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Carson routs winless Narbonne on the road

By
Brianne Ingram
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Harbor City, CA – The Carson Colts (3-3) offense was bobbing and weaving through the Narbonne Gauchos (0-6) defense all game to lead Carson to a dominating 42-6 win Friday night.

Carson Head Coach Michael Christensen commented on how they were able to bounce back from a tough loss last week against the Banning Pilots.

All Photos by Brianne Ingram / fi360 News

“I’m really proud of our kid’s effort. They played really hard. We still made some silly mistakes but we kind of fixed some things that we had screwed up last week. So that’s always a good sign. We’re just trying to get better every week,” said Christensen.

Narbonne only touchdown was scored by senior receiver Brandon Neal for a 67-yard reception to the house at the 2:53 mark to be down by one 7-6 in the first quarter.

This was the closest Narbonne would get as Carson soon responded.

Carson senior Akai Johnson scored on a kickoff return, cutting through the defense on a fearless run to put his team up 14-6 with 2:33 minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Carson’s secondary was on the prowl.

With 27 seconds left, a 60-yard interception by senior Jaden Jones put Carson up 28-6 at the half.

At the top of the third quarter, Carson grabbed another interception out of thin air at the 50-yard line.

Carson Jones turned on the jets with a 40-yard reception to create a 36-point deficit to go up 42-6 with 4:43 minutes left in the third quarter.  

“We have to learn how to be trustworthy in one another,” said Narbonne head coach Malcolm Manuel. “The physicality is there. We just gotta trust each other. When you want to win games, you have to trust the guy next to you. It can’t come from ten guys when there’s eleven guys on the field. I’m still waiting on that trust. Slowly but surely, we’re getting there. Once we learn how to trust each other we’ll be pretty good.”

Austin Dotson who is a former Carson Colt football player, a Gymshark athlete, an ‘All-American’ show actor, and who has amassed almost 400k Instagram followers came out to show his support for both teams.

Dotson reflects on how nostalgic this moment was for him as a former player of Coach Christensen. He is also one of Coach Manuel’s best friends.

“It’s a crazy feeling,” said Dotson. “Because I just remember myself under these lights you know running around playing and giving my all and to the same coach that was coaching me. It’s been twelve years. So, seeing him [Coach Christensen] he looks exactly the same and [coaches] with the same intensity. And then also the head coach of Narbonne was one of my best friends on the field at the same time. It’s just a crazy surreal moment to be out here supporting both teams. I’m just neutral. I support young men being healthy and doing what they love to do.”

Coach Christensen shared some thoughts on Dotson as one of his former players.

“Oh, Austin’s [Dotson] a great kid. He was a great kid when he was with me at Carson. I see his commercials and stuff and he’s always been a pretty boy, so it doesn’t surprise me that he’s doing well. So, it’s always nice. That’s one of the nicest things about coming back to Carson is seeing the former players just coming out to support. It’s pretty cool.”

 Coach Manuel commented on what Austin’s support meant to him. 

“It’s a blast. We’ve literally been best friends since we were about four or five years old. We grew up together around the corner from each other. My freshman year we went to Carson together. We’ve been tight all of our lives. It’s great having him here. He’s taking pictures for us, and he pulls me aside and helps me out here and there. I would not want to have anybody else here other than him. That’s my guy. I’m so happy for his support and I’m thankful for it.”

 The Carson Colts go on the road against the San Pedro Pirates next Friday, October 22nd at 7 pm.

No. 9 Oregon bounces back with 24-17 win over Cal

By
Isabel Gonzalez
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Eugene, OR – The No. 9 Oregon Ducks were able to breathe a sigh of relief after pulling off a 24-17 win over the California Golden Bears on Friday night. This result allowed the Ducks to continue their playoff hopes.

“Well it was just a really gutsy performance. Again it was a battle. I think all conference games are battles and with Cal its been some really tight football games, said Oregon coach Mario Cristobal.

All photos by Megan Connelly / fi360 News

Cal (1-5, 0-3 Pac-12) arrived at Autzen Stadium with a 1-4 record and was looking to gain bowl eligibility for the first time since 2019. The Ducks (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) were coming off a bye week and were the favorites, but their offense left a lot to be desired for most of the game. Twenty four is tied for the lowest amount of points Oregon has scored this season. 

Part of this was the Golden Bears defense doing a good job. Cal was able to force two turnovers in the first two quarters. That is the same amount of total turnovers the Ducks had in their previous five games. 

