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CFB Conference Notes: Sun Belt

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CFB Conference Notes: Sun Belt

WEEK 1 SCHEDULE
Thursday, Sept. 2
The Citadel at No. 22/24 Coastal Carolina 6:00 p.m. ESPN+
App State vs. East Carolina 6:30 p.m. ESPNU

Saturday, Sept. 4
ULM at Kentucky 11:00 a.m. SEC Network
Army at Georgia State 11:00 a.m. ESPNU
No. 23/23 Louisiana at No. 21/19 Texas 3:30 p.m. FOX
Gardner-Webb at Georgia Southern 5:00 p.m. ESPN3
Southern at Troy 6:00 p.m. ESPN3
Central Arkansas at Arkansas State 6:00 p.m. ESPN3
Baylor at Texas State 6:00 p.m. ESPN+
Southern Miss at South Alabama 7:00 p.m. ESPN+

 

MAKING HISTORY
For the first time since it began sponsoring football in 2001, the Sun Belt Conference boasts a pair of ranked teams in the preseason editions of both the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll and the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 Poll. Coastal Carolina earned a No. 24 ranking in the Coaches Poll and the No. 22 spot in the AP Poll. Louisiana was listed at No. 23 in both polls. App State also received votes in the Coaches Poll. The Sun Belt is the lone Group of Five conference with multiple teams ranked in the preseason.

BESTING THE BIG 12
The Sun Belt posted a 3-0 mark against the Big 12 in 2020, with Arkansas State outlasting Kansas State, 35-31; Coastal Carolina downing Kansas, 38-23; and Louisiana defeating No. 23 Iowa State, 31-14, all on Sept. 12. The Sun Belt will look to maintain this streak during Week 1 action, as No. 23/23 Louisiana visits No. 21/19 Texas at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on FOX and Texas State hosts Baylor at 6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN+.

TOP 25 CLASH
No. 23/23 Louisiana’s clash with No. 21/19 Texas is 1-of-5 Top 25 meetings in Week 1 action across the FBS. The game is the first time in program history that the Ragin’ Cajuns will appear in a matchup of Top 25 teams. Louisiana has won six-straight road games and owns a 2-1 mark in season openers during the Billy Napier era—including last year’s 31-14 rout of No. 23 Iowa State. The other Top 25 matchups are No. 19/20 Penn State at No. 12/15 Wisconsin, No. 1/1 Alabama vs. No. 14/16 Miami, No. 17/17 Indiana at No. 18/18 Iowa and No. 5/5 Georgia vs. No. 3/2 Clemson.

CFB Conference Notes: SEC

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB Conference Notes: SEC

OPENING WEEKEND IN THE SEC

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
Bowling Green (0-5) at Tennessee (3-7, 3-7 SEC) Series: UT leads 1-0
8 p.m. ET • SEC Network
Knoxville, Tenn. • Neyland Stadium (102,455) Sirius: 138 • XM: 190

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
Louisiana-Monroe (0-10) at Kentucky (5-6, 4-6 SEC) Series: UK leads 4-1
12 p.m. ET • SEC Network
Lexington, Ky. • Kroger Field (61,000) Sirius: 81 • XM: 81

Rice (2-3) at Arkansas (3-7, 3-7 SEC) Series: AR leads 35-29-3
1 p.m. CT • SECN+ / ESPN+
Fayetteville, Ark. • Reynolds Razorback Stadium (72,000) Sirius: 108 • XM: 190

Alabama (13-0, 10-0 SEC) vs. Miami (8-3) Series: UA leads 14-3
2:30 p.m. CT • ABC
Atlanta, Ga. • Mercedes-Benz Stadium (71,000) Sirius: 135 • XM: 192

Louisiana Tech (5-5) at Mississippi State (4-7, 3-7 SEC) Series: MS leads 10-3
3 p.m. CT • ESPNU
Starkville, Miss. • Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field (61,337) Sirius: 111 • XM: 191

Central Michigan (3-3) at Missouri (5-5, 5-5 SEC) Series: First meeting
3 p.m. CT • SEC Network
Columbia, Mo. • Faurot Field (62,621) Sirius: 81 • XM: 81

