Tag: Florida State Seminoles

Duke softball wins road series over No. 16 Florida State

Duke softball lost its second game of the season on Saturday, but the Blue Devils still took two out of three from their ranked ACC foes.

Duke softball traveled to Tallahassee this weekend for its first ACC road trip of the 2024 season.

Despite the No. 6 Blue Devils suffering their first loss since the season opener, Duke still left with a series victory over the No. 16 Florida State.

The Blue Devils rode into town with a 20-game win streak and showed no signs of slowing down on Friday night.

Duke star pitcher Jala Wright got the start on the mound and continued her exceptional form to begin the 2024 season. She hadn’t allowed an earned run in her previous 26 innings when she tossed her first pitch of the weekend, and she retired her first nine batters of the opening game. She struck out the entire side in the second inning, and after a leadoff single ended her perfect game in the fourth, she retired the side with her fourth strikeout of the day to end the inning.

On the offensive end, senior left fielder Claire Davidson launched a two-run home run in the opening inning to claim an early lead. She drove in another run two innings later when she tripled into left field, giving Duke a 3-0 advantage.

Davidson came to the plate for the third time in the fifth inning with two runners on, and she again laced a single into the outfield for her fourth RBI of the afternoon. Second baseman Aminah Vega doubled home two more runs in the very next at-bat, and Duke led 7-0 after four innings.

Shortstop Jada Baker picked up two RBIs herself in the middle of the game, first with an RBI single in the fourth inning before a solo home run in the sixth stretched the lead to eight. A two-run double from Vega later ballooned the advantage to 10-0 as she, Baker, and Davidson drove in every Blue Devils run.

Florida State’s bats finally awoke in the bottom of the sixth, picking up four runs (including the first earned run on Wright in nearly a month) after a handful of singles and walks. However, the Seminoles couldn’t pull any closer than 10-5 before the final out was recorded.

The road rivals bounced back on Saturday, however, to hand Duke its first loss since the season opener. Duke’s star sophomore Cassidy Curd started the second game in the circle, but Florida State chased her after just two innings. After an opening flyout, the Seminoles laced together four straight hits in the first inning, including two doubles and a triple, for a 3-0 lead before the end of the opening frame.

The Blue Devils’ offense could never get off the ground in the second game of the weekend, with only one baserunner (an Ana Gold walk in the first) across the first four innings. Florida State added a fourth run in the third inning, and a sixth-inning Duke rally could only muster two runs.

With the series on the line on Sunday, however, the Blue Devils came through.

After a Florida State run in the opening frame, Francesca Frelick rocked around the tying run in the second with a sacrifice fly. One inning later, Vega and Amiah Burgess brought in another run each to stretch the advantage to 3-1.

Duke still led 5-3 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, but Florida State refused to let the series end early. With the tying run on third base with only one out, however, Duke gave Wright the ball again.

The star pitcher forced a groundout (albeit surrendering the tying run due to contact) and a flyout to force an extra inning.

As was the story on Friday, Claire Davidson played hero once again. The Blue Devils led by two after a double by slugger Ana Gold, but the senior outfielder launched another home run to break the game apart in extra innings.

Florida State couldn’t score a run in the bottom of the eighth, giving Duke the series win and improving the Blue Devils to 22-2 on the season.

The Blue Devils play UNC Wilmington in a home doubleheader on Wednesday.

Charles Davis sends Vikings EDGE rusher, not QB in mock draft

With the top four quarterbacks gone, NFL Network’s Charles Davis sends the Minnesota Vikings Florida State EDGE Jared Verse.

The Minnesota Vikings are in a position where they can go in multiple directions to help build their franchise. The defensive needs pieces on all three levels to continue the growth Brian Flores started last season while the offense is going to need at the very least a quarterback of the future.

In his latest mock draft, NFL Network’s Charles Davis doesn’t have the Vikings taking a quarterback in the first round but rather Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse.

The Vikings boost the pass rush in hopes of overtaking Detroit and Green Bay in the division.

The Vikings boost the pass rush in hopes of overtaking Detroit and Green Bay in the division.

It was a tough draw for the Vikings in this mock draft, as the top four quarterbacks went in the top six.  If that happens and the Vikings don’t re-sign Kirk Cousins, things would be really interesting for the Vikings.

