BELLFLOWER, Calif. – Cameron Jones has been a star running back for years but it felt like his coming out party came a couple weeks ago against powerhouse Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei.The four-star…
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Indiana coach Mike Woodson conducted a brief interview with Rhett Lewis at Friday’s Hoosier Hysteria at Assembly Hall.
Here’s a full transcript of everything Woodson said in a five-minute interview near midcourt:
On what nights like Hoosier Hysteria say about the state of Indiana’s love for basketball and the support for the IU program:
“It hasn’t changed all these years. Indiana has the greatest fans in college basketball without a doubt.”
On what the next step is this season for IU basketball:
“Well, the only step, when I came in here a few years ago is trying to get our team to win a Big Ten title. Shouts out to Teri Moren and her ladies for winning a Big Ten title. That was unbelievable. But that’s the next step and then you go from there to winning a national title.
“That’s the only reason why I came back. There’s nothing in it else for me. It’s never been about me. It’s about the players behind me that I coach, my family, my daughters, my immediate family and the fans.
“And I gotta say this. When all of you guys go home tonight, do me a favor. Get on your knees and say a prayer for Bob Knight and his family because I wouldn’t be standing here – make no mistake about it – Bob Knight is Indiana basketball.”
On the legacy that players like Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson have left and the legacy that guys like Xavier Johnson and Trey Galloway can continue to build:
“Well again, we’re going to miss those guys. There’s no doubt about that. Their time here was special. The two years that I spent with them. But as a coach, my staff and I, we gotta move on and get ready for this season.
“I love the makeup of our ballclub. This summer they put in a lot of work and yes there’s a lot of work that Mike Woodson’s got to get done on both ends of the floor with this group to win at a high level. And we’ll get there, but it’s going to take some time. But I’m very pleased with the progress and where we are today know that we got a lot of work ahead.”
On what winning basketball will look like with this year’s team:
“It’s unbelievable. We got 10 new faces on this team and they don’t really know what Indiana basketball is about. They don’t know the fanbase and how we travel. It’s unbelievable, man. It’s hard to describe.
“So only time will tell when they step foot on this floor in front of our fans that they’ll realize how good it is.
“I also want to give a shoutout to our president Pam Whitten and our athletic director (Scott Dolson) because I wouldn’t be standing here today if it wasn’t for him. So thank you guys, thank you for coming out this evening because it means a great deal to the ladies program and to the men’s basketball program. And let’s go root on Tom Allen and his crew tomorrow.”
Halfway through the 2023 college football season, the national championship race feels more wide open than it has been in years.
But is it really?
“I think I would say if there was a 12-team playoff this year, it would be tremendous,” FOX Sports analyst and former Washington quarterback Brock Huard said.
That will have to until 2024. For now, the College Football Playoff is still a four-team bracket (and the first rankings are coming up on Oct. 31).
The CFP era has been mostly dominated by super teams. An exclusive group of programs have had a realistic shot at winning a national title. Five teams have split up the nine CFP championships: Alabama has three, Clemson and Georgia have two each, and LSU and Ohio State each have one.
Coming into this year it looked like defending national champion Georgia and Michigan, coming off two straight playoff appearances, would be a cut above the rest with the usual suspects of Ohio State and Alabama closest behind.
With half the season in the books, No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Michigan have not lost or budged from their spots at the top of the AP Top 25.
But in the eyes of poll voters, the field has gained on the Bulldogs and Wolverines. This week, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Florida State and No. 5 Washington all received first-place votes. No. 8 Texas also made a case for No. 1 before losing to No. 6 Oklahoma.
The top teams in the country are either unbeaten or in the case of No. 9 Oregon and No. 11 Alabama, beaten only by another highly-ranked team.
Michael Penix Jr. leads Washington to an unbelievable win over Oregon
“NIL has kept players like (Washington quarterback) Michael Penix on campus. The transfer portal has leveled the playing field as far as depth goes in a lot of places,” Huard said.
The first tier might seem more crowded this season because it’s filled with high-ceiling programs. The top-nine teams in the country have all won at least one national championship or played for a BCS title or reached the CFP — or some combination of the three. And that doesn’t include No. 11 Alabama.
