USC vs Colorado football on Friday October 25, 2019 at Boulder, CU. (Photo by Laura Domingue)
BOULDER—University
of Colorado junior wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. has announced
that he will forego his final season of eligibility and
declare for the 2020 National Football League Draft.
Laviska Shenault Jr. with the catch and run during the Arizona State vs Colorado in Boulder, CU on October 6, 2018. (Photo by Laura Domingue / fi360 News)
Shenault announced his decision on his Twitter page at 1 p.m.
A
top NFL prospect after a breakout sophomore season in 2018, Shenault
cemented those rankings as a junior, putting his superior speed and
strength
to the test despite being hampered with injuries and becoming the focal
point for all defenses the Buffs faced in 2019.
“Laviska
Shenault represented our relentless culture and was one of the most
dynamic, dominant and versatile players that I have ever coached,”
CU coach Mel Tucker said. “He embodies the true ‘show me, don’t tell
me’ competitive spirit. I look forward to watching him develop and
compete at the elite level and thank him for his contributions on and
off the field. Once a Buff, always a Buff.”
One
of the most dynamic players in the nation over the past two seasons, he
lined up, caught passes and ran the ball from a multitude of positions
including outside receiver, slot receiver, h-back, tailback, and tight
end, as well as running the ball out of the wildcat position.
Laviska Shenault with a catch during Colorado Buffaloes PAC-12 football game at Folsom Field on November 17, 2018. (Photo by Laura Domingue / fi360 News)
“First and foremost, I want to thank all of my friends, family and all those who helped me get where I am today,” Shenault said. ”I took in a lot of wisdom and knowledge from all of you and used it to make me a better man on and off the field. I’m blessed to be in the position I am today and I know my dad would be proud of the foundation I left as I pursue my dream of playing at the next level and declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft.”
OFFENSE: Brant Kuithe, So., TE, Utah (Katy, Texas) • Finished Utah’s game against Colorado with 122 all-purpose yards
and three TDs, propelling them to their second straight Pac-12 South
Title and Pac-12 Championship game appearance. • Kuithe had three catches for 63 yards with 38-yard and 7-yard
receiving TDs, adding two rushes for 59 yards that included a
career-long 44-yard rush along with a 15-yard rushing TD. • Accounted for two first downs in Utah’s first scoring drive,
converting on a 3-and-13 on an 18-yard reception to extend the drive,
finishing it off with his 38-yard touchdown reception to tie the game
7-7 in the second quarter. • On Utah’s next scoring drive, Kuithe accounted for 51 of the 84
yards in the drive, including a career-long 44-yard rush and his
seven-yard rushing TD to give Utah a 14-7 lead late in the second
quarter. • Kuithe finished the game with a 15-yard rushing TD in the fourth
quarter for the last points of the game, giving the Utes their 45-15 win
and the Pac-12 South Title.
Also nominated: Eno Benjamin, RB, ASU; Christopher Brown Jr., RB, CAL
Jack Jones defending at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., on Friday, September 27, 2019. (Aaron Nelson / fi360 News)
DEFENSE: Jack Jones, R-Jr., CB, Arizona State (Long Beach, Calif.) • Jones had six combined tackles (five solos) and two interceptions
in ASU’s 24-14 Territorial Cup win over Arizona on Saturday. • Jones became the first Sun Devil with multiple interceptions in a
game since Gump Hayes picked off Patrick Mahomes (Texas Tech) twice in
2016. • Thwarted Arizona scoring threat in the second quarter, with an
interception at the ASU 14 after the Wildcats had driven to the ASU 24.
ASU would end up converting the turnover into a field goal just before
the half to cut UA’s lead to 7-6. • Also intercepted a pass on Arizona’s first possession of the second half.
Also nominated: Cameron Goode, OLB, CAL; Thomas Graham Jr., CB, ORE; Devin Lloyd, LB, UTAH; Elijah Molden, DB, WASH
SPECIAL TEAMS: Mykael Wright, Fr., KR/CB, Oregon (Antelope Valley, Calif.) • Returned a kickoff 98 yards for a TD in the first quarter during
Oregon’s 24-10 win over Oregon State in the 123rd Civil War. • Return came with the game tied 3-3 and gave Oregon a lead it would
keep for good. Finished with two kickoff returns for 121 yards. • Just the third player in program history with two kickoff returns
in a season, joining De’Anthony Thomas (2011) and Jonathan Stewart
(2005) • Also equaled a season high with five tackles and had a pass breakup. • Finished as the fifth-highest graded corner in the Pac-12 for week
14 by Pro Football Focus with a 77.9 coverage grade over 41 snaps.
