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Showing posts with label 2020. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2020. Show all posts
Argentina: 2021 Copa America Champions
Lionel Messi's Argentina achieved its first title after 28 years against Brazil and did so at Maracana, the temple of South American football, by beating it 1-0 in the final of the CONMEBOL Copa América.
So round was the night for Messi that the Albiceleste were crowned at the Maracana, in the best possible place for the host's archrival.
Angel Di María, author of a goal at minute 22, along with a tireless warrior like Rodrigo De Paul, were the heroes of the Rio night, which left Argentina in the lead of the historic record with 15 CONMEBOL Copa América titles together with Uruguay , while Brazil was in 9 coronations.
"We dream so much about this day. Today it broke (the bad streak) and it came in. We had to win it (the Cup) here and it happened like that," said 'Fideo' Di María, one of the Albiceleste's historic players.
When the Uruguayan referee Esteban Ostojich whistled the end of the match and Messi dropped to his knees in the Maracana, thousands of people took to the streets of downtown Buenos Aires and Rosario, the hometown of the 'Pulga', by Di Maria and Giovanni Lo Celso.
-Numbers left by the party-
Argentina won its first title on Brazilian soil. In addition, he returned to win a title after 28 years of drought. Brazil, meanwhile, lost their first final after five consecutive victories.
Tite lost his first home game as coach of Brazil after 25 games (21W 3E 1D).
It is the first CONMEBOL Copa América played in Brazil that the local team has not won the title (it had won the previous five).
Argentina beat Brazil for CONMEBOL Copa América on Brazilian soil for the first time in its history: they had not won in the seven previous matches (1E 6D).
Argentina snapped a losing streak of six consecutive finals in senior tournaments (Copa América 2004, 2007, 2015, 2016; Confederations Cup 2005 and World Cup 2014).
Argentina equals Uruguay as the top winner of the CONMEBOL Copa América: it added its 15th title, stretching the lead to six with Brazil.
It is the fourth time in 13 games that Argentina has managed to win at the Maracana visiting Brazil (4V 2E 7D). The previous triumph had been in a friendly played in 1998.
Argentina's victory ended Brazil's 26-match undefeated playing CONMEBOL Copa América at home (17V 9E). It is Brazil's third defeat at home in the competition: against Paraguay (1-2, in 1949) and against Peru (1-3, in 1975).
Lionel Scaloni reached 20 games undefeated as Argentina's coach (12V 8E). It is the second longest record without falls of a DT of the Argentine team.
Messi closes his participation in the CONMEBOL Copa América as the top assist (5 assists) and top scorer (along with Luis Díaz from Colombia) with four goals. In addition, he has 13 goals in the history of the tournament and is four behind Zizinho and Norberto Méndez, the top all-time scorers in the competition.
Lionel Messi won his first title with Argentina after four consecutive lost finals (2007, 2014, 2015, 2016).
Italy: EURO 2020 Champions
Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho, while Marcus Rashford hit the post as Italy edged a penalty shoot-out dripping in tension to overcome England in the UEFA EURO 2020 final.
England had a dream start to their first ever EURO showpiece, Luke Shaw thumping in a fine goal inside two minutes to light up Wembley. Yet Italy slowly found their feet and midway through the second half Leonardo Bonucci found the net. On to extra time, and then penalties, where both goalkeepers saved two; history, though, belongs to Donnarumma the victor.
Match in brief
"It is important we make a good start," Roberto Mancini had said on the eve of Italy's fourth EURO final. What ensued was anything but. With less than two minutes on the clock, Harry Kane spread a pass out wide to surprise starter Kieran Trippier, and his delightful cross was met by a crisp left-footed half-volley from the stealthy Shaw. England rejoiced.
If the atmosphere was electric before, it was enough to power half of north London once the goal went in. The Azzurri were shocked but showed their mettle as they regrouped, gained a foothold and started stringing passes together. Only the final pass, the final shot let them down – not always by much, with the excellent Federico Chiesa whistling a shot just wide before the break.
The pressure was ratcheted up after half-time and eventually it told. Domenico Berardi's corner caused all manner of problems, and though Jordan Pickford pushed Marco Verratti's header onto the post, Bonucci was there to prod in. Italy came again and again. But England held on. Into extra time we went, and then penalties, which seesawed back and forth.
Pickford denied Andrea Belotti and Jorginho; Rashford struck the post and Sancho, also introduced on 120 minutes, was denied by Donnarumma. Saka, the youngest man on the pitch, could have taken it to sudden death, but Donnarumma guessed right and, once and for all, England's unofficial anthem Sweet Caroline was silenced.
For a generation of Italy fans, the good times really have never seemed so good.
Star of the Match: Leonardo Bonucci (Italy)
Star of the Match: Leonardo Bonucci
"Such a strong defensive performance from the 34-year-old. Great distribution out from the back and the all-important equaliser."
Packie Bonner, UEFA Technical Observer
Check out every Heineken Star of the Match at UEFA EURO 2020.