The analytics seem to be telling a similar story.
ESPN’s SP+ has the difference between Michigan at No. 1 and Alabama at No. 9 as a mere five points.
For comparison, at this point last season, the difference between the top team in SP+, Ohio State, and No. 5 Tennessee was seven points, while the Volunteers were almost seven points better than No. 11 Utah. The difference this year between No. 5 Texas and No. 11 Florida State is about four points.
“I’m seeing it as an 11-team race right now,” ESPN’s Bill Connelly, the brains behind SP+, said on the “GameDay Podcast.”
Here’s a caveat, and a hunch: There is a chance Georgia and Michigan emerge as a tier all to themselves, though reaching peak performance just got tougher for the Bulldogs after star tight end Brock Bowers was sidelined with an ankle injury.
The schedules for both the Wolverines and Bulldogs pick up significantly in the second half. If they can be at their best against their best opponents, the separation at the top come playoff time could look a lot more like it has in recent years.
Here are some highlights, low-lights, awards, and predictions for the second half.
Surprise team: No. 16 Duke
It has been a chalky season so far. Twenty of the 25 teams currently ranked were in the preseason poll.
The Blue Devils (5-1) get the nod as the most pleasant surprise halfway through the season. Regression was predicted for coach Mike Elko’s team after it won nine games in his debut last year. Instead, Duke started the season by beating Clemson and went toe-to-toe with No. 15 Notre Dame. The back half of the schedule is tough, but even an eight-win season would exceed expectations.
Disappointing team: Clemson.
This might be overly harsh, and look foolish in a few weeks. The Tigers (4-2) still look capable of closing strong behind a really good defense. But when Clemson is eliminated from playoff contention and buried in the ACC standings before the end of September it’s a disappointment.
Most frustrating for Clemson fans is the offense is still mediocre after the splashy offseason hiring of coordinator Garrett Riley.
In a couple weeks the answer to this question might be No. 18 Southern California.
Best game: Washington 36, Oregon 33.
The Huskies and Ducks played 60 minutes of intense and intriguing football and did so at a remarkably high level. The Pac-12 (and soon-to-be Big Ten) rivals combined to run 145 offensive plays and committed one turnover and 10 penalties.
September sensation: Colorado.
Coach Deion Sanders’ transfer-heavy team became must-see TV while getting off to a 3-0 start. Reality has set in since, but the Buffaloes were great for the content business for a few weeks.
Halfway Heisman: Jayden Daniels, LSU.
Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. emerged from the Oregon game as the new favorite to win the Heisman Trophy after USC’s Caleb Williams played the worst game of his career against Notre Dame on the same day.
Sam Hartman and Notre Dame dominate Caleb Williams and USC | Joel Klatt Show
Joel Klatt analyzed No. 18 USC Trojans vs. No. 15 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He explained how USC’s mistakes on offense led to them giving up 28 points on turnovers. Joel broke down how this offense has shown some flaws in past matchups.
Still, Daniels is the choice here. No. 19 LSU (5-2) has serious defensive issues, and if not for Daniels, who leads the nation in total offense at 401 yards per game, the Tigers would likely have another loss or two.
Coach of the first half: Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Coach awards can be a little weird because they usually go to the guy leading the team that most exceeded preseason expectations.
On the surface that’s not the 14th-ranked Utes (5-1), but keeping this team afloat without what figured to be its two best offensive players — QB Cam Rising (knee) and TE Brant Kuithe (knee) — has been a testament to Whittingham and his staff.
It could also be tough to keep it up.
Second-half predictions
— Texas A&M finishes 7-5 and pays a nearly $78 million buyout to fire coach Jimbo Fisher. UTSA coach Jeff Traylor is hired to replace him.
— The Heisman Trophy usually goes to a player on a team that enters championship weekend in playoff contention. That probably won’t be Daniels. The race will come down to Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, Florida State’s Jordan Travis and Penix. The Huskies’ prolific passer becomes Washington’s first Heisman winner.