Also nominated: Cristian Zendejas, PK, ASU; Demari Simpkins, RS/WR, UTAH
OFFENSIVE LINE: Penei Sewell, So., OL, Oregon (Malaeimi, American Samoa) • Didn’t allow a pressure, hurry or hit on the QB for the eighth time
this season during Oregon’s 24-10 win over Oregon State in the 123rd
Civil War • Finished with the conference’s third-best pass-blocking grade (88.1) in week 14 according to Pro Football Focus. • Played all 67 snaps at left tackle, as Oregon improved to 15-3 with him in the starting lineup. • Earned a 95 percent assignment grade from the Oregon coaches. Finished with two knockdowns to bring his season total to 54. • Oregon rushed for 119 of its 191 yards behind the middle to left
side of the offensive line as 32 of 33 carries by Oregon running backs
went for positive yards.
Also nominated: Cohl Cabral, C, ASU; Jake Curhan, RT, CAL.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Joe Tryon, So., DL, Washington (Renton, Wash.) • Led the UW defensive effort that limited Washington State to just
one touchdown, 13 points and 339 yards of total offense in Washington’s
31-13 win over the Cougars in the Apple Cup. • Tryon finished the game with four total tackles, including
two-and-a-half for loss and two sacks, good for 19 yards in losses. • Over the last four games of the season, Tryon has compiled 10 tackles for loss and six sacks.
Also nominated: Jermaine Lole, DL, ASU; Brett Johnson, NG, CAL; Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, ORE; Bradlee Anae, DE, UTAH
FRESHMAN: Trent McDuffie, Fr., DB, Washington (Westminster, Calif.) • McDuffie, who started his 10th game as a true freshman DB in the
Huskies’ 31-13 win over Washington State in the Apple Cup, had what may
have been the key play in the game — if not two of them. • In the fourth quarter, with the UW up 28-13 and WSU all the way
down to the Husky nine-yard line, McDuffie forced a fumble (recovered by
UW) to end the threat. After the Huskies punted, the Cougars moved
across midfield on the next drive as well, before McDuffie intercepted
QB Anthony Gordon at the UW 31 and returned it 29 yards. The Huskies
made a field goal on the ensuing drive to make it a three-score margin
late in the fourth quarter. • For the game, McDuffie finished with two tackles, a forced fumble and an interception.
Cal Bears vs UCLA Bruins football game on Saturday November 30 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore)
PASADENA, Calif. — Christopher Brown Jr. showed UCLA that he
could run it, as he carried the ball for 111 yards and two touchdowns for the
California Golden Bears in a 28-18 victory over the UCLA Bruins Saturday night
at the Rose Bowl.
Cal Bears vs UCLA Bruins football game on Saturday November 30 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore)
If it was Chip Kelly’s last game as head coach at UCLA, he
was going to call plays his way. Do not think for a second that he would really
go out in an ordinary fashion. His Bruins would run tempo on offense and go for
it on fourth downs.
At the end of the night, the result was the same as it has
been for the majority of Kelly’s tenure in Westwood, which showed the Bruins
with fewer points on the scoreboard than their opponents. The Bruins finish the
season with a four wins to eight losses, which is actually an improvement
Kelly’s Bruins’ three wins last season.
Cal Bears vs UCLA Bruins football game on Saturday November 30 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore)
“I think this team is growing,” said Kelly. “I’ve watched how these guys have
responded to everything that they have faced during the season. We knew going
in, the challenges that we had, we were a young team and guys were going to have
to get experience on the run… There are some young guys here where we are
really excited about what their future is.”
Rumors have been circulating about Kelly leaving the program
in recent weeks.
“I don’t know where they came from and I have not had
any discussions with anybody,” said Kelly. “My commitment level is
the same since I’ve been here, it’s been 100 percent. We go to work every day
and give everything we have to this program.”
Cal Bears vs UCLA Bruins football game on Saturday November 30 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore)
The Bruins had a chance to end the season with a win but the
defensive unit could not get stops when it needed to. The Bears averaged 80 yards on their four
scoring drives.