Akron (1-5) at Auburn (6-5, 6-4 SEC) Series: AU leads 1-0
6 p.m. CT • SECN+/ ESPN+
Auburn, Ala. • Jordan-Hare Stadium (87,451) Sirius: 108 • XM: 190

Eastern Illinois (1-5) at South Carolina (2-8, 2-8 SEC) Series: First meeting
7 p.m. ET • SECN+/ ESPN+
Columbia, S.C. • Williams-Brice Stadium (77,559) Sirius: 135 • XM: 192

Florida Atlantic (5-4) at Florida (8-4, 8-2 SEC) Series: UF leads 3-0
7:30 p.m. ET • SEC Network
Gainesville, Fla. • Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field (88,548) Sirius: 81 • XM: 81

Georgia (8-2, 7-2 SEC) vs. Clemson (10-2) Series: UG leads 42-18-4
7:30 p.m. ET • ABC
Charlotte, N.C. • Bank of America Stadium (74,867) Sirius: 84 • XM: 84

Kent State (3-1) at Texas A&M (9-1, 8-1 SEC) Sirius: First meeting
7 p.m. CT • ESPNU
College Station, Texas • Kyle Field (102,733) Sirius: 211 • XM: 202

ETSU (4-3) at Vanderbilt (0-9, 0-9 SEC) Series: VU leads 1-0
7 p.m. CT • SECN+/ ESPN+
Nashville, Tenn. • Vanderbilt Stadium (40,350) Sirius: 121 • XM: 203

LSU (5-5, 5-5 SEC) at UCLA (3-4) Series: First meeting
7:30 p.m. CT • FOX
Pasadena, Calif. • Rose Bowl (91,136) Sirius: 111 • XM: 191

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Ole Miss (5-5, 4-5 SEC) vs. Louisville (4-7) Series: First meeting
7 p.m. CT • ESPN
Atlanta, Ga. • Mercedes-Benz Stadium (71,000) Sirius: 84 • XM: 84

 

THIS IS SEC FOOTBALL
• Fourteen times in the last 15 seasons, a team from the SEC has advanced to the national championship game. The SEC has won 11 of those contests, with two of the losses coming in the game’s final seconds. The winner of the SEC Championship Game has advanced to the National Championship Game all but once since 2006.

• The SEC finished 7-2 in the postseason in 2020 to lead the nation in bowl wins, with all seven wins coming against Top-25 competition – the most in history for the conference. In the four bowl games where an unranked SEC team played a Top-25 opponent, the SEC went 3-1.

• Since Florida in January 2009, five different teams from the SEC have played for the national championship. Four of those five have  multiple appearances and at least one victory since 2007.

• Not counting games versus each other, the SEC is 10-3 all-time in College Football Playoff games, playing in six of the seven CFP Championship Games (winning four of those six). Since 2006, the SEC has posted a 27-14 (.659) record in BCS/CFP games, more wins, appearances and winning percentage than any other A5 conference.

• More than 350 players from Southeastern Conference schools were listed on the initial 53-man NFL rosters to begin the 2020 season. Seven SEC schools were represented by at least 25 former players on active rosters, including Alabama with a league-high 57. In addition to the 53-man active rosters, more than 100 former SEC players are listed on reserve lists or practice squads for NFL teams. A total of 25 former SEC players were on active rosters of the Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Bucs.

• The SEC is 97-55 (.638) in bowl games since 2006, the only FBS league with a .600 or better winning percentage and 30 wins more  than the next closest conference.

• The SEC has now won 47 games in the last seven postseasons and has sent no less than eight teams to post-season bowls in each of the last 14 seasons.

• In the seven seasons of the College Football Playoff era, only six programs nationally have been ranked No. 1 in the weekly CFP Top-25 Poll (which begins in late October each year) – four of those six programs (Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State) are from the SEC.

• Nine different SEC teams, including all seven from the SEC Western Division, have made BCS/New Year’s Six bowl game appearances since 2006: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Since the formation of the College Football Playoff in 2014, six of the seven schools in the Western Division have advanced to a New Year’s Six bowl.

