Buccaneers try to end 3-game skid against lowly Cardinals, who have dropped 8 of 9 By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Arizona (3-8) at Tampa Bay (6-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox.
BetMGM NFL odds: Buccaneers by 3.
Against the spread: Buccaneers 5-6, Cardinals 5-6.
Series record: Tied 11-11.
Last meeting: Buccaneers beat the Cardinals 19-16 in OT on Dec. 25, 2022, in Glendale, Arizona.
Last week: Jaguars beat the Cardinals 27-24 in OT; Buccaneers lost to Rams 34-7.
Cardinals offense: overall (15), rush (25), pass (10), scoring (18t).
Cardinals defense: overall (19), rush (17), pass (20), scoring (24).
Buccaneers offense: overall (20), rush (20), pass (19), scoring (14).
Buccaneers defense: overall (21), rush (8t), pass (27), scoring (25).
Turnover differential: Cardinals plus-5; Buccaneers plus-8.
Cardinals player to watch
WR Michael Wilson. He has been great as the team's No. 1 option at receiver while Marvin Harrison Jr. is recovering from surgery for appendicitis. Wilson has caught 25 passes for 303 yards in the past two games, providing easily the best production of his three-year career. Even if Harrison returns against the Bucs, Wilson's eye-opening performance makes him a bigger target.
Buccaneers player to watch
RB Bucky Irving. He's expected to return after missing seven games with foot and shoulder injuries. Though he's expected to be limited in snaps, Irving is a playmaker and a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball.
Key matchup
Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat vs. Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs. Sweat has nine sacks in 11 games in his first season with Arizona after signing a huge deal in free agency following a 2 1/2-sack performance in the Super Bowl for Philadelphia. Wirfs is an All-Pro and they've battled previously. Wirfs protects Baker Mayfield's blind side. Mayfield is dealing with a left shoulder sprain and his status is uncertain. Teddy Bridgewater would start if he can't play.
Key injuries
Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray (foot) has to miss at least one more game on injured reserve. ... Sweat (eye), LB Baron Browning (concussion), RB Emari Demercado (ankle) and S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (ankle) were among those who didn't practice Wednesday. ... DL Walter Nolen III (knee) won't play Sunday. ... RB Trey Benson (knee) and WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendix) were limited at practice.
Buccaneers: Mayfield could be a game-time decision. ... Irving is expected back after missing seven games. ... WR Mike Evans (clavicle) and WR Jalen McMillan (neck) remain out. ... OLB Haason Reddick (knee, ankle) isn’t expected to play. ... LG Ben Bredeson (hamstring), CB Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) and CB Jamel Dean (hip) didn't play last week.
Series notes
The Buccaneers have won two in a row, including the last meeting when Tom Brady led Tampa Bay to an overtime victory on Christmas Day.
Stats and stuff
The Cardinals have lost eight of their past nine games after starting the season with a 2-0 record. Six of those losses have come by four points or less. ... Cardinals TE Trey McBride enters Sunday's game with 301 career receptions. He needs one more to pass Jimmy Graham for the most in his first four seasons for a tight end in NFL history. ... Arizona QB Jacoby Brissett leads the NFL with 1,887 yards passing since Week 6, providing stellar production since taking over for Murray. ... The Cardinals rank second in the NFL with 10 forced fumbles. ... The Cardinals have 19 players on injured reserve or non-football injury lists, which is the most in the NFL. ... Cardinals DL Calais Campbell will play his 273rd career game on Sunday. That's the third-most in NFL history behind Jim Marshall (282) and Bruce Smith (279). ... Mayfield is fifth in the NFC with 18 TDs. He had 41 last season. ... Irving, expected to return for the first time since Week 4, had 165 yards from scrimmage in that game. ... WR Emeka Egbuka ranks first among rookies in TD catches (six) and second in yards receiving (749) this season. ... Fellow rookie WR Tez Johnson has five TDs. ... LB Lavonte David joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Julius Peppers as the only players since 2000 with 40 sacks, 30 forced fumbles and 10 interceptions. David has 41 1/2 sacks, 32 forced fumbles and 14 interceptions in his career. ... S Antoine Winfield Jr. needs two sacks to join Jamal Adams (21 1/2) as the only defensive backs since 1982 with 20 sacks in their first six seasons. .... K Chase McLaughlin is 8 for 8 from beyond 50 yards on field goals.
Fantasy tip
McBride could have a big day facing Tampa Bay's poor pass defense. He has had five catches in 13 straight games and leads all tight ends with 80 receptions and 797 receiving yards this season.
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Buccaneers dynamic running back Bucky Irving is eager to play after a tough time with an injury By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press TAMPA, Fla.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Not playing football may have been tougher mentally on Bucky Irving than dealing with his physical injuries.
