Tag: championship

How the Saints can clinch a record-breaking 4th NFC South title

The New Orleans Saints can lose their Week 14 game with the Eagles and still win the NFC South, but they’ll need some help from the Vikings.

For once, the New Orleans Saints control their own destiny. They aren’t relying on the results of three or four other games to decide which playoff seed is theirs — or if they’ll reach the postseason at all. They won’t have to watch other scoreboards or hurry into the locker room to stream another game’s final minutes.

They’ve already clinched a playoff berth. But another win on Sunday secures the NFC South, and the promise of hosting a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in January. It gets the Saints that much closer to locking up the first seed, and everything that comes with it: homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and an all-too-valuable first-round bye week.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. If the Saints slip up and lose this week’s matchup, they can still win the division, with a little help from a frequent rival. And wouldn’t that be something?

Here’s how the Saints can win the NFC South division title for the fourth year in a row, breaking a record they hold with the Carolina Panthers (division champs from 2013 to 2015) for the most consecutive wins since the division’s founding:

In-state recruiting key for Florida’s growing momentum

That class formed the basis for much of the team’s dominance 2008-09, leading to a national championship and SEC title in the former season.

Despite earning double-digit wins in each of his first two seasons at the helm of the Florida football program, coach Dan Mullen has received criticism for his recruiting success (or lack thereof). The Gators have landed top-10 recruiting classes in 2019 and 2020, but those classes weren’t elite in terms of the rest of the SEC, falling fifth and sixth, respectively.

But in the last week, Mullen received pledges from a pair of Miami prospects and teammates at Palmetto High School — five-star cornerback Jason Marshall and four-star safety Corey Collier. Those two additions became the highest-rated prospects in the class on the 247Sports Composite, and they bumped UF’s class up to the No. 6 spot in the nation.

A major reason for Florida’s success in this recruiting cycle is its ability to keep top Floridian prospects in-state. Nineteen players in the 2021 class hail from the state, the most since Urban Meyer’s 2007 class.

That class featured Sunshine State prospects like the Pouncey twins, Major Wright, Ahmad Black and Chris Rainey. It formed the basis for much of the team’s dominance in 2008 and 2009, leading to a national championship and SEC title in the former season.

Recruiting the state is much harder than it was a decade ago, as top out-of-state programs like Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and LSU all have made in-roads at high schools throughout the state. If Mullen begins to retain state talent at similar rates to what Meyer did in the late 2000s, it would bode well for the future of the UF program, which is still searching for its first conference title since 2008.

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Jugador de 225 libras consigue ascenso en Inglaterra y lo felicita Klopp

El Wycombe Wanderers ascendió a la Championship, segunda división inglesa por primera vez en 133 años, equipo donde milita el popular jugador Adebayo Akinfenwa, futbolista de 38 años y ¡225 libras (120 kilos)! El delantero lleva más de 200 goles en …

El Wycombe Wanderers ascendió a la Championship, segunda división inglesa por primera vez en 133 años, equipo donde milita el popular jugador Adebayo Akinfenwa, futbolista de 38 años y ¡225 libras (120 kilos)!

El delantero lleva más de 200 goles en el futbol inglés y llevó a su equipo desde la cuarta división a este ascenso histórico.

Foto vía @produDeportivas

Es el delantero más pesado del mundo y fanático del Liverpool por lo que durante el festejo pidió que Júrgen Klopp lo llamara para felicitarlo algo que el alemán cumplió.

“¡Felicitaciones! Vi el partido, pero no las celebraciones posteriores, ni tu entrevista, pero Henderson y otros jugadores me dijeron que querías que me pusiera en contacto contigo. Estoy seguro de que toda tu vida has sido, como mínimo, un futbolista de Championship y finalmente lo has conseguido. Bien hecho. Es una gran victoria. Espero que incluso en estos tiempos tan extraños puedas celebrarlo apropiadamente”, dijo Klopp.

“You’ll Never Walk Alone” gritó Adebayor tras la llamada del técnico del Liverpool. Otros jugadores de los Reds como Jordan Henderson y Virgil van Dijk también enviaron felicitaciones por whatsapp al delantero recién ascendido.

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Rob Gronkowski Wins WWE 24/7 Championship at Wrestlemania

Rob Gronkowski Wins WWE 24/7 Championship at Wrestlemania Gronkowski ended up in the middle of the action
at WrestleMania, where he served as host of
the two-night event. Gronkowski jumped off a balcony at Wrestlemania 36
on Sunday night and landed on a group of wrestlers. The former NFL star pinned his friend Mojo Rawley
to become the new WWE 24/7 champion. Gronkowski quit his hosting duties and ran out
of the arena immediately after winning the title. The 24/7 championship was created in 2019 and
can be defended at any time in any location. The title has been held by several non-wrestlers, including
NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and the NBA’s Enes Kanter. Wrestlemania 36 took place at the
WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida,
on Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5.