• With Georgia and Alabama both earning victories in the CFP Semifinals in 2017, the national championship game featured two SEC  teams for the second time in the last nine seasons.

CFB Conference Notes: PAC 12

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB Conference Notes: PAC 12

QUICK HITS

HIGH FIVE: The Pac-12 had 5 schools in the AP Preseason Top 25, matching the SEC & Big Ten for most by conference and 41.7% (5  of 12 schools) are represented, the highest percentage of any conference. The Pac-12 last had 5 teams in the preseason AP poll in 2019. #11 OREGON made the preseason Top 25 for the 4th straight year and are ranked in the Top 11 in each of the last 3 years. #15 USC is in the preseason poll for the 60th time, 3rd most of any school. #20 WASHINGTON makes the preseason Top 25 for the 5th time in the last 6 yeras. For the 3rd straight year, #24 UTAH is in the preseason poll while #25 ARIZONA STATE makes it for the first time since 2015. UCLA also received votes.

ELITE 11: The Pac-12 had 11 alumni named in the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2021 countdown. Reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers was the highest ranked former Pac-12 player, coming in at #3. Since the NFL began this countdown in 2011, at least one Pac-12 alum has been in the Top 10 every year.

• CALIFORNIA: #3 QB Aaron Rodgers (Packers), #46 DE Cameron Jordan (Saints), #55 WR Keenan Allen (Chargers)
• COLORADO: #36 OT David Bakhtiari (Packers)
• OREGON: #27 DT DeForest Buckner (Colts), #56 QB Justin Herbert (Chargers)
• STANFORD: #44 RB Christian McCaffrey (Panthers)
• UCLA: #70 MLB Eric Kendricks (Vikings)
• USC: #84 DE Leonard Williams (Giants)
• UTAH: #82 OT Garett Bolles (Broncos)
• WASHINGON: #19 SS Budda Baker (Cardinals)

THIS WEEK’S #PAC12FB SCHEDULE
Game Time (Local) TV

Thursday, Sept. 2
Weber State at #24 Utah 5:30 p.m. MT P12N
Roxy Bernstein, Lincoln Kennedy

Southern Utah at #25 Arizona St 7:30 p.m. PT P12N
Ted Robinson, Yogi Roth

Friday, Sept. 3
Northern Colorado at Colorado 7:00 p.m. MT P12N
Guy Haberman, Shane Vereen

Saturday, Sept. 4
Stanford vs Kansas St 11:00 a.m. CT FS1
(in Arlington, TX) Aaron Goldsmith, Mark Helfrich

Fresno St at #11 Oregon 11:00 a.m. PT P12N
Roxy Bernstein, Lincoln Kennedy

San Jose St at #15 USC 2:00 p.m. PT P12N
Ted Robinson, Yogi Roth

Oregon State at Purdue 7:00 p.m. ET FS1
Cory Provus, Robert Smith

Montana at #20 Washington 5:00 p.m. PT P12N
J.B. Long, Max Browne

#16 LSU at UCLA 5:30 p.m. PT FOX
Joe Davis, Brock Huard, Bruce Feldman

Nevada at California 7:30 p.m. PT FS1
Alex Faust, Petros Papadakis

BYU vs Arizona 7:30 p.m. PT ESPN
(in Las Vegas) Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore, Stormy Buonantony

Utah St at Washington St 8:00 p.m. PT P12N
Jordan Kent, Bob Davie

CFB Conference Notes: Mountain West

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB Conference Notes: Mountain West

NEXT UP

Thursday, September 2 TV/Digital Time
Boise State at Central Florida ESPN 7 p.m. ET
Houston Baptist at New Mexico MWN/MY50 6 p.m. MT
Eastern Washington at UNLV Stadium 7 p.m. PT

Friday, September 3 TV/Digital Time
South Dakota State at Colorado State FS1 7 p.m. MT

