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Which new players across the AFC South landscape made the biggest impacts for their respective teams in NFL Week 1?

High draft pick? Big-name free agent? Trade acquisition? Under-the-radar guy? Our SI beat writers in the AFC South take a look at the newcomers who made themselves known in Week 1 - whether for positive or negative reasons.

Jacksonville

After the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted a franchise-record 12 rookies but only signed a handful of free agents, it was clear the Jaguars' most important new addition would be a rookie. This became even clearer after a Week 1 performance in which cornerback CJ Henderson, the No. 9 overall pick in April's draft, became the difference between a Jaguars win or loss.

Henderson was unsurprisingly thrust into a starting role early on as a rookie, but more importantly he faced a stiff test in his NFL debut. It's hard for most cornerbacks to stick with T.Y. Hilton for four quarters, let alone a rookie in his first-ever NFL game. But that's just what Henderson did in Sunday's 27-20 upset win, recording three pass breaking a (including the game-clinching one against Hilton on fourth down) and an interception.

Aside from Henderson's smoothness in coverage and several pass breakups, he also came up big on two tackles in space on separate third downs. He made big plays when Jacksonville's defense needed them the most, and frankly nobody really knew which defender would be providing those plays this year. Through one week, it has been Henderson.

Henderson's rookie year is obviously far from complete, but he got off to a fast start in Week 1. Without him, the Jaguars probably end up losing against the Colts. To be the deciding factor in your first NFL game is one thing, but to do it in the manner Henderson did is even more special.

-- John Shipley, JaguarReport

Tennessee

Stephen Gostkowskis debut with the Tennessee Titans certainly was a memorable one. Even if it was a night he would rather forget.

The four-time Pro Bowlers 25-yard field goal with 17 seconds to play was the 10th game-winning kick of his career, his first in 23 months.

It was the difference in the Titans 16-14 victory at Denver. It also came after he missed four times three field goals and an extra-point earlier in the contest. According to Next Gen Stats, the odds that he would miss the kicks he did in a single game were 1 in 1,804.

Gostkowski, who signed with the Titans just before the start of the regular season, was wide right from 47 yards in the first quarter, and Denver took a 7-0 lead on the ensuing possession. His 44-yard try in the final minute of the first half was blocked. His 42-yard kick missed left early in the third quarter. When his PAT early in the fourth quarter missed left, the Broncos scored on their next drive and took a 14-13 lead.

While it was an unprecedented performance for Gostkowski, the issues were nothing new for the Titans. They had four kickers combine to make eight of 18 field goal tries last season.

What is notable is that coach Mike Vrabel gave him the opportunity to attempt the last one with the game on the line. It speaks to the trust he has in his one-time teammate with the New England Patriots and prior to Monday, at least one of the NFLs five most accurate field goal kickers. At a point last year, Vrabel likely would have decided the only way to win that game was with a touchdown.

We'll get this stuff fixed, Vrabel said. We've got a lot of faith in our players.

-- David Boclair, AllTitans

Indianapolis

Rookie running back Jonathan Taylor didnt enter Sundays 27-20 opening loss at Jacksonville until the second quarter after Marlon Mack ruptured his right Achilles tendon, and because the Colts struggled to establish the run and relied on passing, the second-round selections rushing numbers of nine carries for 22 yards didnt impress.

But Taylor caught six passes for 67 yards, including a 35-yard screen in which he showed his speed to run away from two tacklers, then his power by pushing tacklers about 7 yards after contact at the end. It was a glimpse of what the Colts hope to see more of and will need, now that Mack has been placed on injured reserve and Taylor is the Week 2 starter.

Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and quarterback Philip Rivers were the splash offseason additions, and both had mixed results. As expected, Buckner saw a lot of double teams. He had six total tackles, one for a loss, but by his own All-Pro standards, Buckner conceded he needs to have more of an impact. Rivers passed for 363 yards, relying mostly on 17 completions to running backs, but he threw two bad interceptions that were reminiscent of many of his 20 picks with the L.A. Chargers last season.

Expect Buckner to be the No. 1 key addition to this team by seasons end, but after one game, Taylors importance has risen dramatically because of the loss of Mack. The Colts were seventh in rushing last season, but managed just 88 yards on 22 carries in Week 1. Head coach Frank Reich admitted that one of his mistakes was not calling more run plays and getting into a rushing rhythm. That means Taylor should get more carries on Sunday at home against Minnesota.

-- Phillip B. Wilson, AllColts

HOUSTON

Week one was a rough one for the Texans, facing the defending super bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night football. However, there were some bright spots for Houston, most notably in their latest Addition, David Johnson.

Johnson was a controversial addition to the roster, coming over from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for fan-favorite wide receiver and future Hall of Famer, DeAndre Hopkins, along with a second-round and a fourth pick in 2021.