Rob Gronkowski Wins WWE 24/7 Championship at Wrestlemania Gronkowski ended up in the middle of the action
at WrestleMania, where he served as host of
the two-night event. Gronkowski jumped off a balcony at Wrestlemania 36
on Sunday night and landed on a group of wrestlers. The former NFL star pinned his friend Mojo Rawley
to become the new WWE 24/7 champion. Gronkowski quit his hosting duties and ran out
of the arena immediately after winning the title. The 24/7 championship was created in 2019 and
can be defended at any time in any location. The title has been held by several non-wrestlers, including
NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and the NBA’s Enes Kanter. Wrestlemania 36 took place at the
WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida,
on Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5.

Rob Gronkowski Wins WWE 24/7 Championship at Wrestlemania

Rob Gronkowski Wins WWE 24/7 Championship at Wrestlemania Gronkowski ended up in the middle of the action
at WrestleMania, where he served as host of
the two-night event. Gronkowski jumped off a balcony at Wrestlemania 36
on Sunday night and landed on a group of wrestlers. The former NFL star pinned his friend Mojo Rawley
to become the new WWE 24/7 champion. Gronkowski quit his hosting duties and ran out
of the arena immediately after winning the title. The 24/7 championship was created in 2019 and
can be defended at any time in any location. The title has been held by several non-wrestlers, including
NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and the NBA’s Enes Kanter. Wrestlemania 36 took place at the
WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida,
on Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5.

Rob Gronkowski Wins WWE 24/7 Championship at Wrestlemania Gronkowski ended up in the middle of the action
at WrestleMania, where he served as host of
the two-night event. Gronkowski jumped off a balcony at Wrestlemania 36
on Sunday night and landed on a group of wrestlers. The former NFL star pinned his friend Mojo Rawley
to become the new WWE 24/7 champion. Gronkowski quit his hosting duties and ran out
of the arena immediately after winning the title. The 24/7 championship was created in 2019 and
can be defended at any time in any location. The title has been held by several non-wrestlers, including
NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and the NBA’s Enes Kanter. Wrestlemania 36 took place at the
WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida,
on Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5.

Comedian implores 49ers CB Richard Sherman to return to Seahawks

During Super Bowl LIV interviews, comedian Craig Gass took the time to beg 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman to rejoin the Seattle Seahawks.

During Super Bowl LIV interviews, comedian Craig Gass took the time to beg former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman to leave the San Francisco 49ers and return to the Emerald City.

“I know I messed up. I still care about you,” he told Sherman. “I know I made some mistakes. And if you just give me a chance, you think about coming back, I promise, I’ll treat you right.”

Sherman was one of the most beloved players during the Seahawks’ run throughout the early 2010s, so it would make sense to feel discontent at the mere concept of former fan favorites succeeding with another team, let alone a division rival.

Sherman responded to the apparent Seahawks fan’s plea by saying he appreciated the gesture but loves his current situation in the Bay Area.

“I really appreciate that and I’m so thankful,” Sherman said. “It had its ups and its downs, but right now the relationship I’m in I’m so happy. I’m so thankful for the people I have with me. They came to me in a time when I was really down and out, and they didn’t give up on me. There’s something about that you can just appreciate genuinely.”

Scores of 12s miss Sherman for his stellar play and personality, but his focus is on winning another Super Bowl championship while he still has the opportunity. Super Bowl LIV will kick off on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 3:30 p.m. PT.

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Seattle’s window of opportunity may close with Russell Wilson’s prime

The Seattle Seahawks’ championship window may close if QB Russell Wilson’s prime is wasted. They must continue to build around him.

The Seattle Seahawks may be in a precarious situation regarding their championship window. Their precious franchise quarterback Russell Wilson is 31 years old and will turn 32 on the back end of next season. There is no telling how long Wilson can keep up his consistently stellar play, and time may be running out.

Following Seattle’s loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs, the team headed into the offseason with several questions. Perhaps most notably, there are those who are concerned about whether or not Pete Carroll can elevate a team back to championship status once again.

The constant slow starts throughout Carroll’s tenure have often held the Seahawks back, even before the Super Bowl appearances. His stubborn philosophy of bringing the running game to the forefront even when it is not necessary has occasionally induced some groans although he always manages to keep the Seahawks competitive.

