|
| |
Happy Friday 👋
Ready for 36+ hours of trophy celebrations? The championship moments will come in droves over the next two days with college football conference title games and an MLS Cup Final. Plus, the Lions and Packers went at it in Detroit last night with the NFC North on the line. Dan Campbell on 4th-and-1? Fearless.
✍️ Programming: The Sportsletter’s primary writer, Jeff, is taking a 30-second timeout. He and Marissa co-wrote today's edition on a short night. Enjoy a fun weekend of football and futbol.
Letter Rip! |
|
|
Photo: Steve Limentani / ISI Photo / Getty Images |
36 Hours of College Football Conference Championships — What Fresh Chaos Will Unfold?
Champ Week is here! A handful of entertaining Power 5 title games await, and playoff dreams are on the line in select locations. The Mountain West kicks off Champ Week tonight before four trophy ceremonies tomorrow across the Big 12, SEC, ACC and Big Ten. The Big 12 title game between #15 Arizona State and #16 Iowa State is a true “win-and-in” playoff scenario. #5 Georgia and #2 Texas get a rematch for a first-round CFP bye in the SEC finale. #17 Clemson looks to play spoiler against #8 SMU (and #11 Alabama) while #3 Penn State takes on undefeated #1 Oregon in the Big Ten. Basically 10 of the 12 CFP bids are locked, but if you're the Crimson Tide, you're holding your breath.
Heisman Watch: If you haven’t seen Heisman hopeful Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty in primetime, tonight is your chance. He’ll get one extra showcase game over Colorado’s WR/CB Travis Hunter, but it likely won't matter. This race looks over. Heisman Odds: WR/CB Travis Hunter (-10000), RB Ashton Jeanty (+2000), QB Dillon Gabriel (+50000) Get ready for Champ Week! CFB Championship Matchups 🏆 Mountain West Championship #10 Boise State vs. #20 UNLV (Friday, 8:00 pm ET, FOX) 🏆 Big 12 Championship #15 Arizona State vs. #16 Iowa State (Saturday Noon ET, ABC)
🏆 SEC Championship #2 Texas vs. #5 Georgia (Saturday 4:00 pm ET, ABC) 🏆 ACC Championship #8 SMU vs. #17 Clemson (Saturday 8:00 pm ET, ABC) 🏆 Big Ten Championship #1 Oregon vs. #3 Penn State (Saturday 8:00 pm ET, CBS)
Top-Ranked Teams Not in Champ Week: #4 Notre Dame, #6 Ohio State, #7 Tennessee, #9 Indiana, #11 Alabama, #12 Miami, #13 Ole Miss & #14 South Carolina
Read More SI: 2024 Heisman Trophy Odds Point to Travis Hunter by a Mile
Yahoo! Sports: CFB Championship Weekend Viewing Guide |
|
|
Lion Kings of the North 🦁 |
Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images
|
Lions Hold Off Packers (34-31) After Gutsy 4th-Down Call to Clinch Playoffs in TNF Thriller
In a contentious NFC North battle on Thursday Night Football, the Lions survived at home and clinched a playoff spot last night. Detroit commanded an early lead, going up 10 points before halftime. But the Packers evened the score in the second half and kept the game razor thin. The divisional battle lived up to expectations, being decided only by a 35-yard walk-off Jake Bates field goal. In typical Dan Campbell fashion, it all came down to a risky playcall. The Lions stared at 4th & 1 in field goal range with 48 seconds on the clock when Campbell elected to go for it. David Montgomery ripped off a 7-yard run and let Detroit run down the clock before the field goal attempt.
TNF by the Numbers: Packers QB Jordan Love had a subpar night (206 yards, 1 touchdown), but RB Josh Jacobs kept them in contention with three touchdowns. This game was business as usual for the Lions offense. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs were both involved, but Lions WR Tim Patrick (2 TDs) was a surprise standout. With last night’s win, the Lions (12-1) extended their winning streak to 11 games – the longest in franchise history – and became the first NFC team to clinch a playoff berth. The Packers (9-4) are still favorably in the hunt for a wild card spot.
