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[Posted Sunday PM prior to late football and baseball…]
Brief Add-on up top Tues. AM….
Texas Longhorns Quiz: The Longhorns finished AP No. 1 in 1969 and No. 3 in 1970. Name the two quarterbacks, the two main running backs, and the only receiver to catch more than 20 passes in either season. [This was the era of the wishbone offense for many schools.] Answer below.
MLB
Heading into Friday night’s action…the key standings as we entered the final stretch, the last nine games of the regular season.
AL Central
White Sox 78-75
Cleveland 78-75
AL West
Astros 77-76
Rangers 76-77…1
AL Wild Card
Yankees 88-64…+10.5
Red Sox 83-70…+5
Guardians 78-75…–
Rangers 76-77…2
Blue Jays 76-77…2
Orioles 75-78…3
NL Wild Card
Cubs 85-68…+1
Phillies 85-68…+1
Padres 84-69…–
Diamondbacks 80-73…4
—Friday night, the White Sox lost to the Tigers, 11-8, while the Guardians beat the A’s 5-3, so Cleveland went on top in the AL Central.
And in the AL West, the Rangers beat the Blue Jays, 7-1, while the Braves were defeating the Astros, 6-2, so Houston and Texas were tied.
–Here in New York, it was all about the playoff bound Yankees and the status of Aaron Judge, who went back on the 10-day injured list, this time with a right calf strain, having missed 3+ months with a right rib stress fracture.
The earliest he can be activated is Game 162.
But will he be ready by then? Who knows…but it could be a devastating injury. The Yanks are headed for a wild-card playoff matchup…so he’s got just ten days to be ready.
That said, he was only 4-for-23 since his return, and the team did fine without Judge the first time, going 46-39.
And Friday night, New York beat the Diamondbacks, 9-2, as Gerrit Cole had a solid start, six innings, two runs, while yielding a lone home run after coughing up seven in his prior two starts.
Arizona fell five games back in the NL Wild Card race…it’s over for them.
But the Phillies (6-3 losers to the Mets), Cubs (6-4 losers to the Reds), and the Padres (who beat the Marlins, 8-2), are all tied for the wild card at 85-69! Two of these three will be playing each other in the wild-card matchup.
[The Mets snapped a five-game losing streak, Juan Soto with three hits, including a 3-run homer.]
—On to Saturday’s action…and the Mets blasted the Phillies 10-3, the Padres beat the Marlins 7-6, and the Cubs defeated the Reds 5-2.
The Phillies’ Jesus Luzardo, one of their All-Star starters, and arguably the game’s best pitcher in the second half of the season, went on the injured list with a sore shoulder, a potentially devastating injury heading into the postseason.
So, the NL Wild Card race now looked like this….
Cubs 86-69…+1
Padres 86-69…+1
Phillies 85-70…–
Diamondbacks 81-74…4
In the American League, the Rangers (78-77) defeated the Blue Jays 6-2, while the Braves beat the Astros (77-78) 6-3, so Texas goes back up by a game in the AL West over Houston.
The White Sox (79-76) remained a game back of the Guardians (80-75) in the AL Central, as Chicago beat the Tigers 3-1, while the Guardians whipped the A’s 12-6.
Which meant the AL Wild Card race after Saturday’s play was this….
Yankees 89-65…+1-/5
Red Sox 84-71…+5
White Sox 79-76…–
Astros 77-78…2
As in its really all or nothing in the AL West.
Sunday, in the only games of true import that finished by the time I posted…the Phillies beat the Mets, 7-2, and the Cubs whipped the Reds 9-1.
–Back to the Yankees, they fell to the D’Backs Saturday, 5-3, as Cam Schlittler (14-9, 1.94), the likely Cy Young Award winner, had a no-decision for New York, six innings, one earned, but he yielded two other runs when he committed an error on a bunt play.
That said, Schlittler, in 17 road games this season, has an insane 1.16 ERA…really; the third-lowest in MLB history in a pitcher’s first 17 road starts. The only pitchers with a lower road ERA are Bob Gibson in 1968 and Claude Hendrix in 1914.
