Sports Round-Up: Steph Curry Is A Golden Shooter; Crown the Royals As World Series Champs
I’m back from taking a proverbial bye week after not writing a blog last week. The good news is that at least I wasn’t benched (Sorry Colin Kaepernick) during the bye. Starting with the NBA, the Golden State Warriors are off to a fast start due to the play of quite possibly the best pure shooter in the league: Stephen Curry. He’s averaging 35.5 PPG in the 1st 6 games of the season. On the other end of the 6-0 Warriors, the only undefeated team, turns us to the only winless team: New Orleans Pelicans at 0-5. Of course the season’s very young, but this team was a playoff team in a very much crowded Western Conference last season. However, one cannot put the blame on Anthony Davis, the next big superstar if he’s not already. The power forward has a a double-double in the 3 of the team’s 5 games, including a 43 point, 10 rebounds game that they lost versus the Hawks. Looking at the East, 6 of the 8 teams who made the playoff are leading (Miami & Boston are the exceptions). One surprise is that of the Detroit Pistons at 4-1. Under HC Stan Van Gundy, they’re giving up 92.2 PPG, which is 4th in the NBA. Also, averaging a league-high 52 rebounds a game helps as well. Early on, the season’s belonging to the champs but, watching for the stacked West. Speaking of champs, the Kansas City Royals won the World Series after defeating the New York Mets in 5 games. The biggest factor was the Royals offense out powering the pitching aces of the Mets. As we head into the offseason, I’d be curious to see if OF Alex Gordon stays along with SP’s Edison Volquez or Johnny Cueto.
Shifting to the college game, the College Football playoff is officially underway as the committee released its 1st ranking this week. The top 4 are: Clemson, LSU, Ohio St, & Alabama. Honestly, one can argue the place of Alabama at #4 spot, but it speaks to how the committee feels about the Big 12. Leaving TCU & Baylor on the outside looking in says we cannot decide who’s the better team despite their current undefeated records. In my opinion, just get two more teams (maybe either Boise St., Air Force, or SMU) to get a title game on the field like the other conferences do. Goodness sakes, the AAC has one. Why can’t you?
Staying on college football, Baylor remained undefeated Thursday night, beating the Wildcats of Kansas State 31-24 in Manhattan. Jarrett Stidham, the freshman QB for the Bears, had a stellar game, throwing for 419 yards & 3 TDs. The goals for the one-loss teams in the hunt for the playoff was to scathe off the upset. #5 Notre Dame did just that on the road, defeating Pittsburgh 42-30 behind QB DeShone Kiser’s 5 Total TDs (4 in the air, one on the ground). #11 Stanford went into Colorado, stampeding the Buffaloes 42-10 behind the play of QB Kevin Hogan and Heisman candidate RB Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey had his 7th straight 100-yard game, rushing for 147 yards. A close call in Swaps as the Florida Gators hung on to beat Vanderbilt 9-6 despite four Gator turnovers. FYI: Vanderbilt QB Johnny McCrary went 4/14 for 30 yards. Of all the one-loss teams, Notre Dame controls its destiny. They have the Stanford Cardinal in primetime in two weeks in Palo Alto. If they win the next two weeks (Vs. Wake Forest, vs. Boston College, @Stanford), they must be in with an 11-1 record. TCU falls in Stillwater to the Oklahoma St. Cowboys 49-29. If you’re HC Mike Gundy, you’ll take the win even though the OK St. D gave up 663 yards of offense. However, the D came up with four turnovers, courtesy of TCU QB Trevone Boykin’s 4 INTs. This makes the committee’s decision easier (or harder depending on how they perceive Oklahoma St.) If they see the Cowboys in the same light as say Baylor, then not good. However, there’s a lot of upside for Gundy’s squad. They have their two toughest games (vs. Baylor, vs. Oklahoma) in Stillwater. Also, The D can make the big plays even though they give up some points yet when you have that offense who has put up 44 PPG while giving up 23.1 PPG, it’s good. While on the subject of