2017 BIG Ten Football Week 1 Recap
Posted on September 1, 2017. Filed under: Football, NCAA Sports, Sporting News | Tags: Akron, Arkansas State at Nebraska, Ball State vs Illinois, Chayce Crouch, florida, Iowa, J.K. Dobbins, J.T. Barrett, Louisville at Purdue, Maryland, michigan, michigan state, Mikey Dudek, Minnesota, NCAA Week 1 football, Nevada, Northwester, Ohio State at Indiana, Penn State, Texas, Washington at Rugters, Wisconsin vs Utah State, Wyoming |
BIG Ten Week 1 Recap…
It's that time… BIG TEN Football time!!!! Who snagged an opening day victory?
For the most part, the Big Ten took care of business in the opening weekend. The season kicked off Thursday night will league victories by Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin (Friday), while Rutgers came up short.
Then came Saturday…. teams like Michigan State, Northwestern, Illinois, Iowa and Penn State all took care of business against lesser so-called opponents—which, I suppose, is expected in the first game of the season.
But what about Maryland? The Terrapins went into Austin and stuck it to the Texas Longhorns, 51-41. More on this below, so let's go around the league….
In front of a jammed packed crowd (Attendance: 52,929) at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, the Hoosier put up a good, solid fight against the nations number 2 team, Buckeyes, but came up short, 49-21.
The hometeam jumped out on top and held the lead until the second half and freshmen, J.K. Dobbins, stepped up on his debut, finishing the contest breaking a 15-year-old school rushing record with 181 yards on 29 carries. Quarterback, J.T. Barrett tossed three touchdown passes in the victory.
"I'm probably the only good thing going on in my town right now, so I just thought of it as bringing my city up," Dobbins said after spending the past week watching the flooding in the Houston area. "That's why I came out and played hard like that."
The Hoosiers were led by R. Lagow, who finished the game with 40 of 65 with 410 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Really nothing to hold his head down about. The biggest problem was rushing, where the Hoosiers had 27 carries for 17 yards. Receiver Simmi Cobbs Jr. had a career-high 11 catches for 149 yards and one TD. Luke Timian had 10 receptions for 72 yards.
Coach Meyer is 16-0 all-time in season openers. The Buckeyes finished with 596 total yards, 292 on the ground, and forced three turnovers. Campbell had six catches for 136 yards.
OTHER GAME HIGHLIGHTS – CORSO HOISTED
ESPN broadcaster Lee Corso got a lift, literally, from his former players after receiving Indiana's Bill Orwig Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the university by a non-alum.
After a video played and he was presented with a plaque, the players gathered round and hoisted him on their shoulders. Corso coached the Hoosiers from 1973-82 and led the Hoosiers to their first bowl win – 38-37 over No. 9 Brigham Young in the 1979 Holiday Bowl. He was inducted into school's Hall of Fame in 2010.
Ohio State: Heads home Sept. 9 for an even tougher match-up against No. 7 Oklahoma.
Indiana: Travels to Virginia on Sept. 9.
30 14 (final)
This game was a lot closer than it should have been but was pure, old school grunt football as hometeam, Illini, held off Ball State with a 24-21 win. Illini were up at halftime and blew a nine-point halftime lead and wasted several scoring opportunities down the stretch and the visitors capitalized on it with a pair of strong showing third-quarter touchdowns to take the lead. True freshman tailback Mike Epstein found the end zone with just over two minutes left in the game and that was enough to give Illinois the win.
Illini quarterback Chayce Crouch threw for 145 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
"We got a lot of young guys out on the field today," Crouch said. "I think some of our inexperience showed at times. But they'll learn from it."
Wide receiver Mikey Dudek was one of the country's top freshman wideouts in 2014 and made his much-anticipated Illini return on Saturday and hauled in two passes for 47 yards and a touchdown.
In the end as time was expiring, the Cardinals were attempting a 54-yard field goal by Morgan Hagee to send the game in the overtime, but Jamal Milan was able to get up blocked the kick with his right arm.
"I actually saw it and I heard it," Milan said. "It was pretty low. At first I couldn't believe that I hit it. But at the same time, I could feel it. It was as loud as it can be."
The Illini offense could only manage 216 yards on the day. They know they have to do a lot better than that in order to be competitive in the league.
Up next for Illini, they will host Western Kentucky; Ball State will play UAB.
3 24 (FINAL)
This game was straight out of arcade game… like vintage techmo bowl stuff!
Tom Herman's debut did not go as planned for the Longhorn faithful as D.J. Durkin's Terrapins put up half a hundred on a hapless Texas defense. Terps' quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome ran and threw all over the Horns and Maryland was able to hold onto the lead despite losing the sophomore in the fourth quarter with a knee injury.
It's difficult to describe exactly how bad the Longhorn defense looked after it took an interception to the house on the third play of the game. The Maryland offense pretty much did whatever it wanted in Austin.
The rushing attack averaged over six yards per carry and scored four times. Tailback Ty Johnson recorded 132 yards and a score on just 12 carries while Pigrome added 64 yards and a score of his own. After the Pigrome injury, true freshman quarterback Kasim Hill completed all three of his passes for 44 yards while adding 14 yards and a score on the ground.
The game literally ended with Texas fans taking out their frustrations by throwing debris onto the field. Not good, Tom.
Florida basically suspended half of its team leading up to the opener against Michigan, and it was pretty obvious the Gators were missing something on Saturday. Truth be told, the offense has been missing something for years now, but the defense didn't look like its usual self.