Photo by Brianne Ingram / fi360 News

The home team took an early 3-0 lead, but Cal registered the first touchdown of the game and wrapped up the first quarter with a 7-3 advantage. Oregon grabbed its first touchdown of the game with 5:17 left in the second quarter thanks to an 11-yard rush by Travis Dye. 

One of the Ducks’ strengths this season has been rushing. They are one of just three teams in the country to rush for at least 180 yards in each game, and Friday was no different. They picked up 210 rushing yards against Cal, with Dye being responsible for 145 of these. Coming into the game, the junior running back was going to be a key player since CJ Verdell suffered a season-ending injury against Stanford. 

By halftime, Oregon had a small 10-7 lead. The Ducks weren’t able to score in the third quarter, but their defense only allowed a field goal for the Golden Bears. Cal scored first in the last period, but then Oregon finally showed up. 

“So all in all I’m proud of the effort and the toughness to play a game like that and see it through because when you’re backed up that far and they had multiple opportunities to punch it in our defense found a way to get it done,” said Cristobal.

Senior quarterback Anthony Brown didn’t have a great performance during the first three quarters; he redeemed himself in the fourth. Brown threw a 20-yard pass to Jaylon Redd for a touchdown that helped tie the game at 17 points as the clock read 11:23. He then went on to score the winning touchdown with an 11-yard rush with under five minutes remaining. 

It looked like Oregon had it in the bag, but the Ducks were caught celebrating with 10 seconds left on the clock before realizing it was 3rd and goal for Cal. With five seconds remaining, the away team was only two yards away from the game-tying touchdown. Luckily for the Ducks, the Golden Bears last possession resulted in an incomplete pass by Chase Garbers.

“We have worked it really hard, and it has not paid off like we expected it to,” said Cristobal.

Up next, Oregon will take on UCLA on the road on Saturday, Oct. 23.

IOWA’S HANKINS IS BRONKO NAGURSKI NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

By
Press Release
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DALLAS (FWAA) – Cornerback Matt Hankins made a fourth-down stop late in the game and then one of Iowa’s four interceptions as the No. 3 Hawkeyes posted a 23-20 win over No. 4 Penn State. That effort, plus five total tackles that keyed the Hawkeyes’ defense in the come-from-behind win, earned Hankins the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 9, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

This is the sixth time for an Iowa player to earn this weekly honor and the 13th time teammates have been honored in the same season. Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell earned the award two weeks ago after the Hawkeyes’ 24-14 win over Colorado State. They are the school’s first weekly honorees since 2017 and have been added to this season’s Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list.

Hankins, a 6-foot, 185-pound senior corner from Lewisville, Texas, stopped consecutive Penn State drives in the fourth quarter to help seal Iowa’s win. Iowa had already rallied from a 17-3 deficit to take its 23-20 lead when Penn State took the ball with 6:26 left. After the Nittany Lions drove to the Iowa 47-yard line, Hankins was credited with a solo tackle on a fourth-and-three play with 3:39 left. Then on its next drive deep on its own end, Hankins’ interception, his third of the season, came at the PSU 25 on fourth-and-10.

He had five total tackles, including three solo stops. Hankins, who had two interceptions in Iowa’s earlier win at then-No. 9 Iowa State, has started 22 consecutive games with 33 career starts. Iowa has an FBS-leading 16 interceptions through its six games, and Hankins’ three picks are tied for sixth among individuals. He is tied for eighth at Iowa with 20 total tackles and has one pass break-up.

Iowa hosts Purdue for its sold-out Homecoming game Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of journalists, broadcasters, publicists, photographers and key executives in all areas of college football. The FWAA works to govern media access and gameday operations while presenting awards and honors, including an annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its programs and initiatives, contact Executive Director Steve Richardson at 214-870-6516 or tiger@fwaa.com.

About the Charlotte Touchdown Club
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club’s activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. Since 1990, the club has raised and donated nearly $3 million to benefit area high school and collegiate athletics. For more information, contact John Rocco (704-347-2918 or jrocco@touchdownclub.com). The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is touchdownclub.com.

About LendingTree, Inc.
LendingTree is the nation’s leading online marketplace that connects consumers with the choices they need to be confident in their financial decisions. LendingTree empowers consumers to shop for financial services the same way they would shop for airline tickets or hotel stays, by comparing multiple offers from a nationwide network of over 500 partners in one simple search and choosing the option that best fits their financial needs. Services include mortgage loans, mortgage refinances, auto loans, personal loans, business loans, student refinances, credit cards, insurance and more. Through the My LendingTree platform, consumers receive free credit scores, credit monitoring and recommendations to improve credit health. My LendingTree proactively compares consumers’ credit accounts against offers on their network and notifies consumers when there is an opportunity to save money. LendingTree’s purpose is to help simplify financial decisions for life’s meaningful moments through choice, education and support.

