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Articles by Marcus Freeman
Notre Dame Was Robbed: Big 12 Admits Clock Error Cost Irish One Final Shot at BYU
The Fighting Irish lost a top-10 showdown at BYU, but a controversial clock decision — and the Big 12’s subsequent acknowledgment of an error — has raised serious questions about how the game ended. Notre Dame was ripe to be exposed Saturday night. Instead, the Fighting Irish might have been robbed. One day after the second-ranked Irish suffered a heartbreaking loss to No. 8 BYU, the controversy surrounding the final seconds has become almost as significant as the result itself.
Dear Notre Dame | The Players' Tribune
Dear Notre Dame, It's funny how life works out. I visited this university for the first time when I was about 16 or 17 years old and was recruited to play here. I had a choice to make, and in the end what it came down to was Ohio State or Notre Dame. And I chose Ohio State. I loved Tyrone Willingham. I thought he was a great coach, and to be honest, he reminded me a bit of my father. Fast-forward to last year, and you might have heard that I was being considered for a couple of coaching jobs.
Nevada downs Georgia Tech, wins Diamond Head Classic
Kenan Blackshear scored 30 points as Nevada nipped Georgia Tech 72-64 on Sunday to win the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu. The Wolf Pack (12-1) continued their strong start to the season by riding Blackshear's 11-of-14 shooting performance, not to mention his five rebounds and four assists. Jarod Lucas chipped in 20 points for Nevada, while Nick Davidson notched nine points and eight boards. Baye Ndongo registered 20 points and eight rebounds to pace the Yellow Jackets (8-4) in both categories.
UCLA Basketball: Bruins Acknowledge Defense Shockingly Poor Against Maryland
Your 5-6 UCLA Bruins dropped their fourth consecutive game on Friday, in a 69-60 defeat to the 8-4 Maryland Terrapins. Head coach Mick Cronin, in his seventh season, has seen plenty of players pass through Westwood. He voiced his frustrations with the defensive efforts of this year's crop, per UCLA Communications. Maryland, normally a poor three-point shooting team, connected on 8-of-22 shooting from long range (36.4%).
Alamo Bowl: No. 12 Oklahoma, with freshman QB, takes on hot No. 14 Arizona
No. 12 Oklahoma will begin a new era at quarterback while No. 14 Arizona will be trying to match its longest winning streak in 25 years when the teams meet Thursday in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. The Sooners (10-2) narrowly missed playing in a New Year's Six bowl matchup, while the Wildcats (9-3) come in as one of the nation's biggest surprises, having won six consecutive games. "They play with incredible passion and energy," Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said of Arizona.
Pinstripe Bowl: Miami looking to end bowl-win drought at Rutgers’ expense
For Miami offensive lineman Jalen Rivers, a win in Thursday's Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers at Yankee Stadium in New York would be important. "We haven't won a bowl game in a minute," he said. "I don't know when that was, but it's been a minute. It's important to just change that trajectory of us not winning bowl games. This will be an important step in the right direction, and it's a step in the right direction heading into next year as well.
Michigan State G Jeremy Fears Jr. out of hospital after shooting
Michigan State freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. was discharged from the hospital Sunday, one day after undergoing surgery for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, his father posted on social media. Fears was involved in a shooting early Saturday morning in his hometown of Joliet, Ill. The Joliet Police Department didn't identify Fears, but confirmed officers responded to a shooting at 3:44 a.m. CT and that an 18-year-old male was shot and sustained a gunshot wound to his left thigh.
TCU clamps down on Hawaii, takes third place at Diamond Head
A superior defensive effort from TCU yielded a 65-51 victory for the Horned Frogs over Hawaii in the third-place game of the Diamond Head Classic on Sunday evening in Honolulu. After allowing 80-plus points in each of its first two games at the tournament, TCU's performance against Hawaii marked the fewest points the Horned Frogs (10-2) have allowed in a game this season. Jameer Nelson Jr. led TCU's balanced scoring effort with 13 points, including a 6-of-6 mark at the free throw line.
Panthers WR Adam Thielen Had a Very Salty Take on Packers Getting Key Call From Refs
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen didn't mince words about the state of NFL officiating after Sunday's 33-30 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The former Minnesota Vikings star took issue with one questionable call that went in Green Bay's favor late in the fourth quarter. With the game tied 30-30, the Packers were looking to get into field goal territory and retake the lead over Carolina.
How to Watch: Alabama Basketball vs Liberty
After losing three straight games, Alabama basketball finally got back in the win column with a 111-67 win over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon. Next up, it has a unique test in Liberty, one of the best mid-major programs in the country, in the annual C.M. Newton Classic at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala. The Flames have a KenPom rating of No. 54 nationally.
Ole Miss lands big Texas A&M transfer Walter Nolen
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin secured a major transfer-portal target Sunday when former Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen committed to join the Rebels. Nolen, who racked up 37 tackles -- 8.5 tackles for loss -- and four sacks in 12 games during the 2023 season, chose Ole Miss over Oregon, a school he visited earlier in December. A 6-foot-4, 290-pound sophomore, Nolen played two seasons with the Aggies and was a big part of Texas A&M's top-ranked 2022 recruiting class.
