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Clay Helton to remain USC head coach uni

Throughout the 2019 season, there were rumors Clay Helton was in his final year as USC's head coach. But Wednesday afternoon, Trojans athletic director Mike Bohn put those whispers to Ray-Ray Armstrong Jersey rest by announcing Helton will return to USC next year.Helton took over USC midway through 2015 and entered this year coming off a 5-7 campaign. A 3-3 opening to 2019 had many fans calling for Helton's job, especially with Urban Meyer on the market. The Trojans closed the year 5-1, though, to finish the regular season with an 8-4 record.MORE:Heading into 2020, Coach Helton and I will work together to take a hard look at all aspects of the Chad Thomas Jersey football enterprise and will make the tough decisions nece sary to compete at a championship level. Mike Bohn (@USC_mikebohn) Helton has recruited well, pulling in three top-10 cla ses each of the first three years, though the 2019 cla s ranked No. 10 in the nation and No. 3 in the Pac-12. But on the field, Helton has struggled to turn that elite talent into results, losing at Damarious Randall Jersey least three games in each of his four-plus seasons.Those relative struggles have led to frequent discu sion of Helton's future at USC, despite him signing an extension in 2018 that runs through 2023. Last week, a report from Maven Media said Helton was being fired, but the report was quickly refuted by multiple sources, including Maven Media itself.Then, Wednesday, Bohn removed any NFL Cleveland Browns Jersey uncertainty about Helton's fate.

Throughout the 2019 season, there were rumors Clay Helton was in his final year as USC’s head coach. But Wednesday afternoon, Trojans athletic director Mike Bohn put those whispers to Ray-Ray Armstrong Jersey rest by announcing Helton will return to USC next year.Helton took over USC midway through 2015 and entered this year coming off a 5-7 campaign. A 3-3 opening to 2019 had many fans calling for Helton’s job, especially with Urban Meyer on the market. The Trojans closed the year 5-1, though, to finish the regular season with an 8-4 record.MORE:Heading into 2020, Coach Helton and I will work together to take a hard look at all aspects of the Chad Thomas Jersey football enterprise and will make the tough decisions nece sary to compete at a championship level. Mike Bohn (@USC_mikebohn) Helton has recruited well, pulling in three top-10 cla ses each of the first three years, though the 2019 cla s ranked No. 10 in the nation and No. 3 in the Pac-12. But on the field, Helton has struggled to turn that elite talent into results, losing at Damarious Randall Jersey least three games in each of his four-plus seasons.Those relative struggles have led to frequent discu sion of Helton’s future at USC, despite him signing an extension in 2018 that runs through 2023. Last week, a report from Maven Media said Helton was being fired, but the report was quickly refuted by multiple sources, including Maven Media itself.Then, Wednesday, Bohn removed any NFL Cleveland Browns Jersey uncertainty about Helton’s fate.…

11 Oct

Beating Ohio State is much more than a M

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh made the media rounds Wednesday, and he Damien Wilson Jersey answered the mostobvious question when it comes to the 2020 season."We've got to beat Ohio State," on NBC Sports Network's "Lunch Talk"radio show. "Nothing makes us angrier than that, or me. That's what we're working toward every day. We've beaten everybody else,but we haven't beaten them.MORE: Harbaugh has a 47-18 record in five seasons with the Wolverines,but the mostfrequent citation is an 0-5 record against Ohio State. The Buckeyes have dominated The Game for the past eight seasons and are coming off a third straight Big Ten championship.That speaks to the larger i sue within the Big Ten. Ohio State isn't just Michigan's problem. The Buckeyes are everybody's problem.Here's a team-by-team look at every Dustin Colquitt Jersey Big Ten team's last win against the Buckeyes:Big Ten vs. Ohio StateTEAMLAST WINLAST ROAD WINLOSING STREAKIndiana1988 (41-7)1987 (31-10)25Minnesota2000 (29-17)2000 (29-17)11Northwestern2004 (33-27)1971 (14-10)8Illinois2007 (28-21)2007 (28-21)9Wisconsin2010 (31-18)2003 (17-10)8Nebraska2011 (34-27)-5Michigan2011 (40-34)2000 (38-26)8Michigan State2015 (17-14)2015 (17-16)4Penn State2016 (24-21)2011 (20-14)3Iowa2017 (55-24)1991 (16-9)0Purdue2018 (49-20)1988 (31-26)0Maryland and Rutgers have yet to score their first victory against the Buckeyes. There are a few striking statistical trends to take away from that conference dominance. Ohio State had a 78-11 record in Big Ten play in the last decade,the best conference record among any FBS school. Alabama is second at 76-11. Since Urban Meyer took over in 2012, Ohio Statehas lost one Big Ten home game,a 17-16 lo s to Michigan State at Ohio Stadiumon Nov. 21, 2015. The Buckeyes lost just three Big Ten games at The Shoe in the 2010s. Michigan State won twice (2015, 2011) and Penn State also beat Ohio Statein 2011.That says the Big Ten Darwin Thompson Jersey -wide problem is winning at Ohio State. The Buckeyes'only conference lo ses in the past three years were road slipups at Iowa and Purdue mind-boggling blowouts that kept Ohio State out of the College Football Playoff.Rutgers, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska and Michigan all visit Ohio Stadium this season.That will be the biggest hurdle for Michigan given that its last win at The Shoe was in 2000. Drew Henson led the Wolverines to a 38-26 victory in John Cooper's final season with the Buckeyes. It's been that long Demarcus Robinson Jersey .The gap between that win in 2000 and Harbaugh's guarantee to beat Ohio State as a player in 1986is 14 years. Now, Michigan is looking for its first win at The Shoe in 20 years.That's a problem Harbaugh is still trying to solve as a coach."That's what we have to do," he said."Beat them, win a championship, get ourselves into the playoff, win a national championship."

