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Thursday night CFB: Group of Five playoff candidate falls while South Alabama drops 87 points
While most football fans were tuned in to the Buffalo Bills-Miami Dolphins NFL game on "Thursday Night Football," they were missing out on some epic Week 3 college action.
Only two games were played but they both had a significant impact on the 2024-25 season. Let's get you caught up.
Arizona State knocks off Texas State, hampers playoff chances for Group of Five candidate
It wasn't the high-stakes matchup with major College Football Playoff implications everyone was anticipating for Week 3, but that's what ASU's upset of Texas State represented.
Surprising as it may be, the Bobcats were favored against the Sun Devils for two reasons: ASU was picked to finish last in the Big 12 and Texas State was a preseason favorite to reach the College Football Playoff as the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion.
Down 21-7 at one point, ASU mounted a comeback that was capped with three straight defensive stands resulting in turnovers in the fourth quarter. The Sun Devils escaped San Marcos, Texas with the 31-28 win.
Jordan McCloud makes a mistake throwing the pick late in the 4th quarter. That puts a lot more pressure on the Texas State defense as Arizona leads by 3. pic.twitter.com/qNqi3Cpbo6
— College Football Buzz (@CFBBUZ) September 13, 2024
ASU is now 3-0 for the first time since 2019 and has matched its win totals from the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The Sun Devils travel to Lubbock to face Texas Tech in its first-ever Big 12 game on Sept. 21.
South Alabama nearly breaks FBS record for points scored
Down in Mobile, Alabama, the South Alabama Jaguars whooped on FCS Northwestern State, dropping 87 points on the helpless Demons from Natchitoches, La.
According to ESPN, South Alabama's offensive nuclear explosion was the most points scored by an FBS team since 1991. Fresno State holds the mark with 91 points.
Complete domination from South Alabama
— ESPN (@espn) September 13, 2024
@SouthAlabamaFB pic.twitter.com/39EX1FMk25
South Alabama's beatdown of Northwestern State was so bad the officials had to shorten the fourth quarter. Talk about a mercy rule.
The 87-10 performance was, naturally, a school and conference record. South Alabama recorded 620 yards of total offense with nine different players scoring a touchdown on both sides of the ball combined.
More must-reads:
- Former Alabama QB says Texas is currently on par with Georgia
- Top five Week 3 college football games: TV info, predictions, start time
- The 'Division 1 Texas football teams' quiz
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CBS Sports projects where Michigan football will land in first AP Top 25
The first AP Top 25 poll for college football is set to be released on Monday. Although preseason rankings are hardly a way to measure how a team might fare in the season ahead, the polls often help give college football fans a good idea of which programs are expected to make some noise throughout the year. CBS Sports' Chip Patterson complied a list projecting the initial rankings, with the Wolverines checking in at No. 14, just behind Arizona State and right above Florida. "There's still some lingering credit for a Wolverines program that won the Big Ten three years in a row and claimed the national championship in 2023," Patterson wrote about Michigan. "Last season was a stark step back from that standard, but there's too much talent on the roster -- especially at quarterback now with standout freshman Bryce Underwood—for voters to keep unranked." The Wolverines check in behind four other teams from the Big Ten, with Patterson ranking Ohio State and Penn State at No. 2 and 3, respectively, while Oregon checks in at No. 7 on his list. Illinois comes in just outside the top 10 at No. 11 in the projected rankings. Indiana at No. 19 is the sixth Big Ten team to appear in the projected top 25. The entire projected Top 25 is listed as: 1. Texas 2. Ohio State 3. Penn State 4. Georgia 5. Clemson 6. Notre Dame 7. Oregon 8. Alabama 9. LSU 10. Miami (FL) 11. Illinois 12. South Carolina 13. Arizona State 14. Michigan 15. Flordia 16. Ole Miss 17. SMU 18. Tennessee 19. Indiana 20. Texas Tech 21. Texas A M 22. Kansas State 23. Iowa State 24. Boise State 25. Oklahoma If the Wolverines do end up at No. 14 in the initial AP Top 25, that would be identical to their Coaches Poll ranking, which also stands at No. 14 heading into Week 1. With Michigan avoiding the Ducks Nittany Lions and Hoosiers this season, the Buckeyes will be the only preseason ranked team across the board Sherrone Moore's team has on the scheudle. We'll see if Oklahoma, Michigan's Week 2 opponent, appears in the first AP poll. More Michigan News Michigan basketball a top school for top-30 overall recruit Report: Michigan to land one of nation's top quarterbacks Major Michigan football recruiting target sets game day visit CBS Sports writer believes Michigan football sign stealing saga is a top storyline heading into 2025 season
A Hidden Prospect Could Open Big Trade Doors for the Oilers
With a stacked blue line and limited roster spots, Edmonton could turn one of its top young, somewhat undiscovered, defensemen into a key bargaining chip when the trade deadline approaches. That prospect is Beau Akey, and he’s looking to make a name for himself this season. The Oilers have a luxury most teams can’t claim — a veteran-heavy, Cup-contending blue line. But that depth also potentially blocks the path for Akey, who is one of their most intriguing young defense prospects. Akey is coming off a strong bounce-back season in junior after double shoulder surgery. A full season of good health could do wonders for his reputation as someone who has a bright future. Last year with the OHL’s Barrie Colts, he posted 32 points in 52 games, added five assists in the playoffs, and wore a leadership role. Known for his elite skating and crisp passing, he’s now set to make the leap to pro hockey in Bakersfield (AHL). “I’m 100 percent now,” Akey said during camp. “I’m looking to make the step to professional hockey (this season), so I’m looking to show the Oilers that at training camp. I want to give my all to try and make the Oilers and try to prove to them I can make an NHL roster.” Oilers development staff already love his mobility and offensive instincts, but they want him to sharpen the defensive side of his game. In the meantime, he’s a premium asset waiting in the wings — a 20-year-old right-shot defenseman with top-four potential. The Oilers know he can be a future impact player for them. That means he can also be an impact player for someone else. Edmonton won’t be looking to move the youngster. That said, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if he pops up on radars around the league. Oilers senior director of player development Kalle Larsson said, “A healthy Beau Akey is an elite skater, he can break the puck out well and he has offense.” He added, “I think in pro, he’ll be a two-way defenseman that will need to be more reliable defensively.” Akey Will Be a Trade Piece that Other Teams Look At For a team chasing a Stanley Cup, players like this are gold. They can grow into future cornerstones or become the centerpiece of a trade for immediate help. If Edmonton needs a deadline boost — be it a depth scorer, penalty-kill specialist, or injury insurance — Akey could headline a package that draws serious interest from rebuilding teams or clubs on a timeline where they’ll be contenders in two or three seasons. The Oilers will decide later whether to keep him for the long haul or flip him for a win-now piece. Either way, they’re holding a hidden card that could make all the difference come spring.