— New Year’s Six Bowls:
Fiesta Bowl: Air Force vs. Washington.
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Penn State.
Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Ohio State.
Peach Bowl: Alabama vs. North Carolina.
— Playoff:
Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Oregon.
Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Texas.
National championship: Georgia vs. Michigan. The Bulldogs pull off the three-peat.
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The Denver Broncos are releasing veteran outside linebacker Frank Clark in the same week he gave back nearly $1.7 million to help create this scenario, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.
Clark agreed to a restructured deal Wednesday, giving back $1.686 million in guaranteed salary, perhaps making his contract more attractive on the trade market.
He is the second pass-rusher the Broncos will have parted ways with in recent days. Late last week, the Broncos traded Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers.
Clark was in his first season with the Broncos but appeared in just two games because of injury. He had been ruled out of Thursday night’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with an illness.
He joined the Broncos following his release by the Chiefs in March after they were unable to find common ground with his agent, Erik Burkhardt, on a reworked contract.
Clark, 30, played in 58 regular-season games in four seasons with the Chiefs, where he played defensive end and totaled 23.5 sacks. He often had his most productive games in the postseason. Clark played in 12 playoff games for the Chiefs and had 10.5 sacks. He was selected to three Pro Bowls in four seasons in Kansas City.
He played his first four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, also at defensive end, and has 58.5 sacks and 14 forced fumbles in nine seasons.
This week’s edition of ‘How Can this Benefit My Brand?’ includes insights surrounding how to efficiently repurpose other channels to form long-form content, how YouTube SEO can be optimised, ways to meet the needs of the TikTok algorithm, how X posts can maximise the same impact as a blog post alongside a super engaging way fighters can optimise Instagram reels.
Wow, I’ve officially been featured on the DAZN x Series YouTube channel.
YouTube upload from the DAZN X Series YouTube channel. My X post features from 7:21-8:11
Now that’s a big deal! Ahead of #KSIFury, Misfits Boxing has gotten crossover boxer Slim Albaher to react to comments from the crossover boxing community around updates in the industry.
One of these posts came from me posting on X about how an anticipated fight between AnesonGib & Slim would’ve been electric, but unfortunately, due to financial issues between Gib and Mams Taylor, Gib is currently unwilling to be affiliated with Misfits Boxing…
However, combat sports athletes and brands can learn from this YouTube video alone to use comments and fan-led reactions across different channels to be repurposed through reaction videos like this.
It clearly pays dividends and almost makes your marketing strategy work like a human skeleton where every channel you have is interdependent towards growing your brand in some shape or form.
How can combat sports athletes optimise their YouTube SEO game through descriptions?
YouTube upload from VIDDAL
None other than Viddal Riley became an English cruiserweight champion this weekend, and there are many tick boxes that he’s applied to marketing this incredible achievement.
Firstly, he’s affiliated with his hashtag through the custom keyword feature on his YouTube upload, allowing him to optimise visibility through his content.
Secondly, he’s remembered to endorse his sponsor, Myprotein, alongside utilising the discount code ‘VIDDAL’, which can act as a tracker to show how influential Riley is towards an ambassador for the brand.
Thirdly, he’s plugged his editors responsible for crafting this vlog of his fight which can inspire other fighters to consider using them for leverage.
Last but certainly no means least, he’s left a link to all of his socials via Linktree! This is great for third-party traffic and gaining more of a community aside from subscribers on one platform.
If I were to be hyper-critical, Viddal could’ve optimised his description further by allocating timestamps of certain parts in his video to give viewers more accessibility towards when particular events occur during the video.
Aside from that, well done to the Rilist!
Cage Titans demonstrating they know how TikTok works!
TikTok reel from Cage Titans
When it comes to producing content on TikTok, it’s essential to capitalise on viral trends/audios/content to maximise the impact of your personal content!
In MMA, Khamzat Chimaev is a big deal who has gone from strength to strength to becoming one of the biggest stars in the West.
As a result, many other things will get attached to him, such as popular audio used for user-generated content pieces, fight compilation clips, catchphrases that will be a part of his fighter slogan and nickname and much more!