QB Comparison J. Goff (DET): 32/41, 290 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
J. Love (GB): 12/20, 229 yards, 1 TD Top Performers
RB J. Jacobs (GB): 18 carries, 66 yards, 3 TDs RB D. Montgomery (DET): 19 touches, 84 yards RB J. Gibbs (DET): 21 touches, 73 yards, 1 TD WR C. Watson (GB): 4 catches, 114 yards WR T. Patrick (DET): 6 catches, 43 yards, 2 TDs
Watch: Lions Hold Off Packers in NFC North Thriller (34-31)
Read More Packers-Lions on 'Thursday Night Football': What We Learned from Detroit's 34-31 win (NFL) 'Thursday Night Football' Live Updates: Lions Defeat Packers 34-31 in Thriller (NBC) |
|
|
Galaxy Quest: The MLS Cup Final 🏆 |
Photo: Shaun Clark / Getty Images
|
LA Galaxy Prepare for Record 10th MLS Cup Final Against NY Red Bulls Without Star Riqui Puig (Sat. 4:00 pm ET, FOX)
After an exciting month of MLS playoffs, the season concludes tomorrow when the LA Galaxy host the New York Red Bulls in a winner-take-all matchup. Despite having home-field advantage, the MLS Cup Final will be an uphill battle for the Galaxy after losing key player Riqui Puig to a torn ACL in the Western Conference Final. Galaxy players will have to rally to fill the void of Puig’s absence to compete against the red-hot Red Bulls. Marco Reus (yeah, that one, from Borussia Dortmund) is Puig’s most likely replacement, though he is also recovering from a groin injury.
Galaxy Quest: LA's Return to the Cup
This MLS Cup Final is a real David vs. Goliath story. Los Angeles went 19-8-7 in the regular season and won its first conference championship in a decade, but they're still the winningest franchise in MLS history. On the other hand, the Red Bulls went 11-9-14 in the regular season and are making their second ever appearance in the championship game. Since entering the playoffs as a No. 7 seed, the Red Bulls have gone lights out. They defeated defending champion Columbus in a penalty kick shootout before shutting out both New York City and Orlando City. Their historic run has made them the lowest-seeded team to ever reach the championship. Los Angeles has the prestige and home-field advantage, but New York has all the momentum.
Most Titles in MLS History LA Galaxy (5)
DC United (4) Columbus Crew (3) Multiple Teams (2)
The New York Red Bulls are one of just three original franchises (1996) to never win the MLS Cup. Will it be another record-setting celebration for LA? Or does New York have an underdog story to write?
⚽️ MLS Cup Final Saturday (4:00 pm, FOX) Read More
MLS Cup 2024 Predictions: LA Galaxy or New York Red Bulls? (MLS Soccer)
Where to Watch LA Galaxy-New York Red Bulls MLS Cup Final: Free Stream, TV, More (NBC Los Angeles) |
|
|
The Weekend Must-Watch List |
A wild 36-plus hours of trophy ceremonies is about to begin. It's football and futbol! We'll get back to the hardcourt next week with more NBA and NCAA action.
🏈 CFB Conference Championships (Power 5) Mountain West Championship (Fri. 8:00 pm, FOX)
Big 12 Championship (Sat. Noon, ABC) SEC Championship (Sat. 4:00 pm, ABC) ACC Championship (Sat. 8:00 pm, ABC) Big Ten Championship (Sat. 8:00 pm, CBS)
⚽️ MLS Cup Final LA Galaxy vs. NY Red Bulls (Sat. 4:00 pm, FOX) 🏈 NFL (Sunday) Falcons at Vikings (1:00 pm, FOX) Seahawks at Cardinals (4:05 pm, CBS) Bills at Rams (4:25 pm, FOX
Chargers at Chiefs (8:20 pm, NBC) Full NFL Week 14 Schedule
🏀 NCAA Basketball (Top Matchups) M: #11 Wisconsin at #5 Marquette (Sat. 1:30 pm, FOX) M: #4 Kentucky at #7 Gonzaga (Sat. 10:00 pm, ESPN2) W: #22 Louisville at #2 UConn (Sat. 9:00 pm, FOX) W: #3 S. Carolina at #9 TCU (Sun. 7:00 pm, ESPN2) Other Schedules ⚽️ EPL Schedule
🏀 NBA Schedule
🏒 NHL Schedule *All Times ET |
|
|
Did Someone Forward You This Email? Subscribe Here
Feedback? Contact Our Editor: Jeff@TheSportsletter.com
*Sponsorship Has No Influence on Editorial Content* Not Loving The Letter? Unsubscribe Copyright © 2024 The Sportsletter
717 Market Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103 |
|
|
|
