With the 2017 season closed out, and the early entry list completed for the NFL Draft, we can now clearly take a look at who the best returning players are in college football for the 2018 season, continuing with our look at the running back position. While there are some tough losses, there is still a load of talent coming back. Here are our top 15 backs returning:
Bryce Love, Stanford
Love exceeded all expectations (and they were solidly high) in 2017 when he replaced Christian McCaffrey at RB for Stanford. Love was one of two backs that rushed for 2000 yards on the season (Rashaad Penny being the other), as he finished with 2118 yards rushing and 19 TDs. He averaged 162.92 yards per game, and shocked almost everyone by returning for his senior year, as he pursues a medical degree from Stanford.
Jonathon Taylor, Wisconsin
Taylor was the latest in a long line of collegiate superstar backs out of Wisconsin, and was the latest freshman phenom to take the field nationally, as he finished his debut season with a whopping 1977 yards rushing to go along with 13 TDs for the Badgers, who had another solid run in Big 10 play. Taylor will be one of the most watched players in the nation next season, but the Badgers get a big boost by knowing that they have him for two more seasons.
Devin Singletary, FAU
Lane Kiffin's offensive success came largely on the back of Singletary, who was a sophomore in 2017. He exploded onto the scene by rushing for 1920 yards and an eye popping 32 TDs to go with it. If you have not heard of Singletary by now, it's simply time to start paying attention.
AJ Dillon, Boston College
The freshman running back craze struck Chestnut Hill in 2017, as AJ Dillon exploded for 1589 yards rushing and 14 TDs. He finally gave the Eagles a dependable offensive threat, something they have lacked the last few seasons. Dillon returns in 2018 as the best back in the ACC, even if he plays for far from the best team in the league.
Justice Hill, Oklahoma State
Hill will likely be relied upon as never before at Oklahoma State in 2017, as QB Mason Rudolph and WR James Washington both depart. Hill was a true sophomore in 2017, and managed to rush for 1467 yards and 15 TDs. He may be one of the most important players returning in the Big 12 in 2018.
Lexington Thomas, UNLV
While the UNLV Rebels fell well short of expectations in 2017, one member of that team that did not was Thomas, who managed to rush for 1336 yards and 17 TDs. While the Rebels tried to break in a true freshman in Armani Rogers at QB, Thomas more than held up his end of the load and more, and he could be even better in 2018.
Myles Gaskin, Washington
A second team in the PAC-12 got major news when Gaskin decided to return for his senior season at Washington after he managed to rush for 1380 yards and 21 scores on the season. One of the premier weapons on the field for the Huskies, he gives the program one more season to develop what is shaping up to be solid talent behind him before he leaves for bigger things. He averaged 6.22 yards per carry last fall.
Benny Snell, Kentucky
Most people nationally have not heard of Snell, but every coach in the SEC East knows who he is. Snell rushed for 1333 yards and 19 scores in 2017, and Kentucky propelled to a second straight bowl appearance behind him. He averaged 20.15 carries per game last fall, a number that could increase in 2018.
JK Dobbins, Ohio State
Another in a talented group of freshmen, Dobbins broke through in fall camp, and then got the start in the season opener against Indiana due to injuries, and then he never looked back. Dobbins finished his debut season by rushing for 1403 yards and 7 TDs on the year, averaging 7.23 yards per carry. He will be a Heisman candidate with the right amount of work this season or next.
Spencer Brown, UAB
UAB was an amazing story in 2017, as they returned from the dead to win eight regular season games and got a bowl bid out of it. One of the better internal stories was Brown, who managed to carry the run game, rushing for 1329 yards and 10 scores as a freshman. Look for an even bigger season out of him in 2018.
Malcolm Perry, Navy
Perry was an underrated power back at Navy this season, and nobody really got to see him with any regularity. Perry rushed for 1182 yards last season, and scored double digits in TDs with 11, all while averaging over 8.5 yards per carry. If he can get his total carries per game up, he could turn into a major star nationally.
Darnell Woolfolk
Wilfork only managed to carry the football 15.7 times per game in 2017, but where he specializes is in the red zone. He scored 14 times as a sophomore last season, and should be more of a focal point in the triple option offense next fall.
Rodney Anderson, Oklahoma
Anderson had a huge sophomore season for the Sooners in 2017, as he managed to rush for 1123 yards and 13 scores, while averaging 6.18 carries per game. With Baker Mayfield gone, and Kyler Murry breaking into the QB job, Anderson's presence will be huge in 2018.
Patrick Taylor, Memphis
Taylor will be another heavily relied on presence in 2018, as Memphis loses QB Riley Ferguson. Taylor's rushing ability will be a softened bow for whomever wins the starting job in fall camp. Taylor averaged 5.52 yards per carry, while scoring 13 times on the season.
Travis Ettiene, Clemson
Ettiene was another young, inexperienced back who had a solid season in 2017. He rushed for 13 scores, and averaged 7.16 yards per carry for a Clemson team that defied the odds and went on to the national semifinal before losing to Alabama. Look for him to blow up as a junior in 2018.
Monday, January 29, 2018
This Week in the NBA: Southwest Division
NBA Southwest Division
Houston Rockets
The Rockets are streaking to an 8-2 record over their last ten games, and don't seem to be slowing down any at all. The Rockets lone loss last week was a 115-113 squeaker to New Orleans on the road, and that snapped a four game winning streak. The Rockets enter the week second in scoring offense at 114 points per game, and the Rockets are 19-1 when James Harden, Chris Paul, and Clint Capela are in the starting lineup together. The Rockets open the week at home against Orlando on Tuesday, and then they go on the road to close the week with games at San Antonio (Thursday) and Cleveland (Saturday).
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have won three of four heading into the week, and are doing so as a beat up unit still. They sit just four games back of Houston, and with the Rockets having a meat grinder schedule coming up this week, they have an opportunity to shave that lead further still, as they match up head to head Thursday. The Spurs open the week with Denver at home (Tuesday), the Rockets at home (Thursday) and will close out the week with a home game against Utah (Saturday). Opportunities are ever present.
New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans suffered a major blow when DeMarcus Cousins was lost for the season last week. That will be a major void to fill for a team that was still very much in the hunt in the division and playoff races. Now, this team is a relative unknown moving into the stretch run of the season. The Pelican simply do not have much depth in the front court, especially at the power positions, so look for a possible trade approach in the next two weeks heading into the deadline. The Pelicans lost to the Clippers to end the week. They open the week with Sacramento coming to town on Tuesday, and then have a brutal two game road trip to Oklahoma City (Friday) and Minnesota (Saturday).
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis finally admitted what we have known all along. Mike Conley would not be playing for the rest of the season They have shut him down, and he will not be back until next October. Memphis enters the week completely out of any playoff chase, and they have lost three of four. They play at home against Phoenix tonight, and then hit the road to take on Indiana (Wednesday), Detroit (Thursday), and Toronto (Sunday).
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs have lost six of seven entering the week, and are one of the four worst teams in the league. Dallas ranks 25th in scoring offense, 27th in rebounds, and 19th in assists. This is all bleak news for a team trying to rebuild around Dennis Smith, Jr. Dallas starts the week tonight by hosting Miami, and then hits the road to Phoenix (Wednesday) and Sacramento (Saturday).
Houston Rockets
The Rockets are streaking to an 8-2 record over their last ten games, and don't seem to be slowing down any at all. The Rockets lone loss last week was a 115-113 squeaker to New Orleans on the road, and that snapped a four game winning streak. The Rockets enter the week second in scoring offense at 114 points per game, and the Rockets are 19-1 when James Harden, Chris Paul, and Clint Capela are in the starting lineup together. The Rockets open the week at home against Orlando on Tuesday, and then they go on the road to close the week with games at San Antonio (Thursday) and Cleveland (Saturday).
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have won three of four heading into the week, and are doing so as a beat up unit still. They sit just four games back of Houston, and with the Rockets having a meat grinder schedule coming up this week, they have an opportunity to shave that lead further still, as they match up head to head Thursday. The Spurs open the week with Denver at home (Tuesday), the Rockets at home (Thursday) and will close out the week with a home game against Utah (Saturday). Opportunities are ever present.
New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans suffered a major blow when DeMarcus Cousins was lost for the season last week. That will be a major void to fill for a team that was still very much in the hunt in the division and playoff races. Now, this team is a relative unknown moving into the stretch run of the season. The Pelican simply do not have much depth in the front court, especially at the power positions, so look for a possible trade approach in the next two weeks heading into the deadline. The Pelicans lost to the Clippers to end the week. They open the week with Sacramento coming to town on Tuesday, and then have a brutal two game road trip to Oklahoma City (Friday) and Minnesota (Saturday).
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis finally admitted what we have known all along. Mike Conley would not be playing for the rest of the season They have shut him down, and he will not be back until next October. Memphis enters the week completely out of any playoff chase, and they have lost three of four. They play at home against Phoenix tonight, and then hit the road to take on Indiana (Wednesday), Detroit (Thursday), and Toronto (Sunday).
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs have lost six of seven entering the week, and are one of the four worst teams in the league. Dallas ranks 25th in scoring offense, 27th in rebounds, and 19th in assists. This is all bleak news for a team trying to rebuild around Dennis Smith, Jr. Dallas starts the week tonight by hosting Miami, and then hits the road to Phoenix (Wednesday) and Sacramento (Saturday).
This Week in the NBA: Pacific Division
NBA Pacific Division
Golden State Warriors
There is not a ton to worry about when your team is leading the NBA in scoring, and that is what the Warriors are doing. Nobody can stop them outright on any given night, and the division race is hardly a race at all, and we are not even into the month of February yet. The Warriors only real concern? A leaky defense that ranks just 21st in scoring defense. The Warriors enter the week winning 12 of their last 14 games, and they are still on a fast track to the NBA finals. Golden State will be on the road this entire week, a trip that begins in Utah on Tuesday night, and then continues on to Sacramento on Friday, and then to Denver on Saturday. I would expect nothing other than a 3-0 road swing week.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers have won two straight, but all that really did was help them get back over .500. At this point, the front office has to think about blowing up this roster, as it simply is not working. The Clippers have no shot to take out the Warriors right now, and they look like even if they did make the playoffs, they would be a first round out. While they are at it, Doc Rivers needs to be fired as well. They play just twice this week, as they return home from a road trip to take on Portland on Tuesday, and then they host Chicago on Saturday.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers find themselves 11 games under .500, and 20.5 games behind Golden State in the division as we enter the new week. This is yet another roster that needs some dismantling to prepare for a big summer of big game free agent hunting, but will anyone really be interested in joining this mess over the summer? There are obviously far better options out there. The Lakers had been on a four game winning run, but fell to Toronto to close out last week on the road. The Lakers will be road tripping all of this week, as they open Wednesday at Orlando, go to Brooklyn on Friday, and then close out the week at Oklahoma City.
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix is another rudderless young basketball team trying to build an identity in the midst of massive losing. The Suns are now on a four game skid heading into this week, and nothing looks to get much better. In truth, the Suns have won just three games since the new year. They go to Memphis tonight, return home for Dallas on Wednesday, and will host Utah (Friday) and Charlotte (Sunday)
Sacramento Kings
The Kings have won just three of their last fifteen games on the season, but yet still are not the worst team in the league, as that moniker belongs to Atlanta. They are in the midst of trade discussions to send George Hill to Cleveland, and no matter where Hill lands, I would be shocked to see him still with the Kings after the trade deadline. The Kings have a light week followed by a busy weekend, as they open the week Tuesday against New Orleans on the road. They then return home on Friday for Golden State, and then host Dallas on Saturday. Anything better than a 1-2 week is a bonus.
Golden State Warriors
There is not a ton to worry about when your team is leading the NBA in scoring, and that is what the Warriors are doing. Nobody can stop them outright on any given night, and the division race is hardly a race at all, and we are not even into the month of February yet. The Warriors only real concern? A leaky defense that ranks just 21st in scoring defense. The Warriors enter the week winning 12 of their last 14 games, and they are still on a fast track to the NBA finals. Golden State will be on the road this entire week, a trip that begins in Utah on Tuesday night, and then continues on to Sacramento on Friday, and then to Denver on Saturday. I would expect nothing other than a 3-0 road swing week.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers have won two straight, but all that really did was help them get back over .500. At this point, the front office has to think about blowing up this roster, as it simply is not working. The Clippers have no shot to take out the Warriors right now, and they look like even if they did make the playoffs, they would be a first round out. While they are at it, Doc Rivers needs to be fired as well. They play just twice this week, as they return home from a road trip to take on Portland on Tuesday, and then they host Chicago on Saturday.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers find themselves 11 games under .500, and 20.5 games behind Golden State in the division as we enter the new week. This is yet another roster that needs some dismantling to prepare for a big summer of big game free agent hunting, but will anyone really be interested in joining this mess over the summer? There are obviously far better options out there. The Lakers had been on a four game winning run, but fell to Toronto to close out last week on the road. The Lakers will be road tripping all of this week, as they open Wednesday at Orlando, go to Brooklyn on Friday, and then close out the week at Oklahoma City.
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix is another rudderless young basketball team trying to build an identity in the midst of massive losing. The Suns are now on a four game skid heading into this week, and nothing looks to get much better. In truth, the Suns have won just three games since the new year. They go to Memphis tonight, return home for Dallas on Wednesday, and will host Utah (Friday) and Charlotte (Sunday)
Sacramento Kings
The Kings have won just three of their last fifteen games on the season, but yet still are not the worst team in the league, as that moniker belongs to Atlanta. They are in the midst of trade discussions to send George Hill to Cleveland, and no matter where Hill lands, I would be shocked to see him still with the Kings after the trade deadline. The Kings have a light week followed by a busy weekend, as they open the week Tuesday against New Orleans on the road. They then return home on Friday for Golden State, and then host Dallas on Saturday. Anything better than a 1-2 week is a bonus.
This Week in the NBA: Northwest Division
NBA Northwest
Minnesota Timberwolves
The T Wolves are one of the bigger stories in the NBA's first half, as they lead the division by a game, and are looking like a lock for a playoff run. Jimmy Butler missed four games, but returns in a win over Brooklyn over the weekend in a 111-97 win. The Wolves split at 2-2 without Butler, and look to improve with him back in the lineup, but they held their own without him. The Wolves should win tonight against Atlanta, and then they get a huge road showdown with Toronto on Tuesday. They come home on Thursday to take on surging Milwaukee, and then face New Orleans at home Saturday. This is going to be a meat grinder week.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder is surging at the right time, as they have blown past the midway point on an eight game winning streak. Losing Roberson hurt their defensive prospects, but Paul George has been a star in OKC, and this team feels like they can make a run at the Western Conference finals. The big win came in a 122-112 punisher against the Sixers to close out last week. They trail Minnesota by one game entering the week, and start it off on Tuesday night against Washington, and will then travel to Denver for a date Thursday night. They return home on Friday to take on New Orleans, and then will play the Lakers on Sunday. Russell Westbrook has scored over 30 points for four straight games.
Portland Trailblazers
The Blazers recent run has made this one of the best top to bottom divisions in the NBA this season, as they have now won five of their last six games. Damon Lillard has led the scoring for four of the last five games, and as he goes, the team goes with him. It's a loaded four game week this week for Portland, and it starts tomorrow night in LA against the Clippers. They come home Wednesday night against the Bulls, and then it's an eastern road trip, starting with Toronto on Friday and Boston on Sunday. This will be a huge test to see whether or not Portland can run with some of the better teams in the league over the second half.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are yet another team streaking in the right direction in the division, as they have now won three straight games heading into the week, including a 130 point effort in a win over the Knicks at home. Six Nuggets are averaging double figures, led by SG Gary Harris at 17.3 points per game, and they may be one of the most balanced teams in the league currently. At 26-23, they are holding tightly onto a playoff spot, and are still well within striking range in the division as well. The Nuggets get the Celtics at home tonight, and visit San Antonio on Tuesday night. Oklahoma City comes to town on Thursday night, followed by a home game with Golden State on Saturday. It will be a rough week, and if this team is still sitting over .500 bythe end of the week, that would be an amazing sign.