The 10-yard touchdown run by Brown on the first play of the
final stanza for the Bears to put them up 28-18 for the final score and made it
the twelfth consecutive fourth quarter in which the Bruins have given up a
touchdown – every game this season. From an X’s and O’s standpoint it would
seem that defense would be what the Bruins need to prioritize.
“You’ve got to look at everything that goes on,”
said Kelly. “We’ll always assess everything after the season, scheme and
personnel and everything. We will look at everything and we’re always trying to
improve and try to make ourselves better.”
Cal Bears vs UCLA Bruins football game on Saturday November 30 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore)
An announced attendance of 38,102 in the Rose Bowl saw UCLA
quarterback find tight end Devin Asiasi, who had game highs of 8 receptions and
99 yards, on first play of the game for 22 yards. That opening drive would
stall but the Bruin’s defense would hold Cal to a three and out on its first
possession.
A 19-yard catch by Jaylen Erwin to close the Bruins next
drive saw the home team on the scoreboard first with a 7-0 lead. It was Erwin’s
second touchdown of the season. Things certainly looked promising in the
beginning for the Bruins.
Another highlight for the Bruins was senior running back Joshua Kelley eclipsing the 1000-yard rushing mark back-to-back seasons. He is just the eighth Bruin all-time to accomplish that feat.
Cal Bears vs UCLA Bruins football game on Saturday November 30 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore)
“It feels pretty cool because there have been so many
incredible running backs here – Coach [Deshaun] Foster, Maurice Jones-Drew, just
so many incredible backs here,” said Kelley. “I know I didn’t win as
much as those guys, and that’s something I really wish I could do. I think it’s
pretty cool that someday I’ll see my name listed with some of those guys.”
Kelley feels the Bruins have many playmakers and it is going to be special for the young players in the upcoming seasons. Only time will tell.
Cal Bears vs UCLA Bruins football game on Saturday November 30 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore)
Arizona vs Arizona State football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by John Hays)
TEMPE, AZ – One week after their big win over Oregon the
week prior, the Arizona State Sun Devils (7-5, 4-5) run away with the 24-14 win
over the Arizona Wildcats (4-8, 2-7).
Arizona vs Arizona State football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by John Hays)
It was a big day for the Sun Devils! On Senior night in front
of an energized crowd of 54,074 people in Tempe, AZ, ASU responded with the
resounding, 24-14 win to keep the cup in Tempe!
Running back Eno Benjamin was certainly the star of the show, as the junior ran the ball 34 times for 174 yards and two touchdowns to seal the win! Benjamin would certainly carry the load in the second half, totaling 143 yards rushing on 24 carries.
Arizona vs Arizona State football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by John Hays)
“I understand what this game is about… there’s a lot of guys,
young guys, so I was trying to fuel that passion so that they understand what
this rivalry mean” Benjamin said.
Chippy as this rivalry has always been, the Wildcats entered
this one with a lot of emotions, perhaps the result of a season in which Arizona
ended the year on a seven-game losing streak.
Things certainly started a bit heated as Arizona had a
skirmish at midfield prior to the kick-off, which seemed to boil over to begin
the game.
Arizona vs Arizona State football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by John Hays)
“These rivalry games take place, and a lot emotions come out”
head coach Herm Edwards said. “And you see bad football, you really do, and it
takes away from the game.”
Edwards wasn’t wrong, as both squads seemed a bit sloppy and
slow to start this one, totaling just 156 yards which resulted in zero points
in the first quarter.
Arizona would have a chance to take the lead early, but a
missed field goal from Lucas Havrisik kept the Cats scoreless.
Arizona vs Arizona State football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by John Hays)
The second quarter wouldn’t be all that much better either, however,
it was the Devils who were the ones to strike first, forcing the Wildcats to a
turnover on downs to end the first quarter which would lead to points to begin
the second quarter.
ASU would drive the ball 25 yards on six plays, converting
on a 33-yard field goal from Christian Zendejas to make it 3-0 Devils with
13:07 to play in the second quarter.
Just a few series later, Arizona would respond, finding the
end zone on a Khalil Tate pass to Jamarye Joiner that went for 48 yards and a
score.
Leading 7-3, Arizona would be driving again, but it was ASU
that would stand firm, forcing a Tate interception that would lead to another
Zendejas field goal as time expired to make it 7-6 Wildcats at the half.
Arizona vs Arizona State football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by John Hays)
Deferring until the second half like he typically does,
Edwards would rely on his running back in the second half to “get a drive going,
and we leaned on him [Eno],” Edwards said. “We’re going to the run ball and
that was the intention.”
