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CFB: Week 14 Conference Notes – Big 10 Conference

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CFB: Week 14 Conference Notes – Big 10 Conference

BIG TEN. BIG NEWS.
• Michigan and Purdue have earned berths into the 12th Big Ten Football Championship Game presented by Discover at 8 p.m. (ET) Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the game televised live to a nationwide audience on FOX and broadcast on radio via Compass Media Networks. The Wolverines are returning to the Big Ten Football Championship Game for the second consecutive year, while Purdue will be making its first appearance in the title contest this weekend.

• Purdue is the fifth first-time participant at the Big Ten Football Championship Game in eight years (Iowa2015; Penn State-2016; Northwestern-2018; Michigan-2021; Purdue-2022). When Michigan defeated Iowa, 42-3 in last year’s title game, the Wolverines became the first new Big Ten champion crowned at the event since 2016, when Penn State captured its first championship (38-31 over Wisconsin). The winner of Saturday’s Big Ten Football Championship Game will receive the prestigious Amos Alonzo Stagg Championship Trophy.

• At the conclusion of Saturday’s game, one student-athlete will be chosen by a select media panel as the Grange-Griffin Most Valuable Player of the Big Ten Football Championship Game. Offensive players have earned the award 10 times (seven quarterbacks, three running backs) in the game’s 11-year history, including the only two-time recipient, Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook (2013 and 2015). Michigan end Aidan Hutchinson made history last year, becoming the first defensive player to be selected as the Grange-Griffin Most Valuable Player.

• Michigan will take the field Saturday in a quest for its Big Ten-record 44th conference championship and the program’s first back-to-back outright Big Ten titles since 1991-92. Purdue is seeking its ninth Big Ten football championship and first since 2000, when it shared the crown with Michigan and Northwestern. The Boilermakers have won one outright Big Ten football title in their history, that coming in 1929.

• With its 30-16 victory over Indiana on Nov. 26, Purdue claimed its first Big Ten Conference West Division championship, becoming the 10th different conference member to earn a division title since the Big Ten moved to a divisional alignment in 2011. Michigan earned its third Big Ten East Division championship and first outright crown with a 45-23 victory at Ohio State on Nov. 26.

• Saturday’s matchup will mark the 60th in the series between Michigan and Purdue, with the Wolverines owning a 45-14 edge over the Boilermakers, including victories in the past five series contests. However, this will be the first time Michigan and Purdue have met on the gridiron in more than five years, dating back to the Wolverines’ 28-10 win over the Boilermakers on Sept. 23, 2017, in West Lafayette. Purdue’s most recent victory over Michigan came on Nov. 7, 2009, a 38-36 decision in Ann Arbor.

• The Big Ten Conference remains firmly positioned within this week’s College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, with Michigan at No. 2, Ohio State at No. 5 and Penn State at No. 8. The final CFP rankings will be released Sunday — later in the day, the matchups for the CFP national semifinals, New Year’s Six bowls and the Big Ten’s other bowl destinations will be announced.

• This season’s College Football Playoff (CFP) Semifinals will take place Saturday, December 31, 2022, at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The Los Angeles region will host the CFP National Championship on Monday, January 9, 2023, at SoFi Stadium. The College Football Playoff matches the No. 1-ranked team vs. No. 4, and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl Game.

• Nine Big Ten Conference schools – Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin – have clinched bowl berths by reaching six victories on the season.

• The Big Ten Conference also currently has three of the top 10 teams in both the Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) polls — No. 2/2 Michigan, No. 5/5 Ohio State and No. 8/7 Penn State. Purdue, Illinois and Minnesota are all receiving votes in both polls this week, while Iowa is garnering votes in the latest AFCA balloting.

• Seven Big Ten Conference schools rank among the top 25 in the nation in scoring defense among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams, including five in the top 10. Illinois is second, allowing just 12.2 points per game, followed by Michigan (3rd – 12.7 ppg.), Minnesota (5th – 13.3 ppg.), Iowa (6th – 14.4 ppg.), Penn State (10th – 18.0 ppg.), Ohio State (13th – 19.2 ppg.) and Wisconsin (25th – 20.5 ppg.).

• Three Big Ten programs are scoring better than 35 points per game this season and all three rank among the top 20 in the nation in scoring offense among FBS schools — No. 2 Ohio State (44.5 ppg.), No. 7 Michigan (39.8 ppg.) and No. 19 Penn State (35.8 ppg.).

Hampden-Sydney Plays At Eastern Mennonite On Saturday

NCAABB Editor
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HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. — Hampden-Sydney College plays on the road at Eastern Mennonite University in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) basketball action on Saturday afternoon, December 3, at 2 p.m. in Harrisonburg. It’s the first of five games away from home during this month for the Tigers. H-SC is 4-3 overall, 2-0 in the ODAC, while EMU is 3-4 overall, 0-2 in the ODAC. EMU will provide a live video stream at emuroyals.com.

Hampden-Sydney (4-3, 2-0) at Eastern Mennonite (3-4, 0-2) | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | GAME NOTES (PDF)
Location: Yoder Arena at University Commons | Harrisonburg, VA
Date: Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022
Time: 2 p.m.

Head Coach Caleb Kimbrough
H-SC is led by the fourth-year head coach who took over the program on April 4, 2019. The former head coach at Huntingdon (AL) College from 2016-19, Kimbrough is the 19th head coach in the 113-year history of the storied Hampden-Sydney program. He is no stranger to the ODAC, having played four years at Guilford (NC) College and coached six years with the Quakers, and one year at Washington and Lee University. Caleb is 34-31 overall at the College, including 19-19 in ODAC games.

Scouting Hampden-Sydney
H-SC has won two-straight contests, including its most recent game against ODAC member Averett, 71-67, on Nov. 30. The Tigers have three players averaging in double-figure scoring among eight that are playing at least 12 minutes per game. Junior forward Davidson Hubbard (Charlotte, NC) leads the team with his 14.1 points and 7.1 rebounds, followed by junior guard DJ Wright (Greensboro, GA) (11.7 points, 17 3FGs), along with senior guard Ryan Clements (Conyers, GA) (10.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists). Junior guard and team captain Adam Brazil (Mooresville, NC) adds 9.7 points (10 3FGs) and 4.0 assists. H-SC is shooting 46% (190-415) from the field, including 35% (54-153) on three-point field goals, and 73% (90-124) at the free throw line. The Tigers average 74.9 points, and allow 70.1 points, for a +4.7 scoring margin.

Scouting Eastern Mennonite
The Royals are coached by fifth-year head coach Melvin Felix. EMU dropped its most recent game at Washington and Lee, 74-65, on Nov. 30. The Royals, ironically, also have three players averaging in double figures among eight that are playing at least 12 minutes per game. Sophomore guard/forward Aviwe Mahlong leads the team with his 17.1 points (16 3FGs), adding 5.7 rebounds, followed by sophomore guard Landon Swingler (11.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 14 3FGs) and senior forward Mark Burkholder (10.2 points, 7.2 rebounds). EMU shoots 44% from the field, including 35% on three-pointers, and 65% at the line; scoring 70.0 points, and yielding 69.7 points (+0.3).

Series History
H-SC and EMU are playing for the 85th time as ODAC opponents since the 1976-77 season. The Tigers lead the conference series at 60-24, including a 79-52 home win last Dec. 4, 2021. H-SC also won the last time the two teams played in Harrisonburg, 68-58, on January 25, 2020.

2022-23 Team Captains
Leading the Tigers are senior forward Miles Harris (Virginia Beach) and senior guard Chase Turner (Virginia Beach), along with Adam Brazil. Turner is serving in the leadership role for his second season, while Harris and Brazil are first-year captains. Chase is the son of Samuel and Demia Turner and is majoring in government with a minor in leadership in the public interest. Miles is the son of Randy Harris and Corey Bacs and is majoring in economics and business. Adam is the son of Mark and Kristen Brazil and is majoring in English.

Roster Breakdown
H-SC features 21 student-athletes from six different states and the District of Columbia. Leading the way with the most Tigers is North Carolina with six, followed by Virginia (4), Georgia (4) and Tennessee (4), along with Florida (1), Maryland (1) and D.C. (1).

