Seattle, WA – The Washington Huskies (1-2) finally found their offensive groove in a 52-3 blowout of the Arkansas State Red Wolves (1-2) on Saturday, September 18, 2021.
Entering the game, the Huskies and second-year head coach Jimmy Lake needed to answer the swirling questions surrounding the program after a disappointing 0-2 start, which had not occurred for Washington since the dismal 0-12 season of 2008.
Photo by Aaron Nelson / fi360 News
The top concern for the team entering Saturday’s matchup was the offense. The Huskies tallied just 17 total points through the first two weeks with a single touchdown per game.
Following an initial three-and-out drive to start the game against the Red Wolves, the Huskies finally showed the scoring potential fans had hoped to see.
Quarterback Dylan Morris opened the scoring onslaught for Washington with a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cade Otton, who entered the game ranked 6th all-time for the Huskies in career receptions by a tight end.
Morris would later find receivers Jalen McMillan and Terrell Bynum for two additional touchdown strikes of 33 and 42 yards, respectively – giving him three scores on the day to go along with 367 yards through the air on 23-of-39 attempts and a single interception.
Photo by Aaron Nelson / fi360 News
McMillan finished the game with 175 yards and ten receptions to go along with the touchdown.
The Huskies struggled to run the ball against both Montana and Michigan but established complete control of the trenches in this one with help from a committee of running backs.
Richard Newton, the starting throughout the season thus far, led the way with 55 yards on ten attempts and a touchdown. But it was senior Sean McGrew, seeing the field for the first time in 2021, who left the biggest impression for the Huskies rushers, earning two touchdowns and 31 yards on just six carries. Kamari Pleasant and Cameron Davis also added to the Huskies’ 208 total rush yards on the day, gaining 48 and 27 yards on 8 and 7 carries each.
In all, the Huskies tallied 598 yards of total offense with more than seven yards per play and nearly tripled their scoring output from the first two weeks.
The stout Washington defense may not have commanded the same level of attention as their offensive counterparts, but they gave the talented Arkansas State offense no room to work all day long.
After pitching a near three-quarter shutout, broken only by a Blake Grupe field goal with less than three minutes remaining in the third, the Huskies would add two fourth-quarter turnovers to their body of work, including a 72-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown and an interception returned for 34 yards in the final minutes of play.
Photo by Aaron Nelson / fi360 News
The Arkansas State Red Wolves have given up more than 50 points in back-to-back weeks and will look to rally in their visit to Tulsa (0-3) next week.
The Huskies, meanwhile, hope to carry their momentum into their Pac-12 season opener next week at home against the California Golden Bears (1-2).
After what was arguably the biggest win in program history last weekend, the Oregon Ducks returned to Autzen Stadium Saturday where they hosted the Stony Brook Seawolves. Despite a long list of injuries and a slow first half, the 4th ranked Ducks defeated the Seawolves 48-7.
Oregon was able to jump out to a 10-0 lead after Verone McKinley intercepted Stony Brook quarterback Tyquell Fields on the first possession of the game but would only head to halftime with a 17-7 lead. McKinley, who had the game winning interception against Ohio State last week, added another interception in the second quarter.
Photo by Megan Connelly
Oregon quarterback Anthony Brown was 14/18 159 yards with both a passing and rushing touchdown but suffered an undisclosed injury late in the first half that would force him to miss the remainder of the game. Brown’s injury opened the door for the highly anticipated debut of true freshman Ty Thompson, in which he led the Ducks to victory after they outscored the Seawolves 31-0 in the second half.
Thompsons first career touchdown came midway through the third quarter where he found freshman tight end Terrance Ferguson on a 1-yard pass. Thompson would later find freshman wide receiver Dont’e Thorton on a 54-yard touchdown, finishing the day 6/9 with 82 yards and two touchdowns.
When asked about the status of Anthony Brown moving forward, Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal stated, “We expect him to be OK and he looks good”. Only three weeks into the regular season, the Ducks have already been plagued with injuries which have forced them to use inexperienced personnel in big moments.
Photo by Megan Connelly / fi360 News
“We played 80 guys tonight,” said Crisobal. “A lot of guys saw significant playing time and a lot saw their first playing time. We weren’t trying to rest guys. We were just banged up.”
