The 2022 FIFA World Cup continues Wednesday on FS1 with Germany facing Japan, and we’ve got you covered with every must-see moment from start to finish!
Earlier, Morocco and Croatia battled to a 0-0 draw.
You can watch this game and every match of the tournament on the FOX Sports family of networks — the tournament’s official English-language broadcast partner in the U.S. — and the FOX Sports app and FOXSports.com. You can also stream full-match replays for free on Tubi.
Here are the top plays from Wednesday’s group stage action.
Germany vs. Japan
Pregame scene
7′ – Brutal!
For a fleeting moment, it appeared Japan was going to take an early 1-0 lead, but a goal from forward Daizen Maeda was quickly ruled offside.
15′ – Close, but no cigar
Antonio Rudiger nearly had the first goal of the game, but the Germany defender’s header was a bit to the right.
32′ – Germany strikes first
Germany took full advantage of a Japan transgression, as midfielder Ilkay Gundogan punched in the penalty kick. Germany took a 1-0 lead.
Stay tuned for updates!
Check out the full schedule for the World Cup and how to watch each match live here.
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Groups E and F get underway on Wednesday as Spain, Germany and Belgium play their first matches of the tournament. Spain and Germany are heavy favorites to advance out of Group E. Can either Japan or Costa Rica play spoiler in the first matches? Belgium, meanwhile, takes on Canada in the Canadians’ first World Cup game since 1986.
Morocco vs. Croatia
5 a.m. ET Wednesday, FS1
Is Croatia getting a World Cup 2018 boost in the odds? After making the final four years ago, Croatia is still led by the ageless Luka Modric. But this team is worse than the one that got to the last game of the tournament and don’t discount Morocco. This is a team easily capable of getting through the group stage. The tie could be the right side.
Germany vs. Japan
8 a.m. ET Wednesday, FS1
Germany is the right side here, though don’t discount a Japan team that got an unlucky draw. Japan would be a team pegged to get out of a lot of other groups. We’re excited to see how Germany lines up and how Jamal Musiala impacts his first World Cup game. If there’s a question about Germany it’s on the back line. Can Japan exploit that?
Spain vs. Costa Rica
11 a.m. ET Wednesday, Fox
This is a game that’s going to be played primarily in Costa Rica’s half of the field and it’s not an exaggeration to say that Spain could have 75% of the possession. It’s going to be all about how Spain breaks down a Costa Rica team that will be content to put all 11 outfield players behind the ball and hit on the counter and on set pieces whenever possible. Under 2.5 goals at +115 feels worth it.
Belgium vs. Canada
2 p.m. ET Wednesday, Fox
Belgium will be without Romelu Lukaku after he was ruled out for the start of the tournament. But there’s still plenty of midfield and attacking talent in the side and Belgium has the best player in the tournament in Kevin De Bruyne. It won’t be surprising if Canada gets a result here, but we’ll take the favorites.
The USA and Wales battled it out to a tight, tense draw in their World Cup opener as both teams will be fairly happy with that outcome in Group B.
[ MORE: Player ratings | What we learned ]
But the U.S. will feel like this was one that got away as Gareth Bale equalized with eight minutes to go for Wales (playing in their first World Cup game since 1958) as the young Americans couldn’t hold on for all three points.
After eight years away from the World Cup for the U.S., this was as tense as you would expect as Bale grabbed a point for the Welsh late on as a draw was a fair result.
WATCH FULL MATCH REPLAY
After a dominant start the U.S. took the lead in the first half as Christian Pulisic surged forward and played a perfect through ball to the onrushing Tim Weah who poked home confidently to send American fans everywhere wild.
[ LIVE: World Cup 2022 schedule, how to watch, scores, hub]
Wales improved drastically in the second half as Kieffer Moore gave them a focal point up top and he somehow headed wide from close range moments after Matt Turner had denied Ben Davies. Walker Zimmerman then made a terrible challenge on Bale and the Welsh captain picked himself up to hammer home the penalty kick to grab a point.
The USMNT face England on Friday in their next group game, while Wales face Iran on the same day.
[ MORE: Latest Group B standings, schedule, scores ]
Berhalter’s masterplan starts well, then fades badly
For most of the last few years the USMNT have been hit by injuries and a lack of form to their key players. But at the perfect time everything fell together, at least for the first 45 minutes, for Gregg Berhalter and his side. Dest and McKennie were fit enough to start, Tim Ream has hit the form of his life to bolster the defensive unit. Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah are fit and firing on all cylinders and this is pretty close to the USMNT’s first choice lineup.
The high-pressing game dominated Wales in the first half and the energy of this young team blew their opponents away. When they were on top they got the goal they deserved and everything was slotting into place for the U.S. when they needed it to. But then they faltered. Whether it be lack of experience or a lack of energy, the USMNT wilted in the second half as Wales missed two big chances before they equalized late on. This was a case of the U.S. having a golden opportunity for victory in their grasp but they let it slip in pretty tame fashion. That will disappoint Berhalter but there were plenty of positives to take from their first half display.
Stars of the show
Tim Ream: Dominant defensively and was so calm on the ball in the first half to keep the pressure on Wales. What a comeback story for the 35-year-old.
Kieffer Moore: What an impact he had after coming on at half time. Gave Wales a focal point and turned the game around.
Graphic via FotMob.com
How to watch USA vs Wales live! – By Joe Prince-Wright
Kick off: 2pm ET, Monday (November 21) Stadium: Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan TV channels en Español: Telemundo Streamingen Español:Peacock (all 64 matches)
There was a lot of talk about why Gio Reyna didn’t come on (he told reporters he is 100 percent fit) and it appears that Gregg Berhalter preferred Jordan Morris over the talented young playmaker.
Gregg Berhalter also says that they did a “last-minute check” on Reyna and think he’ll be able to play.#FIFAWorldCup | #USMNT pic.twitter.com/wOrkt2NtV3
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) November 21, 2022
FULL TIME: USA 1-1 Wales – Disappointing end for the USMNT who were excellent in the first half but fair play to Wales, they fought back valiantly and deserved that point. That sets things up for a very tense Group B.
GOALLL! No, is the answer. Walker Zimmerman goes through the back of Gareth Bale and gives away a penalty kick. Bale then picks himself up and slams home. 1-1.
Tick tock. Just over 10 minutes to go. Can the U.S. hold on!?
Brenden Aaronson on for McKennie. The Leeds midfielder needs to help them get on the ball and stop Wales surging forward.
CLOSE! Somehow Kieffer Moore heads over from close range. What a chance for Wales.
SAVE! Matt Turner pushes a diving header from Ben Davies over the bar. It is all Wales now. #USA 1-0 #WAL
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) November 21, 2022
Wales have started the second half well and the USMNT are having to spend a lot of time defending.
TIM WEAH GOAL! 💥#USMNT take a 1-0 lead over Wales.