From H-SC To Division I Head Coach (X3)
H-SC currently has three former basketball team members and graduates of the College that are serving as NCAA Division I head coaches. Russell Turner ’92 is in his 13th year at UC Irvine … Ryan Odom ’96 is in his second season at Utah State and his seventh season as a DI head coach (UMBC) … Griff Aldrich ’96 is in his fifth year at Longwood. Entering this season, Turner was 242-158 at UCI … Odom was 115-76 overall, including 18-16 at USU and 97-60 over five years at UMBC … Aldrich was 68-60 at Longwood.

Up Next
H-SC remains on the road at ODAC member the University of Lynchburg on Wednesday night, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. in Lynchburg. The game can be heard locally on WVHL Radio, Kickin’ Country 92.9 FM, and will also be available worldwide on the Internet at wvhl.net or via the TuneIn Radio App

Henderson State Men’s Basketball faces Arkansas-Monticello in First Road GAC Game

NCAABB Editor
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Henderson State Men’s Basketball faces Arkansas-Monticello in First Road GAC Game

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Off its conference-opening win against Southern Arkansas, Henderson State hits the road for the first time in their GAC slate when it heads to Monticello, Arkansas to take on the Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils Saturday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m.
 
REDDIES REPORT
Henderson delivered its second-best shooting performance of the season against the Muleriders, hitting 50.0 percent of its field goals and 35.7 percent of its three-pointers, both of which rank second through six games. The Reddies are shooting 43.3 percent from the field while allowing their opponents to shoot 43.1 percent.
 
Junior guard Alvin Miles tied his HSU career-high of 18 points to lead all five Henderson starters, each of whom scored in double figures. Thursday marked the second time this season HSU has had five players score in double digits, both of which resulted in wins for the Reddies. Miles, who is now averaging 9.2 points per game, continues to lead the league with 4.8 assists per game.
 
Henderson’s defense is beginning to position itself among the top half of the league as it is holding opposing offenses to 68.8 points per game, which is fourth in the GAC. In each of the last four games, head coach Jimmy Elgas‘ squad has held the opposition under 68 points. In all three of Arkansas-Monticello’s losses this season, it has scored less than 68 points.
 
The Reddies, who have won two consecutive road conference openers, have also won two in a row over the Boll Weevils, which is the longest winning streak over UAM in the series since winning three in a row between the 2013-14 and 2014-15 season. Henderson leads the all-time series, 97-74, with last year’s 48-45 victory being the lowest scoring GAC men’s basketball game in league history.  
 
SCOUTING ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO
After winning three in a row, Arkansas-Monticello fell in its conference opener at Arkansas Tech, 75-67. Saturday will be UAM’s first home conference game, with the Boll Weevils having won four straight conference openers inside Steelman Fieldhouse. Monticello is 8-8 at home over the past two seasons, including being 3-0 on their home floor this season.
 
With both teams having played six games, UAM’s scoring offense and defense reflects that of Henderson State’s. Whereas HSU is averaging 70.8 points per game and allowing 68.8 points, Arkansas-Monticello is averaging 69.8 points per game and is holding opponents to 69.0 points. The Boll Weevils are shooting 47.6 percent from the field, which is fifth in the league.
 
Arkansas Monticello is one of just four teams in the GAC to have four guys averaging 10 or more points. Senior Edwin Louis leads the offensive unit with 13.8 points per game, followed by sophomore Mario Fantina at 13.0 points. Louis is also the Boll Weevils’ biggest threat from long range as he is shooting a blistering 57.1 percent (12-21) from deep.

CFB: Conference Championship Preview – Conference USA

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB: Conference Championship Preview – Conference USA

QUICK HITTERS

RYAN 2022 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
No. 23 UTSA (10-2, 8-0 C-USA) will host the 2022
Ryan Conference USA Championship Game on Friday, Dec. 2, against North Texas (7-5, 6-2 C-USA) from the Alamodome in San Antonio. The game will
be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network and kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.

North Texas at UTSA
Friday, Dec. 2 San Antonio, Texas
6:30 p.m. CT Alamodome
All-Time Series Tied 5-5
Last Meeting: at UTSA 31, North Texas 27
(Oct. 22, 2022)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Announcers: Rich Waltz (PxP), Aaron Taylor
(AN), Sherree Burruss (SL)

North Texas (7-5, 6-2 C-USA)
Website: www.meangreensports.com
Head Coach: Seth Littrell (7th year, 7th at UNT)
Leading Passer: Austin Aune (201-350, 3,115 yards, 31 TDs, 11 INTs)
Leading Rusher: Ayo Adeyi (86 att., 690 yards, 4 TDs)
Leading Receiver: Roderic Burns (36 rec., 644 yards, 1 TD)
Leading Tackler: KD Davis (118 tackles, 63 solo)
Total Offense: 472.0 ypg (3rd in C-USA)
Rushing Offense: 204.2 ypg (2nd in C-USA)
Passing Offense: 267.8 ypg (4th in C-USA)
Scoring Offense: 34.5 ppg (3rd in C-USA)
Total Defense: 450.8 ypg (8th in C-USA)
Rushing Defense: 185.2 ypg (8th in C-USA)
Passing Defense: 265.7 ypg (9th in C-USA)
Scoring Defense: 30.1 ppg (7th in C-USA)

UTSA (10-2, 8-0 C-USA)
Website: www.goutsa.com
Head Coach: Jeff Traylor (3rd year, 3rd at UTSA)
Leading Passer: Frank Harris (273-392, 3,524 yards, 27 TDs, 7 INTs)
Leading Rusher: Brenden Brady (156 att., 699 yards, 9 TDs)
Leading Receiver: Zakhari Franklin (76 rec., 956 yards, 11 TDs)
Leading Tackler: Jamal Ligon (79 tackles, 36 solo)
Total Offense: 479.0 ypg (2nd in C-USA)
Rushing Offense: 173.3 ypg (4th in C-USA)
Passing Offense: 305.7 ypg (2nd in C-USA)
Scoring Offense: 37.9 ppg (1st in C-USA)
Total Defense: 407.9 ypg (5th in C-USA)
Rushing Defense: 149.5 ypg (3rd in C-USA)
Passing Defense: 258.4 ypg (7th in C-USA)
Scoring Defense: 26.5 ppg (1st in C-USA)

RYAN C-USA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
UTSA (10-2, 8-0 C-USA), which enters its second week ranked in various polls, this week at No. 23 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 24 in the USA Today AFCA Coaches Poll, clinched the right to host the 2022 Ryan Conference USA Championship Game on Friday, Dec. 2, when it knocked off Rice 41-7 on Nov. 19 in Houston. North Texas (7-5, 6-2 C-USA) punched its ticket during the final week of the regular season with a 21-17 win at home against Rice. The 2022 Ryan Conference USA Championship Game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT.

This marks UTSA’s second straight trip to the C-USA title game, while North Texas makes its second appearance, and first since 2017. UTSA is looking to defend its 2021 championship, while UNT is seeking its first. This will be the 11th all-time meeting between the schools (series tied 5-5) and second meeting this season, as UTSA came from behind in the final moments of a wild, 31-27 win on Oct. 22 in San Antonio to remain unbeaten in league play.

UTSA captured the regular season C-USA crown by winning all eight league contests. Roadrunners head coach Jeff Traylor has weathered countless injuries throughout the season and is looking to lead UTSA to its second straight Conference USA title, and UTSA will be heading to a bowl for the third time in as many seasons under the former Gilmer High School coaching legend. The Roadrunners are led offensively by the three-headed monster of QB Frank Harris, WR Zakhari Franklin and WR Joshua Cephus. Harris has completed nearly 70% of his passes for 3,524 yards with 27 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. He’s also a major threat on the ground for the Roadrunners, having carried 104 times for 539 yards
and eight more scores. Franklin (76 catches for 956 yards and 11 touchdowns) and Cephus (76 catches for 901 yards and six touchdowns) are Harris’ primary targets and a huge component of the offense that leads the league in scoring (37.9 ppg). Defensively, LB Jamal Ligon leads the team in tackles with 79 (36 solo) and also has 4.5 TFL, four quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a pair of forced fumbles. DBs Clifford Chattman and Corey Mayfield, Jr. lead the team with three interceptions apiece, while LB Trey Moore leads the team in both TFL (12.5) and sacks (6.0). K Jared Sackett (19-24 on field goals) and P Lucas Dean (45.28 yards per attempt, with 15 inside the 20 and 13 of 50+ yards) are difference makers in the kicking game as well for the ‘Runners.