Who could they target in free agency? Sam Darnold? Baker Mayfield? Needless to say, fans wouldn’t be too thrilled.

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10 players whose 2024 NFL Draft stock is rising (Rome Odunze!) and 5 who are falling after the combine

Rome Odunze solidified his spot as a top 10 pick. Quinyon Mitchell could be the first CB drafted. Kam Kinchens, on the other hand…

The horizon of the 2024 NFL Draft got a little bit clearer last week. Not incredibly so, but we’ve got a little more insight on how this year’s rookie selection process will unfold.

That’s thanks to four days of workouts at the scouting combine. The annual event saw its typical share of star players skipping drills, but the players who took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium gave scouts and analysts across the league a better idea of what they’ll bring to the pros.

Some prospects shined. Others fizzled. And pretty much every one will get a re-do when it comes to their colleges’ respective Pro Days in March and April. That makes it tough to glean too much information from 40-yard dash times and vertical jumps.

We do know, however, which players are trending upward and who are sliding down draft boards after the Indianapolis event. Here are 15 players who stood out — some for the right reasons and others less so.

Men’s Basketball: Duke’s ACC opponents for 2024 are set

The ACC released its conference opponent schedule for 2024-25 on Thursday evening. See who Duke will host and travel to here.

The Duke Blue Devils have officially entered the month of March, which means things will get serious for them on the basketball court. The Blue Devils have just three regular-season games remaining before they play in the ACC Tournament and, after that, the NCAA Tournament for a chance to win the program’s sixth national title.

Even while that takes place, there’s an eye on next year’s team as the Blue Devils discover who their conference opponents will be for the 2024-25 season.

Next year is a big year for the ACC as it welcomes three new teams to the conference: SMU, Stanford, and California.

The expansion means some tweaks to the normal ACC schedule, however, and the conference revealed each team’s ACC foes for the 2024-25 season on Thursday.

Duke’s 20-game schedule for 2024-25 features two two-game series (home and away) versus its two current partners, North Carolina and Wake Forest. The Blue Devils are 1-2 currently this year against both teams. They also have a home-and-away series with the Miami Hurricanes for next season.

Duke will host California at Cameron Indoor for the first time. The last time the schools played was in 2019 when Duke blew Cal out by 35 points in an 87-52 win in the 2K Empire Classic.

Florida State, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Stanford, and Virginia Tech will all come to Cameron next year. Duke will travel for road games at Boston College, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Louisville, SMU, Syracuse, and Virginia next season.

Duke is 3-1 all-time against SMU in basketball. The Blue Devils’ road trip to SMU is only their second all-time, having played in Dallas on Dec. 8, 1977 – a game which Duke won by 24 points 91-67.

The ACC recently announced that, with the conference expanding to 18 members, only the top 15 teams in the conference will participate in the ACC Tournament next year, which is set to be played March 11-15 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The full schedule will be announced early this fall, equipped with specific game dates, times, and networks.

Braden Fiske turns the NFL Scouting Combine into his personal playground

Braden Fiske’s NFL Combine triumph, marked by a 33.5-inch vertical and a 9-foot, 9-inch broad jump, has catapulted him into the spotlight. Discover how this Florida State standout is redefining athleticism, making him a must-watch prospect in the upcoming NFL draft.

The college football world is usually cynical about the transfer portal’s impact on college football, Braden Fiske emerges not just as a counter-narrative but as a full-blown saga of triumph. From a small school in Michigan to one of the big three schools in Florida. His recent performance at the NFL Combine has not merely raised eyebrows; it has spun heads.

Let’s talk numbers because, in Fiske’s case, they don’t just speak; they holler through a megaphone. At the combine with a 33.5-inch vertical leap that screams “I defy gravity,” and a 9-foot, 9-inch broad jump that might as well have been a short flight, Fiske jumped out of the gym, he looked to be auditioning for a superhero role. And a 4.78 40-yard dash at 292 pounds? That’s not just fast; that’s “Are you sure he’s not a tight end?” fast.

A contrast made even more stark when you consider the legendary FSU receiver Anquan Boldin, who, despite being almost 100 lbs lighter and three inches shorter, also ran in the 4.7 range. Fiske’s performance was better than anticipated and reminded us of the genetic outliers that the men in the front seven can be.

