Tag: Winners

USA Today’s College Football Week 4 winners and losers include the Crimson Tide

Alabama football was one of the biggest “winners” in Week 4

The first three games of the Alabama Crimson Tide’s 2023 football season were littered with penalties, missed assignments and turnovers. Between the home loss to Texas and a struggle win on the road against USF, many people have questioned the making of this Alabama team. Finally, the Crimson Tide responded to the critics and looked like the team we had all hoped to see this off-season with a 24-10 victory over SEC West foe Ole Miss.

The Rebels took a 7-6 lead into the halftime interval, but it was all Alabama in the second half. The offense finally seemed to find it’s gear when Jalen Milroe delivered a 33-yard strike to Jalen Hale in the back of the endzone for the Tide’s first of two touchdowns. Milroe completed over 80% of his passes for 225 yards and showed signs of vast improvement. Jace McClellan also ran for over 100 yards behind the offensive line that looked the best they have all season. The Alabama defense was again phenomenal as they surrendered only 10 points to an Ole Miss offense who has been arguably the best in the country to start the year. Outside of the Texas game, the Alabama defense has only given up two scores on the year.

For the Tide’s stellar performance in Week 4, USA TODAY graded Alabama as one of the Week 4 Winners saying, “This is going to be a pulling-teeth type of season for No. 12 Alabama given the state of the offense, which may have been better in a 24-10 win against No. 16 Mississippi but remains mystifyingly poor behind new coordinator Tommy Rees. It’s clear the Crimson Tide’s best method for success moving forward is to turn back the clock and embrace the sort of defense-and-ball-control game plan that has been phased out of the SEC. The defense stepped up against the Rebels, giving up just 301 yards on 4.6 yards per play, while Jalen Milroe completed 17 of 21 throws with a touchdown and one mindbogglingly bad interception in his first game back in the starting lineup. It wasn’t pretty, but Alabama got the job done in a crucial SEC West matchup.”

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.

Dressed for Success: Sam Burns at 2022 Valspar Championship

Take a closer look at Sam Burns’ apparel worn during his latest PGA Tour win

Sam Burns won his third PGA Tour event in dramatic fashion, defeating Davis Riley on the second playoff hole of the 2022 Valspar Championship.

Burns won his first PGA title at the same event in 2021.

We’ve already gotten a look at the winner’s bag, so let’s dive into the champion’s closet to take a closer look at some of the apparel Burns donned while defending his Valspar crown.

As the old saying goes: look good, feel good, play good.

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Winners from Auburn’s 62-0 win over Alabama State

Here are our three winners from Auburn’s win over Alabama State.

It was not always pretty but Auburn football rolled to another win Saturday.

The Tigers had a disappointing first quarter but exploded for 35 points in the third quarter to cruise to a 62-0 win over Alabama State. The 35 points tie the Auburn record for most points in a quarter (New Mexico State, 1993) and are the most they have ever scored in the third quarter.

The quarter was capped off by Jarquez Hunter’s 94-yard touchdown run, which is the longest touchdown run in Auburn history.

The Tigers, now 2-0, will look to travel to Penn State and have the chance to make a huge statement across all of college football.

But before that, here are three winners from the win over Alabama State.

Winners and Losers: Cowboys QBs separate themselves in loss, a 5th WR emerges?

Cooper Rush and Ben DiNucci lead the winners and losers from the Dallas Cowboys’ preseason loss to the Houston Texans. | From @NoHuddle

The Dallas Cowboys extend their “meaningless” losing streak to three straight games after falling to the Houston Texans 20-14 in what was considered their dress rehearsal. The performances Saturday night would be best described as a mixed bag for a team that couldn’t score in the second half. As always, there are winners and there are losers, so it’s time to dive in.

Winners and losers from Detroit Lions training camp through the 1st two weeks

With the first two weeks of training camp in the books for the Detroit Lions, here are some of the winners and losers thus far

Heading into the second week of training camp for the Detroit Lions, we get a feel for how players perform and how they will fit on the roster. We have a new coaching staff in place, it has been a completely different vibe than what was there previously. The team seems more lively and upbeat and not just doing drills for the sake of doing them.

Some of the players have risen to the challenge and risen above others to claim their stake on one of those coveted roster spots. On the other side of the coin, either injuries or competition has gotten the better of the players leaving to question their status.

Here some of the winners and losers so far through training camp.

Winners and losers from Texas, Oklahoma possibly joining the SEC

In case you somehow missed it, Texas and Oklahoma have both reached out to the SEC about joining. Here are winners and losers from the proposed move.

In case you somehow missed it, Texas and Oklahoma have both reached out to the SEC about joining the conference. It would create the first 16-team “super conference,” changing the course of college football forever.

While the Longhorns and Sooners seem to be on board, at least two former Big 12 schools seem to be against it. Missouri and Texas A&M will reportedly say nay when a vote is called upon by the league office. Both moved into the SEC to get away from the two, specifically, Texas.

