Tag: playoff

ESPN thinks this early season game is key for Oklahoma

The Sooners can’t overlook this opponent early on in their schedule.

College football season is getting closer. One surefire way to tell that the season is almost upon us is the release of the Associated Press Top 25. Even though the AP Top 25 isn’t as useful in the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] era, it’s something for fans to get excited or upset about in the days before the season kicks off.

The Oklahoma Sooners ranked 16th in the AP Top 25, the same place they landed in the US LBM Coaches Poll. OU has a daunting schedule in 2024, as it enters the SEC. However, ESPN believes a crucial early season, nonconference game could be telling for its chances to make the [autotag]playoff[/autotag] this year.

ESPN went team-by-team through the AP Top 25, giving best-case and worst-case scenarios for each. Then, it highlighted one game early in the season that will be crucial for that team.

OU’s ceiling was placed at an excellent 11-1, which would pleasantly surprise even the staunchest of Oklahoma defenders. However, the Sooners’ floor was placed at 6-6, which would be very disappointing after a 10-3 season last year. The ESPN matchup predictor put the Sooners at 9-3, which would have them on the verge of the playoff.

Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] improved from 2022 to 2023 and. Despite the program entering the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], the expectation is for it to take another step forward in 2024.

With the brutal SEC schedule on many people’s minds this offseason, a nonconference matchup that isn’t getting a lot of buzz was picked as OU’s key early season game. On Sept. 14, the [autotag]Tulane Green Wave[/autotag] come to town, and ESPN believes the Sooners will need to be at their best that day to win.

Oklahoma’s stiffest pre-SEC tune-up may well come when Tulane visits Norman for the third time since 2017. Oregon quarterback transfer Ty Thompson and running back Makhi Hughes, the reigning [autotag]AAC[/autotag] Rookie of the Year, should test the Sooners’ experienced defense, and a Green Wave defense that held opponents to 20.5 points per game will challenge first-year starter [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. A week before Tennessee visits to open SEC play, Oklahoma can’t overlook Tulane — it was only three years ago that the Green Wave nearly upset the Sooners in Norman. – Eli Lederman, ESPN.

The Tulane contest could be seen as a classic trap game before the Volunteers arrive for a highly-anticipated matchup on Sept. 21. The Sooners and Green Wave have met twice in their history, both in Norman.

The first meeting came in 2017, when the Sooners won in decisive fashion, 56-14. Oklahoma was on its way to a third straight [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] title that year during their run of six in a row. The Sooners also made the playoffs for the second time in three years (and the first of three in a row and fourth out of five in total) that year, going 12-1.

The second meeting was far more interesting.

In 2021, the season opener was supposed to be played in New Orleans, but it was moved to Norman due to Hurricane Ida. In the first sign of trouble in [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag]’s final season at OU, the highly-ranked Sooners couldn’t put the Green Wave away, barely hanging on for a 40-35 victory. Oklahoma blew a big lead and nearly suffered a catastrophic loss.

The Sooners failed to live up to expectations in 2021, missing the conference title game. Riley departed for USC hours after the regular season ended, leading to the hire of Venables a week later.

The Sooners would do well to take Tulane seriously. It has been one of the best programs at the Group of Five level the past couple of seasons. With all of the changes and realignment in college football, the Green Wave are looking to make the playoff in the 12-team expansion era. The Group of Five level has been significantly thinned after UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, BYU and SMU joined a Power Four league. After head coach Willie Fritz left to coach the Houston Cougars, who OU will see a week before it plays Tulane, the Green Wave hired former Troy head coach Jon Sumrall. It’s a move that was regarded as an excellent hire in New Orleans.

Additionally, this game likely means more to Tulane than it will Oklahoma. With a win, it could make a huge early statement that it should be the non-Power Four team that gets a shot in the postseason.

In short, the Sooners have to be ready to go when Tulane marches in on Sept. 14. With its incredibly difficult conference schedule, OU can’t afford a loss in the nonconference schedule if it wants to live up to the standard this season. As much fun as the following week’s game against Tennessee will be, the Sooners need to be 3-0 when the Volunteers get to Norman.

That means taking care of business against what could be a very pesky opponent in the Tulane Green Wave.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

Where does Oklahoma land in ESPN’s SEC preseason power rankings?

OU’s first preseason in the SEC sees some doubt from national analysts.

