College Baseball 2025 Preseason Rankings from Perfect Game By: Andrew Zajac

College baseball is almost here! On Valentine’s Day, six weeks away the first game’s kick off the illustrious 2025 season. As most of us know, the fiery Tennesee Volunteers squad led by coach Tony Vitello took home the championship trophy last summer in Omaha. We have many different teams, from many different conferences, from across the nation that have cracked this list. 

1. Texas A & M Aggies

The Aggies top this list as they finished as the runner-up to Tennessee in three games. They are led by coach Michael Earley and are a member of the SEC. They open up on the 14th at home against Elon. 

2. Louisiana State Tigers

The Tigers are coming off a disappointing season after being dropped in the Chapel Hill regional, after winning it all in 2023. LSU is led by coach Jay Johnson and is a member of the SEC. They will kick it off at home on the 14th against Purdue Fort Wayne. 

3. Virginia Cavaliers 

The Cavaliers are sitting at three after an appearance in the College Baseball World Series last year. UVA is led by coach Brian O’Conner and is a member of the ACC. 

They start off in Puerto Rico against the Wolverines of Michigan.  

4. Georgia Bulldogs

The Bulldogs lost a disappointing super regional last year at home to NC State. UGA is headed by coach Wes Johnson and is in the SEC. They open up in Wilmington, NC against the Quinnipiac Bobcats. 

5. Tennessee Volunteers

The Volunteers are coming off a historic season ending off with a national championship. 

The Vols are led by coach Tony Vitello and are a part of the SEC. They kick off their season at home against Hofstra. 

6. Florida State Seminoles

The Seminoles ended their season with a bid to the college world series, but lost in their bracket. The Noles’ are led by coach Link Jarret and are a member of the ACC. They start off the campaign in Tallahassee against the James Madison Dukes. 

7. Texas Longhorns 

The Longhorns got their season ended at the College-Station Regional. They have a new coach in Jim Schlossnagle who was a former Aggie, and the Longhorns are a new member of the SEC. They open up in Arlington against the Cardinals of Louisville. 

8. Clemson Tigers

The Tigers fell to the Florida Gators in their own super regional, which ended their 2024 run. Clemson is led by coach Erik Bakich and is a member of the ACC. They will start the campaign in Arlington against Oklahoma State. 

9. Duke Blue Devils

The Blue Devils lost to Oklahoma in the Norman Regional in Oklahoma to end their 2024 campaign. They are led by coach Chris Pollard, and are in the ACC. They will kick it off at home in Durham against the Cincinnati Bearcats. 

10. Oregon State Beavers

The Beavers got swept in the Lexington Super Regional by Kentucky, which ended their run last year. The Beavers are led by coach Mitch Canham, and are a new Independent after the fall of the Pac-12. They open up in Arizona against Xavier. 

11. Florida Gators

The Gators lost in the CWS last year to runner-up Texas A & M in Bracket Two. UF is led by coach Kevin O’Sullivan and is a member of the SEC. The Gators start the campaign against the Falcons of Air Force. 

12. Arizona Wildcats

The Wildcats had a catastrophic collapse in their own regional last year, being the first team eliminated and ending their year. U of A is captained by coach Chip Hale and is a new member of the Big XII. The Cats’ will kick it off in Arlington against Ole Miss. 

13. Arkansas Razorbacks

The Razorbacks fell to Southeast Missouri in the Fayetteville Regional to end their 2024 campaign. Arkansas is headed by coach Dave Van Horn, and is a member of the SEC. They will open up at home against the Cougars of Washington State. 

14. Oregon Ducks

The Ducks ended their campaign last year getting swept by Texas A & M in the Bryan-College Station Super Regional after beating UC Santa Barbara in the Santa Barbara Regional. Oregon is led by coach Mark Wasikowski and is a new member of the Big 10. The Ducks start the campaign at home against the Toledo Rockets. 

15. Vanderbilt Commodores 

The Commodores got swept out of the Clemson Regional by Coastal Carolina and High Point to end their season. Vanderbilt is captained by coach Tim Corbin and is a member of the SEC. The Commodores kick it off at Grand Canyon University. 

16. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

The Demon Deacons fell tremendously short of expectations after stars such as Chase Burns, Nick Kurtz, and Seaver King(Who were all top 10 Draft Picks), couldn't pull through and got swept out of the Greenville Regional by losing two-one score games to Virginia Commonwealth, and ECU. Wake Forest is led by coach Tom Walter, and is a member of the ACC. The Demon Deacons start their campaign at home against the Long Island Sharks. 

17. Dallas Baptist Patriots 

The Patriots had a strong showing last season winning the Conference USA which secured a bid to a regional. They ultimately lost to Grand Canyon in the Tucson regional which ended their season. DBU is commanded by coach Dan Heefner and is a member of C-USA. The Patriots start at home against North Dakota State. 

18. Texas Christian Horned Frogs 

The Horned Frogs ended their season with a 33-21 record which was not enough for a postseason bid. Texas Christian is led by coach Kirk Saarloos and is a member of the Big XII. The Horned Frogs will kick it off on the road against San Diego University. 

19. North Carolina Tar Heels 

The Tar Heels ended their season after losing to Florida State in the College Baseball World Series Bracket One. UNC is captained by enthusiastic coach Scott Forbes and is in the ACC. The Tar Heels will open up in Chapel Hill against the Red Raiders of Texas Tech. 

20. Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners ended their season with two tragic losses to UConn in their own regional, in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma is commanded by coach Skip Johnson, and is a new member of the SEC. The Sooners start the campaign at home against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks. 

21. West Virginia Mountaineers

The Mountaineers got swept by the UNC Tar Heels in the Chapel Hill Super Regional last year which ended their 2024 campaign. West Virginia is led by coach Steve Sabins and is a member of the Big XII. The Mountaineers kick the new season off at Jacksonville University. 

