Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

College Sports

One Game, Every Season

Published

8 months ago

on

One Game, Every Season

CBS Sports Graphic Illustration

Whether it’s the “Kick Six,” the “Bush Push” or “Mormons vs. Mullets,” the first 25 years of the 21st century have delivered a buffet of incredible college football games.

Every season is a little different. Every game is an opportunity to experience something new — a combination of runs, passes and tackles that lead to wonder, astonishment and disbelief.

As college football prepares to enter a new quarter-century, we have an opportunity to look all the way back to 2000 to remember some of the great games that have defined this century so far.

To do so, CBS Sports went back in time and selected the best regular-season game, including conference championships, of every college football season from 2000-24.

Obviously, best is incredibly subjective. A Pac-12 After Dark banger might be someone’s favorite from a given season while others may prefer an old school Big Ten West rock fight. But generally, the games selected feature a combination of incredible finishes and memorable moments in games that usually had an outsized role in determining the course of the national championship picture.

One caveat before looking back at the last 25 seasons: College Football Playoff, bowl and national championship games were not considered for this piece. This is about the regular season games that shaped each season, not the fireworks seen at its conclusion.

Date: Oct. 12, 2024 | Ties or Lead Changes: 8

There were more exciting finishes (Colorado’s Hail Mary against Baylor or Alabama’s comeback against Georgia) and more exciting upsets (Vanderbilt over Alabama!) during the 2024 season. But the best football game happened in Eugene between arguably the season’s two best teams.

It was a massive matchup that lived up to the hype, including five second-half lead changes. There was plenty of drama late, too. Oregon kicked a go-ahead field goal with 1:47 remaining to take a 32-31 lead. The Buckeyes quickly advanced the ball to the Oregon 28, but a penalty, poor clock management and a rule loophole exposed by Ducks head coach Dan Lanning led to time running out on Ohio State before it could get its field goal unit on the field.

It was chaotic finish and an ultimately critical loss for the Buckeyes’ national title path. Afterward, the Buckeyes made major changes to their defense in response to what Oregon exposed. Ohio State did not allow more than 23 points in a game the rest of the way.  

(Btw, a quick hat tip here: ESPN’s Bill Connelly does an almost annual list of the best games of the season that was a great resource for this piece. Though, he had this game at 13!)

College football transfer portal 2025: Top position of need for each top-10 team during spring window

Chris Hummer

College football transfer portal 2025: Top position of need for each top-10 team during spring window

2023: No. 8 Alabama 27, Auburn 24

Date: Nov. 25, 2023 | Ties or Lead Changes: 7

Behind every great game is a great nickname or play. This dramatic finish featured “Gravedigger,” Alabama’s fourth-and-goal call from the 31-yard-line down 24-20 with 32 seconds remaining.

It looked like Alabama’s playoff hopes would come to a premature and surprising end against a 6-5 Auburn team fresh off an embarrassing loss to New Mexico State the week prior. Then Jalen Milroe found Isaiah Bond in the left corner of the end zone for one of the most famous touchdowns in Iron Bowl history.  

Alabama would go on to end Georgia’s hopes for a three-peat in the following week’s SEC championship game. Then, in perhaps the most controversial moment in CFP selection history, the committee picked 12-1 Alabama over 13-0 Florida State for the final playoff spot in the four-team field.

The Tide went on to suffer a last-second loss to eventual national champion Michigan in the CFP semifinals. Nick Saban abruptly retired a few days later.

2022: No 6 Tennessee 52, No. 3 Alabama 49

Date: Oct. 15, 2022 | Ties of Lead Changes: 9

Since the two CFP semifinals aren’t eligible for consideration — New Year’s Eve 2022 featured back-to-back incredible games — let’s turn to the Third Saturday in October. Tennessee hadn’t beaten Alabama on that date in 16 years.

This was the Vols’ best shot. Quarterback Hendon Hooker looked like a Heisman Trophy candidate, fronting the most explosive passing attack in college football. The Vols stormed out to a 28-10 second quarter advantage only for Alabama to erase that early in the third quarter. From there the teams would trade the lead five times. Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young put Alabama in position for a go-ahead field goal with 15 seconds left, but Will Reichard’s 50-yard attempt sailed outside the uprights. Hooker completed passes of 18 and 27 yards to put Tennessee in position for a game-winning 40-yard field goal as time expired.

Young finished with 455 yards and two touchdowns. But Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt stole the show with 207 yards and five touchdowns, including scores of 60 and 78 yards in the second half.

The Vols got to smoke victory cigars on the Third Saturday in October for the first time in 16 years. Alabama, for its part, would go on to miss the CFP for only the third time in nine seasons.

2021: No. 6 Oklahoma 55, No. 21 Texas 48

Date: Oct. 9, 2021 | Ties or Lead Changes: 4

The Red River Rivalry has produced some of the wildest games in recent college football history. But the 2021 iteration was crazy even by Red River standards.  

Texas raced out to a 28-7 lead, which led to a critical moment in the lore of Oklahoma, USC and South Carolina history: Sooners coach Lincon Riley benched preseason Heisman Trophy favorite quarterback Spencer Rattler in favor of five-star freshman Caleb Williams.

Williams took the field down 35-17 midway through the second quarter. With 7 minutes remaining in the second half, Williams had helped the Sooners storm back for a 48-41 lead. Texas tied the game with 1:23 remaining thanks to a 31-yard pass from Casey Thompson to Xavier Worthy. But Williams would not be denied. He hit four straight passes to set up one of the wildest moments in the rivalry’s 120-year history — a game-winning 33-yard run by Kennedy Brooks with 10 seconds remaining.

The 103 points the team combined for were the most in Red River Rivalry history.

Date: Dec. 5, 2020 | Ties or Lead Changes: 5

2020 was a weird year, y’all. No game better represents that than “Mormons vs. Mullets,” a battle of Group of Five unbeatens that happened on two days’ notice after Liberty, due to a rash of positive Covid-19 tests, had to cancel its C-USA showdown with Coastal Carolina.

Both BYU (9-0) and Coastal Carolina (9-0) were looking for a strength of schedule boost during a season in which neither program was allowed to play a true non-conference slate, so Coastal Carolina hopped on a plane and agreed to play Zach Wilson on the Cougars.

The game was way better than it had any right to be, a back-and-forth affair that came down to the final second (and yard). Wilson hit Dax Milne for 17 yards as time expired. The only problem was the goal line was 18 yards away.

With apologies to Florida vs. LSU — the “shoe” game in the Swamp that may have cost the Gators a CFP berth — there’s no better and more representative game of the 2020 season than “Mormons vs. Mullets.”

2019: LSU 46, Alabama 42

Date: Nov. 9, 2019 | Ties or Lead Changes: 1

It’s appropriate the top game of the 2019 season featured LSU leading wire to wire.

The 2019 Tigers are the greatest college football team of the 21st century (fight me!). They tore through the regular season and the playoff with a quarterback on an all-time heater (Joe Burrow) and the most talented roster of the modern era.

But the 2019 Tide also have a case for that claim; Alabama’s 2020 team is also on the best team short list. Just check out the receivers who played in the 2019 matchup as an example of the combined talent:

  • Ja’Marr Chase, LSU
  • Justin Jefferson, LSU
  • Terrace Marshall, LSU
  • DeVonta Smith, Alabama
  • Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
  • Henry Ruggs, Alabama
  • Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

Six of those seven were first-round draft picks. The other (Marshall) went in the second round.

Alabama found itself down 33-13 at halftime only to score four straight second-half touchdowns and cut the lead to four. It wasn’t enough. LSU ensured there would be no dramatic conclusion with a pair of clutch fourth quarter touchdown drives with it mattered most.

But damn it was fun. It was also the most consequential game of the 2019 season.

LSU won the battle of unbeatens — its first win over Alabama since 2011 — and would not play a game closer than 17 points the rest of the way. 

2018: No. 22 Texas A&M 74, LSU 72

Date: Nov. 24, 2018 | Ties or Lead Changes: 7 prior to OT | 14 in OT

Jalen Hurts’ redemption in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia would get the nod almost any other year. But Texas A&M’s seven-overtime win over LSU is an all-timer that changed the college football rulebook.  