That he did as ASU would begin the half driving 75 yards on
11 plays which led to a Sun Devils touchdown run from Benjamin from six-yards
out. Surprisingly, ASU wouldn’t attempt a single pass on that drive!
After back-to-back interceptions by Tate, ASU would find the
endzone again! This time on Benjamin’s second touchdown of the game, finding a
hole and scoring form one-yard out.
Again, the Sun Devils wouldn’t attempt a single pass on the
drive that lasted 2:45, spanning 49 yards on seven plays to make it 21-7 after
the two-point conversion run from Jayden Daniels.
Arizona vs Arizona State football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by John Hays)
The biggest thing for ASU was rhythm and controlling the
ball. ASU would end the game with over 34 minutes of possession, but the
biggest thing for ASU and the Sun Devils was “making first downs, make them use
their timeouts and we can bleed the clock” Edwards said.
Arizona would try and respond as Havrisik and the Wildcats
would have a chance to find points again, but the junior kicker missed his
second attempt of the day, giving the Devils the ball right back, which led to
another ASU field goal, virtually putting this game out of reach for good!
Trailing 24-7, Tate and the Wildcats would find the endzone
again, scoring on a two-yard pass to Joiner to make it 24-14, but it was too
little too late, as ASU got the ball and ran out the clock to secure the victory.
Arizona vs Arizona State football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by John Hays)
With the third-straight Territorial Cup win, ASU improves to
7-5 (4-5) and awaits their bowl fate. As for senior corner Kobe Williams, this
win meant a lot. “Never lost to them, 3-0,” Williams said. “This game means so
much to the fans, I just wanted to come in and be 3-0 for my career, and that’s
all I talked about to my teammates.”
As for Edwards, he and his team will have to be patient
until their next game. “Now we’ll wait, we’ll find out where we’re going and
hopefully be in a position to win another game.”
Arizona vs Arizona State football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by John Hays)
For Arizona and the Wildcats, the team falls to 4-8 and is
bowl less for the second straight year under head coach Kevin Sumlin.
Oregon State Beavers vs Oregon Ducks battle in the Civil War football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Megan Connelly)
EUGENE, OR – The 14th ranked Oregon Ducks (10-2) defeated in-state rival Oregon State (5-7) 24-10 Saturday, their 11th victory out of the schools’ last 12 meetings.
Oregon State Beavers vs Oregon Ducks battle in the Civil War football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Megan Connelly)
With a win, Oregon
State would have become bowl eligible for the first time since 2013 but had an
uphill battle from the start after their starting quarterback Jake Luton was
unexpectedly held out of the game due to a forearm injury.
Oregon’s
offense continued to struggle, converting just 3/14 attempts on third down. In
his first start for the Beavers, sophomore Nebraska transfer Tristan Gebbia
outperformed Oregon senior quarterback Justin Herbert, completing 26/40 (65%)
passes for 243 yards, to Herbert’s 18/30 (60%) for 174 yards.
Despite the
struggles offensively, Oregon’s special teams and defense were enough to secure
the victory, and Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal simply explained “[In] rivalry
games… you find a way to win”. Mykael Wright provided support to the Oregon’s
struggling offense with a 98-yardkick return in the first quarter, and Justin
Herbert was able to find Johnny Johnson III for a 28-yard TD pass early in the
second, but the Ducks would go another 40 minutes and 20 seconds before scoring
again.
Oregon State Beavers vs Oregon Ducks battle in the Civil War football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Megan Connelly)
Oregon looked to extend their lead to two scores with 7:40 left in the 4th quarter, but Jaylon Redd fumbled while crossing the goal line on a 7-yard rush, which resulted in a touchback. The Beavers then found themselves down only one score at 10-17 and had two series where they looked to tie the game. The second of which was ended quickly after Oregon State running back Jermar Jefferson fumbled attempting to hurdle cornerback Thomas Graham Jr., which was ultimately recovered by Oregon safety Brady Breeze.
When Mario Cristobal joined the Oregon
coaching staff in 2017, the Ducks were coming off their worst season since
1991, and Duck fans who had been spoiled with 2 National Championship
appearances in the last decade quickly became fearful that the dark days of
Oregon Football were returning quicker than they were ready for.Instead,
Cristobal turned the program back in the right direction in only two years as
head coach.