22. Auburn Tigers

The Tigers ended their 2024 season with a 27-26 record, which unfortunately did not qualify them for a regional bill. Auburn is led by coach Butch Thompson, and is a member of the SEC. The Tigers open up at home against the Holy Cross. 

23. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

The Chanticleers lost to the Clemson Tigers in the finale of the Clemson regional which ended their 2024 campaign. Coastal Carolina is captained by coach Kevin Schnall and is a member of the Sun Belt. The Chanticleers start the campaign at home against St. Joseph. 

24. University of California Santa Barbara Gauchos 

The Gauchos lost to the Oregon Ducks in their own regional, which ended their season. UCSB is commanded by coach Andrew Checketts and is a member of the Big West. The Gauchos start the season at home against the Campbell Camels.

25. Oklahoma State Cowboys 

The Cowboys got swept by the Florida Gators in the Stillwater Regional finale which ended their season. Oklahoma State is led by coach Josh Holliday and is a member of the Big XII. The Cowboys will kick it off in Arlington, Texas against the Tigers of Clemson. 

Ohio State vs. Texas Preview by Miles Laskowski

Texas plays Ohio State in the second semifinal of the College Football Championship tournament on Friday, 1/10/25. Texas has a 50.5 percent chance of winning this game that takes place in Dallas, which is near Texas’s campus. RB Trevon Henderson leads the team 925 yards and 126 carries and as well as 10 touchdowns. WR Jeremiah Smith leads the team with 1226 yards, 70 receptions and 14 touchdowns. RB Quintrevion Wisner leads the team with 1018 yards, 5 touchdowns WR Mathew Golden has 56 receptions, 936 yards, and 9 touchdowns. 

Ohio State will win big by a score of 31-14, Ohio State. Jeremiah Smith will have a huge game, with 123 receiving yards and a 34-yard touchdown Will Howard will have 324 passing yards and 3 passing touchdowns. All of their players will have a great game

Source: ESPN

Image source: ESPN

NFL Playoff Predictions by Grant Potoczny

The NFL playoffs are right around the corner, and this playoff may be like no other, so I’m going to give my predictions on these games.

The AFC

The first game of the AFC is between the Chargers at the Texans. The Texans have really slowed down as the season has gone on, while the Chargers haven’t been perfect near the end of the season, they certainly seem better fit for the playoffs, so I’m guessing a Chargers win in Houston.

Next is the Steelers at the Ravens. The Ravens have actually looked great as the season went on, while they have the 2nd best running back in the NFL right now (Derrick Henry), they also manage to have the best quarterback Lamar Jackson, as Jackson leads Allen in every statistical category. The Steelers have done typical Steelers things though, which they have looked great at the start of the season  and have completely fallen off, so I’m going Baltimore.

The last AFC game is the Broncos at the Bills. The Broncos may have found a franchise quarterback in Bo Nix, as he is the 2nd best rookie in the league right now. Though, the Bills have looked very good all season as they have the 2nd best quarterback in the league Josh Allen, though we all know what happens to the Bills in the playoffs, but no worries for Bills fans as that only happens when they play Patrick Mahomes, injured or not, or in the Super Bowl, so I’m predicting a Bills win.

The NFC

The first game will be the Vikings at the Rams. The Rams have sort of been a sleeper this year, you don’t hear much about them, but they still slip into the 4 seed, but the Vikings have been incredibly solid, beating the Packers twice, and going toe-to-toe with the Lions in one game. Sam Darnold has been incredible, they have a great receiving core, and their running backs aren’t slouches either, so I’m going Vikings win.

The next game for the NFC is the Commanders at the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have been wildly up and down this season, so it is a wonder what will happen with them, but on the other side of the ball are the Commanders who have drastically improved this season with Jayden Daniels, who as a rookie was 6th in MVP odds, and is pretty much guaranteed to win Rookie of the Year. It’s also a wonder how a rookie will do in the playoffs, but not typically well, so as much as I want to see Jayden Daniels win, I’m going with a Buccaneers win here.

Last but not least is my favorite team the Packers at the Eagles. The Packers are most likely underrated here as they’ve been playing in the best division ever win percentage wise, although they are suffering from many injuries after their game with the Bears. The Eagles on the other hand have had what might’ve been the best season from any running back ever as Saquon Barkley would’ve broken the record for most rushing yards had he played in the last game of the season against the Giants, who decided not to re-sign him, so I’m going with an Eagles win here, but don’t count the Packers out.

This playoff would be very exciting, and I can’t wait to see what happens, and hopefully we have some great games, and a Chiefs loss.

Will Connor Bedard Break Gretzky's Point Record? By Cole Potoczny & Charlie Zorger

Connor Bedard is projected to be one of the best players in the history of the NHL, and some people say he might even break Gretzky’s point record. He was drafted by the Blackhawks in 2023. This will make it hard for him to break Gretzky’s record because he is on a bad team.

Connor does not have the assets that Gretzky did on his team. Connor’s team, the Blackhawks, are not the best team in the NHL, and he doesn't have the teammates to give him the points he needs. His contract is only 3 years though, so he could go to a different team in a few years, though we can’t know what team that would be.   He would need all the years he can get to break the record. 

We think if Bedard is going to be great, he needs great players around him. Right now, we feel like Connor will be good but not great if he stays with his team. Gretzky made the playoffs with the Oilers a handful of times, but we just don’t think the Blackhawks can. 

Overall, we do not think Connor Bedard will break the record for points. If he gets traded he might have a chance, but right now, no,  he will not break the all-time points record.

Penn State vs SMU and Looking Ahead By: Marshall Laskowski, Harrison Meyer

The Penn State Nittany Lions will play the SMU Mustangs on December 21st in the newly created college football playoffs. This will be one of the most influential games in recent Penn State history. This is one of the best games of the day and will be on TNT at noon.

Penn State is led by Star quarterback Drew Allar, who just opted to come back next year. He had 2894 total passing yards, with more than a third of those going to Tyler Warren. Drew has also improved greatly in his quick decision-making and running abilities. He has 27 total touchdowns and 7 interceptions this season. Nicholas Singleton also leads the Nittany Lions with 838 rushing yards, 6.4 yards per carry, and 7 touchdowns.