This game had everything: A record-breaking seven overtimes, a premature Gatorade dump and a reported fight between Jimbo Fisher’s nephew and LSU analyst Steve Kragthorpe, who claimed he was punched in his pacemaker.  

So, yeah … everything.

This game seemed like it would end in regulation, which led to Orgeron’s premature Gatorade bath. But the officials put a second back on the clock. The Aggies took advantage of the second chance with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Kellen Mond to Quartney Davis to tie the game at 31.  

Then came seven overtimes and 84 additional points.

The game went on so long the NCAA changed how overtime works in college football. No longer do programs play an unlimited number of possessions starting from the 25-yard line until a tie is broken. Instead, teams trade 2-point plays following the conclusion of the second overtime period.

2017: No. 15 UCF 49, USF 42 

Date: Nov. 24, 2017 | Ties of Lead Changes: 5

Frankly, you could pick any of UCF’s final three games from the 2017 season. They were all bangers. But the Knights’ regular season finale stands out because of the stakes and the sheer madness of the final minutes.

UCF — just two seasons removed from an 0-12 campaign — needed one more win to finish the regular season at 12-0. The Knights had CFP hopes, too. All that stood in their way was rival South Florida, which entered the week at 9-1 and hoping to earn an AAC title game berth.

The final minutes were crazy. McKenzie Milton gave UCF an eight-point lead with 2:21 remaining. Then South Florida hit an 82-yard bomb and converted a 2-point try to tie the game. That’s when Mike Hughes, with 88 seconds left on the clock, returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for the game-winning score.

UCF would go on to finish 13-0 and capped the season off with a 34-27 Peach Bowl win over Auburn. The Knights, the only unbeaten team in the FBS, proclaimed themselves national champions at season end after getting left out of the CFP.

Date: Oct. 2, 2016 | Ties or Lead Changes: 5

With apologies to a very famous rendition of The Game between Michigan and Ohio State — the Buckeyes won in overtime thanks to a controversial 4th-and-1 conversion — the clash between the Tigers and Cardinals was simply too electric to leave off this list.

It helps that it featured two of the best quarterbacks of the CFP era in Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson. The duo combined for 601 yards passing and 253 yards rushing. But the game itself lived up to every bit of the hype. Clemson led 28-10 at half only for Louisville to storm back and take a 36-28 lead with 7:52 remaining. That’s when Watson — with help from a 77-yard kickoff return from Artavis Scott — led back-to-back touchdown drives to snatch the lead back. Louisville reached Clemson’s 12-yard line with 1:19 remaining. But the Tigers held firm, stopping Louisville one-yard short of a conversion on fourth-and-12 with 33 seconds remaining.

Jackson would go on to win the Heisman Trophy. Clemson went on to win the national championship. Flip the result of this game and the Tigers, who lost to Pittsburgh later in the regular season, may never have reached the CFP.

2015: No. 7 Michigan State 27, No. 12 Michigan 23

Date: Oct. 18, 2015 | Ties or Lead Changes: 2

There were some fantastic games in 2015: a Trevone Boykin and Patrick Mahomes shootout in Lubbock, Clemson halting a Notre Dame rally in the final moments in a top 12 showdown and Chad Kelly’s heroics in an upset 25 years in the making for Ole Miss in Tuscaloosa.

But let’s talk about the punt. You know the one. A bungled snap, a desperate spinning right-footed flail and a would-be kick that landed in the hands of Jalen Watts-Jackson for the game-winning touchdown.   

The Wolverines led 23-21 with 10 seconds remaining at their own 45-yard line. The Spartans had no timeouts. All Michigan had to do was punt the ball away and they’d win the game. It would have been a statement victory for Jim Harbaugh in Year 1, launching the Wolverines into the CFP mix.

But the snap went painfully — or gloriously(?) depending on your perspective — awry. Michigan State won and went on to reach the CFP after a 12-1 regular season. Flip this result and maybe it’s the Wolverines who reach the playoff instead.

2014: No. 5 Baylor 61, No. 9 TCU 58

Date: Oct. 12, 2014 | Ties or Lead Changes: 5

Baylor began the fourth quarter with a pick-six and fell into a 58-37 hole. Then things got weird in Waco. The Bears scored three touchdowns on drives that spanned less than a minute each. TCU punted twice and failed a fourth-and-3 attempt with 1:11 remaining to give Baylor the ball at its 45-yard line.

It took advantage with a 28-yard field goal to win the game.

Bears QB Bryce Petty threw for 510 yards and six touchdowns. Three Baylor receivers — Antwan Goodley (158 yards, two TDs), Corey Coleman (144 yards, two TDs), KD Cannon (124 yards, one TD) — cleared the 125-yard barrier in a game in which the two teams combined for 119 points and 1,267 yards.

This Bears win created a massive ripple effect. TCU and Baylor finished the regular season 11-1, tying atop the Big 12 standings in a league that did not hold a conference championship game. Ohio State, also 11-1, did have another chance to play. The Buckeyes bludgeoned Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big Ten title game, a statement victory the committee very much noticed. The Buckeyes jumped from fifth to fourth in the CFP Rankings after their win. Meanwhile, the committee dropped idle TCU from third to SIXTH behind both the Buckeyes and Bears, who had entered the week ranked fifth.

Ohio State went on to win the national championship. The Big 12 quickly added a conference championship game. Two major events in college football history that likely don’t occur if TCU just holds onto a three-touchdown lead against Baylor.

2013: No. 4 Auburn 34, No. 1 Alabama 28

Date: Dec. 1, 2013 | Ties or Lead Changes: 7

It’s the Kick Six. That’s really all you need to know. That play is so memorable you can hear it:  

“There goes Davis!”

“Davis is going to run it all the way back!”

“Auburn is going to win the football game! Auburn is going to win the football game!”

That call from Auburn play-by-play announcer Rod Bramblett covered 109 yards of Chris Davis’ improbable, impossible, field goal return (!!!) that swung the 2013 season. Auburn won the Iron Bowl, went to the SEC championship and played Florida State for a national title. The top-ranked Tide? They went home, any chance at a three-peat crumbling as Davis crossed into the end zone.  

It took a very specific set of circumstances for the Kick Six to occur. Alabama running back TJ Yeldon stepped of bounds with one second remaining, which gave Nick Saban the opportunity to try a 57-yard field goal. That decision is baffling in retrospect when you consider he benched starting kicker Cade Foster — after three missed field goals — and instead pivoted to freshman Adam Griffith for the most important kick of the season. Auburn had the wherewithal to place Davis deep, giving him the opportunity to make one of the most famous plays in college football history.

2012: No. 15 Texas A&M 29, No. 1 Alabama 24

Date: Nov. 11, 2012 | Ties or Lead Changes: 1

Other than perhaps Tim Tebow, there is no bigger college football crossover star this century than Johnny Manziel. The Aggies’ party-hard, scramble-out-of-anything QB burst onto the national scene in November of 2012 when he led a wire-to-wire road upset of No. 1 Alabama.

The Tide were the reigning national champs. They’d won 13 straight. Texas A&M was just entering the SEC for the first time. It didn’t matter. Manziel couldn’t be stopped. There’s no one moment from this game that stands out above all. Texas A&M never needed an epic comeback or last-second drive. Instead, it was Manziel’s ability to extend almost every play and get out of any would-be sack. He was practically Houdini that Saturday, only he had a cannon strapped his right arm.

Manziel finished the day 24-for-31 with 253 yards passing and two touchdowns to go along with 92 yards rushing.

It’s a win that spurred Manziel to the Heisman and created a legend.

Date: Nov. 18, 2011 | Ties or lead changes: 3

Oklahoma State entered the week at 10-0 and controlled its destiny to make the BCS National Championship game. Led by eventual first-round quarterback Brandon Weeden the Cowboys were averaging more than 50 points per game.

But the game felt secondary because Oklahoma State’s women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant Miranda died in a tragic plane crash the day prior to kickoff. A few years later Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy said of the matchup: “Honestly, the last thing that anybody wants to do, really, is play a game.”

The Cowboys raced out to a 24-7 lead early in the third quarter but could not keep the momentum. Oklahoma State had an opportunity to win the game late, but Quinn Sharp missed a 37-yard field goal, pushing the game into overtime. Both teams scored quickly to push the game to a second overtime, but Weeden threw an interception on the first pass of the second extra period. The Cyclones won three plays later.