(via @TelemundoSports)pic.twitter.com/LA9CopiAQ8
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 21, 2022
GOALLL! Tim Weah with a superb finish after a great run and pass from Christian Pulisic. The USMNT get the goal their dominant display deserves.
Tim Ream has been the best player on the pitch so far. My word. Superb on the ball and dominant defensively. What a comeback story! #USMNT
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) November 21, 2022
Sergino Dest and Weston McKennie both booked within a few minutes. Not ideal. Both have been battling for fitness and only just made this game. Changes at half time?
Save! Wayne Hennessey saves as Rodon heads towards his own goal after good work from Tim Weah. Sargent then powers a header wide from close range. USA have to make the most of being on top here.
Josh Sargent almost got his first World Cup goal. #USMNT
🎥: @TelemundoSports pic.twitter.com/Of7sujQ46g
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) November 21, 2022
A decent start from the USA. Wales haven’t been able to keep the ball and the Americans are knocking it about nicely.
Here we go! The teams are out, the anthems have been sung and the fireworks are flying. It is go time for the USA at the World Cup.
USMNT, Wales starting XI
Here we go. 🇺🇸
Full Lineup Notes » https://t.co/DvhSXPvqRy#USMNT x @Visa pic.twitter.com/V8VpU1oBMG
— U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (@USMNT) November 21, 2022
🇺🇸🏴 | STARTING XI
HANES! CWPAN Y BYD! #ArBenYByd | #FIFAWorldCup | #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/IGtOt7HJsL
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) November 21, 2022
Key storylines, players to watch closely
For the USMNT their midfield core is going to be their strength but there are still plenty of question marks around the defense. Veteran Tim Ream could start at center back to provide experience, while the midfield trio of Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Yunus Musah are locked in as the main men in midfield. Ahead of them Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Brenden Aaronson and Tim Weah are all battling for a starting spot in attacking midfield but there is no clear winner to start as the No. 9, so perhaps the USMNT will start with a false nine?
In terms of injuries, Sergino Dest, Matt Turner and Weston McKennie have all been training after brushing off recent injuries. However, Gregg Berhalter said that both Dest and McKennie are unlikely to play the full 90 minutes and said they aren’t fully fit for the opener against Wales. It has also been announced that Tyler Adams has been named captain of the USMNT for the tournament.
🗣 I spoke with Wales and Tottenham defender Ben Davies about facing the #USMNT at the World Cup.
He had plenty of respect for the Americans and he believes both teams know how important the Group B opener is to their hopes of progression 👇 https://t.co/lh6LLfT8Ko
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) November 17, 2022
Wales love to sit deep and soak up pressure and their back three and fluid system will be tough for the USMNT to break down. Going forward the quality of Ramsey and Bale speaks for itself and Wales will rely heavily on set-piece situations and swinging in crosses for Kieffer Moore to attack. Watch out for Harry Wilson and Daniel James in the attacking areas too. Wales are a robust, experienced team and they are very good at sitting back and then springing counter attacks. Their nation expects them to get out of this group and this game against the USMNT is going to be so close to call. Injury wise Wales look pretty good with Joe Allen training on his own as he recovers from a recent hamstring issue and won’t be available for this game.
USA quick facts
Current FIFA world ranking: 16 World Cup titles: 0 World Cup appearances: 9 How they qualified: Qualified automatically from CONCACAF (3rd place) Coach: Gregg Berhalter Key players: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams
Wales quick facts
Current FIFA world ranking: 19 World Cup titles: 0 World Cup appearances: 1 How they qualified: Qualified from UEFA via playoffs, Path B Coach: Rob Page Key players: Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Ben Davies
Though not officially finalized, the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff is expected to debut with the 2024 season. Each week for the rest of the season, The Athletic will test drive the proposed format using the CFP committee’s latest Top 25 rankings.
Here’s how the bracket would be seeded and the site locations determined using the committee’s Nov. 22 rankings and a 2024-25 calendar. Note: The Orange and Cotton Bowls were previously scheduled to host the 2024-25 semifinals and Atlanta was selected as the national championship game.
Top four seeds (first-round byes):
1. Georgia (SEC champion) 2. Ohio State (Big Ten champion) 3. TCU (Big 12 champion) 4. USC (Pac-12 champion)
Under the CFP board’s approved model, the top four seeds will be reserved for the four highest-ranked conference champions. For our purposes, we’re designating each conference’s top-ranked team as its champion. That means No. 1 Georgia (SEC), No. 2 Ohio State (Big Ten), No. 4 TCU (Big 12) and No. 6 USC (Pac-12) would get a bye into the quarterfinals.
Under the same model, the six highest-ranked conference champions are guaranteed berths along with the six highest-ranked at-large teams. Were the season to end today, the fifth- and sixth-highest-ranked conference champions would be No. 8 Clemson (ACC) and No. 19 Tulane (AAC).
Joining them in the field would be the six highest-ranked remaining teams: No. 3 Michigan, No. 5 LSU, No. 7 Alabama, No. 9 Oregon, No. 10 Tennessee and No. 11 Penn State.
The CFP schedule
All times Eastern.
First round
Friday, Dec. 13
No. 9 Oregon at No. 8 Clemson, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 14
No. 12 Tulane at No. 5 Michigan, noon
No. 11 Penn State at No. 6 LSU, 4 p.m.
No. 10 Tennessee at No. 7 Alabama, 8 p.m.
The four first-round games will be played on the campuses of the No. 5-8 seeds over the third weekend in December. Which games get placed in which slots would likely be determined by ESPN, with Tennessee-Alabama as the obvious Saturday prime-time selection.
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Dec. 31
Peach Bowl: No. 3 TCU vs. LSU-Penn State winner, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan 1
Fiesta Bowl: No. 4 USC vs. Michigan-Tulane winner, 1 p.m.
Rose Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. Alabama-Tennessee winner, 5 p.m.
Sugar Bowl: No. 1 Georgia vs. Clemson-Oregon winner, 8:45 p.m.
It is expected the current New Year’s Six bowls will rotate hosting the quarterfinals and semifinals, with a goal of playing most quarterfinals on New Year’s Day. And the CFP board said in its announcement the top four seeds will be assigned “in consideration of current contract bowl relationships.”
Using those parameters, No. 1 Georgia would go to the SEC’s contract bowl, the Sugar Bowl, and No. 2 Ohio State to the Rose Bowl as Big Ten champion. The Peach and Fiesta bowls do not have conference partners, but No. 3 TCU would likely get preference over No. 4 USC, and Atlanta is closer. That conveniently allows the Trojans to stay west.
The commissioners have not officially determined the dates of the semifinals, but they would have to be at least a week later than the quarterfinals, and the CFP would avoid scheduling them opposite the NFL’s Wild Card weekend (Jan. 11-13). That likely means placing one Thursday night and the other Friday night.