SMU is led by quarterback Kevin Jennings who had 3,050 passing yards and 22 touchdowns as well as 379 yards on the ground and 5 touchdowns. They also have a decent running back in Brashard Smith who had 1,270 yards and 14 touchdowns averaging 5.9 yards per attempt.

I (Harrison) believe that Penn State will come out victorias with a score of 25 to 17. Marshall thinks Penn State will win 31-27.

Now we will get into PSU’s path to the national championship. Now we have to remember that all teams in the CFP are excellent and this will not be easy. Many people think that the Nittany Lions have one of the easiest paths in the playoffs. After their game against SMU assuming they win in this case they will take on Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on December 31. After that, they would take on the winner of Notre Dame/Indiana and Georgia in the Cotton Bowl. Then if possible they would be onto the National Championship. If they can win all of those games they will be National champs but it won’t be easy!

Ranking of Best Suits at the Heisman Trophy Award Show by Miles Laskowski

1. Travis Hunter His suit was all baby blue and the turtleneck just fit so well with it. I like this suit because blue is my favorite color. He won the award and looked great in his suit.

2. Cam Ward. He was wearing an all-black suit. I felt that it all matched well. It looked great and he just made me want that suit badly. He looked amazing.

3. Dillon Gabriel. Dillion was wearing a maroon suit and a white lei as long as a green and yellow. love how he represented his own culture. And looked great at the show.

4. Ashton Jeanty. Ashton looked great and I loved the red look. His was my least favorite suit, but still looked amazing. I think that proves that all of these guys made great suit choices, and they all looked really good last Sunday. 

College Basketball Contenders and Pretenders by Joey Trego

I’m going to be writing about who I think are the best and worst ranked college basketball teams. Who I think will be in contention for a national title or not. I will also include who I think might be able to pull off a Cinderella story. Here are the best contenders.

Kentucky Wildcats

1. The University of Kentucky is one of my best bets to win the national championship because of the experience on their team and the team chemistry. Guards Koby Brea and Otega Oweh lead the pack in scoring each with 16 ppg. Center Amari Williams is an amazing rebounder who averages 9 ppg and 10 rpg. Forwards Brandon Garrison and Andrew Carr are also great players who know their role on the team. 

2. Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas University is also a definite contender in the college basketball world. The No. 8  ranked Jayhawks are led by center Hunter Dickinson who averages almost a double double with 15 ppg and 9.6 rpg.  Dujuan  Harris Jr. is an amazing, experienced guard who averages 10.7 ppg and 5.9 assists per game. They are also complemented by amazing role players that round out their team .

3. Auburn Tigers .

The Tigers have one of the best players in the country in Johni Broome who averages almost 20 ppg and 11 rpg. Guards Chad Baker - Mazara, Miles Kelly, and Tahaad Pettiford all average over 10 ppg.Center Dylan Cardwell is a great defender and role player who rounds out their team almost perfectly. Coach Bruce Pearl gets his team playing harder than any team in the country.

These are my top 3 contenders, and here are the top 3 pretenders.

1. UConn Huskies

The Huskies have lost to three unranked teams! 3 unranked teams and they’re still ranked! In a span of four days Uconn lost to Dayton, Memphis, and Colorado. On Saturday the 14th Uconn and Gonzaga faced off , and Uconn came out with the win. That’s a good win, but I don’t think they can beat great teams down the stretch.

2. Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue has three losses to Texas A&M, Marquette, and Penn State. Texas A&M and Marquette are both ranked teams, but Penn State is an unranked team. The Boilermakers also lost star center Zach Edey to the NBA. Only having one win against a ranked opponent puts Purdue, in my mind, out of the conversation of a national championship.

3. Houston Cougars

Houston has a record of 6 wins and 3 losses. Those 3 losses are all to ranked teams in San Diego State, Auburn, and Alabama. They also haven’t beaten a ranked team yet, making a pretty bad resume.  They also have lost a good guard in Jamaal Shed. Again, I believe that this ranking is just based on last year’s success making them come out of the national championship conversation. 

College Football Playoffs by Grant Potoczny

The College Football playoffs are among us, and this year it comes with the twist of 12 teams, which calls for more games, more controversy, and even an even better championship.

First off, we’ll start with the first game on the bracket, which is Clemson at Texas. Texas has been a powerhouse this season, with their “Achilles Heel” being Georgia, which is responsible for both.

Clemson on the other hand limped into the playoffs, with their win in the conference championship against SMU, but have had some bad losses against Georgia, Louisville, and South Carolina. I do think Texas will win, and pretty convincingly, as I don’t think Clemson really has any chance of going anywhere.

Next we have Tennessee and Ohio State. Ohio State is coming off a bye, while the week before losing to Michigan. Tennessee, though, has won the last 6 of 7 of their games, their only loss being to Georgia. I do believe in streaks, like what happened to Pitt after their first loss, so I do think Tennessee will win. 

Now we have Penn State and SMU. SMU was looking really good until their loss to Clemson, and after the Oregon game I am feeling a lot more confident about Penn State. Another factor is that the game right here at Penn State, and SMU has to come up all the way from Texas to play, all while they have never heard a stadium nearly as loud as Beaver Stadium. In the end Penn State will probably have a pretty strong game against SMU, and come away with a solid win.

Last in the first round is Indiana and Notre Dame, an in-state battle. So travel isn’t really a problem, but I do think Notre Dame has proven after the NIU loss that they belong in the playoffs, Indiana on the other hand has proved that they can beat mediocre teams and not any good ones. So I do think Notre Dame will win, and probably convincingly.

Penn State Women’s Volleyball By Sloan Wagner

Penn State Women’s Volleyball has made it to the national semifinals! They are playing Nebraska on Thursday, December 19th at 9:00 pm in Louisville, Kentucky.

