Following a flurry of deals, it’s the final push. Here are full playoff projections, updated draft lottery standings and more.
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For the first time in two years, the Georgia Bulldogs lost a football game Saturday.
The top-ranked, two-time defending national champions were upset in the SEC title game by No. 8 Alabama, creating chaos for the College Football Playoff committee.
Georgia was riding a 29-game winning streak entering Saturday afternoon, and its last loss came Dec. 4, 2021 in the SEC championship against Alabama.
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But that loss didn’t keep the Bulldogs out of the 2021 College Football Playoff. And Georgia got its revenge by beating Alabama in that season’s national championship.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart says Saturday’s loss shouldn’t keep his Bulldogs out this year either.
“[Committee executive director] Bill Hancock said it’s not the most deserving,” Smart said after the game. “Simply, it’s the best four teams. You’re gonna tell me somebody’s sitting in that committee room and doesn’t think that Georgia team is not one of the best four teams? I don’t know if you’re in the right profession.
“It’s a really good football team. It’s a really talented football team. It’s a really balanced football team. They have to make that decision, but it’s the best four teams.”
Georgia scored a touchdown on its first possession of the game, but the Crimson Tide earned its seventh conference title in the last decade.
It’s rare a team has made the CFP without winning its conference. But it happened with Ohio State in 2016, Alabama in 2017 and the 2021 Georgia team.
No. 7 Texas remains in the mix with its Big 12 title. At the time of publication, No. 4 Florida State looks like it will finish 13-0 with an ACC title, which still might not even be enough. And who knows what happens if No. 2 Michigan is upset by No. 19 Iowa in the Big Ten championship?
The Bulldogs will find out their fate Sunday afternoon.
The opening round of the Tour Championship tees off at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta on Thursday. Scottie Scheffler, the current world No. 1 ranked pro golfer, will begin the round with a 2-stroke edge.
The Tour Championship utilizes a staggered-scoring format, but Scheffler seems to believe the PGA Tour can find a different way to determine its season-long champion.
“I wouldn’t say that it is the best format to identify the best golfer for the year,” Scheffler said Wednesday.
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The tour’s season-long winner claims the right to a multi-million dollar bonus.
“Jon Rahm played some of the best golf of anybody this year and he’s coming into this tournament fourth and he’s 4 shots back. And, in theory, he could have won 20 times this year and he would only have a 2-shot lead.”
Scheffler victories have yielded 4,218 FedEx Cup points — significantly more than fellow golfers Viktor Hovland and Rory McIlroy.
PGA TOUR STAR JON RAHM REVEALS GOLFERS HEAR FANS TALK ABOUT GAMBLING: ‘IT’S VERY, VERY PRESENT
Hovland will start the Tour Championship at eight under, while McIlroy will tee off at seven under.
Brian Harman won the Open Championship this year and heads to East Lake at four under, while the rest of the field will begin at three under to even.
Scheffler said he is well aware that the playoff format makes sense for television.
“I mean, I get it,” Scheffler said. “It’s made for TV. It may be more exciting for the fans to have this type of format. But as players I think it’s not the best identifier of who is playing the best throughout the year. But with that being said, I’m starting this week with a 2-shot lead and, I mean, I’m not complaining about it.
“It’s pretty nice. And we’re playing for a lot of money this week, and I’m very grateful for that. But as far as identifying the best player throughout the year, I don’t think it’s the best format.”
McIlroy trailed Scheffler by 11 strokes last season, but he went on to win the Tour Championship — the third of his career. It also marked McIlroy’s most significant win significant victory since the 2019 Players Championship.
McIlroy offered a different perspective on the current playoff format saying he believes it provides a leg up to players who have performed well.
“I do like it this way,” McIlroy noted.
“I think it gives the guys that have had the better years an advantage going into the week, which I think they should have. If anything, Scottie this year, he probably should have more of an advantage than a 2-shot lead. But it makes it an exciting week, you know, if guys feel like they have a chance to win. Of all the iterations of the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup playoffs, I think this is the best one yet.”
We have the best of the XFL from Week 8, including the standout players, top plays of the weekend and more.
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Many in Bengals organization remain livid at NFL’s decision that could let a coin flip take home-field advantage from Cincinnati, sources told ESPN.
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ESPN takes a look at the NFL playoff scenarios for Week 17 and what teams in the AFC and NFC need to do to reach the postseason field.
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TCU won, and the dream of a spot in the playoff remains within reach. Oregon lost, and no matter how many times fate seemed to intervene on Washington’s behalf, that loss is all that ultimately matters.
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The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Chris Ryan and Tyler Parker to discuss Tyler’s five favorite characters in the NBA playoffs (2:21). Then Bill talks with Jackie MacMullan about the Celtics-Bucks Round 2 series currently tied at 1-1, the difficulty of officiating Giannis Antetokounmpo; Celtics head coach Ime Udoka helping his team find their identity, why it is so difficult to predict the series outcome, and more (41:29). Finally Bill is joined by Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam to talk about going on tour for the first time since the pandemic, navigating working as a solo artist while still remaining an integral part of Pearl Jam, why the Utah Jazz haven’t been successful with their roster, Seattle’s grunge scene in the ’90s, rumors of the SuperSonics returning to Seattle, and more (1:18:43).
Host: Bill Simmons
Guests: Chris Ryan, Tyler Parker, Jackie MacMullan, and Jeff Ament
Producers: Kyle Crichton and Steve Ceruti
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The two Central clubs clash for the final time in the regular season. Plus, we look at the latest playoff bracket projections and more.
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The Packers clinched their division, but can they lock up the NFC’s top seed? Will the Vikings hang on to a wild-card berth? Here is the current postseason outlook.
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