wright has mostly watched from the sideline because he was always expected to spend a year behind cesar ruiz.
then there’s oscar delp, who came into the process as a raw prospect with more athletic tools than college production. At this point, him functioning mainly as a blocker should not come as a major surprise. That may have been the expectation all along, even if it wasn’t the most exciting one.
so yes, the saints’ rookie class has been uneven. But the rush to label it a failure still feels premature. New orleans spent this draft on players who needed time, and right now they’re mostly playing like players who need time.
in other news...
tyler shoughs hand issue just became a real saints concern
tyler shoughs left hand has quietly become one of the more notable issues hanging over the saints, and it has shown up in ways that are hard to ignore. He has been seen gripping the hand during games and practices, and the added glove on that side has only sharpened the sense that something is limiting him as he tries to settle into the job. Shough has acknowledged the injury, but he has stopped short of spelling out exactly how serious it is.
for new orleans, the concern is less about the pain itself than the ripple effect it can have on the offense. The hand issue has affected how shough handles exchanges and handoffs, which adds another layer of uncertainty for a team already trying to get a clean read on its quarterback situation. Until there is more clarity on the extent of the injury, the saints are left watching each snap for signs of whether this is a brief inconvenience or something with a much bigger reach. [Read more ????]
saints had only a few reasons for hope in that loss
the saints spent most of their loss to the vikings searching for anything to latch onto on a day when the offense never really found a rhythm. Even so, there were a few bright spots worth noting, starting with jonas sanker, who delivered the kind of defensive spark this team badly needed, while carl granderson kept affecting the pocket and punter ryan wright did his part by helping new orleans manage field position.
sankers impact stood out because the saints did not have many ways to flip the game in their favor, and the defense was left carrying much of the load. Granderson also gave new orleans a steady edge up front, and wrights strong work gave the saints a chance to stay within reach longer than the offense probably deserved, leaving the bigger question still hanging over a frustrating afternoon. [Read more ????]
erik mccoy just put saints leadership on blast
after the loss to the minnesota vikings, center and team captain erik mccoy did not sound interested in soft-pedaling what has gone wrong for the saints. He pointed to the same issues that have kept showing up in recent weeks: flat play, turnovers and penalties, with the latest home defeat only adding to the frustration around an offense that has too often dug itself into a hole.
mccoys comments also put a spotlight on the leadership question facing the building, especially with the offense sputtering and the team needing more edge after a string of disappointing results. When a captain starts calling out the overall energy and accountability level, it usually signals the problem is bigger than one bad afternoon, and the saints now have to answer whether the response comes from the locker room, the sideline or both. [Read more ????] |
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| Oregon State Faces A Familiar Wrinkle In This Washington State Rivalry |
| Posted on Wednesday, October 14 @ 00:02:03 PDT (12 reads) | |
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Washington state and oregon state will meet for the 111th time saturday afternoon in corvallis, but this matchup comes with a twist that doesn’t usually define a rivalry this old. Both programs are working under first-year head coaches, both staffs have been reshaped, and there are a few familiar coaching links threading through what should otherwise feel like a fresh start.
one of the most notable ties runs through oregon state defensive coordinator trent bray, who is now trying to help washington state build one of the conference’s strongest defensive units after an ugly split with the beavers a year ago. Oregon state fired bray almost exactly a year ago after an 0-7 start, the program’s worst since 1991. Bray, an all-conference linebacker for the beavers in 2005, had returned to his alma mater in 2018 as a defensive assistant before taking over in 2024 after jonathan smith left for michigan state.
“i didn’t think after a year-and-a-half it would necessarily be the end of everything,” bray told john canzano in an exclusive interview with “bald-faced truth” last july. “But it didn’t surprise me fully either, though.”
now under first-year wsu coach kirby moore, bray has stayed mostly out of the spotlight while turning in what the cougars hope is a high-end defensive season. Oregon state’s new coach, jamarcus shephard, made a point monday of acknowledging bray’s imprint on the program before saturday’s game.