North Texas makes its first trip to the championship game since 2017, and did so by winning six of eight league games, including the win over Rice last week to clinch a berth in the title game. Seth Littrell’s Mean Green have rebounded from a difficult non-conference schedule to vie for the league title and have done so with a very productive offense led by its QB Austin Aune and a very talented running game. Aune has thrown for 3,115 yards and 31 touchdowns (just one shy of the program’s single-season record, set by Mason Fine in 2017). North Texas boasts the second-ranked rushing attack in the conference, and 22nd in the country at 204.2 yards per game. WR Jyaire Shorter has caught 20 passes for 550 yards and nine touchdowns, while Roderic Burns leads all pass-catchers with 36 receptions for 644 yards and a score. A pair of talented TEs are a major component of the Mean Green offense as well – Var’Keyes Gumms has 31 catches for 438 yards and five touchdowns, while Jake Roberts has hauled in 23 passes for 342 yards and two more scores. Five running backs have 100 yards or more, and RB Ikaika Ragsdale and Isaiah Johnson have combined for nearly 800 yards and six touchdowns. Defensively it all starts with senior LB KD Davis, who leads the conference with 118 tackles (63 solo) to go along with 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, an interception, four quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. DB Ridge Texada leads the team with three interceptions and 15 pass break-ups for an improved secondary. K Ethan Mooney is a weapon in special teams, having made 15-18 field goals on his way to the Lou Groza Award semifinalist list.

CHAMPIONSHIP TRENDS

  • UTSA (37.9 ppg) and North Texas (34.5 ppg) rank first and third in scoring offense in Conference USA, and rank 13th and 25th, respectively in the FBS. These teams showcased their quick-score ability on Oct. 22 in the Alamodome as the teams combined for 35 points in the fourth quarter, when the Roadrunners came out on top 31-27.
  • Friday’s game pits two of the league’s top quarterbacks against one another – UTSA’s Frank Harris (ranks fifth in the country in total offense – 338.6 yards per game) and North Texas’ Austin Aune (leads the nation in passing yards per completion – 15.50).
  • Since C-USA began holding a conference championship in 2005, the host school is 12-5 all-time.
  • UTSA is only the second team in C-USA history to host the title game in back-to-back seasons (WKU in 2015 and 2016).
  • 2022 marked the first season since the league adopted a championship game that the league operated without divisions.

C-USA CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Here are the results and MVP’s of the first 17 C-USA
Football Championship Games:
2021 at UTSA 49, WKU 41
MVP: Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA
2020 UAB 22, at Marshall 13
MVP: Spencer Brown, RB, UAB
2019 at Florida Atlantic 41, UAB 6
MVP: Chris Robison, QB, Florida Atlantic
2018 UAB 27, at Middle Tennessee 25
MVP: Spencer Brown, RB, UAB
2017 at Florida Atlantic 41, North Texas 17
MVP: Kalib Woods, WR, Florida Atlantic
2016 at WKU 58, Louisiana Tech 44
MVP: Anthony Wales, RB, WKU
2015 at WKU 45, Southern Miss 28
MVP: Brandon Doughty, QB, WKU
2014 at Marshall 26, Louisiana Tech 23
MVP: Justin Haig, K, Marshall
2013 at Rice 41, Marshall 24
MVP: Luke Turner, RB, Rice
2012 at Tulsa 33, UCF 27 (OT)
MVP: Trey Watts, RB, Tulsa
2011 Southern Miss 49, at Houston 28
MVP: Tracy Lampley, RB, Southern Miss
2010 at UCF 17, SMU 7
MVP: Latavius Murray, RB, UCF
2009 at East Carolina 38, Houston 32
MVP: Dwayne Harris, WR, East Carolina
2008 East Carolina 27, at Tulsa 24
MVP: Travis Simmons, DB, East Carolina
2007 at UCF 44, Tulsa 25
MVP: Kevin Smith, RB, UCF
2006 at Houston 34, Southern Miss 20
MVP: Kevin Kolb, QB, Houston
2005 Tulsa 44, at UCF 27
MVP: Garrett Mills, TE, Tulsa

CFB: Conference Championship Preview – Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB: Conference Championship Preview – Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

2022 SUBWAY ACC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL GAME

Saturday, Dec. 3 Time, TV SiriusXM App/Web
No. 9 Clemson (10-2, 8-0) vs. No. 23 North Carolina (9-3, 6-2) 8 p.m., ABC 80 80
Series: Clemson leads 38-19-1; Last Meeting: Clemson 21, North Carolina 20 (2019)

Broadcast Information
ABC: Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst), Molly McGrath (sideline)
ESPN Radio: Sean Kelley (play-by-play), Tom Ramsey (analyst), Kelsey Riggs (sideline)

ACC NOTES
2022 SUBWAY ACC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME FEATURES BATTLE OF TOP 25 TEAMS

No. 9 Clemson and No. 23 North Carolina meet in the 2022 Subway ACC Football Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. on ABC. For the 12th time in the 18-year history of the event, the ACC title game will be played in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers.

North Carolina clinched the Coastal Division with a 36-34 win at Wake Forest (Nov. 12), while Clemson earned the Atlantic Division crown on Nov. 5. This was the earliest the matchup was known since 2017 when Miami and Clemson clinched on Nov. 11.

Including shared titles, Clemson has earned nine Atlantic Division titles – 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Clemson also earned an ACC Championship Berth in a 2020 when the league competed without divisions. Clemson has won 20 ACC titles, including six in a row from 2015-2020.

North Carolina won the Coastal Division for the second time. In 2015, the No. 8 Tar Heels earned the Coastal Division title and faced No. 1 Clemson in the championship game, falling 45-37. Carolina has won five ACC titles, but the last came in 1980.

The 2022 Subway Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game is the final title game between division champions. A new football scheduling model will go into effect beginning with the 2023 season that eliminates divisions. The new model is based on a 3-5-5 structure whereby each team will play three primary opponents annually and face the other 10 league teams twice during the four-year cycle, once at home and once on the road. The schedule allows for each team to face all 13 conference opponents home and away at least once during the four-year cycle.

This is the 13th time in the last 14 years that the game will be held in prime time, and 12 different teams have competed in the game since it began in 2005. Last season, No. 15 Pitt, behind the play of ACC Player of the Year Kenny Pickett, captured its first ACC football title with a 46-21 victory over No. 16 Wake Forest.

Bank of America Stadium, home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, has been the site of 11 of the last 12 ACC Football Championship Games. In 2018, the ACC and the Charlotte Sports Foundation reached an agreement to keep the game in Charlotte through 2030. Not including the 2020 game, which had limited attendance due to the pandemic, ACC Football Championship Games played at Bank of America Stadium have had an average attendance of nearly 70,000 fans. The ACC has the second-highest average attendance of any Power 5 conference championship game since 2010.

Atlantic Division vs. Coastal Division Notes:
• .537 – Atlantic Division owns a .537 winning percentage over the Coastal Division all-time, the closest record between Power 5 divisions.
• Atlantic Division has won 11 of the 16 ACC Championship Games
• All seven Coastal Division teams have reached the ACC Championship Game, and four Atlantic Division schools played in the game

NINE FROM ACC SECURE BOWL ELIGIBILITY
Nine ACC teams – Clemson (10-2), Duke (8-4), Florida State (9-3), Louisville (7-5), North Carolina (9-3), NC State (8-4), Pitt (8-4), Syracuse (7-5) and Wake Forest (7-5) – are bowl eligible this season.

The ACC has earned at least six bowl bids in 22 consecutive seasons. Not including the pandemic-affected 2020 season, the ACC has sent at least 10 teams to a bowl every year since 2016. Since 2013, the ACC is second among all conferences with 91 postseason appearances.