good, the Arkansas Razorbacks, behind one of the more underrated QBs in the nation: Brandon Allen, defeated the once highly touted Ole Miss Rebels in OT 53-52. Allen had 442 yards passing along with 6 TDs. It was defense optional as both teams combined for 1,195 yards of offense, Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly had a great game in the heartbreaking loss as he accounted for 478 of the team’s 590 yards (81% of the total offense). Arkansas converted an impossible 4th & 25 to keep the game alive. One thing I can say about HC Brett Bielema’s Razorbacks is how hard they play for him. After losing three of their 1st four games, it looked grim; however, they’ve won four out of their last five games. On the subject of winning, the #1 ranked Clemson Tigers remain unbeaten as they beat Florida State 23-13. After being down 10-6 at the half, the Tigers outscored the ‘Noles 17-3 behind the D holding RB Dalvin Cook to 37 yards in the 2nd half. Cook had 194 yards rushing in the loss. Dabo Swinney clinched a spot in the ACC Title game against North Carolina, who blew the Blue Devils out 66-31 at home. Miami (FL) wins two straight after firing Al Golden, defeating the Virginia Cavaliers 27-21 at home. Temple rebounds after losing to Notre Dame last week on the road as they defeated SMU 60-40 in Texas. The one coach that could somewhere else next season is Houston Cougar’s HC Tom Herman for that now being 9-0 in the AAC, getting by the Bearcats 33-30. Staying also unbeaten are the Iowa Hawkeyes after winning 35-27 versus Indiana. Continuing in the Big Ten, Michigan & Northwestern won after beating Rutgers & Penn State respectively. Generating four Oregon State turnovers, the UCLA Bruins shut out the Beavers 41-0 in Corvallis. Also in the Pac-12, the Utah Utes defeat the Washington Huskies 34-20 on the road. The Midshipmen of Navy, with 374 yards on the ground, hand the Memphis Tigers their 1st loss of the season by winning 45-20 on the road. As far as the at-large bid for the non-Power 5 conference goes, the Tigers loss makes next week’s game at Houston a potential winner-take all unless Temple stumbles before they play Memphis in two weeks in Philly. Basically, Houston should be higher ranked team come the next poll as Memphis slips and Temple gains. By the way, Navy’s in it too. Just like the career path of Amanda Bynes, the AAC is hard to explain but easy to figure out. If you were looking for an upset, look no further than Lincoln, NE as the six-loss Cornhuskers came from behind to beat the Michigan State Spartans 39-38. Before we write off Sparty, they still have one more big game: at Ohio St. A win in the Big House puts them back in the conversation of a playoff spot. Now that I mention it, the Buckeyes stayed perfect as they defeated the Golden Gophers of Minnesota 28-14. Looking at the impact game of the night, the Alabama Crimson Tide rolls over LSU 30-16 behind RB Derrick Henry’s 210 yards rushing & 3 TDs. As for the other stud RB on the field: Leonard Fournette, Nick Saban along with DC Kirby Smart held him to just 19 carries & 31 yards rushing. The one thing I said before this game is to never count out Nick Saban as long as he’s roaming the sidelines, especially against the Mad Hatter Les Miles (Saban is now 7-3 vs. Miles). How will this shape the College Football Playoff? Without further ado, here’s my top 4:
1. Clemson Tigers: Of all the teams in contention for the College Football Playoff, they’ve already crossed their biggest hurdle after winning over Florida State. Barring any cataclysmic collapse, Dabo’s team will run the table as their next three games (at Syracuse, vs. Wake Forest, at South Carolina) they’ll be the heavy favorite. Combined, these teams have 11 wins this season.
2. Ohio State: They’re undefeated as they await the biggest test of the season in two weeks against Michigan State in Columbus. I don’t see them moving up any further; the only way for Urban’s team is down. The Big Ten will only carry one team and it’s between the Spartans and Buckeyes. If QB J.T. Barrett is the starter, lock them up for the Big Ten Title and another run.