Cage has maximised this by promoting one of their fighters, Jay Curley, with some fight highlights accompanied by audio centralised around Khamzat Chimaev clips.
To maximise brand engagement on the platform, they’ve even taken time to respond to comments about the video, which is fantastic for community building and growing an audience.
Match of the Day demonstrates how to optimise an X post.
X post from Match of the Day
Away from combat sport, MOTD has shared some content surrounding speculation around the Spurs vs. Liverpool game over the weekend.
Regarding how they’ve optimised their X post for this, they’ve included a branded graphic that follows the MOTD logo’s colour schemes, an essential code for generating brand awareness towards prospective audiences.
Secondly, there’s a VERY comprehensive alt-text description about what the imagery is illustrating, which makes your content more accessible towards disadvantaged audiences who might be visually impaired; it’s a good tactic for making your content more inclusive.
Thirdly, including three hashtags relevant to their content house style is key, such as #BBCFootball for general fans, #LFC for Liverpool supporters and #THFC for Spurs supporters.
There are three simple ways for a brand to make its content brand-sensitive.
Joshua & Joel Iyalla & Glitch Boxing show us how to make boxing tutorials engaging in Instagram Reels.
Collaborative Instagram Reel from Joshua Iyalla, Joel Iyalla & Glitch Boxing
If you’re a fighter with an upcoming event, utilise the location to endorse engagement, virality and culture to optimise your brand.
What I mean by this is both Joshua and Glitch Boxing have their socials on point to educate their audience about boxing knowledge through tutorials, tips and tricks.
However, both gentlemen have optimised an opportunity at a beautiful spot with a view of the Eiffel Tower to undergo what would be regular content for both creators. Therefore, think proactively when it comes to content creation opportunities.
That’s enough from me. Do you have any further insights that I may have missed out?
BOSTON — The Celtics’ typically straight-faced basketball boss Brad Stevens couldn’t hide his smile after watching just one practice with Jrue Holiday on the team.
“We made a thousand mistakes. But you could also see, like, there’s that thing that’s there,” Stevens said at an introductory news conference Wednesday, three days after the Celtics traded for Holiday. “There’s a togetherness. There’s an excitement. There’s a joy, a competitiveness.
“And I think he brings it as well as anybody around. I just think that’s contagious.”
The Celtics acquired Holiday on Sunday from Portland, where he had been sent as part of the trade that moved Damian Lillard to Milwaukee. The deal came together on Sunday, the night before training camp opened, and Holiday sat out Tuesday’s practice and watched.
A day later, with Celtics Hall of Famer Paul Pierce as a spectator, Holiday joined his new teammates at their practice facility and set a tone that the team hopes will result in a championship.
“There was just an electricity in the gym today,” co-owner Steve Pagliuca said. “Paul Pierce turned to us and said he’s never seen an NBA practice in his whole entire career, that they went that hard, that fast for that long.”
Although they are tied with the Los Angeles (and Minneapolis) Lakers with an NBA-best 17 championships, it’s been 15 years since the Celtics hung their last banner in TD Garden. They have reached the Eastern Conference finals five times in the past seven seasons — making it to Game 6 of the NBA Finals two years ago — but they seemed to be getting no closer to another title.
So in an offseason upheaval, Stevens traded point guard and defensive star Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis, gaining an All-Star big man but giving up the player who was the emotional heart of the team.
In Holiday, they believe they’ve filled that gap. It cost them point guard Malcolm Brogdon, the NBA’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year, and forward Robert Williams III along with two first-round draft picks, but Holiday joins All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
“We’re adding everybody we can who will add character, commitment and extreme talent. We’re also, unfortunately, letting some of those guys go,” co-owner Wyc Grousbeck said. “We’re doing absolutely everything we can. But if you’re in Celtics ownership, that’s what you do. Or you make way for somebody else.”
Holiday started his career in Philadelphia, spent the next seven years in New Orleans and then moved to Milwaukee in 2020-21, joining with Giannis Antetokounmpo to win an NBA title his first season there. The next year, the Bucks lost to Boston in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and Holiday noticed something about the city and its fans.