As usual, when a move this gigantic is made, there are winners and losers across the board. Some are going to benefit greatly, while others would rather just keep things the way they are.

Here are the winners and losers from Texas and Oklahoma possibly joining the Big 12:

Week 6 college football winners and losers, per USA TODAY

The loss to Texas A&M on Saturday dropped the Gators to the bottom of the top-10, severely crippling their College Football Playoff hopes.

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A wild Week 6 of college football is in the books, and the Gators find themselves with a tick in the loss column for the first time in the 2020 season after falling to Texas A&M on the road.

The loss dropped UF from No. 3 to No. 9 in the Amway Coaches Poll, and though it was able to remain in the top 10, it’s not surprising that in USA TODAY’s “winners and losers” recap of the week, Florida finds itself in the “loser” category.

Florida

The loss to A&M chews up the Gators’ wiggle room but doesn’t necessarily change the path to the playoff: Florida still needs to beat Georgia, win the East and then claim the SEC championship to ensure a place in the semifinals. Not that any team with these issues on defense has a real shot at the national title. While the offense is humming behind quarterback Kyle Trask, the Gators have allowed at least 35 points twice through three games.

Meanwhile, the Aggies were the biggest movers in the Coaches Poll this week, rising nine spots from No. 20 to No. 11. After earning its first win over a top-five team since coach Jimbo Fisher took over in 2018, TAMU is a winner this week.

Texas A&M

Coming one week after a humbling loss to Alabama, Texas A&M’s 41-38 win against Florida restores faith in third-year coach Jimbo Fisher and breathes life back into the Aggies’ season. The nature of the win might tell you something about this team: A&M was down 28-17 and seemed in danger of seeing the Gators pull away before pulling even and then ahead with a field goal as time expired. Senior quarterback Kellen Mond had one of the best games of his career with 338 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

Georgia, who is now in the driver’s seat of the SEC East after beating Tennessee on Saturday, is also in the “winner” category.

Georgia

Tennessee went into halftime with momentum after a late stand near its goal line preserved a 21-17 lead. But Georgia pulverized the Volunteers in the second half to win 44-21 and remain unbeaten heading into next weekend’s game against Alabama. There’s nothing particularly pretty about the Bulldogs’ style of play, which leans more toward the SEC style of the early 2010s than the more wide-open approach in vogue throughout the conference. It works: Georgia steadily forced Tennessee into mistakes while dominating the line of scrimmage. Is this style good enough to beat the Crimson Tide? We’re going to find out.

Florida has the chance to right the ship this week with a win over 1-2 LSU, who is coming off a loss at Missouri in a game that was moved from Louisiana due to Hurricane Delta. If the Gators have any hope of taking back control of the division and keeping their College Football Playoff hopes alive, they have to win on Saturday.

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Redskins’ winners and losers from 2020 NFL Draft

The Redskins as a whole had a successful 2020 NFL Draft, but who made out as major winners on the team, and who might have lost?

All in all, it’s accurate to say that the Washington Redskins just completed another incredibly successful NFL Draft, coming away from 2020 with several weapons that have a chance to contribute meaningful minutes right away in the Fall, and another handful of players who can add depth to the roster and hopefully be molded into eventual difference-makers.

So who were some of the biggest benefactors from the action this weekend, and who is a bit worse for the ware? Let’s break it down.

Winners

Everyone on the defensive line

With the obvious selection of Chase Young with the No. 2 overall pick, the entire Redskins defense was better off, but specifically the defensive line. If Young turns out to be the dominant force that many are projecting as early as his rookie year, every lineman on the defensive front will stand to benefit in Washington, as opposing offenses will be forced to shift attention to him, letting others slide through the cracks. Whether that’s Montez Sweat, Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, Matt Ioannidis, or Ryan Kerrigan, the thought stands the same. High tides let talent rise around them, and the tide that’s coming with Young has a chance to be special.

Losers

Geron Christian and Ross Pierschbacher

In the fourth and fifth rounds of the draft, the Redskins selected both an LT who is projected to sit for a year and a C/G who is projected to do the same. Seems like they could be crowding on Christian’s and Pierschbachers’s space, does it not? While the Redskins used mid-round picks on both players in the last few years, neither has shown any improvement as of yet, and Washington may feel like it’s time to get some new blood in the offensive line depth chart, hoping that these new players can hit. They will all battle for a spot on the roster this fall, but I would be shocked if both Christian and Perschbacher make the squad in the fall.

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2020 NFL Combine winners: Safeties

Examining and identifying the top on-field safeties performances from the 2020 NFL Combine.

The 2020 NFL Combine concluded their on-field drills on Sunday with the safeties wrapping up the event.