“just so we know, there is a gentleman (bray) on the other side of the field as their defensive coordinator who is very important to this community and spent a lot of time here,” shephard said. “We have a ton of respect for him and what he’s brought into this program in the past.”
the moore connection on the oregon state side goes through offensive coordinator mitch dahlen, who knows the wsu coach from years back and even sees him in another setting now and then. Dahlen said the two usually run into each other in bend, oregon, during summer vacations.
“he is a great offensive mind, and always has been,” dahlen said.
their bond started at the college of idaho, where both launched their coaching careers. Moore joined longtime coyotes coach mike moroski in 2014 as receivers coach and spent one season there. Two years later, dahlen came aboard as the program’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for two seasons.
“this is the coach moroski bowl for me (saturday),” dahlen said.
moore and dahlen also crossed paths at fresno state in 2021-22, with moore serving as passing game coordinator and dahlen working as assistant offensive coordinator under kalen deboer.
“these are the fun (games),” dahlen said. “You want to win these ones more when you know the guy (on the other sideline).”
shephard’s link to washington state reaches back further than many fans might realize. Before taking over at oregon state, he spent the 2016 season coaching wsu wide receivers under the late mike leach after four years at western kentucky. Shephard said he didn’t know anyone on the staff or in pullman when he took the job.
“i didn’t know anybody on the staff. I didn’t know anybody in the town.
i didn’t know anything about pullman,” shephard said. “I had never been that far west of the mississippi (river) to live.”
that year gave him his first chance to coach river cracraft, who eventually made it to the nfl. Shephard later left for purdue, but he said the pullman stop helped shape the rest of his career by introducing him to the recruiting landscape across washington, oregon, idaho and other parts of the west.
“once you have that experience under your belt where you’ve recruited on the west coast … now you start making yourself a little bit more marketable and available to anywhere in the country,” shephard said.
in other news...
washington state just made the change its offense desperately needed
washington state is making a quarterback change at a point when the offense could use a reset, with head coach kirby moore turning to redshirt freshman owen eshelman for the upcoming game against oregon state. The move comes after moore reviewed recent game film and weighed caden pinnicks uneven play, a stretch that left the cougars searching for more steadiness behind center.
eshelman is set to make his first collegiate start, which gives washington state a fresh look as it tries to straighten out the offense. For a team still trying to find a more reliable rhythm, the decision suggests moore felt the time had come to try something different, and now the cougars will see whether the new direction can change the feel of the unit right away. [Read more ????]
boise states pac-12 title path is starting to feel very real
at the midpoint of the 2026 season, boise state and oregon state have separated themselves from the rest of the pac-12, and the conference race is beginning to take on a familiar two-team shape. Boise state just survived a tricky road trip at fresno state, while oregon state backed up its standing with a convincing home win over san diego state, giving both programs momentum as the schedule tightens.
the bigger picture for the league is now tied to what happens when those two meet on nov. 14, a game that could go a long way toward determining home-field advantage for the pac-12 championship. With several other conference teams still sorting themselves out through recent results and upcoming games, the path is becoming clearer at the top even if plenty remains unsettled below it. [Read more ????]
cougs could be facing another major change before oregon state
kirby moores latest injury update offered a clearer picture of where washington state stands heading into oregon state, but it also left the cougars with a handful of moving parts along the line and throughout the lineup. Left tackle ashton tripp is day-to-day after an ankle injury, a situation worth watching closely because of how much stability that spot carries, and maximus mccree is lined up to step in if tripp is unable to go.
there is similar uncertainty around several other veterans as the cougars work through the week. Kyle peterson, malachi wrice, and michael hughes have all returned to practice, which is a step in the right direction, but each remains a game-time decision, leaving washington state to balance cautious optimism with the reality that final availability may not be settled until much closer to kickoff. [Read more ????] |
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