On paper, Johnson did fill a major hole for the Texans, who have struggled to run the ball for much of Bill OBriens tenure, though his injury issues were also well documented.

Through camp, he was also one of the team's most consistent performers, proving to the coaching staff that he was worth parting ways with a receiver of Hopkinss caliber.

Fast forward to the season opener, and Johnson was arguably the Texans best offensive performer, carrying the ball 11 times for 77 yards and one of the Texans two touchdowns in the loss. Johnson also had three catches for 32 yards in the game.

Was it the most explosive or eye-popping performance? Certainly not. But Johnson did provide one of the more consistent rushing attacks the Texans have seen in some time, which bodes well for the team heading into a brutal second week matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

-- Matthew Galatzan, Texans Daily

The rest is here:
Texans & AFC South: Who Are The Impact Newcomers? - State of The Texans

When the Big Ten announced in August that it would postpone the start of the 2020 college football season, the fear was that the NCAA would not be able to crown a true champion. One of the top conferences around the nation perhaps unable to take part in bowl season and the College Football Playoff would muddy the title scene.

That fear is now a thing of the past following the decision on Wednesday to start the season Oct. 24.

The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) adopted significant medical protocols including daily antigen testing, enhanced cardiac screening and an enhanced data-driven approach when making decisions about practice/competition, the conference announced, via its official website. The COP/C voted unanimously to resume the football season starting the weekend of October 23-24, 2020. The decision was based on information presented by the Big Ten Return to Competition Task Force, a working group that was established by the COP/C and Commissioner Kevin Warren to ensure a collaborative and transparent process.

The plan is for each Big Ten team to play eight games in eight weeks, leaving no real wriggle room in case theres an outbreak of the COVID-19 virus within a program. Weve already seen some programs within the conference deal with outbreaks over the past few months.

Setting aside the rightful debate about whether it makes sense to resume a season at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is projected to hit the United States hard, this does indeed change the landscape of the college football season.

After the first two weeks of the college football season, the AP decided to remove teams playing in the Big Ten and Pac-12, among others, from its top 25. This made sense. There was no real reason to keep said programs in the rankings if they werent actually playing college football. The following teams were removed from the outlets preseason rankings:

Thats 40% of the preseason top 25 removed from the rankings in one fell swoop, including three legit title contenders. The assumption now is that six of those teams will be added to the ranking following this coming weekends action.

This does indeed change the landscape of the 2020 season early in the process. Once the Big Tens schedule is released later this week, well have a better understanding of how things might look. Once the initial College Football Playoff rankings are released, likely right after the Big Ten starts its season, that will be magnified even further.

We have no idea how the eight-game schedule for each team will look. Its highly likely that divisions will be thrown out the window. The Big Ten will want to see Wisconsin and Minnesota go up against the top dogs in the Eastern Division, Penn State and Ohio State included.

Its in this that a jam-packed two-month schedule within the conference will give us some top-flight games. In turn, that promises to shake up the college football season in a big way.

Even without the Pac-12 making a firm decision on its season, another Power Five conference playing a truncated slate adds to the intrigue of the 2020 college football season.

We will play eight games, plus one very unique champions week where the teams from the East and West will match up and play one another, two versus two, three versus three, four versus four, etc., with the championship game being played at the end of that week, Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez said Wednesday.

That final week of action could very well help decide the College Football Playoffs four teams once bowl season comes calling. It will also make for an incredibly fun time around the college football world.

See the article here:
Big Ten's decision changes landscape of the 2020 college football season - Yardbarker

There are slew of games to pick from when making a list of the greatest Super Bowls of all-time. Will Brinson, a senior writer for CBS Sports, ultimately picked Super Bowl XLIX as the greatest Super Bowl ever in his annual list released prior to Super Bowl LIV.

While there have been several great ones over the years, it's hard argue with Brinson's pick. Simply put, Super Bowl XLIX had it all. On one side, you had the Seahawks trying to become the first team since the 2003-04 Patriots to win back-to-back Super Bowls. On the other side, you had the Patriots, led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, looking to reclaim their spot atop pro football's landscape after a decade-long hiatus. The result was a back-and-forth, roller-coaster affair that was not settled until Malcolm Butler's game-saving interception at the goal line with 20 seconds remaining.

The Patriots prevailed 28-24, and would go onto win two of the next four Super Bowls while cementing their place in NFL lore. Seattle, on the other hand, is still waiting for a return trip to the Super Bowl, a wait that could possibly come to an end this season. The Seahawks, fresh off of their impressive Week 1 win over Atlanta, will look to defeat Cam Newton and the Patriots at home this Sunday night.