“The fans are literally insane, and I’m proud to be a part of that,” said Holiday, who grew up in Los Angeles as a Lakers fan. “I know a lot of my family’s probably hurt, but I know this is a blue-collar town. They love people that work hard and they put their heart into it. And that’s just the type of person that I am, is every time I step on to the court, I give them everything.”
That was a hallmark of Smart’s career in Boston, too. The three-time member of the All-Defensive Team and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year was beloved in Boston — more for his effort than as an offensive threat who averaged 11.5 points and 6.3 assists last season.
Holiday averaged 19.3 points, 7.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds last year, while matching Smart’s 1.5 steals. Grousbeck made sure to note that, in addition to his two All-Star selections and his five appearances on the All-Defensive Team, Holiday is a three-time winner of the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.
He is also under contract for two more seasons, but Stevens said they will begin talking about an extension as soon as they are allowed. The deal put Boston over the salary cap’s new “second apron” that comes with increased penalties for big-spending teams.
“We haven’t blinked at all,” said Grousbeck, who was part of the ownership committee that worked on the restrictions. “I’m aware of all that. We’re going to be over the second apron and paying those penalties, and that’s the way life is.
“It’s designed so that we can have more competition. We’re fine with competition,” he said, “as long as we win.”
AUS-W vs WI-W Dream11 Prediction 2nd T20I Match | Australia Women vs West Indies Women Dream11 Team, North Sydney Oval Pitch Report: On October 02, 2023, Australia Women will be playing the 2nd ODI match of the series against West Indies Women at North Sydney Oval Cricket Ground. Australia Women won the 1st ODI match by eight wickets.
Australian Players showed a dominating cricket and easily defeated South Africa. Tahlia McGrath played a match-winning inning of 60 runs in 32 balls and knocked seven fours and three sixes. Skipper Alyssa Healy played a stormy inning of 59 runs at a strike rate of 193.10.
West Indies Skipper Hayley Matthews played a responsibility but couldn’t get support from the other end, hence lost the match. Matthews scored 99 runs in 74 balls with 14 fours and four sixes. The Bowlers of West Indies failed to break the partnership as they only took two wickets of Australian Women.
AUS-W vs WI-W 2nd T20I Match 2023 Details:
Match: Australia Women vs West Indies Women 2nd T20I Match 2023
Venue: North Sydney Oval, North Sydney
Date & Time: October 02, 2023, 01:35 PM (IST)
AUS-W vs WI-W Dream11 Prediction Today Match:
The Dream11 Prediction of Australia Women vs West Indies Women’s second ODI Match is choosing players who played good cricket in the first ODI match. Try to Pick more All-rounders in your fantasy Team to get more points. Pick Ashleigh Gardner as Captain and Hayley Matthews as Vice-Captain.
The Pitch of North Sydney Oval is known for its batting-friendly wicket; all-rounders are expected to perform well, and there is a high chance of these players will dominate the match. The Average score in T20I Cricket at this venue in Women’s Cricket is around 168 runs.
Read This Also: World Cup 2023: Team India Preview, Squad, Key Players & Their Form, Match List, Playing XI, and Prediction
It is a sad time. A solemn time. A day of remembrance to mark the tragic passing of Australian rugby, may they rest in pieces. Many will be hurting. Confused, bitter. Take comfort that like all things, this too will pass… and hopefully this time it won’t be fumbled.
As sure as night follows day, fans will be looking for someone to blame. Someone to say ‘It was me. I got it wrong’. Even better if that someone has some sort of link to Welsh heritage, even if only in name.
Eddie Jones. The second coming, the Messiah. The man who turns water into whine. Poor Eddie, the fighting talk and bold predictions turned out to be just words. He didn’t even hit the post.
Jones’ apologies and acceptance of blame will provide little comfort to Australian rugby fans. Neither will his comment that he was unsure if ‘we have hit rock bottom’. Any lower and he’ll be digging up dinosaur bones.