The Wolverines new uniforms were something to behold right? MAybe the uni's gave them needed motivation especailly on D. The Gator offense put up just 192 yards, turned the ball over three times, and failed to find the end zone. Both of Florida's touchdowns came on interception returns.
Wilton Speight finished the game completing 11 of 25 passes for 181 yards with one score and the two interceptions. The ground game got it done, though, tallying 215 yards and a touchdown. Surprisingly it was Ty Isaac – not Chris Evans – who led the way in the backfield. Isaac averaged over 10 yards per carry and totaled 114 yards on the day. Evans managed just 78 yards on 22 carries.
The Boilermakers nearly pulled off a major upset in Jeff Brohm's debut as new head coach. Reigning Heisman winner Lamar Jackson put up some big-time numbers, but the Purdue defense prevented Louisville from firing on all cylinders.
Jackson totaled 485 yards of total offense and threw for a pair of touchdowns, but the Boilermakers forced three turnovers and limited the Louisville running game outside of its quarterback. Junior wideout Jaylen Smith had a big night with eight receptions for 117 yards.
Purdue split its snaps between two quarterbacks. Last season's starter – junior David Blough – threw for 175 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Sophomore Elijah Sindelar added 118 yards, two scores, and an interception of his own. The running game never really got going as they rushed for just 51 yards on 21 carries. Jackson Anthrop caught seven passes for 82 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Good showing Boilermakers!
Not a bad start for the Big Ten as the Maryland and Michigan victories were both big in terms of national perception (if you're into that sort of thing), but the former was certainly the most surprising outcome of the weekend. Purdue looks like it may be on the right track under Jeff Brohm, and Rutgers wasn't nearly as putrid as the world was expecting.
All in all, the Big Ten East continues to look like one of the best divisions in the country. From top to bottom—Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State (oh, and Rutgers)—each team is capable of making games extremely competitive.
This will be a fun season to follow.
Ranking NCAA Football Conferences 2013
Posted on September 16, 2013. Filed under: Football, NCAA Sports | Tags: ACC, Alabama, Amateur Sports, Amateur Sports Magazine, Amateur Sports News Network, AmateurSports365, American Conference, ASNN, ASNN365, Baylor, Big 12, Big Ten, Boise State, Cincy, Cinncinnati, Clemson, conference USA, florida, Florida State, Georgia, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, LSU, michigan, Mid-American conference, Mountain West, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Pac-12, Pres Ro, Prez Ro, Ranking NCAA Football Conferences 2013, Rutgers, SEC, South Carolina, Stanford, steve fitch, Steve Fitch MBA, Steven E. Fitch, Sun Belt, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Wisconsin |
Who's the TOP College football conference?
Who? Okay…. we needed a 10th conference…
Louisiana Tech is fun to watch… next
Northern Illinois dominates this conference every year and this year will NOT be any different but the rest of the teams struggle.
There's Boise State and a bunch of other teams… Next!
Louisville, Cincy and Rutgers are all gonna battle and that makes this conference tough.
It's all about Clemson and Florida State, but still nothing to sneeze at here.
Right night, it's hard to imagine any team long-term outperforming The Ohio State this year, even though Wisconsin will try their best to keep things close since they are in the same conference (Leaders). On the other side of the division, Michigan, Nebraska and Northwestern will fight and scratch to the end in order to play the Buckeyes in the championship game December 7 in Indianapolis.
This 10-team league is wide-open with contenders like Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, Baylor and Kansas State at the top. Who will prevail? See ya in December…
Right away, when you think Pac-12 you think Stanford and Oregon, which is absolutely correct but don't sleep on Arizona State and UCLA this season.
As much as we would love to put another conference on top, the reality of it all is we can't. Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Texas A&M, etc… would dominate any conference listed below – hands down. Thus, SEC again is the top football conference – PERIOD!
NCAA Top 10 College Football Poll
Posted on August 15, 2013. Filed under: Football, NCAA Sports | Tags: Alabama, Amateur Sports, Amateur Sports Magazine, AmateurSports News Network, AmateurSports365, ASNN, ASNN365, BCS, bowl championship series, Clemson, College Football, College Football Poll, florida, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Pres Ro, Prez Ro, South Carolina, Stanford, steve fitch, Steve Fitch MBA, Steven E. Fitch, Steven E. Fitch MBA, steven fitch, Steven Fitch MBA, Texas, Texas A&M, Top 10, Top ten |
2013 College Football pre-season TOP 10
Seven months removed from the National Championship, and well, it's that time again… who will win it all?
Look out for… Notre Dame, Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma State, Texas, Michigan, Nebraska
2013 McDonald's All-American Game
Posted on April 7, 2013. Filed under: Basketball, Boys High School Basketball, Girls High School Basketball, High School Basketball | Tags: 2013 McDonald All-American, Aaron Gordon, Aaron Harrison, Alaina Coates, Amateur Sports, Amateur Sports Magazine, AmateurSports News Network, AmateurSports365, Andrew Harrison, andrew wiggins, Anthony Barber, Arizona, Arkansas, ASNN, ASNN365, Bobby Portis, Cal, California, Chris Walker, Dakari Johnson, Demetrius Jackson, Diamond DeShields, Duke, Erica McCall, florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Ieshia Small, Indiana, Isaac Hamilton, Isaiah Hicks, Jabari Bird, jabari parker, James Young, Jerrell Martin, Jordan Reynolds, Kaela Davis, Kai James, Kailee Johnson, Kansas, Kasey Hill, Keith Frazier, Kelsey Plum, Kendall Cooper, Kennedy Meeks, Kentucky, Lexie Brown, Lindsay Allen, Linnae Harper, LSU, Makayla Epps, Marcus Lee, Maryland, Matt Jones, MCDAAG, McDonald Basketball Galle, McDonald's All-American Game, Mercedes Russell, Nia Coffey, Nigel Williams-Goss, Noah Vonleh, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oderah Chidom, Pres Ro, Prez Ro, Rebecca Greenwell, Rebekah Dahlman, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Ronni Williams, Rutgers and Jessica Washington, SMU, South Carolina, Stanford, Stephanie Mavunga, steve fitch, Steve Fitch MBA, Steven E. Fitch, Steven E. Fitch MBA, steven fitch, Steven Fitch MBA, Taya Reimer, Tennessee, Tyler Scaife, UTEP, Vanderbilt, Washington, Wayne Selden |
Girls and Boys… East meets West for braggin rights!!!
