Tag: Week 7

Detroit Lions elect to protect TE Isaac Nauta and CB Dee Virgin in Week 7

The Detroit Lions have declared the practice squad players they wish to protect in Week 7 and they include tight end Isaac Nauta and cornerback/gunner Dee Virgin.

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The Detroit Lions have declared the practice squad players they wish to protect in Week 7 and they include tight end Isaac Nauta and cornerback/gunner Dee Virgin.

Nauta and Virgin have been protected players for the Lions every week in 2020 and each has been elevated to the active roster for one game — Virgin in Week 2 versus the Arizona Cardinals and Nauta in Week 6 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ironically, those are the two games the Lions have won this season.

Despite having the option to protect up to four practice squad players each week, this is the second week in a row the Lions have protected fewer than the maximum — in Week 6 they only protected three players.

Last week, in addition to Nauta and Virgin, the Lions protected quarterback David Blough, but since then, Blough has been signed to the active roster, and the Lions elected to leave his protection spot open.

The only other players the Lions have used a protection label on are running back Jonathan Williams — who has since been released — and running back Kerrith Whyte — who is currently on the practice squad injured reserve’s list.

Florida’s two Kyles still under consideration for the Heisman Trophy

Florida Gators stars quarterback Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts remain on USA TODAY Sports’ Heisman Trophy Watch after dropping down in Week 7.

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Editors note: This article was originally published by USA TODAY Sports and has been republished in its entirety below. 

There is no such thing as a foregone conclusion in the wild world of college football, particularly this season in the world of COVID-19 where the unpredictable is predictable.

Perceptions could change when the Big Ten and other conferences finally kick off starting this weekend. But for the moment, There’s an air of inevitability developing around the notion that Clemson and Alabama are unstoppable forces again destined to square off for the national title and that the Heisman winner will be the quarterback of one of those programs.

Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence continues to hold the lead in the weekly USA TODAY Network Heisman survey. He tossed five more TD passes last week as the Tigers routed Georgia Tech, though he did throw his first interception of the season. He has 15 scoring passes thus far in 2020 and a total of 1,544 yards.

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Alabama’s Mac Jones was every bit as impressive in the Crimson Tide’s win against Georgia in a top-five showdown. He moved 14 points closer to Lawrence in the survey and added three first-place votes to last week’s total. Jones’ first pass was picked off,  as well, on his first attempt of the game, but he bounced back to add four TDs to his ledger, bringing his season total to 12 with 1,518 yards.

Jones’ teammate, running back Najee Harris, is also on the radar in fifth place with the most points among non-quarterbacks.

Another prolific passer, BYU’s Zach Wilson, has moved up to third and could be emerging as a dark horse. Though he hasn’t faced quite the same level of competition, he impressed a national television audience Friday night in the Cougars’ important victory at Houston. Through five games he is averaging 328.2 yards through the air. He has a total of 12 TD throws with just one pick, and has also run for six more scores.

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USA TODAY Sports’ bowl predictions have Gators playing for peaches

There is still a ways to go but after Week 7 of college football USA TODAY Sports projects the Florida Gators to play in the Peach Bowl.

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Editors note: This article was originally published by USA TODAY Sports and has been republished in its entirety below. 

The College Football Playoff outlook changed Saturday night. Yes, Alabama beat Georgia. That wasn’t unexpected. However, the potential for the Bulldogs winning the rematch in the SEC championship game became less clear. The Crimson Tide’s offense was too much for them.

Georgia can still run the table in its remaining games – the only ranked opponent left is No. 8 Florida on Nov. 7. But without a conference title, it’s hard to see a compelling argument for them in the playoff unless at least two of the Power Five conference champions are clearly inferior.

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The biggest beneficiary of Saturday night is Oregon. The Ducks will only play six conference games and a Pac-12 championship game — if they make it that far. None of their scheduled opponents is currently ranked. How would a 7-0 Oregon stack up against a 9-2 Georgia with its only losses to Alabama? That’s sure to be an interesting debate if we reach that point.

There’s also the American Athletic to consider. Cincinnati and SMU are the league’s only unbeatens. They play Saturday with the winner taking a big step forward in the playoff race. It’s conceivable either could make the field with an 11-0 record given the overall strength of the league this year being comparable to the Pac-12 and Big 12.

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For now, the projected spot in the playoff behind Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State goes to Oregon. The Ducks don’t start until Nov. 7, so it will still be some time before they can be assessed.

The rest of the postseason has been cleared up with the NCAA waiving any win requirement for bowl eligibility. No replacement teams should be needed as conferences are expected to fulfill their bowl allotments.

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Seahawks safety Jamal Adams uncertain to return Week 7

Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams is still battling a groin injury and remains uncertain to return Week 7 in time to face the Cardinals.

The Seattle Seahawks have been without safety Jamal Adams for the last couple of weeks due to a lingering groin injury. The expectation was that he would be able to return after the bye week but now the timing is uncertain.

Coach Pete Carroll addressed the media Monday afternoon following the team’s bonus practice. He was fairly non-committal as to when exactly Adams would resume activities.