Before the two teams meet on Sunday, here's a look at some of the heroes from their epic Super Bowl showdown, and where their careers have taken them in the years after that game.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 3 tackles, 3 passes defensed, 1 interception

Butler was only on the field for 34% of the Patriots' defensive snaps, but he made the biggest play of the game when he stepped in front of Russell Wilson's pass to seal the Patriots' fourth Super Bowl win. An undrafted rookie in 2014, Butler earned his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2015 while becoming a full-time starter on the Patriots' defense. His career in New England ended unceremoniously, however, when Butler was benched for unexplained reasons during the Patriots' loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LII. That offseason, Butler signed a five-year, $61 million contract with the Titans. Butler, who turned 30 years old this past offseason, recorded five interceptions and 21 passes defensed during his first two seasons in Nashville. He made three tackles in the team's season-opening win over the Broncos.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 3 receptions, 59 yards

A backup receiver and special teams contributor on Seattle's 2013 championship team, Lockette caught 11 of 15 targets for a career-high 195 yards and two touchdowns during the 2014 season. Lockette was Wilson's intended receiver on the pass that Butler intercepted to seal the win for the Patriots.

Midway through the 2015 season, Lockette suffered a concussion while on special teams during a game against the Cowboys. Lockette sustained neck ligament damage that would require surgery and never played football again, as he announced his retirement in May of 2016. The 34-year-old is currently an advocate for spinal cord injury research with the Seattle Science Foundation.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 12-of-21, 247 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception

Despite the Super Bowl setback, Wilson's career continued to ascend in the years following that game. He threw 34 touchdown passes in 2015 while helping Seattle advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. Two years later, he led the league in touchdown passes for the first time while helping the Seahawks return to the postseason after a one-year absence. During the previous two seasons, Wilson threw a combined 66 touchdown passes while leading the Seahawks to 22 wins despite playing in arguably the league's toughest division.

Wilson's success in 2019 kept him in the MVP conversation throughout the year before the award ultimately went toRavensquarterbackLamar Jackson. Wilson is again considered a top contender to win the award in 2020, along with Jackson andChiefsquarterbackPatrick Mahomes.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 3 catches, 45 yards

With 1:14 remaining in Super Bowl XLIX, Kearse appeared to make the play that would go down in Super Bowl lore. After the pass was initially tipped by Butler, Kearse, who was falling to the ground, was able to re-locate Wilson's pass before corralling it into his body. The result was a 33-yard gain that gave Seattle the ball on New England's 5-yard-line. Two plays after Kearse's catch, however, Butler abruptly ended the Seahawk's hopes of back-to-back titles.

An undrafted rookie in 2012, Kearse would remain with Seattle for the next two seasons, setting then-career highs in catches (49), yards (685) and touchdowns (five) during the 2015 season. Kearse had a career day in Seattle's divisional round playoff loss to the Panthers, catching 11 passes for 110 yards in touchdowns.

In September of 2017, Kearse was traded to the Jets (along with a second-round pick) in exchange for defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. He had a successful first season with the Jets, catching 65 passes for 810 yards and five touchdowns. But after a less than successful 2018, Kearse signed with the Lions during the 2019 offseason. He never played a regular season game with the Lions, however, as he was placed on injured reserve after breaking his leg in a preseason game against the Patriots. Kearse, who turned 30 earlier this year, is currently a free agent.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 24 carries, 102 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 reception, 31 yards

Lynch, whose second-quarter touchdown got the Seahawks on the board, was in line to be named Super Bowl MVP if Seattle would have chosen to call his number instead of having Wilson try a slant to Lockette from the 1-yard-line. Instead of joining an esteemed list of running backs to win the Super Bowl MVP award, Lynch is instead one of just three running backs to lose in the Big Game despite rushing for over 100 yards.

A Pro Bowler each season from 2011-14, Lynch endured an injury-plagued 2015 season in Seattle before announcing his retirement via Twitter during the Broncos' win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50. He made a comeback in 2017, joining his hometown Raiders for the next two seasons. Lynch rejoined the Seahawks after Seattle's backfield was decimated by injuries late in the 2019 season. He scored three touchdowns during the postseason while helping the Seahawks upset the Eagles in the wild card round. The 34-year-old Lynch is currently unsigned. He is currently 29th on the NFL's career rushing list and 16th in touchdown runs.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 5 tackles, 3 solo stops

On the play following Kearse's catch, the Seahawks handed the ball to Lynch, who was stopped a yard short of the end zone by Hightower, setting the stage for Butler's pick on the ensuing play. If not for Hightower's tackle, the Patriots would likely have one less Lombardi Trophy to display at their team facility.

A 2012 first-round pick, Hightower's forced fumble of Matt Ryan helped spearhead the Patriots' historic comeback in Super Bowl LI. A Pro Bowler for the first time in 2016, Hightowerbriefly tested the open market in the spring of 2017 before re-signing with the Patriots. After an injury limited him to just five games in 2017, Hightower regained his starting status in 2018 while winning his third Super Bowl with the Patriots. The 30-year-old veteran earned his second Pro Bowl selection in 2019 before opting out of the 2020 season.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 12 tackles, 10 solo stops, 1 interception, 1 pass defensed

Along with Lynch, Wagner also likely would have received MVP consideration had the Seahawks prevailed in Super Bowl XLIX. A Pro Bowler for the first time that season, Wagner led both teams in tackles. His third quarter interception set up Wilson's touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin that gave Seattle a 24-14 lead.