Playing in the 36th annual McDonald's HS All American Game (McDAAG) is almost a golden ticket to super-stardom on the collegiate or professional level. Since 1977, legendary players like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and more have all gotten their initial national exposure from playing in the McDonald's Game.
There is no such thing as a sure thing in sports, but that hardly has us putting down our crystal balls in the form of amateur tournaments and all-star exhibitions. The McDAAG is no different, and has always been a chance to see the special young stars of today and daydreaming of where they will land just a few years from now.
The McDAAG is always about looking into the future, to see what these kids will do when they become men. In the case of Taya Reimer and Jabari Parker, Players of the Year, it's safe to say that it will be all good things.
Indiana standout Taya Reimer, and Four-time Illinois state champion Jabari Parker hold up their McDonald's All American jerseys accompanied by Joe Wootten, left, the son of Morgan Wootten, and Douglas Freeland, right, Director of McDonalds All American Games after being picked as the national prep basketball players of the year Monday, March 18, 2013, in Chicago. The award, named for legendary Maryland high school coach Morgan Wootten, is awarded annually to the top male and female McDonald's All-American players. (caption provided by AP)[/caption]
GIRLS: West 74, East 55
Final high school game…. what a way to end this chapter, and prepare for the next…. Senior guard Linnae Harper stood in the middle of a huddle of McDonald's Americans at the United Center and initiated the celebratory cry.
"Whose side? West Side!" as the West defeated the East 92-64 in the girls McDonald's All-American game.
Harper, a Kentucky-recruit, did a lot for the players visiting Chicago, including giving a tour of the city and recommending places to eat, but on Wednesday night, she pushed the pace of the game and helped her team snag a big victory adding eight points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals.
"Usually when I start the games, my first goal is to get a steal," Harper said. "That brings intensity and energy to the game, and eventually that affected the team. We were just on a roll."
At the half, the West led 45-35 and didn't relinquish the comfortable lead. Harper directed a 7-0 second-half spurt in which she had a steal, two assists and a long jumper.
Also at halftime, Harper was given a different award, the Jack Daly Sportsmanship award, which she shared with Erica McCall and Kelsey Plum. It was a tribute, she said, to her desire to make sure her teammates enjoyed her city.
"I'm going around and showing them the best of Chicago because I would hope if I went to their state, they would give me the best of where they live at," Harper said. "It's all about giving back."
"She did a great job coming out, anticipating, getting steals and buckets for us," said West coach Anthony Smith, of Bolingbrook. "That's the type of kid and player she is. It was great to see."
Tennessee recruit, Mercedes Russell (Springfield, OR), was named the game's MVP after finishing with 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks for the West.
North Carolina recruit Diamond DeShields led the East with 15 points and five rebounds, while Harper's future Kentucky teammate, Makayla Epps, added 13 points.
High School Player of the Year Notre Dame recruits Taya Reimer (2 points, 3 blocks) and Lindsay Allen (4 points, 6 rebounds) teamed up for the losing side with Northwestern recruit Nia Coffey (2 points, 6 rebounds).
"I could have done a lot better personally, but it's really not about individual stuff," Allen said. "It's playing together, having fun."
NOTABLE PERFORMERS: West — Tyler Scaife, 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists; Jordan Reynolds, 10 points, 11 rebounds. East — Diamond DeShields, 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals; Makayla Epps, 13 points.
Harper's, now famous pre-game meal of the chicken skin mixed with ranch and french dressing, continues to help her basketball performances now for the Lady Wildcats.
BOYS: West 110, East 99 Game
Talk about a stellar high school basketball career for Duke-recruit, Jabari Parker, from Chicago Simeon. And on Wednesday night, helped his All-American Squad (West), to a 110-99 victory over the East in front of his base-fans in Chicago at the United Center.
"It was the best experience so far," Parker said. "Getting a chance to play in front of a lot of family. I saw a lot of my coaches out there, having Coach Mike coach me. A lot of people don't know I was about to go to Mount Carmel if I didn't go to Simeon."
Matched against the number 1 ranked, undecided player, Andrew Wiggins, Parker immediately made his presence felt defensively. He had two quick blocked shots, including Wiggins' first attempt from the perimeter. He managed to stay in front of Wiggins more often than not, but did commit five fouls in the process.
"It went pretty good," Parker said. "He is super athletic so I had to over-commit on the drive, but he can shoot so it was kind of difficult. He is a great player."
Parker didn't have a problem getting his shot off on the other end, but getting the ball to drop was another matter. He was 4-for-13 shooting from the field and 2 of 2 from the line. Wiggins, on the other hand, was 6 of 10 and 7 of 8 for 19 points.