With College Football Playoff aspirations
intact as recent as a week ago, it’s easy to view the 2019 season as a failure
for the Ducks. In reality, this season has been one of the best in program
history. After competing in his final game at Autzen Stadium, Justin Herbert
stated “To go 4-8 our Freshman year, that’s something that we talked about, to
be playing in the Pac-12 Championship. It’s been a great ride”.
Oregon State Beavers vs Oregon Ducks battle in the Civil War football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Megan Connelly)
The Ducks will travel to Santa Clara next week to compete in the Pac-12 Championship against the No. 6 Utah Utes, and with a victory would end up competing in the Rose Bowl for only the 7th time in program history.
Oregon State Beavers vs Oregon Ducks battle in the Civil War football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Megan Connelly)
Wyoming vs Air Force football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Laura Domingue)
Academy, CU –
Senior Day at Falcon Stadium was all smiles after the Air Force Academy
defeated the Wyoming Cowboys 20-6 to close out the season.
Wyoming vs Air Force football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Laura Domingue)
Air Force never trailed in this Mountain West match up and
moved to 10-2 record over all and finishing 7-1 on conference play. They know
will be looking forward to going bowling somewhere this December.
This was the Falcons seventh victory in a row closing out
the season strong.
“We knew coming in they were one of the most physical teams
in the Mountain West,” said DJ Hammond, who directed an offense that put up 305
total yards despite slogging away at 2.9 yards per carry. “We knew we had to
grind it out and nothing would come easy.”
Ben Waters catches 75 yard touchdown during the Wyoming vs Air Force football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Laura Domingue)
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun gameplan was run to set up the occasional
pass today that allowed them to keep Wyoming guessing. The first quarter of
play the Falcons held the ball 85% of the time with neither team scoring a
point.
Hammond completed 5 of 6 pass for 121 yards with a touchdown
to Ben Waters. Waters was the his main target catching 3 pass for 100 yards.
But non sweeter than the 75 yard that sealed the deal for the victory.
“We both kind of came to the sideline begging for it to
happen. We were able to execute. D.J. threw a perfect ball and blocking was
outstanding.” said Waters.
Wyoming vs Air Force football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Laura Domingue)
In the second quarter the Falcons pushed Wyoming back on the
goal line for Hammond to score on quarterback keeper for his 11 touchdown of
the season. He lead his team with 15 rushes, the team ran the ball 56 times
with the leading rusher being Kadin Remsberg with raked up 63 yards average 4.5
yards a carry.
Wyoming quarterback Levi Williams was sacked two time by the Falcons, and went 6/11 passing for a only 84 yards and he ran for another 88 yards on 15 carries. Accounting for over 50% of his team offense they never could punch it into the endzone.
Wyoming vs Air Force football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Laura Domingue)
Now both Wyoming and Air Force are bowl eligible and have to wait and see what’s next. The Falcons have will get chance to build on their first 10 win season.
Rutgers Knights vs Penn State Nittany Lions football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Patrick Blain)
UNIVERSITY
PARK, Pa. — Running back Journey Brown gave Penn State’s offense a lift
Saturday afternoon against Rutgers with 103 yards and three touchdowns
in a 27-6 victory in the regular season finale. Penn State (10-2, 7-2)
once again relied on a stout defensive effort to stymie a lowly Rutgers
(2-10, 0-9) team which was looking for a signature win to regroup on in
the coming offseason.
Rutgers Knights vs Penn State Nittany Lions football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Patrick Blain)
After
his performance this afternoon, Brown now looks to be the feature back
in an offense that is often times inconsistent. “I always want to do my
best regardless of the circumstances… It just gives me another ‘Why?’
Why do I love this game?”
There
is little doubt as to how much the Meadville product is enjoying his
game right now, at the most crucial juncture of the season. With the
Lions now setting their eyes on bowl season Journey Brown will have a
lot to say in the success moving forward not just for the remainder of
this season for the coming two seasons left in his eligibility.
Rutgers Knights vs Penn State Nittany Lions football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Patrick Blain)
Heading
into halftime, the Nittany Lions led 7-3 and head coach James Franklin
admitted to his team’s lackluster performance offensively.
“We weren’t as explosive as we needed to be and probably gave up too many explosive plays as well,” Franklin said of his team.
Rutgers Knights vs Penn State Nittany Lions football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Patrick Blain)
Quarterback
Sean Clifford was absent for the contest Saturday following an injury
he sustained against Ohio State in the prior week.