Saturday, September 4 TV/Digital Time
Fresno State at #12/11 Oregon Pac-12 Network 11 a.m. PT
Lafayette at Air Force Stadium Noon MT
Montana State at Wyoming MWN 2 p.m. MT
San José State at #14/15 USC Pac-12 Network 2 p.m. PT
Nevada at California FS1 7:30 p.m. PT
New Mexico State at San Diego State CBS Sports Network 7:30 p.m. PT
Utah State at Washington State Pac-12 Network 8 p.m. PT
Portland State at Hawai‘i Spectrum/Team1 Sports App 6 p.m. HT

AROUND THE MOUNTAIN WEST

• Boise State travels to Central Florida on Thursday, Sept. 2 (7 p.m. ET on ESPN), as the Broncos will look to improve the Mountain West’s record against opponents from the AAC (14-10).

• Fresno State RB Ronnie Rivers is the nation’s active leader with 45 career touchdowns, setting the program career record on Saturday, Aug. 28. Rivers is seven touchdowns shy of tying for fifth-most in Mountain West history, a spot currently held by San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny (2014-17).

• Bulldogs QB Jake Haener has thrown for at least 300 yards in four consecutive contests, tying for the fifth-longest streak in  Conference history. Haener can jump into a tie for second place with a 300-yard day at Oregon on Saturday, Sept. 4.

• Nevada, a team which boasts arguably the Mountain West’s most dangerous offensive attack, will look to earn its first road victory against an autonomous five opponent since 2012 when the Wolf Pack travel to Cal on Saturday, Sept.4 (7:30 p.m. PT on FS1).

• The Mountain West welcomes a pair of new coaches this season, including Boise State’s Andy Avalos and Utah State’s Blake Anderson. Avalos, a former Bronco linebacker and defensive coordinator, comes to Boise after two seasons as defensive coordinator at Oregon. Anderson joins the Aggies after a seven-year stint as head coach at Arkansas State.

• San José State, the defending Mountain West champions, will enter the 2021 Conference season riding an eight-game win streak, which is the fourth-longest active league win streak nationally. In 2020, the Spartans were 7-0 in MW play and haven’t lost a league contest Nov. 23, 2019.

• The Spartans go on the road on Saturday, Sept. 4, to No. 14/15 USC, looking for their first victory over a nationally-ranked opponent since 2013.

• Colorado State punter Ryan Stonehouse, who returns for a fifth season, enters the 2021 season as the NCAA’s career punting average record holder (46.8).

• Against all autonomous 5 competition, the Mountain West has won 11 of its last 23 games, including nine against the Pac-12.

• In the past 17 years, the Mountain West has been the top non-autonomous 5 conference nine times and second five times.

• The Mountain West has been nationally-ranked in 21 of the last 28 College Football Playoff Rankings.

• The Mountain West produced the first non-automatic-qualifying FBS team into a BCS bowl game (Utah – 2005 Fiesta Bowl) and into  the College Football Playoff (Boise State – 2014 Fiesta Bowl).

CFB Conference Notes: C-USA

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB Conference Notes: C-USA

2021 SEASON OPENERS

UTEP kicked off the 2021 season last week with a win to open Conference USA’s 27th season. All 14 C-USA programs will be in action this week in a busy four-day stretch for the conference. Defending C-USA champion UAB opens Week 1 in the national spotlight on ESPN on Wednesday, Sept. 1, when they take on Jacksonville State in the Cramton Bowl in Mobile, AL. FIU and WKU host Thursday night games against Long Island and UT Martin, respectively, while Charlotte hosts Duke, and ODU is in action for the first time since 2019, when the Monarchs travel to Wake Forest, both on Friday night. The other nine member institutions are in action throughout the first full Saturday of the college football season.