"Going against Jabari is the best going against the best," Wiggins said. "I look forward to doing it in the future."
Parker was asked if the evening was bittersweet because it was his final high school game. Parker replied "I think I have another game," Parker said. "It is on the D.L. (down low) right now. It will surprise a lot of people."
Parker finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
Arizona-bound forward Aaron Gordon, California's Mr. Basketball, had 24 points and eight rebounds to claim MVP honors.
Attendance: 15,818 at the United Center.
FUN NOTE: Record number of fans who attended the 2011 game at the United Center in Chicago. Last year's attendance, also at the United Center, was 16,308. The attendance for the 2013 game was 15,818.
Another successful McDonald's All-American event and this clearly means the future of college hoops is in good hands!
JABARI PARKER CAREER
2010 National Freshman of the Year (ESPN HS)
2011 National Sophomore of the Year (ESPN HS)
2012 National Junior of the Year (ESPN HS & MaxPreps.com )
2011 USA Basketball's Male Athlete of the Year
2012 National Player of the Year (Gatorade)
2012 Statewide Player of the Year (Gatorade, Illinois Mr. Basketball)
2012 First team All-American (ESPN HS, SLAM, USA Today)
2013 All-American (Jordan, McD's)
2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 IHSA state champion
2013 National Player of the Year (McD's/Wootten)
****McDONALD'S ALL-AMERICAN GAME****
The McDonald's All-American Game consist of the top players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the conclusion of the high-school basketball season, in an East vs. West format. As part of the annual event, boys also compete in a slam dunk contest, a three-point shooting competition, and an overall timed skills competition. The girls compete in the three-point shooting competition and the overall-skills competition. The boys' game has been contested annually since 1978, and the girls game has been played each year since it was added in 2002.
The McDonald's All-American designation began in 1977 with the selection of the inaugural team. That year, the All-Americans played in an all-star game against a group of high school stars from the Washington, D.C. area. The following year, the McDonald's game format of East vs. West was begun with a boys contest. In 2002, with the addition of a girls contest, the current girl-game / boy-game doubleheader format began.
The McDonald's All-American Team is the best-known of the American high-school basketball All-American teams. Having the designation of McDonald's All-American instantly brands a player as one of the top high-school players in the United States or Canada.
The teams are sponsored by McDonald's, the fast-food chain. Proceeds from the annual games go to local Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) and their Ronald McDonald House programs.
2013 McDonald's American Game Preview
Posted on April 3, 2013. Filed under: Basketball, Boys High School Basketball, Girls High School Basketball, High School Basketball | Tags: 2013 McDonald's JamFest, Aaron Gordon, Aaron Harrison, Alaina Coates, Amateur Sports, Amateur Sports Magazine, AmateurSports News Network, AmateurSports365, Andrew Harrison, andrew wiggins, Anthony Barber, Arizona, Arkansas, ASNN, ASNN365, Bobby Portis, Cal, California, Chicago, Chris Walker, Dakari Johnson, Demetrius Jackson, Diamond DeShields, Duke, Erica McCall, florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Ieshia Small, Indiana, Isaac Hamilton, Isaiah Hicks, Jabari Bird, jabari parker, James Young, JamFest, Jerrell Martin, Jordan Reynolds, Kaela Davis, Kai James, Kailee Johnson, Kansas, Kasey Hill, Keith Frazier, Kelsey Plum, Kendall Cooper, Kennedy Meeks, Kentucky, Lexie Brown, Lindsay Allen, Linnae Harper, LSU, Makayla Epps, Marcus Lee, Maryland, Matt Jones, MCDAAG, McDonald Games, McDonald's All-American Game, Mercedes Russell, Nia Coffey, Nigel Williams-Goss, Noah Vonleh, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oderah Chidom, Pres Ro, Prez Ro, Rebecca Greenwell, Rebekah Dahlman, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Ronni Williams, Rutgers and Jessica Washington, SMU, South Carolina, Stanford, Stephanie Mavunga, steve fitch, Steve Fitch MBA, Steven E. Fitch, Steven E. Fitch MBA, steven fitch, Steven Fitch MBA, Taya Reimer, Tennessee, Tyler Scaife, United Center, UTEP, Vanderbilt, Washington, Wayne Selden |
Best of the best on one court…
The 36th annual McDonald's All-American games activities kicked off Sunday with the players' visit to the new Ronald McDonald House in Streeterville, where boys and girls players spent time with families.
This is definitely an event I've been mentally preparing myself for almost as if it were the opening tip of the NBA playoffs due to the level of players selected on one floor in the house Michael built at United Center.
Things get started with Chicago's lovable son, Jabari Park, Player of the Year from Simeon, who just completed a 4-peat in the Illinois High School Association Title run. Mr. Parker is being recognized as one of the best out of Chicago since Derrick Rose, Ben Wilson, Tim Hardaway and Mark Aguirre.
Then you have what is now being called the "new Fab Five…" Kentucky Wildcats recruits. Coach John Calipari has six of the 25 players selected to participate on the boys roster will be playing ball for him in Kentucky this fall. No college has drawn this many McDonald's All-Americans in a single class.
Kentucky-bound McDonald's All-Americans in the ESPN rankings also include No. 3 Julius Randle, No. 5 Andrew Harrison, No. 6 James Young of Rochester (Mich.), No. 7 Aaron Harrison, No. 11 Dakari Johnson of Montverde (Fla.), and No. 18 Marcus Lee of Deer Valley (Calif.).