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh made the media rounds Wednesday, and he Damien Wilson Jersey answered the mostobvious question when it comes to the 2020 season.”We’ve got to beat Ohio State,” on NBC Sports Network’s “Lunch Talk”radio show. “Nothing makes us angrier than that, or me. That’s what we’re working toward every day. We’ve beaten everybody else,but we haven’t beaten them.MORE: Harbaugh has a 47-18 record in five seasons with the Wolverines,but the mostfrequent citation is an 0-5 record against Ohio State. The Buckeyes have dominated The Game for the past eight seasons and are coming off a third straight Big Ten championship.That speaks to the larger i sue within the Big Ten. Ohio State isn’t just Michigan’s problem. The Buckeyes are everybody’s problem.Here’s a team-by-team look at every Dustin Colquitt Jersey Big Ten team’s last win against the Buckeyes:Big Ten vs. Ohio StateTEAMLAST WINLAST ROAD WINLOSING STREAKIndiana1988 (41-7)1987 (31-10)25Minnesota2000 (29-17)2000 (29-17)11Northwestern2004 (33-27)1971 (14-10)8Illinois2007 (28-21)2007 (28-21)9Wisconsin2010 (31-18)2003 (17-10)8Nebraska2011 (34-27)-5Michigan2011 (40-34)2000 (38-26)8Michigan State2015 (17-14)2015 (17-16)4Penn State2016 (24-21)2011 (20-14)3Iowa2017 (55-24)1991 (16-9)0Purdue2018 (49-20)1988 (31-26)0Maryland and Rutgers have yet to score their first victory against the Buckeyes. There are a few striking statistical trends to take away from that conference dominance. Ohio State had a 78-11 record in Big Ten play in the last decade,the best conference record among any FBS school. Alabama is second at 76-11. Since Urban Meyer took over in 2012, Ohio Statehas lost one Big Ten home game,a 17-16 lo s to Michigan State at Ohio Stadiumon Nov. 21, 2015. The Buckeyes lost just three Big Ten games at The Shoe in the 2010s. Michigan State won twice (2015, 2011) and Penn State also beat Ohio Statein 2011.That says the Big Ten Darwin Thompson Jersey -wide problem is winning at Ohio State. The Buckeyes’only conference lo ses in the past three years were road slipups at Iowa and Purdue mind-boggling blowouts that kept Ohio State out of the College Football Playoff.Rutgers, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska and Michigan all visit Ohio Stadium this season.That will be the biggest hurdle for Michigan given that its last win at The Shoe was in 2000. Drew Henson led the Wolverines to a 38-26 victory in John Cooper’s final season with the Buckeyes. It’s been that long Demarcus Robinson Jersey .The gap between that win in 2000 and Harbaugh’s guarantee to beat Ohio State as a player in 1986is 14 years. Now, Michigan is looking for its first win at The Shoe in 20 years.That’s a problem Harbaugh is still trying to solve as a coach.”That’s what we have to do,” he said.”Beat them, win a championship, get ourselves into the playoff, win a national championship.”…