 

2021 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
Here’s a look at C-USA’s non-league FBS opponents by conference during the 2021 season:

ACC: Duke, NC State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest American: East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Navy, SMU (2), Tulane

Big 12: Texas, Texas Tech

Big Ten: Illinois (2), Indiana, Michigan State

MAC: Buffalo, Central Michigan

Mountain West: Air Force, Boise State, New Mexico, UNLV

SEC: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri

Sun Belt: Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy

Independent: Army, UConn, Liberty (4), New Mexico State

 

QUICK HITTERS

UAB’S HOME COOKING
UAB enters its first season at its brand new home, Protective Stadium having won 21 of its past 22 games at home. UAB now owns the C-USA record for most consecutive home wins at 21, after going 3-1 at home last season. That 21-game win streak spanned Sept. 2, 2017 to Oct. 17, 2021. The Blazers had the streak snapped in a tight, 24-20 loss to Louisiana in the final game at Legion Field on Oct. 23, 2021. UAB is set to open its brand new stadium on Oct. 2, 2021, when it hosts the Liberty Flames in a key non-conference  atchup. Protective Stadium has a seating capacity of 45,000. UAB opens the 2021 season on Wednesday night against Jacksonville State on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. CT in Montgomery at the Cramton Bowl.

UTEP #PICKSUP FIRST WIN OF ‘21
UTEP opened the 2021 season with a 30-3 win over New Mexico State in Las Cruces, heading home as winners of the Battle on I-10. WR Jacob Cowing hauled in five catches for a careerhigh 158 yards, while the Miners ran for 203 yards on the ground and a pair of scores. The Miners defense turned in a dominant performance, holding the Aggies to 190 yards of total offense and just the three points.

COMPOSITE SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
Long Island at FIU (ESPN3) 6 pm
UT Martin at WKU (ESPN+) 7 pm

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
Duke at Charlotte (CBSSN) 6 pm
Old Dominion at Wake Forest (ACC Network) 6 pm

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
Rice at Arkansas (SEC Network +) 1 pm
Marshall at Navy (CBSSN) 2:30 pm
LA Tech at Mississippi State (ESPNU) 3 pm
Monmouth at Middle Tennessee (ESPN3) 6 pm
Florida Atlantic at Florida (SEC Network) 6:30 pm
Northwestern State at North Texas (ESPN3) 6:30 pm
UTSA at Illinois (Big Ten Network) 6:30 pm
Southern Miss at South Alabama (ESPN3) 7 pm
Bethune-Cookman at UTEP (ESPN3) 8 pm

CFB Conference Notes: Big Ten

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB Conference Notes: Big Ten

WEEK 1 SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, SEPT. 2
Temple at RUTGERS
6:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network

OHIO STATE at MINNESOTA
8 p.m. | FOX

FRIDAY, SEPT. 3
MICHIGAN STATE at NORTHWESTERN
9 p.m. | ESPN

SATURDAY, SEPT. 4
Western Michigan at MICHIGAN
Noon | ESPN

Fordham at NEBRASKA
Noon | Big Ten Network

PENN STATE at WISCONSIN
Noon | FOX

INDIANA at IOWA
3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network

West Virginia at MARYLAND
3:30 p.m. | ESPN

Oregon State at PURDUE
7 p.m. | FS1

UTSA at ILLINOIS
7:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network

All times Eastern

BIG TEN. BIG NEWS.

• All 14 Big Ten schools will be in action as week one of the 2021 season kicks off Thursday night when Minnesota, Ohio State and Rutgers make their debut. The Scarlet Knights will play host to Temple at 6:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network, while the Golden Gophers open at home against the Buckeyes at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. The remaining nine schools will begin the 2021 campaign on Friday and Saturday, highlighted by a trio of conference matchups. The complete opening weekend schedule appears to the right.

• Illinois opened the Bret Bielema era with a 30-22 victory over Nebraska on Saturday, Illinois’ first victory over Nebraska at home since 2015. The victory marked the first conference win in a season opener for the Illini since Sept. 1, 1984 (24-16 victory over Northwestern in Champaign).

• Indiana looks to capitalize on its 2020 success as the team opens its conference slate at Iowa this weekend. Last season, the Hoosiers went 6-1 in Big Ten play with the only loss coming by seven points at Ohio State – a team that went on to play for the national championship.

• With a 6-1 Big Ten record in 2020, Indiana secured a winning conference record in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1987-88. The Hoosiers’ six Big Ten wins were tied for their most in a season in school history.