The dynamic running back is nearing a return to Tampa Bay’s lineup this week and spoke about his struggles for the first time on Wednesday. He was a full participant in practice after missing seven games with foot and shoulder injuries.
“It’s tough, man, (especially) your first time being hurt,” Irving said. “When I step out onto that field — like I always say — I don’t take this game for granted. I love what I do every day. I love my teammates. When I go out there, I show them that each and every time I get the ball, I’m trying to make plays and make things happen for this organization and this team to help them in any type of fashion to win football games. When God takes something away from you, He’s telling you to get closer to Him and lean on Him.”
Irving, a fourth-round pick last year, ran for 1,122 yards and scored eight touchdowns as a rookie while averaging 5.4 yards per carry. He had 237 yards rushing and 19 catches for 193 yards and two scores in the first four games this season before going down.
While Rachaad White and Sean Tucker filled in nicely during Irving’s absence, the Bucs missed his playmaking abilities. He missed being out there on the field even more.
“It’s always tough not being able to be out there and go to war with your guys, but being able to go through that, learn from that and being able to move on, I’m happy to be back with my guys,” Irving said.
Irving has overcome more adversity than most. He lost his dad when he was 2, his grandmother when he was in high school and a half brother when he was a freshman in college. Both his father and half brother were victims of gun violence.
The 23-year-old leaned on his faith and team resources to help him deal with the emotional strain of being on the sideline.
“This whole organization. I can’t name everybody from this person to this person, but the people who were with me every step of the way know who they are,” Irving said. “I want to give big praise and a shout out to them for helping me throughout this process. They’ve been around and they’ve seen it before, so just being able to trust them, trust their plan and help me get back and be around my teammates. I love being around my teammates.”
Irving should provide a spark to the offense when the Buccaneers (6-5) host the Arizona Cardinals (3-8) on Sunday. Baker Mayfield is dealing with a shoulder injury and star wide receiver Mike Evans is out.
“Anytime you can get a starter back, especially a player of Bucky’s caliber and the way he prepares and the way he loves the game and how he is around his teammates, that should always elevate you,” offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard said.
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Fantasy plays: Players to start and sit for NFL Week 13 By DORIAN COLBERT of RosterWatch The Associated Press
By Week 13, the fantasy football playoff push becomes a weekly stress test. Lineups tighten, injuries pile up and matchups take on outsized importance. These are the plays and fades that can tilt your roster toward the postseason this week.
Quarterbacks
Start: Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars vs Titans
Lawrence steps into one of the cleanest quarterback matchups of the week. Tennessee has been vulnerable to competent pocket passers, allowing multiple passing touchdowns in three of its past four games and struggling to defend layered route concepts — the exact areas Jacksonville leans on when Lawrence is in rhythm. With the Titans generating one of the league’s lowest pressure rates, Lawrence should see the clean pockets he needs to push the ball downfield and sustain drives. In a matchup where Jacksonville’s offense should control tempo, Lawrence carries strong QB1 upside in Week 13.
Other locks:
— Caleb Williams vs Eagles
— Patrick Mahomes vs Cowboys
— Lamar Jackson vs Bengals
Avoid: Jared Goff, Lions vs Packers
Goff has been lackluster as of late, but that’s because he can lean so heavily on Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Why take the risk when you have one of the best RB tandems in the league? Against Green Bay’s stout run-blocking scheme, Goff has only mild upside. Find another route.
Running backs
Start: Devin Neal, Saints vs Dolphins
Neal has taken control of the early down and goal-line work in New Orleans, and the Dolphins present one of the softest run matchups on the schedule. Miami has been repeatedly hurt on the ground, struggling with gap integrity and giving up consistent chunk plays. Neal’s versatile style pairs perfectly with how teams beat the Dolphins, and with the Saints leaning on the run to settle their offense, Neal enters Week 13 as a flex/RB2 with legitimate touchdown upside.
Other locks:
— James Cook vs Steelers
— Jaylen Warren vs Bills
— Kyren Williams vs Panthers
Avoid: Devin Singletary, Giants vs Patriots
Singletary is a name fantasy managers will think about flexing, but this matchup is a dead end. With Tyrone Tracy siphoning off passing game and red zone work, Singletary’s path to a usable fantasy line all but disappears against the Patriots stifling run defense. Sit him in Week 13.
Wide receivers
Start: Chimere Dike, Titans vs Jaguars
Dike’s role continues to expand in Tennessee’s passing game, and Week 13 offers real flex appeal. Jacksonville has struggled all season with secondary receivers, giving up steady production on slants, digs, and timing routes — exactly the areas where Dike has been earning his snaps. With Calvin Ridley out and Tennessee needing someone to fill the volume void, Dike has a solid WR3/flex floor with upside in a matchup that suits his skill set.