10 Oct

Michigan Jim Harbaughs next big challeng

In a pregame sideline interview, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh gave an emphatic response when asked about the Wolverines' ahead of their College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia."It's hard," Harbaugh said. "This is the next step. Go let it rip! Time to go."It might not seem like it, but No. 2 Michigan took that next step. No. 3 Georgia outcla sed the Wolverines in a 34-11 blowout that set up another all-SEC matchup in the College Football Playoff championship matchup with No. 1 Alabama on Jan. 10.Harbaugh got that first chance at the playoff stage, and the Wolverines found out how hard it will be to make that jump from Big Ten champion to true national championship contender.MORE: Georgia was too much. The Bulldogs have a roster with 19 five-star players. Michigan has three. In a game with that difference in elite talent, Georgia erased any margin for error with two quick first-quarter TD drives. The Bulldogs had a play Milwaukee Brewers Hats of 20 yards or more in each of their first five drives, and all of them resulted in points. It was 27-3 by halftime.That could be seen on the field. It's the difference on the perimeter, where Georgia exploited mismatches in the back seven for a57-yard TD to Jermaine Burton and a 39-yard TD to James Cook. It's the difference on the interior, where a Georgia front seven led by All-Americans Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean limited Michigan to 84 yards rushing. Star running back Ha san Haskins had 39 yards.It's not a step backward. It's a reality checkfor Michigan. The drive to stay with Ohio State and accumulate the talent nece sary to run with Georgia and Alabama, which beat the Wolverines 35-16 in the 2020 Citrus Bowl, is the new-found challenge.The SEC remains a company-wide problem for the Big Ten on the elite stage.Ohio State beat Alabama 42-35 in the Sugar Bowl in the first year of the College Football Playoff, but that was the exception. The Big Ten is now 3-7 against the SEC in BCS or New Year's Day Six bowls, and the last four have been blowouts. Michigan has been on the losing end of two of those games andhasn't won a game on that stagesince Tom Brady's comeback in the 2000 Orange Bowl against Alabama.Make no mistake, these are the SEC vs. Big Ten bowls that really matter.Big Ten vs. SEC in BCS/NY6 Bowls since 1998DATEBOWLRESULTJan. 1, 2000OrangeNo. 8 Michigan 35, No. 4 Alabama 34Jan. 1, 2002SugarNo. 13 LSU 47, No. 8 Illinois 34Jan. 8, 2007BCS championshipNo. 2 Florida 41, No. 1 Ohio State 14Jan. 7, 2008BCS championshipNo. 2 LSU 38, No. 1 Ohio State 24Jan. 4, 2001SugarNo. 6 Ohio State 31, No. 8 Arkansas 26Jan. 1, 2015CFP semifinalNo. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 1 Alabama 35Dec. 31, 2015CFP semifinalNo. 2 Alabama 38, No. 3 Michigan State 0Dec. 29, 2018PeachNo. 10 Florida 41, No. 7 Michigan 15Jan. 11, 2021CFP championshipNo. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State Orlando Arcia Jersey 24Dec. 31, 2021CFP semifinalNo. 3 Georgia 34, No. 2 Michigan 11That neither excuses Michigan for the blowout lo s to Georgia nor devalues what was accomplished this season. Michigan broke a 10-year drought against Ohio State. The Wolverines won their first Big Ten championship since 2004. That should lead to gains on the recruiting trail, and Harbaugh did that in a hot-seat season that put the program in the limelight for the right reasons for the first time since the embarra sing lo s to Appalachian State in 2007."I think we climbed mountains that nobody thought we could climb," said Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson. "We set a new standard for Michigan football moving forward."Look at that list again. Ohio State and Michigan are the only two schools with a victory against SEC schools on those stages. The Buckeyes have won two national championships in that stretch, however, and the Wolverines have been asking for more since their national championship in 1997. That is the big-stage difference between the Big Two in the Big Ten.MORE: What does more mean for Michigan in 2022?The big question will be quarterback. Freshman J.J. McCarthy (7 of 17, 131 yards, TD) saw most of the snaps in the second half, which is the precursor to the quarterback battle with Cade McNamara (11 of 19, 106 yards, 2 INTs)heading into 2021. McCarthy is one of those five-star players on the roster, and he plays the most-important position. Four-star freshman running back Donovan Edwards is Glenn Robinson Jersey an excellent running mate.McCarthy and Edwards connected for a 43-yard pa s in the fourth quarter. McCarthy hooked up with freshman Andrel Anthony for a 35-yard TD in the fourth quartter. That's a base to work with.Now, it means finding more talent on the perimeter on both sides to deal with that SEC speed. Notre Dame, the other Rust Belt power, had that problem against Alabama in the CFP lo s last season. So did Ohio State.None of those schools are frauds outside the snarky social media definition. With the exception of that Sugar Bowl upset under former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, however, they are all still playing a half-step behind the SEC 1-2 punch of Alabama and Georgia on the field and recruiting trail. The Buckeyes still remain the best bet to challenge that on any given year. The Wolverines, meanwhile, are now 1-4 in bowl games against SEC schools.How does Michigan make that up? Harbaugh must capitalize on the momentum from 2021 and show this wasn't a one-off against the Buckeyes and the rest of the Big Ten. Harbaugh took a reduced salary and made several shrewd offseason hires, Travis Shaw Jersey including defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and running backs coach Mike Hart, that put Michigan back in the right direction.The Wolverines will be good enough to compete for another Big Ten championship in 2022, but that will be hard, too.Michigan has not won at Ohio State since 2000. The Wolverines are home against Michigan State, butHarbaugh is 3-4 against the in-state rivals. Those are the challenges before Michigan might get another swing at a SEC heavyweight.Accomplish those goals, then it will time to let it rip for real."This is the start," Harbaugh said on the ESPN telecast afterward.It's time to go.