• Iowa and Indiana are meeting as AP ranked opponents for the second time ever and the first time since 1991, when No. 10 Iowa defeated No. 25 Indiana, 38-21, at Kinnick Stadium.

• Iowa’s first two opponents are ranked in the AP Top 25 (No. 17 Indiana, No. 7 Iowa State). It marks the fourth time in program history the Hawkeyes have opened a season against consecutive opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 (1960, 1973, 1974). The Hawkeyes started 2-0 in 1960, 1-1 in 1974 and 0-2 in 1973.

• Four-time defending Big Ten champion Ohio State begins its season on Thursday evening when it kicks off at Minnesota in primetime on FOX. The Buckeyes are coming off a 2020 season in which they defeated Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game, won the Allstate Sugar Bowl over Clemson and reached the College Football Playoff National Championship Game for the second straight year. Ohio State has been in the playoff four times, advancing to the title game twice.

• Minnesota is 96-35-6 all-time in season openers, including wins in four of their last five openers (3-1 under head coach P.J. Fleck). The Golden Gophers are 100-30-7 all-time in home openers with an identical stretch of four wins in their past five home openers (also 3-1 under Fleck). Minnesota is 8-4 in home openers since Huntington Bank Stadium opened in 2009.

• All six of the New Year’s Six bowl games have had a chance to host a semifinal game twice with the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl doing so three times. This year, the Cotton and Orange Bowls will serve as semifinal games. Last year, Alabama became the second-straight No. 1 seed to win the playoff. The No. 1 seed didn’t win a title in the first five years. The No. 2 seed has won it three times and the No. 4 seed has won it twice. The No. 3 seed has won just three playoff games in seven years with Ohio State winning one of those last season.

• The 2021 campaign features 120 All-Big Ten honorees (first-, second-, third-team or honorable mention) selected by either the coaches or the media last season. Iowa and Ohio State lead the West and East Divisions, respectively, each welcoming back 14 All-Big Ten honorees this season. The talent is split evenly as 60 of the returning all-conference players hail from both the East and West Divisions. Each team returns at least three All-Big Ten performers.

• The Big Ten finished last season with four teams ranked in the AP Top 25, tying for the most of any conference. Two teams finished in the Top 10 and all four finished in the Top 16. The 2021 AP Preseason Poll also featured five Big Ten teams in No. 4 Ohio State, No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 17 Indiana, No. 18 Iowa, and No. 19 Penn State, while Michigan and Northwestern are both receiving votes.

CFB Conference Notes: Big 12

NCAAFB Editor
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CFB Conference Notes: Big 12

This Week in the Big 12

Friday, September 3
South Dakota at Kansas (Big 12 Now on ESPN+) 7:00 p.m.
Series: KU 2-0
Last Meeting: KU 31-14 in Lawrence on Sept. 7, 2013.

Saturday, September 4
Stanford vs. Kansas State [Arlington, Texas] (FS1) 11:00 a.m.
Series: Stanford 1-0
Last Meeting: Stanford 26-13 at Stanford on Sept. 2, 2016.

No. 2/3 Oklahoma vs. Tulane [moved to Norman] (ABC) 11:00 a.m.
Series: OU 1-0
Last Meeting: OU 56-14 in Norman on Sept. 16, 2017.

West Virginia at Maryland (ESPN) 2:30 p.m.
Series: WVU 28-22-2
Last Meeting: WVU 45-6 in Morgantown on Sept. 26, 2015.

Northern Iowa at No. 7/8 Iowa State (Big 12 Now on ESPN+) 3:30 p.m.
Series: ISU 23-6-3
Last Meeting: ISU 29-26 (3OT) in Ames on Aug. 31, 2019.

No. 23/23 Louisiana at No. 21/19 Texas (FOX) 3:30 p.m.
Series: UT 2-0
Last Meeting: UT 60-3 in Austin on Sept. 3, 2005.

Baylor at Texas State (ESPN+) 6:00 p.m.
Series: BU 7-0
Last Meeting: BU 34-7 in Waco on Sept. 15, 2007.