In the CFP board’s announcement, it said “the higher seeds would receive preferential placement in the Playoff semifinal games.” That would depend on which teams win their quarterfinals, but if No. 1 Georgia advanced, Miami is closer than Arlington.
Monday, Jan. 20
National championship game in Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
The title game is expected to remain Monday night, as the NFL’s Divisional Round has a hold on potential weekend dates. The CFP had already selected Atlanta as its site for the 2025 national championship game, and it is expected to remain so even though the game will now likely be played two weeks later than planned.
And here’s how we predict the tournament would unfold in the quarterfinals and beyond:
No. 9 Oregon beats No. 8 Clemson
No. 5 Michigan beats No. 12 Tulane
No. 6 LSU beats No. 11 Penn State
No. 7 Alabama beats No. 10 Tennessee
No. 1 Georgia beats No. 9 Oregon
No. 5 Michigan beats No. 4 USC
No. 6 LSU beats No. 3 TCU
No. 7 Alabama beats No. 2 Ohio State
No. 1 Georgia beats No. 5 Michigan
No. 7 Alabama beats No. 6 LSU
No. 1 Georgia beats No. 7 Alabama
Check out last week’s projection here.
(Illustration: Sean Reilly / The Athletic; photos: Tom Pennington, Jeff Moreland, G Fiume / Getty Images)
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers went three straight seasons with at least 13 wins and a playoff appearance from 2019-2021. With less than half of the 2022 campaign remaining, Green Bay isn’t even guaranteed to crack the postseason this time around. And Rodgers, 38, is enduring one of the roughest offensive performances of his career. It’s not inconceivable, after back-to-back offseasons in which the legendary quarterback entertained a split from the Pack, the possibility will arise again.
Rodgers just signed a three-year, $150 million contract extension in March. He’s probably more likely to retire, or return to Green Bay in 2023. But he’s flirted with relocation before, and the Packers are financially strapped approaching the 2023 offseason, with glaring holes at key positions. Assuming the ship isn’t righted before the end of this season, an ensuing trade might benefit both parties: Rodgers could theoretically salvage whatever’s left of his career on a better contender, and Green Bay could stock up on draft picks for a true rebuild under general manager Brian Gutekunst.
Offloading his monster contract would bring challenges, but Rodgers doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his deal, meaning he can be shipped anywhere, and his bonuses are structured in such a way he isn’t unmovable. He’s also relatively affordable for a potential acquiring team, at least in 2023, when he’s due to count $31.6M against the salary cap — No. 10 among all QBs.
With that in mind, here’s an early look at logical suitors for Rodgers, in the event he and Green Bay agree to part ways:
Note: Salary cap figures courtesy of Over the Cap.
Denver was reportedly high on Rodgers’ wish list had he not re-upped with the Packers ahead of 2022, and the Broncos reportedly made a strong run at A-Rod before selling the farm for Russell Wilson. The logistical hurdles would be immense, but how about swapping one aging star for another? Nathaniel Hackett could reunite with a QB proven to gel with him, and Wilson could get an Aaron Jones-led ground game, with a chance to actually further his legacy for a historic franchise.
Marcus Mariota barely registers as a short-term starter, let alone a long-term investment. But the Falcons are competitive in a wide-open division, with tons of 2023 cap room ($57M). They’ve proven under Arthur Smith, successor to current Packers coach Matt LaFleur in Tennessee, they can run the ball; all they need now is a difference-maker under center.
Always open for veteran QB business, they have the skill weapons and defense to stay in the playoff mix. What they don’t have, as usual, is a true franchise signal-caller, with Carson Wentz bound to be cut. The cap space is a concern, but if the respected Ron Rivera is still in charge, he could be a real draw for a longtime vet like Rodgers.
GM Jason Licht is gonna be itching for a quick fix if Tom Brady, 45, calls it quits for good or, perhaps more likely, tests free agency in search of a final fresh start. The question is, does he have enough cap manipulation up his sleeve to make it feasible? On paper, the sunny destination would be appealing for Rodgers, who could potentially help reshape the offensive philosophy and guide roster decisions, as Brady did. When healthy, they remain a contender in a wide-open division.
You can only win in spite of your young QB(s) for so long, right? Bill Belichick has the run game and defense to elevate uninspiring play under center, but in 2023, he’ll also have the cap space ($48.8M) to pursue a blockbuster upgrade on Mac Jones. What better way to finally recreate the Brady era than by going all in for the next-best thing? Rodgers could conceivably also put his own spin on the offense/staff, allowing Belichick to pour full attention into the “D.”
New York has the benefit of going into 2023 not only with a wealth of cap space ($46M) but with the knowledge that new coach Brian Daboll is capable of maximizing personnel. Rodgers is a noted fan of Josh Allen, whose rise came under Daboll’s direction in Buffalo, and would be going from one historic franchise to another. The Giants, meanwhile, have gotten decent growth from Daniel Jones in 2022, but would be a true contender with superior play-makers under center and out wide.
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Respected as he may be in the organization, Derek Carr is extremely expendable after 2022, and may well be ready for new scenery after what’s shaping up to be another lost season. Rodgers, meanwhile, has established chemistry with their top investment, Davante Adams, and would be moving closer to his West Coast home.
Ryan Tannehill does his job well for a team that never dies, but he’s owed more than even Rodgers in 2023, and another early playoff exit would seem to confirm his ceiling. A-Rod loves him some Mike Vrabel, who’s yet to feature a superstar at QB despite a proven track record of postseason contention. LaFleur sprouted from this organization. And Rodgers would surely benefit from an offense that leans heavily on the bruising legs of Derrick Henry, not to mention an annually open division.
Geno Smith is one of this year’s best stories, but at 32, approaching free agency, he’ll be a risky bet considering 2022 is his only productive season as a starter. Seattle wouldn’t necessarily want to dump one aging QB (Russell Wilson) just to add another a year later, but Pete Carroll, 71, is probably interested in contending sooner rather than later. He’s got other pieces — Kenneth Walker III, DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett — to help. He’s got loads of cap space ($30.6M) to use, and even more draft picks from the Russ deal. And GM John Schneider has a big Packers connection; he was the top aide to Ted Thompson when Green Bay drafted Rodgers, and he was the director of football operations when A-Rod took over for Brett Favre and won his lone Super Bowl.
Second-year QB Zach Wilson is already on thin ice both on the field and in the locker room, proving to be the weakest link on an otherwise feisty playoff hopeful. They’re assembled at every spot other than under center, making a veteran upgrade especially tantalizing. Coach Robert Saleh is a respected voice who’s personally matched up well with A-Rod from his time with the 49ers. And offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, a Kyle Shanahan disciple, is the younger brother of Matt, Rodgers’ coach in Green Bay.