Utah Jazz
Utah may be sitting eight games under .500, and may not exactly be in the playoff hunt right now, they have still won three of their last four, and remain a dangerous out still. The Jazz went on a magical road run at the end of last week, beating both Detroit and Toronto on the road, with Toronto being one of the best home teams in the league. Utah opens the week at home Tuesday with Golden State, and then hits the road again against Phoenix (Friday) and San Antonio (Saturday). If Utah goes 1-2 this week, that would be as good as one would expect.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The T Wolves are one of the bigger stories in the NBA's first half, as they lead the division by a game, and are looking like a lock for a playoff run. Jimmy Butler missed four games, but returns in a win over Brooklyn over the weekend in a 111-97 win. The Wolves split at 2-2 without Butler, and look to improve with him back in the lineup, but they held their own without him. The Wolves should win tonight against Atlanta, and then they get a huge road showdown with Toronto on Tuesday. They come home on Thursday to take on surging Milwaukee, and then face New Orleans at home Saturday. This is going to be a meat grinder week.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder is surging at the right time, as they have blown past the midway point on an eight game winning streak. Losing Roberson hurt their defensive prospects, but Paul George has been a star in OKC, and this team feels like they can make a run at the Western Conference finals. The big win came in a 122-112 punisher against the Sixers to close out last week. They trail Minnesota by one game entering the week, and start it off on Tuesday night against Washington, and will then travel to Denver for a date Thursday night. They return home on Friday to take on New Orleans, and then will play the Lakers on Sunday. Russell Westbrook has scored over 30 points for four straight games.
Portland Trailblazers
The Blazers recent run has made this one of the best top to bottom divisions in the NBA this season, as they have now won five of their last six games. Damon Lillard has led the scoring for four of the last five games, and as he goes, the team goes with him. It's a loaded four game week this week for Portland, and it starts tomorrow night in LA against the Clippers. They come home Wednesday night against the Bulls, and then it's an eastern road trip, starting with Toronto on Friday and Boston on Sunday. This will be a huge test to see whether or not Portland can run with some of the better teams in the league over the second half.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are yet another team streaking in the right direction in the division, as they have now won three straight games heading into the week, including a 130 point effort in a win over the Knicks at home. Six Nuggets are averaging double figures, led by SG Gary Harris at 17.3 points per game, and they may be one of the most balanced teams in the league currently. At 26-23, they are holding tightly onto a playoff spot, and are still well within striking range in the division as well. The Nuggets get the Celtics at home tonight, and visit San Antonio on Tuesday night. Oklahoma City comes to town on Thursday night, followed by a home game with Golden State on Saturday. It will be a rough week, and if this team is still sitting over .500 bythe end of the week, that would be an amazing sign.
Utah Jazz
Utah may be sitting eight games under .500, and may not exactly be in the playoff hunt right now, they have still won three of their last four, and remain a dangerous out still. The Jazz went on a magical road run at the end of last week, beating both Detroit and Toronto on the road, with Toronto being one of the best home teams in the league. Utah opens the week at home Tuesday with Golden State, and then hits the road again against Phoenix (Friday) and San Antonio (Saturday). If Utah goes 1-2 this week, that would be as good as one would expect.
This Week in the NBA: Southeast Division
NBA Southeast Division
Miami Heat
The Heat had lost four of six coming into this week, but they are still in the lead in the division by a game over Washington, who has had struggles of their own. Miami suffered back to back losses last week, one being a brutal home loss to Sacramento. Miami has been on the court a ton lately, and entering the Charlotte game last week, they had been on the court five times in eight days. Miami is on the road this week, adding to complications. They play at Dallas tonight, at Cleveland on Wednesday, at Philadelphia on Friday, and at Detroit Saturday. It's another tough run, and with the Wizards right on their heels.
Washington Wizards
Washington has lost four of six games coming into the week, and it is starting to show up in frustrations on the court, specifically with John Wall getting into it with Dallas PG JJ Barea in a 23 point loss to the struggling Mavs. The Wizards have a shot to still make some noise, however, as they still trail Miami by just a game. Wall missed the 129-104 win over Atlanta over the weekend with a sore knee, so his status bears watching moving into the week. Washington's last two wins are against teams with losing records, so there is trouble on the horizon. The weekly schedule is brutal, as the Wizards open the week with Oklahoma City tomorrow night, followed by a home game against Toronto Thursday, and a road trip to pesky Orlando on Saturday.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are not nearly in a playoff race, and word had leaked that they would take offers on Kemba Walker, but Michael Jordan back stepped on those stories, saying that while he would listen to offers, he was not shopping Walker to anyone. Typical conflicted Michael Jordan, so stay tuned on that developing story. The Hornets are 4-3 in their last seven games, and are showing some life, but remain eight games under .500. They start the week tonight on the road in Indiana, and then visit Atlanta on Wednesday night. Indiana comes to town on Friday night, and then it is back on the road Sunday to begin a west coast road swing in Phoenix.
Orlando Magic
Orlando remains 20 games under .500, and the Magic are strictly in a spoiler role right now. They have lost two straight since beating Boston last week, and the ship is back in full sinking mode. Orlando recorded losses to both Indiana and Sacramento last week, so a great week it was not. They visit Houston Tuesday night, and then come home for the Lakers on Wednesday. They close out the week at home on Saturday against Washington.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are the worst team in the Eastern Conference by a half game, and are 23rd in scoring defense in the league. They have lost four of five games, and are going nowhere, and Kent Bazemore is still very much available to be traded. The week starts tonight with Minnesota coming to town, and then they host Charlotte on Wednesday. The Hawks travel to Boston on Friday, and then to New York on Sunday.
Miami Heat
The Heat had lost four of six coming into this week, but they are still in the lead in the division by a game over Washington, who has had struggles of their own. Miami suffered back to back losses last week, one being a brutal home loss to Sacramento. Miami has been on the court a ton lately, and entering the Charlotte game last week, they had been on the court five times in eight days. Miami is on the road this week, adding to complications. They play at Dallas tonight, at Cleveland on Wednesday, at Philadelphia on Friday, and at Detroit Saturday. It's another tough run, and with the Wizards right on their heels.
Washington Wizards
Washington has lost four of six games coming into the week, and it is starting to show up in frustrations on the court, specifically with John Wall getting into it with Dallas PG JJ Barea in a 23 point loss to the struggling Mavs. The Wizards have a shot to still make some noise, however, as they still trail Miami by just a game. Wall missed the 129-104 win over Atlanta over the weekend with a sore knee, so his status bears watching moving into the week. Washington's last two wins are against teams with losing records, so there is trouble on the horizon. The weekly schedule is brutal, as the Wizards open the week with Oklahoma City tomorrow night, followed by a home game against Toronto Thursday, and a road trip to pesky Orlando on Saturday.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are not nearly in a playoff race, and word had leaked that they would take offers on Kemba Walker, but Michael Jordan back stepped on those stories, saying that while he would listen to offers, he was not shopping Walker to anyone. Typical conflicted Michael Jordan, so stay tuned on that developing story. The Hornets are 4-3 in their last seven games, and are showing some life, but remain eight games under .500. They start the week tonight on the road in Indiana, and then visit Atlanta on Wednesday night. Indiana comes to town on Friday night, and then it is back on the road Sunday to begin a west coast road swing in Phoenix.
Orlando Magic
Orlando remains 20 games under .500, and the Magic are strictly in a spoiler role right now. They have lost two straight since beating Boston last week, and the ship is back in full sinking mode. Orlando recorded losses to both Indiana and Sacramento last week, so a great week it was not. They visit Houston Tuesday night, and then come home for the Lakers on Wednesday. They close out the week at home on Saturday against Washington.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are the worst team in the Eastern Conference by a half game, and are 23rd in scoring defense in the league. They have lost four of five games, and are going nowhere, and Kent Bazemore is still very much available to be traded. The week starts tonight with Minnesota coming to town, and then they host Charlotte on Wednesday. The Hawks travel to Boston on Friday, and then to New York on Sunday.
This Week in the NBA: Central Division
NBA Central Division
Cleveland Cavaliers
Despite the struggles that the Cavs have had in recent weeks, they are currently on a two game win streak, so it would be a good time to start taking a hard look at them once again in the Eastern Conference. There are a myriad of trade talks surrounding this team, and it would be certain that something would and needs to get done to improve overall chemistry, as that, along with a lack of defensive efficiency, has killed them. The time is now to start picking up the pace, as they lead the Bucks by just three games in the division currently. Cleveland takes to the road Tuesday night, as they visit the Pistons, and then they return Wednesday night to take on Miami. The week closes out Saturday with the Rockets coming to town for a huge showdown.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks have won three straight coming into the new week, albeit against teams with losing records. Still since Jason Kidd was fired, there seems to be a renewed focus on winning again, and this is a team that could do some damage in the second half of the season. The first half of the week is a bit tough, as the Sixers come to town tonight, followed by a road trip to Minnesota Thursday. The Bucks return home to face the Knicks and their road woes Friday, and then travel to take on Brooklyn on Sunday. Baseline expectations could be a 2-2 week at worst.
Indiana Pacers
Indiana is tied for second in the division with the Bucks, and they have won three of their last four games on the season. The lone loss was to Cleveland in a game that the Pacers had in their grasp, yet allowed it to get away. They also struggled to a 114-112 win over Orlando. Indiana looks like a team on a tight rope right now, as they have a vibe that they could implode and fail, or they could go on a run and make life tough for the Cavs in the Division. Indiana takes on Charlotte at home tonight, Memphis at home on Wednesday, they travel for a rematch with Charlotte on Friday, and then will close out the week against Philadelphia on Saturday. A really good week would have the Pacers finishing the week at 3-1.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons have lost eight straight games, and are now in full tank mode. News comes out today that Avery Bradley has been made available in trade talks, and I can see some kind of deal getting done sooner rather than later. The Pistons have not won since 1/10 against Brooklyn. The Pistons host Cleveland tomorrow night, and then host Memphis on Thursday and Miami on Saturday. At best, this is lining up to be a 1-2 week, but I can see the losing streak being snapped, most likely against Memphis.
Chicago Bulls
Just a few of weeks ago, the Bulls were showing flashes of life, like everything was starting to meld for the future, but now, they have lost four straight, and sit at 14 games under .500. Chicago has one win over a team with a winning record in their last 15 games played. It's a quiet week with just two games on tap, as the Bulls play Wednesday night at Portland, and then Saturday at the Clippers. This could very well be another two loss week, which would drive the streak to six.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Despite the struggles that the Cavs have had in recent weeks, they are currently on a two game win streak, so it would be a good time to start taking a hard look at them once again in the Eastern Conference. There are a myriad of trade talks surrounding this team, and it would be certain that something would and needs to get done to improve overall chemistry, as that, along with a lack of defensive efficiency, has killed them. The time is now to start picking up the pace, as they lead the Bucks by just three games in the division currently. Cleveland takes to the road Tuesday night, as they visit the Pistons, and then they return Wednesday night to take on Miami. The week closes out Saturday with the Rockets coming to town for a huge showdown.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks have won three straight coming into the new week, albeit against teams with losing records. Still since Jason Kidd was fired, there seems to be a renewed focus on winning again, and this is a team that could do some damage in the second half of the season. The first half of the week is a bit tough, as the Sixers come to town tonight, followed by a road trip to Minnesota Thursday. The Bucks return home to face the Knicks and their road woes Friday, and then travel to take on Brooklyn on Sunday. Baseline expectations could be a 2-2 week at worst.
Indiana Pacers
Indiana is tied for second in the division with the Bucks, and they have won three of their last four games on the season. The lone loss was to Cleveland in a game that the Pacers had in their grasp, yet allowed it to get away. They also struggled to a 114-112 win over Orlando. Indiana looks like a team on a tight rope right now, as they have a vibe that they could implode and fail, or they could go on a run and make life tough for the Cavs in the Division. Indiana takes on Charlotte at home tonight, Memphis at home on Wednesday, they travel for a rematch with Charlotte on Friday, and then will close out the week against Philadelphia on Saturday. A really good week would have the Pacers finishing the week at 3-1.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons have lost eight straight games, and are now in full tank mode. News comes out today that Avery Bradley has been made available in trade talks, and I can see some kind of deal getting done sooner rather than later. The Pistons have not won since 1/10 against Brooklyn. The Pistons host Cleveland tomorrow night, and then host Memphis on Thursday and Miami on Saturday. At best, this is lining up to be a 1-2 week, but I can see the losing streak being snapped, most likely against Memphis.
Chicago Bulls
Just a few of weeks ago, the Bulls were showing flashes of life, like everything was starting to meld for the future, but now, they have lost four straight, and sit at 14 games under .500. Chicago has one win over a team with a winning record in their last 15 games played. It's a quiet week with just two games on tap, as the Bulls play Wednesday night at Portland, and then Saturday at the Clippers. This could very well be another two loss week, which would drive the streak to six.
Sunday, January 28, 2018
This Week in the NBA: Atlantic Division
NBA Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics
Kyrie Irving continues to take on more of a leadership spot for the Celtics, as we get a week closer to the All-Star break. Irving was playing with a roster full of young players on the road, and the Celtics narrowly lost to Golden State at Oracle Arena. At 35-15, the Celtics are still the best team in the East, and look like a major finals contender, and will welcome a return home from what was a brutal road trip. The Celtics get one more game on the road in Denver on Monday night, and then return home for the Knicks on Wednesday, the Hawks on Friday, and the Blazers next Sunday. It could be a 3-0 week at home for the Celtics before a huge game against Toronto on 2/6.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors stayed even with the Celtics for the most part over the last 10 games, as they are both 5-5 over that period. Toronto lost a tough one to the Utah Jazz at home on their last outing, and look to rebound against the Lakers at home tonight. Toronto is just 3-2 in their last five games. Frustrations are brewing a bit, as DeMar DeRozan was fined $15k for criticizing the refs after their latest loss, and Kyle Lowry got into a dust up with Ben Simmons earlier in the week. The Raptors get Minnesota at home on Tuesday, and then go on the road to face Washington on Thursday. Portland and Memphis both go to Toronto to close out next weekend. A 3-1 week would be huge, but Toronto should be favored in all four games.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers have won nine of their last eleven games and have closed to within 8.5 games in the division. The process is finally paying off, and the Sixers look to be in a good spot to be a competitive playoff team, regardless if the team is now seriously concerned about Markell Fultz and his inability to shoot the ball consistently. The Sixers hammered San Antonio on Friday night, and look to close out a solid week tonight on the road against Oklahoma City, who just lost their best defensive weapon. The Sixers have three road dates this week against Milwaukee, Brooklyn, and Indiana next Saturday, and have a home game sprinkled in on Friday against Miami. In reality, a 3-1 week is within their grasp, as their hot streak should continue.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have won just four of their last fourteen games, and the franchise is in full plummet mode. There were rumors of a potential Kemba Walker deal with the Knicks, but that appears to be a back burner thing now, as the Knicks look to assess if they will be buying or selling anything at the deadline. The Knicks were 2-3 on the current road trip, and continue to be a mostly awful road performer. The wins came against Brooklyn and Utah, two teams who are going nowhere. Brooklyn comes to MSG Tuesday, before the Knicks head back on the road to take on Boston on Wednesday, and Milwaukee on Friday. They come back home to face Atlanta next Sunday.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets come into the new week on a three game skid, with losses to Minnesota, Milwaukee, and Oklahoma City, and they have now lost 10 of their last 15 games of the season. They get some time off now before heading into NYC on Tuesday to take on the Knicks, and then return home on Wednesday for their back to back, as Philly comes to town. They close out the week with the Lakers coming to Barclays on Fridayand the Bucks coming to town on Sunday.
Boston Celtics
Kyrie Irving continues to take on more of a leadership spot for the Celtics, as we get a week closer to the All-Star break. Irving was playing with a roster full of young players on the road, and the Celtics narrowly lost to Golden State at Oracle Arena. At 35-15, the Celtics are still the best team in the East, and look like a major finals contender, and will welcome a return home from what was a brutal road trip. The Celtics get one more game on the road in Denver on Monday night, and then return home for the Knicks on Wednesday, the Hawks on Friday, and the Blazers next Sunday. It could be a 3-0 week at home for the Celtics before a huge game against Toronto on 2/6.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors stayed even with the Celtics for the most part over the last 10 games, as they are both 5-5 over that period. Toronto lost a tough one to the Utah Jazz at home on their last outing, and look to rebound against the Lakers at home tonight. Toronto is just 3-2 in their last five games. Frustrations are brewing a bit, as DeMar DeRozan was fined $15k for criticizing the refs after their latest loss, and Kyle Lowry got into a dust up with Ben Simmons earlier in the week. The Raptors get Minnesota at home on Tuesday, and then go on the road to face Washington on Thursday. Portland and Memphis both go to Toronto to close out next weekend. A 3-1 week would be huge, but Toronto should be favored in all four games.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers have won nine of their last eleven games and have closed to within 8.5 games in the division. The process is finally paying off, and the Sixers look to be in a good spot to be a competitive playoff team, regardless if the team is now seriously concerned about Markell Fultz and his inability to shoot the ball consistently. The Sixers hammered San Antonio on Friday night, and look to close out a solid week tonight on the road against Oklahoma City, who just lost their best defensive weapon. The Sixers have three road dates this week against Milwaukee, Brooklyn, and Indiana next Saturday, and have a home game sprinkled in on Friday against Miami. In reality, a 3-1 week is within their grasp, as their hot streak should continue.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have won just four of their last fourteen games, and the franchise is in full plummet mode. There were rumors of a potential Kemba Walker deal with the Knicks, but that appears to be a back burner thing now, as the Knicks look to assess if they will be buying or selling anything at the deadline. The Knicks were 2-3 on the current road trip, and continue to be a mostly awful road performer. The wins came against Brooklyn and Utah, two teams who are going nowhere. Brooklyn comes to MSG Tuesday, before the Knicks head back on the road to take on Boston on Wednesday, and Milwaukee on Friday. They come back home to face Atlanta next Sunday.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets come into the new week on a three game skid, with losses to Minnesota, Milwaukee, and Oklahoma City, and they have now lost 10 of their last 15 games of the season. They get some time off now before heading into NYC on Tuesday to take on the Knicks, and then return home on Wednesday for their back to back, as Philly comes to town. They close out the week with the Lakers coming to Barclays on Fridayand the Bucks coming to town on Sunday.
College Football 2018: Buy/Sell List For Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 2018 Buy List
Oklahoma Sooners
Despite losing Baker Mayfield, and several other top performers from the 2017 national semifinal team, I am still very much into the Sooners for 2018. Lincoln Riley has proven that he can flat out coach, and Kyler Murray appears ready to step in and take over at QB. He will have a strong cast of receivers coming back, a decent chunk of the line coming back, and if the defense can show signs of improving, the Sooners will very much be in position to charge back and compete for a Big 12 title once again.
Texas Longhorns
I am compelled to believe that 2018 will be a corner turning season for the Longhorns, as recruiting is up, and attrition is low. This will be the season for Tom Herman and his staff to show what they are worth. The QB situation will have to be figured out in spring ball, but there is a ton of talent returning from what was a young football team in 2017, and they are built to prove they can win next fall.
West Virginia Mountaineers
I bought in on WVU last fall, and due to the Will Grier injury and a porous defense, the Mountaineers failed in the end. With Grier returning in 2018, and with top flight receivers like David Sills and Gary Jennings returning, the Mountaineers should still be explosive enough on offense to be in almost every game. Four linemen return, and Kennedy McCoy looks ready to take over at RB. The defense returns seven starters, but that core unit must shore up their deficiencies, or else this team could under perform again.
Kansas State Wildcats
In what could be the final season under Bill Snyder (we thought he was gone after the 2017 season), it's hard to look at the Wildcats and see a football team that will not over perform what they are on paper, because that is what they do at K State. Skylar Thompson looks poised to take over at QB, and the entire starting lineup from the bowl game looks like it will return intact, as will the second unit. The defense may be more of a question, as the Wildcats lose nine players from the two deep, and answers will need to be found in spring ball.
The Big 12 2018 Sell List
TCU Horned Frogs
I hate to bet against Gary Patterson and the Frogs, but they lose a ton of talent on offense as we head into spring ball. QB Kenny Hill is gone, they lose five receivers off the depth chart, four linemen, a TE, and Kyle Hicks is gone at RB as well. That is a ton to make up for, and they may have the most to prove heading into the 2018 season of any team that competed for a Big 12 title last fall. Half of the Defensive Line and LB starters need to be replaced as well.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Again, selling on the Cowboys feels awkward, but they lose Mason Rudolph and James Washington, and three linemen who started in 2017. There is more depth lost at receiver as well. QBs are always a bit plug and play in Mike Gundy's system, but they lose a ton of production, and others will need to step up. The Cowboys also lose 10 defensive players who saw action in 2017, and they were not a great defensive team to begin with. 2018 could be a step back in Stillwater.
Iowa State Cyclones
As great a story as the Cyclones were in 2017, it's difficult for me to see them repeating that success in 2018. Kyle KKempt is gone at QB. Allen Lazard is gone at WR. Joel Lanning is gone at both QB and LB. In all, the heart and soul of the team's eadership appears to be moving on, and seven total Cyclones on the offensive two deep depart, most at key positions. Six starters are gone on defense, including Lanning, and several very young players from the second unit will have to step up. There are just too many holes for me to believe that Matt Campbell's team won't have to take a step back this year.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Red Raiders lost six conference games in 2017, but somehow, Kliff Kingsbury retained his job. As much as the defense improved in 2017, and they did, I still do not believe in the head coach overall, and as long as the status quo remains intact in Lubbock, I don't see things getting much better. Tech loses eight players off of the offensive two deep, including QB Nic Shimonek. The defense returns mostly intact, but until this team learns how to win in conference play, I am not buying in, and the fact remains that no matter how much the defense did improve, they still allowed over 30 points per game.
Baylor Bears
The glory days appear to be over in Waco, as scandal has torn this program down to the studs. Matt Ruhle, who has been head coach for just one season, almost left for the Indianapolis Colts recently, and that shows us where his mindset probably is right now. There is absolutely nothing showing me that the issues that plagued the Bears last fall will not continue this year, and this program has floated back to the basement of the Big 12 in a major way.
Kansas Jayhawks
This is another program in perpetual despair. The Jayhawks made a mistake by not firing David Beaty this off season, and now the train wreck in a dumpster fire that is Kansas football will have no way to get back on track with a coach is is simply not able to fix the problems inherent in Lawrence. There has been zero discernible improvement shown in this program, no matter what some media members and the administration in Lawrence wants us to believe. The proof is in the pudding, and the pudding has never set.
Oklahoma Sooners
Despite losing Baker Mayfield, and several other top performers from the 2017 national semifinal team, I am still very much into the Sooners for 2018. Lincoln Riley has proven that he can flat out coach, and Kyler Murray appears ready to step in and take over at QB. He will have a strong cast of receivers coming back, a decent chunk of the line coming back, and if the defense can show signs of improving, the Sooners will very much be in position to charge back and compete for a Big 12 title once again.
Texas Longhorns
I am compelled to believe that 2018 will be a corner turning season for the Longhorns, as recruiting is up, and attrition is low. This will be the season for Tom Herman and his staff to show what they are worth. The QB situation will have to be figured out in spring ball, but there is a ton of talent returning from what was a young football team in 2017, and they are built to prove they can win next fall.
West Virginia Mountaineers
I bought in on WVU last fall, and due to the Will Grier injury and a porous defense, the Mountaineers failed in the end. With Grier returning in 2018, and with top flight receivers like David Sills and Gary Jennings returning, the Mountaineers should still be explosive enough on offense to be in almost every game. Four linemen return, and Kennedy McCoy looks ready to take over at RB. The defense returns seven starters, but that core unit must shore up their deficiencies, or else this team could under perform again.
Kansas State Wildcats
In what could be the final season under Bill Snyder (we thought he was gone after the 2017 season), it's hard to look at the Wildcats and see a football team that will not over perform what they are on paper, because that is what they do at K State. Skylar Thompson looks poised to take over at QB, and the entire starting lineup from the bowl game looks like it will return intact, as will the second unit. The defense may be more of a question, as the Wildcats lose nine players from the two deep, and answers will need to be found in spring ball.
The Big 12 2018 Sell List
TCU Horned Frogs
I hate to bet against Gary Patterson and the Frogs, but they lose a ton of talent on offense as we head into spring ball. QB Kenny Hill is gone, they lose five receivers off the depth chart, four linemen, a TE, and Kyle Hicks is gone at RB as well. That is a ton to make up for, and they may have the most to prove heading into the 2018 season of any team that competed for a Big 12 title last fall. Half of the Defensive Line and LB starters need to be replaced as well.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Again, selling on the Cowboys feels awkward, but they lose Mason Rudolph and James Washington, and three linemen who started in 2017. There is more depth lost at receiver as well. QBs are always a bit plug and play in Mike Gundy's system, but they lose a ton of production, and others will need to step up. The Cowboys also lose 10 defensive players who saw action in 2017, and they were not a great defensive team to begin with. 2018 could be a step back in Stillwater.
Iowa State Cyclones
As great a story as the Cyclones were in 2017, it's difficult for me to see them repeating that success in 2018. Kyle KKempt is gone at QB. Allen Lazard is gone at WR. Joel Lanning is gone at both QB and LB. In all, the heart and soul of the team's eadership appears to be moving on, and seven total Cyclones on the offensive two deep depart, most at key positions. Six starters are gone on defense, including Lanning, and several very young players from the second unit will have to step up. There are just too many holes for me to believe that Matt Campbell's team won't have to take a step back this year.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Red Raiders lost six conference games in 2017, but somehow, Kliff Kingsbury retained his job. As much as the defense improved in 2017, and they did, I still do not believe in the head coach overall, and as long as the status quo remains intact in Lubbock, I don't see things getting much better. Tech loses eight players off of the offensive two deep, including QB Nic Shimonek. The defense returns mostly intact, but until this team learns how to win in conference play, I am not buying in, and the fact remains that no matter how much the defense did improve, they still allowed over 30 points per game.
Baylor Bears
The glory days appear to be over in Waco, as scandal has torn this program down to the studs. Matt Ruhle, who has been head coach for just one season, almost left for the Indianapolis Colts recently, and that shows us where his mindset probably is right now. There is absolutely nothing showing me that the issues that plagued the Bears last fall will not continue this year, and this program has floated back to the basement of the Big 12 in a major way.
Kansas Jayhawks
This is another program in perpetual despair. The Jayhawks made a mistake by not firing David Beaty this off season, and now the train wreck in a dumpster fire that is Kansas football will have no way to get back on track with a coach is is simply not able to fix the problems inherent in Lawrence. There has been zero discernible improvement shown in this program, no matter what some media members and the administration in Lawrence wants us to believe. The proof is in the pudding, and the pudding has never set.
Friday, January 26, 2018
NBA: Cavaliers Have Had Trade Conversations With Several Teams
When you discuss the upcoming trade deadline (2/8/18), the team that comes up in every conversation is Cleveland. The reality is that the Cavs are a train wreck internally right now, with the latest divisive behavior coming from Isaiah Thomas, who drove the spite in the internal meeting that focused on Kevin Love. Let me be perfectly clear...I was against Kevin Love heading to Cleveland from the beginning. He has never been able to play in a way that truly fits his skill set and who he is as a player since he arrived there. He would absolutely be a better overall player if he could get out of Cleveland, but at this point, his is a name that has been tossed about.
The two contracts that Cleveland wants to get rid of in the worst way is those of Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye, and if they could pawn off Tristan Thompson as well, we have a bonus. As of this moment, the latest story coming from sources involves a negotiation for George Hill of Sacramento going to the Cavs in exchange for Shumpert and Frye, and the Kings may be willing to hold out on any deal that would not include Brooklyn's first round pick that Cleveland currently holds. As far as Shumpert and Frye, their inclusion in this deal is a simple throw away, as the Kings would likely waive them both as soon as possible to get their deals off of the books. Being that Sacramento likely has no inclination to give Hill away for free, the pick would largely come into play.
With all of that in mind, the question begs asking, is George Hill worth a lottery pick? The answer is a resounding no. His numbers are down tremendously in Sacramento, and what he brings to the table as far as skill set, the Cavs already have on the roster. What Cleveland needs is some kind of defensive enforcer, but the real issue is that they need a total locker room transfusion, and that kind of thing is done over time, not over night.
The Cavs have also had discussions with the Clippers about Lou Williams as well, but again, Williams does not provide them with what they would need. DeAndre Jordan would be a better piece for the Cavs in any deal, maybe with Love going the other way with one or more of the contracts that Cleveland wants to unload, and the Clippers would be inclined to listen to any deal for Jordan or Blake Griffin.
Stay tuned...
The two contracts that Cleveland wants to get rid of in the worst way is those of Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye, and if they could pawn off Tristan Thompson as well, we have a bonus. As of this moment, the latest story coming from sources involves a negotiation for George Hill of Sacramento going to the Cavs in exchange for Shumpert and Frye, and the Kings may be willing to hold out on any deal that would not include Brooklyn's first round pick that Cleveland currently holds. As far as Shumpert and Frye, their inclusion in this deal is a simple throw away, as the Kings would likely waive them both as soon as possible to get their deals off of the books. Being that Sacramento likely has no inclination to give Hill away for free, the pick would largely come into play.
With all of that in mind, the question begs asking, is George Hill worth a lottery pick? The answer is a resounding no. His numbers are down tremendously in Sacramento, and what he brings to the table as far as skill set, the Cavs already have on the roster. What Cleveland needs is some kind of defensive enforcer, but the real issue is that they need a total locker room transfusion, and that kind of thing is done over time, not over night.
The Cavs have also had discussions with the Clippers about Lou Williams as well, but again, Williams does not provide them with what they would need. DeAndre Jordan would be a better piece for the Cavs in any deal, maybe with Love going the other way with one or more of the contracts that Cleveland wants to unload, and the Clippers would be inclined to listen to any deal for Jordan or Blake Griffin.
Stay tuned...
Thursday, January 25, 2018
NHL All Star Game 2018: The Snubs
With rosters set for the NHL All Star weekend, I take a few moments to go over which players were snubbed for All Star spots this year, and there are a few.
The Metropolitan Division had the most talent snubbed for All Star births. Of course, there are only so many spots, but the following players deserved a longer look for a spot here:
Phil Kessel, Penguins: Kessel is 7th in the leagu in total points this season with 55, and has 34 assists.
Jakub Voracek, Flyers: Voracek is one of the league's top assist men, with 46, and has 55 points.
Anders Lee, Islanders: Lee is tied for third in the league with 27, and has a total of 42 points.
Sean Couturier, Flyers: He has 26 goals, and 23 assists. Add that he is +18 for the season.
Evgeni Malkin, Penguins: Malkin has 49 points for the season, with 21 goals and 28 assists.
Matthew Barzal, Islanders: Barzal is 11th in the league in assists with 34, and has 50 points.
Zack Werenski, Blue Jackets: Werenski is tied with all NHL defensemen with 11 goals in 2017/18.
Sergei Bobrovsky, Blue Jackets: 7th in saves with 1106, he also owns 21 wins in net.
With five perceived snubs, the Central Division would come in second in that category:
Patrik Laine, Jets: 21 goals, 17 assists, 20 PIM, and 11 Power Play Goals gets you nothing.
Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues: 46 points on 21 goals and 25 assists, but not enough for a bid.
Alexander Radulov, Stars: Radulov has 47 points on the season and 46 PIM.
Ben Bishop, Stars: Bishop was an edge snub, as he has 990 saves, but 21 wins on the season.
Jamie Benn, Stars: We cannot overload the roster with Stars, but Benn sits at +13 with 47 points on the season.
The Atlantic Division comes in with three perceived snubs in 2018. They are as follows:
Patrice Bergeron, Bruins: At 40 points and a +23 mark, Bergeron must have been a tough leave off.
David Pastrnak, Bruins: He has 20 goals and 25 assists, and sits at 0.96 points per game.
Frederik Anderson, Toronto: He has 1307 saves and is tied for third most wins among goalies.
The Pacific Division was probably the division that had the most "correct" picks for the All Star event, as only two players could be called perceived snubs from our measurements:
William Karlsson, Golden Knights: Karlsson came out of nowhere to now be tied for second in goals scored in the NHL, and is a key component in the expansion team blowing all expectations out of the water. He also leads the league at +26.
Sean Monahan, Flames: He is tied for ninth in the league after scoring last night. He now has 22 goals on the season, and adds another 21 assists.
The Metropolitan Division had the most talent snubbed for All Star births. Of course, there are only so many spots, but the following players deserved a longer look for a spot here:
Phil Kessel, Penguins: Kessel is 7th in the leagu in total points this season with 55, and has 34 assists.
Jakub Voracek, Flyers: Voracek is one of the league's top assist men, with 46, and has 55 points.