–The Dodgers’ Blake Snell exited his start against the Red after just one inning on Wednesday. He told reporters after he felt his groin grab at him. It’s an issue he has had before (like four times in the last five years) and while he said, “I should be good,” it’s a major concern heading into the playoffs.
Friday, the Dodgers did get six strong from Tyler Glasnow, two runs, 10 strikeouts, as L.A. beat the Giants, 8-2.
Saturday, the Dodgers beat the Giants 10-4, as Tarik Skubal was roughed up, 4 runs in five innings, but he picked up the win, now 11-7, 2.85.
For Dodgers fans, however, they are thrilled with the return of the ‘real’ Mookie Betts. Betts, who entered September having the worst season of his career, has been scorching hot…4-for-4 yesterday with three doubles, 10-for-12 his last three games, and 25-for 63, .397, in September.
College Football Review
—Friday night, Wake Forest (2-1) hosted 5 Miami (3-0) and it was the Darian Mensah Show, Mensah completing his first 24 passes (an ACC record, 35 going back to the Hurricanes’ previous game), as Miami beat the Deacs, 33-20 (Wake handily beating the spread, 20.5 points).
[Mensah is 71-of-79 combined in his first three games, 11 touchdowns, zero interceptions.]
But the Deacs can hold their heads up high. Down 24-7 at the half, having been outgained 303-88, Wake, and quarterback Gio Lopez, gamely fought back to cut the lead to 31-20 at the start of the fourth quarter, before the Hurricanes defense stiffened up mightily.
Lopez, however, showed the nation, and NFL scouts, he has game…29/46, 312, 3-1.
The Deacs hurt themselves bigly in committing an atrocious 13 penalties for 122 yards.
Alas, Wake has a brutal schedule this season, traveling to Louisville next week.
[Wake is now 1-69 against teams in the AP Top 10, with the only win coming against No. 4 Tennessee in 1946, which is kind of staggering, because the Deacs have had some good teams…and in truth, more than a few near misses, in my 50 years of fandom…]
–On to Saturday’s play, and let’s just say there was only game that mattered, Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford…but we’ll save that for last.
Much of the action I was remotely interested in the Top 25 was uneventful….
No. 1 Texas (3-0) was unimpressive in defeating UTSA (2-1) 30-6, being favored by 30.5 points, as Arch Manning was a mediocre 17/33, 164, 2-0.
2 Georgia had a solid 45-17 win over Arkansas; 3 Notre Dame got its act together after a sluggish start, 27-10 over Michigan State; 4 Indiana defeated Western Kentucky 38-0; and 6 Ohio State blasted Kent State 59-3.
But 9 Texas A&M was upset at home by Kentucky, 31-21, the Wildcats leading this one 28-7 late in the third quarter.
10 Alabama outlasted Florida State 50-36.
In a surprisingly close contest, 12 USC got all it could handle from spunky Rutgers (0-3) in Piscataway, 42-35 as the Trojans outgained the Scarlet Knights by a mere yard, 461-460, Rutgers with more first downs, 27-24.
But RU quarterback Dylan Lonergan threw two picks, including a 99-yard pick-six, giving Rutgers QBs nine interceptions the first three games.
I watched a lot of this one and I must say, RU coach Greg Schiano, on the hot seat, dialed up a sweet, gutty, fourth-down fake punt/pass play from their own goal line that resulted in a 95-yard TD drive that at the time cut the deficit to 17-14.
14 Penn State demolished Bufalo 55-3.
23 Louisville (2-1) had a big win at home over 16 SMU, 41-31, as Mustangs star QB Kevin Jennings had three turnovers, while for the Cardinals, Keyjuan Brown rushed for 163 yards on 10 carries with two scores.
Louisville had lost its opener 41-38 to Ole Miss, a loss that won’t kill them now.
And 25 Virginia fell at home to West Virginia (3-0) 38-27, so the Mountaineers could be Top 25 bound…which is where I’ll show the records for all teams.