Pac-12 Football Performance Awards presented by Nextiva – Week Six

By
Press Release
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Pasadena, CA - UCLA Bruins place kicker Nicholas Barr-Mira (2) kicks a field goal in second quarter of the Fresno State Bulldogs vs UCLA Bruins on Saturday September 18, 2021 at the Rose Bowl. (Photo by Jevone Moore)

SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 today announced its 2021 football season’s sixth weekly performance awards, presented by Nextiva. See below for Week Six’s recognitions across the Conference and keep track of the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year watchlist here:

OFFENSE:  Cameron Rising, So., QB, Utah (Ventura, CA)

  • Powered the Utah offense in the win at USC (Oct. 9) with a 22-of-28 performance for 306 yards (13.9 ypc) and 3 touchdowns, plus a rushing score.  Completions, passing yards and TD scored were all career-highs.
  • Only Pac-12 QB this weekend to score 4 TD.   Led four scoring drives of 75-plus yards on the night, the most this weekend by a Pac-12 team.  After a 3-and-out on Utah’s first series, proceeded to march the Utes forward for touchdowns on five of the team’s next six possessions.
  • 7 of his 22 completions went for 15-plus yards, totaling 192 passing yards.  Connected with Devaughn Vele for a 37-yard touchdown on a perfectly-executed, fourth-down flea flicker with 10 seconds left in the first half, giving Utah a double-digit lead for the rest of the night.
  • 1st Utah QB to pass for 300-plus yards since 2019.
  • The win was Utah’s first road triumph over the Trojans since 1916 and first-ever in the LA Coliseum (opened 1923).
  • Honored this week by the Davey O’Brien Foundation as part of their Great 8 for top quarterback performances across the country.
  • 1st Utah player to win this award since Brant Kuithe won it in the final week of the 2019 season and 1st Utah QB to win it since Tyler Huntley won it twice in 2019.

Also nominated for offense:  Jayden de Laura, QB, Washington State; Drake London, WR, USC; Jayden Daniels, QB, Arizona State, Brittain Brown, RB, UCLA; Deshaun Fenwick, RB, Oregon State

Check out the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Watchlist, presented by Nextiva, to learn more. 

DEFENSE:  George Hicks III, Gr., Safety, Washington State (San Bernardino, CA)

  • Career-high 10 tackles and an interception in WSU’s 31-24 victory over Oregon State.
  • Recorded his 1st interception of the season late in the 1st half ending an Oregon State rally and keeping it a one-score game.
  • Had 7 tackles in the 2nd half, including the final tackle of the game as OSU came up 1 yard short of a first down inside the red zone in the final minute.
  • 1st Washington State player to win this award since Jahad Woods won it in November 2018.

Also nominated:  Jack Jones, CB, Arizona State; Mika Tafua, DE, Utah; Avery Roberts, ILB, Oregon State; Otito Ogbonnia, DL, UCLA; Anthony Pandy, LB, Arizona

SPECIAL TEAMS:  Nicholas Barr-Mira, RS Soph., K, UCLA (Palos Verdes, CA)

  • Connected on both of his field goal attempts and all 4 of his extra points in UCLA’s 34-16 win at Arizona. Barr-Mira hit from 23 and 43-yards out to give him 8 field goals in 10 attempts this season.
  • His 23-yard kick put UCLA up 17-13 in the third quarter and his 43-yard effort put the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter.
  • 2nd UCLA player to win this award this season with Kyle Philips winning for as a kick returner in Week 4.  First UCLA kicker to win this award since Ka’imi Fairbairn in October 2015.

Also nominated:  Ben Griffiths, P, USC; Everett Hayes, PK, Oregon State

OFFENSIVE LINE:  Liam Ryan, Gr., LT, Washington State (Chino Hills, CA)

  • Anchored an offensive line that helped produce 491 yards of total offense in WSU’s 31-24 win over Oregon State.
  • Played a total 71 plays at left tackle, grading out at 96 percent with six knockdowns.  Ryan did not allow a pressure or sack on the afternoon.
  • 2nd time this Ryan has won this award, winning it in Week 1 in 2019 and just the 3rd Cougar to win it since the award began in 2019 (Abe Lucas, November 2019).