Samu Kerevi. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Make sure of your place in the stands to see the British and Irish Lions in 2025. Tour packages on sale now at Wallabies Travel
To be fair to Jones, this was always a possible outcome when he took the poisoned schooner of coaching the Wallabies in January, during a world cup year. The most likely outcome. As good as Jones’ record is, it was a lot to ask.
Being kiwi, it is tempting to revel in Rugby Australia’s current disarray and public anguish. ‘Four more years, boys!’ comes to mind. However, I fear that the All Blacks may not be far behind Australia on the plane home. Glass houses and all that.
Like Australia, the All Blacks have been in decline. Many kiwis pin that blame on Ian Foster, a man collecting records faster than a hippy at a junk sale: first loss in pool play at a Rugby World Cup, biggest loss at a Rugby World Cup, biggest losing margin, first loss to Argentina, first series loss to Ireland.
I can’t recall a time when New Zealand’s confidence in the All Blacks or interest in domestic rugby has been lower. The long white cloud stretching across NZ rugby fields has become a fog of ambivalence.
Crowd attendances are down. Player numbers are dropping. Super Rugby is a misnomer. World rugby’s endless rule tinkering has strangled anything resembling running rugby.
Players dive in, enter from the side, hands on the ground and the whistle squeals: A player pinned to the ground is penalised for not rolling away. It’s frustrating.
Matches are decided by endless kicks for territory, mauls, penalties and cards meted out on the whims of referees attempting to decipher a rule book that belongs in the Da Vinci code. Or a house fire.
New Zealand players react after going down to France. (Photo by Xavier Laine/Getty Images)
The result is drawn-out confusing stop-start whistle fests, too often determined by over-zealous officials trying to avoid red marks in the post-match review of missed infringements.
Our northern hemisphere compatriots will cry sour grapes, the antipodeans are just unhappy the rules don’t suit their style. It’s a fair point. Running rugby is in our DNA and I’ve never understood why the English are so enthralled by shots at goal.
The NZRFU and ARU have a symbiotic relationship. We play each other more often than anyone else, whether in Super Rugby or Tests. We both benefit when the Wallabies and All Blacks are strong, the banter and rivalry fierce.
South African rugby are looking after themselves. So should we.
Australasian Rugby’s rich fruits have been withering on the vine for years. The respective rugby unions have failed to act, either through self-interest, arrogance or denial. If they don’t work together, they will haemorrhage more fans to the NRL, AFL and football.
Here’s my suggestion. What was wrong with rugby in the late 90s? There were plenty of tries, decent crowds and it was great to watch. Let the northern hemisphere keep their kicking competitions and we can run our own game, how we like it. Fast and furious.
In the past, Oklahoma vs. Cincinnati could have made for an intriguing early-season non-conference litmus test, a matchup between a traditional powerhouse and a rising Group of 5 heavyweight.
Now, though, it’s an important Big 12 showdown, a contest between two teams who will have little chance to build up their rivalry before their paths diverge next season.
‘Big Noon Kickoff’ crew previews huge weekend
For the Bearcats, the goal is to make a splash in their first game as a Big 12 team. The Sooners, meanwhile, are looking for one last year of conference dominance before they jump ship for the SEC.
It all kicks off what should be a great day of college football, and “Big Noon Kickoff” is in Cincinnati to document it all.
With the pregame show wrapping up, it’s time to settle in for the game, with live in-game analysis from FOX Sports’ Bryan Fischer!
No. 16 Oklahoma (3-0) at Cincinnati (2-1)
Halftime — Notes at the break
If Cincinnati fans were expecting a shootout for their first Big 12 conference game, they were very mistaken after the first half from Nippert devolved into a slugfest between two physical defenses.
QB Dillon Gabriel was the most consistent source of yards for the visitors from Norman, throwing for 212 yards and the game’s only touchdown while tacking on 8 more yards on the ground. The rest of his backfield was somewhat missing in action, as the team rushed for just 1.9 yards per carry and it felt like every handoff was met by a defender in the backfield.
Luckily for Brent Venables, his defense has been able to pick up the slack to hold the Bearcats to just 2-of-9 on third down while picking off Emory Jones once (the Florida/Arizona State transfer also completed just 13 passes in the half). The Bearcats had just two plays that went beyond 15 yards offensively, and they again struggled in the red zone. Still, it’s remarkably just a seven-point game and there for the taking by either side.