Duke is 3-0, 35-7 over Stanford, as the Blue Devils’ star running back Nate Sheppard rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.
Earlier in the week, North Carolina defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, son of head coach Bill, resigned from his position as the school concluded a probe into its football program.
The school’s investigation “determined that certain actions demonstrated a disregard for Carolina’s values and standards of conduct,” according to a statement. The school didn’t reveal specifics of those actions found by the review.
The Tar Heels then traveled to Clemson and Dabo Swinney got a badly-needed win, 28-20, as the Tigers came from behind with two late fourth-quarter touchdowns.
However, when the game was 21-20, Clemson, North Carolina had it fourth-and-one at the UNC 45 and Bill Belichick’s staff dialed up a really stupid play call and Clemson got the ball back with 1:54 to play and basically could have run out the clock.
But on a 34-yard run touchdown run, Clemson’s Tyler Brown should have taken a knee short of the goal line. Instead UNC had 54 seconds to go down the field and score and potentially tie it, only they threw an interception at midfield.
And then there was the game everyone is talking about, North Carolina State at Vanderbilt.
The Wolfpack had a 24-7 lead midway through the third quarter when Vandy roared back to cut it to 31-28, 6:14 to play.
After the two teams exchanged possessions, NC State just needed to make the final six seconds disappear. Vanderbilt had no timeouts. Facing fourth-and-7 from its own 5-yard line, the Wolfpack decided to try and run out the clock, with Coach Dave Doeren putting quarterback CJ Bailey in the shotgun and letting him run backwards into the end zone.
Bailey needed only to fall in the end zone for a safety…if pressured, as he was, there might have been a second or two left, whoopty-damn-do, the game is over following the free kick.
But instead, Miles Capers hit Bailey, the ball squired out, and Cayden Daniels recovered it in the end zone.
Vanderbilt wins it, 35-31, Music City Miracle, Part 2. Unbelievable. The Commodores thus stay undefeated, 3-0, the Wolfpack falling to 1-2, and both Doeren and Bailey will be run out of Raleigh.
As for the Biggie, 7 LSU at 8 Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin’s tumultuous return to the school he had led, successfully, for six seasons before bolting for the LSU job last fall, even though Ole Miss had made the College Football Playoffs, the Rebels under Pete Golding took a 24-7 halftime lead, totally dominating play under the leadership of star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.
But Kiffin’s squad came back in the second half to tie the score, 24-24, with 11:21 to play.
Chambliss then led the Rebels on a 75-yard TD drive to make it 32-24 with 6:14 left, having converted the 2-point play.
The Tigers made it down to the Ole Miss 6-yard line in the final two minutes, but LSU QB Sam Leavitt couldn’t hit a wide open tight end Zach Grace at the goal line on third down, and then the final pass bounced off Ole Miss defender Kam Franklin’s helmet and into the hands of defensive back Jaylon Braxton in the end zone, coach Kiffin going down to his knees.
Kiffin was gracious afterwards. When asked if he was happy the game was over and whether the outcome might bring some closure to the brewing animosity.
“I’m sure I’ll be criticized for saying that, but, yeah, I am,” he said. “I was thinking that all week, especially today, and I would have said that in a win or a loss. You know, that was really emotionally driving in on the buses for a lot of reasons. And I’m not saying this because I would have said this anyway since you asked. It was just really a lot of emotions of gratefulness for this place and for the six years. It went well beyond football.”
Meanwhile, Chambliss was electric, 33/48, 363, 2-1, while Leavitt just isn’t that good (my opinion)…16/27, 158, 1-1, plus 63 yards on the ground and a score. He’s a leader, but he obviously didn’t make the big throw when he needed to most.
—The NCAA on Wednesday acknowledged that the controversial ending of Michigan’s narrow victory over Western Michigan should have never happened.
In a statement summarizing a review of the end-of-game processes, the NCAA said that instant replay protocol was not properly followed after the conclusion of what appeared to be a game-ending incompletion by Bryce Underwood.