 Penn State is ranked number two, and Nebraska is three; both are really good! People are nervous because if Penn State loses this game, it's out of the playoffs, but if they win, then they go to the National Championship to face the winner of Pittsburgh and Louisville. 

I predict that this game will end well for the Nittany Lions, because they have played Nebraska once before this season and beat them . If Penn State could do it once, they can do it again.  

So if you can, watch the game on Thursday, the 19th, and let’s hope Penn State wins!

Top 30 Penn State Current Football Players by Greyson Medina and Isaac Fiedler

Here are the top 30 Penn State current football players. Hope you like it.

1. Tyler Warren- Tight End

2. Drew Allar- Quarterback

3. Nick Singleton- Running back

4. Abdul Carter- Wide receiver

5. Jaylen Reed- Safety

6. Tony Rojas- Linebacker

7. Harrison Wallace III- Wide receiver

8. Kevin Winston Jr.- Safety

9. Kaytron Allen - Running back 

10. Nick Dawkins- Offensive Linemen 

11. Liam Clifford- Wide receiver

12. Dani Dennis Sutton- Defensive End

13. Omari Evans- Wide receiver

14. Cam Wallace- Running back

15. Mahki Flowers- Wide receiver

16. Riley Thompson- Punter

17. Alonzo Ford Jr.- Defensive Tackle

18. JB Nelson- Offensive Linemen

19. Liam Horan- Offensive Linemen

20. Ta’Mere Robinson- Linbacker

21. Winston Yates- LInebacker

22. Dvon J-Thomas- Defensive Tackle

23. Logan Cunningham- Wide Reciver

24. Dominic DeLuca- Linebacker

25. Tyler Duzansky- Long Snapper

26. Gabriel Nwosu- Punter

27. Kalib Artis- Defensive Tackle

28. Ty Blanding- Defensive Tackle

29. Finn Furmanek- Tight End

30. Tyler Holzworth- Running Back

Notre Dame vs Indiana: The Battle for the Hoosier State By Andrew Zajac

In the newly created College Football 12-team playoff, two uncommon foes face off in the first round in South Bend, Indiana. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish face off against the Indiana Hoosiers on December 20th; a very rare rivalry game. 

If you don’t know, the Fighting Irish and the Hoosiers have a heated rivalry to declare the victor of the state of Indiana. The Irish lead the series 23-5-1 with the last time these two programs have played each other was over 30 years ago in 1991(which Notre Dame won 49-27). This game will be the most important game in the history of the rivalry. The Fighting Irish have the upper hand with being -8.5 point favorites and having a 70% chance of winning. 

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are coming into this game after a 11-1 season with their only loss being a horrendous home loss to the Northern Illinois Huskies in week two. They then went on a 10-0 run capping it off with a fabulous road victory against cross country rival the USC Trojans. It all starts in the backfield with the  6 '4 senior transfer from Duke, Riley Leonard. Leonard has put up 2,092 passing yards accompanied with 16 passing touchdowns and only 5 interceptions. On the ground he put up 721 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. Beaux Collins, Kris Mitchell, Jaden Greathouse, and Jayden Harrison have been strong in the receiving game for the Irish, and running back Jadarian Price has put up solid stats on the ground. The defense has been stellar with defensive linemen Rylie Mills, Junior Tuihalamaka, and Donovan Hinish getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Linebackers Jaiden Ausberry, Drayk Bowen, Jack Kiser, and Jaylen Sneed are punishing opponents running game. Defensive backs Rod Heard II, Jordan Clark, and Benjamin Morrison have caused trouble in the passing game as well. 

The Indiana Hoosiers are also coming off an 11-1 season with their only loss coming to the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus in week 11, 38-15. They have had a wildly surprising season because of newly hired head coach Curt Cignetti and his passion and attitude that he brought to this otherwise dead program. Kurtis Rourke leads this high-powered Hoosier offense with 2,827 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton are the one-two punch for Indiana’s rushing attack, each of them putting up over 600 yards and 10 touchdowns. Elijah Sarratt, Ke’Shawn Williams, Omar Cooper Jr, and Miles Cross shine in the receiving game with each of them having over 300 yards. Defensive Lineman Mikail Kamara, Lanell Carr Jr, and CJ West have been disrupting opposing offenses all year combined with a stellar linebacker group with Aiden Fisher, Jailin Walker, and Isaiah Jones that have been causing mayhem as they are one of the best defenses in college football. Don’t forget defensive backs Shawn Asbury II, D’Angelo Ponds, and Amare Ferrell being solid in the passing game.

This game will come down to the wire in South Bend but I have Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish coming out on top 28-21 and securing their spot in a quarterfinal matchup against the Bulldogs of Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This came down to each of the team's weaknesses, Notre Dame’s being their offensive line and special teams, and Indiana being their pass coverage. The Irish have shown that they got better in those categories throughout the season and the Hoosiers didn't improve much in their category, which was one of the factors that contributed to my decision. Notre Dame does have the upper hand of strength of schedule with Indiana having a significantly weaker schedule playing only one ranked team(Ohio State) and losing. Notre Dame however have played and won two games against AP top 25 teams. Again, it is going to be a very competitive and exciting game but I do have the Fighting Irish winning at home 28-21 over in-state rival Indiana. 

Conference Championships Recap by Grant Potoczny

MAC

First off what will probably be the least notable game is Miami (OH) and Ohio, in the MAC conference. Miami (OH) is 7-1 in conference play and is 8-4 overall, while Ohio is 7-1 in conference play and is 9-3 overall. First off, Miami (OH) beat Ohio in their match up 30-20. Though Miami (OH)’s only conference loss came to Toledo, while Ohio did beat Toledo. Ohio averages more points per game than Miami (OH) averaging 28.5, while Miami (OH) only averages 25.8 points per game. Ohio also averages a better overall offense, but Miami (OH) averages a better passing game. The problem for Ohio is they have turned the ball over more than they force them, while Miami (OH) has forced more turnovers than they’ve given up, so all in all I do think the game will come down to turnovers with a Miami (OH) win, but it will probably be a one or two score game. I was wrong, and Ohio won convincingly in a 38-3 game.