"It's our way to start off our season for next year," said Kentucky recruit Julius Randle, of Prestonwood Christian in Texas. "It's good to hang out with everybody and get a good feel for each other, just have fun while we're doing this."
Randle, a 6-foot-9 forward ranked the No. 3 recruit in the country by ESPN, had planned for a couple of weeks to make his college announcement on March 20. The day before he committed, Kentucky suffered a shocking 59-57 loss to Robert Morris in the NIT, ending a season in which it lost star Nerlens Noel to an ACL tear en route to a 21-12 record.
MEDIA DAY COVER
Randle's announcement — spurred by his desire to win a national championship, he said — immediately turned the page and sparked debate about whether the Wildcats' recruiting class could be considered the best in history.
"If you go by paper and rankings, maybe you can say (it's the best class), but we haven't done anything yet," Randle said. "We have to prove ourselves."
The recruits learned that watching Kentucky this season.
"They had a good amount of talent on their team. I guess they just couldn't put it together at the right times," Andrew Harrison said. "I feel like the team this year lacked a little bit of leadership. Coach (Calipari) told me he's depending on me to bring that, so I'm definitely going to try to do that."
McDonald's All-American Andrew Wiggins, a 6-8 forward from Huntington Prep (W.Va.) and the nation's top recruit, said Sunday he will decide by mid-May between Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina and Florida State.
Click below to read recap….
Despite the neverending comparisons to Lebron James and Kevin Durant (for his quiet, yet relentless approach), Wiggins' game is unique to only him, with his own true deficiency being he gets "bored" at times playing kids his own age, according to his high school coach Rob Fulford. Those not yet willing to sip the kool-aid on Wiggins should take a gander at this highlight mixtape.
While the game Wednesday night won't make or break Wiggins, Parker, Randle or any high school senior suited up, calling the All-American Game a "stepping stone" is short-changing the power of the moment. Stages like this can and have accelerated the process of morphing phenoms into stars, and stars into walking, breathing brands.
Other McDonald's All-Amercan Game Notes:
The rosters for the 2013 boys and girls McDonald's All-American game can be found at http://www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com/aag/en/gamescenter/2013-Team.html.
The games will be played on April 3, in Chicago (Ill.) at the house Michael Jordan built (United Center), with the girls' game starting at 6 p.m. CDT on ESPNU and boys' game beginning at 8:30 p.m on ESPN.
– The selection of Taya Reimer to this year's game made McDonald's All-American history as she became half of the first father-daughter duo to be selected to the game. Her father, Ben Davis, was selected to the game in 1991.
– Duke and North Carolina each have three recruits playing in this year's game while four other schools teams also have multiple selections. The other four teams with multiple selections are Notre Dame, Stanford, Kentucky and Tennessee.
– Kaela Davis, the number two-rated prospect by ESPN Hoopgurlz, missed a good chunk of her high school season to get treated for Meniere's disease. Davis has battled the disease, which is an inner-ear disorder characterized by hearing loss and vertigo, since she was 11. Davis is expected to play in the McDonald's game as well as for Georgia Tech next season.
2012 Bowl Season overview
Posted on December 19, 2012. Filed under: Football, NCAA Sports | Tags: 2012 Bowl Season overview, 2012 bowls, 2012-13 College Football Bowl TV Schedule, Alabama, Alamo, Baylor, BCS Championship Game, Big Ten, Capital One, Chick-fil-A, Clemson, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, florida, Florida State, football bowls, Gator, Georgia, Kansas State, Louisville, LSU, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Orange Bowl, Oregon, Oregon State, Pac-12, Rose Bowl, Stanford, Sugar Bowl, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, Wisconsin |
And now the best regular season in sports gives way to the worst postseason in sports. Bowl season is upon us. And it is a mess of unprecedented proportion.
Mark Richt and the Bulldogs are headed to the Capital One Bowl to face Nebraska. (AP) Yeah, the BCS championship game is awesome. Notre Dame vs. Alabama is a sports fan's dream. And a sports writer's dream. And a TV executive's dream, too. The ratings will be absurd.
The Fiesta Bowl is great, too. If not for the night of Nov. 17, Oregon-Kansas State might have been the national championship game. But after that? It's a joke.
Bowl season is always a mess because the bowl system is a ridiculous, unsatisfying conclusion to the college football season. Bad matchups, long layoffs, too many 6-6 teams, coaching turnover and decisions designed to make money, not sense, shortchange the fans.
Three teams in BCS bowls that aren't ranked in the AP top 15. Take a bow, Northern Illinois (16th), Louisville (22nd) and Wisconsin (unranked). You don't have to apologize for appearing in marquee bowls like the Orange, Sugar and Rose – but we don't have to pretend we're happy you're there, either. Who is excited for Florida State-Northern Illinois in the Orange? I mean, other than nobody? NIU must take 17,500 tickets for the game, but its season average attendance is 15,670. Enjoy that vat of red ink you're diving into, Huskies.
Making that game even more enticing is the fact that NIU coach Dave Doeren left the school faster than Kim Kardashian left Kris Humphries. He went from winning the Mid-American Conference championship game Friday night to being announced as the new coach at North Carolina State Saturday afternoon. He won't be around for the Orange Bowl, with the Huskies promoting offensive coordinator Rod Carey to head coach.
The Florida-Louisville matchup in the Sugar Bowl might yet feature an interim coach of the Cardinals. Charlie Strong reportedly has interviewed for both the Auburn and Tennessee jobs, although he has denied both reports. Even if he's still coaching Louisville, his team is far less impressive than some that were kicked to the BCS curb – namely Oklahoma.