1. 49ers
This might sound like a slight to Jimmy Garoppolo, who’s had a truly underrated performance replacing Trey Lance yet again. Jimmy G, in fact, may well be on his way to retaining QB1 duties in 2023. But he’ll be a free agent first, and with Lance still a total unknown, why wouldn’t Kyle Shanahan explore this pairing? He admittedly did it before, calling the Packers about Rodgers’ availability prior to 2021. San Francisco is built to contend, with weapons on both sides of the ball. And Rodgers would surely jump at the opportunity, growing up a 49ers fan in California and famously wishing San Francisco would’ve drafted him in 2005.
The Arizona Cardinals have fired offensive line coach and running game coordinator Sean Kugler following an incident the night before the team’s game Monday in Mexico City, a team source confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday.
Coach Kliff Kingsbury spoke to the Arizona Republic, confirming the incident happened on Sunday night. Kugler was dismissed before Arizona’s 38-10 loss to San Francisco on Monday night.
“We relieved him of his duties, and he was sent home Monday morning prior to the game,” Kingsbury told the Republic. “It’s challenging anytime you make a staff change in that type of manner and I’m just going to leave it at that.”
No other info has been released about the nature of the incident. The Cardinals were in Mexico City for the weekend and through Monday night’s game against the 49ers. The team returned to Arizona following the game.
Arizona hired Kugler as an assistant in 2019 and he was promoted to running game coordinator in June 2021.
Kingsbury said assistant offensive line coach Brian Natkin and tight ends coach Steve Heiden will share Kugler’s duties. Offensive assistant Mike Bercovici will fill in for Heiden as tight ends coach. Kingsbury added that a search for a new running game coordinator and offensive line coach would begin after this season.
This is the second time this season the Cardinals have lost an assistant. In August, running backs coach James Saxon was placed on administrative leave after ESPN reported he had been charged with assaulting a woman in Indianapolis.
On Oct. 6, Saxon pled guilty to one count of domestic battery. He resigned from the Cardinals.
The Angels’ early-offseason aggressiveness continues. The Halos announced the acquisition of outfielder Hunter Renfroe from the Brewers on Tuesday night. Pitchers Janson Junk, Elvis Peguero and Adam Seminaris head to Milwaukee in return.
It’s the third early strike of the offseason for the Halos, who’ve already signed starter Tyler Anderson to a three-year free agent deal and acquired infielder Gio Urshela in a trade with the Twins. Now, they take a step towards fixing an outfield that had a major question mark alongside Mike Trout and Taylor Ward.
Renfroe should solidify the corner outfield spot opposite Ward. He’s been an above-average hitter in each of the past two seasons, with strikingly similar production for the Red Sox in 2021 and Brewers this year. The former first-rounder has combined for 60 home runs over the last two seasons, following up a 31-homer showing with the Sox with 29 more in Milwaukee. He had an identical .315 on-base percentage in each year but more than offset that modest number with big power production.
The right-handed hitter has hit between .255 and .260 in each of the last two years while slugging around .500 both seasons. He has a cumulative .257/.315/.496 line in just under 1100 plate appearances going back to the start of 2021. His 22.9% strikeout rate is right around average, while he’s walked at a slightly below-average 7.6% clip. He’s a lower-OBP slugger who has particularly decimated left-handed opposition. Renfroe carries a .269/.357/.508 line over that stretch while holding the platoon advantage. He’s had starker on-base concerns but hit for enough power to remain a decent option against right-handed pitching (.252/.292/.491).
That power production is Renfroe’s calling card, but he’s also a viable defender. Defensive Runs Saved has pegged him right around league average in right field in each of the last three seasons. Statcast’s range-based metric has Renfroe a few runs below average annually, but he compensates for his fringy athleticism with top-tier arm strength. He’s picked up double-digit assists in each of the last two years, and he leads all MLB outfielders with 27 baserunners cut down in that time.
Renfroe’s excellent arm strength has kept him primarily in right field over the past few years, although he did log a number of innings in left earlier in his career. If he steps into right field at Angel Stadium, that’d push Ward over to left field. Former top prospect Jo Adell now looks as if he’ll be relegated to fourth outfield/bench duty after beginning his career with a .215/.259/.356 showing in roughly one full season’s worth of games. Adell is still just 23 years old and coming off a solid year in Triple-A Salt Lake, but the Angels don’t appear prepared to count on him for a regular role as they look to vault their way into the playoff picture in 2023.
As with last week’s Urshela trade, the Renfroe acquisition is about deepening the lineup with a productive but not elite veteran for a season. Renfroe turns 31 in January and is in his final season of club control. He’s projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for an $11.2MM salary, and he’ll be a free agent at the end of the year. That’s a reasonable sum for a player of this caliber, but one moderately expensive season of arbitration control over a lower-OBP corner slugger isn’t teeming with trade value. Renfroe is the second player of that ilk dealt in as many weeks.
The Blue Jays sent Teoscar Hernández to the Mariners for reliever Erik Swanson and pitching prospect Adam Macko. That trade came as a surprise to a number of Toronto fans, but each of Swanson and Macko are arguably more appealing players than any of the trio of pitchers Milwaukee received in this swap. Hernández is a better hitter than Renfroe is, but the gap between the former’s .282/.332/.508 line over the past two seasons and the latter’s production isn’t all that dramatic. Nevertheless, Renfroe has had a hard time sticking in any one spot as his price tag has escalated throughout his arbitration seasons. The Halos will be his fifth team in as many years, as he’s successively played for the Padres, Rays, Red Sox and Brewers going back to 2019.
Adding his projected arbitration salary pushes the Halos’ estimated 2023 payroll up to around $192MM, per Roster Resource. That’d be the highest mark in franchise history, narrowly topping their approximate $189MM figure from this past season. They’re up to roughly $206MM in luxury tax commitments, around $27MM shy of the $233MM base threshold. The franchise’s spending capacity this winter has been in question with owner Arte Moreno exploring a sale of the franchise. There’s still no indication the club is willing to approach luxury tax territory, but the acquisitions of Anderson, Urshela and Renfroe have tacked on an estimated $31.9MM in 2023 spending. The latter two players represent one-year investments, but it seems Moreno is affording general manager Perry Minasian and his group some leeway to add to the roster in advance of the club’s final season of control over defending AL MVP runner-up Shohei Ohtani.
The Brewers add a trio of pitchers, two of whom already have big league experience. Junk is a former 22nd-round pick of the Yankees. He went to the Halos in the 2021 deadline deal that sent southpaw Andrew Heaney to the Bronx. The right-hander has pitched in seven MLB games over the past two seasons, starting six. He’s allowed a 4.74 ERA through 24 2/3 innings, striking out a below-average 19.4% of opponents but posting a sterling 4.4% walk rate.