The Oklahoma Sooners are about three weeks away from beginning the 2024 football season, their first as a member of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Talking season and prediction season are almost over, but for now, we still have a few more weeks of projections to go.

ESPN has been previewing the college football season, going conference-by-conference to look at each team. On Thursday, staff writers Chris Low and Mark Schlabach previewed the SEC, giving their power rankings and [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] outlook for the conference.

The duo had the Sooners as the eighth-best team in the conference, matching ESPN’s Football Power Index and the SEC media poll. Here’s what they had to say about the Sooners landing in the middle of the league.

“In his third season at OU, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] likes the experience on this team, with many players having been in the program for three years now,” Low and Schlabach wrote. “The Sooners’ schedule in Year 1 in the SEC is challenging, to say the least.”

The pair also had Oklahoma as a playoff long shot along with Texas A&M. In all, they believed three SEC teams should make the [autotag]playoff[/autotag] (Georgia, Texas and Alabama) with four more in the running (Ole Miss, Missouri, Tennessee and LSU) ahead of the Sooners and Aggies, who they believe have less of a chance.

“There’s no question the Sooners were better in Venables’ second season in 2023, but it might be rough sledding in Year 1 in the SEC,” they said. “Oklahoma faces a brutal road slate that includes games at Auburn, Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU, as well as home contests against Tennessee and Alabama, and the [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag] game against Texas. Quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] takes over for [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], who left for Oregon. The bigger question is up front on offense, where all five starters departed. The Sooners are hoping five transfers can help: tackles [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] (Michigan State) and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] (USC), guards [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag] (Washington) and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] (North Texas) and center [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] (SMU).”

Oklahoma’s home matchup with Tennessee was specifically highlighted. OU’s first conference game is starting to generate plenty of buzz. After all, it’s not every day that the program’s most recent national championship-winning starting quarterback and his team come to town.

“It’s Oklahoma’s SEC debut and a homecoming of sorts for [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag], who played quarterback for the Sooners and was the runner-up for the [autotag]Heisman Trophy[/autotag] in 2000,” Low and Schlabach said. “But his exit as OU’s offensive coordinator in 2014 wasn’t his fondest memory as he was fired by [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag]. Both teams have talented young quarterbacks in their first years as starters, Nico Iamaleava at Tennessee and Jackson Arnold at Oklahoma. It should be a wild atmosphere in Norman with the winner making a major statement in the playoff chase.”

Lastly, linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] was named one of the duo’s favorite players in the conference heading into the season. The senior will have to be instrumental if OU will be better again defensively.

“Stutsman is a big reason the Sooners improved from 106th in the FBS in rushing defense (187.5) in 2022 to 44th (138.6) last season,” they said. “Stutsman is a tackling machine with more than 100 stops in each of the past two seasons to go with six sacks and two forced fumbles. His return should help OU take another step forward under Venables.”

As previously stated, the Sooners have been picked to be middle-of-the-pack, specifically eighth in the conference, multiple times in the last month. Venables and his team have reiterated time and time again that they aren’t focusing on any outside noise or anything but themselves and getting better. Still, you have to think they’re seeing the lists and predictions and remembering that the national media thinks they’ll be an average SEC team in 2024. As the games come closer, Oklahoma is almost through talking season. They’ll finally have an opportunity to prove themselves on the field.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

Texas projected to play Notre Dame in first 12-team CFP field

On3 unveils full 12-team college football Playoff field

The 2024 college football season will be special for many reasons, but none more so than the introduction of the 12-team Playoff.

Despite missing out on the four-team Playoff for the first nine seasons, the Texas Longhorns were finally able to qualify in 2023 after winning 12 games and a Big 12 title. The Southeastern Conference is going to be a gauntlet with four teams projected to be ranked in the top six to start the season. However, with one of the best rosters in the sport led by Heisman hopeful Quinn Ewers, the Longhorns are still one of the hottest picks to be a Playoff contender this year.

JD Pickell of On3 Sports projects Texas to be the No. 8-seed in the first 12 team Playoff field and one of five SEC members. The best part of expanding from four to 12 teams is that first-round playoff games will take place at the higher seeds’ home stadium so the No. 9-seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish would have to travel to Austin to take on Texas at Darrell K Royal Stadium.

After knocking off Notre Dame in the first-round, Pickell predicts Texas to fall to the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs in the quarterfinals. He projects the Bulldogs to eventually go on and win the whole thing.

Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

What is the format for the U.S. Open playoff? It’s not a full 18 holes anymore

The USGA used to have an 18-hole playoff but that all changed in 2018.

The last time there was a playoff at the U.S. Open, Tiger Woods outlasted Rocco Mediate in a marathon Monday finish in 2008 at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

The U.S. Golf Association’s playoff format back then called for a full 18 holes on the day after the final round, and Woods and Mediate needed an extra 19th hole to decide things.

But that 18-hole playoff format was scrapped in 2018, when the USGA switched to a two-hole aggregate format, followed by sudden death, if needed. The playoff would be set to start shortly after regulation concludes.

If there’s a playoff in 2024, the two-hole aggregate will be played on No. 1 and then No. 18. The sudden death would then rotate between Nos. 1 and 18 until there’s a winner.

There have been 33 playoffs in the history of the U.S. Open. Eight times there were three players who made a playoff. The last three-way playoff was in 1994 and was won by Ernie Els, who held off Loren Roberts and Colin Montgomerie at Oakmont.

U.S. OPEN: Leaderboard | Hole-by-hole | How to watch

What is the biggest question mark facing Alabama heading into the 2024 season?

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg breaks down the biggest question mark the Crimson Tide face entering the 2024 season

On Jan. 10, 2024, the world stopped for a moment as legendary Alabama Crimso Tide head football coach [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] made the shocking decision to step away from football and retire from coaching. It was one of those earth-shattering moments that almost everyone, including non-Alabama fans, will be able to tell you exactly where they were when the news broke. The ensuing days were chaos filled with coaching rumors, transfer alerts and a profound level of sadness.

Fast forward four months, and yeah the loss of Saban still stings, but there is a very strong sense of optimism surrounding new head coach [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] and what this new era of Alabama football might look like. DeBoer is picking up steam on the recruiting trail and the team had a phenomenal showing at the annual spring game A-Day, but that doesn’t mean everything has been sunshine and rainbows in Tuscaloosa.

DeBoer is a national champion-level coach and widely regarded as one of the top two or three coaches in the country, but replacing the value of Nick Saban is nearly impossible. Adam Rittenberg of ESPN breaks down (Subscription required) the biggest question currently facing the Crimson Tide: How has Alabama adjusted to life post-Saban?

“There have been some obstacles. DeBoer’s initial plan was to have Ryan Grubb, DeBoer’s offensive coordinator at both Washington and Fresno State, oversee quarterback [autotag]Jalen Milroe[/autotag] and the Tide offense. But Grubb stayed in Seattle to work for the Seahawks, alongside talented offensive line coach Scott Huff. DeBoer went with familiarity in promoting Nick Sheridan and JaMarcus Shephard — Sheridan as the playcaller — and hired veteran line coach Chris Kapilovic to fill Huff’s role. Despite the moving parts on the staff and a new scheme for players, Alabama didn’t let up during spring ball.

“We pushed hard, even the installs and all that,” DeBoer said. “We’ve really kept the pedal down on trying to get things to our guys. A credit to them, too, because they’ve embraced it all. They want to be great. That’s why they’re here. The players have dived into it and put in the extra time on their own to make every practice real efficient.”

On-the-field success in 2024 will be the true indicator of how life is truly going in Tuscaloosa, but I think anything short of a playoff appearance will be a disappointment in DeBoer’s mind. DeBoer and his new staff will make their debut inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Aug. 31, 2024 against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Twitter reacts to Chiefs DB L’Jarius Sneed’s physicality vs. Tyreek Hill

Twitter couldn’t get enough of this highlight play from L’Jarius Sneed’s matchup against Tyreek Hill in the #Chiefs’ win over the #Dolphins.

L’Jarius Sneed’s dominant performance against the Miami Dolphins helped lift the Kansas City Chiefs to their first postseason win of the year Saturday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

In absolutely brutal weather conditions, the Chiefs’ secondary put the clamps on Miami’s high-octane passing game, giving Kansas City the edge it needed to advance to the Divisional round of the AFC playoffs.

Sneed’s outstanding showing against Miami was the subject of endless conversation on social media platforms on Monday morning when the Chiefs posted this video of his physicality when he was matched up against Tyreek Hill:

Users didn’t hold back in expressing their admiration of Sneed’s effort and toughness against the All-Pro pass catcher and implored Kansas City’s front office to make sure they take care of the star defensive back in the offseason.

