The Sportsletter - Heisman Hunter 🎯

BY JEFF YODER

AUG. 30, 2024 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Happy Friday 🙌

I don’t know about you, but I’m one happy camper now that football is back. A busy sports weekend began with a Heisman-worthy performance from Colorado’s two-way star. Whether or not Deion Sanders’ bunch is legit, they’re incredibly fun to watch. Plus, Scottie Scheffler is a runaway train and Carlos Alcaraz was just ousted from the U.S. Open. Let’s tee up a huge weekend, shall we?

🗓️ Schedule: The Sportsletter will not be delivered on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 2). We’ll return to your inbox on Tuesday (Sept. 3).

Letter Rip!

  CFB  

The Heisman Hunter 🎯

Photo: Andrew Wevers / Getty Images

Colorado Wins Season Opener Against North Dakota State (31-26) Thanks to Travis Hunter’s Eye-Popping 3-TD Game

It wasn’t pretty at times, but Deion Sanders’ Colorado squad pulled out the Week 1 win last night against North Dakota State (31-26). And while the Buffs have plenty to work on, Thursday's hero of the game might just be the most exciting player in college football. Travis Hunter’s Heisman Trophy odds doubled — from +5000 to +2500 — in a matter of hours. The two-way junior played nearly 50 snaps on defense and 40 on offense while catching a Colorado-record 3 TDs. The last of Hunter’s three touchdown catches set social media on fire. That score put the Buffs up 31-20. QB Shedeur Sanders had a stat-stuffing night with four total TDs. Colorado’s talent is evident, but NDSU exposed some areas for improvement.

Colorado Stars (Stats)

QB S. Sanders: 26/34, 462 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT

WR T. Hunter: 7 receptions, 132 yards, 3 TDs

Watch: Travis Hunter’s 3 TDs

Watch: Colorado Beats NDSU in Opener (31-26)

📊 Poll Results

Yesterday, we asked readers if Colorado would win over/under 7.5 games this season. More than 3/4 (76.2%) chose the under. It's 1-0 for Prime and company, but the Big 12 awaits.

Other College Football Highlights

#11 Missouri def. Murray State (51-0)

#12 Utah def. Southern Utah (49-0)

#22 Kansas def. Lindenwood (48-3)

#24 NC State def. W. Carolina (38-21)

North Carolina def. Minnesota (19-17)

Night 1 (of Week 1) in the college football season may have featured just a few games, but the next three days will bring 100-plus matchups to officially launch the CFB season in earnest. Check today’s must-watch list for the top 10 televised games to watch. Happy football season, team!

Read More

ESPN: Colorado Has Undeniable Talent, But a Lot Left to Prove

Athlon Sports: Travis Hunter’s Heisman Chances Take Major Turn After Week 1

Yahoo! Sports: Stephen F. Austin Beats FCS Team So Bad They Moved to 5-Minute Quarters in 2nd Half

  GOLF  

Scottie's Scorching Start 🔥

Photo: Mike Mulholland / Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler (-16) Extends Tour Championship Lead to 7 Strokes Before Round 2 at East Lake

A scorcher at East Lake in Atlanta (96 degrees) saw a scorching Scottie Scheffler widen the gap Thursday in the Tour Championship. Scheffler bounced back from a Hole 1 bogey to fire an opening-round 65 and effectively demoralize the rest of the field. He birdied four of the last six holes to secure a seven-stroke lead after starting with a two-stroke advantage. The course that has notoriously haunted Scottie in recent years suddenly looks like his playground. It'll take a miracle to track him down now, but a lot can happen in 54 holes.

Other Golfers: Collin Morikawa (-9) exploded for a run of six-straight birdies while Adam Scott (-8) played a bogey-free round with his hot putter to climb the leaderboard.

Tour Championship Leaderboard (Round 1)

1. S. Scheffler (-16)

T2. X. Schauffele (-9)

T2. C. Morikawa (-9)

T4. A. Scott (-8)

T4. S. Burns (-8)

T4. H. Matsuyama (-8)

T4. W. Clark (-8)

T4. K. Bradley (-8)

Round 1 Highlights | Round 2 Tee Times

Read More

NBC Sports: Scottie Scheffler Takes Huge Step Toward $25 Million Prize

SI: Fact or Fiction: The Tour Championship’s Format Needs to be Revamped

  HIGHLIGHTS & ROSTER NEWS  

Quick Picks: Alcaraz Shocked 👀

Photo: Charly Triballeau / Getty Images

🎾 U.S. Open Highlights (Round 2)

• M: #3 Carlos Alcaraz Stunned by Botic van de Zandschulp in Straight Sets
• M: #1 Jannik Sinner Cruises Into 3rd Round
• M: Australian Jordan Thompson Upsets #7 Hubert Hurkacz
• W: #1 Iga Swiatek Takes 12 of 13 Games in Quick Win
• W: #6 Jessica Pegula Holds Off Sofia Kenin in All-American Match
• W: Karolina Muchova Takes Down Naomi Osaka in Straight Sets

⚾️ MLB Quick-Hitters

• Nick Castellanos Hits Go-Ahead 2-Run HR, Phillies Beat Braves (5-4)
• T.J. Friedl Rips Walk-Off Single to Push Reds Past A’s (10-9)
• Mets’ Pete Alonso Passes Mike Piazza on Franchise HR List (221)

🏈 NFL Roster News

• 49ers & WR Brandon Aiyuk Agree to 4-Year, $120 Million Deal
• Patriots Name Jacoby Brissett Week 1 Starting QB
• Safety Lewis Cine Flips on Jets to Sign With Bills
• Eagles DB James Bradberry to Miss 6-8 Weeks With Leg Injury

  STORYLINES    

🏈 Best Fantasy Picks in Each Round

Is Garrett Wilson due for a breakout? Can De’Von Achane get a heavier workload? Here are the players who could bring you a championship in 2024. (The Ringer)

⚾️ How Aaron Judge’s Season Stacks Up

Aaron Judge’s historically great 2024 reached the point where we have to ask: Could this be the greatest season by a hitter in MLB history? (ESPN+)

⚽️ The Champions League Draw

The UEFA Champions League has birthed its first ever “League Phase” and the process was predictably chaotic. Here are the best matchups. (CBS Sports)

  NEWS   📰 

🏀 Warriors & Steph Curry Agree to 1-Year, $62.6 Million Extension (ESPN)

🏈 Ex-NFL Coach Jack Del Rio Lands New Coaching Job With Wisconsin (SI)

🏁 NASCAR Releases 2025 Schedule for Cup, Xfinity & Truck Series (NBC Sports)

🏅 Sarah Adam Becomes First Woman to Compete on U.S. Wheelchair Rugby Team (USA Today)

🏈 North Carolina QB Max Johnson Carted Off Field With Leg Injury in Season-Opener (CBS Sports)

⚾️ 44-Year-Old Rich Hill Pitches for Red Sox in 20th MLB Season (ESPN)

🏈 Anonymous NFL Agent Says Jets Are in ‘Complete Disarray’ (B/R)

⚾️ Cubs’ Recent Surge Credited to Taylor Swift Candle That Gets Lit Before Games (Yahoo! Sports)

  SCHEDULE   🗓️

The Weekend Must-Watch List

It’s a three-day holiday weekend ahead, and it’s also Week 1 of the college football season. Tack on the U.S. Open and the Tour Championship and we’ve got an extra-loaded slate. We’ll return to your inbox on Tuesday. Enjoy!

⛳️ Tour Championship

Rounds 2-4 (Fri.-Sun. 1:00 pm, NBC/Golf Channel)

🎾 U.S. Open

Rounds 2-3 Schedule (Noon—TBD, ESPN)

*All Weekend

🏈 College Football (Week 1)

Temple at #16 Oklahoma (Fri. 7:00 pm, ESPN)

#14 Clemson at #1 Georgia (Sat. Noon, ABC)

#8 Penn State at West Virginia (Sat. Noon, FOX)

Akron at #2 Ohio State (Sat. 3:30 pm, CBS)

Colorado State at #4 Texas (Sat. 3:30 pm, ESPN)

#19 Miami at Florida (Sat. 3:30 pm, ABC)

Western Kentucky at #5 Alabama (Sat. 7:00 pm, ESPN)

#7 Notre Dame at #20 Texas A&M (Sat. 7:30 pm, ABC)

Fresno State at #9 Michigan (Sat. 7:30 pm, NBC/Peacock)

#23 USC at #13 LSU (Sun. 7:30 pm, ABC)

Full CFB Weekend Schedule

⚾️ MLB

Cardinals-Yankees Series

Dodgers-Diamondbacks Series

Royals-Astros Series

Braves-Phillies Series

Full MLB Schedule

⚽️ Soccer

Premier League Schedule

MLS Schedule

NWSL Schedule

🏀 WNBA

Fever at Sky (Fri. 7:30 pm, ION)

Storm at Sun (Sun. 1:00 pm, NBATV)

🏁 Racing
F1: Italian Grand Prix (Sun. 9:00 am, ESPN)

NAS: Southern 500 — Darlington (Sun. 6:00 pm, NBC)

*All Times ET

Reminder: The Sportsletter will not be delivered on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 2). We’ll return to your inbox on Tuesday (Sept. 3). Have a great weekend!

  THE TEAM  

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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