📰🏟️ NFL trade-o-rama
Plus: NBA: National Blowout Association?…
Good afternoon. Welcome back to a shortened week full of top sports stories. Let’s get you up to speed.
—Kyle
1) It was an eventful NFL trade deadline
The NFL trade deadline came and went yesterday afternoon, with a flurry of moves seen in the hours before the 3 pm CT hard cutoff.
Some key highlights:
- The Minnesota Vikings reunited with QB Kirk Cousins, trading a 3rd-rounder to Las Vegas while the Raiders promote #1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza to starter.
- The Indianapolis Colts traded their top 2 healthy WRs—Keenan Allen to 49ers, Josh Downs to Chiefs—but held onto star RB Jonathan Taylor despite strong interest.
- The Bengals initially agreed to trade a 6th-rounder for Eagles LB/DE Arnold Ebiketie—but later canceled the deal after analysts on X noted the Bengals would lose a 3rd-round comp pick due to that trade.
Grading each NFL deadline deal
📣 FULL-COURT PRESS
Headlines across the sports world
- ⚾ Houston Astros hire Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus as their new manager; Ausmus previously led the Tigers (2014-17) and Angels (2019).
- 🏀 Boston Celtics blow out Philadelphia 76ers by a score of 123-101, in 1st-ever matchup between All-NBA former teammates Jayson Tatum (21pts /6 reb/4 ast) and Jaylen Brown (13/5/2).
- 🏈 Miami (OH) was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct in last night’s 34-17 win over Ohio for displaying multiple images of uprights on the video scoreboard while Ohio was attempting a field goal; NFL warned teams against this in September after it came to light on social media that the Brady-era Patriots regularly did so at home.
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2) Georgia takes top spot in latest CFP rankings
The CFP committee released its second rankings last night, with Georgia coming in at #1 following a dominant 42-7 win over Ole Miss.
- Undefeated Utah climbed to #2, followed by #3 Alabama, undefeated UCLA at #4, and Notre Dame at #5 following a marquee win over formerly top-ranked Miami.
- This week’s biggest risers were #16 Oregon (+7 spots), #5 Notre Dame (+6), and #8 Tennessee (+5).
- The biggest fallers include #19 Ole Miss (-9 spots), #20 Ohio State (-8), #21 LSU (-7), and #7 Miami (-6), while #9 Indiana also fell 5 spots during a bye week.
Major takeaways from CFP rankings
🌐 WEB GEMS
Interesting things to click
🏈 Bigger isn’t always better: Why there are a multitude of issues with the 24-team playoff expansion.
🏀 National Blowout Association?...NBA scores and standings are still lopsided despite tanking reforms.
⚾⚖️ Playing hardball: The legal ‘nuclear option’ that threatens to upend the baseball lockout
3) Champions Classic: MSU beats Duke, Kansas rolls Kentucky
College basketball’s marquee early-season event took place in Chicago last night, where 4 of the top teams in the nation faced off.
- #5 Michigan State took down #2 Duke 79-73 in a game where the Spartans never trailed, with G Jeremy Fears Jr. dropping a game-high 18 pts and 11 asts, plus 7 rebs.
- In the nightcap, #15 Kansas delivered a dominant 89-69 win over #24 Kentucky, with G Tre White scoring a career-high 30 pts and fellow G Tyran Stokes adding 23 pts.