Oklahoma State rebounded the next week with a 34-point win over No. 14 Oklahoma, but the BCS formula chose Alabama-LSU rematch in controversial fashion; several coaches, including Saban, voted Oklahoma State 4th in the final coaches’ poll, which was part of the BCS formula.

The national title game — won by the Tide — was so contentious it helped spark the CFP system we know today with discussions about a playoff formula beginning shortly afterward.

2010: No. 2 Auburn 28, No. 11 Alabama 27

Date: Nov. 26, 2010 | Ties or Lead Changes: 2 

Nothing stopped Cam Newton during the 2010 season, including a 24-point first half deficit against reigning national champion Alabama. 

The Tigers fell behind 24-0 midway through the second quarter. From that point on Newton completed 11 of 14 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 54 sack-adjusted yards and a touchdown. 

It was hardly the most dominant performance of Newton’s Heisman season. But given the swaths of NFL players on the other sideline and the stakes — Auburn likely doesn’t make the national championship game with a loss — the comeback Newton led against the Tide is one of the most consequential in college football history. 

Shoutout to the No. 19 Nevada vs. No. 4 Boise State showdown that same day, however. Led by Kellen Moore, the Broncos saw their 24-game win streak snapped by Colin Kaepernick and the Wolf Pack in a 34-31 overtime loss. Boise State kicker Kyle Brotzman missed a 26-yard field goal at the buzzer in regulation.

2009: No. 3 Texas 13, No. 22 Nebraska 12 

Date: Dec. 5, 2009 | Ties or Lead Changes: 4

You’ll remember this as the day single-handedly Ndamukong Suh wrecked Texas’ offense and nearly cost the Longhorns a spot in the BCS title game.

Texas came into the week averaging 43 points per game. Suh ensured the Longhorns got nowhere close to that total. He logged 4.5 sacks and helped limit Texas to 18 rushing yards on 38 attempts.

The game came down to the final second. Literally. McCoy, chased by Suh (of course), threw a pass out of bounds as the clock expired, leading to a massive Huskers celebration. But the officials put one second back on the clock after a review.

Texas kicker Hunter Lawrence then hit a 46-yarder to secure a a Big 12 championship and national title bid. 

2008: No. 7 Texas Tech 39, No. 1 Texas 33

Date: Nov. 1, 2008 | Ties or Lead Changes: 3

With apologies to Tim Tebow’s post-Ole Miss promise, this is THE Michael Crabtree catch — one of the most famous moments in college football history. There was plenty at stake, too, with both teams entering the week at 8-0 with national title aspirations.

Scoring opened with a safety as Texas Tech stuffed Texas on its goal line. Led by quarterback Graham Harrell, the Red Raiders raced out to 22-3 lead. Texas would storm back, scoring a go-ahead touchdown with 89 seconds left.

Texas Tech made it to Texas’ 28-yard line with 21 seconds remaining. Then Harrell’s pass bounced off receiver Edward Britton and into the hands of Texas freshman safety Blake Gideon. 

“Deflected. Interception, Texas!” said ABC announcer Brent Musburger. 

But … 

Gideon dropped it, leaving eight seconds left on the clock.

Harrell threw deep, finding Crabtree along the right sideline at around the 5-yard line. Crabtree turned, spun out of a would-be tackle and walked in for the biggest touchdown in Red Raiders history.

One play that completely changed the 2008 national championship race. Texas had the pole position but was jumped by Oklahoma in the BCS standings — despite the Longhorns’ 45-35 head-to-head win earlier in the year — for the right to play Florida in the national title game. Florida beat the Sooners 24-14, giving Tebow a second national championship and ensuring his status as a college football legend.

Date: Sept. 1, 2007 | Ties or Lead Changes: 7

It’s the most famous upset in college football history.

Well, I guess it’s an upset? Can an upset really be the case if Vegas didn’t even bother to set a betting line? We’ll still go with it. The Wolverines, fresh off an 11-2 season, were a preseason top-five team. The Mountaineers weren’t even a member of the FBS at the time.  

But something often lost in the lore of this game is App State’s resume. The Mountaineers were the top-ranked FCS team in the country entering the 2007 season and coming off back-to-back national championships under head coach Jerry Moore.

There were two lead changes in the final minutes of this classic. The Wolverines were down 11 late in the third quarter but retook the lead with 4:31 remaining. From there, the Mountaineers threw an interception, Michigan missed a 43-yard field goal, App State went 69 yards in 1:11 to kick a go-ahead field goal and the Mountaineers capped it off by blocking a 37-yard field goal attempt as time expired to secure the upset.

App State went on to win its third-straight FCS national championship.

College Football’s Top 150 Players of 2025: The definitive spring rankings, led by Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith

Blake Brockermeyer

College Football's Top 150 Players of 2025: The definitive spring rankings, led by Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith

2006: No. 1 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Michigan 39

Date: Nov. 18, 2006 | Ties or Lead Changes: 3

The first regular-season “Game of the Century” of the 21st century — the phrase is always amusing given how often these games occur — this matchup pitted the two top-ranked teams in the country in a regular season finale that would determine at least one spot in the BCS national title game.

The Game also took on additional meaning as it was played a day after legendary Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler died.

Troy Smith’s monster performance essentially ended all Heisman Trophy debate. He finished with 316 yards and four touchdowns through the air and led the Buckeyes on a critical 83-yard fourth quarter touchdown drive that put them up 42-31 with 5:27 remaining. Michigan responded with a touchdown, but Ohio State iced the game three plays later with a game-winning third-down conversion.

This game was so big that ABC moved it off its traditional noon starting time to 3:30 p.m. ET. Nearly 22 million tuned in to watch, making it the most-viewed regular season college football game in 16 years.

Michigan argued, even with a loss, it should make the BCS national title game. Instead, the Buckeyes went on to play Florida, losing in a 41-14 rout.

2005: No. 1 USC 34, No. 9 Notre Dame 31

Date: Oct. 15, 2005 | Ties or Lead Changes: 10

This is where I remind you that postseason games aren’t eligible, thus the 2005 national championship classic between USC and Texas cannot be selected.

So, we turn to the “Bush Push.”

The play would look very normal by today’s “Brotherly Shove” standards. But back then it was an illegal maneuver when Reggie Bush pushed Matt Leinart into the end zone for a game-winning touchdown as time expired. The penalty wasn’t called, leading to one of the most controversial plays in college football history and USC’s 28th consecutive win.

This game had plenty going for it outside of the ending. Leinart and Brady Quinn were two of the top quarterbacks in the country and the fourth quarter included four lead changes.

Notre Dame finished the regular season at 10-2 while USC went 12-0 and reached the national title game. Flip the result and the Irish, who finished No. 6 in the final BCS poll, likely play Texas for the national title instead of USC.

2004: No. 2 Oklahoma 42, No. 22 Texas A&M 35

Date: Nov. 6, 2004 | Ties or Lead Changes: 5

Week 11 was the most dramatic of the 2004 season. Vince Young helped No. 6 Texas storm back from 28 down to beat No. 19 Oklahoma State, No. 4 Cal needed a fourth-quarter comeback to beat Oregon and even top-ranked USC needed a comeback, erasing a 13-point Oregon State lead for a 28-20 win.

But arguably the best game of the day (and season) happened at Kyle Field where the No. 2 Sooners twice faced a 14-point deficit. Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jason White tied a Sooners school record with five passing touchdowns while freshman superstar running back Adrian Peterson cleared the 100-yard barrier for the ninth straight game. Aggies fans wonder “what if” in this one given that A&M starting QB Reggie McNeal was forced out of the game with an injury midway through the third quarter. The Aggies would put together a 50-yard drive to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but it stalled at OU’s 38-yard line.

There were other entertaining games from the 2004 season that could have fit. But given the controversy that came with Oklahoma’s selection to the BCS national title game over fellow unbeaten Auburn, this game gets the nod due to its overall importance.

This is the year the BCS really began to bust. Not only did Auburn get left out at 12-0, but so did Utah and Boise State.

2003: Cal 34, USC 31 in 3OT

Date: Sept. 27, 2003 | Ties or Lead Changes: 9

USC’s 34-game win streak from 2003-05 is one of the most impressive in college football history. But that streak would be considerably longer (46 games!) if not for Cal’s 2003 upset.