With the Lions investing a third-round pick at the safety position in each of the last two drafts, it may appear they are not in the market for another, but that’s not necessarily the case. In the Lions base 3-3-5 scheme, they deploy three safety sets roughly 50-percent of defensive snaps, and with Tavon Wilson a potential free agent, adding another safety could end up being a sneaky important need.

Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota

5-9, 203, 40 y/d: 4.45, vertical: 36″, broad: 10’4″

The Lions need playmakers who can create turnovers in their secondary and Winfield is a ballhawk who would fit in perfectly at the Lions single-high safety position. In on-field drills, he showed off his traits with speed, quickness, burst to point of attack, high-pointed the ball, and sure hands to wrap up the catch.

Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyme

6-1, 217, 40 y/d: 4.49, vertical: 42″, broad: 11’2″

If the Lions think they can handle the single-high position between Tracy Walker and Will Harris, Dugger is a legitimate candidate for the Wilson role as a box safety who can cover the slot and intermediate/middle of the field. Like Winfield, he has great speed, is explosive when tracking the ball or offensive player, and can create turnovers. If you are an Isaiah Simmons or Miles Killebrew fan, Dugger is right up your alley.

Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois

6-3, 221, 40 y/d: 4.45, vertical: 41″, broad: 11’6″

Not only did Chinn check the boxes in timed/measured drills, but he was one of the more impressive players in the final group. He was incredibly smooth in his backpedal, located and tracked the ball with ease, and consistently high-pointed and secured the catch — Chinn made it all looked very easy.

Like with Dugger and Simmons, Chinn is a box safety with coverage skills and is comfortable in the slot. If the Lions are in the market for a Wilson replacement, his name has to be in the mix.

Tanner Muse, Clemson

6-2, 227, 40 y/d: 4.41, vertical: 34.5″, broad: 10’4″

Despite coming out of Clemson, expectations were low that Muse would have a solid Combine — and then he blew those expectations out of the water.

Muse’s game film indicated he wasn’t the most fleet of foot, but his 4.41 40-yard-dash time indicated the potential is there. He looked sharp in on-field drills but did have some wasted movement in transitions, which match his film in coverage. Because his coverage skills still need work, he projects more of a Killebrew-like replacement — a box safety/WILL linebacker who can be a four-phase special teamer — rather a Wilson level replacement.

Notes:

  • Xavier McKinney (6-0.5, 203, Alabama) injured his hamstring during his first 40-yard dash, so take his 4.63 second time with a grain of salt — he plays faster.

2020 NFL Combine winners: Cornerbacks

Examining and identifying the top on-field cornerbacks performances from the 2020 NFL Combine.

The 2020 NFL Combine concluded their on-field drills on Sunday, this time featuring cornerbacks and safeties. The cornerbacks were first up and didn’t disappoint.

The Lions have a need at corner immediately and potentially long-term depending on what their plans are for Darius Slay, so they were surely looking at this group with high hopes. Let’s take a look at those who earned positive marks.

Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio State

6-1, 205, 40 y/d: 4.48, vertical: 41″, broad: 11’3″

In a recent article, I broke down how Okudah’s performance in every Combine drill added to his already sterling resume that he built over his senior season. In a nutshell, my conclusion was that he is firmly in the mix for the Lions and would be worth the No. 3 overall pick.

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C.J. Henderson, Florida

6-0.5, 204, 40 y/d: 4.39, vertical 37.5, broad: 10’7″

Like Okudah, the Lions reportedly had a meeting with Henderson at the Combine, showing they are doing their homework on the draft’s top cornerbacks. When Henderson took the field in Indianapolis, he put his best foot forward and had a terrific day in timed drills, measurables, and in on-field drills.

On the NFL Network broadcast, Daniels Jeremiah mentioned that he believes Henderson could be “the second corner drafted” indicating that “he’s gonna end up going in the top 15.” If that is his true draft slot, he would be selected almost directly in between the Lions’ first and second-round picks, making the odds of landing him unlikely.

A.J. Terrell, Clemson

6-1, 195, 40y/d: 4.42, vertical: 34.5, broad: 10’9″

The last time most analysts and fans saw Terrell, he was on the wrong end of the National Championship game in what was a difficult night overall for the Tigers. If there were concerns about his performance that night, he helped right the ship at the Combine. Terrell looked smooth in his backpedal, showed off his body control and reliable hands in drills His combination of body type, comfort in press coverage, and athletic ability fits a lot of what the Lions look for in an outside corner.

Michael Ojemudia, Iowa

6-0.5, 200, 40y/d: 4.45, vertical: 36″, broad: 10’2″, 3-cone: 6.87

I don’t want to call Ojemudia a sleeper, as he has been someone the Lions have shown interest in previously, but if the Lions are more interested in a developmental Day 3 corner rather than one at the top of the draft, he’s the guy.

At the Combine, Ojemudia checked every measurable box the Lions look for, height, weight, speed, explosion, and of course the all-important 3-cone time. Add in his Iowa background and there’s a lot to like from the Lions perspective.