Also nominated:  Bamidele Olaseni, LT, Utah; Dohnovan West, C, Arizona State; Nous Keobounnam, OL, Oregon State

DEFENSIVE LINE:  Tyler Johnson, Gr., DE, Arizona State (Temecula, CA)

  • Was a disruptive force, putting together his best performance of the season. Despite going up against 2 of the best tackles in the conference, Johnson was productive, not giving the quarterback much time to throw.
  • Finished with 5 total tackles (4 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks in a dominant effort. Johnson was also credited with a key forced fumble, the 3rd of his career, as he punched the ball out to force a turnover while Stanford was driving.
  • Eclipsed the 25 tackles for loss milestone in style, now boasting 26.5 in his career.
  • Now has 3 games in his career with multiple sacks. He sits just 4.5 sacks shy of a spot in the Top-10 in program history in the category.
  • Johnson was the 7th-highest graded defender in Pac-12 overall according to PFF and the 2nd-best among edge defenders (77.8). His 6 QB pressures were the most in the Pac-12 for the week (14th in FBS). Johnson managed to force a pressure on 18.8 percent of his snaps, most in the Pac-12 (18th in FBS).
  • For his efforts, Johnson was named Walter Camp National FBS Player of Week on defense.
  • 2nd time Johnson has won this award, taking it home in December of last year.  It’s also the 2nd time an ASU defender has won the award this year with D.J. Davidson winning it in Week 1.

Also nominated:  Mika Tafua, DE, Utah; Mo Diallo, DL, Arizona; Otito Ogbonnia, DL, UCLA

FRESHMAN:  Kamo’i Latu, Fr., Safety, Utah (Honolulu, HI)

  • Made his 1st career start at safety in Utah’s historic road win at USC (Oct. 9).
  • Produced a career- and team-best 10 tackles, to go with a pass breakup.  7 of Latu’s tackles came in the 1st half, including 5 in the 1st quarter of the game.  It’s the 2nd straight game that a Utah freshman had double-digit tackles.
  • The win was Utah’s first road triumph over the Trojans since 1916 and first-ever in the LA Coliseum (opened 1923).
  • 2nd time a Utah player has won this award this season with Karene Reid winning it in Week 4.

Also nominated for freshman:  Benjamin Yurosek, TE, Stanford; Elijhah Badger, WR, Arizona State; Semisi Saluni, LB, Oregon State

LA Clippers fall 128-100 to Minnesota during preseason finale

By
Isabel Gonzalez
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Ontario, CA – The Los Angeles Clippers wrapped up preseason with a 1-3 record after a 128-100 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night’s preseason finale at Toyota Arena.

Since the regular season is approaching, some key players had the night off to rest. Head coach Ty Lue confirmed earlier on Monday that the opening night starting lineup would be Eric Bledsoe, Reggie Jackson, Paul George, Marcus Morris and Ivica Zubac. Of those starters, only Bledsoe and Zubac suited up against the Timberwolves.

The beginning of the game was close. The Clippers managed to end the first quarter with a 30-27 advantage after a bad pass by Minnesota’s D’Angelo Russel led to a steal and dunk from Jay Scrubb. However, the Timberwolves found a better rhythm and held a 67-57 lead at halftime. 

The home team started the third quarter with a 10-0 run, but Minnesota answered with a 12-0 run to take the lead again. The Clippers stayed behind the rest of the night.

Los Angeles defense left a lot to be desired on Monday, with 128 being the most points the Clippers allowed in any of the four preseason games. Thirty of those were fast-break points, and head coach Ty Lue pointed out the need to improve in this area during the post game press conference.

“Our transition defense still needs to get better,” Lue said. “I think we are doing a lot of ball watching when the shot goes up instead of getting back.”

The team could’ve also shot better from beyond the arc, as only 26.3% of their three-pointers went in. LA shot at 41.8% from the field with Luke Kennard leading his team with 18 points. Terance Mann followed with 15 points, while Zubac and Scrubb contributed with 10 each.

“Offensively we just need to continue to keep moving the basketball. I thought we got some good shots early on that we didn’t make,” Lue said. “In the second half we got a little stagnant. That’s to be expected without a point guard. We still have a long way to go.”

The Clippers will tip off their regular season on Oct. 21 on the road against the Golden State Warriors.

Mistakes, Penalties, Injuries doom Arizona Football against UCLA

By
Eric Townsend
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Photo by John Hays / fi360 News

TUCSON, AZ – Despite a competitive start by Arizona Football (0-5, 0-2), the Wildcats fell 34-16 to the UCLA Bruins (4-2, 2-1) on Family Weekend.

Arizona Football gained 362 yards of total offense and even forced two turnovers, but it, unfortunately, wasn’t enough for the Wildcats who came up short in their 34-16 loss to UCLA on Family Weekend.