Missouri State at RV/No. 22 Oklahoma State (Big 12 Now on ESPN+) 6:00 p.m.
Series: OSU 8-0
Last Meeting: OSU 58-17 in Stillwater on 2018. Aug. 30, 2018.

Texas Tech at Houston [NRG Stadium] (ESPN) 6:00 p.m.
Series: UH 18-13-1
Last Meeting: TTU 63-49 in Lubbock on Sept. 15, 2018.

Duquesne at TCU (Big 12 Now on ESPN+) 7:00 p.m.
Series: First Meeting

Conference News & Notes

The Big 12 enters the 2021 season with No. 2/3 Oklahoma and No. 7/8 Iowa State ranked in the top 10 of the AP and coaches polls. Both concluded the 2020 season with wins in CFP New Year’s Six Bowls. No. 19/21 Texas was also rated in both preseason ledgers while Oklahoma State was at No. 22 in the coaches edition and accumulated enough points for 26th in the AP Poll. TCU and West Virginia also received votes in both.

The Oklahoma vs. Tulane game has moved from New Orleans to Norman due to Hurricane Ida. Kickoff remains at 11 a.m. CT, and the game will be televised on ABC as previously announced.

The Big 12 welcomes two new head coaches with KU’s Lance Leipold and UT’s Steve Sarkisian. Seven of the 10 programs have coaches that have been at the helm for less than five seasons.

Eighty percent of Big 12 teams return QBs that started last season.

According to NFF research, Big 12 football rosters this season include 156 players that have already completed their undergraduate degree requirements.

The Big 12 was the only autonomy conference that completed the 2020 bowl season undefeated. It was also the Big 12’s first perfect bowl record in Conference history.

The Big 12’s bowl winning percentage of .594 (19-13) in the last five seasons (2016-20) leads the autonomy leagues.

With ISU and OU appearances in 2020, the Big 12 has placed two teams in the CFP postseason structure five times in its seven years.

In the midst of COVID last season, Big 12 teams completed 43-of-45 conference games and 58 contests overall, including bowl games.

Forty-eight percent (21-44) of last season’s Big 12 contests, including the Championship game, were decided by a touchdown or less, which was second among autonomy leagues.

The 2021 Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship is scheduled for Saturday, December 4 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Over the summer, the Big 12 and Dallas Cowboys announced a two-year extension that will keep the Championship game at AT&T Stadium through the 2023 season. Tickets to this year’s contest are on sale through SeatGeek.com

CFL Scouting Bureau: Fall Edition

CFL Editor
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CFL Scouting Bureau: Fall Edition

Fresno State Bulldog and Victoria, BC native Dontae Bull tops the fall list

 

TORONTO – The Canadian Football League (CFL) Scouting Bureau has published the first edition of the Top-20 prospects eligible for the 2022 CFL Draft.

 

The CFL Scouting Bureau, comprised of CFL scouts, as well as player personnel directors and general managers from the league’s nine clubs, releases its rankings three times each year: in the fall, winter and spring.

 

TOP-5 PROSPECTS

 

DONTAE BULL | OL | FRESNO STATE

 

Entering his fourth season with the Bulldogs, Bull has appeared in 22 games, starting in 16 games. In his first game of the 2021 season against University of Connecticut, the Bulldogs defeated the Huskies 45-0. Bull was part of a line that helped the offence rush for more than 150 yards, nearly 400 passing yards and didn’t allow a sack. During the 2020 season, Bull started all four games he played and helped protect the top offence in the Mountain West as well as protect the No. 5 passing offence and No. 17 total offence in the NCAA. Prior to the start of the 2021 football season, the six-foot-seven tackle was Named to the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list.

 

TYRELL RICHARDS | LB | SYRACUSE

 

Brampton, Ontario native Tyrell Richards played in 31 games in three years for the Syracuse Orange. In the 2020 season he appeared in eight games, starting in three where he accumulated 24 tackles (14 solo, 10 assisted), 3.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, a forced fumble and a block. During his tenure with the Orange, he’s recorded 54 tackles (33 solo), 9.5 tackles for loss and six sacks and was a 2019 Joe Szombathy Award winner as the team’s top special team’s player Currently, Richards is in the NCAA Transfer Portal.