0:11 2Q:
Woof, Cincy’s red zone issues have continued. They drew a penalty, made some errant throws, and then yanked kick to keep points off the board. Far from how the Bearcats wanted to enter Big 12 play, this has become a real thorn for Scott Satterfield as his offense seems almost allergic to crossing the goal line. The silver lining is at least they’re only down a score despite the uneven offensive effort.
0:58 2Q: Sooners avoid disaster
The Sooners were lucky to punt it away as a Dillon Gabriel lateral was a bounce or two away from Cincinnati scooping up a big play. It’s a big opportunity for Cincinnati to tie things up before halftime with 58 seconds.
1:41 2Q: Playing it safe
The Sooners clearly don’t think UC has any speed to beat them deep. They’re playing everything in front of them and daring the Bearcats to dink and dunk down the field without making a mistake.
05:02 2Q: Picked off!
Just when Cincinnati’s pass game was starting to roll with some nice throws by Emory Jones, the transfer quarterback wound up taking too much of a risk by throwing into double coverage and was picked off. On top of spoiling some nice receptions from Xzavier Henderson and Chamon Metayer, it put UC’s defense back on the field.
8:44 2Q: Sooners settle for three
An errant throw by Dillon Gabriel in the red zone led to a field goal for OU, which Cincy will take after allowing another lengthy drive. The key play was that third-and-19, which Oklahoma improbably picked up on a simple draw. The Bearcats defense has to be kicking itself for not getting that stop as they stayed on the field even longer than they should have.
13:31 2Q: Sputtering Cincy
The Bearcats have punted it away again and Scott Satterfield can’t be happy with how his offense is playing right now (3.4 yards per play). They had a second-and-3 but wound up failing to pick up the first down to put the pressure back on their own defense to get another stop. It feels a little too early to say it’s a dangerous time for the home side, but it feels like this upcoming drive is a critical one.
0:34 1Q: TOUCHDOWN SOONERS!
That was more like what we’ve seen so far this season from Oklahoma on that six–play, 66-yard touchdown drive that took just 1:47 off the clock. Dillon Gabriel was in the thick of it as the team’s leading rusher, opening up the RPO game considerably as we saw on that pass Nic Anderson took into the end zone. UC’s linebacking corps is banged up and OU is taking advantage by going sideline-to-sideline and seeing if they can catch up.
Dillon Gabriel finds Nic Anderson for a 5-yard TD
4:23 1Q: Cincinnati has control
Wow, just when OU started to get things going with the ground game, Cincy’s defense came up with a big stop on third down and saw Bryon Threats punch the ball away from Dillon Gabriel to force the fumble. All the momentum on the side of the Bearcats.
7:39 1Q: Bearcats strike first!
Cincinnati still hasn’t done anything offensively — 2.7 yards per play — but the Bearcats took advantage of the short field to knock home the first points of the game and an early 3-0 lead. Not sure if QB Emory Jones is going to settle down given the atmosphere, but it sure seems like he’s a little overeager and not getting a good base on his throws, as he is just 2-of-5 for eight yards on dropbacks.
11:34 1Q: Sputtering start for Sooners offense
Not the start that Brent Venables was hoping for on offense, with the snap hitting Dillon Gabriel in the facemask on third down and the veteran QB doing well enough to even get a pass off to avoid the sack. UC’s defense, playing without star LB Deshawn Pace, looked solid against the run on that first drive as the Nippert crowd made their voice heard.
13:29 1Q: Defense rules
Good first series for Oklahoma’s defense in forcing an early three-and-out. Been a lot of talk about the Sooners’ improved front seven, and you can tell early on they got some solid push up the field as they try to establish themselves in the trenches.
PREGAME SCENE
Unnecessary roughness … Ingram on the Bearcat!
Coach Bob Stoops joins the BNK team.
Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops helps preview the game
Nice try, Coach.
Surf’s Up!