Anders Lee, Islanders: Lee is tied for third in the league with 27, and has a total of 42 points.
Sean Couturier, Flyers: He has 26 goals, and 23 assists. Add that he is +18 for the season.
Evgeni Malkin, Penguins: Malkin has 49 points for the season, with 21 goals and 28 assists.
Matthew Barzal, Islanders: Barzal is 11th in the league in assists with 34, and has 50 points.
Zack Werenski, Blue Jackets: Werenski is tied with all NHL defensemen with 11 goals in 2017/18.
Sergei Bobrovsky, Blue Jackets: 7th in saves with 1106, he also owns 21 wins in net.
With five perceived snubs, the Central Division would come in second in that category:
Patrik Laine, Jets: 21 goals, 17 assists, 20 PIM, and 11 Power Play Goals gets you nothing.
Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues: 46 points on 21 goals and 25 assists, but not enough for a bid.
Alexander Radulov, Stars: Radulov has 47 points on the season and 46 PIM.
Ben Bishop, Stars: Bishop was an edge snub, as he has 990 saves, but 21 wins on the season.
Jamie Benn, Stars: We cannot overload the roster with Stars, but Benn sits at +13 with 47 points on the season.
The Atlantic Division comes in with three perceived snubs in 2018. They are as follows:
Patrice Bergeron, Bruins: At 40 points and a +23 mark, Bergeron must have been a tough leave off.
David Pastrnak, Bruins: He has 20 goals and 25 assists, and sits at 0.96 points per game.
Frederik Anderson, Toronto: He has 1307 saves and is tied for third most wins among goalies.
The Pacific Division was probably the division that had the most "correct" picks for the All Star event, as only two players could be called perceived snubs from our measurements:
William Karlsson, Golden Knights: Karlsson came out of nowhere to now be tied for second in goals scored in the NHL, and is a key component in the expansion team blowing all expectations out of the water. He also leads the league at +26.
Sean Monahan, Flames: He is tied for ninth in the league after scoring last night. He now has 22 goals on the season, and adds another 21 assists.
College Football 2018: Top 17 Returning Quarterbacks
With seven QBs off early to the NFL draft, and the usual losses by graduation, the herd has thinned out considerably for QBs who competed at the top of the game over the last two seasons. With that in mind, in no exact order, here are the 15 best signal callers to return to college football fields across the nation in 2018, regardless of conference affiliation:
Justice Hanson, Arkansas State
Even if you have never heard of Hanson, he was one of the five best QBs in the nation last season when it came to piling up passing yards per game. In fact, Hanson ranked fourth nationally with 330.6 yards passing per game. His 37 TDs also ranked him in a three way tie for fourth nationally. If he can slow his roll on his 16 INTs, that would only elevate his popularity.
Will Grier, West Virginia
All you have to know about his importance is what happened at WVU when he went down to injury to finish the season. The Mountaineers tanked without him. It would be logical to think that Dana Holgorsen's future is directly tied to where Grier can take the Mountaineers in 2018.
McKenzie Milton, UCF
Milton was one of the greater finds in 2017 under now departed head coach Scott Frost. The Knights jumped from 6 wins to 12 in one season, finishing the season undefeated, and ranked number one in our PRS rankings. Milton finished the year by passing for 4037 yards with 37 TDs and just 9 INTs. He added another 613 yards rushing with an additional 8 scores, making him one of the more dynamic returning players in the game next fall under new head coach josh Heupel, who should be able to get some very good results out of his young QB.
Drew Lock, Missouri
If you need to see evidence of the skills of new UCF head coach Josh Heupel, just look at what he got out of Drew Lock in 2017. Lock was a big surprise, as he passed for 3964 yards and a whopping 44 TDs against 13 INTs. Lock is probably the most dynamic QB returning in the SEC. Remember when the SEC was blasted for their lack of top flight QBs just a couple of seasons ago? The league is loaded with them now, and Lock leads the charge.
Mason Fine, North Texas
Fine was a lightly recruited high school prospect that nobody wanted to take a chance with, and now he has led the Mean Green to new heights under offensive guru and head coach Seth Littrell. UNT won the Western Division in CUSA, and Fine blew up, passing for 4052 yards 31 TDs. He needs to roll back his INT total from 15, but considering what he had to do to get UNT on the map this season, and now that a better foundation is in place, he should be able to develop solidly next fall.
Eric Dungy, Syracuse
If Dungy were at a higher profile program, everyone would be discussing him as a potential Heisman candidate. He is stuck at Syracuse, and the team around him is going nowhere. Still, Dungy can put up numbers like nobody's business. In just nine games last season, he averaged 277.2 yards passing per game, and led the Orange with 595 yards rushing and nine scores. His knock is INTs (averaged one per game on a bad team), and injuries, as he was limited to nine games. When you have to carry as much as he does, injuries are bound to happen.
Trace McSorley, Penn State
Now that Saquon Barkley has moved on, McSorley can finally have a bit of the spotlight at Penn State for himself. One of the better play makers in the game, McSorley delivers week in and week out, even while playing in shadows of others. He passed for 274.6 yards per game last season, and tossed 28 TDs to just 10 INTs. McSorley added another 11 TDs rushing on the season, and maybe it was he, and not Barkley, who deserved the Heisman talk love in 2017
Ben Hicks, SMU
Hicks blasted onto the scene as a freshman who had a bumpy first season while learning the ropes, but he really elevated his game in 2017, passing for over 30 yards more per game, while dropping his INT totals by three on the season. Hicks passed for 3569 yards and 33 TDs (+14 over 2016), and helped lead SMU back to a bowl game. His knock is his accuracy, which should see continued improvement in new head coach Sonny Dykes' system.
Jake Fromm, Georgia
His performance in both the Rose Bowl and the National Championship were something you had to see to believe. The true freshman played like a seasoned senior in both of those games, and it was easy to forget that this was a baby faced freshman out there making plays. Fromm took the job when Jacob Eason was injured in the season opener, and never handed the job back, causing Eason to transfer to Washington. Fromm passed for 24 TDs against just 7 INTs in 2017, and those numbers could improve in 2018 as he becomes even more comfortable in his role. Of course, he has to hold off freshman Josh Fields in camp, so nobody is ever comfortable.
Khalil Tate, Arizona
Tate was the Sam Darnold story of 2017. Once his throwing shoulder was healthy enough for him to actually throw a football, he took off like a rocket, and led Arizona out of the shadows and into a spot where they were actually competing in the PAC-12 South. He had single handidly secured Rich Rodriguez from being fired, until RichRod did himself in with his personal life antics. Tate will never be an upper crust passer, but what he can do as a runner is game changing, as he rushed for 1411 yards and 12 TDs. It will be interesting to see how Kevin Sumlin implements him into his system.
Jake Browning, Washington
While we may still be trying to find a time and space where Browning can be all he can be (we have not seen it yet), he has one more year to put all of the pieces together. While Jacob Eason is transferring to Washington, he will not be available until 2019, unless the rules get changed in June. Look for Browning to have one of his best years to date as he makes one last run at a PAC-12 and national title.
Andrew Ford, U Mass
Nobody can deny how bad the Minutemen are, but most people never see them play, so who would know? The one good thing they have going is Ford playing QB. U Mass showed some serious improvement in 2017 in the later half of the season, and Ford was instrumental in that improvement. He passed for 265.8 yards per game, while tossing 22 TDs to just 4 INTs on the season. That is impressive for a QB on an otherwise bad team.
Jarrett Stidham, Auburn
Stidham had a lot of hype surrounding him as he entered into the starting QB job at Auburn after transferring from Baylor. After all, Auburn has not had a decent QB in some time. Stidham struggled early under the weight of it all, and the offense struggled. Once the Tigers got into October, he shook off the nerves and rust and became what they expected of him. He ended up passing for 225.6 yards per game, a number we could see explode in 2018.
Deondre Francois, Florida State
Francois did not make it through his first game at Florida State for 2017 before a knee injury against Alabama derailed him for the entire season. One has to think that the Seminoles fortunes may have been different with him on the field, but a glaring lack of depth became apparent when the Seminoles tanked without him. He returns to a different head coach, but this coach is very good with QBs during stops at Western Kentucky, South Florida, and a brief stay at Oregon. Look for Francois to make up for lost time, and quickly.
Jalen Hurts or Tua Tagavailoa, Alabama
The clear thing is that no matter which of these guys wins the job this spring and late summer, Alabama is in fantastic shape moving forward. The truth of the matter is that Tagavailoa brings an entirely different dynamic to the team with his ability to throw the football up the field like a laser beam. Hurts does not have that ability. Alabama simply has to make a decision based on what will be best for their scheme moving forward under new OC Mike Locksley.
Justice Hanson, Arkansas State
Even if you have never heard of Hanson, he was one of the five best QBs in the nation last season when it came to piling up passing yards per game. In fact, Hanson ranked fourth nationally with 330.6 yards passing per game. His 37 TDs also ranked him in a three way tie for fourth nationally. If he can slow his roll on his 16 INTs, that would only elevate his popularity.
Will Grier, West Virginia
All you have to know about his importance is what happened at WVU when he went down to injury to finish the season. The Mountaineers tanked without him. It would be logical to think that Dana Holgorsen's future is directly tied to where Grier can take the Mountaineers in 2018.
McKenzie Milton, UCF
Milton was one of the greater finds in 2017 under now departed head coach Scott Frost. The Knights jumped from 6 wins to 12 in one season, finishing the season undefeated, and ranked number one in our PRS rankings. Milton finished the year by passing for 4037 yards with 37 TDs and just 9 INTs. He added another 613 yards rushing with an additional 8 scores, making him one of the more dynamic returning players in the game next fall under new head coach josh Heupel, who should be able to get some very good results out of his young QB.
Drew Lock, Missouri
If you need to see evidence of the skills of new UCF head coach Josh Heupel, just look at what he got out of Drew Lock in 2017. Lock was a big surprise, as he passed for 3964 yards and a whopping 44 TDs against 13 INTs. Lock is probably the most dynamic QB returning in the SEC. Remember when the SEC was blasted for their lack of top flight QBs just a couple of seasons ago? The league is loaded with them now, and Lock leads the charge.
Mason Fine, North Texas
Fine was a lightly recruited high school prospect that nobody wanted to take a chance with, and now he has led the Mean Green to new heights under offensive guru and head coach Seth Littrell. UNT won the Western Division in CUSA, and Fine blew up, passing for 4052 yards 31 TDs. He needs to roll back his INT total from 15, but considering what he had to do to get UNT on the map this season, and now that a better foundation is in place, he should be able to develop solidly next fall.
Eric Dungy, Syracuse
If Dungy were at a higher profile program, everyone would be discussing him as a potential Heisman candidate. He is stuck at Syracuse, and the team around him is going nowhere. Still, Dungy can put up numbers like nobody's business. In just nine games last season, he averaged 277.2 yards passing per game, and led the Orange with 595 yards rushing and nine scores. His knock is INTs (averaged one per game on a bad team), and injuries, as he was limited to nine games. When you have to carry as much as he does, injuries are bound to happen.
Trace McSorley, Penn State
Now that Saquon Barkley has moved on, McSorley can finally have a bit of the spotlight at Penn State for himself. One of the better play makers in the game, McSorley delivers week in and week out, even while playing in shadows of others. He passed for 274.6 yards per game last season, and tossed 28 TDs to just 10 INTs. McSorley added another 11 TDs rushing on the season, and maybe it was he, and not Barkley, who deserved the Heisman talk love in 2017
Ben Hicks, SMU
Hicks blasted onto the scene as a freshman who had a bumpy first season while learning the ropes, but he really elevated his game in 2017, passing for over 30 yards more per game, while dropping his INT totals by three on the season. Hicks passed for 3569 yards and 33 TDs (+14 over 2016), and helped lead SMU back to a bowl game. His knock is his accuracy, which should see continued improvement in new head coach Sonny Dykes' system.
Jake Fromm, Georgia
His performance in both the Rose Bowl and the National Championship were something you had to see to believe. The true freshman played like a seasoned senior in both of those games, and it was easy to forget that this was a baby faced freshman out there making plays. Fromm took the job when Jacob Eason was injured in the season opener, and never handed the job back, causing Eason to transfer to Washington. Fromm passed for 24 TDs against just 7 INTs in 2017, and those numbers could improve in 2018 as he becomes even more comfortable in his role. Of course, he has to hold off freshman Josh Fields in camp, so nobody is ever comfortable.
Khalil Tate, Arizona
Tate was the Sam Darnold story of 2017. Once his throwing shoulder was healthy enough for him to actually throw a football, he took off like a rocket, and led Arizona out of the shadows and into a spot where they were actually competing in the PAC-12 South. He had single handidly secured Rich Rodriguez from being fired, until RichRod did himself in with his personal life antics. Tate will never be an upper crust passer, but what he can do as a runner is game changing, as he rushed for 1411 yards and 12 TDs. It will be interesting to see how Kevin Sumlin implements him into his system.
Jake Browning, Washington
While we may still be trying to find a time and space where Browning can be all he can be (we have not seen it yet), he has one more year to put all of the pieces together. While Jacob Eason is transferring to Washington, he will not be available until 2019, unless the rules get changed in June. Look for Browning to have one of his best years to date as he makes one last run at a PAC-12 and national title.
Andrew Ford, U Mass
Nobody can deny how bad the Minutemen are, but most people never see them play, so who would know? The one good thing they have going is Ford playing QB. U Mass showed some serious improvement in 2017 in the later half of the season, and Ford was instrumental in that improvement. He passed for 265.8 yards per game, while tossing 22 TDs to just 4 INTs on the season. That is impressive for a QB on an otherwise bad team.
Jarrett Stidham, Auburn
Stidham had a lot of hype surrounding him as he entered into the starting QB job at Auburn after transferring from Baylor. After all, Auburn has not had a decent QB in some time. Stidham struggled early under the weight of it all, and the offense struggled. Once the Tigers got into October, he shook off the nerves and rust and became what they expected of him. He ended up passing for 225.6 yards per game, a number we could see explode in 2018.
Deondre Francois, Florida State
Francois did not make it through his first game at Florida State for 2017 before a knee injury against Alabama derailed him for the entire season. One has to think that the Seminoles fortunes may have been different with him on the field, but a glaring lack of depth became apparent when the Seminoles tanked without him. He returns to a different head coach, but this coach is very good with QBs during stops at Western Kentucky, South Florida, and a brief stay at Oregon. Look for Francois to make up for lost time, and quickly.
Jalen Hurts or Tua Tagavailoa, Alabama
The clear thing is that no matter which of these guys wins the job this spring and late summer, Alabama is in fantastic shape moving forward. The truth of the matter is that Tagavailoa brings an entirely different dynamic to the team with his ability to throw the football up the field like a laser beam. Hurts does not have that ability. Alabama simply has to make a decision based on what will be best for their scheme moving forward under new OC Mike Locksley.
Monday, January 22, 2018
This Week in the NBA: Southwest Division
Southwest Division
Despite having the second best record in the Western Conference, there are Rocket players talking about thinking they are a better team than Golden State. The Rockets have won 5 of 6, and with James Harden getting healthy, they will have a shot to prove that again shortly in a singular match up. Houston beat Golden State last week at home, 116-108, and also beat Minnesota by 18 before that. The Rockets get Miami at home tonight, and then go on the road to Dallas and New Orleans before coming home to close out the week against Phoenix next Sunday.
The Spurs are coming off of a 2 game losing skid, and a loss to Indiana to boot. There is the first internal drama in some time with Kawhi Leonard and his injury, and a different string of opinions on his rehab. If the Spurs do not get control of this shortly, they could be in for a rough ride in the next few weeks with playoff seeding on the line. Three of the next four games are at home, but they could end up in a 2-2 week if they are not careful. Cleveland comes to town tomorrow night, and then the Spurs hop on the road in what should be a winnable game with Memphis. They return for a challenging date with the Sixers before wrapping up the week as big favorites against Sacramento.
New Orleans comes into the week having won 4 of their last 5 games, and could be streaking at the right moment. They did manage to have that one loss come against the Hawks, but have been solid otherwise. The Pelicans should be favored against the Bulls at home tonight, and will get their lone road game of the week at Charlotte on Wednesday, a game they should also be favored in. Houston and the Clippers round off the upcoming week in what should be a challenging close.