Then there's the mockery that the Big Ten has perpetrated all season, culminating with the 8-5 Badgers showing up in the Rose Bowl.
Are you setting the DVR for East Carolina vs. Louisiana-Lafayette in the New Orleans Bowl? How about canceling all plans with the significant other because you just can't miss Rice and Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl? Won't sit down to Christmas Eve dinner until the Hawaii Bowl between SMU and Fresno State is over? Well, we're with you. Here are all 35 bowls, ranked from absolute must-see TV to must-see-a-psychiatrist if it's on your TV:
1. BCS Championship Game (Jan. 7, Miami): Notre Dame (12-0) vs. Alabama (12-1) We're not going to lie: There's a good chance this isn't a shootout. But this should be a great game between two hard-nosed teams with great defenses, and there's a heck of a lot of history among the two programs, too.
2. Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 3, Glendale, Ariz.): Oregon (11-1) vs. Kansas State (11-1) This is a game of old-school football vs. new-school football. Kansas State will try to pound the ball with quarterback Collin Klein while Oregon will use a bunch of different weapons to keep the Wildcats on their toes.
3. Cotton Bowl (Jan. 4, Arlington, Texas): Texas A&M (10-2) vs. Oklahoma (10-2) It's not A&M and Texas, but it's a matchup of former Big 12 rivals. In terms of quarterbacks, one team had a potential Heisman candidate and the other has this year's probable winner. ]
4. Chick-fil-A (Dec. 31, Atlanta): LSU (10-2) vs. Clemson (10-2) These are two teams that could have been in BCS bowls were it not for ill-timed losses. Even though it's not a BCS bowl, it's still one of the best games on the docket. Clemson brings the offense while LSU brings the defense. This one should be fun.
5. Sugar Bowl (Jan. 2, New Orleans): Florida (11-1) vs. Louisville (10-2) This could be a great matchup of agile quarterbacks, but if Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater isn't healthy, this game could be a blowout.
6. Rose Bowl (Jan. 1, Pasadena, Calif.): Stanford (11-2) vs. Wisconsin (8-5) If you're a traditionalist, this game between the Big Ten and Pac-12 champions is gold. Wisconsin comes in after thrashing Nebraska in the Big Ten championship game, while Stanford has been consistently strong all season. [Related: Oregon vs. Kansas State in Fiesta Bowl is intriguing]
7. Holiday (Dec. 27, San Diego): UCLA (9-4) vs. Baylor (7-5) Pac-12 runner-up UCLA should have nice crowd support for this bowl, and it may be a wild game against a Baylor team that ranks first in FBS in total offense and 119th in total defense.
8. Alamo (Dec. 29, San Antonio): Texas (8-4) vs. Oregon State (9-3) Oregon State had one of the best turnarounds in the country going from 3-9 to 9-3 and has been one of the most entertaining teams to watch this season. As for Texas, you never know what you're going to get or who's going to be quarterbacking it. Still, this could end up being a great, tightly contested game.
9. Capital One (Jan. 1, Orlando): Georgia (11-2) vs. Nebraska (10-3) This game had the potential to be one of the best of the bowl season, but Nebraska's lackluster performance against Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship might have ruined it. Georgia expended a lot of energy in the SEC title game against Alabama and despite a fantastic season, has no BCS bowl to show for it. This is a poor substitute. (US Presswire)
10. Outback (Jan. 1, Tampa): South Carolina (10-2) vs. Michigan (8-4) Both teams had preseason Heisman Trophy candidates and neither worked out, but both programs remained solid despite adversity. Michigan's Denard Robinson is one of the more exciting players on the field this bowl season.
11. Orange Bowl (Jan. 1, Miami): Florida State (11-2) vs. Northern Illinois (12-1) Many don't think NIU deserved a BCS bowl berth and they're probably right, but the Huskies might be more motivated to play the game than Florida State. Both teams will be missing a coach in this game — NIU head coach Dave Doeren took the N.C. State job while FSU defensive coordinator Mark Stoops took the head-coaching job at Kentucky.
12. Gator (Jan. 1, Jacksonville, Fla.): Northwestern (9-3) vs. Mississippi State (8-4) Northwestern is having an exceptional season while Mississippi State is trying to end on a high note. The Wildcats exceeded expectations and have a chance to win 10 games for the first time since 1995. Mississippi State started 7-0, but won just one game down the stretch.
13. Las Vegas (Dec. 22, Las Vegas): Boise State (10-2) vs. Washington (7-5) Boise State, having narrowly missed out on a BCS bid, is going for a Las Vegas Bowl win for the third straight season against a Washington team that has wins against Stanford and Oregon State.
14. Idaho Potato (Dec. 15, Boise, Idaho): Utah State (10-2) vs. Toledo (9-3) Utah State is a balanced, solid team that does just about everything well. Its only two losses came at Wisconsin and at BYU by five combined points. USU will face a Toledo team that lost two of its last three but is still potent.
15. Military (Dec. 27, Washington, D.C.): San Jose State (10-2) vs. Bowling Green (8-4) San Jose State took Stanford to the wire in a three-point loss, a sign of things to come for the Spartans, and they get a tough test against Bowling Green, which ranks in the top 10 nationally in yards allowed and points allowed.
16. GoDaddy.com (Jan. 6. Mobile, Ala.): Kent State (11-2) vs. Arkansas State (9-3) This is actually a good game if you like offense. Both of these teams can put points on the board early and often, and if you like running backs, Kent State's Dri Archer is one of the best.