Wagner, who turned 30 in June, has earned five more Pro Bowl selections and four more All-Pro nods since Super Bowl XLIX. In 2019, Wagner led the NFL with 159 tackles while helping Seattle make the playoffs for the seventh time over the past eight years.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 4 receptions, 109 yards, 1 touchdown

Matthews and Julian Edelman were the only receivers who eclipsed the 100-yard receiving barrier in Super Bowl XLIX. Matthews, a former undrafted rookie who toiled in the Arena Football League and the Canadian Football League before joining the Seahawks, spent most of the 2014 season on the practice squad before being added to the 53-man roster in December. He recovery of an onside kick late helped the Seahawks come from behind to defeat the Packers in the NFC title game.

Matthews' first NFL catch, a 45-yard pass from Wilson, set up the Seahawks' first touchdown. His first touchdown catch, an 11-yard reception, tied the game at intermission. Mathews, like Lynch and Wagner, would have received MVP consideration had the Seahawks prevailed.

Matthews was unable to parlay his Super Bowl success into a stable NFL career. After being released by Seattle midway through the 2015 season, Matthews spent two years with the Ravens before the team released him midway through the 2017 season. Matthews signed with the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders in 2018, helping the team capture the Grey Cup that season. He started the 2019 season on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before ending the year with the Montreal Alouettes.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 9 receptions, 109 yards, 1 touchdown

Trailing 24-14 in the fourth quarter, Edelman's 21-yard catch on third and 14 set up Tom Brady's touchdown pass to Danny Amendola. On New England's ensuing possession, Edelman's 3-yard touchdown reception gave the Patriots the lead for good.

While he has never made the Pro Bowl, the former college quarterback and seventh round pick has become one of the most prolific playoff receivers of all-time. The MVP of Super Bowl LIII, Edelman's 1,442 career receiving yards is the second highest total in NFL postseason history. His fingertip catch late in Super Bowl LI -- a catch that helped force the first overtime in Super Bowl history -- is regarded as one of the greatest catches in NFL history.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 37-of-50, 324 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions

Brady joined Joe Montana as the only player to earn three Super Bowl MVP awards following his performance in Super Bowl XLIX. Brady, who endured the "Deflategate" controversy in the weeks leading up to the game, has continued to add to his laundry list of achievements in the years following that game. From 2016-18, Brady led the Patriots to three more trips to the Big Game that included wins in Super Bowls LI and LIII. Brady, who won his fourth Super Bowl MVP after helping lead the Patriots' improbable comeback win over the Falcons, won his third league MVP award in 2017. He threw for a Super Bowl record 505 yards in New England's loss to Philadelphia in Super Bowl LII.

After 20 years in New England, Brady signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason. The 43-year-old quarterback has been reunited in Tampa Bay with former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who caught the second of Brady's four touchdown passes in Super Bowl XLIX.

Read more here:
Patriots vs. Seahawks: Where Malcolm Butler and the rest the Super Bowl XLIX stars are six years later - CBS Sports

Phew, we are almost at a point where we dont have to mow the lawn anymore. A study conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center in 2008 found that 58 percent of those polled do not enjoy mowing their lawns. On top of that you have to use harmful fertilizers to keep your lawn looking pristine, and consider the watering we had to do during this summers drought.

As you think about this over the winter, consider this: a 2005 NASA study found that in terms of surface area, residential and commercial lawns are the single largest irrigated crop in America. Christina Milesi, one of the studys researchers, told NASAs Earth Observatory that she estimated that there are three times more acres of irrigated lawn in the US than irrigated cornabout 54 million Americans mow their lawns every weekend.

How to get ready to green your yard the green way:

First, reduce your lawn as much as possible.

Stop using chemical fertilizers.

Adopt the use of battery-run equipment that can be powered by renewable energy.

Landscaping your home can have a positive impact on the value of your home. This does not require a large lawn, however. It does mean having a well-thought-out and well-executed plan for your yard. A recent article on landscaping and property values said, A landscape full of large, mature plants is obviously one that has been carefully tended to over the years, and that sends a signal to buyers. Thats a good indication that theyve taken care of the inside of the house as well, which is appealing to home buyers. Cutting fresh edges around planting beds and tending to gardens with deadheading perennial plants can positively impact your property. Crisp edges, no dead material and well-tended plants make for a lovely yard. Reducing your lawn area reduces the amount of fertilizer needed, which will have an enormous impact on carbon dioxide output.