“I thought the guys competed hard, I mean I don’t think there’s any question about that,” Fisch said. “I thought it was a really good football game.”

Photo by John Hays / fi360 News

And from the start, Arizona looked competitive. Backed by 40,000+ strong in attendance for the Wildcats’ “White Out”, however, it was enough as no amount of gimmicks or preparation seemed to help the Wildcats in this one.

Turning to quarterback Jordan McCloud again after his five-interception performance at Oregon, the former USF transfer would get the start in this one, looking to score the upset.  

On his first drive, he and the Wildcats would get deep into UCLA territory, marching the Wildcats down the field to make it 3-0 after Tyler Loop converted on a 28-yard field goal attempt just minutes into the game.

Photo by John Hays / fi360 News

However, for every positive play by the Wildcats had on Saturday, the Bruins would seemingly have an answer.

Responding with a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of their own, UCLA would make it 7-3 after converting on fourth and goal pass from Dorian Thompson-Robinson to Greg Dulcich.

Arizona would exchange scores on the ensuing possession, as they drove down again, ultimately settling for yet another field goal to make it 7-6.

A few series later, UCLA would be leading 14-6, when an interception by the Wildcats set up a bit of trickeration as the Wildcats found the end zone on a double pass, that led to Jamarye Joiner finding the end zone to Michael Wiley that made it 14-13 just before halftime.

Photo by John Hays / fi360 News

However, self-inflicted mistakes and penalties by the Wildcats was the story in this one. Despite trailing by just one point at the half, Arizona would have plenty of opportunities to regain the lead in the second half, or even take control of this game, but the Wildcats finished the evening with 12 penalties for 81 yards.

The Bruins would outscore the Wildcats in the second half 20-3, and the tide seemed to turn for the worst when McCloud went down with an apparent leg injury after taking a nasty hit.

However, at this time, not much is known about the injury, although McCloud was later seen on the sidelines on crutches.

“Until we get the MRI and the X-Ray… I don’t think it’s a real short-term injury,” Fisch said. “I would say emotionally it hurts.”

Photo by John Hays / fi360 News

Gunner Cruz came in as a back-up, but the former Washington State transfer struggled, finishing the day with 4/7 passing with 47 yards, seldomly moving the offense for the Wildcats in his limited play.

Arizona would of course go on to lose 34-16, and with the loss, the Wildcats still hold the nation’s longest losing streak at 17 games that dates back to the 2019 season.

“We got to keep fighting, bounce back, and keep our heads up,” sophomore wide receiver Boobie Curry said.

Arizona will return to action next week against Colorado in Boulder. Cruz will presumably be the starter if McCloud is unable to go.

As for UCLA, the Bruins improve to 4-2 (2-1) and face off with the Washington Huskies. 

Utah gets historic win against USC

By
Eric Ramos
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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 9: USC Trojans running back Darwin Barlow (22) runs the ball for a gain during a college football game between the Utah Utes against the USC Trojans on October 9, 2021, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360news)

Utah hadn’t beat USC in Los Angeles since 1916 but the Utes dominated the Trojans in a 42-26 win on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Oregon State ended a 61-year losing streak at the Coliseum and now Utah gets a win there for the first time and hands USC its third straight conference home loss. 

“The guys fought to the end, but that’s not good enough, not at all, especially for USC,” USC interim head coach Donte Williams said. “We won some early downs on first down, but still got them in some third-and-manageable situations, and they capitalized.”

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 9: Utah Utes wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) celebrates with Utah Utes offensive lineman Bamidele Olaseni (77) after a touchdown during a college football game between the Utah Utes against the USC Trojans on October 9, 2021, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360news)

Utah quarterback Cameron Rising finished 22-of-28 for 306 yards and three touchdowns. Tavion Thomas led the Utes on the ground with 16 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown. 

USC opened the scoring with a 28-yard field goal by Parker Lewis. Utah answered with an 11-yard run by Brant Kuithe and a 7-3 lead in the first quarter. USC took the lead back when Kedon Slovis hit Drake London for a 20-yard touchdown. London leaped over a defender to get into the end zone and give USC a 10-7 lead in the second quarter. 

Utah quarterback Cameron Rising capped a 5-play, 75-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Money Parks.  After forcing a USC punt, Utah drove down the field and took a 21-10 on a flea flicker with 10 seconds left in the first half. Rising hit a streaking Devaughn Vele for a 37-yard touchdown. 

SEATTLE, WA – OCTOBER 07: Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) runs the ball for a gain during a game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on October 7, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire)

The Utes opened the third quarter with a 43-yard touchdown run from Tavion Thomas. USC tried to stay in the game but Slovis was intercepted on fourth down. Utah capitalized on the turnover with a 17-yard touchdown keeper by Rising that extended their lead 35-10. 