Junk, 27 in January, leans primarily on a low-80s slider which prospect evaluators suggest could be an above-average pitch. He has decent spin on his 92-93 MPH four-seam but hasn’t cemented himself on a big league staff to this point. He spent most of this year on optional assignment to Salt Lake, where he posted a 4.64 ERA through 73 2/3 innings as a starter in a hitter-friendly environment. His 22.1% strikeout percentage was a touch below average, but he only walked 5.8% of opponents. The Seattle University product still has a pair of minor league option years remaining and can bounce between Milwaukee and Triple-A Nashville as rotation or middle relief depth.
Peguero, on the other hand, is a pure reliever. The righty debuted with three appearances as a COVID replacement late in the 2021 season. He earned a permanent 40-man roster spot last offseason and appeared in 13 games this year. Tasked with low-leverage innings, Peguero put up a 7.27 ERA across 17 1/3 innings. He only struck out 15.6% of opponents but got swinging strikes on a more impressive 12% of his total pitches. The Dominican Republic native induced grounders on roughly half the batted balls he surrendered in the majors.
He also had an excellent year in Salt Lake, where he tossed 44 1/3 frames of 2.84 ERA ball. Peguero fanned 27.5% of batters faced against a quality 7.1% walk rate and racked up grounders at a huge 57.5% clip. Like Junk, Peguero leaned primarily on a slider during his MLB look, although he throws much harder. Peguero’s slider checked in at 91 MPH on average while his fastball sat just north of 96. He turns 26 in March and also has two options remaining, so the Brewers can deploy him as an up-and-down middle reliever while hoping he can translate his Triple-A success against big league opponents.
Seminaris went in the fifth round in the 2020 draft out of Long Beach State. A 6’0″ southpaw, he wasn’t ranked among the top 30 prospects in the Anaheim system at Baseball America. He traversed three minor league levels this year, showing well at High-A against younger competition but struggling as he climbed the minor league ladder. Altogether, he worked 101 2/3 frames of 3.54 ERA ball with a 22.1% strikeout rate and an 8.7% walk percentage. He’s not on the 40-man roster but will have to be added by the end of the 2023 season or be exposed in the Rule 5 draft.
While Milwaukee clearly likes all three mid-20’s hurlers, they’re each flexible depth options. Surely, a key motivator in the deal was reallocating Renfroe’s hefty arbitration projection. Slashing payroll wasn’t the sole impetus for the trade — the Brewers could’ve simply non-tendered Renfroe last week if they were committed to getting his money off the books — but GM Matt Arnold and his staff elected to clear some payroll room while bringing in a few depth arms of note.
The Brewers are projected for a salary around $115MM at Roster Resource thanks largely to an arbitration class that still includes Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Willy Adames, among others. That’s about $17MM shy of this year’s Opening Day mark, and more roster shuffling figures to be on the horizon. Dealing a complementary player like Renfroe doesn’t suggest the Brewers are about to flip any of Burnes, Woodruff or Adames, but Milwaukee could consider moving second baseman Kolten Wong or a depth starter like Adrian Houser or Eric Lauer. They’ve already drawn some interest from the Mariners on Wong and are sure to contemplate a number of ways to try to balance the present and the future.
Milwaukee could now dip into the lower tiers of the free agent corner outfield market to backfill for Renfroe’s absence, with Tyrone Taylor standing as the current favorite for playing time alongside Christian Yelich and Garrett Mitchell in the outfield. Highly-touted young players like Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer could play their way into the mix midseason, but it’d be a surprise if the Brewers didn’t add at least one veteran outfielder before Opening Day.
The University of Kansas and head football coach Lance Leipold have agreed to terms on a new contract that includes an extension through the 2029 season, sources told ESPN.
Leipold, 58, has resuscitated the Jayhawks program in just his second season in Lawrence, leading Kansas to a 6-5 record and its first bowl game since the 2008 season. This is Leipold’s second extension this season; the school announced an extension through the 2027 season in September.
The commitment to Leipold, who was averaging $2.75 million annually on his initial six-year deal when hired in 2021, is indicative of Kansas’ surge in commitment to football investment. In October, the school announced a stadium overhaul project and other facility improvements that are expected to cost more than $300 million.
The deal also is structured to keep Leipold in Lawrence for the long term. His name had been linked to the open jobs at both Nebraska and Wisconsin.
The facility improvement announcement at Kansas came just before the Jayhawks hosted TCU for an appearance on ESPN’s “College GameDay” in October, the first time the show had visited Lawrence. Kansas started this season 5-0, with star quarterback Jalon Daniels emerging as an early favorite for the Heisman Trophy. The Jayhawks won road games against West Virginia and Houston and at home versus Duke and Iowa State, leading to the school’s first national ranking since 2009.
Leipold didn’t get hired by Kansas until late April of last season, inheriting a mess left behind by former coach Les Miles, who went 3-18 in two seasons. In Leipold’s first year in 2021, he authored a signature victory with an overtime upset of Texas in Austin. Kansas was a 31-point underdog in that game, which snapped a 56-game conference road losing streak. Perhaps more important, the win delivered a jolt of hope to a program that had long been entrenched in the Big 12’s basement and gave immediate credibility for Leipold’s program.
Since reaching the Insight Bowl and Orange Bowl in back-to-back seasons, in 2007 and 2008, Kansas football had spiraled into one of the sport’s laughingstocks. None of the four coaches since Mark Mangino’s firing in 2009 — Turner Gill, Charlie Weis, David Beaty and Miles — delivered a winning record or lasted longer than four years.
Leipold emerged as an early candidate for national coach of the year in 2022, although those expectations have been tempered after Daniels got injured in the home loss to TCU and the Jayhawks lost three straight. Kansas then beat No. 18 Oklahoma State to clinch bowl eligibility.
Leipold won six national titles at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he went 109-6 before taking the Buffalo job in 2015. He led the Bulls to three bowl appearances and two bowl victories in six seasons.
A two-loss team has never made the College Football Playoff, but at No. 5 this week, LSU (9-2) inched one step closer to making history.
In the most notable decision from an otherwise predictable top six, the CFP selection committee deemed the Tigers a notch above one-loss USC, which is coming off its best win of the season, a 48-45 road victory against No. 18 UCLA. The Trojans also have a CFP Top 25 win against No. 21 Oregon State, but the committee bumped LSU up one spot after Tennessee lost 63-38 to still-unranked South Carolina and dropped from No. 5 to No. 10.
That same Tennessee team beat LSU 40-13 in Baton Rouge.
LSU, though, has wins against No. 7 Alabama and No. 20 Ole Miss, and the 32-31 overtime victory against the Tide on Nov. 5 is clearly carrying weight in the room, along with the fact the Tigers have clinched the SEC West and will face Georgia in the SEC championship game. With LSU on the bubble, there should be little doubt the Tigers can finish in the top four on Selection Day on Dec. 4 if they beat Texas A&M on Saturday and Georgia in the SEC championship.
“It came up over and over again to make sure, and there’s reasons for both teams, but the committee at the end of the day saw the wins over Alabama and Mississippi as stronger than the wins over UCLA and Oregon State,” selection committee chair Boo Corrigan said. “One area we still have questions on is the strength of the defense of USC, and looking at it in its entirety, we believe that LSU deserved to be ranked 5 and SC 6.”