Also, using battery-run tools in your yard versus gas-fired tools can save a great deal of carbon dioxide output. Gas-run mowers, leaf blowers and trimmers spew a great deal of carbon dioxide in their use. The estimate is that every gallon of gasoline burned by lawnmowers emits 20 pounds of CO2. According to the EPA, one gas lawn mower emits 89 pounds of CO2 and 34 pounds of other pollutants per year. It is estimated that fertilizer production consumes approximately 1.2 percent of the worlds energy and is responsible for 1.2 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions.

There are new, powerful battery-run tools available that match or improve on gas run tools performance. In the lawnmower category, E-Go, Stihl and Ryobi have highly regarded machines. E-Go equipment is referred to as the Tesla of electric yard tools. Consumer Reports regards E-Go tools highly. Mass Audubon has replaced its gas-powered tools with all-electric tools, and it is pleased with the results. These tools are quiet, effective, and work well.

Battery-run tools can run on renewable electricity. Whether you have solar panels on your home or buy renewable energy, your home and the tools you use can run on the power of renewables. The Cape Light Compact offers additional renewable content as part of standard supply options, and you can opt up with CLC Local Green (with no contract). Its current standard power supply product matches customers annual usage with 100 percent Renewable Energy Certificates. CLC Local Green goes a step beyond, matching customers usage with either 50 or 100 percent MA Class 1 RECs, depending on which program you select. This can be done regardless of if you have solar on your roof or are participating in a community solar project.

You can have a beautiful, functional yard and do it in an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way. Here is an example of a home that cut down the lawn by 70 percent to create a pathway of lovely plantings. Now, everyone in the neighborhood wants to visit the yard.

Ms. Holt is a builidng, energy management and solar expert with more than three decades of experience. She lives in Sandwich.

Ms. Holt is a building, energy management and solar expert with more than three decades of experience. She lives in Sandwich.

Read the rest here:
Green Your Yard The Green Way | Columns - CapeNews.net

Karen Austin| Register-Guard

More than 100 fires are burning in the western U.S. and over 4,350,558 acres have burned so far. More than 500,000 people in Oregon were under evacuation orders, as unprecedented acres of wildfires race across forests, as of Sept. 10.

Climate change has been a key factor in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires in the western United States. The risk of wildfire depends on factors such as temperature, soil moisture and the presence of trees, shrubs and other fuels. These factors have strong ties to climate change.

I live with my family on a ridge in south Eugene, surrounded by acres of forests. We are privileged to live here. We love the trees and wildlife, but it comes with an emotional cost for me. I dread the potential for wildfires every summer, until the rains begin in earnest.

A year and a half ago I confronted my fear and contacted a fire suppression coordinator with the Oregon Department of Forestry and asked him to speak to a group of neighbors. He accepted and did an excellent job of explaining fire behavior and the benefits of maintaining vegetation around homes to reduce the risk of fire to a group of neighbors. He recommended the Firewise USA program as a good educational program. The good news is that management of ones home and yard can really reduce the risk of ones house burning down.

This program suggests to start with making ones house less flammable (remove flammable material from roof, gutters and more) and managing vegetation in the zone within five feet of your home, then working outward. Both the house and the landscape adjacent to it play a critical role in homes surviving a wildfire.

To maintain a defensible space (the area between a house and an oncoming wildfire, where the vegetation has been modified to reduce the wildfire threat), it starts with fuel ladders. The term fuel ladder refers to live and dead vegetation that can allow fire to climb from ground-level vegetation into the tree canopy. Most wildfires will not reach the crown of a tree if the vertical fuel is not continuous. When fire climbs a fuel ladder and reaches the crown of a tree it gains heat intensity and can more easily ignite surrounding vegetation and structures. Removing ladder fuel involves pruning the lower branches on trees, and trimming or removing vegetation growing under trees.

Removing trees to increase spacing between remaining trees can also reduce the intensity of a fire and can reduce plant competition for soil moisture and nutrients, leaving a healthier forest. Other important management actions that can decrease fire risk include trimming weeds and grass next to roads before vegetation dries out and avoiding the use of power tools with metal blades on dry vegetation during the fire season.

Since learning about lowering fire risk, my husband and I hired an arborist to remove and prune trees and spent hours removing fuel ladders, reducing the density of trees and shrubs and mowing grass and weeds. We still have work to do before we feel that weve managed our forested lot and yard to a comfortable level. Several other attendees of the talk last spring have managed their yards in ways that could significantly reduce the fire risk on their property.

If you live in or near forests check out the Firewise USA website. Please consider reducing the risk of fire on your property. Let your neighbors know about this program. Contact a fire reduction specialist at OSU Extension with questions (https://extension.oregonstate.edu; 541-344-5859).

Consider reducing your carbon emissions and encouraging politicians to take actions that stop funding fossil fuel companies to reduce the effects of climate change on our planet. Reducing wildfire risk and moving into a future without fossil fuels require strong community efforts. Were all in this together.

Karen Austin lives in south Eugene.