In a pregame sideline interview, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh gave an emphatic response when asked about the Wolverines’ ahead of their College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia.”It’s hard,” Harbaugh said. “This is the next step. Go let it rip! Time to go.”It might not seem like it, but No. 2 Michigan took that next step. No. 3 Georgia outcla sed the Wolverines in a 34-11 blowout that set up another all-SEC matchup in the College Football Playoff championship matchup with No. 1 Alabama on Jan. 10.Harbaugh got that first chance at the playoff stage, and the Wolverines found out how hard it will be to make that jump from Big Ten champion to true national championship contender.MORE: Georgia was too much. The Bulldogs have a roster with 19 five-star players. Michigan has three. In a game with that difference in elite talent, Georgia erased any margin for error with two quick first-quarter TD drives. The Bulldogs had a play Milwaukee Brewers Hats of 20 yards or more in each of their first five drives, and all of them resulted in points. It was 27-3 by halftime.That could be seen on the field. It’s the difference on the perimeter, where Georgia exploited mismatches in the back seven for a57-yard TD to Jermaine Burton and a 39-yard TD to James Cook. It’s the difference on the interior, where a Georgia front seven led by All-Americans Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean limited Michigan to 84 yards rushing. Star running back Ha san Haskins had 39 yards.It’s not a step backward. It’s a reality checkfor Michigan. The drive to stay with Ohio State and accumulate the talent nece sary to run with Georgia and Alabama, which beat the Wolverines 35-16 in the 2020 Citrus Bowl, is the new-found challenge.The SEC remains a company-wide problem for the Big Ten on the elite stage.Ohio State beat Alabama 42-35 in the Sugar Bowl in the first year of the College Football Playoff, but that was the exception. The Big Ten is now 3-7 against the SEC in BCS or New Year’s Day Six bowls, and the last four have been blowouts. Michigan has been on the losing end of two of those games andhasn’t won a game on that stagesince Tom Brady’s comeback in the 2000 Orange Bowl against Alabama.Make no mistake, these are the SEC vs. Big Ten bowls that really matter.Big Ten vs. SEC in BCS/NY6 Bowls since 1998DATEBOWLRESULTJan. 1, 2000OrangeNo. 8 Michigan 35, No. 4 Alabama 34Jan. 1, 2002SugarNo. 13 LSU 47, No. 8 Illinois 34Jan. 8, 2007BCS championshipNo. 2 Florida 41, No. 1 Ohio State 14Jan. 7, 2008BCS championshipNo. 2 LSU 38, No. 1 Ohio State 24Jan. 4, 2001SugarNo. 6 Ohio State 31, No. 8 Arkansas 26Jan. 1, 2015CFP semifinalNo. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 1 Alabama 35Dec. 31, 2015CFP semifinalNo. 2 Alabama 38, No. 3 Michigan State 0Dec. 29, 2018PeachNo. 10 Florida 41, No. 7 Michigan 15Jan. 11, 2021CFP championshipNo. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State Orlando Arcia Jersey 24Dec. 31, 2021CFP semifinalNo. 3 Georgia 34, No. 2 Michigan 11That neither excuses Michigan for the blowout lo s to Georgia nor devalues what was accomplished this season. Michigan broke a 10-year drought against Ohio State. The Wolverines won their first Big Ten championship since 2004. That should lead to gains on the recruiting trail, and Harbaugh did that in a hot-seat season that put the program in the limelight for the right reasons for the first time since the embarra sing lo s to Appalachian State in 2007.”I think we climbed mountains that nobody thought we could climb,” said Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson. “We set a new standard for Michigan football moving forward.”Look at that list again. Ohio State and Michigan are the only two schools with a victory against SEC schools on those stages. The Buckeyes have won two national championships in that stretch, however, and the Wolverines have been asking for more since their national championship in 1997. That is the big-stage difference between the Big Two in the Big Ten.MORE: What does more mean for Michigan in 2022?The big question will be quarterback. Freshman J.J. McCarthy (7 of 17, 131 yards, TD) saw most of the snaps in the second half, which is the precursor to the quarterback battle with Cade McNamara (11 of 19, 106 yards, 2 INTs)heading into 2021. McCarthy is one of those five-star players on the roster, and he plays the most-important position. Four-star freshman running back Donovan Edwards is Glenn Robinson Jersey an excellent running mate.McCarthy and Edwards connected for a 43-yard pa s in the fourth quarter. McCarthy hooked up with freshman Andrel Anthony for a 35-yard TD in the fourth quartter. That’s a base to work with.Now, it means finding more talent on the perimeter on both sides to deal with that SEC speed. Notre Dame, the other Rust Belt power, had that problem against Alabama in the CFP lo s last season. So did Ohio State.None of those schools are frauds outside the snarky social media definition. With the exception of that Sugar Bowl upset under former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, however, they are all still playing a half-step behind the SEC 1-2 punch of Alabama and Georgia on the field and recruiting trail. The Buckeyes still remain the best bet to challenge that on any given year. The Wolverines, meanwhile, are now 1-4 in bowl games against SEC schools.How does Michigan make that up? Harbaugh must capitalize on the momentum from 2021 and show this wasn’t a one-off against the Buckeyes and the rest of the Big Ten. Harbaugh took a reduced salary and made several shrewd offseason hires, Travis Shaw Jersey including defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and running backs coach Mike Hart, that put Michigan back in the right direction.The Wolverines will be good enough to compete for another Big Ten championship in 2022, but that will be hard, too.Michigan has not won at Ohio State since 2000. The Wolverines are home against Michigan State, butHarbaugh is 3-4 against the in-state rivals. Those are the challenges before Michigan might get another swing at a SEC heavyweight.Accomplish those goals, then it will time to let it rip for real.”This is the start,” Harbaugh said on the ESPN telecast afterward.It’s time to go.…