The possibility of LSU winning the SEC should concern every other contender — especially the loser of the Ohio State-Michigan game Saturday — because it sustains the possibility of two SEC teams finishing in the top four.
Again.
Here’s what the fourth of six rankings means to the biggest rivalry games of Week 13, ranked in order of their greatest impact:
Jump to: Anger Index | 12-team bracket | Résumés |
1. Michigan at Ohio State
If Michigan wins: The Wolverines win the Big Ten East and position themselves as the Big Ten’s top playoff contender. Ohio State would need Georgia to run the table and beat LSU, eliminating the possibility of two SEC teams (it’s happened twice before: 2017 and 2021), and it would help the Buckeyes tremendously if Notre Dame beats USC and knocks out the Pac-12. Ohio State would be banking on wins against Notre Dame and Penn State to impress the selection committee to get in at the expense of a one-loss ACC champion Clemson. Ohio State has five wins over current FPI top-40 teams — by an average of 22.4 PPG.
If Ohio State wins: The Buckeyes would win the Big Ten East and emerge as the league’s top playoff contender. Michigan would need its win against No. 11 Penn State and game film to trump a Power 5 conference champion. Much like Ohio State, Michigan needs Georgia to win the SEC and eliminate LSU and the possibility of two SEC teams, and it needs USC to lose to Notre Dame and eliminate the Pac-12. Michigan’s biggest problem is its nonconference schedule (Colorado State, Hawai’i and UConn), which is the second weakest in the FBS. Right now, though, Michigan is No. 4 in ESPN’s strength of record metric, while Clemson is No. 6. If Michigan loses, it would have four wins against teams ranked currently in the top 40 of FPI (PSU, Illinois, Iowa and Maryland) and two of those four wins were by one possession.
The NEW #CFBPlayoff top 25 rankings heading into rivalry week‼️
Which matchup are you looking forward to? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/HPRCgNRmbd
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 23, 2022
2. Notre Dame at USC
If Notre Dame wins: The Pac-12 is eliminated from the playoff because its champion would have at least two losses, and USC is already looking up at a two-loss team. A Notre Dame win would also help Ohio State’s résumé, giving the Buckeyes another small boost in case they don’t beat Michigan.
If USC wins: The Pac-12’s hopes would remain strong, and USC could jump LSU and crack the top four in the committee’s fifth ranking after the loser of Ohio State-Michigan falls out. Even if USC wins the Pac-12, though, and ends its season with three straight wins against CFP Top 25 opponents, there could still be a debate. USC needs Georgia to run the table and eliminate LSU, along with the possibility of two SEC teams in the top four. The best-case scenario for USC would be for Ohio State to win the Big Ten, because the Trojans are more likely to win a résumé battle against Michigan as runner-up. With Notre Dame as a common opponent with Ohio State, that could get tricky depending on how the game plays out. If Georgia, Ohio State and TCU are in, one-loss USC seems to have separated itself from one-loss Clemson in the committee meeting room. The question would be if the opponents in their respective conference championship games change that perception, and if the committee is bothered more by Clemson’s average offense, or USC’s porous defense.
“I think we’re looking for a stronger showing by the defense,” Corrigan said. “As a committee, a more dominant win in those situations to continue to move forward.”
3. South Carolina at Clemson
If Clemson wins: The Tigers will avoid elimination but remain a fringe CFP team in need of help beyond an ACC title. No team ranked lower than No. 7 at this point in the season has ever made the playoff. Clemson’s win against No. 16 Florida State continues to help the Tigers, and North Carolina dropped only four spots after its dreadful loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday. It also helped Clemson that Louisville popped into the ranking this week at No. 25. Clemson could finish the season with three wins against CFP Top 25 teams but will be dinged by the committee for its 35-14 loss to Notre Dame in South Bend. If Clemson finishes in the top four, that 21-point deficit would be the third-largest regular-season loss by a CFP semifinalist. The loss to Notre Dame, though, could be one factor that keeps the Tigers out because the committee also compares common opponents, and USC and Ohio State also will have played Notre Dame. In order to have a realistic chance, Clemson needs to run the table and hope for some combination or all of the following: a TCU loss, Georgia to run the table and win the SEC, and a two-loss Pac-12 champion.
The committee has some questions about what it sees from Clemson’s offense.
“Will Shipley from Clemson is a dynamic player for them,” Corrigan said. “I think they’ve had maybe a little bit of ups and downs with regards to the quarterback position that we’ve talked about in the room.”
If South Carolina wins: The ACC is eliminated. Clemson and Coastal Division champion North Carolina would each enter the conference title game with two losses, and neither of them has played well enough or has the résumé to compensate for that.
Anger index
During the first few rankings reveals, a common refrain is offered: These rankings don’t really mean anything.
Well, at this point, that notion can largely be forgotten because while there’s still much to be decided, there’s also little precedent for a team not already in the top four or just outside of it making the playoff. And given the lack of significant shake-ups to the rankings without a team losing (see: USC stays behind LSU this week in spite of its big win over UCLA), the committee has largely decided who it thinks is best, and a few teams have a real reason to argue with those decisions.
1. Clemson Tigers (No. 8)
Let’s do a little blind résumé review here.
Team A: 10-1, No. 6 strength of record, No. 56 strength of schedule, three wins by a TD or more over teams ranked in the top half of FBS, two wins vs. currently ranked teams, loss to a top-15 opponent.
Team B: 10-1, No. 9 strength of record, No. 58 strength of schedule, one win by a TD or more over teams ranked in the top half of FBS, two wins vs. currently ranked teams, loss to a top-15 opponent.
Extremely similar profiles, but you’d give Team A the slight edge, right? Well, Team A is Clemson. Team B is USC, ranked two spots higher and far better positioned to make the playoff if the status quo largely holds.
Why is Clemson dinged in a way the Trojans aren’t? Well, USC lost by a point to Utah, which was ranked at the time. Clemson lost by 21 to a Notre Dame team that was not ranked at the time. Context matters.
Here’s some additional context: Clemson surrendered 21 points to Notre Dame on two turnovers and a blocked punt. USC was actually +1 in turnover margin against Utah (though it didn’t turn into points). There’s a genuine skill involved in turnover margin, but there’s also a lot of luck and situational differences involved, too. Play a game free of turnovers and basically Clemson played Notre Dame about the same way USC played Utah. But, of course, those turnovers happened, and a 21-point loss is still worse than a one-point defeat. But if we’re splitting hairs here, it’s worth considering all the context, not just the surface-level metrics.
Of course, there’s another issue with Clemson that pundits have discussed: The Tigers aren’t doing anything particularly well. USC’s offense is astounding, even if the defense is a mess. Clemson is … fine. There’s very little to get excited about — even if there’s nothing to specifically critique either.