For a JUCO QB making his just his second career start, Cal’s Aaron Rodgers had a pretty good day. He completed 17 of 21 passes for 203 yards and two scores in the first half before exiting with a knee injury early in the third quarter. Rodgers led Cal to a 21-7 halftime lead, but his last pass of the game — a tipped INT that turned into a pick-six — made it 21-21 with 7:26 left in the third quarter. There wouldn’t be a ton of scoring from there. Cal hit a 51-yard-field goal early in the fourth quarter. Then the Bears attempted another with five minutes remaining only for it to be blocked. USC would kick a 33-yarder to send it to overtime.

Things got weird from there. USC fumbled on the goal line during its first possession. Cal had a chance to win it with a 29-yarder, which was again blocked. The next overtime saw both teams scored touchdowns. USC opened the third overtime with a missed 39-yard field goal. Then Bears kicker Tyler Fredrickson won it — after two straight misses — with a 38-yarder.

USC’s loss mattered quite a bit to the national championship race.  

At season’s end Oklahoma (which had just lost 35-7 in the Big 12 championship game), LSU and USC each finished with a single loss. While USC finished No. 1 in the AP and Coaches Poll, it ranked behind LSU and Oklahoma in the BCS formula. Thus, the Sooners played the Tigers for a national title.

LSU won. But USC beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl and the AP voters left the Trojans at No. 1 in their poll, which resulted in the only split national championship of the BCS and CFP era.   

2002: No. 16 LSU 33, Kentucky 30

Date: Nov. 9, 2002 | Ties or Lead Changes: 6

We love a premature Gatorade bath around these parts, and Kentucky gave coach Guy Morriss one of the most famous in history. The Wildcats were down 10 points early in the fourth quarter but rallied to hit a go-ahead field goal with 11 seconds remaining.

That’s when Morriss got soaked in celebration.

But LSU had time for two plays. The first was a 17-yard pass from Tigers QB Marcus Randall to receiver Michael Clayton. That gave the Tigers two seconds to go 74 yards. Head coach Nick Saban helped dial up “Dah Right 93 Berlin.” Randall scrambled to his right and heaved the ball some 60 yards. Several Kentucky players had a chance to bat the ball down. Instead, it deflected off a Wildcats defender and found its way into the hands of LSU wide receiver Devery Henderson just shy of the 15-yard line. Henderson broke through an attempted tackle and completed what is now known as the “Bluegrass Miracle.”

2001: Stanford 49, No. 5 Oregon 42  

Date: Oct. 20, 2001 | Ties or Lead Changes: 8

Joey Harrington and Oregon looked like a legit national title threat through six weeks of the regular season. The Ducks raced out to 6-0, including early season wins over Wisconsin and USC.

The Ducks were well on their way to 7-0 entering the fourth quarter. They led 42-28 then, in the words of an AP story from that day, “the Ducks came back to Earth with a spectacular thud.”

And the collapse, which snapped Oregon’s FBS-best 23-game home win streak, was spectacular. Stanford outscored Oregon 21-0 in the fourth quarter thanks to a pair of blocked punts and a Harrington interception, all of which turned into touchdowns.

The QB known as “Captain Comeback” had an opportunity to give Oregon the lead back down 49-42 with 1:05 remaining. But the Ducks’ drive halted at Stanford’s 37-yard line after four straight incompletions.

Oregon finished the season at 10-1. Nebraska, at 11-1, got a national title bid instead.  

2000: No. 7 Miami 27, No. 1 Florida State 24

Date: Oct. 7, 2000 | Ties or Lead Changes: 3

Wide Right III.

That’s how this clash between two late-90s and early-2000s juggernauts will always be remembered. The top-ranked Seminoles were unbeaten and coming off a national title. Miami, also unbeaten, was just hitting its stride ahead of a dominant 2001 national championship run.

Outside of Norman, Oklahoma, these were the two best teams in the country with a combined 26 eventual NFL draft picks in their starting lineups, per The Athletic.

Miami raced out to a 17-0 halftime lead. But Florida State clawed back thanks to the play of eventual 2000 Heisman winner Chris Weinke, who finished the day with a career-high 496 yards passing and three scores. His final touchdown throw came with 1:37 remaining, giving FSU a 24-21 lead. Miami and QB Ken Dorsey responded quickly, going 6-for-7 on the next drive, dropping dimes to eventual NFL stars Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne and Jeremy Shockey, who caught the go-ahead touchdown with 46 seconds remaining.

That left just enough time for another Bobby Bowden field-goal-caused heartbreak. Florida State pushed the ball into position for a potential game-winning 49-yard attempt. But the ball sailed wide right off Matt Munyon’s leg, snapping FSU’s 26-game regular season win streak.

As fans filed out of the Orange Bowl the words “WIDE RIGHT III” flashed across the screen, a reminder of previous kicking-related heartbreaks for Bowden against Miami from the 1991 and 1992 seasons that likely cost the Seminoles a pair of national titles. 

10
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

College Sports

Rome High Students Explore College Fair to Prepare for Life After High School

Published

3 months ago

on

September 5, 2025

By


Rome High School has been known for academic progress for many years, so much so that when it came to have a college fair on campus recently, more than 50 colleges and universities showed up to recruit, including some schools that were more than 2,500 miles away.

The College fair was hosted in Rome High’s main gym and was full of tables from each college at the event. The colleges set up posters, brochures, and flags to display their mascots and information about their college.

Juniors and seniors came at different times. The seniors showed up first, followed by the juniors. Both groups stayed about 45 minutes. During their time, students walked around the gym, observing the tables set up, talking to the college representatives, and taking pamphlets the colleges offered.

Senior Jayden Perez said he hopes to major in nursing at Emory University, but is also looking at several other state schools, and enjoyed the college fair experience.

“This has given me an opportunity to get excited about college,” he said. “It also is a great opportunity to speak with real college professionals one-on-one.”

Andrew Hunsinger from the University of Vermont said he hopes to broaden the students’ horizons to schools in the Northeast and let them know about their possibilities outside of Rome.

“The main thing I want to bring to a place like Rome High School is to let students know that the Northeast is an option for them,” Hunsinger said. “Especially in Atlanta, a lot of people from the northeast are moving to the south, and we are trying to let students in places like Rome know about the opportunities that are available at universities like Vermont.”

While the students marveled at the number of schools in attendance, what they didn’t see was all the preparation behind the scenes to make the fair happen.

“I have been planning the college fair since June. I wrote a lot of emails and made phone contacts with a lot of these colleges,” Rome High School Counselor Melissa Holland said. “I am also able to reach out via SCOIR (the SCOIR College Network), and there is a way to invite colleges through the site, and I got a lot of interest that way.”

Junior Genesis Uzcategui said something she finds appealing about a college is if they are far from home, so she can go out and see the world for herself while studying ultrasound-radiology, her major.

¨I’ve looked at Warren Wilson, Toccoa Falls, Eckerd, and Florida Southern,” Uzcategui said.

Lilly Blanchard said she is a big Oregon football fan, so that college coming to Rome caught her attention. Some of the colleges that visited Rome really surprised these students.

“I’ve been on a tour at UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) and I’m applying early to Duke for neuroscience,” she said. She discussed wanting a college with a diverse, inclusive community. She is looking for a college with good education, good sports, and a good vibe.

The fair was a perfect place for many students to get an opportunity to learn about a lot of different schools.

“I don’t know exactly what college I want to go to, but I am interested in UGA or Emory,” Janna Nyguen, a junior, said. “I want to major in Premed. I want to go into the healthcare field.”

While the college fair afforded lots of options for students, Holland said it also aligns with Rome High School’s mission statement. For many students, this was a first-time experience to the exposure of different colleges and the idea of possible majors they can choose.

“The college fair is an extension of our mission statement, which is to make sure students graduate from Rome High School prepared for college or work,” she said. “I want the students to have an open mind and to be able to find out the opportunities that are out there and available to them. Some students may have in mind that they want to go to work, but through this they may see they want to go to college. An event like this offers them the chance to open their minds to other opportunities.”