17. Buffalo Wild Wings (Dec. 29, Tempe, Ariz.): TCU (7-5) vs. Michigan State (6-6) TCU fared well for its first season in the Big 12 while Michigan State was a disappointment. Both of these teams had their worst seasons since 2007 and '09 respectively.
18. New Mexico (Dec. 15, Albuquerque, N.M.): Nevada (7-5) vs. Arizona (7-5) The first matchup of the bowl season should be entertaining. Nevada is 105th in total defense in FBS, but that's still better than Arizona, which is 116th. Points will be plentiful.
19. Poinsettia (Dec. 20, San Diego): BYU (7-5) vs. San Diego State (9-3) The meeting between a pair of old Mountain West rivals pits a BYU team that rode its strong defense to seven wins against an Aztecs team that won its last seven games.
20. Music City (Dec. 31, Nashville): N.C. State (7-5) vs. Vanderbilt (8-4) Vanderbilt overachieved while N.C. State underachieved and ultimately fired its coach. A win would give Vandy nine wins for the first time since 1982.
21. Pinstripe (Dec. 29, Bronx, N.Y.): Syracuse (7-5) vs. West Virginia (7-5) Both of these teams are among the best passing programs in the country and both play little defense. That should make for a high-scoring and highly entertaining game.
22. Liberty (Dec. 31, Memphis): Tulsa (10-3) vs. Iowa State (6-6) These two teams played in the season opener and Iowa State came away with a 38-23 win. Tulsa should give the Cyclones a better game this time around.
23. Russell Athletic (Dec. 28, Orlando, Fla.): Rutgers (9-3) vs. Virginia Tech (6-6) The Scarlet Knights are probably disappointed to land here after blowing a chance for a BCS game in the season finale, and Virginia Tech's whole season has been a disappointment with just six wins.
24. Kraft Fight Hunger (Dec. 29, San Francisco): Navy (7-4) vs. Arizona State (7-5) These programs are moving in two different directions. ASU had a rough second half of the season while Navy thrived after a rough start. Arizona State will need the month to prepare for Navy's option.
25. Independence (Dec. 28, Shreveport, La.): Louisiana-Monroe (8-4) vs. Ohio (8-4) Lousiana-Monroe, whose upset of Arkansas was a great story early this season, will play in a bowl for the first time in program history. It will face an Ohio team that was ranked for the first time since 1968 at midseason but lost its last three games, all by double digits.
26. Compass (Jan. 5, Birmingham, Ala.): Pittsburgh (6-6) vs. Ole Miss (6-6) Both of these teams came on late to make a push to get to six wins and both will be eager to finish with a winning season in the first year for both Pittsburgh coach Paul Chryst and Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze.
27. Belk (Dec. 27, Charlotte, N.C.): Duke (6-6) vs. Cincinnati (9-3) The Blue Devils are back in a bowl for the first time since 1994, but come in on a four-game losing streak and face a Bearcats team that is 12th in the nation in scoring defense.
28. Beef 'O' Brady's (Dec. 21, St. Petersburg, Fla.): Ball State (9-3) vs. UCF (9-4) Ball State was 3-3 before an overtime win sparked a six-game winning streak, and it will face a UCF team that lost a shot at the C-USA title in a heartbreaking overtime loss to Tulsa on Saturday.
29. Hawaii (Dec. 24, Honolulu): SMU (6-6) vs. Fresno State (9-3) Coach Tim DeRuyter's first season with the Bulldogs resulted in a share of the Mountain West title, and Fresno State will go against an SMU team that got a win in its season finale against Tulsa to get eligible.
30. Sun (Dec. 31, El Paso, Texas): USC (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (6-7) This is not where anyone expected USC to be at the end of the season and playing a team with a losing record is almost insult to injury. USC was supposed to be playing for the national title while Georgia Tech lost in its conference championship game and needed an exemption waiver by the NCAA.
31. Heart of Dallas (Jan. 1, Dallas): Purdue (6-6) vs. Oklahoma State (7-5) Oklahoma State is unlike any team Purdue has faced this season with its up-tempo style and ability to put points on the board quickly. Purdue will be without its head coach Danny Hope, which might leave the Boilermakers uninspired.
32. Meineke Car Care of Texas (Dec. 28, Houston): Minnesota (6-6) vs. Texas Tech (7-5) Texas Tech is second in the nation in passing offense, but its defense slipped after a great start to the season. Minnesota fattened up its record before conference play, then got bowl eligible despite going 2-6 in Big Ten play.
33. New Orleans (Dec. 22, New Orleans): East Carolina (8-4) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4) East Carolina won five of its last six games, and will be going against a Louisiana-Lafayette team that beat San Diego State in last year's New Orleans Bowl on a field goal as time expired.
34. Armed Forces (Dec. 29, Fort Worth, Texas): Rice (6-6) vs. Air Force (6-6) Air Force knows this bowl well, as it is the Falcons' fourth appearance in the game in six years, while Rice is in just its third bowl game since 1961. It's just hard to get too excited for a game between a pair of .500 teams.
35. Little Caesars Pizza (Dec. 26, Detroit): Western Kentucky (7-5) vs. Central Michigan (6-6) Central Michigan was like the final at-large team to get into the NCAA tournament, with a 6-6 record after a 3-6 start. Western Kentucky was barely in the field, too, losing three straight before a one-point win against North Texas in the finale.