“Rather
than him each week gradually kind of losing his mobility, this decision
would give us the best chance to get him back to 100 percent for the
bowl game,” Franklin added.
Rutgers Knights vs Penn State Nittany Lions football game on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Patrick Blain)
As
the Nittany Lions limp across the finish line, there will now be a much
needed break until their bowl destination in the coming weeks.
Tulane vs SMU football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Ari Talton)
Dallas, Tx – Shane Buechele
passed for three touchdowns and running back Xavier Jones scored two rushing
touchdowns, leading SMU to a 37-20 victory over Tulane (6-6, 3-5) on Saturday.
Tulane vs SMU football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Ari Talton)
The win makes the Mustangs 10-2
to end a very successful season.
Buechele completed 15 of 27 pass
attempts for 180 yards, connecting with Myron Gailliard and Kylen Granson for
touchdowns in the first quarter. Jones rushed for 125 yards on 18 carries, scoring
two big touchdowns for SMU.
Tulane’s quarterback Justin
McMillan statistically had a better day than Buechele, passing for 242 yards,
but McMillan never found one of his receivers in the endzone. Tulane struggled
to find consistent scoring opportunities against the Mustangs’ stealthy
defense. Two rushing touchdowns and two field goals just weren’t enough to
match the scoring ability of SMU.
Tulane vs SMU football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Ari Talton)
Senior James Proche III scored on
a 26-yard touchdown reception from Buechele in the early moments of the final
quarter. SMU never trailed in this game.
The Mustangs finished an impressive season Saturday and the team has restored hope and energy for the campus and community.
Tulane vs SMU football game in Tempe, AZ on November 30, 2019 (Photo by Ari Talton)
Dallas, TX – Only one game separated Dallas Mavericks and the Los
Angeles Clippers in the western conference before Tuesday night’s competition.
The Clippers entered American Airlines Center and simply outshined the
Mavericks in a highly anticipated contest, which ended with a Clippers 114 -99
win.
Photo by Ari Talton
The first quarter belonged to
Clippers swingman Paul George, who seemed to score effortlessly no matter who
the Mavericks assigned to guard him. George scored from outside, he scored on
an emphatic dunk and he earned points from the free throw line – finishing with
26 points.
When George cooled down, Kawhi
Leonard turned up the heat. While Dallas threw some of their toughest defenders
at Leonard, he still managed his way to either the basket or the free throw
line. Leonard finished with a game-high 28 points.
“It’s a natural habit that
we’re creating,” said George after the game. “That’s what’s most scary because
everybody is kind of thinking the same thing when we’re on the defensive end,
and we’re just scrambling.”
Photo by Ari Talton
Kristaps Porziņģis started the
game very aggressively for Dallas, but became complacent in the second half.
Much to the chagrin of Dallas fans, neither Porziņģis nor Luka Doncic had
impressive outings against a fully loaded Clipper team. Porziņģis did finish
with a double-double – 15 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough.
A stat line of 22 points, 8
rebounds and 6 assists would typically be impressive, but Doncic was visibly
disappointed by his performance Tuesday night. He was obviously the focal point
of Los Angeles’ defensive scheme. Doncic was only 4 of 14 shooting from the
field; he missed all eight of his three-point attempts. Most of his points were
earned from the free throw line, where he was 14 of 16.
Photo by Ari Talton
Seth Curry, JJ Barea and Dwight
Powell contributed double digit scoring efforts, however, the Mavericks role
players were just not enough to keep close with the consistent scoring of the
Clippers.
Between the scoring efforts of
George and Leonard, there was the presence of Lou Williams who scored 21 points.
Zubac owned rebounding honors Tuesday night with seven rebounds, seemingly
snatching everything that bounced off of the rim.
Photo by Ari Talton
With the win over Dallas, the
Clippers are now 4 – 0 when both George and Leonard are in the lineup.
Dallas is hoping to rebound against Phoenix on Friday.