But before we get too carried away with the metrics (too late?), let’s consider the man behind the stats. A product of the gritty gridirons of Western Michigan before transferring to Florida State, Fiske’s journey is less of a straight line and more of a testament to tenacity. At WMU Fiske honed his craft to the point where the word ‘dominant’ started feeling inadequate.

Transitioning from Western Michigan to FSU, he not only faced a higher level of competition but thrived, becoming an AP All-American. He got to FSU a polished product and was an instant impact for FSU and head coach Mike Norvell.

During the Senior Bowl, Fiske’s name was on repeat, echoing through the stadium like a hit song’s hook. But the Combine was where Fiske transformed from a draft prospect to a draft must-have. Rich Eisen and company could not stop talking about him on the broadcast.

It’s not just the explosive power or the nimble feet; it’s the “motor” as Fiske puts it. In a sport where effort can be as critical as talent, Fiske’s relentless pursuit of the ball is commendable. It’s also a core part of his brand. It’s as if he’s taken the ethos of “chase the ball like it owes you money” and turned it into an art form.

And let’s not overlook the mental aspect. Fiske’s acumen, his ability to dissect plays, and his knack for being in the right place at the right time, are all part of a package that screams NFL readiness.

In a draft class teeming with talent, Fiske’s performance at the combine has opened a lot of eyes. As the draft approaches one thing is clear:

Braden Fiske is a player to be excited about, a player who reminds us why we watch football in the first place – for the sheer, unadulterated thrill of seeing talent, hard work, and determination converge on the grand stage.

6 standout performers from NFL Scouting Combine DL, EDGE and LB drills

Day 1 of the NFL Scouting Combine had the defensive line, edge rushers and linebackers working out. These 6 players stood out in a big way.

When the 200+ NFL Draft prospects get their invites for the NFL Scouting Combine, they know the opportunity that lies ahead. They have the chance to showcase their athleticism and football IQ in front of all 32 teams.

The best part of the combine is seeing the prospects that use this opportunity to boost their draft stocks and earn some money on draft day.

On Thursday, the defensive linemen and the linebackers took center stage in Indianapolis and put on a show for the coaches and scouts in attendance. Some players separated themselves from the rest of the pack with their testing results. We give them their flowers in this exercise.

College Football Playoff Committee announces format for 12-team playoff: How could it look?

The College Football Playoff Committee announced the format for the expanded 12-team playoff. How would it have looked based on the final 2023 CFP rankings?

The College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams in 2024. However, it hadn’t yet been settled how the 12 teams would be selected.

On Tuesday, the College Football Playoff Committee announced a 5+7 model for selecting the 12 teams that will vie for the national championship through the expanded playoff. This is a change from the originally agreed upon 6+6 model that included the six highest-ranked conference champions. This comes after the Pac-12 was reduced to just Oregon State and Washington State after the latest round of realignment.

The assumption is the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC will receive four of those five automatic bids and the other could come from the Pac-12 or a Group of Five conference.

The five highest-ranked conference champions will receive automatic bids. The four highest-ranked conference champions will receive a first-round bye, with seeds 5-12 facing each other at the home venues of seeds 5-8.

According to a release from the College Football Playoff Committee, the quarterfinals and semifinal games will be played at the sites of the New Year’s Six bowl venues. The national title game will continue to be played at a neutral site.

Though there will be automatic qualifiers, no conference is guaranteed a spot in the playoff and there are no limitations on the number of teams each conference can send to the playoff. Why does this caveat matter? Well, the Pac-12 is now the Pac-2, with only Oregon State and Washington State remaining. Their schedule may not warrant consideration for an automatic bid in the playoff if they aren’t one of the top five conference champions.

Conversely, the SEC, which is arguably the most competitive conference, had four teams ranked in the top 12 of the final College Football Playoff rankings for 2023. Throw Oklahoma and Texas into the mix and that’s six programs that will play football in 2024 from the SEC in the top 12 with LSU at No. 13. What will make up the Big Ten in 2024 had five teams inside the top 12.

So what would the 2023 [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] field look like if it had been a 12-team playoff?