Written by: Brighton Turner and Selah Marshall



Link

118
Continue Reading

College Sports

NHL rookies weigh in on NCAA, NHL rule changes, new uniforms

Published

3 months ago

on

September 5, 2025

By


  • Greg WyshynskiSep 5, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

    Close

      Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.

ARLINGTON, Va. — Attending the NHLPA rookie showcase puts into sharp relief how truly young these prospects are, especially within the context of hockey history.

Like when you hear Montreal Canadiens prospect David Reinbacher talk about modeling his game after Brock Faber, the Minnesota Wild defenseman who was runner-up for NHL rookie of the year in 2024. Or when Matthew Schaefer, the first overall pick in this year’s draft by the New York Islanders, talks about his coach Patrick Roy’s playing career like … well, like someone born four years (September 2007) after the Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender played his last game, in April 2003.

“Yeah, I mean, I heard he loves to win,” Schaefer said of Roy, who won four Stanley Cups, three playoff MVP awards and 551 games, which is third all time. “I heard he was really good back in the day. Everyone loves talking about him.”

Indeed.

Schaefer recalled going to the offices of Upper Deck, the collectible company that co-hosted the rookie showcase this week, and seeing glimpses of his new coach’s former life as a generational goaltender.

“There was just stuff of him all over. Seeing all the things. Seeing his goalie pads. That’s what really stuck out to me,” he said.

Roy is entering his third season coaching the Islanders and sixth season overall as an NHL coach. Schaefer said he has enjoyed their conversations in the offseason but is ready to see the training camp side of his new coach. “I think he’ll be on the ice doing a lot of drills and pushing us. So, I can’t wait to get pushed,” he said.

Schaefer was selected by the Islanders first overall after 73 games with the OHL Erie Otters over the past two seasons, where he proved to be an elite puck rusher and passer. He signed his NHL entry-level deal in August.

The Islanders haven’t been shy about marketing around Schaefer, including a ticket sales deal that incorporated his No. 48. But he isn’t taking anything for granted, whether it’s making the roster or playing down the lineup in his rookie season.

“You don’t just get stuff given to you, right? You’ve got to earn it. You’ve got to earn your spot. I still have to get my spot on the team and that’s what I’m going into camp to do,” he said.

If he makes the cut, Schaefer would easily be the youngest player on an Islanders roster that features over a dozen players over the age of 30. But Schaefer is comfortable with that age disparity. He has a brother who’s nine years older than him, which he said helps with the communication. But he also won’t hesitate to seek his older teammates’ guidance.

“I think it’s good for me to have an older group where they can help me along the way,” he said. “A lot of guys have been in the league for so long where any sort of advice they give me, I’m going to take it right away.”

That said, he knows there are some expectations for a player his age from his older teammates.

“Maybe I have to babysit [their kids] or something,” he said with a laugh. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind it.”

NCAA eligibility rules a ‘game changer’

Karsen Dorwart admits he’s a little jealous.

The Philadelphia Flyers prospect was signed as an NCAA free agent after playing three years at Michigan State. He grew up in Oregon, and was a huge fan of the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks.

“I always wanted to play in Portland. Growing up, watching those guys. It was just kind of decided it wasn’t the right path for me,” he said. “But if I was able to do both, I’m sure I would’ve.”

For decades, that opportunity wasn’t available to young players like Dorwart. The NCAA deemed anyone who played in the Canadian Hockey League ineligible for college hockey, because those junior leagues have players who have signed professional contracts with NHL teams, and because CHL players earned a monthly stipend.

That all changed last November when the NCAA Division I council voted to make CHL players eligible for NCAA Division I hockey starting this season. The council ruled players can compete in the CHL — comprising the WHL, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League — without jeopardizing their NCAA Division I hockey eligibility, provided they aren’t “paid more than actual and necessary expenses as part of that participation.”

Players like Dorwart no longer had the binary choice of Canadian junior hockey or NCAA hockey. That has already led to one landscape-shifting moment in college hockey as Gavin McKenna — the consensus choice for first overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft — left the WHL Medicine Hat Tigers after three seasons to sign with Penn State University on an NIL deal “in the ballpark” of $700,000, a source told ESPN.

play

1:08

Top NHL prospect Gavin McKenna announces PSU commitment

Gavin McKenna joins “SportsCenter” to announce his official commitment to Penn State University.

“A guy like Gavin McKenna making that jump to go play college is a big step,” said Minnesota Wild defenseman Zeev Buium, who played at the University of Denver. “I think everyone gets better. You’re getting guys from everywhere and you can get anybody you want now. I just think it makes all of college hockey better.”

Toronto Maple Leafs defensive prospect Ben Danford said the NCAA’s eligibility ruling “changed the game for sure” for both college hockey and the CHL, where he played for the Oshawa Generals. “We’ll have to see what happens. I feel like maybe the OHL is going to become a bit younger,” he said.

Overall, the NHL prospects were most intrigued by the migration of players from Canadian juniors to the NCAA.

“I think NCAA is a hard league. It’s a physical league. So I’m really excited to see how those guys can adapt to it,” said St. Louis Blues forward Jimmy Snuggerud, who attended the University of Minnesota.

Dorwart thinks the eligibility rule change is great for NCAA hockey — even if for him it might have meant more time as a Winterhawk in Portland than as a Spartan at Michigan State.

“You’re getting all the best players in college now. I’ve got to meet some of the new CHL guys at Michigan State, and they’re super pumped and it’s just going to be great for everyone’s development,” he said. “But it’s something I’m jealous of. I think it would’ve been fun to play in my hometown growing up.”

The AHL ’19-year-old’ rule

Another significant change to player development is on the horizon — if the NHL and CHL can agree to it.

In the new NHL and NHLPA collective bargaining agreement, there is a provision for teams to loan one 19-year-old player to their AHL farm team without the requirement of offering that player back to their Canadian junior team first.

The current rules state that a player drafted from the CHL must be at least 20 years old or have played at least four full seasons in the CHL to be eligible for the AHL.

The new CBA kicks in next September. While other rule changes were fast-tracked for this season, the earliest the “19-year-old” rule would be implemented is the 2026-27 season, according to an NHL source. Again, that’s pending the NHL and CHL agreeing to amend the “mandatory return rule” for players.

“Honestly, I’ve been really curious about that rule,” said Berkly Catton, a 19-year-old center prospect for the Seattle Kraken who played for the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. “Honestly, as of right now, all I can really do is go to camp, have a good camp and kind of force their hand. But that AHL rule would be really cool.”

Zayne Parekh of the Calgary Flames is happy that the AHL rule hasn’t been fast-tracked for this season.

Parekh, 19, is considered the Flames’ top prospect, and one of the better offensive defensemen on the rise in the NHL. He made his NHL debut at the end of last season, scoring a goal in his only game. The way he sees it, having the “mandatory return rule” puts a pressure point on Calgary to add him to this season’s roster.

“I think it’s nice not having it because they’re really going to give me a good look to make the NHL team,” he said. “Maybe it benefits me, maybe it doesn’t, but it all depends on my camp. The opportunity is there. It’s just about taking advantage of it.”

Parekh is exactly the kind of prospect the NHL is considering when seeking to change the “mandatory return rule.” He had 107 points in 61 games for the Saginaw Spirit last season, posting back-to-back 33-goal campaigns. Even if the Flames believe he’s not ready for a regular role in the NHL, having him dominate another season in juniors wouldn’t benefit him as much as playing against professional talent in the AHL.

“Sometimes you’ve done what you’re supposed to do in junior. That kind of middle ground could be nice if you need to develop a little bit more,” Catton said.

The Seattle prospect was reminded of the significant leap in competition when he attended Kraken training camp last season, which was one reason he focused on strength training in the offseason.

“These guys are men. It’s not a 16-year-old kid going into a puck battle. It’s a guy with kids and stuff, but you got to come out with the puck somehow,” Catton said.

NHL fit check

Every year, the NHLPA rookie showcase offers a first glimpse at NHL uniform redesigns for the upcoming season.

Snuggerud wore the new St. Louis Blues uniform, which brings back the original color scheme from their 1967 sweaters.

“They’re very blue,” Snuggerud said.

(Well, they are the Blues.)