CUSA

Another game that could be contested as the least important is the Conference USA game between a 8-4 (6-2) Western Kentucky and a 8-4 (7-1) Jacksonville State team. Western Kentucky was able to pull out a win against Jax State last week, with a score of 19-17. Jax State does have a better points per game average with 35.4 points per game, while Western Kentucky averages 27.2 points per game. Jax State also comes in with a stunning 434.6 yards per game, which when you are in CUSA shouldn’t be too hard, but Western Kentucky does only average 390.7 yards per game. Jax State is also great at forcing turnovers and not giving the ball away, because they have plus 7 turnovers this season, while Western Kentucky is pretty even as they come in with only plus 1 turnover. All in all looking at the stats between the Western Kentucky and Jax State game, (you can look at it yourself) Jax State just had a fluke game, and I feel after seeing this Western Kentucky team they will be able to pull out a decent victory, of maybe 13 points. I was right for this game as Jax State won in a blowout, with the score of 52-12.

Sun Belt

This game may have held a little weight if you looked at the All State Playoff Louisiana had a 2% chance of making the playoffs, but not anymore. The second team in the championship is Marshall. The Sun Belt is the only conference to use divisions, but the two teams that won the divisions were the 2 best. Marshall is 9-3 (7-1), while Louisiana is 10-2 (7-1). Unfortunately, most likely due to divisions, they have not directly played each other, but we can compare them using Appalachian State, in which Marshall beat them 52-37, while Louisiana won 34-24. Louisiana leads in points per game with 35.8 points, while Marshall trails by a little with 31.4 points per game. Marshall also trails in yards per game with a decent 380.5 yards per game, while Louisiana averages a strong 445.7 yards per game, but again not too hard in the Sun Belt. Both teams have a really good turnover difference with Louisiana with a stunning plus 12 turnovers, while Marshall is still really good with a plus 9 turnovers. In the end it does look like, by looking at the games and stats it looks like Louisiana all the way, and with Marshall not comparing to Louisiana in any other category other than one game, I’m going to have to give the win to Louisiana in a strong 2 or 3 score game. I was wrong in this game as Marshall also won convincingly with a score of 31-3.

AAC

This game is very exciting for me, as the AAC championship will hold Army, which is their first year in the conference, and Tulane. Army is looking strong on the year with only 1 loss which was to top 5 Notre Dame, and their record is 10-1 (8-0), while Tulane is also looking strong at 9-3 (7-1). The teams have not played each other, so I’ll use their games against North Texas to put each of them in perspective. So Tulane was able to beat North Texas with a score of 45-37. Army was able to beat North Texas, but just in a different way with a score of 14-3. Army averages 32.9 points per game, which is decently behind Tulane who averages 39.1 points per game. The Army offense mostly consists of running the ball, but they still put up an impressive 401.7 yards per game, while Tulane does pass a little more, and do put up more yards, as they average 429.3 yards per game. The turnover battle goes to Army with plus 12 turnovers, while Tulane still comes in with a strong 10. In the end I can’t go against Army and I think they’ll win a very close game. This game was awesome for me as Army won in a convincing game, with a score of 35-14.

Mountain West

The Mountain West actually has a very important game, as the winner will most likely go to the playoffs. So first we have the clear favorite, which is Boise State standing at a strong 11-1 (7-0), while UNLV still looks pretty good at a 10-2 (6-1). But that one loss in conference for UNLV does come to Boise State, who won 29-24. Both teams are carried by their offenses as Boise State averages putting up 40.6 points per game, which just edges out UNLV, who averages 39.2 points per game. Both teams have a really impressive average yardage, as UNLV averages 434 yards per game, while Boise State averages 478.3 yards per game, which is largely carried by Heisman contender Ashton Jeanty. (let's be real Travis Hunter is better) The turnover difference for both teams is UNLV with an impressive plus 14 turnovers, which is double the Boise State difference, which is 6. In the end I think it may come down to turnovers, which last time I think UNLV had a fluke, because they didn’t get any, so I think UNLV is going to win by 1 or maybe 2 scores. I was also wrong with this one as Boise State won in a semi-convincing game as they won 21-7.

Big 12

We’re finally into Power 4 conferences, which we’ll kick off with Iowa State, and Arizona State in the Big 12 championship, which whoever wins is in the playoffs. Both teams are dead even at 10-2 (7-2). Both teams never played each other, so I’ll use their games against Cincinnati for comparison. First off Iowa State beat Cincinnati 34-17, while Arizona State beat them 24-14. Both teams have very similar points per game, with just a .4 difference as Iowa State comes in with 31.7 points per game, as Iowa State comes in with 32.1 points per game. The teams are nearly dead even again in yards as Iowa State leads slightly with 442.6 yards per game, while Arizona State averages 419.8 yards per game. Arizona State leads the turnover battle though with plus 11 turnovers, while Iowa State has plus 9 turnovers. In the end it might come down to one turnover, and Arizona State is more likely to get that turnover, so I think I’ll go Arizona State by 1 or 2 scores. I was right as in the end Arizona State accumulated a score of 45-19, with a strong offensive showing.

ACC

The ACC championship is another huge game, because if SMU wins they guarantee a playoff birth, but might still get in with a loss, while Clemson needs a win to get into the playoffs. Both teams have had their really strong points in the season. So SMU stands at 11-1 (8-0), while Clemson stands at 9-3 (7-1). Since they haven’t played each other, I’ll be using Pitt, to compare them. SMU crushed Pitt 48-25, while Clemson beat Pitt 24-20. SMU also leads in points per game with 39.2 points per game, while Clemson averages 35.7 points per game. Clemson leads in total yards with 465.7 yards per game, while SMU averages 441.8 yards per game. SMU only has plus 2 turnovers on the year, while Clemson has plus 14 turnovers. In the end I think that SMU will win because they just perform better in games so I’m guessing a 2 or 3 score game. I was wrong in this game as Clemson won is a nail-biter, with a score of 34-31.