The ACC’s current bowl lineup through 2025 includes the Cheez-It Bowl, Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Wasabi Fenway Bowl, Military Bowl Presented by Peraton, Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl, San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl, TaxSlayer Gator Bowl and Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. In addition, the ACC will send a team to the ReliaQuest Bowl if the league’s opponent in a non-semifinal Capital One Orange Bowl is from the Big Ten.

ACC NOTES
The ACC, which plays arguably the most difficult nonconference schedule in the country every season, has the second-most non-conference wins through the end of the regular season.

The ACC has nine bowl eligible teams, which ties for second among all conferences.

The ACC Atlantic Division has six teams with a winning record, which is more than any other division in the country.

The ACC has 42 wins against teams with a .500 record-or-better, which ranks second among all Power 5 conferences.

The ACC has the best non-conference opponents record (by win total) of any Power 5 conference.

ACC defenses have played well this year ranking:
• First in sacks
• First in tackles for loss
• First in turnovers gained
• Second in total defense

Twenty-three of the ACC’s 56 conference games this season were decided by 7 points or fewer.

FOUR ACC TEAMS IN CFP TOP 25 RANKINGS
Four ACC teams are ranked in the CFP Top 25 rankings, released Tuesday, Nov. 29 – No. 9 Clemson, No. 13 Florida State, No. 23 North Carolina and No. 25 NC State.

Three ACC teams are ranked in the AP Top 25 poll (Nov. 20) – No. 10 Clemson, No. 14 Florida State and No. 24 North Carolina. NC State and Pitt are also receiving votes.

In the USA TODAY AFCA coaches poll, Clemson is No. 11, followed by No. 14 Florida State and No. 22 North Carolina. NC State, Pitt, Duke and Wake Forest are receiving votes.

ALBERTO RIVERON NAMED ACC SUPERVISOR OF FOOTBALL OFFICIALS
Alberto Riveron has been named the ACC’s new Supervisor of Football Officials. Riveron, who served as the NFL’s Senior Vice President of Officiating from 2017-20 and currently works as an NFL Rules analyst, has compiled a distinguished 30-year career as both an on-field official and an officiating administrator in the NCAA and NFL.

Among his duties, Riveron will be responsible formanaging the oversight, supervision, leadership, training and development of an ACC officiating staff that includes on-field officials, instant replay officials, instant replay communicators, position coaches, evaluators and assistant supervisors. He will also serve as the day-to-day administrator of the ACC’s Football Officiating Alliance and will develop conference football officiating schedules and assignments.

UNC’S TYLEE CRAFT NAMED DISNEY SPIRIT AWARD RECIPIENT
North Carolina wide receiver Tylee Craft has been named the recipient of the 2022 Disney Spirit Award just eight months after nearly losing his life to lung cancer. Craft, 20, is now working to resume his playing career while also supporting other people going through similar medical struggles. The Disney Spirit Award has been presented by Walt Disney World Resort every season since 1996 and seeks to honor the most inspirational figure in college football. Craft embodies the essence of the award after being diagnosed with stage 4 large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, a rare form of lung cancer, on March 14, 2022. According to his family, doctors said he was just weeks away from dying when they realized he was sick and took him to the hospital. Doctors at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center immediately started Craft on an aggressive regimen of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

With the support of his family, his UNC teammates and coaches and his medical team, Craft has seen positive progress in his condition. His cancer has stabilized and now he visits cancer patients at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center every Friday before home games. He is also serving as an ambassador for the White Ribbon Project which raises awareness for lung cancer and provides support for those fighting the disease. It is these actions, combined with his courage and perseverance, that made Craft the right choice to receive this year’s Disney Spirit Award.

ACC RECORD SETTERS
In 2022, NC State place-kicker Christopher Dunn became the ACC career record-holder with 93 field goals. He passed Florida State’s Dustin Hopkins who had 88 from 2009-12. Dunn has also converted 200 of 200 career extra point attempts. He is the only player in ACC history to make 100 percent of his extra points with at least 200 attempts. Roberto Aguayo, Florida State, 2013-15 (made 198 of 198) and Nick Sciba, Wake Forest, 2018-21 (made 193 of 193) are the only other players in league history with 100 percent made and at least 190 attempts.

Dunn also has the ACC career record for points (479), surpassing Clemson running back Travis Etienne’s previous mark of 468 points.

Clemson place-kicker B.T. Potter holds the ACC career record with 230 extra points made. Earlier this year, he moved past Clemson kicker Greg Huegel who made 218 from 2015-18.

RECORD CHASE – SAM HARTMAN, WF
Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman is tied with former Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd (2010-13) for the ACC career record for touchdown passes with 107. Hartman and Boyd are the only two ACC players with more than 100 career touchdown passes.

Career Passing Touchdowns
Rk. Player, School Years TDs

  1. Tajh Boyd, Clemson 2010-13 107
    Sam Hartman, WF 2018-present 107
  2. Philip Rivers, NC State 2000-03 95
  3. Sam Howell, North Carolina 2019-21 92
  4. Deshaun Watson, Clemson 2014-16 90
    Trevor Lawrence, Clemson 2018-20 90
  5. Kenny Pickett, Pitt 2017-21 81
  6. Chris Weinke, Florida State 1997-00 79
  7. Russell Wilson, NC State 2008-10 76
  8. Jacory Harris, Miami 2008-11 70
    Malik Cunningham, UL 2018-present 70

Hartman is one of just six players in the country with 30-or-more touchdown passes this season, and he has played the fewest number of games. Hartman is averaging more than three TD passes per game.

Hartman has accounted for at least one touchdown in 33-straight games, which is the longest active streak in the nation.

Hartman is Wake Forest’s all-time passing leader and has now thrown for 12,687 career passing yards, which ranks second in ACC history.

Career Passing Yards
Rk. Player, School Years Yards

  1. Philip Rivers, NC State 2000-03 13,484
  2. Sam Hartman, Wake Forest 2018-present 12,687
  3. Kenny Pickett, Pitt 2017-21 12,303
  4. Tajh Boyd, Clemson 2010-13 11,904
  5. Ryan Finley, NC State 2016-18 10,505
  6. Sam Howell, North Carolina 2018-21 10,283
  7. Deshaun Watson, Clemson 2014-16 10,163
  8. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson 2018-20 10,098
  9. Thaddeus Lewis, Duke 2006-09 10,065
  10. Brad Kaaya, Miami 2014-16 9,968

Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman is second in the ACC in career total offense, just 55 yards shy of NC State’s Philip Rivers (2000-03). Louisville’s Malik Cunningham is sixth.

AROUND THE ACC
Boston College: First-team All-ACC WR Zay Flowers broke every major receiving record at BC in his senior season; pushing to the top of the chart in receptions (200), receiving yards (3,056) and receiving touchdowns (29).

Clemson: Clemson won 10 games for a school-record 12th consecutive season. Clemson became only the third FBS program ever to post 11 consecutive 10-win seasons alongside Florida State (14 from 1987- 2000) and Alabama (14 from 2008-21).

Duke: QB Riley Leonard is the first player in program history to record 10-plus rushing and 20-plus passing touchdowns in a single season. Leonard leads all ACC quarterbacks in rushing yards.

Florida State: Florida State is one of three teams, along with No. 1 Georgia and No. 6 Alabama, ranked in the top-15 nationally in both yards per play on offense and defense.

Georgia Tech: LB Ayinde Eley finished the season with 118 tackles, which are the most by a Yellow Jacket since P.J. Davis in 2014 (119 in 14 games). Eley is one of only three Yellow Jackets since 2000 with as many as 118 tackles in a season (Julian Burnett – 120 in 2011 and Davis).

Louisville: DE Yasir Abdullah was a dominating force on a defense that finished second nationally in the ACC in sacks. He was second in the league with 8.0 sacks and seventh in the conference with 13.0 tackles for loss.

Miami: First-team All-ACC safety Kam Kinchens tied for the nation’s lead in interceptions during the regular season and paced the Hurricanes with 59 tackles. His six picks trail only Bennie Blades (10) and Sean Taylor on Miami’s single-season interception list.

North Carolina: North Carolina has six road wins in a season for the first time ever. The Tar Heels were 6-0 in league play for the first time going 8-0 in 2015.