SMU into enemy territory to face Boston College at Fenway Bowl
No. 24 SMU aims for its 10th consecutive win when it treks north to meet future Atlantic Coast Conference foe Boston College in the second-ever Fenway Bowl on Thursday at Boston's venerable Fenway Park. The Mustangs are 11-2, beating Tulane 26-14 to win the American Athletic Conference championship -- their first crown since 1984 in the Southwest Conference -- following an 8-0 record in league play.
Backups in focus for No. 18 NC State, No. 25 Kansas State in Pop-Tarts Bowl
The official name is the Pop-Tarts Bowl, but the tasty matchup set to be played Thursday in Orlando, Fla., might as well be called the Transfer Bowl. The game will feature No. 18 North Carolina State and No. 25 Kansas State, which had a combined 33 players enter the transfer portal, in their first-ever matchup on the football field. All-American linebacker Payton Wilson also announced Sunday he won't play in the game, choosing to focus on the NFL draft preparations instead.
UCLA Women’s Basketball: Watch Bruins Get in the Spirit With Lip Sync Competition
The UCLA Bruins have been on a tear during non-conference play, as the team secured a perfect 10-0 record. Riding the highs from performances by Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, and Charism Osborne—the team has been clicking on all cylinders. To usher in the holidays and spread some joy, the team decided to battle one another. The starters broke into two teams and delivered a lip-sync competition.
Eastern Michigan AD Condemns Players Who Engaged in Brawl After 68 Ventures Bowl
Eastern Michigan athletic director Scott Wetherbee apologized in a statement on Sunday for the giant brawl that took place after South Alabama’s 59-10 victory against the Eagles in the 68 Ventures Bowl on Saturday. The Jaguars were celebrating on the field at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala., when an EMU player ran on the field and punched South Alabama defensive back Jamarrien Burt in the back of his helmet.
Former Fresno State TE Follows DeBoer To Washington
The Washington Huskies received an early Christmas present on Sunday after former Fresno State tight end Tre Watson announced his commitment. It took less than a week for Watson to choose the Huskies after announcing an offer from his former coach, Kalen DeBoer. Now he will join a position group that is typically one of the Huskies' strongest. He committed to Washington over offers from Texas A&M, UCLA and others, and will have one year of eligibility remaining.
‘Why Do You Love It?’ Inside Cowboys Message From Coach
"Why do you love it?'' Coach Mike McCarthy's pep-talk themes to his Dallas Cowboys are sometimes meant to capture a season-long mood ("Carpe Omnia''). And they are sometimes meant to punctuate success (his chain-wearing postgame dancing.) And they are sometimes meant to inspire deeply (his order in a team meeting to players to pull out their phones - counterintuitively - and to call or text a mentor or a loved one who helped them achieve success).
NFL Week 16 Recap: Steelers Keep Playoff Hopes Alive With Win Over Bengals
Happy Holidays! It's time for (more) football. On Thursday, the Rams handled the Saints at home, improving Los Angeles's playoff odds dramatically while significantly hampering New Orleans's. Then, on Saturday, the Steelers kept their hopes alive with a season sweep of the Bengals, while the Bills survived an ugly performance against the overwhelmed Chargers. Sunday gives us an important slate of games, with seven contests featuring at least one team at or above .500.
NFL Coach Of The Year: Cowboys Mike McCarthy On The Rise?
It's the time of the season when teams are battling for the final few playoff positions and fans are seeing what their coaches are really made of. Some teams are facing injury issues while still notching wins and other teams are folding under the pressure. The Dallas Cowboys are one of the teams that are having a spectacular year, but it doesn't mean there haven't been obstacles to overcome. Blowout losses have been followed by blowout wins the other way.
LeBron James Used Perfect NSFW Meme to Celebrate Monster Game vs. Thunder
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James may be 38 years old, but his meme game remains on point. Hours after the Lakers' 129-120 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, James celebrated by posting a personalized meme that perfectly encapsulated the four-time NBA champion's performance in the victory. Following the win, James offered a wholesome take about wanting to celebrate the holidays with his family.
NC State star Payton Wilson skipping bowl to prepare for draft
North Carolina State All-American linebacker Payton Wilson won't play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, opting instead to ready for the NFL draft. "Playing football at NC State and training and competing with my teammates has been an experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life," Wilson posted Sunday to social media.
Adam Schefter Asks Vikings’ Justin Jefferson for Griddy Tips After Dance Attempt Resulted in Injury
ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter is making sure his next attempt at the Griddy, a popular dance, fares better than his first. During a pregame show on ESPN before a Monday Night Football game between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears in 2022, Schefter attempted-emphasis on the word attempted-to hit the Griddy with Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who has made the dance his signature celebration, watching.
Aggressive Approach By Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame Is Destroying Narratives
Notre Dame is too tight with its money. Notre Dame is not willing to pay top dollar for coaches. Notre Dame is not a place where top coaches want to go. Notre Dame isn't serious about competing for championships. These are many of the narratives that have existed for years in Notre Dame circles, and especially to the outside college football world. For quite some time these weren't narratives, they were realities about the Notre Dame program.
Baker Mayfield Gets Massive Pay Day if Buccaneers Win NFC South
Former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield bet on himself over the offseason when he signed a one-year/$4 million guaranteed deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The contract, which could be worth as much as $8.5 million depending on incentives, has been a bargain for the Buccaneers in the first season without Tom Brady.
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