Meanwhile, Tij Iginla was decked out in the rechristened Utah Mammoth’s new home uniform sporting their official team colors: Rock Black, Mountain Blue and Salt White. Iginla said he’s fond of the former Utah Hockey Club’s new logo, which combines a local mountain range, a mammoth head and U-shaped tusks.

“I really like it. I think it’s a super kind of fierce logo. One of the coolest ones in the league,” said Iginla, who was drafted sixth overall in 2024. “So super, super cool to be wearing it for the first time.”

Iginla followed the branding drama for his team over the past year, including when everyone around the NHL believed the team would be called the Utah Yeti.

“I thought Yeti would’ve been cool, but I like them both. I don’t think they could have went wrong,” he said. “I’m happy with the Mammoth.”

Designer Duck

Beckett Sennecke, 19, was drafted third overall by the Anaheim Ducks in 2024. The winger played last season for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals, tallying 86 points in 56 games.

He’s on track to become an NHL player. Perhaps then he’ll be the one who gets recognized at the airport instead of his mother.

Sennecke is the son of Candice Olson. In 1994, after playing for the Canadian national volleyball team, Olson began her own interior design firm in Toronto. Seven years later, she joined the booming home improvement television movement with her show “Divine Design,” which aired on the W Network in Canada and HGTV in the U.S. She would go on to host other shows and serve as a judge on HGTV’s reality competition show “Design Star” through 2011.

“She had a TV show back in the day called ‘Candice Tells All’ or something. She went in and redid the interior of houses and then made a TV show about it. I guess it was pretty popular back in the day,” Sennecke said.

Her fame as an HGTV star predated Sennecke’s formative years. Hence, his friends weren’t really cognizant that he had a celebrity mom.

“No, it was an older show. It was more like people at the airport coming up to her and are like, ‘Oh, it’s Candice!’ She gets that probably once or twice a year now,” he said.

Sennecke said he couldn’t help but have an aesthetically pleasing house while growing up: His father is an architect.

“It’s like a double whammy. If I don’t have a nice house … I don’t know,” he said. “But yeah, they did a good job for sure.”

So along with the pressure of making the NHL one day, there’s the added pressure of eventually buying his first house as the son of an architect and a former “Design Star” judge.

“I’m sure my mom will be all over the interior and stuff,” he said. “Especially the lighting. That’s her biggest thing. Whenever there’s bad lightning, she’s always disgusted with it.”





Link

289
Continue Reading

College Sports

No. 7 Wake Forest Set to Host Lipscomb

Published

3 months ago

on

September 5, 2025

By

No. 7 Wake Forest Set to Host Lipscomb

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Looking to continue its unbeaten start to the 2025 campaign, the No. 7-ranked Wake Forest men’s soccer team is set to host Lipscomb at Spry Stadium Friday evening.

The match against the Bisons is slated for 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra with live stats available here.

Fan Information
Parking is encouraged in lots A, B, Q, W1 & W2. A complete parking map of campus is here.

Gates open one hour prior to kickoff for all home matches. 

Season Ticket Information
2025 Wake Forest soccer season and single game tickets are on-sale now giving fans the opportunity to witness The Best Fan Experience In North Carolina from a number of unique seating options!

Adult season tickets start as low as $70 for general admission and $50 for youth while reserved chairbacks are $130 for fans and $110 for Wake Forest University faculty and staff. 

Accessibility Information
Wake Forest Athletics strives to provide content at games, social media and on GoDeacs.com that is accessible to all people. In the continued effort to improve accessibility of the technology and digital content at tomorrow’s game, fans can access closed captions here for the public address announcer and in-venue content. 

Wake Forest Athletics is  always open to learning about new ideas and ways we can improve. Please report accessibility challenges, identify content you find inaccessible, or give us general feedback at pantagw@wfu.edu. 

Quick Notes

  • Wake Forest has only allowed one goal this campaign, which is tied for the fewest goals allowed through three games in the Muuss-era.
    • Goalkeeper Jonah Mednard has conceded just once in his career with 287 total minutes in goal with two clean sheets. He holds a .889 save percentage and a .32 goals-against average.
  • Wake Forest will look to start unbeaten through four matches for the sixth time under Muuss and for the first time since 2023.
  • This will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
  • The Demon Deacons enter the contest unbeaten in their last 15 matches at Spry Stadium with wins in seven of the last eight.
    • The Deacs hold a 11-0-4 home record dating back to Aug. 25 of last year.
    • Additionally, the Demon Deacons have yet to trail this season as they have led for 93 minutes.
  • All four of the Deacs’ goals to open the season have come from four different players as Ryan Belal, Jeffrey White, Jose Perez and Tate Lorentz have all opened their accounts on the year.
  • Earlier this week, the Demon Deacons landed No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches’ preseason poll while also holding No. 6 spot in the TopDrawerSoccer College Soccer News polls.
  • Wake Forest was picked to finish second in the ACC preseason poll and held the most first-place votes (5).

Scouting the Bisons

  • Lipscomb is coming off of its first win of the campaign as it took down Mercer, 2-0, at home on Sunday and currently holds a 1-1-1 record headed into Sunday.
    • Redshirt junior midfielder Levi Jones came off the bench and scored in the 68th and 75th minutes to defeat the Bears.
    • Jones leads the team with five points as he also notched an assist on the 77th-minute equalizer against Memphis in the opener.
  • The Bisons only bring back 18 percent (4-of-22) of their goal production from last season that saw Lipscomb post a 3-8-5 (1-4-2 ASUN) record.
    • Only one returning player, Tyler Stinnett, scored multiple goals last season (two).
  • The squad is made up of 13 newcomers to the squad with eight freshmen.
  • The Bisons were picked to finish fifth in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll and received one first place vote.
  • One of the newcomers is starting goalkeeper Alex Kara, who transferred in after two seasons with Indiana.
    • He made six saves against Memphis and five against USF before earning his first-career clean sheet last time out against Mercer.

Last Time Out (vs. St. John’s)

  • The No. 5 Wake Forest men’s soccer team remained unbeaten in 2025 as it battled St. John’s to a 0-0 draw Sunday evening at Spry Stadium.
  • Wake Forest came out dominating play throughout the opening stages of the match and held possession for 65 percent of the first half. However, the two sides went into the halftime break knotted at 0-0 without either team able to score by the final whistle. 
  • In the 75th minute, it looked as if the Demon Deacons had taken a 1-0 lead off a Jeffrey White goal following a set piece just outside of the 18, but the decision was overruled by VAR. 
  • In goal, redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Jonah Mednard recorded his second-consecutive clean sheet. Despite only tallying one save, he snuffed out multiple potential chances for the visitors and limited the danger.
  • For the third-consecutive match, Wake Forest went with a starting backline of junior Travis Smith, Jr., sophomores Mason Sullivan and Amoni Thomas, and graduate captain Cristian Escribano. The Demon Deacon defense excelled in limiting opportunities for the visitors and only allowed one shot on goal over the 90 minutes. 
  • This marked the second-straight contest in which the Deacs allowed just one shot on frame as Wake Forest has outshot opponents 42-to-30 through the first three matches of the season.
  • Additionally, this marks the first time since Oct. 1-12 (four matches) of last year that the Demon Deacons recorded consecutive clean sheets.
  • With the draw, the Demon Deacons are now unbeaten in their last 15 matches at Spry Stadium. Overall, the Deacs hold a 11-0-4 home record dating back to Aug. 25 of last year. 

Battle Tested

  • The Demon Deacons face one of the toughest schedules in the nation this season due to the strength of the ACC.
  • Wake Forest has six opponents on the schedule that are currently ranked inside the top 20, including No. 1 Stanford, No. 3 Clemson and No. 10 Pitt.
  • Of note, the ACC holds six spots in the top 10 of the United Soccer Coaches poll and seven in the top 15.

National Leader In Wins 

  • Named the fourth head coach in program history prior to the start of the 2015 season, Bobby Muuss‘ Demon Deacon squads have built on the longstanding and rich 45-year history of the program. 
  • Since 2015, Wake Forest’s 154 total wins ranks No. 1 nationally, seven more than any program and 11 more than any other ACC program. During that span, Wake Forest is also joined only by Indiana as the only Division I programs to have won at least 10 matches every season. 
  • Additionally, Wake Forest and Indiana are the only two programs of the 211 programs nationally to hold double-digit NCAA Tournament appearance streaks.
  • Wake Forest also leads the nation in wins over the last quarter-century (359), 10 more than second-most Maryland.