NC State: LB Drake Thomas leads the Wolfpack with 90 tackles and ranks first among all ACC defensive players with 13 tackles for loss in conference games. Thomas also ranks second in the ACC with 6.5 sacks in ACC contests.

Pitt: ACC DPOY Calijah Kancey is the only student-athlete in the country who has been named a finalist for both the 2022 Outland Trophy (top interior lineman) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (top defensive player). He has compiled 31 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 11 games played.

Syracuse: First-team All-ACC TE Orande Gadsden set single-season program records for receptions (54) and receiving yards (891) this season. He leads the nation in receiving yards and touchdowns by a tight end, and is sixth in the ACC in receiving yards by any player regardless of position.

Virginia: Brennan Armstrong broke the ACC’s record for passing yards by a left-handed quarterback against Pitt. Armstrong’s 9,034 career passing yards are the 12th most by a left-handed QB in FBS history.

Virginia Tech: Running back Jalen Holston had a career-high 26 carries in the win over Liberty and racked up a career-best three touchdowns and career-high 99 rushing yards. It marked his first multi-touchdown performance since Nov. 14, 2020 versus then-No. 9 Miami (Fla.) in Blacksburg.

Wake Forest: First-team WR A.T. Perry has totaled 70 catches for 980 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. He has recorded 28 career touchdown receptions, the most by a WF wideout in program history

CFB: Conference Championship Preview – SEC Conference

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB: Conference Championship Preview – SEC Conference

2022 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

LSU (V) vs. Georgia (H)
Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 • 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT)
Atlanta, Ga. • Mercedes-Benz Stadium (75,000)
CBS Sports

THE TEAMS: LSU (9-3, 6-2 SEC) is the Western Division representative and the visiting team. Georgia (12-0, 8-0 SEC) is the Eastern Division Champion and the home team.

NATIONAL RANKINGS: Georgia comes into the game as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in the Associated Press, USA Today Coaches and College Football Playoff polls. LSU is the No. 11-ranked team in the nation by the AP while ranked No. 13 in USA Today Coaches and No. 14 in the
CFP. This is the 12th consecutive season the SEC Championship Game has featured a Top-15 matchup and fifth consecutive featuring an undefeated, No. 1-ranked team in the nation.

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Only once since 2006 (2014) has the winner of the SEC Championship Game failed to advance to the national championship game. The game, which started in 1992, is in its 31st year. It was a result of conference expansion, which saw Arkansas and South Carolina become the first members added in SEC history. Nearly two million fans have witnessed the pageantry of the game first-hand, with now 28 sellouts in its history, including the last 28 consecutive contests. (Only 1993 and 1995 were not). The first two games were played at Legion Field in Birmingham and the game was played at the Georgia Dome from 1994-2016. This will mark the sixth SEC Championship Game played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

SEC CHAMPIONS: LSU will be vying for its 13th SEC Championship and second in the last four seasons. Georgia is aiming for its 14th SEC Championship and first since 2017.

TELEVISION: CBS Sports will televise the game nationally for the 21st straight year (BRAD NESSLER, Play-by-Play; GARY DANIELSON, Analyst; JENNY DELL, Sidelines; CRAIG SILVER, Producer). CBS has aired the game nationally since 2001. ABC Sports televised the game from 1992-2000.

TV RATINGS: The 2021 SEC Championship attracted over 15 million viewers, the most watched championship game in college football since 2018. The 2018 SEC Championship Game was the most-watched and highest-rated regular-season college football game on any network in seven years with
a 10.1/23 rating/share and 17.5 million viewers. It also marked the second most-watched SEC Championship ever in 26 years since the game debuted in 1992. Nearly 14 million viewers watched the 2019 contest. Shifting to primetime, the Alabama-Florida SEC Championship in 2020 averaged a 4.9 and 8.92 million viewers on CBS. It was the first primetime SEC Championship since the 2006 game. The 2009 SEC Championship Game earned an 11.8 rating and a 24 share, marking the highest-rated SEC Championship Game in history.

RADIO: Managed by Learfield IMG College, the SEC Radio Network will broadcast the game on a syndicated basis to the 11-state SEC region and around the nation via satellite radio on SiriusXM. (SEC Radio Network: DAVE NEAL, Play-by-Play; DAVE ARCHER, Analyst; STEPHEN HARTZELL, Sidelines). The National/Learfield IMG broadcast is available on Sirius 138/XM 190. The LSU broadcast is available on Sirius 158/XM 191, while the Georgia broadcast is available on channel 84 on both Sirius and XM.

SERIES: LSU leads the overall series 18-13-1 including 2-0 against Smart’s Bulldogs. During the 2018 regular season, second-ranked Georgia was upset 36-16 by 13th-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge. The Bulldogs finished 11-3 that year. The only other meeting came in the 2019 SECCG. Georgia completed that campaign 12-2.

IN THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: This is the fifth time LSU and Georgia have squared off in the SEC Championship Game. LSU has won three of the four previous SEC Championship Game matchups, most recently in 2019. Four of the previous nine overall matchups between the two schools have taken place in the SEC Championship Game. This is the second-most common SEC Championship Game matchup. The previous matchups occurred in 2003, 2005, 2011 and 2019. Alabama and Florida have met 10 times in the game, which is the most common matchup

SEC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME QUICK FACTS
Year Started: 1992 in Birmingham (31st year)

Years in Atlanta: 28 (first game in 1994)

Capacity: 75,000 (78,030 in 2021)

Attendance Record: Atlanta (78,030 in 2021); Birmingham (83,091 in 1992)
[28 of 30 games sold out; only 1993 and 1995 did not]

Atlanta Contract: Through 2026 game

CBS Contract: Through 2024 game

Highest TV Rating: 11.8 (24 share) – 2009

Highest scoring game: 2013 (Auburn 59, Missouri 42)

Winner to National Championship Game: 15 (1992, Alabama; 1996, Florida; 1998, Tennessee; 2003, LSU; 2006, Florida; 2007, LSU; 2008, Florida; 2009, Alabama; 2010, Auburn; 2011, LSU; 2012, Alabama; 2013, Auburn).

Winner to the College Football Playoff: 8 (2014, Alabama; 2015, Alabama; 2016, Alabama; 2017, Georgia; 2018, Alabama; 2019, LSU; 2020, Alabama; 2021, Alabama).

Winner to the CFP Championship Game: 7 (2015, Alabama; 2016, Alabama; 2017, Georgia; 2018, Alabama; 2019, LSU; 2020, Alabama; 2021, Alabama)

LSU TIGERS (9-3, 6-2 SEC)
Head Coach: Brian Kelly (Assumption, ‘83)
Overall/Years: 293-100-2 (.744) / 32nd season
LSU/Years: 9-3 (.750) / 1st season
vs. SEC (regular season): 6-2 (.750) / 1st Season
In SEC Championship Games: 0-0
2022 Schedule: See page 2
National Rankings: 11 AP/13 Coaches
SEC Championships: 11 (1935, 1936, 1958, 1961, 1970, 1986, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2019)
All-Time in SEC Championship Games: 5-1 (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2019)
Current Streak: Lost 1

Key Players
QB Jayden Daniels (6-3, 200, Jr., Can Bernardino, Calif.)
Two games of 300 or more passing yards, including a season-high 349 yards at Florida … Three games of 100+ rushing yards, including a season-best 121 yards vs. Ole Miss … Leads team with 824 rushing yards.

WR Malik Nabers (6-0, 195, So., Youngsville, La.)
Leads the team with 726 reciving yards and 58 receptions … Seven catches in each of the last two games … Season0high 129 receiving yards vs. UAB.

DE BJ Ojulari (6-3, 250, Jr., Marietta, Ga.)
53 total tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks … One forced fumble … Named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week two times this season.