“It’s always a good feeling, especially just being from this area, and they didn’t really recruit me,” Rising said. “So it was a special one to get, especially after 1916 was the last win here. So that’s pretty amazing.” 

Vavae Malepeai scored on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter to cut the lead but Utah came right back with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Rising to Dalton Kincaid. Slovis added a 41-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Epps with 52 seconds left in the game. 

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 9:USC Trojans running back Vavae Malepeai (6) runs fore a touchdown during a college football game between the Utah Utes against the USC Trojans on October 9, 2021, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360news)

Slovis finished 33-of-53 for 401 yards and London had 16 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown. London fell one reception short of tying the USC record for catches in a game of 17 set by Robert Woods in 2011. 

“I’m extremely proud of our football team,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said. “Players played with a great competitive spirit tonight, passion, energy, you name it, we had it. Great job by our assistant coaches with game planning and getting things set, but again the players are the ones who executed and deserve all the credit.”

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 9: USC Trojans quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) gets pressured in the pocket during a college football game between the Utah Utes against the USC Trojans on October 9, 2021, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360news)

USC gets a much needed bye week before they head to South Bend for a matchup with rival Notre Dame on Oct.23. 

Banning Tops Carson in Rivalry Homecoming Game

By
Brianne Ingram
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Photos by Brianne Ingram / fi360 News

Los Angeles, – CA The Banning Pilots (6-1) were simply unstoppable against the Carson Colts (2-3) in their rivalry homecoming game with a 56-24 victory in Wilmington on Friday night.

It’s a rivalry that started in 1963 and is still going strong today.

Both sides of the crowd showed up and showed out for their respective teams on this special night.

“You know it always feels good whenever you’re able to beat your rival,” said Banning Head Coach Raymond Grajeda. “Hats off to Carson. They came in and really played a hell of a game. They didn’t back down. They came in and went man to man with us. Hats off to Carson coming out and giving us a force.”

Banning was up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter, but Carson soon responded in the second quarter.

Photo by Brianne Ingram / fi360 News

Carson junior quarterback Jelani Parker zipped it to senior receiver Jaden Jones for a 20-yard touchdown reception to put Carson on the board, 14-7 at the 11:39 mark in the second quarter.

False start penalties plagued Carson in the first half to give Banning the advantage at halftime 20-14.

In the second half, Banning’s offense kicked into second gear. The running backs ran hard and hit the open holes. Banning sophomore quarterback Robert Guerrero led his team and efficiently connected on his passes.

Due to injuries, Banning’s back-up players were able to fill in the gaps.

Photo by Brianne Ingram / fi360 News

“The offense did a great job because everybody played. Our running back went out. Top receiver went out. Our second running back went out. And we had a mix of guys playing football that don’t normally get that kind of shine. So, when we practice together as a team, win as a team, and the guys that we didn’t expect to show up showed up today,” said Coach Grajeda.

Even though Carson was outmatched, they didn’t bow down.

“It always is a hard-fought game,” said Carson Head Coach Michael Christensen. “I loved our effort. I thought we hung in there. You know we were a little bit under manned. They had more guys. They were just bigger than we were upfront. More physical. But we hung in there and our guys did the best they could. So, I was proud of their fight. We did a good job.”

Coach Grajeda commented on how big this win was for his team and what he wants to carry over going forward.  

Photo by Brianne Ingram / fi360 News

“We just want to keep our heads up. We want to clean up our mistakes and go forward. For us this was big. This is our third year in a row beating Carson. This hasn’t happened since 1991-1992, so we’re talking about almost a thirty-year streak of not being able to beat them. Now we have a pattern, and hopefully we keep that momentum going through the rest of the season,” said Coach Grajeda.

The Banning Pilots host the Sierra Vista Dons next Friday, October 15th at 7 p.m.

Photo by Brianne Ingram / fi360 News

HAWAII’S BETHLEY IS BRONKO NAGURSKI NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

By
Press Release
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Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News

DALLAS (FWAA) – Safety Khoury Bethley intercepted two passes, one of which set up a game-tying touchdown drive, to go with nine tackles and a sack in leading the Hawaii defense and a come-from-behind 27-24 win over No. 18 Fresno State. For having a hand in three of Hawaii’s six takeaways in the school’s first win over a ranked team since 2010, Bethley earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 2, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

This is the first time for a Hawaii player to earn this weekly honor. Bethley will be added to this season’s Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list.