Andy Katz names Jared McCain his Player of the Week following 35-point outburst against Florida State

Duke freshman Jared McCain was named Andy Katz’ Player of the Week after a 35-point game against FSU and a double-double against Wake Forest.

By now, Jared McCain’s scintillating shooting performance in Tallahassee has introduced him to everyone in college basketball.

The true freshman from Sacramento, California, opened up more eyes this weekend after his 35 points helped carry Duke to a win on the road against an always-tough Florida State team coached by Leonard Hamilton.

Duke needed every single point McCain provided. For his efforts, McCain was named ACC Rookie of the Week, and college basketball reporter Andy Katz called McCain his national Player of the Week.

McCain’s week ended with the win and 35-point explosion over FSU, but earlier that week against Wake Forest, McCain also dropped a 17-point double-double while shooting 3/7 from distance.

He averaged a whopping 26 points per game for the week, and his total field goal percentage for the week’s games was 53%, He shot 61% from the 3-point line.

For good measure, McCain averaged seven rebounds a game, too.

 

We’ve discussed how McCain tied a Duke freshmen record held by a legendary one-and-done player, Zion Williamson. Still, McCain is now flirting with a place within the top 10 all-time 3-point shooting seasons by a Duke freshman. He’s tied currently with Austin Rivers at No. 10 with 58 made threes. One more 3-pointer with eight games left would see him officially pass Rivers and firmly move inside the top 10.

With four more makes from deep, he’d pass his head coach, Jon Scheyer, who had 61 in his freshman season at Duke.

With McCain, Duke has found a dynamic long-range threat that could affect how teams gameplan for Duke the rest of the way—playing off that could benefit Duke greatly as they continue to push toward the NCAA Tournament.

Jared McCain named ACC Rookie of the Week after 35-point FSU game

First-year Duke guard Jared McCain took home ACC Rookie of the Week honors after a 35-point game against FSU and a 17-point double-double against Wake Forest.

Jared McCain was named the ACC Rookie of the Week on Monday after his two exceptional performances against Florida State and Wake Forest last week.

First, in a Monday game against the Demon Deacons, the former five-star recruit scored 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for his third double-double in four games. He finished the game an inefficient 4/10 from the floor but he added four assists as the Blue Devils took down one of the better teams in the ACC.

He turned the most heads for his stellar performance against Florida State, however. McCain finished the first half against the Seminoles with 25 points after he made seven of his eight 3-point attempts over the first 20 minutes, including a step-back dagger in transition in the final seconds of the half.

McCain finished Saturday’s game against FSU with 35 points, tying a Duke freshman record for the most points in a single game. He made 12 of his 20 shot attempts and buried eight 3-pointers over the game, the most in a single game by a Blue Devils freshman in program history.

McCain has scored 20 or more points in seven different games since December 9, and he’s now averaging 13.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He’s shooting 46.2% from the floor and 41.1% from beyond the arc.

Mock draft roundup: How the experts see the Vikings draft plans

After seven weeks and 175 mock drafts, Saivion Mixson breaks down the potential fit for these NFL draft prospects and the Minnesota Vikings

With the first Sunday without football gone, there are only 28 more Sundays to go before the start of the regular season. That 28 becomes a dauntingly high number the more you look at it, so to help mitigate that, we are only one Sunday away from the NFL Scouting Combine, a showcase of over 320+ draft prospects as they look to hear their name called in the 2024 NFL Draft from April 25th-27th (9 Sundays away for those counting).

As we barrel forward into the off-season, there has been an abundance of draft pundits and analysts, ourselves over at Vikings Wire included, that have tried to fit the perfect player with their respective teams. In Tyler Forness’ recent mock draft roundup, he finds the results for the Minnesota Vikings and their projected prospect in 175 mock drafts up to this point, leading to some entertaining results.

Over these 175 data points, 19 players have projected to become Vikings at six unique positions, bringing a different skill set to the purple and gold with each selection. With this, I break down the results and make sense of the limitless possibilities for Minnesota and their 11th pick in this year’s draft.

Please see the evolution of these mock draft roundups below:

Mock Draft Roundup 1.0
Mock Draft Roundup 2.0
Mock Draft Roundup 3.0
Mock Draft Roundup 4.0
Mock Draft Roundup 5.0
Mock Draft Roundup 6.0
Mock Draft Roundup 7.0