Other locks:
— Nico Collins vs Colts
— CeeDee Lamb vs Chiefs
— Amon-Ra St. Brown vs Packers
Avoid: Josh Downs, Colts vs Texans
Downs is a tempting PPR play, but this matchup reduces the appeal. Houston has quietly become one of the league’s stingiest defenses against slot receivers, tightening coverage inside and limiting underneath separation. With Indianapolis spreading targets unpredictably and Downs rarely involved in scoring situations, his floor plummets. Bench him in Week 13.
Tight ends
Start: Dalton Schultz, Texans vs Colts
Schultz had a down Week 12, but that was against Buffalo’s top-ranked tight end defense. He’ll have a much easier go of it against the top 10 tight end matchup Colts, as one of Houston’s primary pass catchers. He’s had at least eight targets and 50 yards in his previous three matchups before Week 12.
Other locks:
— Hunter Henry vs Giants
— Brock Bowers vs Chargers
— Juwan Johnson vs Dolphins
Avoid: Dallas Goedert, Eagles vs Bears
Chicago isn’t particularly tough against tight ends, but Goedert has struggled fantasy-wise since his Week 9 bye. The Eagles are leaning on their perimeter receivers, and they’re just inconsistent as a passing team overall. If you have other options, you should use them.
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This column was provided to The Associated Press by RosterWatch, www.rosterwatch.com
Tre'Von Moehrig to miss Panthers' game against Rams after suspension appeal denied The Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina safety Tre’Von Moehrig will miss the Panthers' home game Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams after losing an appeal of a one-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The NFL said Wednesday that Moehrig intentionally hit San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings in the groin near the end the game Monday night.
The suspension will cost Moehrig $65,000, or an 18th of his $1.17 million salary.
It’s a tough loss for the Panthers, who may be also without starting cornerback Jaycee Horn after he sustained a concussion against the 49ers. Horn remains in the concussion protocol.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has thrown for an NFL-high 30 touchdowns this season.
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Bears QB Caleb Williams maintaining focus going into matchup against Eagles By GENE CHAMBERLAIN Associated Press The Associated Press LAKE FOREST, Ill.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Caleb Williams’ quest for better passing accuracy took a different turn Sunday in the Chicago Bears’ 31-28 win over Pittsburgh.
And Williams sees the need for improvement on Friday when the Bears (8-3) test their offense against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles (8-3).
“I was exactly where I should have been in the sense of dropping back and all of this,” Williams said. “I think my base got a little wide and my legs weren’t fully under me yet early in the game for some reason.
“Just doing a better job in warmups, making sure that my legs are a little bit more warm if I do ever feel that kind of feeling I felt early in the game and just focus on that. And then other than that, my base got a little wide and (passes) started getting high on me. So just circling back to the small details that go into it.”
Williams has completed 59.2% of his passes on the season, after coach Ben Johnson called 70% their goal. It’s not just the numbers, but inconsistency with where he puts the ball for receivers that slows down what otherwise has been a potent Bears offense.
Williams' completion rate rose from 47.6% (10 of 21) in the first half to 64.3% (9 of 14) in the second half when he led two touchdown drives to take over the game against Pittsburgh.
Johnson called 18 straight passes.
“I didn’t notice,” Williams admitted. “You kind of get into a flow. It didn’t feel like it it was 18. I don’t really mind too many of those. Those are always fun, going 18 passes in a row.”
Even with Williams completing more than 60% of his passes only once in the past eight games, the Bears have kept winning. They won eight of their past nine to take the lead in the NFC North.
For Williams, avoiding interceptions has been the key. He has 16 touchdowns to only four interceptions, and hasn’t thrown an interception in 152 passes. Williams seems to enjoy throwing routes to the middle of the field, as all three of his TD passes went there Sunday.
“Some guys get a little bit nervous and get a little bit afraid to do that, and he’s not that type,” Johnson said.
Williams and the Bears offense have produced 87 big plays, or runs of 10 or more yards and passes of 20 or more yards. The Bears lead the league in this category and their 2.26 points per drive are their most in 23 years.
Now they’re facing a defense led by former Bears coordinator Vic Fangio that was key in winning the Super Bowl.
“Our goal offensively when we go in is really to be explosive,” Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said. “They’ve kind of modeled their defense to be the antithesis of what we’re trying to get done.”
A win over the Eagles could be a huge confidence boost for the Bears.
It’s not Williams’ focus, necessarily, as he tries to become more accurate with his throws.
“We focus on us, we focus on ourselves,” he said. “We focus on our details.”
