Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. If you propose your Saturday proper, you’ll be able to watch the USMNT’s sport in opposition to the Netherlands and roll proper into 12 straight hours of faculty soccer.
In in the present day’s SI:AM:
⚽ The key to winning a penalty shootout
?? The latest on Christian Pulisic
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Playoff spots are on the road
College soccer followers, rejoice. The arguments over College Football Playoff résumés are virtually over—however there’s nonetheless time for some extra drama. Each of the highest 4 groups (Georgia, Michigan, TCU and USC) play tomorrow in conference title video games, however the diploma to which their playoff spots are in jeopardy with a loss varies.
Let’s break all of it down.
SEC: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 LSU (4 p.m. ET Saturday on CBS)
This sport appears to be like rather a lot much less harmful for the Bulldogs after the Tigers obtained stomped final weekend by a Texas A&M crew that isn’t even headed to a bowl. Considering that Georgia continues to be undefeated, a loss to a gifted LSU crew shouldn’t knock the Bulldogs all the way in which out of the playoff however they’ll possible must win to keep up their No. 1 spot.
Big Ten: No. 2 Michigan vs. Purdue (8 p.m. ET Saturday on Fox)
The Boilermakers shouldn’t pose an excessive amount of of a difficulty for Michigan however even within the occasion of an upset, the undefeated Wolverines in all probability deserve a playoff spot.
The factor to look at right here is how the Michigan offense appears to be like with out operating again Blake Corum. The Heisman candidate will miss the rest of the season after present process surgical procedure on his knee. The good news for the Wolverines is that Donovan Edwards, who ran for 216 yards on 22 carries in opposition to Ohio State with Corum sidelined, is a more-than-capable alternative. That’s why Richard Johnson writes that, though Corum is an integral a part of the Michigan offense, “this isn’t something that tanks its chances at a Big Ten or national championship.”
Big 12: No. 3 TCU vs. No. 10 Kansas State (12 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC)
TCU might be in a little bit of hazard right here. Okay-State is a extremely good crew that’s hitting its stride on the proper time. The Wildcats have received their final three video games by scores of 47–27, 48–31 and 31–3. The Horned Frogs are only favored by 2.5 points at SI Sportsbook.
The query is what the committee would do if TCU loses this sport—particularly if it loses badly. The logical factor could be to say that, like Georgia and Michigan, TCU, with its undefeated common season, deserves to be a playoff crew. But TCU doesn’t have the identical identify model recognition that Georgia and Michigan do. It isn’t onerous to examine a situation wherein the committee appears to be like at a TCU résumé that’s lacking a conference title and contains a number of shut victories and decides one-loss Ohio State or two-loss Alabama is extra deserving of the ultimate spot. It could be a travesty, however would you set it previous the committee?
Pac-12: No. 4 USC vs. No. 11 Utah (8 p.m. ET tonight on Fox)
This is the perfect likelihood for some CFP chaos. USC’s lone loss this season got here at Utah on Oct. 15 in a 43–42 thriller that the Utes received by going for two after scoring a landing with 48 seconds to play. Unlike the highest three groups, USC would possible be out of playoff rivalry if it loses its second sport of the season right here.
No. 5 Ohio State and No. 6 Alabama (sitting at residence)
This is the place issues get actually wacky. If both TCU or USC drops out of the highest 4, who ought to substitute them? It might sound apparent that the No. 5 crew (Ohio State) ought to slide up however though the Buckeyes and No. 6 Alabama have each accomplished their seasons, the playoff committee will not be dedicated to placing the 11–1 Buckeyes within the subject over the ten–2 Tide. Committee chairman Boo Corrigan said after this week’s rankings came out that it’s doable Alabama might be forward of Ohio State within the last rankings, though neither crew is taking part in this weekend. This 12 months’s playoff race has already been maybe probably the most entertaining within the historical past of the format, and there’s nonetheless time for extra chaos.
The better of Sports Illustrated
As the World Cup knockout stage begins tomorrow, today’s Daily Cover, by Ben Lyttleton, takes an in-depth look at the penalty shootout:
I started investigating whether or not there have been methods to enhance a crew’s probabilities in a penalty shootout, spending the subsequent two years touring the world looking for to unravel the thriller of the proper penalty kick. I spoke to gamers who had scored penalties and missed penalties; to a participant from each crew that had crushed England on penalties. I spoke to goalkeepers and coaches, docs and psychologists. I even spoke to golfers, tennis gamers, rugby kickers and gridiron coaches, all of whom observe particularly for high-pressure moments.
Pat Forde writes that tonight’s Pac-12 championship sport is indicative of the conference’s rebirth after spending years as the Power 5’s least powerful league. … The headline on Brian Straus’s story from Christian Pulisic’s press conference is my favourite in a very long time. … Kevin Sweeney has 5 takeaways from the men’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Gregg Berhalter is hopeful that Pulisic will be able to play tomorrow against the Netherlands. … Germany was knocked out of the World Cup after a drama-filled day that also saw Japan beat Spain. … Police in Florida made a number of makes an attempt to execute an arrest warrant for Antonio Brown but as of this writing he is not in custody. … Mac Jones had a profane sideline outburst over the Patriots’ play-calling in their loss to the Bills. … Here are the chances and matchups for SI Sportsbook’s Perfect 10 contest in Week 13 of the NFL season.
The prime 5…
… issues I noticed yesterday:
5. The controversial goal that despatched Japan by means of to the final 16 and Germany crashing out of the World Cup. (Here’s how close the ball was to going out.)
4. The fastest overtime game-winner you’ll ever see within the NHL.
3. Diamond Miller’s buzzer beater to raise Maryland over Notre Dame in South Bend.
2. Caitlin Clark’s pull-up three from the logo throughout her 45-point outburst in opposition to NC State. (Iowa nonetheless misplaced, although, 94–81.)
1. Greg Bishop’s text exchange with the late Gaylord Perry.
SIQ
Patrick Roy performed his last sport for the Canadiens’ on at the present time in 1995, demanding a commerce in the course of the sport after his coach refused to tug him amid an onslaught of pictures. What was the crew that lit up Roy for 9 targets that night time?
- Whalers
- Maple Leafs
- Rangers
- Red Wings
Yesterday’s SIQ: Who beat No. 1 Missouri within the 2007 Big 12 championship sport?
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma State
Answer: Oklahoma. Mizzou misplaced two video games that 12 months, each to the Sooners.
Missouri began the season unranked however was ranked No. 17 when it earned its first marquee win of the season by destroying No. 25 Nebraska, 41–6, to enhance to five–0. The Tigers misplaced to Oklahoma on the highway the subsequent week however strung collectively 5 straight wins, all by a minimum of two touchdowns, to arrange a showdown with Kansas that had nationwide championship implications. No. 3 Mizzou vs. No. 2 Kansas attracted greater than 80,000 followers to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, the second biggest crowd within the stadium’s historical past on the time. Can you imagine the most important sport in faculty soccer that 12 months was Missouri vs. Kansas?
Mizzou received that sport, 36–28, behind a wonderful effort from quarterback Chase Daniel (40-of-49 passing for 361 yards and three touchdowns) and entered conference championship week ranked No. 1 in each the AP ballot and BCS rankings. All the Tigers needed to do was beat Oklahoma they usually’d be taking part in for a nationwide title a month later. But the Sooners got here out on prime once more and No. 2 West Virginia famously lost the Backyard Brawl to Pitt, clearing the way in which for LSU and Ohio State to satisfy on the Superdome.
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