Bethley’s first interception stopped a drive in Hawaii territory just before the half and the second led to Hawaii’s game-tying drive. Then with the score tied at 24, Bethley’s strip-sack of Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener near midfield set up what would be the game-winning field goal to end a 13-game losing streak to ranked teams. Hawaii’s last win over a ranked team came on Oct. 16, 2010, a 27-21 defeat of No. 19 Nevada.

The 5-10, 200-pound senior from Chino, Calif., tied for the team lead with nine tackles against Fresno State and is now tops on the Rainbow Warriors with 38, including 29 solo stops. His 5.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks also lead Hawaii and he had another strip-sack in a Sept. 25 win at New Mexico State that led to a Hawaii touchdown drive. Bethley has 16.0 tackles for loss in his 44 career games, and Saturday marked the second time he’s had two interceptions – the other came in the 2019 Hawaii Bowl against BYU. He led the team in tackles (83) and solo wrap-ups (61) in 2019 and was second in 2020 with 70.

Hawaii (3-3) is idle this week. The Rainbow Warriors play at Nevada on Oct. 16.

The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of journalists, broadcasters, publicists, photographers and key executives in all areas of college football. The FWAA works to govern media access and gameday operations while presenting awards and honors, including an annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its programs and initiatives, contact Executive Director Steve Richardson at 214-870-6516 or tiger@fwaa.com.

About the Charlotte Touchdown Club
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club’s activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. Since 1990, the club has raised and donated nearly $3 million to benefit area high school and collegiate athletics. For more information, contact John Rocco (704-347-2918 or jrocco@touchdownclub.com). The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is touchdownclub.com.

About LendingTree, Inc.
LendingTree is the nation’s leading online marketplace that connects consumers with the choices they need to be confident in their financial decisions. LendingTree empowers consumers to shop for financial services the same way they would shop for airline tickets or hotel stays, by comparing multiple offers from a nationwide network of over 500 partners in one simple search and choosing the option that best fits their financial needs. Services include mortgage loans, mortgage refinances, auto loans, personal loans, business loans, student refinances, credit cards, insurance and more. Through the My LendingTree platform, consumers receive free credit scores, credit monitoring and recommendations to improve credit health. My LendingTree proactively compares consumers’ credit accounts against offers on their network and notifies consumers when there is an opportunity to save money. LendingTree’s purpose is to help simplify financial decisions for life’s meaningful moments through choice, education and support.

2021 Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 4: Jordan Davis, Georgia
• Weekend of Sept. 11: Verone McKinley III, Oregon
• Weekend of Sept. 18: Jared Bartlett, West Virginia
• Weekend of Sept. 25: Jack Campbell, Iowa
• Weekend of Oct. 2: Khoury Bethley, Hawaii

Pac-12 Football Performance Awards presented by Nextiva – Week Five

By
Press Release
-

SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 today announced its 2021 football season’s fifth weekly performance awards, presented by Nextiva. See below for Week Five’s recognitions across the Conference and keep track of the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year watchlist here:

OFFENSE:  Jayden Daniels, Jr., QB, Arizona State (San Bernardino, CA)

  • Led the Sun Devils to a 42-23 win over #20 UCLA, the second-largest margin of victory against an AP Top 25 team on the road in program history. Daniels did it with both his arm and legs, but excelled in the passing game.
  • Threw for 286 yards on an efficient 13-for-18 passing, throwing for a pair of touchdowns. It was his 9th game with 2+ scores through the air. It is his 12th career performance accounting for 2 or more touchdowns and the 9th time he eclipsed 250 yards through the air.
  • Accounted for 331 yards of offense, going over the 300-yard mark for the 8th time. He averaged 22 yards/completion, which set a new career high. He added 45 yards on the ground on only 6 carries.
  • Created explosive plays with his accuracy and arm strength, completing 4 passes of over 40 yards. As a result, he was PFF’s 21st highest graded player overall in FBS for the week, grading out at 87.6. The rating was 12th among all quarterbacks and was the best in the Pac-12 this week. His 15.1 yards per attempt were 2nd among FBS quarterbacks this week. Additionally, he had the 8th-highest NFL QBR in the FBS according to PFF.
  • 2nd time he has won the award and it is the first time an Arizona State player has won it since Daniels did in November 2019 as a freshman.  Daniels actually won both the Offensive Player and Freshman of the Week that week.

Also nominated for offense:  Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford;  B.J. Baylor, RB, Oregon State; Calvin Jackson Jr., WR, Washington State; Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA; Keaontay Ingram, RB, USC

Check out the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Watchlist, presented by Nextiva, to learn more. 