“We’ve got to get through the week and see what happens,” Carroll said. “Give him these days and figure it out – take full advantage of the time. Make sure that we are doing the right thing in taking care of him and looking after him. It’s a long season and we’d love to have him back as soon as we can get him but we want him back when’s he’s right and back for the long haul.”

Adams and the rest of the Seahawks have Tuesday off and return Wednesday to prepare to face the Cardinals on Sunday in Arizona.

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Raheem Morris says CB Darqueze Dennard is close to returning

Morris said Dennard is “getting close” to coming back, as reported by Jason Butt of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Atlanta Falcons’ secondary has gotten very few breaks this season, but things could be looking up. Head coach Raheem Morris gave an update on the status of nickel CB Darqueze Dennard, who’s eligible to return this week from the injured reserve list after sitting out the previous three games.

Morris said Dennard is “getting close” to coming back, as reported by Jason Butt of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution below.

Prior to leaving the Falcons’ Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears with a hamstring injury, Dennard was playing well. He had just come down with a potentially game-sealing interception, but exited the game before the Bears came back to win.

Dennard would be a welcome addition to Atlanta’s secondary, which has been getting healthier in recent weeks. We’ll see if he can practice this week in preparation for Sunday’s matchup with the Detroit Lions (2-3).

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Gators hold pat in CBS Sports’ latest college football rankings

Despite sitting out Saturday UF retained its position on CBS Sports’ college football rankings holding on to the No. 7 spot despite COVID-19

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The Florida Gators did not play this past weekend — nor did three other South Eastern Conference teams — but life in college football moved on without them as Week 7 played out more of the gridiron insanity we have come to expect in this coronavirus-affected season.

While the Gators remained at No. 7 in CBS Sports’ latest college football rankings, their outlook on Florida’s past week was not at all encouraging.

Idle. Not a good week all around for the Gators. The LSU and Missouri games were moved because of COVID-19. Coach Dan Mullen tested positive, along with at least 21 players. Before the week began, Mullen suggested The Swamp be filled to capacity. No, not a good week at all.

The list is lead by the usual suspects, with the Clemson Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs in the top three, respectively, after the latter two switched places. Asides from Florida, Alabama and Georgia, the only other SEC team featured in the top 25 is the Texas A&M Aggies, who sit at No. 16 after dropping five spots.

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Sports Illustrated has Florida Gators football at No. 7 in latest rankings

Florida Gators came in at No. 7 in Sports Illustrated’s latest college football rankings after Week 7 despite not playing due to COVID-19.

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It’s fairly clear at this point that Alabama and Clemson are far and away the top two teams in the country, at least among those currently playing.

Beyond that, though, there’s a lot of uncertainty. In Sports Illustrated’s latest rankings, Georgia remained at No. 3 despite a 41-24 loss to the Crimson Tide on Saturday. Behind them are No. 4 BYU, who is undefeated, No. 5 Notre Dame, who escaped a 1-3 Louisville team 12-7, and No. 6 Texas A&M, who beat Mississippi State comfortably.

The Gators are ranked No. 7 despite not playing on Saturday. Their previously scheduled game against LSU was moved to Dec. 12 after an outbreak of COVID-19 on the team. Here’s what SI said about them.

7. Florida (2–1)

Last game: Lost to Texas A&M on Oct. 10
Next game: Missouri Oct. 31

The only place where the Gators didn’t suffer any embarrassment this week was on the field, since their game was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak. That followed coach Dan Mullen’s absurd stance that he wanted to “Pack The Swamp” with 90,000 fans after the loss last Saturday to Texas A&M. The week ended with Mullen publicly acknowledging that he, too, has the virus. Florida is such a mess from a numbers standpoint that its scheduled game for next week already has been pushed back to Halloween.

No. 8 Cincinnati, No. 9 Oklahoma State and No. 10 Marshall — all of whom are currently undefeated — round out a bizarre top 10.

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Florida continues to fall in USA TODAY Sports’ latest re-rank

Despite sitting out on Saturday the Gators lost ground in USA TODAY Sports’ re-ranking, dropping one spot to No. 13 in the nation.

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Editors note: This article was originally published by USA TODAY Sports and has been republished in its entirety below. 

Clemson’s win against Georgia Tech was enough to keep the Tigers ahead of Alabama and atop the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-127.

Not that it was an easy decision. Clemson might’ve beat the Yellow Jackets 73-7, the largest margin of victory in any ACC game, but Alabama overcame a 24-17 deficit late in the first half to beat Georgia 41-24 and become the only unbeaten team in the SEC.

Each has a very good argument. Clemson is Clemson. Alabama is Alabama. That’s the argument. If you’ve been watching college football for the past five years, you’re not surprised at all that these two teams have created a distance between themselves and the rest of the Bowl Subdivision. If we’re lucky, the pair will rekindle the rivalry and meet in this year’s College Football Playoff.

Georgia didn’t fall far. The Bulldogs are down just one spot to No. 4, replaced by new No. 3 Ohio State, after playing well for about 29 minutes against the Crimson Tide. Overall, the Bulldogs’ defense seems capable of stopping any opponent in the SEC — just not Alabama.