Notes: The Bears didn't practice Tuesday and only had a walk-through. Both cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson would have had full practices, as they did last week prior to the Pittsburgh game, and the Bears could look to bring back two of their better defensive players from IR. However, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (hip) would not have been able to practice.
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Smith-Njigba and Garrett put two NFL records in jeopardy before Thanksgiving By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press
Jaxon Smith-Njigba already wrapped up the most prolific receiving season in Seattle history and is on pace to be the NFL's first 2,000-yard receiver.
Smith-Njigba isn't alone in putting together a season that could end in the record book with Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett closing in on the single-season sacks record after accumulating 13 in the last four games.
The calendar hasn't even hit Thanksgiving and two NFL single-season records are in serious jeopardy of being broken.
Smith-Njigba had 167 yards receiving on Sunday against Tennessee to give him 1,313 in games this season. He broke D.K. Metcalf's franchise record of 1,303 yards set in 2020 and has the third most yards receiving of any player in his team's first 11 games. Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch had the most with 1,349 yards in 1951, followed by Charley Hennigan's 1,327 in 1961 and Tyreek Hill's 1,324 in 2023.
Smith-Njigba's 119.4 yards per game are just behind Calvin Johnson's 122.8 in 2012 when he set the single-season record with 1,964 yards receiving. But with a 17th game, Smith-Njigba is on pace to pass that record and become the first player to break the 2,000-yard barrier.
Smith-Njigba has put up those lofty receiving numbers despite playing for the only team in the NFL that runs on more than half its offensive plays. Smith-Njigba has accounted for 46.9% of Seattle’s yards receiving so far this season, a mark topped only four times since 1948 with the last player with a higher share coming 50 years ago when Ken Burroughs had 50.6% of the yards receiving for the Houston Oilers.
Garrett's 18 sacks so far this season are the most by a player in a team's first 11 games of a season, passing the 17 1/2 for Mark Gastineau in 1984 when he set the record with 22. Michael Strahan broke Gastineau's record with 22 1/2 sacks in 2001 — a total that was matched four years ago by Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt.
Garrett needs just five sacks in his final six games to break the record. He has posted at least three sacks in three of the last four games with latest big performance coming when he brought down Geno Smith three times on Sunday in a win over Las Vegas.
The only player with more three-sack games in a season was Lawrence Taylor, who had four in 1986 when he won the AP NFL MVP for the New York Giants.
While Garrett is on a record-setting pace, he is behind what Reggie White did in the strike-impacted 1987 season. Teams played only 15 games that season with White missing three that featured replacement players. White had 19 sacks in his first 11 games that season and finished with 21 in 12 games.
Comeback weekend
On a day that featured four double-digit wins, none were as improbable as Dallas' comeback from 21 points down to beat Philadelphia 24-21 in what was tied for the NFL's largest comeback since Minnesota's record 33-point rally against Indianapolis in 2022.
The win was tied for the largest comeback ever for the Cowboys, who had been 3-127 in the regular season and playoffs after falling behind by at least 21. Dallas had comeback wins from 21 points in 2014 against the Rams, 1999 against Washington and 1984 against the Saints.
The Eagles matched the second largest blown lead in franchise history, behind only a game in 1985 against Minnesota when they trailed 23-0 before winning 28-23. Philadelphia had been 210-3-2 when leading by at least 21 points.
The other double-digit comebacks on Sunday featured New England coming back from 10 points down to beat Cincinnati 26-20 , Detroit rallying from 10 points down to beat the Giants 34-27 in overtime and another big comeback by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs .
Kansas City trailed Indianapolis 20-9 early in the fourth quarter before rallying to force overtime and win it 23-20 for the Chiefs first one-score victory after five losses this season.
The win gave Mahomes his first fourth-quarter comeback of the season and improved his career record in the regular season and playoffs to 20-18 in games Kansas City trailed by at least 10 points. No other player with at least five opportunities has a winning record with Tim Tebow's 5-6 mark ranking second best.
Teams other than the Chiefs with Mahomes have a .139 win percentage after trailing by at least 10 points.
Big-play merchants
Detroit's win over the Giants featured some noteworthy performances from Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and New York quarterback Jameis Winston.
Gibbs had 15 carries for 219 yards and two TDs and caught 11 passes for 45 yards and a score, joining LaDainian Tomlinson as the only players with at least 200 yards rushing and 10 receptions in the same game. Tomlinson did it against Denver on Dec. 1, 2002.
Gibbs joined Barry Sanders and Cloyce Box as the only Lions players with at least 250 yards from scrimmage and three TDs in a single game with Sanders doing it in 1991 against Minnesota and Box in 1950 against the Colts.