10 Oct

College Football Playoff predictions SN

The 2021 College Football Playoff semifinals are the highlight of New Years Eve.No. 1 Alabama meets No. 4 Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl Cla sic at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Crimson Tide are overwhelming 14-point favorites in this matchup. Our entire six-person panel is rolling with Alabama, but does anyone have the Bearcats covering the spread?No. 2 Michigan meets No. 3 Georgia in the Orange Bowl at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs are touchdown-favorites in what should be a fun matchup with Big Ten-SEC heat. Do the Wolverines have enough muscle to push the Bulldogs around?MORE: The winners advance to the CFP championship game on Jan. 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.SNs staff makes their picks for the College Football Playoff semifinals:Alabama vs. Cincinnati predictionsBill Bender: Alabama 40, Cincinnati 20The Bearcats will come ready, but its about surviving the first punch. Alabama has won its last five CFP semifinals by an average of 20. Kosuke Fukudome Jersey 2 points per game, and they have outscored those opponents 89-27 in the first half. Even with offensive coordinator Bill OBrien (COVID-19) out for the last week, the Crimson Tide should have a tight script for that first quarter. Alabama will get ahead early, and that will pre sure quarterback Desmond Ridder into some high-risk decisions in the second half. Bryce Young finishes with three total TDs, and the Crimson Tide put in a TD late to cover that two-TD spread. The Crimson Tide is back in the CFP championship for the sixth time in eight seasons.SN PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bill Trocchi: Alabama 28, Cincinnati 20Which Alabama are we getting? The one that piled up three whole points in the first 59 minutes against an Auburn defense that ranks No. 33 in the nation in scoring defense? Or the one that lit up No. 1 Georgia for 41 points in the SEC championship game? John Metchie's injury will be a factor, because Cincinnati can take away Alabama's No. 1 receiver in Jameson Williams by adding a safety to one of their All-American corners. That leaves some inexperienced options for Young. But the Tide will still be able to generate enough offense to stay in front of the Bearcats. Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. tends to disrupt any offense he sees, though the Bearcats offense is No. 6 nationally in yards per play. Cincinnati keeps it close, but Alabama'sadvantage at quarterback proves to be the difference.BENDER: Zac Al-Khateeb: Alabama 42, Cincinnati 28Cincinnati is deserving of this stage, featuring playmakers at several positions, especiallyRidder and running back Jerome Ford. They also have two All-American corners in Ahmad Gardner and Coby Bryant to challenge Young and Williams. But are the Bearcats able to upset the defending national champions? If Alabama plays the way it did against Georgia in the SEC championship game, then no one is. But its up to Nick Saban to make sure his team 13.5-point favorites rejects the rat poison it so readily consumed in its last game.TROCCHI: Mike DeCourcy: Alabama 27, Cincinnati 17The biggest concern the Bearcats have in this game is whether their middling offensive line can hold up against Alabamas front. The Tides total of 42 sacks this season is imposing, and they allowed only 81.4 rushing yards per game. Cincinnatis read option game will not move easily against this force, and it will not Carlos Zambrano Jersey move at all if the line cant keep Alabamas defenders out of the backfield.There are many who expect a blowout, including the folks in charge of setting the line, and that certainly cant be ruled out given the history of this events semifinal rounds. Blowouts are what happens more than 70 percent of the time. If one chooses to consider a 10-point margin to be a "blowout" in order to bolster a Twitter argument against Cincinnatis legitimacy, so be it. I expect the game to be more competitive than not.SN COACH OF THE YEAR: Vinnie Iyer: Alabama 42, Cincinnati 38The college football Power 5 cabal wants Alabama to win big to restore "order" to their perfectly flawed system. They don't want NFL-like parity to make their sport more national and push it toward the 21st century, despite the fact the Bearcats, playing in the disrespectfully titled Group of 5, which sounds like Chicago Seven or Gang of Four on purpose, have their share of NFL-like talent, starting with a veteran quarterback in Ridder.Young won the Heisman as the second-best player on his team, and he's the difference-maker here as Anderson and the Bama defense realize a team not in the SEC can occasionally play a high level of offense. Saban is great, but Luke Fickell is pretty darn good even though he's not leaving for Notre Dame. Cincy is a little motivated to make an unnece sary statement despite a dominant season, while Bama admittedly looks a little ahead to a Georgia rematch that actually won't happen.Matt Lutovsky: Alabama 45, Cincinnati 17Its unoriginal to pick an Alabama blowout here, but one of these games seemingly always is, and this fits the profile. We know Alabama can dominate on both sides of the ball, and for all the good things Cincinnati has done this year Mark Grace Jersey , its yet to do them against an offense or defense as good as Alabamas. The talent disparity will eventually show itself and Alabama will pull away, with Saban showing no mercy.Michigan vs. Georgia predictionsBill Bender: Georgia 29, Michigan 21Michigan has a top-10 rushing attack, and it comes down to whether that offensive line can get a push up front against Georgias top-ranked scoring defense. On the flip side, Michigan needs to generate a consistent pa s rush on Stetson Bennett, especially on third downs. Michigan has lost three straight bowl games against SEC schools, but this is a different team playing with a ton of confidence. It won't surprise us if the Wolverines Chicago Cubs Hoodie lead at half, but the Bulldogs will make the right adjustments in the second half. Bennett hits Brock Bowers for a pair of TDs, and Georgia holds on with a last-minute stop.Bill Trocchi: Georgia 24, Michigan 17For folks worried about the flaws Alabama exposed in Georgia'sdefense during the SEC championship game, Michigan simply doesn't profile like Alabama. The Tide rank No. 79 in rushing offense and No. 7 in pa sing, and they pa sed all over Georgia for 421 yards. Michigan, however, is built like a lot of teams Georgia has dominated this season. The Wolverines stand No. 10 in rushing offense and No. 67 in pa sing. That is similar to Arkansas (12, 73), Kentucky (23, 72), Florida (22, 47) and Tenne see (19, 56). Georgia held those four run-first teams to an average of 9.3 points per game. The Bulldogs arent exactly going to light up the Wolverines on the other side of the ball, but they will have enough to set up a rematch with Alabama in the national championship game.BENDER: Zac Al-Khateeb: Georgia 27, Michigan 24The Orange Bowl matc