SEC

The SEC championship, surprisingly, is not as good of a game as the Big 10 championship, but either way it is still a very good game. (I mean don’t take anything away from it) The game will be played between a 2 loss Georgia, but they were there last year, but Texas is in its first year in the SEC, but still managed to get into the conference championship. (funny that it was the new teams who did the best, like Army, Texas, and Oregon) Texas is 11-1 (7-1), while Georgia stands at 10-2 (6-2). Now Texas’s only loss did come to Georgia, with a two score game actually, with a score of 30-15. Georgia also does average more points per game than Texas with 37.1 points, while Texas still averages 36.3 points per game. Texas does lead in total yards though averaging 450.1 yards per game, while Georgia does average 425.3 yards per game. The turnover battle goes to Texas, who has plus 7 takeaways on the season, while Georgia sits at 0 actually. The last game did seem like a fluke game for Texas, as they gave the ball up 4 times, and failed four 4th down conversions, so I do think it will be a Texas win, but don’t count Georgia out of it. I was also wrong in this game as Georgia came out with the win in another close game of 22-19.

Big 10

The Big 10 championship is the highest ranked match-up in the conference championships, but that still doesn’t mean it means the most since both teams are getting in. I’m sure we all know who is playing, but just in case, the game consists of number 1 ranked Oregon, who is the only undefeated team left in college football, versus 3 ranked Penn State who is not undefeated and stands at 11-1 (7-1). Since the 2 teams haven’t played each other, I’ll be using Ohio State, since every other shared beaten team was mediocre at best, (yes I only picked teams that both teams won against) Penn State lost to Ohio State 20-13, so Penn State’s offense really held up in that game, especially in the red zone, and the offense never actually scored any points, as special teams made 2 field goals, and the defense had a pick 6, while Oregon actually played a genius move by putting 12 players on the field, so that way Ohio State would only gain 5 yards and a couple of seconds were chewed off the clock, so Oregon won 32-31. But anyways, Oregon averages 35.3 points per game, while Penn State averages 33.3 points per game. Oregon will also squeak out Penn State in total yards with 448.5 yards per game, while Penn State averages 442.8 yards per game. Penn State does win in turnover though as they have plus 7 turnovers on the season, while Oregon has plus 5 turnovers this season. I’m rooting for Penn State, and I really hope they win, but I do think Oregon is going to win, as they’ll come in with more confidence, a better record, and a better record against good teams in more recent years. I was right as Penn State lost in a close game of 45-37.

I hope the conference championships are extremely exciting, and I hope they’re all great games. I've also finished this right before the Army game, but it probably won’t get published until a little later, but I have to go watch the Army game, thank you for reading.

Can The Steelers Go All The Way? by David Larson

 The Pittsburgh Steelers have exceeded all expectations and so far are leading one of the best divisions in the NFL…the AFC North. Right now, the Steelers are 10-3 and are about to play Saquan Barkley and the high powered offense of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best defenses in the NFL right now. They are #5 in points allowed with 18.3 points allowed per game, They are also #6 in touchdowns allowed per game with 2.1.

Russel Wilson, as a starter, is 7-1. He has beaten teams like the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens. Although the Steelers have the toughest last four game streak in the NFL…playing division rivals Baltimore and Cincinnati, plus division leading teams and Super Bowl level squads like the Chiefs and Eagles. This last stretch will answer the question…can they go all the way?

If the Steelers can win at least three or maybe even all four games, they will emerge as a definite Super Bowl contender. 

Sources:

“Pittsburgh Steelers Stats.” Team Rankings, https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/team/pittsburgh-steelers/stats. Accessed 26 November 2024.

Cinderella Killers by Grant Potoczny

The last few weeks were terrible weeks for “Cinderella” teams and the amount of losses for them was not good, so I’ll be going over what happened to these “Cinderella” teams.

First off we’ll start with a light one which would be Clemson. Clemson was looking really strong with their only loss being to the Georgia Bulldogs. They were facing an okay looking Louisville team who was 5-3 at the time with losses to Miami, SMU, and Notre Dame. The game was actually almost always in hand after the Cardinals went up 17-7 at the end of the 2nd quarter. The game’s stats are very interesting because Clemson led or tied in almost every single statistical category besides yards per play, penalty yards, and punts. The only problem is that those stats came along with 42 more plays than Louisville. In the end it shows that Clemson wasn’t as good as we thought them to be.

Next we have Navy who had already lost to Notre Dame, but was still looking really good. They were to play Rice after their loss to Notre Dame, and Rice is currently 3-7 meaning they went into that game with a 2-6 record, but Navy went down by 14 in the 1st quarter and never rebounded. Rice would put up 84 more total yards than Navy, 239 passing yards, and averaged 5.3 yards per play. Navy did lead in rushing yards, but they typically run more than most teams.

Now we have Pitt and SMU, in which Pitt would be undefeated leading up to the game. SMU still looked strong with only one loss, which would be to a strong BYU team. Both offenses looked really strong in the game both putting up more than 450 yards. Though Pitt’s problem would be 2 turnovers and 2 turnover on downs. The biggest difference in the game would be SMU getting 7 yards per play, while Pitt only averaged 5 yards per play.

Next is Miami and Georgia Tech, which Miami was coming off a strong season, while Georgia Tech was doing decent, and sort of stumbled through a few games. In the game Miami put up 66 more total yards than Georgia Tech, and had 348 yards through the air compared to Georgia Tech’s measly 99 passing yards. Miami had an extremely poor game on the ground though only racking up 88 rushing yards, while Georgia Tech put up an astonishing 271 yards. The biggest blow to Miami would be their lack of converting in big moments, like being 1 for 4 on 4th downs and being 3 for 10 on 3rd downs, and they also had 1 fumble, where as Georgia Tech had no turnovers.

