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Coach Luke Fickell and Cincinnati broke through as the first non-P5 to make the four-team playoff, bolstered by a win the first Saturday of October at Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish, who lost 31-14 to Alabama in a CFP semifinal Rose Bowl played at AT&T Stadium last New Year’s Day, didn’t lose another game this season and finished fifth in the final CFP rankings behind the history-making Bearcats.
“Take away Coby from this game, we don’t win,” DeRozan said. “He had some big time threes when we needed it. When we couldn’t get it offensively going, he kept going, kept getting us over the hump. … He played extremely confident. Without him, we don’t win this game.”
The Broncos will be without two starting wide receivers (Jeudy and Tim Patrick), three of their top four edge rushers (Chubb, Jonathon Cooper and Stephen Weatherly), their top slot cornerback (Bryce Callahan), their dime back (Caden Sterns), their starting right tackle (Bobby Massie) and their top swing tackle (Calvin Anderson) and a starting inside linebacker (Browning).
Wake Forest linebacker Ryan Smenda, a junior who grew up in nearby Orange Park, was ejected for the third time this season for targeting. Smenda barely made contact, if at all, this time. He was penalized for intent because he led with his helmet while chasing Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt. Wimsatt slid late, and Smenda flew over the top of him.
Bill Laimbeer, the Aces’ current coach, has been with the organization since it first moved to Las Vegas in 2017. He had taken a step back last season, letting assistant Tanisha Wright run more practices and in-game huddles. Wright left in the offseason to be the head coach of the Atlanta Dream.
“You have to be ready for everything, especially nowadays,” he said. “It’s been two years of this now. … Deals has played some games before, been good for us, worked hard in practice. … I think he’s ready for the opportunity and we’ll see what happens.”
Steve Crawford, 73, of Delray Beach, Fla., was an Army crew chief in the Vietnam War for the 170th Assault Helicopter Company, the same company that Graham’s helicopter came from. After Crawford contacted Graham’s foundation requesting to take a look at the “Huey” in summer 2020, Graham hosted him and his brother, Jim, who served in the Air Force, “like VIPs” for a 45-minute ride.
Simmons gave credit to former players who paved the way for free agency, including Curt Flood, Catfish Hunter and Andy Messersmith, and saluted unappreciated baseball lifers such as scout Gordon Lakey and minor-league instructor George Kissell, a St. Louis Cardinals legend. Simmons even ended his speech with a quote from a Beatles song: “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
Thirty players are eligible for induction, including 12 first-timers and four who are in their 10th and final years of eligibility: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling and Sammy Sosa. Schilling received 71.1% of votes on ballots cast in 2021, the most of any returning player, while Bonds and Roger Clemens were close behind with 61.8% and 61.6%, respectively.
Beville completed passes of 10 and 52 yards to Jordan Addison, the Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation’s top wide receiver, against Michigan State’s pass defense, which ranked last in the nation. Beville’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Jared Wayne gave the Panthers a 14-10 halftime lead.