Total Wins Since 2015 

Rank Team Total Wins Since ’15
1. Wake Forest 154
2. Indiana 148
3. Clemson 143
4. Georgetown  134
5. Stanford 130

Consecutive Seasons With 10+ Victories

Rank Team Consecutive seasons with 10+ wins
1. Wake Forest 13
2. Indiana 11
3. Georgetown 8
T4. Clemson, Missouri State, Marshall 6
7. Denver, Duke 4

The Spry Advantage

  • Since Muuss’ arrival in 2015, Wake Forest ranks No. 1 nationally in home wins (113), 17 more than any other program nationally. 
  • Over the last 10 seasons, the Deacs have won at least eight of their matches at Spry Stadium including a double-digit win total seven of those seasons. 
  • Wake Forest’s home winning percentage of 82.41 percent since 2015 also ranks third nationally, behind only Indiana and Denver. 

Home Wins Since 2015 

Rank Team Total Home Wins Since ’15
1. Wake Forest 113
T2. Clemson 96
T2. Indiana 96
4. Virginia 89
5. Georgetown 85
 

Home Winning Percentage Since 2015 

Rank Team Home Winning Percentage Since ’15
1. Indiana 84.00%
2. Denver 82.99%
3. Wake Forest 82.41%
4. Clemson 79.92%
5. Missouri State 79.89%

Consistent Threat In The Toughest Conference In The Country 

  • Recognized annually as the toughest soccer conference in the country from top to bottom, the ACC has placed the most teams in the NCAA Tournament each of the last 12 seasons and has had at least five teams earn a bid 24-straight seasons.
  • During the 2024 NCAA Tournament, the ACC earned nine bids including seven national seeds. 
  • Wake Forest has received an NCAA Tournament bid 14-straight seasons, eight years more than any other ACC program. 
Rank Team Consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearances
1. Wake Forest 14
T2. Clemson & Pitt 6
4. North Carolina 5
5. Duke 4
T6. Virginia, Stanford & SMU 3

Looking Ahead

  • After Friday night’s match, Wake Forest will return to Spry Stadium for the last of its five-match home stand to open the season as it takes on Campbell on Tuesday night.
    • The Demon Deacons will open conference play on the road at North Carolina on Friday, Sept. 12.
  • The match against the Camels is slated for 6 p.m. and will stream live on ACCNX.
  • This will mark the fifth-ever meeting between the two programs with the Demon Deacons leading the series, 4-0-0.
106
Continue Reading

College Sports

Pitaro: ESPN willing to listen if other leagues seek to replicate NFL deal

Published

3 months ago

on

September 5, 2025

By


ESPN has not ruled out future deals like the arrangement it recently struck with the NFL, but they would have to “make business sense,” network chairman Jimmy Pitaro said at an event Thursday.

Speaking at the BofA 2025 Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference, Pitaro said that ESPN’s deal with the NFL to acquire NFL Network and other assets in exchange for an equity stake was “unique” and occurred “at a unique moment in time.”

“Whether we would ever try to replicate this, I would say it’d have to make business sense … we’re always interested in ways to advance the business and, just as importantly, ways to serve the sports fan,” Pitaro said, “and so if someone comes to us and presents a compelling opportunity, we’re of course going to listen.”

Although the NFL would be a stakeholder in ESPN, the league is keeping its equity interests separate from how it thinks about distribution or the utilization of its rights. NFL EVP/media distribution Hans Schroeder said this week that the league will maintain “an arm’s length” in such negotiations. “It’s going to be fascinating to see what the NFL does with their opt out,” Pitaro said. “I think you know this, but in 2029, they have an opt out, and a year later, they have an opt out with us, so we’ll see how that plays out.”

Pitaro touted the network’s portfolio as the best in its history, but said it is never satisfied and will look at what makes sense for the business. When asked about a potential NFL international package, he said the network is “always interested in growing our business” and would “be interested in having the conversation.”

Beyond the NFL, ESPN and Major League Baseball were reported by The Wall Street Journal to be “closing in” on a three-year agreement worth $1.65 billion that would grant the company rights to include MLB.TV within the ESPN DTC streaming service, along with some local, in-market rights and a national package of games. Pitaro did not announce the completion of an agreement, but said he expects that the deals will “close relatively soon.” ESPN and MLB had agreed to a mutual opt out of their existing seven-year contract before the season, and the two entities have had conversations that Pitaro described as “healthy” and “positive.”

Over the last several years, ESPN has inked various media rights deals that have reportedly resulted in augmented fees being paid to sports leagues. The agreement with the NBA marks an increase of 75% in the annual media rights fee, moving to a reported $2.45 billion from $1.4 billion per year. The network also reached an extension of its media rights agreement with the College Football Playoff, signed a 10-year deal to broadcast SEC college football and men’s basketball games and reached a new eight-year agreement for NCAA championships.

“You’ve seen significant increases over the past several years,” Pitaro said. “I don’t have a crystal ball. I don’t know how sustainable this type of growth is. Again, you’re seeing big tech operate with discipline, which I think even a few years ago, a lot of people did not expect. I think a lot of people expected the big tech players to spend more aggressively, bid more aggressively than they have. But I’m not sure how we’re going to continue to see significant increases when there’s not a lot on the marketplace.”



Link

113
Continue Reading

College Sports

What is the Fastest Tennis Serve of All Time?

Published

3 months ago

on

September 5, 2025

By

What is the Fastest Tennis Serve of All Time?

In this countdown, we look back at the fastest recorded tennis serves of all time.

Service speed remains a dominant feature in the modern game and can become a player’s trump card out on the court.

With players getting stronger and cutting-edge technology in tennis racquets making leaps and bounds, serves today are faster than ever.

We take a look at the fastest serves ever recorded by men and women out on the tennis court.

Men’s fastest tennis serve

Sam Groth – 263.4kph (163.7mph.)

Australian Sam Groth has the honour of having the fastest recorded tennis serve of all time.

The 6ft 4 Australian set the record during an ATP Open Challenger match in Busan, South Korea, in 2012 against Belarusian tennis player Uladzimir Ignatik.

Groths serve clocks in at a staggering 263.4kph (163.7mph).

Honorable mentions

Second Fastest Recorded Serve in Tennis

Albano Olivetti – 257.5 kph (160mph)

Frenchman Albano Olivetti holds the record for the second-fastest serve ever recorded. The French tennis pro also remains the second person to break the 160mph serve speed barrier.

Olivetti’s serve came in 2012 at the challenger level during the Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel–Faip.

Albano Olivetti

Albano Olivetti holds the second-fastest record serve on the tour.

Third Fastest Recorded Serve in Tennis

John Isner – 253 kph (157.2 mph).

It would be hard not to include the American giant John Isner in this list. The 6ft 10 American is known best for his monster serves, which are delivered consistently throughout.

His monstrous serve is thanks in part to his stature. Isner clocks in as the third-tallest tennis player on the ATP behind the Croatian giant Ivo Karlovic and American young gun Reilly Opelka (both 6ft 11 inches). Ivo Karlovic currently holds the record for the fourth fastest recorded tennis serve.

Isner currently holds the third fastest serve in tennis. The Americans serve, clocking in at 253 kph (157.2 mph) during a 2016 Davis Cup tie against Bernard Tomic.

John Isner also holds the record for playing the longest match in Grand Slam history against Nicolas Mahut. During Wimbledon 2010, Isner beat Mahut in 5 sets: 6–4, 3–6, 6–7, 7–6, 70–68. The match lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes.

Isner’s serve is the fastest recorded serve in tennis, recognised by the ATP.

Fastest Tennis Serve Female

Georgina García Pérez – 220kph (136.7 mph)

Spaniard Georgina Garcia Perez holds the record for the fastest recorded tennis serve by a woman.

Perez clocked a serve of 200kph (136.7 mph) during the Hungarian Ladies Open in 2018.

Georgina Garcia Perez

Georgina Garcia Perez holds the record for the fastest serve by a female.

Why is it nearly impossible to hit a 160 mph tennis serve?

A considered calculation of stature, technique, coaching, mechanics and good old practice is said to make the perfect concoction for a fast serve.