Oklahoma’s Brent Venables and Bearcats’ Scott Satterfield talk strategy ahead of their matchup.
Brent Venables talks with Jenny Taft ahead of the game
Scott Satterfield on what it means to have ‘a seat at the table
Ribs for breakfast?!
Nick Lachey had 98 degrees of disrespect for this Sooners fan.
Cincinnati native Nick Lachey is in the house.
Jowon Briggs is hitting all the right notes.
Cincinnati’s Jowon Briggs shows his passion off the field | CFB on FOX
Cincinnati Bearcats’ Jowon Briggs discussed his love for singing and his family.
Breaking down eight key unbeaten teams
There’s a “promposal” on the table in Cincy.
Mark Ingram always knows how to get the crowd hyped!
Pregame party in session …
PREGAME READING
Top 4:
‘Big Noon Kickoff’ crew give their top four teams so far this college football season
Week 4 wagering: Chris “The Bear” Fallica shares predictions for his favorite Week 4 matchups. Read more.
Are they done: Here’s Fallica’s take on Alabama’s “test of humility.”
Jordan Travis on his mentality ahead of the Seminoles meet up with Tigers.
‘Just be us and ball out’ – Jordan Travis’ mentality on Florida State going into Death Valley to face Clemson | Big Noon Kickoff
Coach Meyer talks key components in the Notre Dame vs. Ohio State game.
Urban Meyer on how Ohio State’s Kyle McCord can succeed against Notre Dame defense | Big Noon Kickoff
How Andrel Anthony became an Oklahoma star: WR Andrel Anthony was languishing at Michigan before entering the transfer portal. He eventually found a home at Oklahoma, along with an offense to suit his skill set. Read more from Michael Cohen.
Who scouts are watching in Week 4: Is undersized Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel a future pro? He’s only one of several players NFL scouts will be watching closely in a stacked Week 4 slate. NFL Draft expert Rob Rang reveals what he’ll be looking for.
Who will lead the Spartans?
Bruce Feldman on who can replace Mel Tucker at Michigan State | Big Noon Kickoff
What we’re watching in Oklahoma-Cincinnati, and the rest of Week 4: Can Oklahoma pass its first real test? Can Colorado and Notre Dame pull off upsets? Our experts share the storylines they’re most interested in during Saturday’s action. Read more.
Contenders or pretenders?: A quarter of the way through the season, it’s a good time to examine each Power 5 conference and analyze which teams are legitimate contenders. Can Oklahoma challenge Texas? Can anyone stop Michigan? And who will emerge in a loaded Pac-12? Bryan Fischer has the story.
PREGAME NUMBERS TO KNOW
2010: The last time Oklahoma and Cincinnati met. The Sooners are 2-0 all-time against the Bearcats.
30: The number of tackles Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman has this season, which leads the Big 12.
9.3: The average number of points Oklahoma’s defense is allowing per game through three weeks.
+139: Oklahoma has the highest scoring differential in the FBS this season, having outscored opponents 167-28.
3: Rushing TDs this season by Cincinnati QB Emory Jones, which is tied for the most of any Big 12 quarterback.
10: The number of sacks Cincinnati’s defense has through three games, which is tied for second-most in the Big 12 this season.
45.5%: Completion rate the Bearcats are holding opposing quarterbacks to — third-best in the nation.
[More numbers to know in Week 4 games]
And more reading around the sport …
The engine that makes Colorado go: Quarterback Shedeur Sanders has lit a fire in the Buffaloes, just like his father and coach Deion Sanders has done across the entire sport. RJ Young explains the impact of both.
The next great Buckeyes QB?: Kyle McCord had his best game yet in Week 3, but with No. 9 Notre Dame waiting in South Bend on Saturday, it’s time for Ohio State’s first-year starter to sink or swim. Laken Litman has the story.
Who’s up next at Michigan State?: With Mel Tucker on the way out, here are two potential candidates to take over the Spartans program. Read more.
Bryan Fischer is a college football writer for FOX Sports. He has been covering college athletics for nearly two decades at outlets such as NBC Sports, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and NFL.com among others. Follow him on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
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