“Had the protocols been followed, the outcome of the game would have been different,” the NCAA statement reads.
But the NCAA can’t overturn the result.
–And now your new AP Poll!
1 Texas 3-0 (58 first-place votes)
2 Georgia 3-0 (3)
3 Notre Dame 3-0
4 Ole Miss 3-0 (3)
5 Indiana 3-0 (4)
6 Miami (FL) 3-0 (1)
7 Ohio State 2-1
8 Alabama 3-0
9 BYU 3-0
10 LSU 2-1…appropriate placement…
11 Texas Tech 3-0
12 USC 4-0
13 Penn State 3-0
14 Tennessee 3-0
15 Utah 3-0
16 Louisville 2-1…up 7…
17 Iowa 3-0
18 Michigan 3-0…I keep wanting to write down 2-1…in fact last week, for an hour or so, I had 1-1 when it was 2-0…sorry, about that.
19 Missouri 3-0
20 Oregon 2-1…getting crap for its 84-0 win over Portland State…as in unnecessarily rolling it up…like way over the top…
21 Florida 3-0
22 SMU 2-1
23 Texas A&M 2-1…plummets 14 spots…deservedly so….
24 Mississippi State 3-0
25 Houston 2-1
Virginia not only plunged out of the Top 25 with its loss at home to WVU, but it didn’t receive a single vote this week…which means it will take a long time to get back….
Kentucky was No. 27, if you play out the votes, West Virginia 28. [Washington 26.]
As for games next week, 21 Florida hosts 4 Ole Miss…an easy one for the Rebels to have a letdown in. All about ‘coaching.’
And in an intriguing matchup, 12 USC hosts 20 Oregon.
Also, 1 Texas is at 14 Tennessee. [Something about me and Tennessee…I just can’t get into the program in any sport…but that will change this winter, because former Deac Juke Harris transferred there before he heads to the NBA.]
NFL
Thursday, the Bills beat the Lions 41-31, in the debut of the new Highmark Stadium with the obstructed views, from some seats, in Buffalo.
But as everyone knows, it’s Josh Allen’s House, and he was a cool 20/31, 248, 3-0, 121.4, while rushing it 14 times for another 69 yards and two more scores. No one does it better than Allen.
It helped that James Cook III also rushed 21 times for 135 yards and a TD.
For the Lions, who were down 21-0 early in the second quarter, Jared Goff had a big game statistically (26/38, 327, 4-0, 130.0) in leading Detroit back to within 10 points, multiple times, but the game was really never in doubt.
Sunday, I of course watched the Jets-Packers at MetLife Stadium, a stultifyingly dull game in the first half, 7-7, (‘stultifyingly dull’ a term for many of the early games), and then the Jets took a 17-7 lead early fourth, only to have Green Bay, aided mightily by a 66-yard punt return by Skyy Moore, tie it up at 17-17 late.
And we went to overtime. Drat!
And then Fox had to go to the Game of the Week, but it seemed the network was sticking with this one, not making an idiot move in the largest media market! Phew.
But the Jets completed the implosion, Green Bay winning it 20-17 on a 26-yard field goal. Just devastating for us fans, thinking this was a different Jets team.
Well, you know what they say in these parts. To echo Tony Soprano, ‘Whaddya gonna do.’
Wish I was at the Bada-Bing club right now.
In other games, the Pats beat the Steelers, 20-3, Pittsburgh with all of 235 yards of offense.
The Vikings beat the Bears, 9-3. Eegads. Granted, the weather wasn’t great. As was the case throughout the Midwest and East, including the Jets game.
The Eagles somehow beat the lowly Titans on a final 65-yard touchdown drive, 24-20.
Golf Balls
–We had the first event of the PGA Tour’s Fall Season this weekend, the new Biltmore Championship Asheville, at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove (Asheville, NC).
And after three rounds, Neil Shipley was in the lead at -21, one shot clear of Ben Kohles, as Shipley looks for his first title…one that would vault him from No. 183 on the points list to No. 74 and assured Tour status in 2027. [Kohles is also seeking win No. 1.]