Steelers Rookie Kaleb Johnson Gets Very Honest Rating In First Game Against Jacksonville
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted running back Kaleb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Johnson comes to the Steel City after a tremendous career at Iowa, where he routinely faced stacked defensive fronts and still found ways to excel. The Steelers clearly believe he has the physicality, vision, and work ethic to contribute right away, especially in an offense that prides itself on a strong running game. In the Steelers’ first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh came away with a 31-25 victory. Johnson saw limited but notable action, carrying the football eight times for 20 yards and catching one pass for six yards. While his stat line didn’t jump off the page, his debut provided the coaching staff with an initial look at how he adjusts to NFL speed and physicality. Following the game, former Steelers two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Hoke appeared on the KDKA Nightly Sports Call to give his honest assessment of Johnson’s first NFL outing. Hoke noted that while Johnson showed flashes of his college toughness, he still needs to work on reading NFL-level defenses and hitting the hole with more urgency. He emphasized that preseason is about learning and adapting, and that Johnson has the tools to grow into a productive player for Pittsburgh if he embraces the grind. "On the one sack earlier in the game, Mason [Rudolph] wanted to check it down to him and he stayed in to protect," Hoke said Saturday on the KDKA Nightly Sports Call. "There's been a lot of talk about, 'Can Kaleb Johnson protect?' That's a big part of why he needs to be out there getting these reps, because he needs to protect Aaron Rodgers in the regular season. He stayed in there too long, didn't leak out for the safety valve, but Kaleb Johnson broke tackles." Hoke, as a whole, sounded very pleased with what he saw from Johnson. While the stats were not impressive, the eye test revealed Johnson’s burst and vision. Perhaps his best moment came when he planted Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter into the turf. Hoke acknowledged that Johnson still has plenty to work on but expressed confidence that he can get there. "A lot of times when you are a running back and you get to a hole, you are going to have a guy there," Hoke continued. "You've got to make the first guy miss. He stiffed-arm, he got outside, got some positive yardage when a lot of times we saw last year running backs were going down on contact at the first guy. So, I really like what I see from Kaleb Johnson." The Steelers’ running back room looks noticeably different heading into the 2025 season. Like several other key positions on the roster, it underwent a complete overhaul. Pittsburgh will open the year with a one-two punch of Jaylen Warren and Johnson, though many analysts believe Johnson could begin stealing carries from Warren as the season progresses and eventually emerge as the lead back. Steelers Could Have A Punishing Rushing Attack In addition to Warren and Johnson, the Steelers added veteran running back Kenneth Gainwell in the offseason. Fresh off a Super Bowl victory with the Philadelphia Eagles, Gainwell brings playoff experience and versatility to the group. Together, this trio will be the foundation that Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith and Head Coach Mike Tomlin lean on to power the offense. If the Steelers are serious about being legitimate contenders in 2025, their ground game will need to set the tone early and often. With Smith’s physical, run-first philosophy and a backfield that blends youth, experience, and explosiveness, Pittsburgh has the pieces to build one of the most punishing rushing attacks in the league.
Yankees have humiliating play in the field during latest loss
The New York Yankees are down horrific right now. The Yankees lost again on Sunday, falling to the Houston Astros by a 7-1 final score and also making fools of themselves in the process. During the top of the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium in New York, N.Y., the Astros had runners on second and third with one out. Houston infielder Ramon Urias came in as a pinch-hitter and proceeded to lift a shallow fly ball into left field. The ball dropped in the middle of three Yankees fielders (Cody Bellinger, Anthony Volpe, and Jazz Chisholm Jr.), allowing Jose Altuve, the runner on third, to score. The sequence got infinitely more embarrassing when Bellinger picked up the ball and attempted to fire it back into the infield … only for the ball to slip and land about 15 feet to Bellinger’s right (and still on the outfield grass). Here is the ridiculous video. That was awful communication, awful awareness, and awful execution right there. Congratulations to the Yankees for pulling off the hat trick of ineptitude on just one play. If there is any silver lining for the Yankees, the game was already out of reach at that point anyway, so the mishap only hurt their ego rather than their chances of actually winning. But nonetheless, that summed up the Yankees’ embarrassing recent downslide all too well. The Yankees were sitting at 60-49 to begin the month of August and had a comfortable 2.5 game lead as the No. 1 Wild Card spot in the AL. But they have since gone an awful 2-7, knocking them down to Wild Card spot No. 3 (and now just half a game away from falling out of the playoff picture altogether). Making matters worse is that it appears the Yankees only have themselves to blame for their recent skid. To go along with bullpen woes and inexplicable mental mistakes, the Yankees have now forgotten how to pick up a baseball as well.
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