3. Alabama: Once again, never count out the Tide. A win over the previously undefeated LSU Tigers boosts them up two spots. The case they have over any other one-loss team is that they lost very early in the season (in September to a then-undefeated Ole Miss squad). The question is that if they can win out, will they remain in the playoff over another one-loss team? Say maybe a TCU team whose favor is dwindling with the committee or even a possible undefeated Baylor team with the same issue as TCU.
4. Notre Dame: This is by far the hardest spot for me (and maybe the committee to choose from). When you have the undefeated teams Oklahoma St., Baylor & Iowa along with one-loss teams such as Michigan St., Florida, TCU, Stanford, Utah, LSU, and Oklahoma all in the race for the spot, it makes it hard. To me, right now, their one-loss was to the Clemson Tigers on the road by two points. Beating Stanford would eliminate the doubt all together. In order to remain in this spot, Brian Kelly’s squad must bank on the notion the committee doesn’t favor the Big 12 strongly enough or should Michigan St, upset Ohio St. Time will tell…….
On to the NFL as the Patriots, Bengals, and Panthers remained perfect. New England beat Washington 27-10 with no real problem. QB Tom Brady and this offense is on fire as they’ve scored in 31 straight quarters, which ties the 1999-2000 Rams & 2005 Colts. Marvin Lewis and his Bengals beat the Cleveland Browns 31-10 as TE Tyler Eifert accounted for 3 TDs. Johnny Football made the start for the now 2-7 Browns as he threw for 168 yards and a TD. Cam Newton & the Panthers are starting to get the attention as they beat Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Charlotte 37-29. Newton had 4 total TDs
(three in the air; one on the ground). However, Ron Rivera’s D got 5 sacks and a crucial INT in the red zone to seal the win. There looks to be tension on Packer sidelines as DT B.J. Raji got into with S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. When you two straight games, it happens but when your two losses were against the Panthers and Broncos (who lost to the Colts today), you can live it. Two OT games took place as the Titans pull out a win in the Superdome 34-28 after QB Marcus Mariota had 371 yards passing with 4 TDs. In the loss, QB Drew Brees had 387 yards passing. Someone tell the Green Bay Packers that they share the lead in the NFC North with Minnesota Vikings, who defeated the St. Louis Rams 21-18 on the leg of K Blair Walsh, who hit a 40 yarder. It seemed that HC Mike Zimmer took issue with the Rams as Rams CB Lamarcus Joyner dove at a sliding Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater shoulder first. Bridgewater was momentarily unconscious until he able to leave under his own power. The NY Giants went back on the winning path as they defeated the Bucs 32-18 while the NY Jets held off the tough Jacksonville Jaguars 28-23 in the Meadowlands. The Dolphins are now 2-2 under interim HC Dan Campbell as they beaten by the Bills 33-18 . In what seems to be a good week for the Clemson Tigers, former Tiger WR Sammy Watkins had 168 yards receiving and a TD. In a very competitive game, the Pittsburgh Steelers held off the Oakland Raiders 38-35 as Oakland QB Derek Carr had himself another solid game with 301 yards passing and 4 Tds. Steelers WR Antonio Brown is one of the best WRs in the NFL as had 17 receptions & 284 receiving yards. Big Ben will out a few weeks after a suffering a severe injury to his left foot in the 4th quarter. In probably the most disappointing game, the Atlanta Falcons lost to the woeful 49ers 17-16 despite a 301 yard passing game by QB Matt Ryan of Atlanta. In an NFC east match up, the Eagles handed the Cowboys their sixth consecutive loss in Jerry’s World 33-28. QB Matt Cassel recovered very nicely after his lackluster performance last week, throwing for 299 yards and a TD. The Eagles running game showed up with 172 total yards as RB DeMarco Murray accounted for 83 of them. On Monday Night, QB Jay Cutler, love or hate ‘em, had the game-winning TD to TE Zach Miller to beat the Chargers 22-19 as the Bolts drop another heartbreaker. Cutler had 345 yards passing and WR Alshon Jeffrey had 150 yards receiving with 10 catches.