So let’s look at another comparison:
Team A: 10-1, 5-1 vs. FPI top 50, 36.5 points per game and 19.7 points per game allowed vs. FBS foes, 48.7% offensive success rate vs. FBS, 62.7% defensive success rate, five wins by more than a touchdown.
Team B: 10-1, 5-1 vs. FPI top 50, 34.7 points per game and 20.8 points per game allowed vs. FBS foes, 47.2% offensive success rate vs. FBS, 62.6% defensive success rate, seven wins by more than a touchdown
Who’s been the more impressive team? Maybe a slight edge for Team A, but both pretty evenly matched, right? Well, Team B is this year’s Clemson team. Team A is Clemson through 11 games in 2016, when the Tigers went on to win a national championship.
Clemson might not be great at anything at the moment, but it’s pretty good at nearly everything. And Clemson’s loss might look ugly, but when the Tigers have avoided turnovers, they’ve handled their competition with ease.
And yet, here they are, ranked No. 8 — a ranking that seems to come with a message from the committee. Clemson will not only need to win out, but it needs to have a lot of other things go right if it wants to make the playoff. No team ranked outside the top seven at this point has ever made the final four.
2. Tennessee Volunteers (No. 10)
When South Carolina hangs 63 on you, there’s really no way to put a bow on that and make it look good. It was a brutally bad loss for the Volunteers. But the committee is supposed to avoid recency bias and look at the entirety of the season, not just what happened last week. And that brings us to this important point: Tennessee, LSU and Alabama all have two losses. Tennessee has wins over both LSU and Alabama. Alabama and LSU are both ranked ahead of Tennessee.
If the committee’s point is that Tennessee was overrated before and the South Carolina game revealed some previously unknown flaw, then OK. Dropping the Vols makes sense. But then the losses suffered by LSU and Alabama at the hands of Tennessee should be reevaluated, too.
There’s no absolute math, no perfect formula for creating playoff rankings. But the most obvious and easiest metric is head-to-head performance, because for all we can say we think we know about teams, nothing matters more than what actually happens on the field. So when all else is equal, head-to-head should be the ultimate line of demarcation. Instead, the committee has decided that one bad loss to South Carolina is more significant than head-to-head wins over two teams it ranks higher.
3. Washington Huskies (No. 13)
That case we just made for Tennessee? Copy and paste that here. Washington has the same record as Oregon, beat Oregon head-to-head, and while it also has a worse overall loss, it has the better overall résumé.
4. Coastal Carolina, Troy and UTSA (all unranked)
There’s no good argument for a Group of 5 team to make the playoff this season, as there has been in most past years. But the race for a New Year’s Six bid remains wide open. The only problem is, the committee has basically decided that whoever wins the American Athletic Conference deserves the bid, wholly ignoring UTSA (8-2 with only a two-point loss to Houston and a loss to No. 23 Texas).
Perhaps the lackluster performance of Conference USA explains that oversight, but the Sun Belt has actually been quite good this season, and yet Coastal Carolina (9-1) and Troy (9-2 with a four-point loss on a last-second Hail Mary to Appalachian State and a road loss to No. 20 Ole Miss) get no love either. There’s no clear-cut best team outside the Power 5 this year, but it feels like what could easily be a six- or seven-team race for the New Year’s Six spot is being boiled down to a couple of games deciding the American instead.
5. Minnesota (unranked)
We’re shedding no tears for the Gophers. Lose to Iowa, and earn no pity. That’s a simple rule. But it’s worth pointing out that Minnesota is 7-4, ranked No. 17 in SP+ and No. 21 in FPI. No unranked team in either metric ranks higher. Then again, don’t lose to Iowa.
How a 12-team playoff would look
Everyone with the power to expand the College Football Playoff wants the field to grow to 12 teams in time for the 2024 season.
But currently, expansion is scheduled to begin in 2026. So while discussions continue on how to move up the timeline, we’re taking a look at how a 12-team playoff would look today based on the already-determined model released by the commissioners and presidents.
The field will be composed of the selection committee’s six highest-ranked conference champions and its next six highest-ranked teams. The four highest-ranked conference champions will earn the top seeds and a first-round bye. The other eight teams will play in the first round, with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds on campus or at another site of their choice.
Here’s what the playoff would look like if the 12-team format were in place today:
Seeds with byes
1. Georgia 2. Ohio State 3. TCU 4. USC
Remaining seeds (conference champs in bold)
5. Michigan 6. LSU 7. Alabama 8. Clemson 9. Oregon 10. Tennessee 11. Penn State 12. Tulane
First-round games
No. 12 Tulane at No. 5 Michigan No. 11 Penn State at No. 6 LSU No. 10 Tennessee at No. 7 Alabama No. 9 Oregon at No. 8 Clemson
Quarterfinal games
No. 9 Oregon-No. 8 Clemson winner vs. No. 1 Georgia No. 10 Tennessee-No. 7 Alabama winner vs. No. 2 Ohio State No. 11 Penn State-No. 6 LSU winner vs. No. 3 TCU No. 12 Tulane-No. 5 Michigan winner vs. No. 4 USC
Top résumés
No. 1 Georgia
Record: 11-0 | SOS: 43 | SOR: No. 2 Biggest win: Nov. 5 vs. Tennessee Last playoff appearance: 2022 CFP National Championship: No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18
No. 2 Ohio State
Record: 11-0 | SOS: 54 | SOR: No. 3 Biggest win: Oct. 29 at Penn State, 44-31 Last playoff appearance: 2021 CFP National Championship: No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24
No. 3 Michigan
Record: 11-0 | SOS: 74 | SOR: 4 Biggest win: Oct. 15 vs. Penn State, 41-17 Last playoff appearance: 2022 playoff semifinal at the Orange Bowl: No. 3 Georgia 34, No. 2 Michigan 11
No. 4 TCU
Record: 11-0 | SOS: 35 | SOR: 1 Biggest win: Nov. 12 at Texas, 17-10 Last playoff appearance: Never
No. 5 LSU
Record: 9-2 | SOS: 15 | SOR: 8 Biggest win: Nov. 5 vs. Alabama, 32-31 Last playoff appearance: 2020 CFP National Championship: No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25
No. 6 USC
Record: 10-1 | SOS: 58 | SOR: 9 Biggest win: Nov. 19 at UCLA, 48-45 Last playoff appearance: Never
No. 8 Clemson
Record: 10-1 | SOS: 56 | SOR: 6 Biggest win: Oct. 15 at Florida State, 34-28 Last playoff appearance: 2021 playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Ohio State 49, No. 2 Clemson 28
It’s back! An all-star slate of epic proportions! 15 matchs in total, 11 men’s and four women’s bouts will be held today in Austin, TX. Check back here early and often for updates in real-time!