Carroll’s flaws have been well documented, but there may be an additional concern of exactly how many prime years Wilson has left. Particularly over the past three years, the team has relied extensively on their signal-caller to carry them to victory, but they may encounter more situations where he cannot do so in the near future.

Of course, we have recently seen quarterbacks have success into their mid-to-late 30s. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers spring to mind. However, the future is fragile in the NFL and Wilson’s prime could end up being wasted completely if the right decisions are not made to accommodate him. There is no telling if Wilson will maintain solid production into his later years like the aforementioned quarterbacks.

If there was ever a time for the Seahawks to win, it is now. However, the Seahawks must continue to build around Wilson not just so they can try to keep their window of opportunity open for the near future, but to prepare for when Wilson has passed his prime.

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Vegas Odds: Texas Longhorns Match Oklahoma For National Championship Odds

According to Vegas oddsmakers, the Texas Longhorns have the ninth-best odds to win the National Championship and that matches a rival.

Less than 72 hours removed from the National Championship game that saw the Louisiana State Tigers hoist the trophy as the best team in college football. As is the case with any championship, Vegas has already put together the odds for the next championship team.

The Texas Longhorns come in with the ninth-best odds according to Sports Betting Dime at +2500. Ironically enough that is the same exact odds as their rivals the Oklahoma Sooners have. The Longhorns are looking to best the Sooners for Big 12 supremacy and also looking for their first ever College Football Playoff appearance.

The best odds belong to the team that fell in the playoff championship game, the Clemson Tigers.

Texas fan’s rooting guide to the 2020 National Championship

After over five months of CFB, Clemson will face off against LSU in the National Championship. Who should Texas fans be rooting for tonight?

After roughly five months of Saturdays that were full of college football, the big game has finally arrived. Clemson will face off against Louisiana State in New Orleans for the 2020 National Championship. Both coming into the matchup with no losses, the excitement and expectations are being compared to the hype around the 2006 Rose Bowl between Texas and USC.

Defeating Oklahoma in the semi-final, LSU did Longhorn fans a favor by knocking the Sooners out of national championship contention early in the first quarter. Winning the game 63-28, the Tigers took care of business quickly and sat back and watched to see who their opponent would be.

In the other semi-final, Ohio State gave Clemson a run for their money early, having the chance to pull away from the Tigers like LSU did to Oklahoma. However, thanks to a couple of penalties before halftime, Clemson was able to storm back a win 29-23. Having the tougher path to this game, Clemson is battle-tested and ready for whatever LSU has to offer.

The Longhorns took on LSU earlier in the year, keeping them within a touchdown in early September. Besides Alabama and Auburn, nobody played them closer than Texas did. Both Sam Ehlinger and Joe Burrow had outstanding days, throwing for 401 and 471 yards respectively.

But who should Longhorn fans be cheering for in Monday’s game? Well, with LSU on the schedule for next season, having the opportunity to get a road victory against the defending national champions would be significant for Texas. The matchup against the Tigers will be important no matter what, but having a program like Texas versus the defending national champions is must-watch television.

If you mix that in with the fact that they took care of Oklahoma in the semi-final, Longhorn fans should be rooting for LSU in tonight’s national championship. Either way, it will be a fantastic game between two of the best teams in the history of college football.

You can catch the 2020 National Championship at 7:00 p.m. CST on ESPN.

BIG 12 Championship Game: What it means for Georgia

What the Oklahoma vs Baylor BIG 12 Championship Game means to Georgia football ahead of its UGA vs LSU game.

Currently, Oklahoma and Baylor are in a fight for the BIG 12 championship.

The Sooners and Bears, No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, are both playing for a shot at making the College Football Playoff.

In order for either of them to get in, they’ll need Georgia to lose to LSU today.

But if Baylor wins, the Bears may need more than just a Georgia loss. They may need Georgia to lose by at least one touchdown.

If Georgia loses to LSU today by, let’s say three points, then the Dawgs could have a very real argument for remaining at the No. 4 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings and sneaking in.

Now if Oklahoma wins today, Georgia needs to flat-out win. A close loss would not cut it.

However, it’s a different story when it comes to Baylor.

It’s unlikely, but does the committee want Baylor in? I personally don’t think they do.

Georgia has three top-15 wins to date, and if Baylor wins today it’ll have one top-25 win.

I don’t think anybody truly believe Baylor could hang with LSU, Clemson or Ohio State. And if Georgia manages to lose to LSU in a fight to the finish, there would be no doubt that Georgia would be the better option for the playoff.

But maybe I’m a little biased.