The performance gave Gibbs 44 career touchdowns in the regular season, tying Randy Moss for the second most ever before a player turned 24. Sanders' 47 for the Lions are the most. Gibbs' 24th birthday is March 20.
Winston threw two TD passes — including a 39-yarder to Wan'Dale Robinson — and also caught a 33-yarder on a trick play from Gunner Olszewski. That made Winston the 16th player with a TD catch and TD pass of at least 30 yards in the same game with Jamison Crowder the last to do it in 2020 for the Jets against Cleveland.
The only other Giants to do it were Odell Beckham Jr. in 2018 against Carolina and Frank Gifford in 1959 against the Cardinals.
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Inside the Numbers dives into NFL statistics, streaks and trends each week. For more Inside the Numbers, head here .
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More flag-planting celebrations could be in store for college football's rivalry week By MARK LONG AP Sports Writer The Associated Press GAINESVILLE, Fla.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks admits it was his idea for teammate George Gumbs to plant a Gators flag on Florida State’s logo following a victory at Doak Campbell Stadium last year.
“It was amazing,” Banks quipped.
It sparked a postgame skirmish and a terse exchange between Florida State coach Mike Norvell and then-Florida coach Billy Napier, who later apologized “on behalf of the entire organization in terms of how we represented the university” and vowed that “we won’t do that moving forward.”
The Seminoles, though, surely haven’t forgotten and could have payback in mind when the in-state rivals meet — this time in the Swamp — with little at stake for the second consecutive year.
“Yeah, I’ve been talking about that,” Banks said this week. “We can’t let nobody come in our house and do that, honestly.”
Teams across the country surely feel the same. Coaches, players, administrators and maybe even security will be on high alert in hopes of dissuading or even preventing flag plantings that wreaked havoc during rivalry week in 2024.
Michigan and Ohio State players scuffled after a group of Wolverines attempted to plant their flag in the middle of Ohio Stadium following a 13-10 victory . Similar scenes played out in North Carolina and Arizona.
“We’ve been pretty good about any postgame interactions,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. “When we win a game or when you end a game, we’re going to go to our student section and go to our band and shake hands, cordial, cordial ending and be done with it. And that’s it. So our guys have been good about that, and we’ll continue to do that.”
Will No. 1 Ohio State be as affable if the Buckeyes beat the 15th-ranked Wolverines in Ann Arbor on Saturday?
“We’re just going to talk about how we handle ourselves on and off the field to make sure everybody is prepared,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said.
Few seemed to anticipate all the flag planting that occurred last year.
Current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield gained notoriety in 2017 for planting an Oklahoma flag at midfield of Ohio State’s stadium following the Sooners’ road victory. Seven years later, it became a trend.
Following N.C. State’s victory in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, last season, Tar Heels receiver J.J. Jones grabbed a Wolfpack flag from opponents attempting to plant it and hurled it away before getting into a shoving match.
“It is what it is,” Tar Heels offensive lineman Austin Blaske said. “It happened. It happened in the past, try not to think about that. Just try to worry about playing football this weekend and just winning the game. I think that’s what we’re focused on right now.”
Added UNC receiver Kobe Paysour: “This is definitely a rivalry game, but it’s more about keeping your emotions intact and keeping your composure.”
The Arizona State-Arizona confrontation last year came with a twist: it wasn’t a flag but a trident that Arizona State defensive lineman Jacob Rich Kongaika tried to plant in the middle of Arizona’s logo following a 49-7 win .
Kongaika, an Arizona transfer, held on as Arizona receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig tried to take the trident away, and the duo was surrounded by players from each school.
“It’s passion over emotion,” Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales said. “If you make an emotional decision, most of the time it’s stupid and wrong. If you make a passionate decision, it means you put a commitment and you made a commitment to make that choice. We can’t be full of emotion — and there will be a ton of emotion, all the way from the warmups. That’s how it is.”
Florida’s angst in Tallahassee a year ago stemmed from a 2023 loss to FSU in Gainesville. Seminoles running back Trey Benson and defensive end Jared Verse used scissors to cut up a chunk of Florida’s orange-painted end zone as a souvenir to display in the team’s famed “Sod Cemetery.”
“That was something that’s been ingrained in our minds for a long time,” Florida left tackle Austin Barber said.
The Seminoles are sure to do it again if they win Saturday. And no one would be surprised to see their flag planted into the Gators head at midfield.
“We don’t need them planting no flags on our field,” Banks said. “So we’re going to go out there and handle business for sure.”
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AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Larry Lage in Ann Arbor, Michigan, John Marshall in Tucson, Arizona, and Joe Reedy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed.
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College football Week 14: Spots in conference title games are up for grabs as regular season closes By ERIC OLSON AP College Football Writer The Associated Press
When it comes to setting conference championship game matchups in the final week of the regular season, we can do it the easy way or we can do it the hard way.
The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and almost certainly the American are the leagues whose champions will get automatic College Football Playoff bids. Each has two teams that will advance to conference title games as long as they win Friday or Saturday.
Fans of teams on the bubble are hoping things get messy and will have tiebreaker scenarios pulled up on their phones as games unfold. Without getting into the weeds, here are the front-runners' direct routes to the championship games Dec. 5-6.
American: No. 21 North Texas beats Temple at home; No. 22 Tulane beats Charlotte at home.
Atlantic Coast: No. 17 Virgina beats Virginia Tech at home; No. 25 SMU wins at California.
Big Ten: No. 1 Ohio State wins at No. 15 Michigan ; No. 2 Indiana wins at Purdue.
Big 12: No. 7 Texas Tech wins at West Virginia; No. 11 BYU beats UCF at home.
Southeastern: No. 3 Texas A&M wins at No. 16 Texas; No. 10 Alabama wins at Auburn.
Best game
No. 1 Ohio State (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) at No. 15 Michigan (9-2, 7-1), Saturday, noon ET (Fox)
The Buckeyes have lost four straight against the “Team Up North,” and last year's defeat was so devastating there were calls for Ryan Day's firing. It was still being talked about on the eve of the Buckeyes' win over Notre Dame in the national championship game.
Ohio State hasn't lost five straight to Michigan since a six-game skid from 1922-27. If the Buckeyes win, they should be the CFP top seed and get the first-round bye that goes with it. A loss could cost them a top-four seeding and leave them playing a first-round game at home.
Under the radar
Troy (7-4, 5-2 Sun Belt) at Southern Mississippi (7-4, 5-2), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
One of the great under-the-radar stories of the season has been the work of Southern Miss first-year coach Charles Huff. He took a program that went 1-11 and winless in the Sun Belt to the brink of its first conference championship game. If the Golden Eagles win, they're in.
Huff brought in 70 transfers, including 23 who followed him from Marshall, and will be going for Southern Miss' first eight-win season since 2017. Troy second-year coach Gerad Parker is trying to get the Trojans to their third Sun Belt title game in four years.
Heisman watch
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is making a strong closing bid for the Heisman Trophy. He's gone from 50-to-1 long shot entering the season on BetMGM Sportsbook to second favorite among the wagering public at 15-to-4 this week. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza remains the prohibitive favorite.
Love is third in the nation in rushing at 118.7 yards per game, and his 20 touchdowns rank second and are tied for the single-season school record set by Jerome Bettis in 1991.
Love ran for 171 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries in last week's 70-7 win over Syracuse. He's only the third player since 1996 to achieve those numbers on so few carries. He'll finish the regular season Saturday night at Stanford. The last running back to win the Heisman was Alabama's Derrick Henry in 2015.
Numbers to know
10 — Texas Tech's nation-leading wins by at least 20 points.
17 — Pittsburgh interceptions returned for touchdowns since 2021, most in the nation. The Panthers have a pick-6 in each of its last three games and four this season.
37-4 — Kalen DeBoer's combined record in November games as head coach at Sioux Falls, Fresno State, Washington and Alabama.
135 — Meetings between Minnesota and Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan’s Axe when they square off in Minneapolis, most of any FBS college football rivalry.
1898 — The year Navy last played on Thanksgiving. The Midshipmen visit Memphis on Thursday.
Hot seat
UTEP's Scotty Walden was within a minute of what would have been the highlight of an otherwise awful season: a second straight win in the rivalry with New Mexico State. After blowing a 21-point first-quarter lead at home last Saturday, his Miners were up 31-27 with 56 seconds left in the game. Then the Aggies drove 75 yards in 35 seconds to score the winning touchdown .
Walden, 5-18 overall and 4-11 in Conference USA in two seasons, needs a win at Delaware on Saturday to match last year's three victories. The Miners' only wins this season are against Tennessee-Martin of the FCS and a Sam Houston team that started 0-8 and is now 2-9.
Walden has three years left on his contract and would be owed a buyout of about $1.5 million if fired, according to USA Today.
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Coach Eric Morris leaving No. 21 North Texas, but what will QB Drew Mestemaker do? By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer The Associated Press DENTON, Texas
DENTON, Texas (AP) — Redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Mestemaker is the Bowl Subdivision passing leader after never starting a varsity game in high school, and No. 21 North Texas now has the opportunity to clinch the school's first 11-win season, a spot in its conference championship game and then maybe even the 12-team College Football Playoff .