Memphis lost to new Orleans to close out the week, which snapped a 3 game winning run. That said, the Grizzlies did not beat a team with a winning record during that run in wins over the Knicks, Lakers, and Kings. The Sixers come to town tonight, and a new losing skid could be in order. Memphis should be dogs all week with games against Philly tonight, San Antonio on Wednesday, and the Clippers on Friday.
Dallas has lost 3 straight and is now just 15-31 on the season during the massive rebuild of the roster. It's a loaded 4 game week this week, and the Mavs should be dogs in all of them. Washington, Houston, and Portland, all playoff teams, all come to Dallas this week, and then the Mavs close out the week on the road with Denver on Saturday.
Despite having the second best record in the Western Conference, there are Rocket players talking about thinking they are a better team than Golden State. The Rockets have won 5 of 6, and with James Harden getting healthy, they will have a shot to prove that again shortly in a singular match up. Houston beat Golden State last week at home, 116-108, and also beat Minnesota by 18 before that. The Rockets get Miami at home tonight, and then go on the road to Dallas and New Orleans before coming home to close out the week against Phoenix next Sunday.
The Spurs are coming off of a 2 game losing skid, and a loss to Indiana to boot. There is the first internal drama in some time with Kawhi Leonard and his injury, and a different string of opinions on his rehab. If the Spurs do not get control of this shortly, they could be in for a rough ride in the next few weeks with playoff seeding on the line. Three of the next four games are at home, but they could end up in a 2-2 week if they are not careful. Cleveland comes to town tomorrow night, and then the Spurs hop on the road in what should be a winnable game with Memphis. They return for a challenging date with the Sixers before wrapping up the week as big favorites against Sacramento.
New Orleans comes into the week having won 4 of their last 5 games, and could be streaking at the right moment. They did manage to have that one loss come against the Hawks, but have been solid otherwise. The Pelicans should be favored against the Bulls at home tonight, and will get their lone road game of the week at Charlotte on Wednesday, a game they should also be favored in. Houston and the Clippers round off the upcoming week in what should be a challenging close.
Memphis lost to new Orleans to close out the week, which snapped a 3 game winning run. That said, the Grizzlies did not beat a team with a winning record during that run in wins over the Knicks, Lakers, and Kings. The Sixers come to town tonight, and a new losing skid could be in order. Memphis should be dogs all week with games against Philly tonight, San Antonio on Wednesday, and the Clippers on Friday.
Dallas has lost 3 straight and is now just 15-31 on the season during the massive rebuild of the roster. It's a loaded 4 game week this week, and the Mavs should be dogs in all of them. Washington, Houston, and Portland, all playoff teams, all come to Dallas this week, and then the Mavs close out the week on the road with Denver on Saturday.
This Week in the NBA: Southeast Division
NBA Southeast Division
Miami has won 8 of 10, and are now surprisingly leading Washington by a single game in the Southeast. Miami is also holding onto the fourth seed in the East, another huge surprise. Miami has become a little bit uneven as of late, however, as they barely held on for a 106-105 win over Charlotte, and had losses last week to both Chicago and Brooklyn. The Heat have a huge date tonight, as they take on Houston on the road. They will then return home for games against Sacramento and Charlotte, and they should be favored in both.
Washington sits a game behind Miami in both the division and conference standings, as the Wizards are grabbing onto the fifth seed in the East. Washington snapped a two game skid with a win over Detroit last week, and are looking to get back on track this week in relative good health. Bradley Beal has led the team in scoring for 3 of the last 4 games, scoring 76 total points in those games. The Wizards are 2-1 in those game that Beal leads them in scoring in recent days. Washington will be on the road all week for games against Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta. A 2-1 week would be fairly strong.
Charlotte is falling further out of the race, and now may be going into full asset selling mode, as Kemba Walker is being discussed with the Knicks this week in a potential deal. The Hornets had a 2 game win streak snapped in the loss to the Heat to close out last week, but are just 18-26 on the season, and out of the playoff conversation entirely. The Hornets start the week against Sacramento at home, and then New Orleans comes to town on Wednesday. They close the week with road games in Atlanta and Miami. An even split would be productive.
Orlando is only 2-8 in their last 10 games, and are fighting Atlanta for the worst record in the Eastern Conference. That said, they managed to beat Boston to close out the week on the road. There are only 2 games on the slate this week, as the Magic gets Sacramento at home Tuesday, and then plays at Indiana on Saturday.
Atlanta currently is the worst team in the East by a half game. and had a 2 game win streak snapped in a loss to Chicago. Kent Bazemore's name is now coming up in trade discussions, so it is only a matter of time before the Hawks sell off whatever it is they consider valued trade materials. They have four games on the slate this week, and should not be considered as a favorite in any of them. They get Utah tonight, followed by Toronto at home on Wednesday, and they get a road trip to Charlotte on Friday, before returning home to face Washington on Saturday.
Miami has won 8 of 10, and are now surprisingly leading Washington by a single game in the Southeast. Miami is also holding onto the fourth seed in the East, another huge surprise. Miami has become a little bit uneven as of late, however, as they barely held on for a 106-105 win over Charlotte, and had losses last week to both Chicago and Brooklyn. The Heat have a huge date tonight, as they take on Houston on the road. They will then return home for games against Sacramento and Charlotte, and they should be favored in both.
Washington sits a game behind Miami in both the division and conference standings, as the Wizards are grabbing onto the fifth seed in the East. Washington snapped a two game skid with a win over Detroit last week, and are looking to get back on track this week in relative good health. Bradley Beal has led the team in scoring for 3 of the last 4 games, scoring 76 total points in those games. The Wizards are 2-1 in those game that Beal leads them in scoring in recent days. Washington will be on the road all week for games against Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta. A 2-1 week would be fairly strong.
Charlotte is falling further out of the race, and now may be going into full asset selling mode, as Kemba Walker is being discussed with the Knicks this week in a potential deal. The Hornets had a 2 game win streak snapped in the loss to the Heat to close out last week, but are just 18-26 on the season, and out of the playoff conversation entirely. The Hornets start the week against Sacramento at home, and then New Orleans comes to town on Wednesday. They close the week with road games in Atlanta and Miami. An even split would be productive.
Orlando is only 2-8 in their last 10 games, and are fighting Atlanta for the worst record in the Eastern Conference. That said, they managed to beat Boston to close out the week on the road. There are only 2 games on the slate this week, as the Magic gets Sacramento at home Tuesday, and then plays at Indiana on Saturday.
Atlanta currently is the worst team in the East by a half game. and had a 2 game win streak snapped in a loss to Chicago. Kent Bazemore's name is now coming up in trade discussions, so it is only a matter of time before the Hawks sell off whatever it is they consider valued trade materials. They have four games on the slate this week, and should not be considered as a favorite in any of them. They get Utah tonight, followed by Toronto at home on Wednesday, and they get a road trip to Charlotte on Friday, before returning home to face Washington on Saturday.
This Week in the NBA: Pacific Division
Pacific Division
Golden State is rolling along as we expected at this point despite several lost games by Stephon Curry this season. The Warriors have won 8 of 10 heading into the week, and are in a perfect position to retain the top seed in the West for another week, as they lead the Rockets by 3.5 games in the conference race, and lead the Clippers by 13.5 in the division. The Warriors are coming off of a loss to Houston last week, but should be able to get back on track with games against New York and Minnesota coming up at home, followed by a third home game against the best team in the East, the Boston Celtics.
The Clippers are probably the only other playoff team in the division right now, and they are tenuously holding onto that as it is at just 23-23. The Clips took a tough loss on the road to Utah last weekend, and need to regroup in a hurry if they hope to hold onto the 8th seed at all. It would seem like the Clippers are shopping key components on the rsoter, including Blake Girrfin, DeAndre Jordan, and Lou Williams, so they my not be interested in holding onto that last playoff spot as well, and may be more in the mode of roster implosion. That said, the Clippers had won 6 straight before the loss to Utah, which included wins over both Golden State and Houston. It's a loaded week upcoming, with home games against Minnesota and Boston, before they travel to Memphis and New Orleans to close out the week.
The Lakers have shown signs of life without the injured Lonzo Ball on the court, as he continues to deal with a "sore knee" issue. Luke Walton has no answers for when he expects him back, and has not seen him on a court recently. There are rumors that he could rejoin the team on the upcoming road trip, but that is not set in stone. In the meantime, Jordan Clarkson exploded for 33 points in a win over New York in Ball's place. The Lakers have now won 6 of 8, and may be starting to find some kind of identity with Ball off of the court. The Lakers get the Celtics at home this week, before heading on the road to Chicago and Toronto to start a 5 game road swing.
Phoenix snapped a 3 game losing skid when they knocked off Denver last week, and they find themselves 19.5 games behind Golden State, tied for third with the Lakers in the Pacific. Devin Booker scored 30 points in the win, and TJ Warren added 25. Before the win over the Nuggets, the Suns had lost 6 of their last 8 games. They get Milwaukee and Indiana on the road this week, will return for a home game with the Knicks, and will then go back on the road to face Houston next Sunday to close out the week.
Sacramento has lost 10 of 12 as they head into the week, and have lost 7 straight. The Kings are no more thean schedule fodder at this point, as they try to build on their young and disjointed roster. After falling in Memphis to close out last week, the Kings stay on the road to play 4 games this week against Charlotte, Orlando, Miami, and San Antonio.
Golden State is rolling along as we expected at this point despite several lost games by Stephon Curry this season. The Warriors have won 8 of 10 heading into the week, and are in a perfect position to retain the top seed in the West for another week, as they lead the Rockets by 3.5 games in the conference race, and lead the Clippers by 13.5 in the division. The Warriors are coming off of a loss to Houston last week, but should be able to get back on track with games against New York and Minnesota coming up at home, followed by a third home game against the best team in the East, the Boston Celtics.
The Clippers are probably the only other playoff team in the division right now, and they are tenuously holding onto that as it is at just 23-23. The Clips took a tough loss on the road to Utah last weekend, and need to regroup in a hurry if they hope to hold onto the 8th seed at all. It would seem like the Clippers are shopping key components on the rsoter, including Blake Girrfin, DeAndre Jordan, and Lou Williams, so they my not be interested in holding onto that last playoff spot as well, and may be more in the mode of roster implosion. That said, the Clippers had won 6 straight before the loss to Utah, which included wins over both Golden State and Houston. It's a loaded week upcoming, with home games against Minnesota and Boston, before they travel to Memphis and New Orleans to close out the week.
The Lakers have shown signs of life without the injured Lonzo Ball on the court, as he continues to deal with a "sore knee" issue. Luke Walton has no answers for when he expects him back, and has not seen him on a court recently. There are rumors that he could rejoin the team on the upcoming road trip, but that is not set in stone. In the meantime, Jordan Clarkson exploded for 33 points in a win over New York in Ball's place. The Lakers have now won 6 of 8, and may be starting to find some kind of identity with Ball off of the court. The Lakers get the Celtics at home this week, before heading on the road to Chicago and Toronto to start a 5 game road swing.
Phoenix snapped a 3 game losing skid when they knocked off Denver last week, and they find themselves 19.5 games behind Golden State, tied for third with the Lakers in the Pacific. Devin Booker scored 30 points in the win, and TJ Warren added 25. Before the win over the Nuggets, the Suns had lost 6 of their last 8 games. They get Milwaukee and Indiana on the road this week, will return for a home game with the Knicks, and will then go back on the road to face Houston next Sunday to close out the week.
Sacramento has lost 10 of 12 as they head into the week, and have lost 7 straight. The Kings are no more thean schedule fodder at this point, as they try to build on their young and disjointed roster. After falling in Memphis to close out last week, the Kings stay on the road to play 4 games this week against Charlotte, Orlando, Miami, and San Antonio.
College Football: 2018 Buy/Sell List For Big Ten Conference
We are barley removed from the 2017 season, and the 2018 season is still many months away, but it's never too soon to look ahead to see who I believe will be worth buying into or selling on next season. I continue by taking a look at the Big Ten:
Buy List
Ohio State: Despite losing JT Barrett at QB, the Buckeyes should still return fairly loaded in 2018, and could once again be the class of the conference when the season comes to an end. Urban Meyer has plenty of tools to load up once again.
Penn State: Saquon Barkley is gone, but the easiest position to load up on in football is RB, and Penn State should be just fine there moving forward. Trace McSorley returns at QB as a senior, but there is a question as to adjustments made in the system now that Joe Moorhead left as OC to become the head coach at Mississippi State.
Michigan State: Brian Lewerke is back at QB, and LJ Scott is back at RB. The Spartans made major strides in 2017, and if there is one major dark horse that could steal the conference in 2018, it may just be these guys.
Michigan: The Wolverines have not turned the corner yet under Jim Harbaugh to win the conference title. Hell, he has not had a top flight QB to work with. He does now in Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson, a former five star who has all of the tools to diversify the Michigan offense and get the Wolverines over the top.
Rutgers: Call me nuts, but I saw Rutgers as one of the more improved teams in the nation last season, despite once again falling under .500 at the end. The Scarlet Knights could join Tulane in the AAC as long time losers who are ready to turn a small corner and go bowling next fall.
Maryland: DJ Durkin must have bought stock in TUMS in 2017. Injuries completely derailed what could have been an amazing season in College Park, especially at QB. If the Terps can stay healthy in 2018, they may get a sniff of what was not to be last season.
Wisconsin: The Badgers should be the cream of the West yet again, especially with the return of Jonathon Taylor at RB. If Alex Hornibrook can play anything like he did in the Orange Bowl, and do so consistently, he could be one of the best players in the nation next fall. The defense, as usual, will e absolutely loaded.
Northwestern: Clayton Thorson took a nasty injury in their bowl game, but if he can get back to form in 2018, the Wildcats could push Wisconsin in the West once again. Justin Jackson will be gone at RB, but the Cats always seem to find one laying around somewhere.
Purdue: Jeff Brohm came over and immediately changed the entire culture at Purdue, and this team is primed to be huge in 2018. Look for the Boilermakers to be a major player and push Wisconsin.
Minnesota: The Gophers completely under performed in 2017, but that may be because PJ Fleck had to gut and change of culture that showed no off-field discipline before he got there. Look for Fleck and the Gophers to bounce solidly back in 2018.
Sell List
Indiana: The Hoosiers certainly had some terrible issues to deal with as Kevin Wilson was fired late due to player abuse issues, to be replaced by DC Tom Allen, who was not really qualified for the job, but fit a university dogma that he just was not Wilson. That did not work out from the start last season, and now, there is really no sign that it will work any better in 2018. I am full sell on the Hoosiers.
Iowa: Despite managing to beat Ohio State, and by virtue of that, knock the Buckeyes from a playoff birth, the Hawkeyes were still a below average football team in 2017. Iowa went 1-4 against ranked opponents in 2017, and they are proving to be a program that is falling backward and getting stagnant. Despite what Kirk Ferentz means to the Iowa community, he is not the guy who will bring consistent, big time winning to the Hawkeyes.
Nebraska: Kudos for going out and hiring Scott Frost to turn the fortunes around in Lincoln, but Lincoln was not built in a single night, and so it will be in 2018. Frost is working with an ill fitting roster, no solidified QB candidates, and a mess on defense. This is going to take a little bit of time, but we all know how Frost can accelerate a process.
Illinois: How Lovie Smith was not fired after 2017, I will never know. He is so far out of his element right now, that there could be no viable timetable as to when we would ever expect the Illini to be competitive in conference play, or furthermore, out of it. The Illini are a mess, and I find that to be the trend moving forward in 2018.
Buy List
Ohio State: Despite losing JT Barrett at QB, the Buckeyes should still return fairly loaded in 2018, and could once again be the class of the conference when the season comes to an end. Urban Meyer has plenty of tools to load up once again.
Penn State: Saquon Barkley is gone, but the easiest position to load up on in football is RB, and Penn State should be just fine there moving forward. Trace McSorley returns at QB as a senior, but there is a question as to adjustments made in the system now that Joe Moorhead left as OC to become the head coach at Mississippi State.
Michigan State: Brian Lewerke is back at QB, and LJ Scott is back at RB. The Spartans made major strides in 2017, and if there is one major dark horse that could steal the conference in 2018, it may just be these guys.
Michigan: The Wolverines have not turned the corner yet under Jim Harbaugh to win the conference title. Hell, he has not had a top flight QB to work with. He does now in Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson, a former five star who has all of the tools to diversify the Michigan offense and get the Wolverines over the top.