2012-13 College Football Bowl TV Schedule
Note: All times Eastern Time (ET). All games except for the Hyundai Sun Bowl and AT&T Cotton Bowl are also available at WatchESPN.
Gildan New Mexico – Nevada vs. Arizona, University Stadium, Albuquerque, New Mexico Saturday, December 15, 1:00 p.m., ESPN
Famous Idaho Potato – Toledo vs. Utah State, Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho, Saturday, December 15, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia – BYU vs. San Diego State, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California, Thursday, December 20, 8:00 p.m., ESPN
Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg – UCF vs. Ball State, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida, Friday, December 21, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
R+L Carriers New Orleans – East Carolina vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, Saturday, December 22, 12:00 p.m., ESPN
MAACO Las Vegas – Washington vs. Boise State, Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada, Saturday, December 22, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Sheraton Hawaii – Fresno State vs. SMU, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii, Monday, December 24, 8:00 p.m., ESPN
Little Caesars Pizza – Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan, Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan, Wednesday, December 26, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman – San Jose State vs. Bowling Green, RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C., Thursday, December 27, 3:00 p.m., ESPN
Belk – Cincinnati vs. Duke, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina, Thursday, December 27, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Bridgepoint Education Holiday – Baylor vs. UCLA, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California, Thursday, December 27, 9:45 p.m., ESPN
AdvoCare V100 Independence – Ohio vs. Louisiana-Monroe, Independence Stadium, Shreveport, Louisiana, Friday, December 28, 2:00 p.m., ESPN
Russell Athletic – Rutgers vs. Virginia Tech, Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida, Friday, December 28, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Meineke Car Care of Texas – Minnesota vs. Texas Tech, Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas, Friday, December 28, 9:00 p.m., ESPN
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces – Rice vs. Air Force, Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, December 29, 11:45 a.m., ESPN
New Era Pinstripe – West Virginia vs. Syracuse, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, Saturday, December 29, 3:15 p.m., ESPN
Kraft Fight Hunger – Navy vs. Arizona State, AT&T Park, San Francisco, California, Saturday, December 29, 4:00 p.m., ESPN2
Valero Alamo – Texas vs. Oregon State, Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, Saturday, December 29, 6:45 p.m., ESPN
Buffalo Wild Wings – TCU vs. Michigan State, Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona, Saturday, December 29, 10:15 p.m., ESPN
Franklin American Mortgage Music City – North Carolina State vs. Vanderbilt, LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee, Monday, December 31, 12:00 p.m., ESPN
Hyundai Sun – USC vs. Georgia Tech, Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas, Monday, December 31, 2:00 p.m., CBS
AutoZone Liberty – Iowa State vs. Tulsa, Liberty Bowl, Memphis, Tennessee, Monday, December 31, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Chick-fil-A – LSU vs. Clemson, Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia, Monday, December 31, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
TaxSlayer.com Gator – Mississippi State vs. Northwestern, Everbank Field, Jacksonville, Florida, Tuesday, January 1, 12:00 p.m., ESPN2
Heart of Dallas – Purdue vs. Oklahoma State, Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas, Tuesday, January 1, 12:00 p.m., ESPNU
Outback – South Carolina vs. Michigan, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida, Tuesday, January 1, 1:00 p.m., ESPN
Capital One – Georgia vs. Nebraska, Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida, Tuesday, January 1, 1:00 p.m., ABC
Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio – Wisconsin vs. Stanford, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, Tuesday, January 1, 5:00 p.m., ESPN
Discover Orange – Northern Illinois vs. Florida State, Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida, Tuesday, January 1, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
Allstate Sugar – Louisville vs. Florida, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, Wednesday, January 2, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
Tostitos Fiesta – Oregon vs. Kansas State, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona, Thursday, January 3, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
AT&T Cotton – Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma, Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas, Friday, January 4, 8:00 p.m., FOX
BBVA Compass – Pittsburgh vs. Ole Miss, Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama, Saturday, January 5, 1:00 p.m., ESPN
GoDaddy.com – Kent State vs. Arkansas State, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama, Sunday, January 6, 9:00 p.m., ESPN
Discover BCS National Championship – Notre Dame vs. Alabama, Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida, Monday, January 7, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
2012-13 NCAA Men's Basketball TOP 10
Posted on November 13, 2012. Filed under: Basketball, NCAA Sports | Tags: Amateur Sports, Amateur Sports Magazine, AmateurSports News Network, AmateurSports365, Arizona, ASNN, ASNN365, Baylor, Creighton, Duke, florida, Indiana, Indiana Hooisers, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis, michigan, michigan state, Missouri, Murray State, N.C. State, NCAA basketball, Norfolk state, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio, Ohio State, Pres Ro, Prez Ro, Syracuse, Top 10 Ncaa basketball, top NCAA men's basketball team, Top ten basketball, Top ten Ncaa basketball, UCLA, UNLV, VCU, Wisconsin |
Who's our top dog?
It's that time again folks where we come inside and begin evaluating who's the best in NCAA basketball. Coming off of a very impressive 2011-12 season where a couple of teams broke out and made a name for themselves (i.e., Norfolk State, Murray State, Ohio and of course, VCU).
2. Louisville
3. Kentucky
4. Michigan
5. N.C. State
7. Ohio State
8. Syracuse
9. Duke
10. UCLA
On the fence at the time of this writing…
North Carolina, Arizona, Creighton, Florida, Missouri, Memphis, Michigan State, UNLV, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Baylor, Murray State, VCU, Ohio
www.AmateurSports365.com info@ASNN365.com