SEC Week 4 Roundup: Alabama QB Mac Jones enters Heisman Trophy race, nightmarish day for Ole Miss

No. 5 Notre Dame had the opportunity to move into the top three but looked listless in a 12-7 win against Louisville. Ohio State and No. 6 Penn State will join the playoff chase this weekend with the start of Big Ten play.

Among the biggest movers forward this week are Coastal Carolina, Florida State and South Carolina after each posted wins against ranked opponents. Tennessee, Auburn and Mississippi State are among the group that had the biggest falls.

And the re-rank makes one last addition: Massachusetts joins the list after making its debut against Georgia Southern. The Minutemen lost 41-0 and slot in at No. 126, one spot from the bottom. Welcome to the season!

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Seahawks vs. Cardinals game limited to maximum of 1,200 fans

The Seahawks vs. Cardinals game in Week 7 will have a maximum of 1,200 people and the Cardinals issued a list of rules for fans to follow.

The Seattle Seahawks’ Week 7 game against the Arizona Cardinals will be limited to 1,200 people to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, with tickets exclusive to season-ticket holders.

The Cardinals organization issued a set of notifications and rules for attendees to follow:

  • Masks will be mandatory. Failure to comply will result in ejection.
  • The 1,200 tickets will be allocated in pods of two on both the east and west sides of the stadium with 600 per side.
  • To allow for social distancing, seats not available will be zip-tied to prevent their use.
  • Tickets and parking are 100% digital and touch-lessly scanned upon entry. Concessions will also be contactless.
  • Additional staff will continuously clean all high-contact surfaces and restrooms.

This will be a pivotal matchup between NFC West rivals with the division up for grabs despite Seattle’s 5-0 record thus far. Arizona looks noticeably better than in years past and divisional games are always unpredictable.

Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Sunday, Oct. 25.

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Florida Gators cling to top 10 spot in latest AP Top 25 Poll

Week 7 of college football action is in the books and Florida, despite not playing due to a COVID-19 outbreak, remains at No. 10 in the poll

The postponement of Florida’s game against LSU this week as a result of an outbreak of COVID-19 within the program didn’t have a negative impact on UF’s standing in the polls.

After moving up one spot from No. 9 to No. 8 in the Amway Coaches Poll earlier on Sunday, the Gators held firm at No. 10 in the latest AP Top 25.

Clemson and Alabama retained the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively, while Georgia dropped just one spot to No. 4 following its 41-24 loss to the Crimson Tide. Notre Dame replaces the Bulldogs at No. 3 following an unconvincing 12-7 win over Louisville on Saturday.

Texas A&M is now in the top 10, as well. After stringing together back-to-back victories over Florida and Mississippi State, the Aggies are up four spots to No. 7.

Outside of the four SEC teams in the top 10, no other league programs are in the top 25 as the conference begins to cannibalize itself a bit. Auburn dropped out of the top 25 after losing to South Carolina for the first time since 1933.

Among the biggest fallers of the week is North Carolina, who torpedoed from No. 5 to No. 14 following a loss to a Florida State team that entered winless against FBS competition.

Here’s the full poll.

RANK TEAM PV CONF PTS
1 Clemson (5-0) 1 ACC 1,542 (54)
2 Alabama (4-0) 2 SEC 1,494 (8)
3 Notre Dame (4-0) 4 ACC 1,337
4 Georgia (3-1) 3 SEC 1,300
5 Ohio State (0-0) 6 Big Ten 1,223
6 Oklahoma State (3-0) 7 Big 12 1,137
7 Texas A&M (3-1) 11 SEC 1,054
8 Penn State (0-0) 9 Big Ten 1,033
9 Cincinnati (3-0) 8 AAC 1,028
10 Florida (2-1) 10 SEC 942
11 Miami (FL) (4-1) 13 ACC 887
12 Brigham Young (5-0) 14 Independent 875
13 Oregon (0-0) 12 Pac-12 841
14 North Carolina (3-1) 5 ACC 677
14 Wisconsin (0-0) 16 Big Ten 677
16 SMU (5-0) 17 AAC 638
17 Iowa State (3-1) 20 Big 12 511
18 Michigan (0-0) 19 Big Ten 489
19 Virginia Tech (3-1) 23 ACC 411
20 Kansas State (3-1) 22 Big 12 399
21 Minnesota (0-0) 24 Big Ten 234
22 Marshall (4-0) – C-USA 227
23 North Carolina State (4-1) – ACC 199
24 USC (0-0) 25 Pac-12 192
25 Coastal Carolina (4-0) – Sun Belt 185
Others receiving votes:

Memphis 76, Oklahoma 74, Tulsa 58, West Virginia 57, Auburn 48, Iowa 42, Louisiana-Lafayette 40, Liberty 37, Utah 36, UAB 30, Army 29, Arkansas 15, Air Force 14, Kentucky 12, Tennessee 11, Virginia 9, Arizona State 9, Washington 8, South Carolina 8, Indiana 4, Texas 1

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