Read more here:
Guest View: Stopping the fires on our doorsteps - The Register-Guard

The eyes of the Big 12 were focused on Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys' season opener Saturday with Tulsa was the only game on the conference schedule after Baylors third attempted opener, this one against Houston, was postponed.

For most of three quarters in an eventual 16-7 win over mistake-prone Tulsa, No. 11 Oklahoma State looked much like the Big 12 teams that got eclipsed by the Sun Belt last week in their openers. Finally, with a third-string freshman quarterback and by having playmakers Chuba Hubbard and Tylan Wallace assert themselves, the Cowboys escaped.

Did they look like the biggest threat to Oklahoma in the Big 12, which was what the preseason media poll indicated? Were they as dominant and crisp as the Sooners and Texas were in their openers?

Uh, no, and its another handy example for Big 12 critics.

It was still a victory and with the weird early-season COVID-19 landscape and a key injury that may be enough for the moment.

At the end of the day, obviously it wasnt a clean win. We have a lot of things to work on, Hubbard said on a Zoom call afterward, but we won, and thats all that matters.

Hubbards streak of 100-yard rushing games ended at 11. He still finished with 93 yards on 27 carries including the go-ahead touchdown on a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter.

The biggest lingering question will be the status of starting quarterback Spencer Sanders. The redshirt sophomore from Denton Guyer limped to the locker room favoring his right ankle following a fumbled handoff in the second quarter.

He didnt return with what Oklahoma State termed a lower extremity injury and his availability was unclear for the Big 12 opener with West Virginia in a week. Coach Mike Gundy said he didnt think the injury was serious but didnt elaborate.

While Tulsa was able to take a 7-3 lead on a 16-yard pass from former Baylor quarterback Zach Smith to Josh Johnson just before halftime, the Golden Hurricane simply made far too many mistakes to complete an upset like Louisiana, Arkansas State and Coastal Carolina had done.

Limited in practice by a COVID-19 spike, which forced the postponement of the game from Sept. 12, Tulsa committed 15 penalties for 120 yards and went 0 for 11 on third down.

Credit the Oklahoma State defense for not letting the game get out of hand when Sanders left and the offense stagnated.

I told them in the locker room after the game that I was proud of them for continuing to make stop after stop, Gundy said. Sometimes when the offense doesnt play as well or sputters out as much as we did today, then defensively its hard to continue to play, but they made plays.

Junior college transfer Ethan Bullock (8 of 13 for 41 yards) replaced Sanders and was ineffective, although he didnt have much help. Oklahoma State finished with just 277 yards, very off-brand for the Big 12.

Gundy went to Shane Illingworth, a 6-6 freshman from Norco, Calif., late in the third quarter. On his first drive, he connected with Wallace on passes of 24 and 36 yards setting up Hubbards touchdown run. Illingworth would finish 4 of 5 for 74 yards providing just what Oklahoma State needed.

Wallace, who caught four passes in the second half for 94 yards in his first game since a season-ending knee injury 11 months ago, admitted to being pleasantly surprised.

Seeing him, I know he can play, I know he can run, I know he can do what hes supposed to do, but with him being a freshman and the first time out there, playing on the big stage, you dont really know what to expect, Wallace said.

He definitely exceeded my expectations, went out there and did his thing, so Im really proud of the way he played.

Find more college sports stories from The Dallas Morning News here.

Go here to see the original:
Oklahoma State will take any COVID-era victory, but the Cowboys didnt look like a threat to the Sooners on - The Dallas Morning News

Hafley figured the last thing his team needed was more to think about.

Truthfully, I didnt have many expectations other than playing hard, playing for each other, and enjoying the moment today, Hafley said. Thats all I talked about. I didnt talk about Duke much all week. I didnt talk about playing a great game. I truthfully told the team today, You cant fail. Everything youve just been through, go play. Theres no failing today. Just have fun and go let it rip.

Still, there was no way around the oddity of it all. The sounds and scents that define a college game day were missing. There were empty parking lots where tailgates would normally be.

The seats at Wallace Wade Stadium that would have normally been filled with Duke fans were empty, save for cardboard cutouts in the first few rows. Even the sidelines felt sparse, with Boston College carrying fewer players in its traveling party and more space between them for social distancing.

This was college football in a COVID-19 world, but it was college football nonetheless.

Its different, said tight end Hunter Long. "Its all new to us. Its new to everybody, but at the end of the day were just playing football. Its what we do all the time.

"Its been such a long road for us as a team, but credit to all the guys on the team. We held in there, stuck together, and to be able to play today was awesome.

Once the initial awkwardness set in, BC took its first steps into a surreal college football landscape with their win over the Blue Devils.