LB Harold Perkins Jr. (6-2, 220, Fr., New Orleans, La.)
57 total tackles, including nine tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks … Two forced fumbles and one interception … Earned SEC weekly honors three consecutive weeks during the regular season

GEORGIA BULLDOGS (12-0, 8-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Kirby Smart (Georgia, ‘98)
Overall/Years: 78-15 (.839) / 7th season
Georgia/Years: Same
vs. SEC (regular season): 49-12 (.803) / 7th Season
In SEC Championship Games: 1-3
2022 Schedule: See page 2
National Rankings: 1 AP/1 Coaches
SEC Championships: 13 (1942, 1946, 1948, 1959, 1966, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982, 2002, 2005, 2017)
All-Time in SEC Championship Games: 3-6 (2002, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021)
Current Streak: Won 14

Key Players
QB Stetson Bennett (5-11, 190, Sr., Blackshear, Ga.)
Finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, as well as the Burlsworth Trophy … Threw for a season-high 368 yards in the season-opening win vs. Oregon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

ILB Jamon Dumas-Johnson (6-1, 245, So., Hyattsville, Md.)
Has started at LB in all 12 games to date … Tied for team’s leading tackler with 59 total stops, including 8.0 tackles for loss (leads team) and 3.0 QB sacks (tied for team high).

WR Ladd McConkey (6-0, 185, RSo., Chatsworth, Ga.)
Has started at WR in 11 of 12 games to date … Tied with Brock Bowers for team lead in receptions with 46 on the season for 606 yards and four TDs … Has 17 punt returns for a 11.6 average (7th nationally).

DB Chris Smith (5-11, 195, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.)
Has started at DB in all 12 games to date … Has 47 tackles — fourth-best on the team — four for lost yardage, one QB sack, two interceptions, five pass breakups and one fumble recovery

Series/Game Notes
Record: LSU, 18-13-1
Last: LSU, 37-10 (Dec. 7, 2019)
Series: This is the fifth time LSU and Georgia have squared off in the SEC Championship Game. LSU has won three of the four previous SEC Championship Game matchups, most recently in 2019. Four of the previous nine overall matchups between the two schools have taken place in the SEC Championship Game. This is the second-most common SEC Championship Game matchup. The previous matchups occurred in 2003, 2005, 2011 and 2019. Alabama and Florida have met 10 times in the game, which is the most common matchup.

CFB: Conference Championship Preview – Sun Belt Conference

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB: Conference Championship Preview – Sun Belt Conference

HERCULES TIRES CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Saturday, Dec. 3
Coastal Carolina at Troy 2:30 p.m. ESPN
Dave Fleiming (PxP)
Rod Gilmore (Analyst)
Tiffany Blackmon (Sideline)
All Times CT

HOW THEY GOT HERE
COASTAL CAROLINA
Coastal Carolina (9-2, 6-2 SBC) is seeking its second Sun Belt football title over the past three seasons in Saturday’s Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship Game at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Ala. The game is set for 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationwide on ESPN.

A two-time championship game qualifier since the event’s inception in 2018, the Chanticleers will be competing in the title bout for the first time Saturday. Coastal Carolina shared the conference title with Louisiana in 2020, after the championship game was cancelled due to COVID-19. The matchup with Troy (10-2, 7-1 SBC) will be the lone FBS conference championship game featuring a pair of teams with two-or-fewer losses this season.

Coastal Carolina will also be seeking its third-straight 10-win campaign in the Sun Belt Football Championship. With a win, the Chanticleers would join Alabama and Clemson as the lone programs with three-straight 10-win seasons in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The Chanticleers—who boast a 31-5 mark since the start of 2020, trailing only Alabama (36-4) and Georgia (34- 3)—will also be bound for a bowl game for the third-straight year.

Coastal Carolina opened its season with a 38-28 win over Army in front of a record-setting crowd of 21,165 at Brooks Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 3, picking up the 150th win in program history. The team from Conway also added nonconference victories over Gardner-Webb, 31-27, and Buffalo, 38-26, at home, before surviving its first road test in its conference opener at Georgia State, 41-24, to get off to its fourth-straight 4-0 start.

In arguably the most iconic moment of the Chanticleers 2022 campaign thus far, redshirt sophomore running back CJ Beasley hurdled a Georgia Southern defender at the 8-yard line to find paydirt with 38 seconds remaining to vault Coastal Carolina to a 34-30 victory in front of a crowd of 19,139 at Brooks Stadium. The “Myrtle Hurdle” capped a 20-6 Coastal Carolina run over the final 12:09. The following week, Coastal Carolina became one of the first teams in the nation to clinch bowl eligibility with a 28-21 win over ULM to secure its third-straight 6-0 start, as one of the last two unbeaten teams from a non-autonomy conference alongside conference foe James Madison.

Old Dominion knocked the Chanticleers from the ranks of the unbeaten, 49-21, on Saturday, Oct. 15—but Coastal Carolina rebounded with three-straight conference victories over Marshall, 24-13; App State, 35-28; and Southern Miss, 26-23 to become the last remaining one-loss team from a non-autonomy conference. The victory over App State in a nationally-televised Thursday night showdown between the only two teams to have represented the Sun Belt East Division in the championship game came in front of yet another record-setting crowd of 21,224 at Brooks Stadium. With the win over Southern Miss, the Chanticleers improved to 10-0 against Sun Belt West Division opponents since the start of the 2020 season and also clinched the Sun Belt East Division title and a spot in the Sun Belt Football Championship.

Coastal Carolina’s Nov. 19 date with Virginia was cancelled due to the tragic events of Nov. 13 that resulted in the deaths of three members of the Cavaliers football program. The Chanticleers enter Saturday’s Sun Belt Football Championship coming off a 47-7 loss to James Madison, but have rallied from each of their four prior defeats since the start of the 2020 season. Coastal Carolina has not lost back-to-back games since it dropped three-straight to conference foes from Nov. 7-23, 2019.

Redshirt junior quarterback Grayson McCall—the two-time reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year—has completed 168-of-244 passes for 2,314 yards and 21 touchdowns this season, while rushing for another 165 yards and four scores.

One of the nation’s premier signal-callers, McCall leads the Sun Belt and ranks second nationally in passing efficiency (176.1) and sits eighth nationally in completion percentage (.689). He is also among the Top 35 in the FBS in total points responsible for per game (16.7), passing yards per game (257.1) and total offense (275.4). McCall has missed the past three weeks—and two games—with a foot injury sustained in the victory over App State, with the Chanticleers turning to redshirt junior Jarrett Guest and super senior Bryce Carpenter in his absence.

Whether or not McCall plays, Coastal Carolina will have its full running back core at its disposal in the championship game, with redshirt junior Aaron Bedgood (8 Carries, 45 Yards, 1 Touchdown) and redshirt sophomore Braydon Bennett (7 Carries, 21 Yards) recently returned from injury. The duo will pair with redshirt sophomore CJ Beasley (130 Carries, 672 Yards, 4 Touchdowns) and senior Reese White (80 Carries, 443 Yards, 4 Touchdowns), who have combined for 1,115 rushing yards on the year in their absence.

Whether its McCall, Guest or Carpenter at quarterback, Coastal Carolina has been efficient through the air, ranking sixth in the nation in passing efficiency (163.08) this season. Credit wideouts redshirt senior Sam Pinckney (56 Catches, 836 Yards, 2 Touchdowns) and redshirt freshman Jared Brown (42 Catches, 709 Yards, 5 Touchdowns), who have been consistent targets all year.

On the defensive side of the ball, redshirt junior linebacker JT Killen has compiled a team-high 89 tackles; redshirt senior defensive lineman Jerrod Clark and sophomore defensive lineman Josaiah Stewart have tallied a team-high 9.0 tackles for loss apiece; and defensive lineman Adrian Hope has led the way with 5.5 sacks.

Redshirt senior defensive back Lance Boykin, who currently ranks second on the team with 50 tackles and is 1-of-3 Chanticleers with two interceptions on the season, is also a key contributor.

A win Saturday would secure the second Sun Belt title in three seasons for the Chanticleers and would be the first victory by a road team in the five-year history of the event. Coastal Carolina maintains a 3-2 lead in the all-time series with Troy, having won three-straight one-possession games in the past three meetings in 2019 (36-35), 2020 (42-38) and 2021 (35-28).

TROY
Troy (10-2, 7-1 SBC) is seeking its conference-best seventh Sun Belt football title in Saturday’s Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship Game on its home turf at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Ala. The game is set for 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationwide on ESPN.