With Mestemaker and soon-departing coach Eric Morris, the Mean Green (10-1, 6-1 American) go into their regular-season finale at home Friday with the nation’s top offense (503 total yards and 46.3 points per game). They have six 50-point games, including four of five since their only loss.
Morris will leave after UNT's last game, whenever that is, to become Oklahoma State's coach . It is easy to wonder if Mestemaker will follow him to the Big 12 or play elsewhere next year.
Even before Morris' move Wednesday on a coaching carousel that is picking up speed, there were always going to be Power Four teams coveting the 6-foot-4 Mestemaker. They didn't get to see him play QB in high school — because he didn't — but will now recruit him with lucrative deals far exceeding anything available from a Group of Five school.
“The portal is kind of, just kind of a sensitive topic for a lot of reasons,” Mestemaker said before the news of Morris' impending departure. “But I don’t think in a season you should be thinking about what I’m going to do after this or things like that. I think if you’re not totally bought in on the season, then you’re just like missing out. I have an agent. And I told him, ‘Don’t tell me anything, I don’t want to hear it.’ I just want to play.”
A win over Temple (5-6, 3-4) on Friday gets the Mean Green into the American Conference championship game that they could host next week.
Mestemaker is 251-of-358 passing (70.1%) for 3,469 yards (315.4 per game) with 26 touchdowns and four interceptions. Three of the picks came in the loss to then-No. 24 South Florida . He set conference and school records with 609 yards passing at Charlotte, and had 469 in a 56-24 win at Rice last week.
“He's got a great, great deal of confidence right now,” Morris said. “I’ve seen the growth of a guy coming in as a fifth-string walk-on just hoping for an opportunity to keep throwing the ball and stay on the team, to two short years later, you’re watching him on SportsCenter. And to watch him handle that, stay the same guy, not have an ego, be great with his teammates, has been fun to watch.”
Some good QBs in his past
Morris has been around some pretty good quarterbacks.
The former Texas Tech receiver was offensive coordinator for the Red Raiders when three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes was their quarterback a decade ago. Morris went to Incarnate Word for his first head coaching job and had Cam Ward, who then went to Washington State and Miami before being this year's No. 1 overall NFL draft pick. John Mateer, now Oklahoma's starter, was a freshman at Washington State when Morris was OC/QBs coach there in 2022.
Finally getting his turn
Before North Texas, Mestemaker's last QB start was in 2020 as a freshman on the B team at Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas. He later punted and played safety on the varsity, and the starting quarterback his senior season was Deuce Adams, who last Saturday made his first start for Louisville .
Mestemaker's starting debut for UNT was in the First Responders Bowl last January after Chandler Morris transferred to Virginia. Mestemaker threw for 393 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 55 yards with another score.
“I always knew I could go out and perform, and it was awesome to get that opportunity and kind of show myself that I could," he said.
Because of that chance given to him by Morris, the quarterback said he will always be grateful to North Texas no matter what happens next.
Morris said before accepting the Oklahoma State job that there have been some small conversations with Mestemaker about the future. The two had agreed to sit down after the season to discuss what is best for the quarterback, and that likely will still be the case.
“We’ve built this great relationship,” Morris said. “This is something that’s inevitable ... you hear all these stories now on social media of quarterbacks that are already in P4 and shopping around. So that part of it is what it is. We’re going to continue to keep him in the moment, stay in the moment, continue to perform at a high level on Saturdays for this team."
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Lions and Packers match up on Thanksgiving with much at stake in NFC North and NFL playoff picture By The Associated Press The Associated Press
Green Bay (7-3-1) at Detroit (7-4)
Thursday, 1 p.m. EST, FOX
BetMGM line: Lions by 3.
Against the spread: Packers 4-6-1; Lions 6-5.
Series record: Packers lead 107-78-7.
Last meeting: Packers beat Lions 27-13 on Sept. 7 in Green Bay.
Last week: Packers beat Minnesota Vikings 23-6 at home; Lions beat Giants 34-27 in OT at home.
Packers offense: overall (13), overall (15), pass (14), scoring (13)
Packers defense: overall (4), rush (5), pass (6), scoring (5)
Lions offense: overall (4), overall (3), pass (8), scoring (2)
Lions defense: overall (10), rush (11), pass (15), scoring (12)
Turnover differential: Packers plus-4; Lions plus-5
Packers player to watch
QB Jordan Love. Although Love hasn’t thrown a TD pass in three of four games for the first time since 2022, this is the time of the season when he generally starts heating up. He also has a knack for feasting on defenses each Thanksgiving. Two years ago, Love threw for 268 yards and three TDs without an INT on the holiday in Detroit. Last season, Love passed for 274 yards and two TDs without getting picked off in a win over the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving.