Hafley couldnt yet process the significance of earning his first win as a head coach. The Eagles piled up 440 yards of total offense, effective on the ground (140 yards) and through the air (300). Transfer quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who waited patiently through a frustrating process to have his eligibility approved by the NCAA, shined in his first game under center, completing 17 of 23 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Zay Flowers caught five passes for 162 yards and a score. Long caught seven more for 93 yards and a TD.

The highlights matter, but not more than the big picture.

Weve been through so much together, Long said. Weve only been together for nine months, but in those nine months, weve been through stuff that no teams ever had to deal with before.

Across the ACC, North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech had games postponed for COVID-related reasons. The fact that BC was able to follow protocols, return just one positive test since June, and make its game happen underscored the effort it took just to take the field.

You keep it about the team and you keep it about each other, Hafley said. "The same way weve had 2,500 tests and we havent had a positive, you look out for one another and you take care of each other and you bring juice with each other. This games about anybody else. Its really not, its not even about me. Its about the team.

It was about them and they went out and played. I dont think our guys noticed [the atmosphere]. I think they had a blast on the sideline, they had a ton of energy, they never ever looked down. Its who this team is. Were going to have our ups and downs but it wont matter as long as the process is right and we stick together and we do things the right way.

The Eagles opened up in familiar fashion, chewing up yards on the ground with a 10-play, 81-yard opening drive fueled by five carries by David Bailey for 21 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown that put BC up 7-0 early.

But after going into the half up 7-6, they dialed it up in the second half. Jurkovec threw two touchdowns in the third quarter a 61-yard bomb to Flowers and a 9-yard score to Long that showed the offenses potential firepower.

But Hafley just wanted his team to stay in the moment. He didnt give much thought to what the past six months have meant.

Maybe tonight on the plane or when I get home, he said.

But he did catch himself getting emotional after the game. He said he wanted to give each player a game ball.

When they look back on that date, theyre going to remember one of the hardest points of their lives that they had to battle through and sacrifice, Hafley said. And no one will ever take this day away from them. No one will ever take away how hard they worked to get to this point. And its so much bigger than coming here and beating Duke. This day will forever be about this team and what they did to get to this point.

Julian Benbow can be reached at julian.benbow@globe.com.

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Boston College caps long, unusual journey with impressive road win over Duke - The Boston Globe

MAMARONECK, N.Y. (AP) The Latest from the third round of the U.S. Open, golf's second major of the year (all times local):

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2:05 p.m.

Alex Noren showed the leaders that low scores can be had at Winged Foot in the third round of the U.S. Open.

Teeing off early, the Swedish golfer shot a 3-under 67 to reach 3 over for the tournament.

Noren nearly drove the green at the 332-yard sixth hole for a birdie and had three more birdies to offset a bogey on No. 8. He shot 72-74 the first two rounds and is seven shots behind leader Patrick Reed.

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12:45 p.m.

The leaders at the U.S. Open are still two hours away from teeing off and already have a pretty good idea of what to expect at Winged Foot if they're watching on TV.

Alex Noren is the only player through nine holes who is under par. Temperatures were in the upper 40s when the third round began and are only expected to nudge past 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 Celsius). The wind isn't strong, but it's enough. The scores? Typical for a U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

Troy Merritt was wrapping up his third round with one birdie on his card and plenty of bogeys or worse.

Patrick Cantlay isn't faring much better. And if a tough course wasn't enough, he might have received the worst break of the week. Cantlay was playing a lofted pitch to the 15th when it struck the pin, rolled down the slope and kept going. He had to walk backward 20 yards to play his next shot. He did well to make bogey.

Patrick Reed was leading at 4 under by one shot over Bryson DeChambeau. They were among six players still under par. That number was likely to shrink.

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The Latest: Noren shoots 67 early in 3rd round at US Open - Your Valley

These days, NFL running backs are, to some extent, viewed as expendable. Teams no longer build their offense around one, bruising ball-carrier; its simply easier to build a talented unit and plug a new running back in as necessary. Frank Gore, however, is a survivor from a bygone era.

Now in his 16th NFL season, the veteran running back is still going strong; he signed a one-year contract with the New York Jets in May, and, with LeVeon Bell injured, he should see plenty of work. Despite those current commitments, though, Frank Gore recently revealed his plans for leaving pro football behind.

RELATED: Frank Gore Could Become the First NFL Player to Play Alongside His Son

At this point in his career, Frank Gore simply seems like part of the NFL landscape; its impossible to imagine a time when he wasnt hitting the gridiron each Sunday. That perception, though, shouldnt overshadow his impressive career.

Gore played his college ball at Miami, where he burst onto the scene as a true freshman. While his time on campus wasnt always easyhe suffered multiple ACL injuries, missing most of two seasonshe still piled up 1,975 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in 28 NCAA appearances.

The running back then entered into the 2005 NFL draft and joined the San Francisco 49ers as a second-round pick. While Gore didnt make much of an impact during his rookie campaign, that wasnt a sign of things to come. Once the 2006 season rolled around, the sophomore seized the starting job; he promptly broke off a 1,695-yard year.