This will be the Trojans first appearance in the championship game since the event’s inception in 2018, snapping a string of four-straight West Division titles for Louisiana in its first year in the division. Troy made the shift from the East Division to the West Division with the addition of four new members to the Sun Belt ahead of the 2022 campaign.

The matchup with Coastal Carolina (9-2, 6-2 SBC) will be the lone FBS conference championship game featuring a pair of teams with two-or-fewer losses this season.

Troy is in the midst of a nine-game winning streak—its longest since 1999—and is tied with UTSA for the longest streak among teams from non-autonomy conferences.

The Trojans dropped their season-opener at then-No. 21/24 Ole Miss, 28-10, before picking up a 38-17 win over Alabama A&M for the first victory of the Jon Sumrall era in their home opener.

With the eyes of the college football world affixed on the Sun Belt in Week 3, as the College GameDay crew climbed into the Carolina high country for the conference opener between Troy and App State, the Trojans nearly spoiled the Mountaineers party. The game came down to the final play, with App State prevailing on a 53-yard Hail Mary that has been dubbed the second “Miracle on the Mountain.”

The adversity of that moment—falling to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play—brought the Trojans locker room together in their first year under a first-time head coach.

Troy has not lost since, rattling off nine-straight wins. The run began with the first-ever conference win over Marshall, 16-7; a non-conference victory over Western Kentucky, 34-27; the first-ever conference win over Southern Miss, 27-10; and an 11th-consecutive win over Texas State, 17-14.

A subsequent three-game stretch from Oct. 20-Nov. 12 proved pivotal for the Trojans.

Troy prevailed, 10-6, in a defensive battle on the road at in-state rival South Alabama in front of a crowd of 25,450 on Thursday, Oct. 20, spoiling the first-ever sellout at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The fifth-straight victory in the Battle for the Belt rivalry game proved to be the tiebreaker in punching the Trojans ticket to the Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship over the Jaguars.

Coming off its bye week, Troy scored 23 unanswered points over the final 15:00, capped by a 22-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Kimani Vidal with five seconds remaining in a 23-17 victory over Louisiana. The Trojans did not score until time expired in the third quarter, overcoming a 17-0 deficit.

The following week, Troy erased a 9-0 halftime deficit in a 10-9 win over Army—a game that drew a program-record sellout crowd of 31,010 to Veterans Memorial Stadium. Senior linebacker Carlton Martial made a career-high 22 tackles in the contest to become the all-time NCAA career record holder.

Since, Troy has registered convincing wins over ULM, 34-16, and Arkansas State, 48-19, behind back-to-back 200-yard rushing days from Vidal.

Junior quarterback Gunnar Watson has completed 181-of-295 passes for 2,387 yards and 10 touchdowns this season—with wide receivers sophomore Tez Johnson (49 Catches, 764 Yards, 4 Touchdowns) and senior RaJae’ Johnson (30 Catches, 538 Yards, 4 Touchdowns) serving as his primary targets.

Vidal (189 Carries, 1,006 Yards, 9 Touchdowns) became the 11th 1,000-yard rusher in Trojans program history—and the 10th different player to do so—amassing 450 of those yards over the final two games of the regular season. He is spelled by senior running back DK Billingsley (125 Carries, 599 Yards, 5 Touchdowns) in the ground game.

The trademark Trojan defense has allowed just 16.8 points per game—eighth in the nation—and 316.4 yards of total offense per game—16th in the nation—to its opponents this season.

Martial leads the way with a team-high 112 tackles, followed by senior safety Craig Slocum Jr. with 89. Sophomore defensive lineman T.J. Jackson (14.5 TFL, 8.0 Sacks) and junior defensive lineman Richard Jibunor (10.0 TFL, 6.5 Sacks) have proven stout on the defensive front.

Junior defensive back Reddy Steward, who ranks fourth on the team with 55 tackles and paces the Trojans with three interceptions, is also a key contributor.

A win Saturday would secure the conference-leading seventh Sun Belt title for the Trojans—the first in the championship game era and the first since 2017. A Troy victory would also snap a string of three-straight one-possession losses to Coastal Carolina and would keep the home team undefeated in the five-year history of the Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship.

CFB: Week 14 Conference Notes – PAC 12 Conference

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB: Week 14 Conference Notes – PAC 12 Conference

THIS WEEK’S #PAC12FB SCHEDULE
Friday, Dec. 2 Time (Local) TV
2022 Pac-12 Football Championship Game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV

11 Utah vx #4 USC 5:00 p.m. PT FOX

Jason Benetti, Brock Huard, Allison Williams

VIVA LAS VEGAS
The 2022 Pac-12 Football Championship Game, presented by 76, is headed to Allegiant Stadium on Friday, December 2nd. Watch the Pac-12’s best take Vegas as the top 2 teams meet and compete for the championship.

The Pac-12 Network will have a 90-minute pregame show starting at 3:30pm PT/ 4:30pm MT and a 60-minute postgame show. Ashley Adamson will host alongside Nick Aliotti, Nigel Burton and Yogi Roth.

FOX will also be doing a special Friday night edition of their pregame from Allegiant Stadium starting at 4:30pm with host Mike Hill alongside USC legends Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, former Utah and Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and former Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn. FOX’s postgame coverage will include a live presentation of the championship trophy and most valuable player award.

QUICK HITS
TOP OF THE PAC: The penultimate College Football Playoff rankings of the season once again saw the Pac-12 place 6 teams, tied for the most of any conference and the only conference with 6 teams in the Top 17. This is the first time the Pac-12 has had 6 teams in the poll for 3 straight weeks and first time having 6 teams in the Top 20 the week of the Pac-12 Championship Game. USC moves up into the coveted #4 spot in the rankings, needing a win in the championship game to secure their first trip to the CFP. UTAH moved up 3 spots this week and now sit at #11 with WASHINGTON just one spot behind them at #12. OREGON STATE moved up 6 spots this week to #15, their highest ranking in the CFP era. OREGON check in at #16, right behind the Beavers and one spot ahead of #17 UCLA.

HELLO AGAIN: The 2022 Pac-12 Football Championship is sold out and will be a rematch of USC’s lone loss of the season from October 15th in Salt Lake City. The Utes won 43-42 when QB Cameron Rising scored the game-winning touchdown and 2-point conversion with 48 seconds left in the 4th quarter. This will be the 8th re-match in the Pac-12 Football Championship Game of a game that happened earlier that season. In the previous 7 meetings, the team that won the regular season match-up also won the re-match in the championship game. The lone team to avenge their regular season loss was 2014 Oregon, who lost to Arizona 31-24 in the regular season before beating the Wildcats 51-13 in the re-match.

END OF AN ERA: After 12 seasons on The Farm, David Shaw has announced he’s stepping down as Stanford’s head coach. The only 4-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year in conference history will be leaving as the Cardinal’s all-time winningest head coach. Shaw won three Pac-12 title, 2 Rose Bowls and was honored as the 2017 Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year.

DILLY DILLY: Arizona State found their new head coach, bringing in Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham to take over the program. A former assistant under Todd Graham, Dillingham becomes the first ASU graduate in the modern era to be named the team’s head coach. Dillingham is a semifinalist for the 2022 Broyles Award, given to the top assistant coach in college football.

HONOR ROLL: It was a big week for USC QB Caleb Williams after leading his team to a win over Notre Dame to go 11-1 in the regular season. Williams took home several weekly awards, being named the Water Camp Offensive Player of the Week, Rose Bowl Pac-12 Player of the Week as well as a Manning Award Star of the Week alongside Washington QB Michael Penix, Jr. (who was the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week).

The Trojan QB was also named a finalist for the Walter Camp, Davey O’Brien & Maxwell Awards. Other Pac-12 finalists for national annual awards:
• Jim Thorpe Award: Clark Phillips III (Utah)
• Bednarik & Bronco Nagurski Awards: Tuli Tuipulotu (USC)
• Lou Groza Award: Joshua Karty (Stanford)
• Wuerffel Trophy – Patrick Fields (Stanford)

BOWL ELIGIBLE TEAMS

12 WASHINGTON (10-2, 7-2): First season with 10+ wins since 2018 and first time with 10+ wins in regular season since 2017. End regular season with 6-game winning streak. 703 total yards against Washington State, their 3rd most yards in a game in program history. 11-13 on 3rd downs at Washington State, 3rd time this season with 10+ 3rd down conversions in a game. QB Michael Penix Jr. leads FBS in both passing yards (4,354) and pass YPG (362.8). WR Rome Odunze 6 games this season with 100+ rec yards and along with WR Jalen McMillan becomes first pair of 1,000 yard receivers in the same season in UW history.

15 OREGON STATE (9-3, 6-3): Scored final 21 points last week to overcome 34-17 4th quarter deficit to defeat in-state rival Oregon. 9 wins for the first time since \2012 and a bowl win would give them 10+ for just the 3rd time in program history. 5-3 against teams with winning records this season. RB Damien Martinez 6 straight games with 100+ rush yards, ties school record (Steven Jackson, 2003). 6-1 this season with Ben Gulbranson as their starting quarterback. Defensive coordinator Trent Bray received a contract extension this week through 2024.

16 OREGON (9-3, 6-3): A win in a bowl game would give them 10+ wins in backto-back seasons and 3 of the last 4. 3-1 this season against teams that were in the Top 15 at the time of the game. Last 3 games all decided by 4 points or less. Scored 34+ points in 10 of their 12 games this season. QB Bo Nix 14 rush TD, 1 short of Oregon record by a QB in a season (Marcus Mariota, 2014).

17 UCLA (9-3, 6-3): Bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons for 1st time since making a bowl in 5 straight seasons from 2011-15. 9+ wins in a season for first time since 2014 and a win in bowl game would match school record with 10 wins. QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson 10,424 career pass yards, 2nd most in UCLA history (Cade McNown – 10,7078). RB Zach Charbonnet 1,359 rush yards this season, 7th most in a season in UCLA history.

WASHINGTON STATE (7-5, 4-5): Bowl eligible for their 7th straight non-COVID season (excludes 2020). All 5 losses this season are to teams currently ranked in the CFP Top 25. QB Cameron Ward 3,094 pass yards, gives WSU a 3,000 yard passer 8 times in the last 10 years. RB Nakia Watson has a rush TD and a receiving TD in the same game 3 times this season.

SEASON COMPLETED
ARIZONA (5-7, 3-6): Most wins since 2018 (also 5-7) and as many wins as the previous 3 seasons combined. Scored 31+ points in a game 8 times this season, did it 6 times from 2019-21 combined. QB Jayden de Laura 3,685 pass yards this season, 3rd most in Arizona history. Dorian Singer (1,105) and Jacob Cowing (1,034) become first pair of Arizona WR to each have 1,000 receiving yards in same season. WR Tetairoa McMillan leads all FBS true freshmen this season with 702 receiving yards and 8 rec TD.

CALIFORNIA (4-8, 2-7): 4-3 at home this season. 27+ points in each of the final 2 games, had 27+ points only 3 times in first 10 games. RB Jaydn Ott 897 rush yards this season, 5th most among FBS true freshmen. Redshirt freshman WR J Michael Sturdivant leads all FBS freshman this season with 65 receptions and 755 receiving yards. QB Jack Plummer 3,095 pass yards this season, the 6th most in Cal history and most since Davis Webb in 2016.

ARIZONA STATE (3-9, 2-7): 6 games this season against ranked opponents, tied for 2nd most in FBS. Finish with 9 losses for the first time in school history. RB X Valladay leads Pac-12 with 16 rush TD, the same amount he had the previous 3 seasons combined. Valladay 3rd career season with 1,000+ rush yards and finishes with 4,473 career yards. TE Jalin Conyers over the final 5 games had 30 receptions for 346 yards and 5 touchdowns.

STANFORD (3-9, 1-8): 4th straight season without a bowl berth following 10 straight bowl appearances (2009-18). Lou Groza finalist K Joshua Karty 18-18 FG, 1 of only 4 FBS kickers since 1996 to make every FG with at least 18 attempts. QB Tanner McKee career-high 2,947 pass yards, the 9th most in Stanford single-season history.

COLORADO (1-11, 1-8): First season with 11 losses since 2012. Used 4 different starting quarterbacks, most in program history. Freshman WR Jordan Tyson had back-to-back games with 100+ receiving yards before suffering a season-ending injury.

CFB: Conference Championship Preview – #11 UTAH (9-3, 7-2) vs. #4 USC (11-1, 7-2)

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB: Conference Championship Preview – #11 UTAH (9-3, 7-2) vs. #4 USC (11-1, 7-2)

Fri., Dec. 2 • 5:00 pm PT • FOX

UTAH: Playing in their 4th Pac-12 Championship Game in the last 5 years. Looking to become just the 3rd school to win back-to-back Pac-12 Championship Games (Stanford 2012-13 & Oregon 2019-20). A win would give Utah 10+ wins in consecutive seasons for just the 3rd time in school history (2003-04, 2008-10). 4-2 this season against teams with winning records including 2-2 against teams in the current CFP Top 25. 63 points and 662 total yards last week at Colorado, were both their most in a conference game since joining the Pac-12. Have scored 30+ points in 9 of 12 games this season and 7 of their 9 wins have come by 20+ points. QB Cameron Rising 3 pass TD last week at Colorado, had career-high 415 pass yards and 5 total TD (2 pass, 3 rush) in win over USC earlier this season. TE Dalton Kincaid 102 receiving yards for his 2nd game with 100+ rec yards this season. Kincaid had 16 receptions for 234 yards (both Pac-12 records for tight ends). With leading rusher Tavion Thomas out for the rest of the season, former QB turned RB Ja’Quinden Jackson had 117 rush yards on 10 carries with 3 rush TD last week,

USC: Playing in their 4th Pac-12 Championship Game and 2nd in the last 3 years. USC won their only Pac-12 Championship Game in 2017, defeating Stanford 31-28 behind MVP Sam Darnold. 5-1 against teams with winning records this season and 4-1 in games decided by 8 points or less. First 11-1 start since 2008 and Lincoln Riley ties the school record for most wins in a head coaches first season at USC. +7 win improvement from last year ties the largest turnaround in USC history (1961-62). 436 total yards last week, becoming the first team to gain 400+ yards on Notre Dame this season. QB Caleb Williams 3 rush TD and 1 pass TD last week, becoming 1st USC QB since at least 1996 to have 3 rush TD in a game. Williams has 44 total TD this season, tied for most in FBS and is also the most ever by a USC QB. After losing leading rusher Travis Dye for the season, Austin Jones has had back-to-back games with 100+ rush yards including 154 against Notre Dame last week. USC defense has 19 interceptions this season, their most since 2012 and the Trojans have an FBS best +23 turnover margin. DL Tuli Tuipulotu leads FBS with 12.5 sacks this season.

NFL Transactions 12-2-22

NFL Editor
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NFL Transactions 12-2-22

The following are the NFL transactions for Friday, December 2. Transactions will be published each day after they are circulated to NFL clubs. This public version will include waiver requests, assignments via waivers, terminations, free agent signings, reserve list and practice squad additions and deletions, and trades.

PRACTICE SQUAD TRANSACTIONS


REVERSIONS FROM ACTIVE/INACTIVE LIST

BUFFALO
    Brown, JohnWRPittsburg State   

NEW ENGLAND
    Murray, BillGWilliam & Mary   
    Vizcaino, TristanKWashington   


CONTRACT TERMINATED BY CLUB

CLEVELAND
    Holden, WillTVanderbilt   
         Injury Settlement



OTHER TRANSACTIONS/COMMENTS


DE-ACTIVATIONS (All are 12/1)

BUFFALO
    Dawkins, DionTTemple   
    Elam, KaiirDBFlorida   
    Marlowe, DeanDBJames Madison   
    Morris, QuintinTEBowling Green   
    Spector, BaylonLBClemson   
 NEW ENGLAND
    Bledsoe, JoshuahDBMissouri   
    Cajuste, YodnyTWest Virginia   
    Davis, CarlNTIowa   
    Harris, DamienRBAlabama   
    Mills, JalenDBLouisiana State   
    Wade, ShaunDBOhio State   
    Wynn, IsaiahTGeorgia
1...3,4973,4983,499...4,373Page 3,498 of 4,373

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