Oregon will open Pac-12 play next Saturday September 25th where they will host Arizona (7:30 p.m., ESPN).
DALLAS (FWAA) – Oregon safety Verone McKinley III posted six tackles and helped seal a 35-28 win at No. 3 Ohio State with a late interception that gave the Ducks one of the young season’s highlight wins. For snagging the game’s only turnover and being a key to Oregon’s first win over a top-five team in 10 years, McKinley earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games in the weekend of Sept. 11, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.
This is the first time for an Oregon player to earn this weekly honor since it began in 2001. Oregon had a Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalist, Haloti Ngata, in 2005. McKinley has been added to this season’s Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list.
McKinley, a 5-11, 194-pound sophomore from Carrollton, Texas, also forced a fumble and had two of Oregon’s five pass breakups as he turned into a field general for a defense that was missing standout starters Kayvon Thibodeaux, an All-America lineman, and linebacker Justin Flowe. McKinley keyed in on run-stops as well with the six tackles that helped contain an Ohio State offense that gained 612 total yards but never led in the game. The Ducks had three fourth-down stops and held OSU to 6-of-15 third-down conversions.
The Buckeyes had just crossed midfield with four minutes remaining on what was a potential game-tying drive before one of Oregon’s two sacks pushed them back. Facing third-and-18 at the Ohio State 45, McKinley got under a poorly-thrown ball in coverage to make his sixth career interception. He is just the second Oregon player since 2000 and the first since 2007 to finish with an interception, a forced fumble and multiple pass breakups in a single game.
McKinley showed his nose for the ball last year in six starts among the Ducks’ seven games, finishing with 21 solo stops among his 41 total tackles that was third on the team. He snagged four interceptions as a redshirt freshman in 2019.
The win is Oregon’s first over a top-five team since beating Stanford in 2011 and snapped Ohio State’s 23-game home win streak.
The Ducks host Stony Brook at 4:30 p.m. PT Saturday in a Pac-12 Network broadcast.
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.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 04: USC Trojans quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) runs out of the pocket during a college football game between San Jose State Spartans against the USC Trojans on September 4, 2021, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360news)
DONTE WILLIAMS TO SERVE AS INTERIM HEAD COACH FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON
LOS ANGELES – USC Director of Athletics Mike Bohn today announced that the university is making a change in leadership of the football program and parting ways with head coach Clay Helton.
HOLLYWOOD, CA – July 27. PAC-12 Media Day on Tuesday July 27th at the W Hotel in Hollywood CA.(Photo by Jevone Moore)
Bohn and Helton addressed the program together during the regularly scheduled team meeting this afternoon. Bohn made it clear that USC’s leadership believes in the highly talented group of student-athletes on the team and is committed to building a program that consistently competes at the highest level.
The move ends Helton’s tenure as USC’s head football coach, where he led the Trojans to a 46-24 overall record. Helton, who also twice served as interim head coach, guided USC to its only two New Year’s Six bowl games in the past decade. Under his direction, the football program won the 2017 Rose Bowl, the Pac-12 conference title in 2017, three Pac-12 South division titles, and earned a visit to the Cotton Bowl in 2017. He also secured three top-seven recruiting classes.
“Clay is one of the finest human beings I have met in this industry, and he has been a tremendous role model and mentor to our young men,” Bohn said. “We appreciate his many years of service to our university and wish him nothing but the very best. Consistent with our values as an institution, he deserves the utmost respect from the Trojan Family during this transition.”
HOLLYWOOD, CA – July 27. Bohn at PAC-12 Media Day on Tuesday July 27th at the W Hotel in Hollywood CA.(Photo by Jevone Moore)
Over the last two off-seasons, the athletics department has added significant resources to help the football program contend for championships. “The added resources carried significantly increased expectations for our team’s performance, and it is already evident that, despite the enhancements, those expectations would not be met without a change in leadership,” Bohn said.
USC first fielded a football team in 1888, and over the decades the Trojans have won 11 national titles, 34 bowl games and 39 conference championships and produced 169 All-American first teamers, six Heisman Trophy winners and 520 NFL players.
“Our university and its leadership are committed to winning national championships and restoring USC football to glory,” Bohn said. “I accept the enormous responsibility I have to our current and former players and the entire Trojan Family to live up to our incredible heritage.”
Associate Head Coach Donte Williams will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. With ten games still remaining in the regular season, Bohn expressed full confidence in Williams’ leadership and excitement about the meaningful opportunities for the team moving forward.
“This season is just getting started and we have the opportunity to really do something special with this team and this program,” Bohn said. “Donte is an experienced and well-respected coach who is renowned for his ability to develop relationships with student-athletes, and I appreciate his willingness to take on this challenge. We still have control of our own destiny in the Pac-12 Conference, a tremendously talented group of student-athletes, and complete faith in the phenomenal assistant coaches and outstanding support staff in the John McKay Center.”
Bohn also announced that USC will quickly launch a national search for the next head coach.
“We will actively and patiently pursue a coach who will deliver on the championship aspirations and expectations we all share for our football program. With our storied history, our talented roster, and the major investments we’ve made in the infrastructure of our football organization, I’m optimistic that we are better positioned right now than we have been at any other time in the past decade to recruit the best and right leader for USC.”
Bohn asked the USC community to “step up its support of our players, unify as the Trojan Family, and help show every potential coaching candidate and recruit that this is the greatest program in the country. Let’s do what we do best and Fight On!”
Los Angeles, CA – In a complete 180° turn from last Thursday night against the Connecticut Sun, the LA Sparks snapped their six-game losing streak against the Seattle Storm 81–53 on Sunday evening to remain in playoff contention.
“I think today the way we came out, we showed the game respect. We showed our opponent’s respect. Not to say that we haven’t before, but in a way where you compete the whole time no matter what the outcome is,” said Nneka Ogwumike.
The LA Sparks completely dominated the Storm in their final home game of the regular season at Staples Center.
Photo by Brianne Ingram
The Sparks came out aggressive from the jump and led by as many as 30 points.
They shot 48% from the field (30/62 FGs) and 93% (15/16) from the line.
“We shot the ball well tonight. We saw the ball go in early. I think that helped our confidence. But it really did look like a team. Like eight players rowing in the same direction. That helps,” said Head Coach Derek Fisher.
Guards Te’a Cooper and Erica Wheeler were putting the Storm on skates with their lethal crossovers.
Photo by Brianne Ingram
Cooper led all players with 19 points (7/13 FGs), 2 assists, and 2 steals. This is her 11th game that she has scored in double figures this season.
“I think the last few games I wasn’t really feeling like myself. I had next game mentality. I had to shake it off. I got back in the gym. Refocused. And I just came out with a better mindset. Ready to play,” said Cooper.
The Storm tried to make a run in the second quarter, but active hands by the Sparks allowed them to keep their distance to stretch the lead 18 at the half 45-27.
The LA Sparks held the Storm to a season low in points at 53.
Storm Star Forward Breanna Stewart was missing in action as she was sidelined with a left foot injury.
The Sparks have two games remaining in their regular season.
Photo by Brianne Ingram
“I’m just really happy for our players, and for the fans and the people that came out tonight,” said Coach Fisher. “It’s been a really up and down season. Lots of injuries. We started our home regular season in another building. I’m just really happy for our players to get a chance to finish their home regular season this way. And what that feels like when things do come together for you. We’ll enjoy this one tonight and then we’ll start to prepare ourselves for Atlanta.”
The LA Sparks travel on the road against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday, September 16th at 4pm.
SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 today announced its 2021 football season’s second weekly performance awards, presented by Nextiva. See below for Week Two’s recognitions across the Conference:
OFFENSE: CJ Verdell, Jr., RB, Oregon (Chula Vista, CA)
Ran for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries in Oregon’s historic 35-28 win over then #3 ranked Ohio State. Also led team with 3 receptions for 34 yards and another score. Finished with 195 all-purpose yards and 3 total TD.
Surpassed 150 yards on the ground for the 5th time in his career and the 11th career 100-yard game (T-5th most in school history).
7th in school history with 2,758 rushing yards and tied for 9th all-time at Oregon with 24 career rushing TD.
Oregon’s 269 total rushing yards are the most by any team against Ohio State in Ohio Stadium since November 22, 2014.
3rd time winning the award, taking it home in as a sophomore in October 2019 and a freshman in October 2018.
Also nominated: B.J. Baylor, RB, Oregon State; Micah Bernard, RB, Utah; Jayden Daniels, QB, Arizona State; Jayden de Laura, QB, Washington State, Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford
Returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown while adding 7 tackles and 3 pass breakups in 42-28 win at then #14 USC.
1st Stanford player with an interception returned for a touchdown since 2017 when Bobby Okereke returned one 52 yards at Washington State.
Held USC WR Drake London to 4 receptions and 68 yards off 10 targets, one week after London had 12 receptions for 137 yards.
1st Stanford player with interceptions in back-to-back weeks since Paulson Adebo in 2019.
1st Stanford player to win the award since Adebo won it twice in 2019.
Also nominated: Verone McKinley III, S, Oregon; Nate Landman, ILB, Colorado; Avery Roberts, ILB, Oregon State; Darien Butler, LB, Arizona State; Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah; Justus Rogers, LB, Washington State; Anthony Pandy, LB, Arizona
SPECIAL TEAMS: Travell Harris, R-Sr., WR, Washington State (Tampa, FL)
Finished with a total of 188 all-purpose yards, including 58 on 3 punt returns and 50 on 1 kickoff return. The 50-yard kickoff return is the 3rd longest of his career and 7th time he’s had a kickoff return of 40 yards or more. Had career-long 22-yard punt return which led to a Cougar touchdown.
Had 80 receiving yards on 6 receptions including 2 touchdowns.
2nd time he’s won the award and the first time a Washington State player has won since Harris won it in September 2018 as a redshirt freshman.
2nd straight week the winner is originally from Tampa, Florida (Arizona State’s D.J. Taylor)
Also nominated: Kyle Ostendorp, P, Arizona; Eddie Czaplicki, P, Arizona State; Camden Lewis, K, Oregon; Alex Stadthaus, PK, USC
OFFENSIVE LINE: Alex Forsyth, Jr., C, Oregon (West Linn, OR)
Helped pave the way for Oregon to run for 269 yards, including 7.1 yards per carry, in Oregon’s historic win at then #3 Ohio State. Most rushing yards by any team against Ohio State in Ohio Stadium since November 22, 2014. Ducks had 505 yards of total offense.
Led Oregon with a whopping 6 knockdowns and did not allow a sack, hurry or pressure all game while recording a terrific 82.3 pass-blocking grade by Pro Football Focus. Finished with a 70.3 total blocking grade by PFF while playing all 75 offensive snaps at center.
Has not allowed a sack, hurry, or pressure in 145 snaps to start the season.
First Oregon player to win this award since T.J. Bass won it in November 2020. The Ducks won the award the first 2 weeks of last season, with Ryan Walk winning it in Week One.
Also nominated: Kellen Diesch, LT, Arizona State; Joshua Gray, OL, Oregon State; Abe Lucas, OT, Washington State
DEFENSIVE LINE: Bradyn Swinson, Fr., DE, Oregon (Douglasville, OR)
Recorded a critical sack in Oregon’s 35-28 win over then #3 Ohio State in Columbus, and finished with 5 total tackles and a pass breakup. Sacked OSU quarterback CJ Stroud for 8 yards on 1st-and-10 with less than 4 minutes remaining and Oregon leading by 7. Sack helped set up an Oregon interception that sealed the historic win for the Ducks
Matched career-high with 5 total tackles, and set a new career-high with 4 solo stops
Notched the second pass breakup of his career, nearly recording his first career interception in the 3rd quarter.
1st Oregon player to win this award since Kayvon Thibodeaux won in December for the final weekly award of the 2020 season.
Also nominated: Thomas Booker, DE, Stanford; Tyler Johnson, DE, Arizona State; Brennan Jackson, DE, Washington State
Was 16-of-23 for 234 yards with 2 touchdowns through the air, while adding a rushing touchdown off 7 rushing yards in his first career start, a 42-28 victory at #14 USC. First Pac-12 quarterback to beat a Top 25 opponent on the road in his first career start since Stanford’s Tavita Pritchard on October 6, 2007 at #2 USC.
Had zero turnovers and zero sacks on the night.
Only the second Stanford quarterback since 2003 to have 3 total touchdowns in their 1st career start (Kevin Hogan, 2012). His 234 passing yards are the fourth most by a Stanford quarterback in their first career start, dating back to 2003.
The win was Stanford’s first at USC since 2015. The 14-point margin of victory is the 5th largest margin of victory at USC in the series history.
2nd Stanford player to win the award since it started in 2019 with Simi Fehoko winning it in October 2019
Also nominated: Bradyn Swinson, DE, Oregon; Anthony Gould, WR, Oregon State; Eddie Czaplicki, P, Arizona State; Andrew Edson, Edge, Washington State
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 11: pre game fireworks at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360news)
USC trailed Stanford 21-13 in the third quarter when Drake London had a pass bounce off his hands and fall into the hands of cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, who returned the interception 31-yards for the score.
That play sent USC fans to the exits as Stanford went on to a dominating 42-28 win over the Trojans in the conference opener on Saturday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 11: USC Trojans running back Quincy Jountti (27) and USC Trojans defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu (49) make a tackle during a college football game between The Stanford Cardinals against the USC Trojans on September 11, 2021, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA.(Photo by Jordon Kelly/ fi360 News)
“It’s early in the season,” USC head coach Clay Helton said. “We lost our first conference game. I look forward to seeing the production of our team through an entire season, and looking forward to seeing where we add up at the entirety of a season. Obviously, this is a step back from last week’s performance, but something that I know our kids will react from. And I hope our fans, and I know they will, they’ll support our players.”
Stanford opened the scoring with an 87-yard run from Nathaniel Peat. It was the fifth longest rushing touchdown in Stanford history. USC answered with a 2-yard touchdown run from Keaontay Ingram to tie it 7-7 in the second quarter.
The Cardinals were getting ready to kick a field goal but USC was lined up in the neutral zone. Stanford went for it on fourth-and-goal and McKee hit Elijah Higgins in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown.
After a USC field goal, Stanford went down the field and scored on a McKee 6-yard touchdown pass to Brycen Tremayne. Stanford took a 21-10 lead into halftime.
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 11: USC Trojans running back Keaontay Ingram (28) runs the ball for a gain during a college football game between The Stanford Cardinals against the USC Trojans on September 11, 2021, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA.(Photo by Jordon Kelly/ fi360 News)
“For defense specifically, I think we just have to execute better,” USC defensive back Isaiah Pola-Mao said. “Coach makes any call and honestly we just have to make it happen, regardless if it’s right or wrong. Our defense thrives on turnovers, and we didn’t get any tonight, so I think we just have to step up as players and execute better.”
Stanford put the game out of reach on McKee’s 1-yard touchdown run and Isaiah Sanders 2-yard run in the fourth quarter. USC scored two touchdowns with just under four minutes left in the game but it was too little too late.
Kedon Slovis was 27 for 42 with 223 yards and London finished with four receptions for 68 yards. USC had 11 different receivers register a catch in the game tonight, with five catching at least three passes.
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 11: USC Trojans quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) runs the ball for a gain during a college football game between The Stanford Cardinals against the USC Trojans on September 11, 2021, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA.(Photo by Jordon Kelly/ fi360 News)
“When you look at it across the board, they beat us in every phase,” Helton said. “In each and every phase, you look at the execution they out-executed us. And when you look up, we did not do what we did in the first game. We got beat in penalties. We got beat on third down efficiency, and got beat in the turnovers, we didn’t get turnovers.”
USC will look to bounce back when they hit the road against Washington State on Saturday, Sept. 18.
Los Angeles, CA – A 17-0 start by the Connecticut Sun (23-6) ignited their dominance over the LA Sparks (10-19) to win 75-57 in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
The Sparks came out hesitant and were simply outmatched from the opening tip.
“When you’re playing against a good defensive team that’s already difficult to score on, to be down 17 early, like it just makes the game so much harder. Like you need everything to go right from that standpoint. And it’s just not how the game of basketball goes,” said Head Coach Derek Fisher.
The Sun, however, are the top-seeded team in the league and looked every bit deserving of their ranking.
Photo by Brianne Ingram
The Sparks are in the midst of a six-game losing streak, and the Sun are on a roll with an 11-game winning streak.
The Sun bullied their way in the paint during the opening period. They scored 14 of their 19 first quarter points (7/11 FGs) around the rim and led 19-8 at the end of the period.
MVP candidate Jonquel Jones was straight cooking all night.
Jones stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, and 2 blocks.
Towards the end, the LA Sparks seemed to run out of gas in the fourth quarter. They shot 5/15 from the field on 33% shooting in the final period.
Photo by Brianne Ingram
“Sometimes we just mentally get in our way. Sometimes when you try too hard, it just doesn’t work right,” said Fisher. “We just have to take full ownership and accountability for what’s happening and do things to change it. And it doesn’t all happen in one night. It won’t all of a sudden be the best team in the league come Sunday, but we gotta figure out a way to be better than we were tonight in order to have a chance to win.”
The Sun held the Sparks to 23/55 FGs on 41.8% shooting, and 2/10 3PTs on 20% shooting from 3-point range.
Nneka Ogwumike put up 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
“Fish [Coach Fisher] is right. You have to have that mindset of preparedness and focus and we just have to tap into that as a collective. Especially when things don’t go well for us. It’s all about composure. We’re playing great teams. They’re going to challenge us and how we respond is really what’s telling of us,” said Ogwumike.
Despite the loss, the Sparks are still in the playoff hunt as they are vying for the last 8th spot.
They currently sit at No. 10 in the standings and are one game back from clinching the 8th seed.
Photo by Brianne Ingram
This week, both Nneka Ogwumike and LA Sparks Assistant Coach Seimone Augustus were both named on the WNBA’s Top 25 All-time Players List.
The LA Sparks play the Seattle Storm in their last home game of the season on Sunday, September 12th at 6 pm at the Staples Center.
Los Angeles, Calif. – September 9, 2021 – In a first-of-its-kind, 10-year partnership, Square has been selected as the exclusive point-of-sale (POS), payments, software, and merchant services provider for the new SoFi Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams, and Hollywood Park, the 300-acre mixed-use development being built by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman and SoFi Stadium developer E. Stanley Kroenke. Together, Square, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, and Legends are ushering in a new standard for fan experience and commerce that enables seamless commerce centered around delighting and engaging sports fans and concert-goers, while rising to meet the new challenges, needs, and opportunities facing the entertainment and sporting industry.
By leveraging all that Square’s ecosystem has to offer, SoFi Stadium is creating a multifaceted and dynamic approach to the game-day commerce experience that will delight and engage fans from pregame through overtime. As a fully cashless venue, SoFi Stadium selected Square’s ecosystem of products and services to power commerce and contactless payments across every checkout and purchase point, spanning hundreds of concession stands, bars, roving hawkers, and merchandise retail stores. Square’s integrated POS software and hardware enable fast, reliable, and convenient transactions and create safe, streamlined payment experiences for fans, including fast check-out speeds and reduced lines.
“SoFi Stadium is a world-class facility and the largest stadium in the NFL. Maintaining that level of service requires selecting technology partners who can match that scale,” said SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park Chief Technology Officer Skarpi Hedinsson. “Square is at the forefront of innovation across payment and transactions and shares our passion for incredible customer service. As a cashless venue, our partnership will offer fast, reliable and secure contactless payments for guests that helps to create a safe and streamlined experience at SoFi Stadium.”
Here’s how SoFi Stadium uses Square’s powerful ecosystem of services to create compelling, omnichannel commerce experiences across the venue:
● Commerce and Operations Software: Integrated Square software solutions including Point of Sale and Team Management offer rich data and sales insights in real-time, enabling stadium managers to better understand trends. This includes information like top-selling items and busiest purchasing times for all concessions, bars, and hawkers, which empowers the stadium to make smart decisions, on the fly, to optimize staffing, inventory, and promotions. Square for Retail powers merchandise locations with business analytics features like inventory and sales reports to maximize revenue opportunities throughout each game or event, while Square Team Management supports the employee experience, enabling quick and easy access to Square’s POS, with unique permission sets that ensure enterprise-scale access controls throughout the system. Both are simple to learn and use, which makes hiring and training large stadium staffs easy for operators.
● Square Hardware: The stadium uses more than 1,000 Square Register and Square Terminal units to power sales throughout the NFL’s largest venue. With separate seller- and buyer-facing displays, Square Register enables smoother, faster payment experiences for employees and fans alike. Additionally, Square Terminal’s handheld, all-in-one payment processing capabilities enable stadium hawkers to take card and contactless payments directly at fans’ seats. All hardware devices are completely integrated and allow the stadium to flexibly power special food and merchandise pop-ups at any location, for any type of event. Square Register and Square Terminal enable fans to pay in any way they prefer, including contactless transactions through tap credit cards or mobile wallets on smartphones and smartwatches, with payment transactions covered by Square’s best-of-breed PCI compliance, privacy protection, and security.
● API Integrations: Square’s APIs enable operators to integrate Square into any front-end fan experience or back-end data system, working seamlessly with any technology vision or enterprise architecture. For example, SoFi Stadium is leveraging Square’s Catalog API to manage inventory and product availability and inform mobile application and digital signage of menus at each concession stand. SoFi Stadium is also enlisting Square’s Orders API to transmit order details from Square POS directly to the kitchen, and Square’s Payments API to provide further business analytics.
Square’s platform also integrates with SoFi Stadium’s best-in-class partners for mobile application development, inventory management, kitchen display systems (KDS), and digital signage for a complete tech-advanced stadium. All in all, Square’s platform enables powerful system integrations between back-end and front-end user experiences across in-person, mobile, and online.
“Square’s integrated products and platform enable sellers of all sizes to run their businesses, and as a proud partner of SoFi Stadium – the biggest and most advanced stadium in the country – we’re eager to continue to show what’s possible for stadiums and retail districts,” said Ashley Grech, Global Head of Sales at Square. “Fan experience, fan safety, and long-term fan engagement will remain top of mind for every sports and entertainment venue for many seasons to come. Square’s continued commitment to providing seamless, reliable, and safe contactless commerce, as well as the data insights operators need to optimize their sales, makes us ideally suited to help organizations modernize and future-proof their operations.”
“SoFi Stadium is the most technologically advanced venue in the world, and we’re committed to keep it that way, which means we only wanted to work with partners who are thought leaders and committed to pushing the envelope with innovation,” said Denise Taylor, President, Global Technology Solutions for Legends Entertainment. “With Square, we were really excited about their commitment to continuous improvement and forward thinking development of their platform. Square is able to help us scale into the future, as the guest experience continues to evolve and we look to offer more mobile commerce solutions. We want fans to be able to enjoy a seamless guest engagement in a secure manner, and Square is the partner that enables SoFi Stadium to do that and change the way we all think about sports technology.”
Along with powering operations and payments for SoFi Stadium, Square is also the exclusive Point of Sale and Merchant Services partner for Hollywood Park and YouTube Theater. This expansive agreement showcases Square’s ability and flexibility to build out stadiums and their surrounding districts and create first-class consumer commerce experiences. Partnering with SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park builds upon Square’s prior expertise powering experiential commerce for venues and organizations, including the Washington Nationals, Ogden Raptors, Speedway Motorsports, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and more. To learn more about Square’s stadium and enterprise capabilities, visit squareup.com/large-businesses.
SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park partnered with Legends, a premium experiences company, in securing this partnership. In addition to operating SoFi Stadium Tours, Legends has been engaged throughout SoFi Stadium on hospitality, premium sales, retail, partnerships and naming rights, technology solutions, and project development.
About Square
Square, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) revolutionized payments in 2009 with Square Reader, making it possible for anyone to accept card payments using a smartphone or tablet. Today, we build tools to empower businesses and individuals to participate in the economy. Sellers use Square to reach buyers online and in-person, manage their business, and access financing. Square has offices in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Ireland, Spain, and the UK.
About SoFi Stadium
SoFi Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, is located at Hollywood Park, a near 300-acre sports and entertainment destination being developed by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke in Inglewood, Calif. The 3.1 million square-foot SoFi Stadium is the largest stadium in the NFL, as well as the first indoor-outdoor stadium. It seats approximately 70,000, expandable up to 100,000, with more than 260 luxury suites and more than 13,000 premium seats. SoFi Stadium will host Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the College Football National Championship Game in 2023, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games in 2028. Adjacent to the stadium and sitting under the same roof canopy is the 2.5-acre American Airlines Plaza and the 6,000-seat YouTube Theater. For more information about SoFi Stadium, visit www.SoFiStadium.com or @SoFiStadium on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
About Legends
Founded in 2008, Legends is a premium experiences company with six divisions operating worldwide – Global Planning, Global Sales, Hospitality, Global Partnerships, Global Merchandise, and Global Technology Solutions – offering clients and partners a 360-degree service solution platform to elevate their brand and execute their vision. Currently, Legends works with marquee clients across business verticals including professional sports; collegiate; attractions; entertainment; and conventions and leisure. We are the industry leaders in designing, planning and realizing exceptional experiences in sports and entertainment. For more information, visit www.Legends.net and follow Legends at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @TheLegendsWay.
The USC Trojans and the Oregon Ducks meet in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to play in the 2020 PAC-12 Confrence Championship on Dec. 18, 2020. (John McGillen)
SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 today announced its 2021 football season’s first weekly performance awards, presented by Nextiva. See below for Week One’s recognitions across the Conference:
Career-high 12 tackles in win over Weber State with 8 of them coming in the first half. 5th career game with double-digit tackles and most by a Ute since 2019.
2.0 TFL for 10 yards including an 8-yard sack. Also had a forced fumble and his 2nd career interception.
1st Utah player to win the award since Julian Blackmon in November 2019. Utah players won the award 4 times that season.
SPECIAL TEAMS: D.J. Taylor, R-Fr., DB, Arizona State (Tampa, FL)
Finished with a total of 142 all-purpose yards, recording 87 punt return yards and 55 kickoff return yards. The 142 return yards are 22 more than the second-best in the conference.
Made the most of his three punt returns, leading the conference after Week One with 87 punt return yards. Electrified the crowd with a 47 yard punt return that directly led to a Sun Devil touchdown, the longest punt return of any player in the conference.
Fourth in the Pac-12 in all-purpose yards despite not getting an offensive touch.
2nd straight time an Arizona State player has won the award as Will Shaffer won the final Special Teams Player of the Week for the 2020 season.
Helped pave the way for UCLA to run for over 200 yards for the second straight game this season with a 210-yard effort in the win against LSU. The Bruins averaged 4.5 yards per carry on the night and produced one 100-yard rusher (Zach Charbonnet- 117) and another back who came up just short with 96 yards (Brittain Brown).
Credited with 2 knockdowns and graded out at 82% for the game. The offensive line’s dominance in the 4th quarter was reflected in a 11:34 to 3:26 time of possession edge to the Bruins which included 19 rushing attempts for 112 yards (5.9 avg).
First UCLA player to win this award since it began in 2019.
Also nominated: LaDarius Henderson, LG, Arizona State; Donovan Laie, OL, Arizona; Braeden Daniels, LG, Utah; T.J. Bass, OL, Oregon
DEFENSIVE LINE: D.J. Davidson, Gr., NT, Arizona State (Mesa, AZ)
Stuffed the stat sheet during a dominant season debut, helping the Sun Devils defeat Southern Utah 41-14. Extremely productive effort from his nose tackle spot, collecting six tackles, two tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery.
A key reason why Arizona State held Southern Utah under 80 yards rushing and only 3.0 yards/rush. Drew the attention of the opposing blocking scheme, but still manage to put up numbers and draw a holding penalty.
Tied for the second-most tackles for loss in the conference (2.0) and also tied for the second-most tackles among defensive lineman (6.0) in week one. One of only seven players in the conference to recover a fumble.
4th Arizona State player to win this award since it began in 2019 and the first since Tyler Johnson won in December 2020.
Led Oregon to a season-opening win over Fresno State with a career-high 14 tackles while adding a TFL and a forced fumble. Forced a fumble with Oregon trailing 24-21 in the fourth quarter, setting up a game-tying field goal and setting the stage for the Ducks’ comeback win.
Leads the Pac-12 in tackles after Week One. His 14 tackles are the most by a UO freshman since Troy Dye had 14 on Sept. 21, 2016. First Oregon player since 2007 and just the fourth overall since 2000 to have at least 14 tackles and a forced fumble in the same game. Just the 8th player in program history to have at least 14 tackles in a season opener.
Earned a solid 75.8 grade in run defense by Pro Football Focus.
1st Oregon player to win the award since it started in 2019.
Also nominated: Calen Bullock, S, USC; Gunner Cruz, QB, Arizona; Montana Lemonius-Craig, WR, Colorado; Eddie Czaplicki, P, Arizona State