Lions player to watch
DE Aidan Hutchinson. He didn't have a tackle at Green Bay in Week 1, playing for the first time in nearly 11 months after breaking his leg. Hutchinson has been much more productive after his rough start. He sealed Sunday's win over the Giants with a sack, giving him 8 1/2 sacks this season. He had a team record six QB hits against against New York. Hutchinson and Pittsburgh edge rusher T.J. Watt are the two players in NFL history with at least 37 sacks and four INTs through the first 50 games of a career.
Key matchup
Lions RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery against Green Bay's run defense: During the Packers' season-opening win, the Packers limited the Lions to 46 yards rushing on 22 carries. Montgomery had 11 rushes for 25 yards and Gibbs had nine carries for 19 yards. Gibbs has been much more productive since and rushed for 219 yards and two TDs while catching 11 passes for 45 yards and another score against the Giants for a franchise-record 264 yards from scrimmage for a RB. Montgomery has a history of performing well against the Packers.
Key injuries
Packers: RB Josh Jacobs is expected to play Thursday after missing the Vikings game with a bruised knee. ... DL Karl Brooks (ankle), WR Jayden Reed (foot/shoulder), DL Lukas Van Ness (foot) and WR Savion Williams (foot) have been ruled out. ... WR Matthew Golden (wrist), CB Nate Hobbs (knee), CB Keisean Nixon (neck) and LB Quay Walker (neck) are questionable.
Lions: S Kerby Joseph (knee) will miss a sixth straight game. C Graham Glasgow (knee), DE Josh Paschal (back), WR Kalif Raymond (ankle) and TE Brock Wright (neck) also have been ruled out. ... CB Terrion Arnold (concussion), DE Marcus Davenport (shoulder), OT Taylor Decker (shoulder), OL Miles Frazier (knee), G Tate Ratledge (knee), OT Penei Sewell (ankle), WR Isaac TeSlaa (hand) and RB Sione Vaki (ankle/thumb) are questionable.
Series notes
This is the 23rd time the Packers and Lions are facing off on Thanksgiving, making this the most-played matchup on the holiday. The Lions are 12-9-1 against the Packers on Thanksgiving. The Lions have won six of the past eight meetings. The previous time these two teams faced off in Detroit, the Lions won 34-31 when Jake Bates made a 35-yard FG as time expired. In this year’s season opener, Love passed for 188 yards and two TDs while Green Bay’s defense kept Detroit out of the end zone until the final minute. The Packers sacked Jared Goff four times in the opener.
Stats and stuff
This is the first time the Packers have played on Thanksgiving for three straight seasons since 1951-63, when they matched up with the Lions every year on this holiday. … Green Bay is 3-0-1 in its past four road games. … The Packers have won two straight and five of seven. ... The Packers gave up 4 yards and forced three turnovers in the second half against the Vikings. It was the first time a team had forced at least three turnovers while allowing fewer than 5 total yards in a half since Buffalo's win over Cleveland in 2004. … The Packers have allowed just 202 points so far, the fewest they’ve given up through the first 11 games of a season since 2010. … Packers RB Josh Jacobs has 11 TD runs to rank second in the NFL, behind Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor has 15. … Packers DE Micah Parsons has 10 sacks this season. Parsons and Reggie White are the two NFL players since 1982 to have at least 10 sacks in each of their first five NFL seasons. … Packers S Evan Williams has an INT in each of his past two games. … Packers K Brandon McManus has made only 70% of his field-goal attempts this season, but went 3 of 3 in the Vikings game. ... Detroit is the NFL's first team with at least 24 passing TDs, at least 15 rushing TDs and eight or fewer turnovers through 11 games. ... Gibbs is the NFL's first player with at least 10 rushing TDs and at least one receiving TD in each of his first three seasons. ... Gibbs and Jim Brown (1963) are the two players in league history to average 9.5 yards from scrimmage with the ball in their hands with at least 60 touches in a three-game span. Gibbs is the only NFL player since the 1970 merger to have at least 400 yards rushing, four rushing TDs, 18 yards receiving and two receiving TDs in a three-game span. ... WR Amon-Ra. St. Brown had seven catches for 120 yards in the second half on Sunday. ... LB Jack Campbell is the first Lion with at least 100 tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles since at least 1994. ... Bates made a career-high and franchise-record-tying 59-yard field goal with 28 seconds left in the fourth to force overtime against the Giants, improving to 5 of 5 on go-ahead and game-tying FGs in the last two minutes or overtime.
Fantasy tip
Goff has been really good on Thanksgiving, and against Green Bay at home. In his four starts on the holiday, he has thrown two TDs in each game and hasn’t been picked off once. In his past four games against the Packers at home, he has thrown at least two TD passes.
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