Lastly we have the most upsetting one on this list to me, which is Army and Notre Dame. Like Navy, Army would be totally outmatched as athletes, as they would allow 462 total yards, 189 passing yards, 273 rushing yards, and 9.8 yards per play. They would not throw a ton, which is typical Army, but they only had 26 passing yards, 207 rushing yards, and averaged 3.5 yards per play.

College football keeps getting crazier and crazier, and the season still is far from over, and the season may still be full of surprises.

Big Ten Championship Preview

Penn State is heading to Indianapolis to take on Oregon, and a Big Ten Title is on the line. Penn State enters this game ranked third, and the Ducks enter as the number-one team in America. The winner of this game will have a good chance of getting the number one overall seed in the college football playoff. Oregon has been a powerhouse this year and Penn State has been great. This should be a super fun game in prime time and with pretty big stakes. 

Oregon is led by superstar quarterback Dillion Gabriel. He has 3,275 yards, 24 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. They also have an incredible wideout in Tez Johnson and a running back with over 1,000 rushing yards. Their offense has a ton of firepower but the defense has had a couple of issues. This is an interesting matchup because Penn State’s defense is amazing. 

Penn State is highlighted by a lights-out defense with edge rusher Abdul Carter who is a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year. On offense, they are led by superstar tight end Tyler Warren but he plays all over the field for the Nittany Lions. Drew Allar is the quarterback and he has 2,668 passing yards. It’s a win-win for Penn State because they will likely stay as the number five seed if they lose but have a chance to jump up to number one with a victory. 

Now it is time for my prediction on this massive game. I think Penn State will have a slight edge in this game because their defense may be the only one in the country that can slow the Ducks down. My score prediction is 27-24 Nittany Lions because no offense is going to have an amazing game. This game should be a lot of fun and I am really looking forward to it!

SEC Championship Preview by Miles Laskowski

Texas will rematch Georgia this Saturday, December 7th, at 4:00 PM EST. Quinn Ewers (Texas) and Carson Beck (Georgia) lead their teams in passing. Texas is favored by 2.5 and has a 61.4 percent chance of winning vs. Georgia this Saturday. I think that Texas has a high powered offense and will win 36-30, but Carson Beck will have a good game and put up a fight in this game. The SEC title always is an amazing game and is really fun to watch on Championship Saturday. And this will be a great game this Saturday. 

Primanti Bros: The Ideal Sandwich by Andrew Zajac

As we all know, Pittsburgh is a great city with great things, including The Steelers, Heinz Ketchup, and Roberto Clemente. But, one of the best things about Pittsburgh is the unique sandwiches from none other than Primanti Bros. Piled high with meat, cheese, coleslaw, and greasy fries between two thick-cut slices of Italian bread. I just had a decadent Capicola and Cheese at the Pittsburgh Steelers game on 11/17, and the Steelers beat their rivals the Ravens. It was a fantastic day. But, we aren’t here to talk about the Steelers. We are here to talk about great sandwiches and somehow, even better fries. 

Here’s some history for you: Primanti Bros was a sandwich cart operated by Joe Primanti in Pittsburgh's historic strip district. He opened this cart in 1933 to feed truck drivers and shift workers at all times. Joe's brothers Dick and Stanely joined him to open a storefront in the Strip-District and they operated until the early 1970’s when Stanely unfortunately passed away. They now have 42 locations (16 of them are in Pittsburgh) in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Maryland, Florida, and Michigan. 

There are three premiere sandwiches we need to talk about: The Pittsburgher, The Pastrami and Cheese, and the Capicola and Cheese. The Pittsburgher is a sandwich piled high with steak and cheese, tomatoes, coleslaw and fries. The Capicola and Cheese is a wonderful, tasty sandwich with melty cheese and tender capicola, coleslaw, tomatoes, and fries as well. Pastrami and Cheese, well it is what it sounds like, pastrami and cheese and the normal toppings of tomatoes, coleslaw and fries. Just the cherry on top is they also have world class wings, pizza, deserts, and drinks. 

If all this information has not convinced you that Primanti Bros has the best sandwiches ever, then you should take yourself downtown State College and try it for yourself on Heister Street.

Top 5 MLB Free Agents By Marshall Laskowski

The MLB offseason has begun since the season has ended. Tracking free agents is one of my favorite things to do. There are some great free agents this season and I will preview the best of them all. I will also give some predictions for who these players will sign with. 

1. Juan Soto 

In some people's eyes, he is the best hitter in the league. He is coming off the best season of his career with the New York Yankees. He was also just in the World Series and would like to repeat that success with his new team or he could re-sign. He is going to get a TON of money. Some people think it could be 700 million or more. He is by far the best player available this offseason. He is also 26 years old and is just going to get better.

Potential teams: New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets

2. Corbin Burnes 

Burnes is one of the best-starting pitchers in the game with nasty stuff. He was just on the Baltimore Orioles. He is going to be one of the most highly sought after pitchers this offseason. He is going to get paid great because he has been a great pitcher for years. He has won a Cy Young and will likely continue his dominance. 

Potential teams: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets

3. Roki Saski 

Saski has a lot of hype coming over from Japan. He dominated Japan and has great stuff. He is similar to Yoshinobu Yamamoto last year and will have a great chance to prove himself. He is not able to get paid as much because of Japan’s rules which means that every team will have an equal chance to get him. 

Potential teams: San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees

4. Pete Alonso 

The “Polar Bear” is a great power hitter and will draw a lot of attention from teams in need of a first baseman. He has won two Home Run Derbys and is a prolific power hitting player and fits the build of many first basemen. He will be one of the top hitters available in this market. He is 29 years old so he could be looking to get a long-term contract with a lot of money on this contract. 

Potential teams: Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, Houston Astros

5. Blake Snell 

Blake Snell was a free agent last offseason and will repeat the process again this year. He could be looking for a deal that could take him through the end of his career. He had a great season when he was available but was injured a decent amount. He is a great pitcher and a lot of teams will be looking to acquire him this year.