The 2021 College Football Playoff semifinals are the highlight of New Years Eve.No. 1 Alabama meets No. 4 Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl Cla sic at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Crimson Tide are overwhelming 14-point favorites in this matchup. Our entire six-person panel is rolling with Alabama, but does anyone have the Bearcats covering the spread?No. 2 Michigan meets No. 3 Georgia in the Orange Bowl at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Bulldogs are touchdown-favorites in what should be a fun matchup with Big Ten-SEC heat. Do the Wolverines have enough muscle to push the Bulldogs around?MORE: The winners advance to the CFP championship game on Jan. 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.SNs staff makes their picks for the College Football Playoff semifinals:Alabama vs. Cincinnati predictionsBill Bender: Alabama 40, Cincinnati 20The Bearcats will come ready, but its about surviving the first punch. Alabama has won its last five CFP semifinals by an average of 20. Kosuke Fukudome Jersey 2 points per game, and they have outscored those opponents 89-27 in the first half. Even with offensive coordinator Bill OBrien (COVID-19) out for the last week, the Crimson Tide should have a tight script for that first quarter. Alabama will get ahead early, and that will pre sure quarterback Desmond Ridder into some high-risk decisions in the second half. Bryce Young finishes with three total TDs, and the Crimson Tide put in a TD late to cover that two-TD spread. The Crimson Tide is back in the CFP championship for the sixth time in eight seasons.SN PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bill Trocchi: Alabama 28, Cincinnati 20Which Alabama are we getting? The one that piled up three whole points in the first 59 minutes against an Auburn defense that ranks No. 33 in the nation in scoring defense? Or the one that lit up No. 1 Georgia for 41 points in the SEC championship game? John Metchie’s injury will be a factor, because Cincinnati can take away Alabama’s No. 1 receiver in Jameson Williams by adding a safety to one of their All-American corners. That leaves some inexperienced options for Young. But the Tide will still be able to generate enough offense to stay in front of the Bearcats. Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. tends to disrupt any offense he sees, though the Bearcats offense is No. 6 nationally in yards per play. Cincinnati keeps it close, but Alabama’sadvantage at quarterback proves to be the difference.BENDER: Zac Al-Khateeb: Alabama 42, Cincinnati 28Cincinnati is deserving of this stage, featuring playmakers at several positions, especiallyRidder and running back Jerome Ford. They also have two All-American corners in Ahmad Gardner and Coby Bryant to challenge Young and Williams. But are the Bearcats able to upset the defending national champions? If Alabama plays the way it did against Georgia in the SEC championship game, then no one is. But its up to Nick Saban to make sure his team 13.5-point favorites rejects the rat poison it so readily consumed in its last game.TROCCHI: Mike DeCourcy: Alabama 27, Cincinnati 17The biggest concern the Bearcats have in this game is whether their middling offensive line can hold up against Alabamas front. The Tides total of 42 sacks this season is imposing, and they allowed only 81.4 rushing yards per game. Cincinnatis read option game will not move easily against this force, and it will not Carlos Zambrano Jersey move at all if the line cant keep Alabamas defenders out of the backfield.There are many who expect a blowout, including the folks in charge of setting the line, and that certainly cant be ruled out given the history of this events semifinal rounds. Blowouts are what happens more than 70 percent of the time. If one chooses to consider a 10-point margin to be a “blowout” in order to bolster a Twitter argument against Cincinnatis legitimacy, so be it. I expect the game to be more competitive than not.SN COACH OF THE YEAR: Vinnie Iyer: Alabama 42, Cincinnati 38The college football Power 5 cabal wants Alabama to win big to restore “order” to their perfectly flawed system. They don’t want NFL-like parity to make their sport more national and push it toward the 21st century, despite the fact the Bearcats, playing in the disrespectfully titled Group of 5, which sounds like Chicago Seven or Gang of Four on purpose, have their share of NFL-like talent, starting with a veteran quarterback in Ridder.Young won the Heisman as the second-best player on his team, and he’s the difference-maker here as Anderson and the Bama defense realize a team not in the SEC can occasionally play a high level of offense. Saban is great, but Luke Fickell is pretty darn good even though he’s not leaving for Notre Dame. Cincy is a little motivated to make an unnece sary statement despite a dominant season, while Bama admittedly looks a little ahead to a Georgia rematch that actually won’t happen.Matt Lutovsky: Alabama 45, Cincinnati 17Its unoriginal to pick an Alabama blowout here, but one of these games seemingly always is, and this fits the profile. We know Alabama can dominate on both sides of the ball, and for all the good things Cincinnati has done this year Mark Grace Jersey , its yet to do them against an offense or defense as good as Alabamas. The talent disparity will eventually show itself and Alabama will pull away, with Saban showing no mercy.Michigan vs. Georgia predictionsBill Bender: Georgia 29, Michigan 21Michigan has a top-10 rushing attack, and it comes down to whether that offensive line can get a push up front against Georgias top-ranked scoring defense. On the flip side, Michigan needs to generate a consistent pa s rush on Stetson Bennett, especially on third downs. Michigan has lost three straight bowl games against SEC schools, but this is a different team playing with a ton of confidence. It won’t surprise us if the Wolverines Chicago Cubs Hoodie lead at half, but the Bulldogs will make the right adjustments in the second half. Bennett hits Brock Bowers for a pair of TDs, and Georgia holds on with a last-minute stop.Bill Trocchi: Georgia 24, Michigan 17For folks worried about the flaws Alabama exposed in Georgia’sdefense during the SEC championship game, Michigan simply doesn’t profile like Alabama. The Tide rank No. 79 in rushing offense and No. 7 in pa sing, and they pa sed all over Georgia for 421 yards. Michigan, however, is built like a lot of teams Georgia has dominated this season. The Wolverines stand No. 10 in rushing offense and No. 67 in pa sing. That is similar to Arkansas (12, 73), Kentucky (23, 72), Florida (22, 47) and Tenne see (19, 56). Georgia held those four run-first teams to an average of 9.3 points per game. The Bulldogs arent exactly going to light up the Wolverines on the other side of the ball, but they will have enough to set up a rematch with Alabama in the national championship game.BENDER: Zac Al-Khateeb: Georgia 27, Michigan 24The Orange Bowl matc…

10 Oct

Packers Could Spend on Re-Signings Rathe

GREEN BAY, Wis. on Friday, the Green Bay Packers suddenly have a bit more than $22 million at their disposal to round out their roster.They cant spend it all. Theyve got to tuck away some money to handle the draft cla s, which got more expensive with the first- and second-round picks sent from Las Vegas, and money is required for in-season transactions. Still, general manager Brian Gutekunst has the money to make at least a couple moves.Given his history of signing his own players rather than looking to the outside thats all he did last offseason and all hes done this offseason reunions with cornerback Rasul Douglas and receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling might be the most prominent names on his shopping lists.While a bit of a one-trick pony as a deep threat, Valdes-Scantling might be the best of whats left of what had been a weak cla s of free-agent receivers. Odell Beckham Jr. is coming off a torn ACL, Julio Jones has played in only 19 of a po sible 33 games the past two seasons, Jarvis Landry is coming off a pair of down seasons and Will Fullers availability is always in question.Valdes-Scantling, meanwhile, is only 27 and coming off a down season after mi sing six games due to injuries the first time he had been sidelined in his four seasons.After leading the NFL with a 20.9-yard average in 2020 and a big-time training camp this past summer, expectations were high entering the 2021 season. However, he caught 26-of-55 pa ses (47.3 percent) for 430 yards (16.5 average) and three touchdowns. According to PFF, he had zero drops but also didnt break Jimmie Foxx Jersey any tackles.With elite size and speed, Valdes-Scantlings niche is as a deep threat. On pa ses thrown 20-plus yards downfield, he caught only 6-of-22 (27.3 percent) with one touchdown compared to 9-of-30 (30.0 percent) and five touchdowns in 2020, according to PFF. For whatever reason, Aaron Rodgers never quite got dialed in to MVSs game-breaking speed. But that speed must be accounted for at all times, which would open room for Allen Lazard and whoever else is running routes.What hes able to do with his size and speed, the pre sure he can put on defenses, if they dont want to respect it, you can see he can make you pay for it down the field vertically, Adams said in November. Hes a guy that may slip between the cracks because hes not getting 10 targets a game or he may go a couple games every few weeks with just like one catch or two catches, but you can see he definitely has it. If you want to disrespect it, you can go right ahead and hell just run by you and make plays like what he did last week.Douglas changed the story of his NFL career with a sensational two-thirds of a season. Having gone unsigned after 14 games (11 starts) in Carolina and failing to make the rosters in Las Vegas and Houston during training camp, Luis Tiant Jersey Douglas signed to Arizonas practice squad. His career was admittedly going nowhere when the Packers needing cornerback help after Jaire Alexanders shoulder injury signed him on Oct. 6.Douglas wound up with five interceptions to rank among the league leaders. Four of them were huge. His end-zone interception saved a victory at Arizona. His pick-sixes helped power home victories over Los Angeles and Chicago. And his late interception thwarted Clevelands potential game-winning drive on Christmas.Ble sed. Ble sed. Ble sed, man, Douglas said after the Arizona game. Youre in a crazy mental state being in the league five years, never been on a practice squad before. And then one day, youre just on a practice squad, you feel like youre working for nothing, and then you get a call and youre somewhere else, and youre playing. So, Im just thankful.Scroll to ContinueSo were the Packers, who finished ninth in opponent pa ser rating en route to earning the No. 1 seed.What a great story, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after the Arizona game. How special is this game? Guys on the street, comes in, starts for us, finishes the game out for us. Amazing.A potential cornerback trio of Alexander, Douglas and Eric Stokes, combined with the safety duo of Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage, could be as good as it gets in the NFL. The Packers had that group available for only a smattering snaps in the playoff game.Rasul, one of the hardest workers Ive ever seen, Stokes said after the season. Out of him, Ja, those are two of the hardest workers as a DB that Ive ever seen. Having Sul, having his knowledge, having his everything that he goes through and everything that he sees and all that stuff, just having that this year was tremendous. Thats what a lot of people don Mitch Moreland Jersey t know is his off-the-field stuff, his leadership, all that stuff that people dont see, hes the real deal, true competitor. Hes got the dog. A lot of people dont have dog, and hes one of those guys that got dog in him. Its completely different. I absolutely commend him for everything that he did for us and all that stuff. Beyond proud of everything that Sul done did this year.More on Trade of Davante AdamsHere's a look at Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers, who were brilliant Rusney Castillo Jersey together the past eight seasons, through the lenses of USA Today's Imagn photo service.Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) celebrates a touchdown connection with Davante Adams (17) late in the first quarter of their game against San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2018, at Lambeau Field. Adams finished the season with 111 receptions for 1,386 yards and 13 touchdowns. Those all set career highs, and it was his first season of 100 receptions and 1,000 yards. (Dan Powers/USA TODAY)Nov 25, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Adams and Rodgers celebrate a touchdown at the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 25, 2018. Adams' 13 touchdowns are the most against the Vikings in their history. (Brad Rempel/USA TODAY)Rodgers and Adams celebrate a touchdown pa s together on Dec. 6, 2020, at Lambeau Field. Rodgers became the seventh quarterback in NFL history to throw 400 career touchdown pa ses. (Dan Powers/USA TODAY)Those are fun milestones, Rodgers said. Im not sure how long Im going to be able to hold on to the second one. Theres some really good young quarterbacks who Im gue sing are ama sing some numbers in that vicinity.(Benny Sieu/USA TODAY)It marked the seventh consecutive game with a touchdown catch for Adams, tying Hall of Famer Don Hutsons franchise record. To be breaking or tying records that have been around for 60-70 years, its special, man, Adams said. Im just trying to play ball. Im just trying to do whatever it takes to win these games. (Benny Sieu/USA TODAY)Rodgers and Adams celebrate a touchdown during a victory at Detroit on Dec. 13, 2020. Adams led the NFL with 18 touchdown catches in 2020. (Raj Mehta/USA TODAY)Arm-in-arm, Rodgers and Adams walk off the field after a fourth-quarter touchdown