2022 NWCA All-Star Classic
First whistle is scheduled for 8:00PM eastern! Below is the bout order:
125: Pat McKee (Minnesota) vs Kysen Terukina (Iowa State)
133: Lucas Byrd (Illinois) vs Michael McGee (Arizona State)
157: Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) vs Will Lewan (Michigan)
197: Jacob Warner (Iowa) vs Rocky Elam (Missouri)
285: Anthony Cassioppi (Iowa) vs Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State)
191: Kelani Corbett (Missouri Valley) vs Sydnee Kimber (McKendree)
170: Yelena Makoyed (North Central) vs Jessie Lee (Life)
184: Aaron Brooks (Penn State) vs Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa)
141: Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh) vs Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado)
143: Adaugo Nwachukwu (Iowa Wesleyan) vs Alara Boyd (McKendree)
109: Peyton Prussin (Life) vs Emily Shilson (Augsburg)
165: David Carr (Iowa State) vs Quincy Monday (Princeton)
165: Dean Hamiti Jr. (Wisconsin) vs Keegan O’Toole (Missouri)
149: Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) vs Austin Gomez (Wisconsin)
174: Carter Starocci (Penn State) vs Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech)
It’s nearly time! Blogging perch secured. I’m flanked by the great Mark Bader to my left and the inimitable Shane Sparks to my right!
5 minutes out! pic.twitter.com/P32AwULNuz
— Andrew Spey (@SpeyWrestle) November 23, 2022
125: #3 Pat McKee (Minnesota) vs #12 Kysen Terukina (Iowa State)
1st period: These guys are used to being the first match of an event. Terukina repping Iowa State by way of Hawaii, McKee is a local Minnesota product. Good action but no scores after a minute. Terkuina shoots a sweep single but a strong chest wrap from McKee defends. Still no scores. 1 minute left in the period. Another shot by Terukina, he’s in deep but McKee head cartwheels over and scores the takedown. Impressive counter by Pat. Solid ride by McKee, Terukina keep pretty close to the mat for the final minute and McKee has a 2-0 leads and 55 seconds of riding time at the break
2nd period: McKee chooses bottom. He stands and is out after about 15 seconds. A couple shots from Terukina, reattack by McKee. Knee pick straight to the back. McKee pounces on the head. Terukina may have though they were going out of bounds but McKee drags his toe. Readjust, barely in bounds still, and there’s the fall! Pat McKee wins the first All-Star Classic bout since 2018 via pinfall!
Patrick McKee is a dangerous man!
He kicks off the All-Star Classic with a fall over Kysen Terukina. pic.twitter.com/cZ2EpFAknO
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) November 23, 2022
133: #5 Lucas Byrd (Illinois) vs #4 Michael McGee (Arizona State)
1st period: McGee comes out in a Sunkist Kids freestyle singlet. Byrd is wearing the traditional Illinois singlet featuring a Block I. All of which is allowed, as these matches are exhibitions. It’s also why they’re wearing red and blue ankle bands rather than red and green. No scores half way through the 1st period. Byrd with the first penetrating attack with about a minute left. And he converts for two, McGee tried to roll through but Byrd had the move sniffed out. McGee escapes after 28 seconds of RT. 2-1 Byrd leads at the break.
2nd period: Byrd chooses down. Builds to a quad-pod. And Byrd’s out while preserving 3 seconds of RT in his favor. 3-1 leads for Illinois. Another good shot from Byrd, he’s got a leg, McGee goes over the top, grabs some angles, no a crotch lock. There’s a scramble. McGee is close. No score! Time expired, and Mark Perry, in the corner for McGee, throws the challenge brick. Thorough review, and call is confirmed. No takedown, still 3-1 Bryd.
3rd period: McGee underneath and a stand to a granby and and McGee is out in about 10 seconds. 3-2 now, RT not a factor. Final minute of regulation, still on our feet. No stall calls on either wrestler. McGee furiously attacking. Byrd doesn’t let him get close, and Byrd takes it 3-2!
157: #4 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) vs #2 Will Lewan (Michigan)
1st period: Andonian is appointment viewing and Lewan is as tough as they come. Should be a fun one, although, duh, they all should be. No scores after a minute. Andonian coils up and unleashes a deep double but Lewan pulls him up with overhooks and stops the attack. No scores as we get to short time. And a perfectly timed double by Lewan scores with just 6 seconds left in the period. 2-0 as we go to the break.
2nd period: Lewan starts underneath, and he’s out in 6 seconds so RT clock reads triple zero and Lewan has a 3-0 lead. Another double by Lewan but Andonian stops him. Bryce slaps on an over-under bodylock. Lewan fights out of it. Good flurry in short time but no scores. Another flurry as the clock hits zero, still 3-0 Lewan.
3rd period: Andonian with a turn on bottom. He’s out quickly, 3-1. RT not a factor. Lewan not afraid to go upper body. Some good flurries but still 3-1 with a minute to go in regulation. Andonian picks up the pace but Lewan won’t let him lock anything up tight. Time expires and Will Lewan wins 3-1!
One takedown is the difference – Will Lewan gets the 3-1 decision over Bryce Andonian pic.twitter.com/vyQx7O3X7W
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) November 23, 2022
197: #2 Jacob Warner (Iowa) vs #4 Rocky Elam (Missouri)
1st period: Our first of two back-to-back bouts featuring Hawkeyes. Warner was an NCAA runnerup last season and a three-time All-American. Elam is a two-time All-American. This is the first collegiate meeting between the two of them. Warner walks out to ‘Fat Bottom Girls’, Elam appropriately comes out to the Rocky theme song. Elam his a single early and he scores quickly. Warner out quickly, Elam leads 2-1. Collar ties and hand fighting, not a lot of level changes over the next 90 seconds. The period ends with no more scores, still 2-1 Missouri.
2nd period: Elam on bottom. False start and caution on Rocky. Clean start, Warner lifts and returns. Takes a few tries but Elam is out after about 30 seconds. Elam in on a shot. Stalemated with 44 seconds on the clock, 3-1 Elam. We break for blood, looks like it’s coming from Elam. We’re back in business. No scores to close out the period, still 3-1 Elam, RT not a factor.
3rd period: Warner starts on bottom. He sits and is out in 4 seconds. Great exchange, attack by Elam, reattack by Warner, both almost scores. Another attack by Elam, he’s got a leg, he’s chewing up clock, and the takedown at the edge. 5-2 Elam now and he’s got a 3 point lead with 52 seconds to go on the restart. Warner with a switch off the whistle, and cuts him immediately. Shot by Elam, he leads 6-4 and wants to use up this clock. Warner counters and the Iowan ties it up! 6-6, Warner on a leg, he gets hit with a stall call but it’s worth it because the period expires and we’re going to overtime!
Sudden Victory: Warner pressuring in. Elam drops underneath and converts for the win! 8-6, and a statement win for thr Missouri Tiger. He’ll likely move up to #2 in the nation after that victory.