But in the end, Presidents Cup bound Jacob Bridgeman, with a 61 final round, picked up his second career win.
The Fall Season is all about those trying to get into (or stay in) the Top 100 to secure their cards for next year. [And some can earn a few Signature Events as well.]
And nothing says a few stars, like Scottie Scheffler last fall, can’t compete.
–At the DP World Tour’s big annual event, the BMW Championship at Wentworth Club in Surrey, England, rather shockingly, JJ Spaun, in his debut at the event, won it! And he finished two ahead of a rather powerful group…Aaron Rai, Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy (along with Manuel Elvira).
Good stuff from JJ, who said he played with a chip on his shoulder after being snubbed for the Presidents Cup team. [The Presidents Cup bores me, and I won’t care unless I hear it’s close heading into the singles. All Ryder Cup for me, and now the Walker Cup!]
—The PGA Tour announced Tuesday membership categories for the PGA Tour Championship Series and eligibility for the PGA Tour Challenger Series, which will replace the Tour’s current competitive system beginning in 2028.
Among the features….
The Challenger Series will annually promote the top 20 players to the Championship Series.
Access available to top performers from the DP World Tour is being considered as part of the ongoing discussions regarding the future of the Strategic Alliance.
Future stars of the Championship Series will be captured through the Tour’s Pathways, including PGA Tour University and a “last chance” series. The No. 1 player from PGA Tour University following that season’s NCAA Championship will be eligible for the Championship Series that season and the following season.
Nos. 2-5 in the PGA Tour University Ranking earn Challenger Series membership following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship through the following season.
The Challenger Series will feature fields of 144 players, with the ability to reduce when necessary (i.e., daylight), and with an alternate list.
The top 20 players from the Korn Ferry Tour will be promoted to the Challenger Series.
The top 10 finishers from Final Stage of Q-School in 2027 receive Challenger Series membership in 2028.
Separately, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, speaking for the first time since LIV Golf officially entered into bankruptcy proceedings in federal court, told reporters on Tuesday the Tour is not offering the path Brooks Koepka used to come back from LIV Golf before the 2026 season to Bryson DeChambeau or Jon Rahm.
Which means the route Patrick Reed took this season, which included a one-year suspension from entering PGA Tour events, offers the most likely blueprint for stars such as Rahm or DeChambeau. Reed became eligible to return as a non-member last month and played his way toward stronger PGA Tour status in 2027 through his strong play on the DP World Tour this year.
For Rahm and DeChambeau, 2028 would the earliest they (or any LIV Golf member from this past season) can be back as full-time members of the PGA Tour.
Premier League
Friday, Brentford whipped Chelsea 3-0.
Saturday, Tottenham (0-2-3, W-D-L) lost again, 3-2 at home to Aston Villa, the two goals the Spurs’ first of the season!
Newcastle handed Hull City its first loss, 2-1.
But the biggie was Brighton’s 3-0 upset of Arsenal, handing the Gunners their first loss, an emphatic one, but this wasn’t Brighton’s first success against Arsenal, and Brighton is third in the Table…so scratch the word ‘upset.’
Sunday, Manchester City defeated Sunderland 5-3, as Erling Haaland picked up another goal.
And Liverpool beat Bournemouth, 1-0.
City is the only undefeated team after the first five matches (of 38) on the long season.
Stuff
—NASCAR had a big moment Saturday night at the Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. While Joey Logano won it, there was a real fist fight after in the pits between Ryan Blaney and Carson Hocevar, the 23-year-old Hocevar NASCAR’s new villain, deeply disliked by many of his fellow drivers.
Blaney was in second place late when he cut in front of Hocevar, who made contact from behind and sent Blaney swerving into the wall. The incident forced Blaney to retire from the race while Hocevar would finish third.
With six laps to go, Hocevar was battling Ty Gibbs for first when the two made contact and slid down the grid, Gibbs finished fifth. Kyle Larson was second.