GREEN BAY, Wis. on Friday, the Green Bay Packers suddenly have a bit more than $22 million at their disposal to round out their roster.They cant spend it all. Theyve got to tuck away some money to handle the draft cla s, which got more expensive with the first- and second-round picks sent from Las Vegas, and money is required for in-season transactions. Still, general manager Brian Gutekunst has the money to make at least a couple moves.Given his history of signing his own players rather than looking to the outside thats all he did last offseason and all hes done this offseason reunions with cornerback Rasul Douglas and receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling might be the most prominent names on his shopping lists.While a bit of a one-trick pony as a deep threat, Valdes-Scantling might be the best of whats left of what had been a weak cla s of free-agent receivers. Odell Beckham Jr. is coming off a torn ACL, Julio Jones has played in only 19 of a po sible 33 games the past two seasons, Jarvis Landry is coming off a pair of down seasons and Will Fullers availability is always in question.Valdes-Scantling, meanwhile, is only 27 and coming off a down season after mi sing six games due to injuries the first time he had been sidelined in his four seasons.After leading the NFL with a 20.9-yard average in 2020 and a big-time training camp this past summer, expectations were high entering the 2021 season. However, he caught 26-of-55 pa ses (47.3 percent) for 430 yards (16.5 average) and three touchdowns. According to PFF, he had zero drops but also didnt break Jimmie Foxx Jersey any tackles.With elite size and speed, Valdes-Scantlings niche is as a deep threat. On pa ses thrown 20-plus yards downfield, he caught only 6-of-22 (27.3 percent) with one touchdown compared to 9-of-30 (30.0 percent) and five touchdowns in 2020, according to PFF. For whatever reason, Aaron Rodgers never quite got dialed in to MVSs game-breaking speed. But that speed must be accounted for at all times, which would open room for Allen Lazard and whoever else is running routes.What hes able to do with his size and speed, the pre sure he can put on defenses, if they dont want to respect it, you can see he can make you pay for it down the field vertically, Adams said in November. Hes a guy that may slip between the cracks because hes not getting 10 targets a game or he may go a couple games every few weeks with just like one catch or two catches, but you can see he definitely has it. If you want to disrespect it, you can go right ahead and hell just run by you and make plays like what he did last week.Douglas changed the story of his NFL career with a sensational two-thirds of a season. Having gone unsigned after 14 games (11 starts) in Carolina and failing to make the rosters in Las Vegas and Houston during training camp, Luis Tiant Jersey Douglas signed to Arizonas practice squad. His career was admittedly going nowhere when the Packers needing cornerback help after Jaire Alexanders shoulder injury signed him on Oct. 6.Douglas wound up with five interceptions to rank among the league leaders. Four of them were huge. His end-zone interception saved a victory at Arizona. His pick-sixes helped power home victories over Los Angeles and Chicago. And his late interception thwarted Clevelands potential game-winning drive on Christmas.Ble sed. Ble sed. Ble sed, man, Douglas said after the Arizona game. Youre in a crazy mental state being in the league five years, never been on a practice squad before. And then one day, youre just on a practice squad, you feel like youre working for nothing, and then you get a call and youre somewhere else, and youre playing. So, Im just thankful.Scroll to ContinueSo were the Packers, who finished ninth in opponent pa ser rating en route to earning the No. 1 seed.What a great story, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after the Arizona game. How special is this game? Guys on the street, comes in, starts for us, finishes the game out for us. Amazing.A potential cornerback trio of Alexander, Douglas and Eric Stokes, combined with the safety duo of Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage, could be as good as it gets in the NFL. The Packers had that group available for only a smattering snaps in the playoff game.Rasul, one of the hardest workers Ive ever seen, Stokes said after the season. Out of him, Ja, those are two of the hardest workers as a DB that Ive ever seen. Having Sul, having his knowledge, having his everything that he goes through and everything that he sees and all that stuff, just having that this year was tremendous. Thats what a lot of people don Mitch Moreland Jersey t know is his off-the-field stuff, his leadership, all that stuff that people dont see, hes the real deal, true competitor. Hes got the dog. A lot of people dont have dog, and hes one of those guys that got dog in him. Its completely different. I absolutely commend him for everything that he did for us and all that stuff. Beyond proud of everything that Sul done did this year.More on Trade of Davante AdamsHere’s a look at Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers, who were brilliant Rusney Castillo Jersey together the past eight seasons, through the lenses of USA Today’s Imagn photo service.Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) celebrates a touchdown connection with Davante Adams (17) late in the first quarter of their game against San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2018, at Lambeau Field. Adams finished the season with 111 receptions for 1,386 yards and 13 touchdowns. Those all set career highs, and it was his first season of 100 receptions and 1,000 yards. (Dan Powers/USA TODAY)Nov 25, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Adams and Rodgers celebrate a touchdown at the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 25, 2018. Adams’ 13 touchdowns are the most against the Vikings in their history. (Brad Rempel/USA TODAY)Rodgers and Adams celebrate a touchdown pa s together on Dec. 6, 2020, at Lambeau Field. Rodgers became the seventh quarterback in NFL history to throw 400 career touchdown pa ses. (Dan Powers/USA TODAY)Those are fun milestones, Rodgers said. Im not sure how long Im going to be able to hold on to the second one. Theres some really good young quarterbacks who Im gue sing are ama sing some numbers in that vicinity.(Benny Sieu/USA TODAY)It marked the seventh consecutive game with a touchdown catch for Adams, tying Hall of Famer Don Hutsons franchise record. To be breaking or tying records that have been around for 60-70 years, its special, man, Adams said. Im just trying to play ball. Im just trying to do whatever it takes to win these games. (Benny Sieu/USA TODAY)Rodgers and Adams celebrate a touchdown during a victory at Detroit on Dec. 13, 2020. Adams led the NFL with 18 touchdown catches in 2020. (Raj Mehta/USA TODAY)Arm-in-arm, Rodgers and Adams walk off the field after a fourth-quarter touchdown…

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