Potential teams: San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees

Steelers vs. Browns Preview By Miles Laskowski

The Steelers play the Browns tonight and I will be giving you a rundown on the preview. The Steelers are projected to win with a 55.5% chance to win against a good Browns defense. The Steelers are averaging 2.4 sacks per game which is 18th in the league. Justin Fields leads the team in passing, but Russell Wilson will be starting tonight versus the Browns. I think that the Steelers will win 19-6 with a Najee Harris touchdown and Chris Boswell will have 4 field goals and lead the team to a victory. 

Source: Team Rankings, and ESPN 

NFL Mid Season Review by Quinn Cunningham

The NFL season is half way through and teams are starting to separate from pertenders to contenders. There are a few teams from the AFC and NFC that have a very realistic chance of making the playoffs. 

AFC

1.  Chiefs 

The Chiefs look like the best team in the NFL. They are coming off of their second Super Bowl win in a row and they are looking to win it again for the third time in a row. They are also looking for an undefeated season.  Only one team has pulled off that feat, but they are good enough to win every game. The Chiefs have a lot of talent.  They have Patrick Mahomes they also have great wide receivers such as DeAndre Hopkins and Xavier Worthy they also have the star tight end Travis Kelce. 

2.  Steelers

The Steelers are sitting at the top of the AFC North with a record of 7-2.  They have a quarterback who is coming back into action. Russell Wilson who has been lights out for the Steelers leading them to three straight victories. The Steelers have two elite running backs, Najee Harris and Jaylenn Warren. They also have an elite pass rush with Cam Hayward, Alex Highsmith and TJ Watt. The Steelers have both an outstanding defense and a great offense and they are hard to beat; but they will be going into the hardest stretch of their season as they start division play. The Steelers have a very realistic chance to go deep into the playoffs this year and they are a dangerous team right now. 

3.  Bills  

The Bills have Josh Allen who is a great quarterback for them and is having one, if not, his best season so far in his career! The Bills are in control of the AFC East. They are the only team in the AFC East with a winning record and even if things may go south for the Bills in the home stretch of the regular season, they will most likely, pending a miracle by the Dolphins, Jets or Patriots, win their division. But for the Bills it has not been winning their division that has been the problem, the playoffs and the Kansas City Chiefs who they will face this week, Week 11 of the NFL season. 

4. Ravens

The Ravens are second in the AFC North right behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Ravens are a playoff material team with offensive stars like Lamar Jackson, Zay Fflowers and Derek Henry . The Ravens offense has played exceptionally well this season. And so has the defense but the one major problem the Ravens have had is their secondary. They have not played up to the level they need to be a Super Bowl team. Overall, the Ravens are a very good team and they are going to compete and show up to play against any team. 

5. Texans

The Texans Are leading the AFC South with a record of 6-4 they have a great offense with former Rookie of the year C.J. Stroud leading their offense and their coach Demeco Ryans who has really turned this program around in the past few years; it seems they have to be good. They are on a two game losing streak despite all of their talent, but they look to turn it around in Dallas next week against the Cowboys who are having a very disappointing season. Despite the two game losing streak, the Texans have a very strong chance to make the playoffs and if they get hot then watch out because they are a dangerous team. 

NFC

1.  Lions

The Lions despite one loss look better than the Chiefs in my opinion. They have a veteran quarterback who led them to a NFC championship last year and he is nowhere close to being alone on this team The Lions have a star tight end Sam LaPorta and an explosive star Amon-Ra St. Brown. Also a great Coach Dan Cambell who has turned this program from a doormat to a powerhouse. The Lions have been explosive and dominant all year; they have one loss to the Buccaneers in week two but since then they have won seven straight games. One message has been clear from the Lions all year, They are prepared and ready to win a superbowl.

2. Eagles

The Eagles have had their ups and downs through the past couple seasons; they went from losing in a heartbreak to the Chiefs in the superbowl to a first round exit from the playoffs last year. The Eagles made some moves in the offseason acquiring Saquan Barkley from the Giants that was a huge move for the Eagles and Saquan looks as good as ever in a Eagles uniform making so spectacular plays for them all season. Also to not go unnoticed the Eagles have An Second team all pro quarterback Jalen Hurts and an spectacular receiver A.J. Brown. We know that the Eagles have lots of talent on this team and they are not fun to play. 

3. Commanders

The Commanders have had a great season shattering expectations and they have been able to win and thrive with Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Jayden has been extremely successful and impressive as a rookie quarterback he has brought the Commanders to wins in many close games probably the most memorable one against the Bears where he chucked up a 60 yard Hail mary with time expiring and completed it with zeros on the clock to lead the Commanders to a 18-15 victory. The Commanders are a threat to any team and they are scary when they get hot. 

4. Vikings 

The Vikings have an record of 7-2 right behind the Lions in the NFC North the Vikings looked like they might not have an great season when their young star rookie quarterback J.J McCarthy went down in training camp but the Vikings have had a Savoir lead them to seven victories. Sam Daronald has had a breakout season so far and looks to continue that maybe even in the playoffs and the way the vikings are playing right now that is a very big possibility. But it's not just Sam Dornald who has played amazing for the vikings it has also been Justin Jefferoson their star wide receiver who has been explosive and has torn up secondaries all year long. 

5.  Falcons 

The Falcons are hanging out on the top of the NFC South with a record of 6-4 they have played well all season with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins who they picked up in the offseason with a huge deal with the Vikings. Kirk has played well all season but could play better. One thing for sure though is that his veteran presence on the field has been noticed. The Falcons have many other great play markers such as, Bijan Robonson the running back and Darnell Mooney. Finally the Falcons have played solid all year but they haven't played as good as their ceiling is but they are serious contenders this year. 

In conclusion there are many teams from the AFC and NFC that are contending for the Lombardi trophy but only one of the teams will be able to hold it on February 9th and which team that will be is still unknown but one thing is for certain whoever wins it won't get it easily.