In total, Frank Gore spent 10 seasons in the Bay Area, piling up just over 11,000 rushing yards and 64 touchdowns. He then headed to Indianapolis, spending three campaigns with the Colts, before joining the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills on two-straight one-year contracts.

In May 2020, Gore signed another one-year deal, this time with the New York Jets. Even at age 37, the running back has no intention of leaving pro football behind.

At this point, its not clear when Frank Gore plans to retire. Whenever that moment comes, though, he has one specific plan: to ride off into the sunset as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, Gore and Niners CEO Jed York have already discussed a return to San Francisco. Even if its only on a ceremonial one-day contract, the veteran running back wants to end his career where it began.

I got to. Thats the team that gave me the opportunity to do something I always wanted to do when I was a kid, play NFL ball, Gore explained. I was there for 10 great years. Been on bad teams and been on great teams. I love it out there.

RELATED: Frank Gores Hall of Fame Career Has Resulted in Him Racking up a Huge Net Worth

Under ordinary circumstances, fans and pundits might not look too kindly on a player discussing his retirement plans during the season. Frank Gore, however, has earned the right to retire however he wants.

While you could call Gore a compilerits easy to pile up rushing yards if you play for more than a decadethat shouldnt devalue the running backs accomplishments. Hes been remarkably durable, never appearing in fewer than 11 games per season for the entirety of his career, and currently sits third on the NFLs all-time rushing list. Even if hes accumulated his stats over a longer time period, 15,371 is impressive, no matter how you achieve it.

On Sunday, Frank Gore will face the San Francisco 49ers as a member of the New York Jets. When it comes time to retire, though, hell pull on that red jersey one final time.

Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference

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Frank Gore Just Revealed How He Wants to His NFL Career to End - Sportscasting

Judy Terry, Green Thumb Published 7:30 a.m. CT Sept. 19, 2020

It has been a week of incredible sunshine and great temperatures that we hope will continue now that fall is just about here. Soon, we will be doing garden clean up, but now is the time to skip ahead several months to think about spring.

I have always thought planting bulbs in the fall is an act of faith. Sliding large bulbs into the still-warm earth, knowing a couple of seasons will pass before you see any results, is optimism. Yet, we plant, and we are quite sure they will bloom and bring warm weather with them.

This week, I visited the Ashton house on the bend of Park Road and Rocky Shore Drive. There are eight acres around the house with a view of the Iowa River. Each Monday, Project GREEN members, led by Diane Allen, arrive to spend a couple of hours making this landscape not just beautiful, but outstanding.

One announcement that met with cheerswas that a friend of Project GREEN would be donating up to a 1,000 bulbs to the project. Lots of work, but typically they are excited about it and looking forward to the happy planting times.

This the back side of the Aston House. Infront, you'll see turned over ground ready to be planted. Imagine it with a mass of daffodils.(Photo: Diane Allen / For the Press-Citizen)

Besides doing weeding and clean-up, many in the group were planting bulbs. That day, Grape Hyacinth or Muscari, an early spring purple/blue flower, small, but resembling a bunch of grapes, was being tucked in the ground in several different flower beds.

Next will come daffodils and maybe tulips, though the deer population is large and hungry and tulips are irresistible to them. Not so the daffodils. Not to their taste.

Luckily, they are favored by many gardeners, giving us a spring show that is hard to beat.

Linda Bergquist, Project GREEN volunteer is ready to plant spring bulbs in her chosen area at the Ashton House.(Photo: Judy Terry / Special to the Press-Citizen)

There are few rules as to planting spring bulbs, but it doesnt hurt to remember them. This is a down on your knees kind of job. Notice the pad Linda has in the picture above.

Daffodils are one of the largest bulbs to plant. When buying, look for big ones, nice and plump without any soft spots, as they will give you the largest flower. You will need to plant them two-and-a-half times their size, which makes a hole anywhere from 6-9 inches deep.

Find a place in your yard that gets lots of suna minimum of 6 hours in the spring. Grouping bulbs together always makes for a good show. Compost is a nice addition to the soil if sand or clay is present. Do cover well with soil and perhaps a few inches of mulch; this will help keep the squirrels from feasting on your bulbs.

Daffodil blooming in several shapes with white and yellow contrasting cups.(Photo: Judy Terry / Special to the Press-Citizen)

Spring bulbs are best planted in September and October, when the ground is cooler and the weather is nice. Like me, though, you may buy some and forget to plant them. Perhaps as you look around for Christmas paper and boxes you discover them. It may not be too late. In a column nearer cold weather, I will give you some advice as to planting them, even if there is snow on the ground.

Be Safe. Wear a Mask. Enjoy Gardening.

Do you have garden survival stories you want to share? Email me at judyaterry@gmail.com.

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September is the start of spring bulb planting season - Iowa City Press-Citizen