Rutgers: Call me nuts, but I saw Rutgers as one of the more improved teams in the nation last season, despite once again falling under .500 at the end. The Scarlet Knights could join Tulane in the AAC as long time losers who are ready to turn a small corner and go bowling next fall.
Maryland: DJ Durkin must have bought stock in TUMS in 2017. Injuries completely derailed what could have been an amazing season in College Park, especially at QB. If the Terps can stay healthy in 2018, they may get a sniff of what was not to be last season.
Wisconsin: The Badgers should be the cream of the West yet again, especially with the return of Jonathon Taylor at RB. If Alex Hornibrook can play anything like he did in the Orange Bowl, and do so consistently, he could be one of the best players in the nation next fall. The defense, as usual, will e absolutely loaded.
Northwestern: Clayton Thorson took a nasty injury in their bowl game, but if he can get back to form in 2018, the Wildcats could push Wisconsin in the West once again. Justin Jackson will be gone at RB, but the Cats always seem to find one laying around somewhere.
Purdue: Jeff Brohm came over and immediately changed the entire culture at Purdue, and this team is primed to be huge in 2018. Look for the Boilermakers to be a major player and push Wisconsin.
Minnesota: The Gophers completely under performed in 2017, but that may be because PJ Fleck had to gut and change of culture that showed no off-field discipline before he got there. Look for Fleck and the Gophers to bounce solidly back in 2018.
Sell List
Indiana: The Hoosiers certainly had some terrible issues to deal with as Kevin Wilson was fired late due to player abuse issues, to be replaced by DC Tom Allen, who was not really qualified for the job, but fit a university dogma that he just was not Wilson. That did not work out from the start last season, and now, there is really no sign that it will work any better in 2018. I am full sell on the Hoosiers.
Iowa: Despite managing to beat Ohio State, and by virtue of that, knock the Buckeyes from a playoff birth, the Hawkeyes were still a below average football team in 2017. Iowa went 1-4 against ranked opponents in 2017, and they are proving to be a program that is falling backward and getting stagnant. Despite what Kirk Ferentz means to the Iowa community, he is not the guy who will bring consistent, big time winning to the Hawkeyes.
Nebraska: Kudos for going out and hiring Scott Frost to turn the fortunes around in Lincoln, but Lincoln was not built in a single night, and so it will be in 2018. Frost is working with an ill fitting roster, no solidified QB candidates, and a mess on defense. This is going to take a little bit of time, but we all know how Frost can accelerate a process.
Illinois: How Lovie Smith was not fired after 2017, I will never know. He is so far out of his element right now, that there could be no viable timetable as to when we would ever expect the Illini to be competitive in conference play, or furthermore, out of it. The Illini are a mess, and I find that to be the trend moving forward in 2018.
This Week in the NBA: Northwest Division
NBA Northwest
Minnesota is coming off of an impressive 115-109 win over Toronto, and owns a three game lead in the Northwest heading into the week. The Wolves have won 6 of their last 8 heading into the midway point of the season, and are holding off a charge from Oklahoma City and Portland both. They have their own big 3 in place now with Jimmy Butler, Karl Anthony Towns, and Andrew Wiggins, and are starting to play like it. Recent rumors had the Wolves engaged in trade talks with the Clippers over Blake Griffin, but that seems to have died as soon as it started. Minnesota owns the three seed, and are tied with the Spurs for that spot. They have a busy week upcoming, with four games on the slate starting tonight against the Clippers on the road. The road trip continues Wednesday in Portland, Thursday at Golden State, and the week closes out Saturday against Brooklyn at home.
Oklahoma City is now on a four game winning streak after beating Cleveland 148-124 on Saturday on the road. This was probably the biggest win of the season for the Thunder, who are currently trending upward. Paul George blasted Cleveland for 36 points in the win. The Thunder comes home to take on Brooklyn tomorrow night, and will continue the home stand against Washington on Thursday, and they wrap the week on the road Saturday in Detroit. Russell Westbrook and George are both averaging over 20 points per game, and the Thunder is holding tightly to the fifth seed in the West, three games back of San Antonio and division leading Minnesota.
Portland is firing the engines at the right time as well, as the Blazers are gripping the 6th seed in the West, just a game back of OKC. The Blazers are holding ont a three game win streak against Dallas, Indiana, and Phoenix. The Blazers are opening the week tonight in Denver, and then come home to face Minnesota in a huge divisional matchup on Wednesday night, and then will go on the road again to take on Dallas on Friday, which closes out the week. Damon Lillard has not scored fewer than 21 points in his last five games, and has scored 31 points twice in that same time period.
Denver enters the week at just 23-23, and sits a half game back of the final playoff spot in the West. Like usual, the Nuggets cannot seem to get it all together at the same time, and are struggling once again for consistency of any kind. They have now lost two straight as we enter the week, and are coming off an inexcusable 108-100 loss to the Suns. There are opportunities this week, with all three scheduled games coming at home against Portland tonight, New York on Thursday, and Dallas on Saturday. The Nuggets should be favored in those final two games.
Utah is just 4-6 in their last ten games, and they sit 4.5 games out of that final playoff spot in the West.Utah did pick up a 125-113 win against the Clippers at home over the weekend, so it's a good spot to build from. The Jazz have had issues building off of singular wins, however, so finding a rhythm is imperative at this point. Ball distribution has been an issue, and the fan base is seemingly giving up on Ricky Rubio, as the Jazz averages just 21 assists per game as a team, and Rubio, who was supposed to be a premier passer, averages just 4.8 per game. The Jazz have not put together a win streak since their last streak ended in early December. They have a three game road run this week in Atlanta, Detroit, and Toronto.
Minnesota is coming off of an impressive 115-109 win over Toronto, and owns a three game lead in the Northwest heading into the week. The Wolves have won 6 of their last 8 heading into the midway point of the season, and are holding off a charge from Oklahoma City and Portland both. They have their own big 3 in place now with Jimmy Butler, Karl Anthony Towns, and Andrew Wiggins, and are starting to play like it. Recent rumors had the Wolves engaged in trade talks with the Clippers over Blake Griffin, but that seems to have died as soon as it started. Minnesota owns the three seed, and are tied with the Spurs for that spot. They have a busy week upcoming, with four games on the slate starting tonight against the Clippers on the road. The road trip continues Wednesday in Portland, Thursday at Golden State, and the week closes out Saturday against Brooklyn at home.
Oklahoma City is now on a four game winning streak after beating Cleveland 148-124 on Saturday on the road. This was probably the biggest win of the season for the Thunder, who are currently trending upward. Paul George blasted Cleveland for 36 points in the win. The Thunder comes home to take on Brooklyn tomorrow night, and will continue the home stand against Washington on Thursday, and they wrap the week on the road Saturday in Detroit. Russell Westbrook and George are both averaging over 20 points per game, and the Thunder is holding tightly to the fifth seed in the West, three games back of San Antonio and division leading Minnesota.
Portland is firing the engines at the right time as well, as the Blazers are gripping the 6th seed in the West, just a game back of OKC. The Blazers are holding ont a three game win streak against Dallas, Indiana, and Phoenix. The Blazers are opening the week tonight in Denver, and then come home to face Minnesota in a huge divisional matchup on Wednesday night, and then will go on the road again to take on Dallas on Friday, which closes out the week. Damon Lillard has not scored fewer than 21 points in his last five games, and has scored 31 points twice in that same time period.
Denver enters the week at just 23-23, and sits a half game back of the final playoff spot in the West. Like usual, the Nuggets cannot seem to get it all together at the same time, and are struggling once again for consistency of any kind. They have now lost two straight as we enter the week, and are coming off an inexcusable 108-100 loss to the Suns. There are opportunities this week, with all three scheduled games coming at home against Portland tonight, New York on Thursday, and Dallas on Saturday. The Nuggets should be favored in those final two games.
Utah is just 4-6 in their last ten games, and they sit 4.5 games out of that final playoff spot in the West.Utah did pick up a 125-113 win against the Clippers at home over the weekend, so it's a good spot to build from. The Jazz have had issues building off of singular wins, however, so finding a rhythm is imperative at this point. Ball distribution has been an issue, and the fan base is seemingly giving up on Ricky Rubio, as the Jazz averages just 21 assists per game as a team, and Rubio, who was supposed to be a premier passer, averages just 4.8 per game. The Jazz have not put together a win streak since their last streak ended in early December. They have a three game road run this week in Atlanta, Detroit, and Toronto.
Sunday, January 21, 2018
This Week in the NBA: Central Division
NBA Central Division
Cleveland is a mess. The Cavs are now 3-7 in their last ten games, and gave up 148 points to Oklahoma City this weekend. The Cavs are plummeting into the third worst team in defensive efficiency in the NBA, and what has become apparent is how much they lost with Kyrie Irving in the Boston trade. There seems to be no rudder, and any thoughts of the Cavaliers competing for a title seem laughable, at the moment. Cleveland is barely scoring more than their opponents on average (0.2 points per game), and they are losing games they should be winning. The Cavs travel to play the Spurs on Tuesday, and then return home to take on Indiana and Detroit.
Indiana has lost two straight heading into Sunday night, but are currently (as I type this) leading in San Antonio. The Pacers are barely holding onto the seventh seed in the East as we head into the week, and are coming off of bad losses to Portland and the Lakers. The Pacers have also been struggling to score, failing to clear 90 points in those two losses. The Pacers should be favored in two home games coming up this week against Phoenix and Orlando, and they will visit Cleveland on Friday night.
Milwaukee has had their struggles as well, and now Giannis is dealing with knee soreness, which has cost him at least two games as we go into the new week. If he is not 100%, the Bucks could be in for big time trouble as the eight seed moving forward. They lead Detroit by just one game for the final playoff spot in the East. The Bucks have winnable games coming up at home this week against Phoenix and Brooklyn, before heading on the road to close out the week against the Bulls next Sunday.
Detroit is coming off of a humbling last second home loss to Brooklyn, and sit one game out of a playoff spot. The Pistons are just 2-8 in their last ten games, and will be without Reggie Jackson until February, but he may be dealt as soon as he is healthy. Detroit is now riding a five game losing streak. The Pistons host Utah and Oklahoma City this week, and then travel to Cleveland to close out the week.
The Bulls have won four of five, with their lone loss coming against Golden State at home last week. The Bulls are 5.5 games out of the final playoff spot, but they are trending upwards, and rookie Lauri Markannan has been coming into his own. The Bulls have two tough road games coming up this week against New Orleans and Philadelphia, and then close out the week at home with the Lakers and Bucks.
Cleveland is a mess. The Cavs are now 3-7 in their last ten games, and gave up 148 points to Oklahoma City this weekend. The Cavs are plummeting into the third worst team in defensive efficiency in the NBA, and what has become apparent is how much they lost with Kyrie Irving in the Boston trade. There seems to be no rudder, and any thoughts of the Cavaliers competing for a title seem laughable, at the moment. Cleveland is barely scoring more than their opponents on average (0.2 points per game), and they are losing games they should be winning. The Cavs travel to play the Spurs on Tuesday, and then return home to take on Indiana and Detroit.
Indiana has lost two straight heading into Sunday night, but are currently (as I type this) leading in San Antonio. The Pacers are barely holding onto the seventh seed in the East as we head into the week, and are coming off of bad losses to Portland and the Lakers. The Pacers have also been struggling to score, failing to clear 90 points in those two losses. The Pacers should be favored in two home games coming up this week against Phoenix and Orlando, and they will visit Cleveland on Friday night.
Milwaukee has had their struggles as well, and now Giannis is dealing with knee soreness, which has cost him at least two games as we go into the new week. If he is not 100%, the Bucks could be in for big time trouble as the eight seed moving forward. They lead Detroit by just one game for the final playoff spot in the East. The Bucks have winnable games coming up at home this week against Phoenix and Brooklyn, before heading on the road to close out the week against the Bulls next Sunday.
Detroit is coming off of a humbling last second home loss to Brooklyn, and sit one game out of a playoff spot. The Pistons are just 2-8 in their last ten games, and will be without Reggie Jackson until February, but he may be dealt as soon as he is healthy. Detroit is now riding a five game losing streak. The Pistons host Utah and Oklahoma City this week, and then travel to Cleveland to close out the week.
The Bulls have won four of five, with their lone loss coming against Golden State at home last week. The Bulls are 5.5 games out of the final playoff spot, but they are trending upwards, and rookie Lauri Markannan has been coming into his own. The Bulls have two tough road games coming up this week against New Orleans and Philadelphia, and then close out the week at home with the Lakers and Bucks.
This Week in the NBA: Eastern Division
Welcome to volume one of "This Week in the NBA", which is part of our expanded coverage of sports beyond college football. Here is our look ahead to what is coming up this week:
Eastern Division
The Celtics need to be concerned right now. They are coming off of a three game losing streak, and while they have the second best scoring defense in the league, they are struggling to score themselves, and struggled to score 95 points in a 103-95 loss to Orlando, the worst team in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics hold just a two game lead going into the week in the division over Toronto, who is scoring an Eastern Conference best 7.3 points per game over their opponents. The Celtics will be on the road this week, and will be on the west coast, with games coming up against the Lakers, Clippers, and finally will have a showdown with Golden State next week.
Toronto is scoring an Eastern Conference high 111.3 points per game, and is 17-3 at home. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games, and are coming off a 115-109 loss to Minnesota on the road. The Raptors should be favored Wednesday, as they play on the road with Atlanta, before returning home to face the Lakers and the Timberwolves. A 2-1 week would be a solid week by any standards, but the Raptors should be favored all week.
The Sixers are one of the hottest teams in the league right now, and are winners of seven of eight heading into the week. Joel Embiid scored 29 points against Milwaukee, and is becoming the dominant star the Sixers felt he would be. The Sixers are 9.5 games out heading into the new week, but they could start chipping away at that lead, having beaten Boston last week. Philly plays three of their next four on the road, starting with Memphis on Monday. The Bulls come to Philly on Wednesday, and then they travel to San Antonio and Oklahoma City to close out the week.
The Knicks road struggles continued against the Lakers today, and the road trip continues all this week, with expected losses against Golden State and Denver. The Knicks also will travel to Phoenix by the end of the coming week.
Brooklyn has been showing signs of life this week with wins over Miami and Detroit, with Spencer Dinwiddie hitting a buzzer beater to knock off the Pistons on the road. Before those wins, the Nets had lost six of seven. Injuries have plagued the back court, with DeAngelo Russell and Jeremy Lin missing major time. Dinwiddie has been a major find. The Nets will continue on the road this coming week, which is seriously bad news, as they will hit Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, and Minnesota in the coming week, which are all likely playoff teams.
Eastern Division
The Celtics need to be concerned right now. They are coming off of a three game losing streak, and while they have the second best scoring defense in the league, they are struggling to score themselves, and struggled to score 95 points in a 103-95 loss to Orlando, the worst team in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics hold just a two game lead going into the week in the division over Toronto, who is scoring an Eastern Conference best 7.3 points per game over their opponents. The Celtics will be on the road this week, and will be on the west coast, with games coming up against the Lakers, Clippers, and finally will have a showdown with Golden State next week.
Toronto is scoring an Eastern Conference high 111.3 points per game, and is 17-3 at home. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games, and are coming off a 115-109 loss to Minnesota on the road. The Raptors should be favored Wednesday, as they play on the road with Atlanta, before returning home to face the Lakers and the Timberwolves. A 2-1 week would be a solid week by any standards, but the Raptors should be favored all week.
The Sixers are one of the hottest teams in the league right now, and are winners of seven of eight heading into the week. Joel Embiid scored 29 points against Milwaukee, and is becoming the dominant star the Sixers felt he would be. The Sixers are 9.5 games out heading into the new week, but they could start chipping away at that lead, having beaten Boston last week. Philly plays three of their next four on the road, starting with Memphis on Monday. The Bulls come to Philly on Wednesday, and then they travel to San Antonio and Oklahoma City to close out the week.
The Knicks road struggles continued against the Lakers today, and the road trip continues all this week, with expected losses against Golden State and Denver. The Knicks also will travel to Phoenix by the end of the coming week.
Brooklyn has been showing signs of life this week with wins over Miami and Detroit, with Spencer Dinwiddie hitting a buzzer beater to knock off the Pistons on the road. Before those wins, the Nets had lost six of seven. Injuries have plagued the back court, with DeAngelo Russell and Jeremy Lin missing major time. Dinwiddie has been a major find. The Nets will continue on the road this coming week, which is seriously bad news, as they will hit Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, and Minnesota in the coming week, which are all likely playoff teams.