Check out some of Twitter’s top reactions to this impressive moment in the Chiefs’ win over the Dolphins:

Updated NFC playoff standings after Week 17

Updated NFC playoff standings after Week 17: Where do the New Orleans Saints clock in?

The New Orleans Saints pulled off a badly-needed win on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but where do the y rank in the updated NFC playoff standings? They’re still on the outside looking in for the postseason tournament, but another win next week (combined with some big help from other games) could clinch a playoff berth for New Orleans.

Here’s how the layoff picture looks after Week 17:

NFL announces kickoff time for Week 18 Saints-Falcons game

The NFL announced its kickoff time for Week 18’s penultimate Saints-Falcons game, along with other matchups fans should be monitoring:

There it is: the NFL announced that the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons will kick off in Week 18 at noon CT on Sunday, Jan. 7. There are a couple of paths the Saints can take to get to the playoffs, but everything starts with a win at the Caesars Superdome. The game will be broadcast on CBS.

So what other games should be on Saints fans’ radar? The most important matchup is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Carolina Panthers tilt which will be broadcast in the same window on FOX. If the Saints and Panthers both win, New Orleans clinches the NFC South and a home playoff game.

But if the Buccaneers win, they’ll take the division for themselves and send the Saints scurrying for a wild-card seed. If that’s the case, here are the games to watch, and who fans should be rooting for marked in bold text:

  • Chicago Bears (7-9) vs. Green Bay Packers (8-8); 3:25 p.m. CT on CBS
  • Seattle Seahawks (8-8) vs. Arizona Cardinals (4-12); 3:25 p.m. CT on FOX

If the Packers win and the Seahawks lose, Green Bay gets the seventh playoff seed. The reverse is also true. Both teams need to lose for the Saints to clinch that seventh playoff seed. The Saints dug themselves quite a hole. They’ll  need help getting out of it, but their season isn’t over just yet.

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Saints get some much-needed help from the Steelers in NFC playoff race

The Saints got some much-needed help from the Steelers, keeping them alive in the NFC playoff race. But they aren’t out of the woods yet:

Whew: it was a little too close for comfort, but the New Orleans Saints got some much-needed help from the Pittsburgh Steelers, keeping them alive in the crowded NFC playoff race. The Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon which created a ripple effect felt throughout the NFC.

For the Saints, it means there are still two paths open to clinching a playoff berth next week. But one option is much simpler than the other, even if neither of them are easy. Let’s tackle the complicated one first.

Because the Seahawks lost and fell to 8-8, a loss in Week 18 (to the Arizona Cardinals) would knock them out of playoff contention altogether. If the Saints catch a couple of other breaks, they’ll win the NFC’s seventh playoff seed. But that would mean whichever team wins on Sunday night — the Green Bay Packers or Minnesota Vikings — would have to lose in the following week. Green Bay hosts the Chicago Bears, while the Vikings will visit the Detroit Lions. So that’s at least two other games the Saints will need to be watching whenever they kick off themselves.

And that brings us to the clearest path forward. The Saints must beat the Atlanta Falcons in their own regular season finale and hope for a Carolina Panthers win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which would clinch an NFC South title and the playoff berth that comes with it. If the Buccaneers take care of business (and they should, against a lowly Panthers team) then the Saints are stuck praying on the downfall for the Seahawks and Packers or Vikings (which we’ll find out later Sunday evening).

That’s what losing games in Green Bay and Minnesota earlier this year costs you. If the Saints had won either of those matchups they wouldn’t be in this position. But it is what it is, and they’ll just need to keep focusing on what they can control to try and salvage something from this season.

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Ranking all 32 NFL teams (including the Saints) by playoff probability

Ranking all 32 NFL teams (including the long-shot New Orleans Saints) by playoff probability going into Week 17:

Derek Carr and Dennis Allen haven’t exactly guided the New Orleans Saints to the playoffs. They’re facing elimination from the postseason altogether on Sunday; a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would put the NFC South out of reach, and a couple of other games’ results could put the final nails in their coffin.

ESPN’s NFL Football Power Index gives the Saints a 10.9% chance of reaching the playoffs going into Week 17. If New Orleans can’t win the NFC South, they’ll need both the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks to lose out in the final two weeks so they can get that seventh wild-card spot. It isn’t very likely.

Here’s where the Saints rank among the rest of the league per ESPN’s playoff percentages: