Andy

Wisconsin is no good at all and when they went ahead 13-10 and ND had its 3rd-string QB in the game due to injuries. I had a brief moment of annoyance at the idea that Wisconsin was going to get a poll boost from beating a not-very-good ND team and then Michigan would in turn get a poll boost from beating them like a drum next week (which they will). Then Chris Tyree went 98 yards for a TD and at least I don't have to worry about that anymore.

Conversely, it will be extremely easy for me to not watch the playoffs. Although STL will be the only team I flat-out make sure I don't watch. Their devil magic BS pisses me off enough without seeing it unfold in real time.

I completely forgot STL had traded for JA Happ and if you're wondering whether his ERA with STL is barely over half of what it was before they traded for him without any reasonable explanation well do I have an absolutely-not-a-surprise for you

Yeah, I'd be less worried about St. Louis if they were winning 96 games. Years like this where they don't have that much talent but pull off their devil magic horsefeathers anyway (this Jon Lester thing is officially absurd, he's sucked ass for the better part of 3 years but now he's going to wildly outpitch his FIP?) are the years where they manage to be there at the end.

Jon Lester won #200 tonight and I want to vomit

It might be an entire season before I'm used to this new number rule.

ND/Wisconsin will probably be a snoozer even if it's close.

Top 25 games ------------------------------ Southern Miss at (1) Alabama (7:30 pm, SEC Network) (2) Georgia at Vanderbilt (12 pm, SEC Network) Arizona at (3) Oregon (10:30 pm, ESPN) West Virginia at (4) Oklahoma (7:30 pm, ABC) Colorado State at (5) Iowa (3:30 pm, FS1) Villanova at (6) Penn State (12 pm, BTN - Regional) (16) Arkansas vs (7) Texas A&M - in Arlington, TX (3:30 pm, CBS) (9) Clemson at NC State (3:30 pm, ESPN) Akron at (10) Ohio State (7:30 pm, BTN) Tennessee at (11) Florida (7 pm, ESPN) (12) Notre Dame vs (18) Wisconsin - in Chicago (12 pm, FOX) (14) Iowa State at Baylor (3:30 pm, FOX) South Florida at (15) BYU (10:30 pm, ESPN2) UMass at (17) Coastal Carolina (1 pm, ESPN+) Rutgers at (19) Michigan (3:30 pm, ABC) Nebraska at (20) Michigan State (7 pm, FS1) (21) North Carolina vs Georgia Tech - at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (7:30 pm, ACC Network) UNLV at (22) Fresno State (10 pm Friday, CBSSN) Georgia State at (23) Auburn (4 pm, SEC Network) (24) UCLA at Stanford (6 pm, Pac-12 Network) (25) Kansas State at Oklahoma State (7 pm, ESPN+) Other nationally available games --------------------------------------------------- Thursday Marshall at Appalachian State (7:30 pm, ESPN) Friday Middle Tennessee at Charlotte (6:30 pm, CBSSN) Wake Forest at Virginia (7 pm, ESPN2) Liberty at Syracuse (8 pm, ACC Network) Saturday TV Texas Tech at Texas (12 pm, ABC) Boise State at Utah State (12 pm, CBS) LSU at Mississippi State (12 pm, ESPN) Missouri at Boston College (12 pm, ESPN2) SMU at TCU (12 pm, FS1) Ohio at Northwestern (12 pm, BTN - Regional) Bowling Green at Minnesota (12 pm, ESPNU) Richmond at Virginia Tech (12 pm, ACC Network) Miami (OH) at Army (12 pm, CBSSN) Central Connecticut State at Miami (12:30 pm, Regional Sports Networks/ESPN3) Washington State at Utah (2:30 pm, Pac-12 Network) Towson at San Diego State (2:30 pm, Stadium) Louisville at Florida State (3:30 pm, ESPN2) Illinois at Purdue (3:30 pm, BTN - Regional) Kent State at Maryland (3:30 pm, BTN - Regional) UTSA at Memphis (3:30 pm, ESPNU) Wyoming at UConn (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Kansas at Duke (4 pm, ACC Network) Kentucky at South Carolina (7 pm, ESPN2) Navy at Houston (7 pm, ESPNU) North Texas at Louisiana Tech (7 pm, Stadium) Florida Atlantic at Air Force (8 pm, FS2) Indiana at Western Kentucky (8 pm, CBSSN) California at Washington (9:30 pm, Pac-12 Network) Oregon State at USC (10:30 pm, FS1) Colorado at Arizona State (10:30 pm, ESPNU) Saturday Streaming New Hampshire at Pittsburgh (12 pm, ESPN+) San Jose State at Western Michigan (2 pm, ESPN+) Texas State at Eastern Michigan (2 pm, ESPN+) Toledo at Ball State (2 pm, ESPN+) Maine at Northern Illinois (2:30 pm, ESPN3) Arkansas State at Tulsa (5 pm, ESPN+) Buffalo at Old Dominion (6 pm, ESPN+) UL Lafayette at Georgia Southern (6 pm, ESPN+) Charleston Southern at East Carolina (6 pm, ESPN+) Texas Southern at Rice (6:30 pm, ESPN3) Florida International at Central Michigan (7 pm, ESPN3) UAB at Tulane (8 pm, ESPN+) Troy at UL Monroe (8 pm, ESPN+) New Mexico at UTEP (9 pm, ESPN+)

Massive win for Carolina. With the pretty crappy Texans and potentially their backup QB on deck in 4 days, Panthers could start 3-0 which would be just peachy.

I already know St. Louis is going to win that playoff and probably beat SF in the LDS too just to piss me the hell off

Seattle just had the ASG in 2001. I'm sure MLB is going to give one to Atlanta's new park as soon as they fix that voting rights crap too, even though Atlanta's previous stadium had it the year before Seattle last did.

I'm not saying Helton was Saban but for his own fan base having no faith in him, but it's always been interesting to me that he won a Rose Bowl in his first full season and a Pac-12 title in his second and by the middle of his third season everyone wanted him fired and never stopped.

It's as if he's been a productive but irratic player for his entire career! He's up to 4.4 WAR. What is a little odd is that in his entire time with the Cubs I'm not sure I remember any bad base running - forgetting the number outs earlier this year not withstanding - I'm thinking of taking an extra base or trying to score - he seemed to have that uncanny timing-spidey sense that told him he could make it. There obviously was some but I feel like they were few and far between - however I think I have seen 3 or 4 clips of bad base running in his time of the Mets - getting thrown out at 3rd for the 3rd out, doubled off on a bloop that was easily caught stuff I just don't remember him doing with the cubs. Rose colored glasses maybe. He definitely did the latter once this year. That was when Ross benched him and caused a kerfuffle.

Top 25 games ------------------------------ (1) Alabama at (11) Florida (3:30 pm, CBS) South Carolina at (2) Georgia (7 pm, ESPN) Nebraska at (3) Oklahoma (12 pm, FOX) Stony Brook at (4) Oregon (7 pm, Pac-12 Network) Kent State at (5) Iowa (3:30 pm, BTN - Regional) Georgia Tech at (6) Clemson (3:30 pm, ABC) New Mexico at (7) Texas A&M (12 pm, SEC Network) (8) Cincinnati at Indiana (12 pm, ESPN) Tulsa at (9) Ohio State (3:30 pm, FS1) (22) Auburn at (10) Penn State (7:30 pm, ABC) Purdue at (12) Notre Dame (2:30 pm, NBC) Fresno State at (13) UCLA (10:45 pm, Pac-12 Network) (14) Iowa State at UNLV (10:30 pm, CBSSN) (15) Virginia Tech at West Virginia (12 pm, FS1) (16) Coastal Carolina at Buffalo (12 pm, ESPN2) Tulane at (17) Ole Miss (8 pm, ESPN2) (19) Arizona State at (23) BYU (10:15 pm, ESPN) Georgia Southern at (20) Arkansas (4 pm, SEC Network) Virginia at (21) North Carolina (7:30 pm, ACC Network) Michigan State at (24) Miami (12 pm, ABC) Northern Illinois at (25) Michigan (12 pm, BTN) Other nationally available games --------------------------------------------------- Thursday Ohio at UL Lafayette (8 pm, ESPN) Friday UCF at Louisville (7:30 pm, ESPN) Maryland at Illinois (9 pm, FS1) Saturday TV Boston College at Temple (12 pm, ESPNU) Albany at Syracuse (12 pm, ACC Network) Western Michigan at Pittsburgh (12 pm, Marquee/ESPN3) UConn at Army (12 pm, CBSSN) Minnesota at Colorado (1 pm, Pac-12 Network) USC at Washington State (3:30 pm, FOX) Florida State at Wake Forest (3:30 pm, ESPN) Delaware at Rutgers (3:30 pm, BTN - Regional) SMU at Louisiana Tech (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Idaho at Oregon State (3:30 pm, Pac-12 Network) Mississippi State at Memphis (4 pm, ESPN2) Northwestern at Duke (4 pm, ACC Network) Colorado State at Toledo (4 pm, ESPNU) Sacramento State at California (4 pm, Pac-12 Network - Regional) Ball State at Wyoming (4 pm, Regional Sports Networks/Stadium) Arkansas State at Washington (4:15 pm, Pac-12 Network - Regional) Utah at San Diego State (7 pm, CBSSN) Central Michigan at LSU (7:30 pm, SEC Network) Utah State at Air Force (7:30 pm, FS2) UAB at North Texas (7:30 pm, Regional Sports Networks/Stadium) Stanford at Vanderbilt (8 pm, ESPNU) Oklahoma State at Boise State (9 pm, FS1) Northern Arizona at Arizona (10 pm, Pac-12 Network) San Jose State at Hawaii (12:30 am, FS1) Saturday Streaming Chattanooga at Kentucky (12 pm, ESPN+) Tennessee Tech at Tennessee (12 pm, ESPN+) Nevada at Kansas State (2 pm, ESPN+) Bryant at Akron (3:30 pm, ESPN3) Baylor at Kansas (3:30 pm, ESPN+) Elon at Appalachian State (3:30 pm, ESPN+) Long Island at Miami (OH) (3:30 pm, ESPN+) Murray State at Bowling Green (5 pm, ESPN3) Fordham at Florida Atlantic (6 pm, ESPN3) Old Dominion at Liberty (6 pm, ESPN3) East Carolina at Marshall (6 pm, Facebook) Middle Tennessee at UTSA (6 pm, ESPN+) Incarnate Word at Texas State (7 pm, ESPN3) Charlotte at Georgia State (7 pm, ESPN+) Florida A&M at South Florida (7 pm, ESPN+) Florida International at Texas Tech (7 pm, ESPN+) Grambling at Houston (7 pm, ESPN+) Troy at Southern Miss (7 pm, ESPN+) Furman at NC State (7:30 pm, ESPN3) Alcorn State at South Alabama (8 pm, ESPN3) Jackson State at UL Monroe (8 pm, ESPN3)

This did not help the ND outlook, but it was a hilarious finish.

If it helps, the likely multiple Notre Dame home losses the rest of the way will all air on NBC. This was a one-off, for this season at least.

Not official yet but they're all going to accept. Big 12 isn't going to be as good as the other 4 power leagues but it might be the most fun.

Early spread is only -5 or -6 on that one, which strikes me as odd.

Top 25 games ------------------------------ Mercer at (1) Alabama (4 pm, SEC Network) UAB at (2) Georgia (3:30 pm, ESPN2) (12) Oregon at (3) Ohio State (12 pm, FOX) Western Carolina at (4) Oklahoma (7 pm, PPV) (5) Texas A&M vs Colorado - in Denver (3:30 pm, FOX) South Carolina State at (6) Clemson (4 pm, ACC Network) Murray State at (7) Cincinnati (3:30 pm, ESPN+) Toledo at (8) Notre Dame (2:30 pm, Peacock) (10) Iowa at (9) Iowa State (4:30 pm, ABC) Ball State at (11) Penn State (3:30 pm, FS1) (13) Florida at South Florida (1 pm, ABC) Stanford at (14) USC (10:30 pm, FOX) (15) Texas at Arkansas (7 pm, ESPN) Kansas at (17) Coastal Carolina (7:30 pm Friday, ESPN2) Eastern Michigan at (18) Wisconsin (7 pm, FS1) Middle Tennessee at (19) Virginia Tech (2 pm, ESPN3) Austin Peay at (20) Ole Miss (7:30 pm, ESPN+) (21) Utah at BYU (10:15 pm, ESPN) Appalachian State at (22) Miami (7 pm, ESPNU) UNLV at (23) Arizona State (10:30 pm, ESPN2) Georgia State at (24) North Carolina (7:30 pm, ESPN3) Alabama State at (25) Auburn (12 pm, SEC Network) Other nationally available games --------------------------------------------------- Friday North Carolina A&T at Duke (8 pm, ACC Network) North Dakota at Utah State (9 pm, CBSSN) UTEP at Boise State (9:30 pm, FS1) Saturday TV Illinois at Virginia (11 am, ACC Network) Western Kentucky at Army (11:30 am, CBSSN) Pittsburgh at Tennessee (12 pm, ESPN) South Carolina at East Carolina (12 pm, ESPN2) Tulsa at Oklahoma State (12 pm, FS1) Indiana State at Northwestern (12 pm, BTN - Regional) Youngstown State at Michigan State (12 pm, BTN - Regional) Miami (OH) at Minnesota (12 pm, ESPNU) Kennesaw State at Georgia Tech (12 pm, Regional Sports Networks/ESPN3) Rutgers at Syracuse (2 pm, ACC Network) Purdue at UConn (3 pm, CBSSN) Air Force at Navy (3:30 pm, CBS) Buffalo at Nebraska (3:30 pm, BTN) California at TCU (3:30 pm, ESPNU) Georgia Southern at Florida Atlantic (3:30 pm, Regional Sports Networks/Stadium) Portland State at Washington State (6 pm, Pac-12 Network) Houston at Rice (6:30 pm, CBSSN) NC State at Mississippi State (7 pm, ESPN2) New Mexico State at New Mexico (7 pm, Regional Sports Networks/Stadium) Howard at Maryland (7:30 pm, BTN - Regional) Idaho at Indiana (7:30 pm, BTN - Regional) Missouri at Kentucky (7:30 pm, SEC Network) Washington at Michigan (8 pm, ABC) Jacksonville State at Florida State (8 pm, ACC Network) Vanderbilt at Colorado State (10 pm, CBSSN) San Diego State at Arizona (10 pm, Pac-12 Network) Idaho State at Nevada (10:30 pm, Regional Sports Networks/Stadium) Hawaii at Oregon State (11 pm, FS1) Saturday Streaming VMI at Kent State (11:30 am, ESPN3) Norfolk State at Wake Forest (12 pm, ESPN3) Wyoming at Northern Illinois (1:30 pm, ESPN+) Duquesne at Ohio (2 pm, ESPN3) Robert Morris at Central Michigan (3 pm, ESPN3) Temple at Akron (3:30 pm, ESPN+) South Alabama at Bowling Green (4 pm, ESPN+) Illinois State at Western Michigan (5 pm, ESPN3) Long Island at West Virginia (5 pm, ESPN+) Gardner-Webb at Charlotte (6 pm, ESPN3) Lamar at UTSA (6 pm, ESPN3) Bethune-Cookman at UCF (6:30 pm, ESPN+) NC Central at Marshall (6:30 pm, ESPN+) Nicholls at UL Lafayette (7 pm, ESPN3) Eastern Kentucky at Louisville (7 pm, ESPN3) Grambling at Southern Miss (7 pm, ESPN3) Hampton at Old Dominion (7 pm, ESPN3) SE Louisiana at Louisiana Tech (7 pm, ESPN3) Texas Southern at Baylor (7 pm, ESPN+) Southern Illinois at Kansas State (7 pm, ESPN+) Stephen F. Austin at Texas Tech (7 pm, ESPN+) Liberty at Troy (7 pm, ESPN+) Texas State at Florida International (7 pm, ESPN+) Memphis at Arkansas State (7 pm, ESPN+) Morgan State vs Tulane - in Birmingham (7 pm, ESPN+) North Texas at SMU (7 pm, ESPN+) McNeese at LSU (8 pm, ESPN+)

For all the hype around DC Marcus Freeman (hype I am completely in on, FTR), his first game featured as many 60+ yard plays given up as Clark Lea surrendered in 3 years, and more regulation points allowed than Lea had in all but one game of his 3 years. Hopefully it's just an adjustment period. Several top 10 teams looked less than perfect in week 1 so I'm not super concerned, but certainly a lot to fix. Jack Coan is awesome, though.

Graham Mertz was absolutely brutal in that game. Felt like every single red zone pass was into triple coverage. But obviously PSU defense gets some credit for making him look bad too. Let's hope they look past my Ball State Cardinals next week.

They tested negative. Guessing just a precaution after Jed and Ross tested positive.

That's also a good point. One would hope there would be a mechanism wherein guys who make the bigs very early would hit FA sooner than that.

It does seem like those types would be the collateral damage in that proposed system. They definitely wouldn't get as many chances as they currently do. That being said, that seems like a fairly reasonable and equitable solution, which means I'm probably missing something as there's no way the owners would actually propose something that acceptable this early in the process.

Temple/Rutgers moved from tonight to Saturday afternoon because of now-Tropical Storm Ida causing floods in the Northeast.