So, after the race, Blaney charged through the crowd, found Hocevar and confronted him, shoving Carson, who responded by throwing a punch. They duked it out until Blaney’s team held its driver back. Hocevar held his arms up. Blaney ran at him again and was pulled away.
Yup. This makes for better ratings!
Logano’s win was career No. 40.
—Gallup released results of its long-running poll tracking Americans’ favorite sports to watch, and football came out well ahead of every other sport.
The poll, which was taken over Aug. 3-24, found that 31% of Americans say football is their favorite sport, 20 percentage points higher than any other sport.
The next tier, however, is much tighter.
Out of those surveyed, 11% picked basketball as their favorite sport, while 10% went with baseball and 9% chose soccer.
It’s an all-time high for soccer’s popularity in the U.S., which previously had never registered higher than 7%. No doubt the vote was influenced by the recently completed World Cup.
The 31% figure is the lowest share of responses for football since 2001. Football first took over the most popular sports crown from baseball in 1972.
—ESPN’s Joe Buck signed a six-year extension for around $100 million, according to reports. He is in the final season of his current five-year, $75 million deal.
Buck’s partner, Troy Aikman, remains unsigned. Aikman’s five-year, $90 million contract with ESPN ends after the Super Bowl.
—A man was killed by a shark as he swam off a Western Australian city beach Friday while beachgoers watched in horror.
Boats and helicopters searched the ocean off Sorrento Beach in Perth’s northern suburbs after the late-morning attack. Police would not say whether potential remains had been found.
But police were confident the “swimmer died as a result of the attack,” a statement read.
In a separate shark attack, a surfer sustained a serious leg injury, Monday, near Geraldton, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of Perth.
There have been at least five fatal shark attacks in Australia this year.
–We note the passing of Duncan Sheik, the Tony- and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter who crafted the music for Broadway’s “Spring Awakening.” He was 56 and his mother told the New York Times it was organ failure.
Sheik had a great song, “Barely Breathing” (1996), part of a terrific debut album, ‘Duncan Sheik,’ which while it only peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Pop Charts, remained on the Hot 100 for 55 weeks – at the time, the fourth-longest run ever.
He would win two Tonys for composing the smash musical “Spring Awakening.”
Top 3 songs for the week 9/19/70: #1 “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (Diana Ross) #2 “War” (Edwin Starr) #3 “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” (Creedence Clearwater Revival)…and…#4 “Patches” (Clarence Carter) #5 “Julie Do Ya Love Me” (Bobby Sherman) #6 “25 or 6 to 4” (Chicago) #7 “In The Summertime” (Mungo Jerry) #8 “(They Long To Be) Close To You” (Carpenters) #9 “Candida” (Dawn) #10 “Make It With You” (Bread…B week…)
Texas Longhorns Quiz Answers: The 1969 national champions went 11-0, defeating Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl, 21-17.
QB: James Street was just 40 of 81, 699 yards and three touchdowns through the air, Cotton Speyrer the primary receiver (30-492-3). Eddie Phillips also played some QB.
Jim Bertelsen (104 carries for 740 yards, 7.1 avg., 13 TDs) and Steve Worster (136-649, 4.8, 9 TDs) were the primary ball carriers. Ted Koy (84-441) and James Street (76-412) also picked up sizable yardage.
The 1970 Longhorns squad was 10-1, falling to Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl, 24-11. [Nebraska finished AP No. 1.]
Jim Bertelsen (148-891, 6.0, 13 TDs) and Steve Worster (160-898, 5.6, 14 TDs) were again the primary ball carriers, while Eddie Phillips was the third option (149-666, 4.5, 12 TDs).
Phillips had taken over for Street at quarterback, but was just 39/96, 695-4 through the air.
Danny Lester was the top receiver with just 17 receptions. My, how the game has changed.
By the way, the quarterback of those Notre Dame teams was the great Joe Theisman.
The coaches were Darrell Royal for Texas and Ara Parseghian for the Fighting Irish. A storied era for college football…a great time to be growing up and becoming a fan of the game.
Brief Add-on up top Tues. AM….