DEFENSE:  Avery Roberts, RS Jr., ILB, Oregon State (Wilmington, DE)

  • Posted a season-best 16 tackles to go along with one interception and half a sack in the Beavers’ 27-24 win over Washington Saturday. The win snapped the Beavers’ nine-game losing streak to the Huskies.
  • 16 tackles ties Roberts for the most by a Pac-12 player this season. The 16 are also the second most of his career.
  • 9 of his 16 tackles came in the second half.  Leads the Pac-12 with 51 tackles this season and is tied for 7th nationally.
  • 1st Oregon State player to win this award since Treston Decoud won it in September 2016.  He is the 3rd Beaver to win a Pac-12 weekly award this season though, with B.J. Baylor (Offensive) and Nathan Eldridge (Offensive Line) both winning last week.

Also nominated:  Darien Butler, LB, Arizona State; Drake Jackson, OLB, USC; Gabe Reid, OLB, Stanford; Armani Marsh, Safety, Washington State

SPECIAL TEAMS:  Parker Lewis, Soph., PK, USC (Phoenix, AZ)

  • Hit all 3 of his field goal attempts (30, 44 and a career-long 49 yards) and all 4 of his PATs and also had touchbacks on 7 of his 8 kickoffs at Colorado.
  • He is 9-of-9 on field goals and 16-of-16 on PATs in 2021.
  • 1st USC player to win this award since Marvell Tell won it in October 2018 and first USC kicker to win it since Chase McGrath in Week 1 of the 2018 season.

Also nominated:  Everett Hayes, PK, Oregon State; Cristian Zendejas, K, Arizona State; Ryan Sanborn, P, Stanford

OFFENSIVE LINE:  LaDarius Henderson, Jr., LG, Arizona State (Waxahachie, TX)

  • Provided a physical presence at the line of scrimmage in the victory over #20 UCLA. Henderson and the offensive line unit paved the way for an extremely balanced offensive attack that produced 42 points and 458 total yards (286 passing & 172 rushing).
  • Graded out at 84%, including two pancakes and one knockdown. He did not allow a single quarterback pressure and still has only allowed one all season.
  • Was effective as a pull blocker on run plays and also showed his athleticism when getting out to block on Ricky Pearsall’s 58-yard touchdown on a screen pass.
  • 3rd time an Arizona State player has won this award since its inception in 2019.  Dohnovan West won it in December 2020 and Cohl Cabral in September 2019.

Also nominated:  Walter Rouse, LT, Stanford; Brandon Kipper, OL, Oregon State; Andrew Vorhees, OL, USC; Liam Ryan, OT, Washington State

DEFENSIVE LINE:  Brennan Jackson, RS Jr., Edge, Washington State (Temecula, CA)

  • Totaled 4 tackles, 3 solo, with a sack for 10 yards and a pass breakup.
  • Helped WSU defense hold Cal to just 6 points, the lowest opponent total against WSU since shutting out San Jose State 31-0 in 2018.
  • Set the tone on the first play of the second half with a 10-yard sack as Cal went 3 and out and WSU scored on the next possession for the final margin of victory.
  • 1st Washington State player to win this award since its inception in 2019.

Also nominated:  D.J. Davidson, NT, Arizona State; Thomas Booker, DE, Stanford; Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC; Keonte Schad, DL, Oregon State

FRESHMAN:  Tanner McKee,  RS Fr., QB, Stanford (Corona, CA)

  • Was 20-of-36 for 230 passing yards and 3 touchdowns, adding 24 yards on the ground, in a 31-24, overtime win over #3 Oregon.
  • Led the Cardinal on an 11 play, 87 yard drive in the final 1:59 to tie the game on a 2-yard touchdown pass on a final, untimed down to force overtime.  Threw a 14-yard touchdown pass on 3rd-and-11 in overtime for the go-ahead score.  Stanford had a 0.1 percent chance of winning with 1:51 remaining in the game, according to ESPN’s win probability model. 
  • The win makes McKee the first freshman quarterback to defeat a top 5 team since Bo Nix led Auburn to a 48-45 win over #5 Alabama (Nov. 30, 2019). 
  • Thrown multiple touchdowns in all 4 of his starts this season.  The Cardinal have won 4 straight against AP top 3 teams, the longest active streak in FBS.
  • 2nd time McKee has won the award this season.  Also won in Week 2 after leading Stanford to a win at USC.

Also nominated for freshman:  Eric Gentry, LB, Arizona State; Michael Trigg, TE, USC; Semisi Saluni, OLB, Oregon State; De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Washington State

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