A direct correlation has been proven between the height of a player and power during a serve. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the top servers of the game are all giants by nature.

The trajectory of a serve remains ever important. Players who are 6ft 7 or above have the ability to hit the ball with a downward trajectory, whereas those who are under that height are unable to do so.

Modern technology has also greatly aided in the incremental increase of server power over time. The changeover from wooden rackets to today’s modern racket is a huge factor in determining serve power. Advancements in string technology and racket materials also play a huge part in determining a fast serve.

Other mitigating factors include court conditions. Faster serves are much more likely to happen on a hard court and during hotter temperatures, where there is less resistance to air density, translating to faster speeds.

When you compare the fastest tennis serve with other sports, you can see how fast it is.

Fastest Football shot – 114 mph by David Hirst in 1996
Fastest Baseball pitch – 105.1 mph by Aroldis Chapman in 2010
Fastest Cricket Bowling speed – 100.2 mph by Shoaib Akhtar in 2003

What is the average tennis serve speed?

The average tennis serve speed differs between both men and women, as well as between pros and amateurs. Data shows us that for professional male tennis players, the average tennis serve speed is approximately 114 mph (on their first serve) and 93 mph (on their second serve).

For women, the average tennis serve speed clocks in at 98 mph (on their first serve) and 82 mph (on their second serve).

This data was recorded between 2002-2013, so bear in mind the average speeds have likely increased by a few miles per hour in the modern era, as racquet technology and athletes continue to evolve and adapt within the sport.

Check out Wired’s video, which covers the topic more in-depth.

Fancy writing for us: Apply to become a Sports Writer at the Sporting Ferret

If you liked this article, then why not check out:

95
Continue Reading

College Sports

No. 24 Pilots Welcome No. 17 Roos to Merlo Field for Ranked Matchup

Published

3 months ago

on

September 5, 2025

By

No. 24 Pilots Welcome No. 17 Roos to Merlo Field for Ranked Matchup

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Pilots Men’s Soccer, ranked 24th in the nation, is ready for their first ranked matchup of the season against the Kansas City Roos. The two teams are set to play on Friday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. here at Merlo Field.
 
Tickets for Friday’s game are available at PortlandPilots.com/Tickets. A live stream is also available on ESPN+. Check PortlandPilots.com for links to the live stream and live stats.
 
MATCH INFORMATION
Opponent: #17/19/RV Kansas City Roos (2-0-2, 0-0-0 Summit)
Day: Friday
Date: Sept. 5, 2025
Time: 7 PM
Place: Portland, Ore.
Pitch: Merlo Field
Video: ESPN+
Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. UMKC
Overall Series: 0-0-0
H: 0-0-0 • A: 0-0-0 • N: 0-0-0
Last: N/A
 
PEEK INTO THE PORT

  • The Pilots are a perfect 4-0 on the year, outscoring opponents 17-0 in these first four games. They are now ranked 24th nationally.
  • They most recently earned a road win over the Wisconsin Badgers 1-0, their eighth win over a Big Ten team and 18th against a Power Four team since Nick Carlin-Voigt took over as head coach in 2016. They also beat the Siena Saints last week 4-0.
  • David Ajagbe scored the game-winning goal for the Pilots against the Badgers. Highfield scored two goals against the Saints and Waggoner added another.
  • The Pilots lead the nation in 10 different categories, including goals (17), assists (21), points (55), goals-against average (.000), shutout percentage (1.000), save percentage (1.000), points per game (13.75), goal differential (17) and assists per game (5.25)
  • Several players are near the top of the nation statistically.
  • Diego Rosas is tied with 10 players for first in the nation in assists at four. He posted two assists against Siena on Friday.
  • David Ajagbe and Nicholas Dunbar also sit at second in the conference and 13th nationally in assists at three. Ajagbe’s seven points rank second in the WCC and 18th nationally.
  • Joe Highfield is one of the top scorers in the nation, sitting at third in points (11), fifth in goals (four) and 11th in assists (three).
  • Miguel-Angel Hernandez has yet to allow a goal in his three starts for Portland. He’s one of 14 players to not allow a goal.
  • Portland is one of five teams to have started the season 4-0-0 and are the only team in the nation to have started 4-0-0 with four straight shutouts.
  • Portland’s 4-0 start is the first time since 1988. It’s also the first time they’ve posted four straight shutouts to start a season since that year.
  • The Pilots hold a 14-game unbeaten streak that stretches back to last season.
  • This year, they were picked to finish third in the 2025 West Coast Conference Preseason Poll, with forward Joe Highfield and midfielder Efetobo Aror each making the preseason team.
  • Highfield was the first Pilot to make the All-WCC First Team and the All-WCC Freshman Team in the same season since Benji Michel in 2016, scoring seven goals and adding three assists. His four goals and three assists against WCC opponents were the second most in the conference.
  • Aror was drafted in the first round of the 2025 MLS SuperDraft this past year by the Colorado Rapids but chose to return. The WCC Freshman of the Year in 2023, he played in 10 matches with six starts, recording a goal and assist.
  • Aror, along with Pilot newcomer David Ajagbe, was also named to the TopDrawerSoccer Top 100 players in the preseason, slotting in at 52nd. Ajagbe ranks 99th on the list.
  • Ajagbe scored seven goals and added two assists with the Ohio State Buckeyes last season, who earned the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament last year. Ajagbe made the All-Big Ten Freshman team and the TopDrawerSoccer Freshman Best XI Second Team.
  • Last season, the Pilots were a dynamic offensive team, ranking second in the WCC in goals per game (1.78), total assists (44), total points (108), points per game (6.00) and assists per game (2.44). Their 2.44 assists per game ranked ninth nationally while their assist total ranked 14th.
  • The Pilots also were in the top 50 nationally in points per game, (21st), total points (27th), goals per game (44th) and total goals (32, 46th).
  • The Pilots return 16 players from last year’s roster while welcoming 16 newcomers. The incoming class ranks fifth nationally on TopDrawerSoccer.
  • Of the 16 returners, Portland returns three players who earned All-WCC honors: Highfield, Miguel-Angel Hernandez (Second Team) and Diego Rosas (Honorable Mention).
  • Hernandez played in seven matches last year, posting shutouts in three of those matches. 
  • Rosas led the Pilots in assists in his second season with the Pilots, posting eight assists. He was the third Pilot since 2017 to post at least three assists in a game, doing so against the LMU Lions.
  • Nick Carlin-Voigt enters his 10th year as head coach of the Pilots. He has posted a 92-46-21 record during his tenure, having led Portland to the NCAA Tournament five times during that span.
  • Carlin-Voigt was at the helm when the Pilots advanced to the Elite Eight in 2022, their first appearance that deep in the tournament since 1995.

ABOUT THE ROOS

  • The Kansas City Roos are 2-0-2 on the year, most recently tying the Saint Mary’s Gaels 1-1 and beating the Northern Illinois Huskies 2-1.
  • They are currently receiving votes in the latest Top 25 poll from United Soccer Coaches. They are 17th in the College Soccer News Poll and 19th in TopDrawerSoccer’s poll.
  • The Roos were 14-5-3 overall and 5-2-1 in Summit league play. They won the Summit League Championship over the Denver Pioneers and then advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
  • The Roos were picked second in the Summit League Preseason Poll, with Bryson Gosch and Jeremy Francou making the preseason team.
  • Gosch tallied 1,776 minutes last year, earning honorable mention as well as All-Tournament honors. He scored the equalizing goal in the Summit League Championship against Denver.
  • Francou scored four goals last year for Kansas City, including a goal in their first-round tournament game against the Saint Louis Bilikens.
  • Ryan Pore is in his sixth year at the helm of the Roos. He is 35-33-22 in his six seasons with Kansas City.

Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App.  For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.

Donate Today 
Fans interested in making a contribution to University of Portland Athletics can do so by clicking here. Your gift helps our over 300 student-athletes compete at the highest level – on and off the field – in the rapidly changing world of intercollegiate athletics. All gifts to Pilot Athletics are 100% tax deductible.

Follow Along With the Action
Get the latest news and information about your favorite University of Portland athletic programs by visiting PortlandPilots.com. You can also follow along for the most dynamic coverage and team-centric content by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram.
 

Print Friendly Version
40
Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending