Volume 26:3

College Football National Championship

The National Championship Game was between the Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Hurricanes. The first half was slow, with the Hoosiers jumping out to a 10-0 lead at halftime. Indiana’s field goal was the only non-punt drive of the first seven drives. The Hoosiers then scored the TD that made the score 10-0. Miami also missed a 50-yard field goal before halftime. After an Indiana punt to start the third quarter, Mark Fletcher Jr. got Miami on the board with a 57-yard rush. The next four drives resulted in punts. However the fourth punt, a punt by Miami, was blocked by Indiana and recovered by the Hoosiers in the end zone, giving them a 17-7 lead. After that, Miami went down the field and scored on another Mark Fletcher Jr. run— this time from three yards out. Indiana responded with a wild fourth down play— a 12-yard run by Fernando Mendoza that will be long remembered across college football. On this run, Mendoza made a cut at the line of scrimmage to gain the four yards necessary for the first down, he nearly fell after contact, but caught himself with his hand and then dove over the goal line for the TD. That score put Indiana up by ten late in the game. Miami got it back to a three point game with a 22-yard TD pass to Malachi Toney. That was the last time Miami scored. Indiana got a field goal and then Carson Beck was intercepted by Jamari Sharpe sealing the Indiana victory.

Villanova vs. Saint Louis

Last week, the CT had a vote on who should be ranked 25th, the Villanova Wildcats or the Saint Louis Billikens. Saint Louis won that vote and is now ranked 25th.

1. Arizona

2. UConn

3. Michigan

4. Duke

5. Nebraska

6. Gonzaga

7. Houston

8. Purdue

9. Iowa State

10. Michigan State

11. BYU

12. Texas Tech

13. Virginia

14. Illinois

15. Alabama

16. Florida

17. Arkansas

18. Vanderbilt

19. North Carolina

20. Clemson

21. Kansas

22. Louisville

23. Georgia

24. Miami (OH)

25. Saint Louis

Women’s Basetball Rankings

It’s been a while since we’ve taken a look at the CT Women’s basketball rankings. Here they are.

1. UConn

2. UCLA

3. South Carolina

4. Texas

5. Vanderbilt

6. LSU

7. Iowa

8. Louisville

9. Oklahoma

10. Ohio State

11. TCU

12. Baylor

13. Michigan

14. Tennessee

15. Ole Miss

16. Princeton

17. Michigan State

18. West Virginia

19. Kentucky

20. Maryland

21. Washington

22. Alabama

23. Texas Tech

24. North Carolina

25. Duke

MLB Pre-Spring Training Projections

With pitchers and catchers reporting in just a few weeks it is time for the CT pre-Spring Training MLB projections.

NL East

New York Mets 95-67

Atlanta Braves 93-69

Philadelphia Phillies 92-70

Miami Marlins 80-82

Washington Nationals 70-92

NL Central

Chicago Cubs 89-73

Milwaukee Brewers 85-77

Cincinnati Reds 84-78

Pittsburgh Pirates 73-89

St. Louis Cardinals 70-92

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers 97-65

San Diego Padres 90-72

Arizona Diamondbacks 81-81

San Francisco Giants 76-86

Colorado Rockies 44-118

AL East

Toronto Blue Jays 93-69

New York Yankees 91-71

Baltimore Orioles 88-74

Tampa Bay Rays 85-77

Boston Red Sox 84-78

AL Central

Kansas City Royals 87-75

Cleveland Guardians 85-77

Detroit Tigers 82-80

Minnesota Twins 60-102

Chicago White Sox 49-113

AL Central

Seattle Mariners 90-72

Houston Astros 88-74

Athletics 81-81

Texas Rangers 79-83

Los Angeles Angels 73-89

Projected Playoff Pictures

NL

#1 Dodgers

#2 Mets

#3 Cubs vs #6 Padres

#4 Braves vs #5 Phillies

Missed Out

Brewers

Reds

Diamondbacks

Marlins

Giants

Pirates

Cardinals

Nationals

Rockies

AL

#1 Blue Jays

#2 Mariners

#3 Royals vs #6 Orioles

#4 Yankees vs #5 Astros

Missed Out

Rays

Guardians

Red Sox

Tigers

Athletics

Rangers

Angels

Twins

White Sox

NFL Conference Championship Weekend

• The Denver Broncos face the New England Patriots in the AFC Championships

  • The New England Patriots beat the Houston Texans 28-16

  • The Denver Broncos beat the Buffalo Bills 33-30

  • Denver QB Bo Nix is out for the rest of the season after breaking his ankle during the game 

  • Drake Maye threw three TDs in the divisional round

  • Bo Nix also threw three TDs in the divisional round

  • Game Predicition: Patriots-23 Denver-10

• The Seattle Seahawks face the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship

  • The Seattle Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers 41-6

  • The Los Angeles Rams beat the Chicago Bears 20-17

  • Seattle RB Zach Charbonnet is out for the rest of the season after injury 

  • Seattle RB Kenneth Walker III had 116 yards and three TDs in the divisional round

  • Los Angeles RB Kyren Williams had 87 yards and two TDs in the divisional round

  • Game Prediction: Rams-31 Seahawks-30