OFFENSE: Jayden Daniels, Fr., QB, Arizona State (San Bernardino, Calif.) • Daniels, who was named the Named Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns in ASU’s 31-28 upset of sixth-ranked Oregon. • In the first half, Daniels completed 12-of-14 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown with his two incompletions coming on the final drive of the half • Daniels’ 57-yard touchdown strike to junior wide receiver Frank Darby in the first quarter passed Rudy Carpenter’s single-season school record for most passing yards by a true freshman quarterback (2,273 yards) set in 2005. • In the second half, Daniels threw for 217 yards with touchdown passes of 26 yards (Darby) and 81 yards (senior wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk), the latter coming on 3rd & 16 and ASU up 24-21 with 3:54 remaining to give ASU a 10-point advantage • Daniels is the first Sun Devil to pass for over 400 yards since Mike Bercovici did it against West Virginia in the 2016 Cactus Bowl.
Jayden Daniels breaking from the pocket during an Arizona State PAC-12 football game on October 12, 2019 (Photo by John Hays)
Also nominated: Chase Garbers, QB, CAL; Alex
Fontenot, TB, COLO; Johnny Johnson III, WR, ORE; Jake Luton, QB, OSU;
Kedon Slovis, QB, USC; Zack Moss, RB, UTAH; Anthony Gordon, QB, WSU
DEFENSE: Talanoa Hufanga, So., S, USC (Corvallis, Ore.) • Hufanga had a career-best 18 tackles in the 52-35 win over UCLA,
the most in a game by a Trojan since Troy Polamalu had 20 vs. Utah in
the 2001 Vegas Bowl. Interestingly, Polamalu was at the USC-UCLA game,
being honored for his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame • Hufanga had a game-best 2 tackles for loss, with a sack, and also broke up a pass.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Alex Kinney, R-Sr., P, Colorado (Fort Collins, Colo.) • In CU’s 20-14 win over Washington, he helped the Buffs pin UW deep
in their territory at key times. He had four punts for a 45.8 average,
with three inside-the-15 (two inside-the-10, including one that curled
out of bounds at the 1-yard line.
Also nominated: Brandon Aiyuk, PR, ASU
OFFENSIVE LINE: Abe Lucas, R-Sr., OT, Washington State (Everett, Wash.) • Anchored an offensive line that helped WSU accumulate 641 yards of
total offense as WSU rallied for a 54-53 win over Oregon State • Lucas played every snap of the game, including 70 pass attempts, and did not surrender a sack • WSU also rushed for two touchdowns, including the game-winner with :02 seconds remaining • He graded out at 90 percent for the game and led all tackles
nationally in pass blocking grade last week by Pro Football Focus (PFF) • Remains as the top-rated pass-blocking tackle in the country per
Pro Football Focus • In 809 total snaps, has committed just one penalty
and allowed just one sack.
Also nominated: Cohl Cabral, C, ASU; Arlington Hambright, OT, COLO; Pend Sewell, OT, ORE; Blake Brandel, OT, OSU
DEFENSIVE LINE: Bradlee Anae, Sr., DE, Utah (Laie, Hawaii) • Finished second on the team with seven tackles, including Utah’s
only sack of the game for seven yards in the second quarter. • In addition to the sack, two of his tackles held the opponent to no gain on the play. • Utah held Arizona to 61 yards rushing, the 10th of 11 games this season Utah has held its opponent under 100 yards rushing. • Arizona had just seven first downs going into the fourth quarter
and just 45 rushing yards. It scored its only touchdown late in the
final minutes in the game. • Utah has held six opponents to fewer than 10 points this season.
Also nominated: Jermaine Lole, DE, ASU; Brett Johnson, NT, CAL; Jalen Sami, NT, COLO; Jovan Swann, DE, STAN; Brandon Pili, DL, USC
FRESHMAN: Jayden Daniels, Fr., QB, Arizona State (San Bernardino, Calif) • Daniels, who was named the Named Walter Camp National Offensive
Player of the Week, threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns in ASU’s
31-28 upset of sixth-ranked Oregon. • In the first half, Daniels completed 12-of-14 passes for 191 yards
and a touchdown with his two incompletions coming on the final drive of
the half • Daniels’ 57-yard touchdown strike to junior wide receiver Frank
Darby in the first quarter passed Rudy Carpenter’s single-season school
record for most passing yards by a true freshman quarterback (2,273
yards) set in 2005. • In the second half, Daniels threw for 217 yards with touchdown
passes of 26 yards (Darby) and 81 yards (senior wide receiver Brandon
Aiyuk), the latter coming on 3rd & 16 and ASU up 24-21 with 3:54
remaining to give ASU a 10-point advantage • Daniels is the first Sun Devil to pass for over 400 yards since
Mike Bercovici did it against West Virginia in the 2016 Cactus Bowl.