 

SIDY SOW | OL | EASTERN MICHIGAN

 

Sow, a native of Bromont, Quebec, has been a mainstay on the Eagles’ offensive line for the past three seasons where he’s appeared in 31 games and starting 29 games. In 2020, Sow started all six games at left guard and was named a Third Team All-MAC selection by the conference. The 6’5” lineman was selected first-team Preseason All-MAC by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview while grabbing second-team accolades from Athlon Sports. Sow and the Eagles begin their season on Friday night against Saint Francis.

 

JESSE LUKETA | LB | PENN STATE

 

Ottawa’s Jesse Luketa finished his 2020 season as the second leading tackler on the Nittany Lions. Luketa racked up 59 tackles (31 solo, 28 assisted), 2.5 tackles for a loss, four pass breakups and a fumble recovery while being named a team captain. In his collegiate career, Luketa has played in 34 games, starting 10 games and wracking up 90 tackles (51 solo, 39 assisted). With Penn State, Luketa has played in the Cotton Bowl in 2019. Penn State open their 2021 season on Saturday against Wisconsin.

 

SYDNEY BROWN | DB | ILLINOIS

 

London, Ontario’s Sydney Brown continues his rise with the Fighting Illini as he enters his fourth season. In their first game of the 2021 season, Brown recorded nine tackles (six solo, three assisted) in the Fighting Illini’s 30-22 victory over Nebraska. Last season, Brown started all six games he played in at the safety position and recorded 36 tackles, 0.5 tackle for a loss and forced a fumble against Wisconsin. Since he’s been on campus, Brown has been a fixture in the Illinois defensive backfield appearing in 27 games, starting in 26 games. Through his first three seasons, Brown has recorded 179 tackles (96 solo, 83 assisted), five tackles for a loss, four interceptions and 10 pass breakups.

 

BY THE NUMBERS

 

The rankings include: six defensive backs, five offensive linemen, three receivers, two defensive linemen, two linebackers, a quarterback and a running back.

15 schools are represented on the list and five schools that feature two players:

 

Penn State (No. 4 Jesse Luketa and No. 10 Jonathan Sutherland)

 

Waterloo (No. 9 Tre Ford and No. 12 Tyrell Ford)

 

Calgary (No. 7 Jalen Philpot and No. 15 Tyson Philpot)

 

Saskatchewan (No. 18 Adam Machart and No. 20 Noah Zerr)

 

Alberta (No. 14 Peter Kozushka and No. 19 Jayden Dalke)

 

11 prospects come from NCAA; 9 from U SPORTS.

 

Last year, 17 of the 20 prospects identified in the fall rankings were selected in the 2021 CFL Draft.

 

Of the eight first round selections in the 2021 CFL Draft, six appeared in the fall rankings.

Mets Roster Moves

MLB Editor
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Mets Roster Moves

The New York Mets made the following roster moves prior to tonight’s game.

 

RHP Yennsy Díaz (#64) has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.

 

OF Khalil Lee has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

 

RHP Jake Reed begins a Rehabilitation Assignment with Triple-A Syracuse tonight.

 

INF José Martinez begins a Rehabilitation Assignment with Triple-A Syracuse tonight.

Mets claim LHP Brad Hand

MLB Editor
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Mets claim LHP Brad Hand

FLUSHING, N.Y., – The New York Mets today announced the club has claimed LHP Brad Hand off waivers from Toronto. Hand will wear #52. In order to make room on the 40-man roster, the Mets designated RHP Geoff Hartlieb for assignment.

 

Hand, 31, is 5-7 with a 4.21 ERA (24 earned runs/51.1 innings) and 21 saves in 52 combined games with Washington and Toronto this year. He began the season with the Nationals before he was traded to the Blue Jays on July 29. Hand’s 21 saves all came with the Nationals and he ranks ninth in the NL in saves.

 

During his 11-year career with Miami, San Diego, Cleveland, Washington and Toronto, he is 31-50 with 126 saves and a 3.70 ERA (271 earned runs/660.0 innings).

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