Love Them, Hate Them, Brady and Patriots Get It Done
The New England Patriots are bound for yet another Super Bowl after Tom Brady engineered a short field drive late in the 4th quarter to come back to win the AFC Championship game 24-20 over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Patriots, who trailed for well over three quarters, received two TD catches from Danny Amendola in the fourth to seal the comeback win.
It was Brady, with ten stitches in his throwing hand, who played into yet another chapter of his career greatness, who solidified yet another win in what was a second drama filled season, with rumors of discontent in the organization, and the future of the club hanging in the balance.
Brady was an executioner in the final quarter, who could not miss on play after play. The Patriots had 150 yards of total offense in the final quarter, mostly passing. The Patriots had 40 pass plays to just 11 run plays called when they scored the final time.
Brady may be 40 years old, and may be closer to the end of his career than he realizes, but when it mattered, he flipped yet another switch, threw the team onto his shoulders, and went after burn to make another trip to the title game happen.
Of course, the defense had something to say as well. Jacksonville was hardly stellar offensively, and their league leading rushing attack had a hard time getting traction most of the game. That said, they made plays when they had to early on, and it was enough to hang onto a solid 17-3 lead at one point. They only scored a single field goal after that point, and New England made rock solid adjustments on both sides of the football, when Jacksonville seemed to stay the course without making changes at all. That killed the Jaguars and coach Doug Marrone in the end. The Patriots became more aggressive coming after Blake Bortles, and they closed any kind of rushing lanes up the middle, forcing Bortles to play into hero mode to try and get the win. It did not work out.
It's a simple fact until it is not, when the Patriots flip the switch, nobody gets it done like they do, and today was no exception.
It was Brady, with ten stitches in his throwing hand, who played into yet another chapter of his career greatness, who solidified yet another win in what was a second drama filled season, with rumors of discontent in the organization, and the future of the club hanging in the balance.
Brady was an executioner in the final quarter, who could not miss on play after play. The Patriots had 150 yards of total offense in the final quarter, mostly passing. The Patriots had 40 pass plays to just 11 run plays called when they scored the final time.
Brady may be 40 years old, and may be closer to the end of his career than he realizes, but when it mattered, he flipped yet another switch, threw the team onto his shoulders, and went after burn to make another trip to the title game happen.
Of course, the defense had something to say as well. Jacksonville was hardly stellar offensively, and their league leading rushing attack had a hard time getting traction most of the game. That said, they made plays when they had to early on, and it was enough to hang onto a solid 17-3 lead at one point. They only scored a single field goal after that point, and New England made rock solid adjustments on both sides of the football, when Jacksonville seemed to stay the course without making changes at all. That killed the Jaguars and coach Doug Marrone in the end. The Patriots became more aggressive coming after Blake Bortles, and they closed any kind of rushing lanes up the middle, forcing Bortles to play into hero mode to try and get the win. It did not work out.
It's a simple fact until it is not, when the Patriots flip the switch, nobody gets it done like they do, and today was no exception.
Friday, January 19, 2018
NBA Update: Kemba Walker Being Shopped
With the Charlotte Hornets sitting four games out of the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference, it would seem that they are ready to become sellers leading up to the trade deadline. Kemba Walker is the primary player rumored to be dealt. Dwight Howard and Nic Batum could be dealt as well, but that has yet to be confirmed.
At this point, it would seem inevitable that the Hornets would insist on adding Walker to part of a larger deal where they would divest themselves contracts that are gumming up the works of a larger rebuild.
The Hornets would be parting with their most productive scorer, as Walker averages 21.7 points per game. As good as he has been (team is 17.6 points better with him on the floor than without), he has been on a team where he is the most viable talent on a roster full of non-viable talent.
The destinations that make the most sense early would be Detroit, New York, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, and would be considered a massive upgrade over Ricky Rubio with the Jazz, but Utah may not have any pieces that would fit.
More as it becomes available.
At this point, it would seem inevitable that the Hornets would insist on adding Walker to part of a larger deal where they would divest themselves contracts that are gumming up the works of a larger rebuild.
The Hornets would be parting with their most productive scorer, as Walker averages 21.7 points per game. As good as he has been (team is 17.6 points better with him on the floor than without), he has been on a team where he is the most viable talent on a roster full of non-viable talent.
The destinations that make the most sense early would be Detroit, New York, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, and would be considered a massive upgrade over Ricky Rubio with the Jazz, but Utah may not have any pieces that would fit.
More as it becomes available.
NBA/NHL/NFL Playoff Picks Weekend Edition
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Wednesday, January 17, 2018
NBA/NHL Picks For Thursday 1/18/18
There are 10 NHL picks and 4 NBA picks for Thursday, January 18th in action! Get all of our picks by signing up for Power Rated Premium today!
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NHL Lineup
Boston at NY Islanders
Toronto at Philadelphia
Washington at New Jersey
Dallas at Columbus
St. Louis at Ottawa
Buffalo at NY Rangers
Vegas at Tampa Bay
Arizona at Nashville
San Jose at Colorado
Pittsburgh at Los Angeles
NBA Lineup
Orlando at Cleveland
Philadelphia at Boston
Minnesota at Houston
Indiana at Portland
Last round of picks was our weekend edition last week, and we finished 17-10-1 ATS combined with NFL, NBA, and NHL action.
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NHL Lineup
Boston at NY Islanders
Toronto at Philadelphia
Washington at New Jersey
Dallas at Columbus
St. Louis at Ottawa
Buffalo at NY Rangers
Vegas at Tampa Bay
Arizona at Nashville
San Jose at Colorado
Pittsburgh at Los Angeles
NBA Lineup
Orlando at Cleveland
Philadelphia at Boston
Minnesota at Houston
Indiana at Portland
Last round of picks was our weekend edition last week, and we finished 17-10-1 ATS combined with NFL, NBA, and NHL action.
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Thursday, January 11, 2018
Buy/Sell List For the American Athletic Conference In 2018
We are barley removed from the 2017 season, and the 2018 season is still many months away, but it's never too soon to look ahead to see who I believe will be worth buying into or selling on next season. I continue by taking a look at the AAC:
Buy List
UCF: Scott Frost and his staff of wizards may be off to Nebraska, but not much should change under Josh Heupel, who shares many of the same philosophies with Frost. McKenzie Milton is back, as are a host of others, despite the loss of Shaq Griffin on defense. The Knights may not go unbeaten next season, but should start the season as a top 25 team with a head of steam behind them.
Memphis: Even with heavy losses, including Riley Ferguson, Anthony Johnson, Genard Avery, etc., the Tigers kept Mike Norvell as their head coach, and the future is strong with the Tigers. The system will provide.
Houston: 2017 was a letdown season for the Cougars, but now that Kyle Allen is not a lingering issue any longer, they know who they are and can move forward in that mold. Like everyone else in the AAC, they have significant losses, but they should have enough depth to hold strong.
Navy: The end of the 2017 regular season was a disaster, and losing to Army in back to back years is never acceptable. All of that said, I have to believe that Ken Niumatololo will be able to turn it all around and get Navy back to pushing for a division title in 2018.
SMU: Chad Morris is gone to Arkansas, but he built a solid foundation for Sonny Dykes to build upon in 2018. The offense, we know, will be fantastic, but will they have enough defense? At least the shootouts should be fun.
Tulane: I am a huge Willie Fritz guy, and Tulane showed serious signs of life in 2017. Tulane should have enough left over heading into 2018 to be this year's version of SMU, and should push their way into a bowl game as the development of the program seems to be coming around nicely.
Sell List
USF: I hate to knock the Bulls, but they under performed in 2017. Quentin Flowers is now gone at QB, and Charlie Strong has to come up with some answers cross the board. I just see the Bulls taking a rather sizable step back next fall until they can come up with an identity moving forward.
Temple: The reality is that the talent was not great in 2017. They get a few key pieces back in 2018 (Frank Nutile at QB), but they are seriously depleted in other areas, and there was not much depth last season.
East Carolina: Scottie Montgomery looks more and more like a massive mistake hire to me. East Carolina has been basically abysmal in his two seasons there, and these things don't suddenly snap to like magic when there has virtually been no change to make that happen.
Cincinnati: Luke Fickell had his hands full in trying to get the Bearcats to simply be competitive in 2017, and the program is not nearly there yet. He is probably 2 years away from achieving anything real here.
U Conn: Randy Edsell part 2 has not gone as planned. U Conn is still seriously devoid of any real talent on the offensive side of the football, and nearly lost to Holy Cross last season. I am selling hard on the Huskies once again.
Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane had a ton of talent that had been depleted from the roster coming into 2017, and so the record was not entirely shocking to me. The issue is that there is even more major talent falling off the books for 2018, and that bodes badly for Phillip Montgomery.
Buy List
UCF: Scott Frost and his staff of wizards may be off to Nebraska, but not much should change under Josh Heupel, who shares many of the same philosophies with Frost. McKenzie Milton is back, as are a host of others, despite the loss of Shaq Griffin on defense. The Knights may not go unbeaten next season, but should start the season as a top 25 team with a head of steam behind them.
Memphis: Even with heavy losses, including Riley Ferguson, Anthony Johnson, Genard Avery, etc., the Tigers kept Mike Norvell as their head coach, and the future is strong with the Tigers. The system will provide.
Houston: 2017 was a letdown season for the Cougars, but now that Kyle Allen is not a lingering issue any longer, they know who they are and can move forward in that mold. Like everyone else in the AAC, they have significant losses, but they should have enough depth to hold strong.
Navy: The end of the 2017 regular season was a disaster, and losing to Army in back to back years is never acceptable. All of that said, I have to believe that Ken Niumatololo will be able to turn it all around and get Navy back to pushing for a division title in 2018.
SMU: Chad Morris is gone to Arkansas, but he built a solid foundation for Sonny Dykes to build upon in 2018. The offense, we know, will be fantastic, but will they have enough defense? At least the shootouts should be fun.
Tulane: I am a huge Willie Fritz guy, and Tulane showed serious signs of life in 2017. Tulane should have enough left over heading into 2018 to be this year's version of SMU, and should push their way into a bowl game as the development of the program seems to be coming around nicely.
Sell List
USF: I hate to knock the Bulls, but they under performed in 2017. Quentin Flowers is now gone at QB, and Charlie Strong has to come up with some answers cross the board. I just see the Bulls taking a rather sizable step back next fall until they can come up with an identity moving forward.
Temple: The reality is that the talent was not great in 2017. They get a few key pieces back in 2018 (Frank Nutile at QB), but they are seriously depleted in other areas, and there was not much depth last season.
East Carolina: Scottie Montgomery looks more and more like a massive mistake hire to me. East Carolina has been basically abysmal in his two seasons there, and these things don't suddenly snap to like magic when there has virtually been no change to make that happen.
Cincinnati: Luke Fickell had his hands full in trying to get the Bearcats to simply be competitive in 2017, and the program is not nearly there yet. He is probably 2 years away from achieving anything real here.
U Conn: Randy Edsell part 2 has not gone as planned. U Conn is still seriously devoid of any real talent on the offensive side of the football, and nearly lost to Holy Cross last season. I am selling hard on the Huskies once again.
Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane had a ton of talent that had been depleted from the roster coming into 2017, and so the record was not entirely shocking to me. The issue is that there is even more major talent falling off the books for 2018, and that bodes badly for Phillip Montgomery.
Buy/Sell Lists For the ACC In 2018
We are barley removed from the 2017 season, and the 2018 season is still many months away, but it's never too soon to look ahead to see who I believe will be worth buying into or selling on next season. I begin by taking a look at the ACC:
The Buy List
Clemson: With so much young talent returning, Dabo Swinney may very well have the best edition of Clemson football yet still ahead of him. The Tigers should be the overwhelming choice to win the AC in what is otherwise a fairly week conference.
NC State: The Pack has a ton of talent coming back on offense in 2017, but does have some holes to fill on defense, including Bradley Chubb. Dave Doeren has the team on the right track, and finishing second behind Clemson in the Atlantic may be a rock solid choice once again.
Florida State: Despite all of the drama, the Seminoles should be on the way to bouncing back in 2018. Deondre Francois is back at QB, and depth should be better across the board, as there seemingly was none this season.
Miami: The Hurricanes may be in a better position to challenge Clemson in 2018 than they were this season. Mark Richt is ahead of schedule with the Canes, and the future is bright for a team that was incredibly young this season.
Virginia Tech: As long as Justin Fuente sticks around, Tech will be very good. Joshua Jackson is back as a sophomore next fall, and that is a good start for a team that will be in a position to challenge Miami in the Coastal next season.
Virginia: Sure, the Cavaliers folded down the stretch in 2017, but nobody expected them to be as competitive as they were in stretches, and nobody saw a bowl bid coming from Bronco Mendenhall's club. Mendenhall did one of the great coaching jobs in 2017, and again, the future is bright.
Duke: The Blue Devils gained more experience this season, and bounced back well enough to go bowling. They are now in a position to push for a better bowl bid, and are looking like a team that can win at least 8 games next fall.
The Sell List
Wake Forest: The Deacons looked good in parts this season, and were much ahead of where most of us expected them to be, but that was also on the back of QB John Wolford, and he won't be there next fall. Wake Forest has never really been able to string successful seasons together, and I fear that may be the case yet again.
Boston College: AJ Dillon is fantastic at RB, and the defense is usually solid. There are just too many other obstacles and issues within the program that have me buying into BC just yet for 2018. They could push for .500 again, and get to another third tier bowl game, but that's not the kind of thing that has me buying in.
Louisville: Lamar Jackson is gone. There is very little exploitable depth. The defense sucks. There is not much else that needs saying here.
Syracuse: I saw all I needed to see in the coaching staff in 2017. I just don't see this current administration being able to take the Orange around any corners that are ahead in the road. Dino Babers is in way over his head here.
Georgia Tech: I have been a fan of the triple option my entire life. I was a triple option QB myself back in the day. That said, it's time to let it die. Paul Johnson has allowed the fundamentals of the game pass him by, and his brand of up again, down again football has drained the excitement out of me for this program. It's simply time to modernize and move on.
Pittsburgh: I was quite hopeful that Pat Narduzzi would get this program running in the right direction, but instead, there have been multiple missteps along the way, and after two seasons, there seems to be no plan other than to hang out somewhere in the middle. I am not buying into that.
North Carolina: I have made it clear that I do not believe in Larry Fedora. He is not a long term, foundation building answer, and has never been. North Carolina seriously underachieved in 2016, and then completely bottomed out in 2017, and I see no real shining star to aim for in 2018 with this program.
The Buy List
Clemson: With so much young talent returning, Dabo Swinney may very well have the best edition of Clemson football yet still ahead of him. The Tigers should be the overwhelming choice to win the AC in what is otherwise a fairly week conference.
NC State: The Pack has a ton of talent coming back on offense in 2017, but does have some holes to fill on defense, including Bradley Chubb. Dave Doeren has the team on the right track, and finishing second behind Clemson in the Atlantic may be a rock solid choice once again.
Florida State: Despite all of the drama, the Seminoles should be on the way to bouncing back in 2018. Deondre Francois is back at QB, and depth should be better across the board, as there seemingly was none this season.
Miami: The Hurricanes may be in a better position to challenge Clemson in 2018 than they were this season. Mark Richt is ahead of schedule with the Canes, and the future is bright for a team that was incredibly young this season.
Virginia Tech: As long as Justin Fuente sticks around, Tech will be very good. Joshua Jackson is back as a sophomore next fall, and that is a good start for a team that will be in a position to challenge Miami in the Coastal next season.
Virginia: Sure, the Cavaliers folded down the stretch in 2017, but nobody expected them to be as competitive as they were in stretches, and nobody saw a bowl bid coming from Bronco Mendenhall's club. Mendenhall did one of the great coaching jobs in 2017, and again, the future is bright.
Duke: The Blue Devils gained more experience this season, and bounced back well enough to go bowling. They are now in a position to push for a better bowl bid, and are looking like a team that can win at least 8 games next fall.
The Sell List
Wake Forest: The Deacons looked good in parts this season, and were much ahead of where most of us expected them to be, but that was also on the back of QB John Wolford, and he won't be there next fall. Wake Forest has never really been able to string successful seasons together, and I fear that may be the case yet again.
Boston College: AJ Dillon is fantastic at RB, and the defense is usually solid. There are just too many other obstacles and issues within the program that have me buying into BC just yet for 2018. They could push for .500 again, and get to another third tier bowl game, but that's not the kind of thing that has me buying in.
Louisville: Lamar Jackson is gone. There is very little exploitable depth. The defense sucks. There is not much else that needs saying here.
Syracuse: I saw all I needed to see in the coaching staff in 2017. I just don't see this current administration being able to take the Orange around any corners that are ahead in the road. Dino Babers is in way over his head here.
Georgia Tech: I have been a fan of the triple option my entire life. I was a triple option QB myself back in the day. That said, it's time to let it die. Paul Johnson has allowed the fundamentals of the game pass him by, and his brand of up again, down again football has drained the excitement out of me for this program. It's simply time to modernize and move on.
Pittsburgh: I was quite hopeful that Pat Narduzzi would get this program running in the right direction, but instead, there have been multiple missteps along the way, and after two seasons, there seems to be no plan other than to hang out somewhere in the middle. I am not buying into that.
North Carolina: I have made it clear that I do not believe in Larry Fedora. He is not a long term, foundation building answer, and has never been. North Carolina seriously underachieved in 2016, and then completely bottomed out in 2017, and I see no real shining star to aim for in 2018 with this program.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
John W. Conlon Offensive Player of the Year Winners
We have finally narrowed down our winners for the John W. Conlon Award, which awards the Offensive Players of the Year from FBS, FCS, and Division 2 football. We started with 36 candidates, and here are our three winners:
FBS: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
FCS: Jeremiah Briscoe, QB, Sam Houston State
Division 2: Luis Perez, QB, Texas A&M-Commerce
Congratulations to our three award winners for 2017!
FBS: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
FCS: Jeremiah Briscoe, QB, Sam Houston State
Division 2: Luis Perez, QB, Texas A&M-Commerce
Congratulations to our three award winners for 2017!
The Final FBS PRS Rankings of 2017
It's been another long season in college football, and although the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same (more SEC bias and dominance by committee members and pollsters), another final edition of the Power Rated Sports (PRS) Rankings is being released to reflect the season that has finally been played out. Our rankings do not reflect the playoff committee rankings, or any others, and are based purely on an algorithm that I have used for over 30 years. Often, we have come up with the same national champion that has been crowned through the process, but there have been some times when that has not come to play, and I will lead off by simply stating that this is one of those seasons where it simply did not play out that way.
While a majority of college football fans, writers, analysts, and pundits screamed foul at the all SEC party in Atlanta Monday night, many people lamented that UCF had not been allowed into the big boy party playoff system, even though they were the last unbeaten team standing. The last non-power conference team to win a national title was BYU in 1984, and, as I said in my post Monday night, it was then decided by the power conferences that this could never happen again, and it has not.
It has been our pleasure in past years not to follow that trend, and we have had a few non power players win our annual national title, and this year would be no different.
It is my pleasure to announce, that after careful number crunching by our lead statistician and research analyst Keith Harding, that our 2017 national champions are indeed the UCF Knights! As the lone unbeaten team, they had the edge as they had not lost any numbers to a loss. What stymied Alabama and Georgia (who finished 3rd and 6th) were, in the case of Alabama, their regular season finale loss to Auburn, who ended up losing to UCF, and finished with 4 losses, and in the case of Georgia, a similar mid to late season loss to that same Auburn team, coupled with their loss to Alabama in the game Monday night.
Please see our final rankings listed below. Remember, there were no human factors in this system, as every team was ranked on performance index alone. There were no votes, no committee, and no haggling over the numbers. They were what the were.
While a majority of college football fans, writers, analysts, and pundits screamed foul at the all SEC party in Atlanta Monday night, many people lamented that UCF had not been allowed into the big boy party playoff system, even though they were the last unbeaten team standing. The last non-power conference team to win a national title was BYU in 1984, and, as I said in my post Monday night, it was then decided by the power conferences that this could never happen again, and it has not.
It has been our pleasure in past years not to follow that trend, and we have had a few non power players win our annual national title, and this year would be no different.
It is my pleasure to announce, that after careful number crunching by our lead statistician and research analyst Keith Harding, that our 2017 national champions are indeed the UCF Knights! As the lone unbeaten team, they had the edge as they had not lost any numbers to a loss. What stymied Alabama and Georgia (who finished 3rd and 6th) were, in the case of Alabama, their regular season finale loss to Auburn, who ended up losing to UCF, and finished with 4 losses, and in the case of Georgia, a similar mid to late season loss to that same Auburn team, coupled with their loss to Alabama in the game Monday night.
Please see our final rankings listed below. Remember, there were no human factors in this system, as every team was ranked on performance index alone. There were no votes, no committee, and no haggling over the numbers. They were what the were.
| Tuesday, January 8, 2017 | |||||
| Rank | Points | Team | Record | Score | Opponent |
| 1 | 2952 | Central Florida | 13-0 | W, 34-27 | Def. Auburn 34-27 |
| 2 | 2851 | Wisconsin | 13-1 | W, 34-24 | Def. Miami (FL) 34-24 |
| 3 | 2765 | Alabama | 13-1 | W, 26-23 OT | Def. Georgia 26-23 OT |
| 4 | 2685 | Oklahoma | 12-2 | L, 54-48 2 OT's | Lost to Georgia 54-48 2 OT's |
| 5 | 2636 | Ohio State | 12-2 | W, 24-7 | Def. Southern California 24-7 |
| 6 | 2614 | Georgia | 13-2 | L, 26-23 OT | Lost to Alabama 26-23 OT |
| 7 | 2404 | Penn State | 11-2 | W, 35-28 | Def. Washington 35-28 |
| 8 | 2281 | Clemson | 12-2 | L, 24-6 | Lost to Alabama 24-6 |
| 9 | 2088 | Oklahoma State | 10-3 | W, 30-21 | Def. Virginia Tech 30-21 |
| 10 | 2073 | Florida Atlantic | 11-3 | W, 50-3 | Def. Akron 50-3 |
| 11 | 2040 | Boise State | 11-3 | W, 38-28 | Def. Oregon 38-28 |
| 12 | 1996 | Troy | 11-2 | W, 50-30 | Def. North Texas 50-30 |
| 13 | 1946 | Southern California | 11-3 | L, 24-7 | Lost to Ohio State 24-7 |
| 14 | 1915 | Texas Christian | 11-3 | W, 39-37 | Def. Stanford 39-37 |
| 15 | 1855 | South Florida | 10-2 | W, 38-34 | Def. Texas Tech 38-34 |
| 16 | 1854 | Toledo | 11-3 | L, 34-0 | Lost to Appalachian State 34-0 |
| 17 | 1811 | Notre Dame | 10-3 | W, 21-17 | Def. Louisiana State 21-17 |
| 18 | 1768 | Memphis | 10-3 | L, 21-20 | Lost to Iowa State 21-20 |
| 19 | 1720 | Washington | 10-3 | L, 35-28 | Lost to Penn State 35-28 |
| 20 | 1699 | Northwestern | 10-3 | W, 24-23 | Def. Kentucky 24-23 |
| 21 | 1610 | Michigan State | 10-3 | W, 42-17 | Def. Washington State 42-17 |
| 22 | 1565 | Auburn | 10-4 | L, 34-27 | Lost to Central Florida 34-27 |
| 23 | 1549 | San Diego State | 10-3 | L, 42-35 | Lost to Army 42-35 |
| 24 | 1498 | Army | 10-3 | W, 42-35 | Def. San Diego State 42-35 |
| 25 | 1492 | Miami (FL) | 10-3 | L, 34-24 | Lost to Wisconsin 34-24 |
| 26 | 1393 | Fresno State | 10-4 | W, 33-27 | Def. Houston 33-27 |
| 27 | 1392 | Ohio | 9-4 | W, 41-6 | Def. Alabama-Birmingham 41-6 |
| 28 | 1353 | Appalachian State | 9-4 | W, 34-0 | Def. Toledo 34-0 |
| 29 | 1338 | Stanford | 9-5 | L, 39-37 | Lost to Texas Christian 39-37 |
| 30 | 1263 | Virginia Tech | 9-4 | L, 30-21 | Lost to Oklahoma State 30-21 |
| 31 | 1213 | North Carolina State | 9-4 | W, 52-31 | Def. Arizona State 52-31 |
| 32 | 1167 | Louisiana State | 9-4 | L, 21-17 | Lost to Notre Dame 21-17 |
| 33 | 1161 | Mississippi State | 9-4 | W, 31-27 | Def. Louisville 31-27 |
| 34 | 1122 | Washington State | 9-4 | L, 42-17 | Lost to Michigan State 42-17 |
| 35 | 1048 | North Texas | 9-5 | L, 50-30 | Lost to Troy 50-30 |
| 36 | 1030 | South Carolina | 9-4 | W, 26-19 | Def. Michigan 26-19 |
| 37 | 1025 | Iowa | 8-5 | W, 27-20 | Def. Boston College 27-20 |
| 38 | 985 | Marshall | 8-5 | W, 31-28 | Def. Colorado State 31-28 |
| 39 | 979 | Louisville | 8-5 | L, 31-27 | Lost to Mississippi State 31-27 |
| 40 | 976 | Navy | 7-6 | W, 49-7 | Def. Virginia 49-7 |
| 41 | 961 | Michigan | 8-5 | L, 26-19 | Lost to South Carolina 26-19 |
| 42 | 899 | Wake Forest | 8-5 | W, 55-52 | Def. Texas A&M 55-52 |
| 43 | 855 | Central Michigan | 8-5 | L, 37-14 | Lost to Wyoming 37-14 |
| 44 | 846 | Iowa State | 8-5 | W, 21-20 | Def. Memphis 21-20 |
| 45 | 828 | Northern Illinois | 8-5 | L, 36-14 | Lost to Duke 36-14 |
| 46 | 808 | Kansas State | 8-5 | W, 35-17 | Def. UCLA 35-17 |
| 47 | 795 | Southern Mississippi | 8-5 | L, 42-13 | Lost to Florida State 42-13 |
| 48 | 751 | Arkansas State | 7-5 | L, 35-30 | Lost to Middle Tennessee State 35-30 |
| 49 | 705 | Wyoming | 8-5 | W, 37-14 | Def. Central Michigan 37-14 |
| 50 | 701 | Alabama-Birmingham | 8-5 | L, 41-6 | Lost to Ohio 41-6 |
| 51 | 690 | Texas | 7-6 | W, 33-16 | Def. Missouri 33-16 |
| 52 | 665 | Arizona | 7-6 | L, 38-35 | Lost to Purdue 38-35 |
| 53 | 629 | Florida International | 8-5 | L, 28-3 | Lost to Temple 28-3 |
| 54 | 623 | New Mexico State | 7-6 | W, 26-20 OT | Def. Utah State 26-20 OT |
| 55 | 551 | Arizona State | 7-6 | L, 52-31 | Lost to North Carolina State 52-31 |
| 56 | 540 | Missouri | 7-6 | L, 33-16 | Lost to Texas 33-16 |
| 57T | 519 | Boston College | 7-6 | L, 27-20 | Lost to Iowa 27-20 |
| 57T | 519 | Colorado State | 7-6 | L, 31-28 | Lost to Marshall 31-28 |
| 59 | 491 | Georgia State | 7-5 | W, 27-17 | Def. Western Kentucky 27-17 |
| 60 | 480 | West Virginia | 7-6 | L, 30-14 | Lost to Utah 30-14 |
| 61 | 471 | Florida State | 7-6 | W, 42-13 | Def. Southern Mississippi 42-13 |
| 62 | 449 | Southern Methodist | 7-6 | L, 51-10 | Lost to Louisiana Tech 51-10 |
| 63 | 443 | Middle Tennessee State | 7-6 | W, 35-30 | Def. Arkansas State 35-30 |
| 64 | 432 | Oregon | 7-6 | L, 38-28 | Lost to Boise State 38-28 |
| 65 | 430 | Utah | 7-6 | W, 30-14 | Def. West Virginia 30-14 |
| 66 | 386 | Houston | 7-5 | L, 33-27 | Lost to Fresno State 33-27 |
| 67 | 377 | Texas A&M | 7-6 | L, 55-52 | Lost to Wake Forest 55-52 |
| 68 | 367 | Duke | 7-6 | W, 36-14 | Def. Northern Illinois 36-14 |
| 69 | 360 | Louisiana Tech | 7-6 | W, 51-10 | Def. Southern Methodist 51-10 |
| 70T | 330 | Kentucky | 7-6 | L, 24-23 | Lost to Northwestern 24-23 |
| 70T | 330 | Texas-San Antonio | 6-5 | Season Over | |
| 72 | 301 | Temple | 7-6 | W, 28-3 | Def. Florida International 28-3 |
| 73 | 267 | Western Michigan | 6-6 | Season Over | |
| 74 | 219 | Purdue | 7-6 | W, 38-35 | Def. Arizona 38-35 |
| 75 | 203 | Buffalo | 6-6 | Season Over | |
| 76 | 168 | UCLA | 6-7 | L, 35-17 | Lost to Kansas State 35-17 |
| 77 | 128 | Mississippi | 6-6 | Season Over | |
| 78 | 117 | Texas Tech | 6-7 | L, 38-34 | Lost to South Florida 38-34 |
| 79 | 96 | Eastern Michigan | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 80 | 83 | Utah State | 6-7 | L, 26-20 OT | Lost to New Mexico State 26-20 OT |
| 81 | 40 | Akron | 7-7 | L, 50-3 | Lost to Florida Atlantic 50-3 |
| 82 | -18 | Western Kentucky | 6-7 | L, 27-17 | Lost to Georgia State 27-17 |
| 83 | -61 | Georgia Tech | 5-6 | Season Over | |
| 84 | -143 | Air Force | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 85 | -144 | Minnesota | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 86 | -161 | Virginia | 6-7 | L, 49-7 | Lost to Navy 49-7 |
| 87 | -187 | Indiana | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 88 | -189 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 89 | -195 | Colorado | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 90 | -210 | California | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 91 | -233 | Tulane | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 92 | -234 | Miami (OH) | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 93 | -255 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 94 | -307 | Vanderbilt | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 95 | -364 | Florida | 4-7 | Season Over | |
| 96 | -373 | Pittsburgh | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 97 | -378 | Louisiana-Monroe | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 98 | -465 | Old Dominion | 5-7 | Season Over | |
| 99 | -569 | Nebraska | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 100 | -685 | Idaho | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 101 | -687 | South Alabama | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 102 | -693 | Arkansas | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 103 | -725 | Syracuse | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 104 | -730 | Maryland | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 105 | -767 | Massachusetts | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 106 | -806 | Cincinnati | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 107 | -815 | Tennessee | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 108 | -873 | Rutgers | 4-8 | Season Over | |
| 109 | -897 | Brigham Young | 4-9 | Season Over | |
| 110 | -921 | Nevada-Reno | 3-9 | Season Over | |
| 111 | -961 | Hawaii | 3-9 | Season Over | |
| 112 | -990 | Coastal Carolina | 3-9 | Season Over | |
| 113 | -1000 | Georgia Southern | 2-10 | Season Over | |
| 114 | -1013 | North Carolina | 3-9 | Season Over | |
| 115 | -1096 | Tulsa | 2-10 | Season Over | |
| 116 | -1124 | New Mexico | 3-9 | Season Over | |
| 117 | -1145 | East Carolina | 3-9 | Season Over | |
| 118 | -1148 | Connecticut | 3-9 | Season Over | |
| 119 | -1348 | Bowling Green State | 2-10 | Season Over | |
| 120 | -1458 | Illinois | 2-10 | Season Over | |
| 121 | -1509 | Texas State | 2-10 | Season Over | |
| 122 | -1606 | Kent State | 2-10 | Season Over | |
| 123 | -1647 | Baylor | 1-11 | Season Over | |
| 124 | -1686 | Ball State | 2-10 | Season Over | |
| 125 | -1689 | Rice | 1-11 | Season Over | |
| 126 | -1814 | San Jose State | 2-11 | Season Over | |
| 127 | -1853 | Charlotte | 1-11 | Season Over | |
| 128 | -1955 | Oregon State | 1-11 | Season Over | |
| 129 | -2011 | Kansas | 1-11 | Season Over | |
| 130 | -2301 | Texas-El Paso | 0-12 | Season Over | |
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