Paolo Menicucci, Italy reporter
Facing England at Wembley was not enough; Italy also conceded an early goal to make their task even more difficult. A normal team could have lost the game there and then. But this is not a normal team. The Azzurri never lost focus and courage, and eventually equalised through Bonucci. They took control of the midfield and their penalty shoot-out win was just reward for their performance and great character.
Simon Hart, England reporter
Luke Shaw (R) celebrates his early goal
Luke Shaw (R) celebrates his early goal
UEFA via Getty Images
England made the perfect start, yet that feels a long time ago after the way Italy took control in the second period. There were echoes of the Russia 2018 semi-final loss to Croatia: an early lead but then domination by the opposition. Even the equaliser came at roughly the same time. For Southgate, a more painful echo too was the hurt of another EURO shoot-out defeat at Wembley. Yet his team have travelled further than any England side for 55 years and given their supporters so many reasons for optimism once tonight's hangover has cleared.
Reaction
Roberto Mancini, Italy coach: "The guys were amazing. I have no words for them; this is a wonderful squad. This game was always going to be difficult, and after their early goal even more so, but we dominated from then on. You have to have a little luck on penalties and I'm a little sorry for England because they also played a great tournament."
Donnarumma: 'It's an incredible dream'
Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy goalkeeper: "We have done something extraordinary. We are delighted. We didn't give them an inch. You all know where we started. We are a fantastic team and we deserve this."
Gareth Southgate, England coach: "We are hugely disappointed. I think the players have been an absolute credit; they have given everything they possibly could. Tonight was exactly the same; they have run themselves into the ground."
Harry Kane, England captain: "The boys couldn't have given more. Penalties are the worst feeling in the world when you lose. It's been a fantastic tournament – we should be proud, hold our heads up high. It's going to hurt now, it's going to hurt for a while."
The moment Italy lifted EURO trophy
Key stats
Italy are the fourth side to win multiple EURO titles after Germany (3), Spain (3) and France (2). The 53-year gap between their titles is the longest in EURO history.
Italy are the first side to win two penalty shoot-outs at a single EURO finals tournament.
Bonucci (34 years and 71 days) is the oldest player to score in a EURO final.
Shaw's opener was clocked at 1:56, the fastest goal in a EURO final and fifth quickest in tournament history.
This was the seventh EURO final to go to extra time (after 1960, 1968, 1976, 1996, 2000 and 2016) and the second to go to a shoot-out (1976).
Jorginho adds to his 2020/21 silverware
Jorginho adds to his 2020/21 silverware
Getty Images
Chelsea's Jorghino is only the tenth player to feature on the winning side in the European Cup and EURO in the same year.
Italy are 34 matches unbeaten, dating back to September 2018.
Italy had not conceded the first goal in any of their previous 18 outings before the final.
The Azzurri have conceded more than once in just one of their last 21 EURO finals matches.
Bonucci made his 18th EURO finals appearance, an Italian record. Giorgio Chiellini joined Gianluigi Buffon on 17.
Harry Kane made his 11th EURO finals appearance, matching the England record of Gary Neville.
Getty Images
Line-ups
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Emerson (Florenzi 118); Barella (Cristante 54), Jorginho, Verratti (Locatelli 96); Chiesa (Bernardeschi 86), Immobile (Berardi 55), Insigne (Belotti 91)
England: Pickford; Walker (Sancho 120), Stones, Maguire; Trippier (Saka 70), Rice (Henderson 74; Rashford 120), Phillips, Shaw; Mount (Grealish 99), Sterling; Kane
What's next?
Italy could end 2021 with two trophies as they are also through to October's UEFA Nations League Finals on home turf. They face Spain in the semi-finals, and a repeat of their last-four win at UEFA EURO 2020 would set up a decider against either Belgium or France. First, though, the Azzurri and England both have three 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September.
Yukino Yukinoshita: 2020 ISML Heavenly Tiara Winner/Saimoe Prime Minister
Good evening to all of you, or morning, or afternoon, wherever you are in the world. My name is Yukino Yukinoshita, and I will be your Saimoe Prime Minister for the 2021 campaign. Miyuki Shirogane will be assisting me as Deputy Saimoe Prime Minister, and we have immediately taken over for Violet Evergarden and Rimuru Tempest by issuing this address via Zoom. I want to start by thanking Violet and Rimuru for their services last year and in particular Violet for writing what has been a very tough story for the world to read, one that Miyuki and I intend to finish, or no.
My cabinet will consist of Yui Yuigahama, Iroha Isshiki, Saika Totsuka and my older sister Haruno. They will be my primary counsel related to any executive actions I needed to make. As for Miyuki, he has his own personal counsel of Kaguya Shinomiya, Ai Hayasaka, Chika Fujiwara and Yuu Ishigami, with Miko Iino and Miyuki's sister Kei to also help with his own matters.
For those of you who voted for Mikoto and for Sakuta Azusagawa (who, for the second straight time, sees a final defeat), I understand your loss and Miyuki and I plan to help you the best way we can. Our two teams would like to personally salute Mikoto Misaka, a longtime servant of Saimoe, and a hero and inspiration to us all. We hope to see her again in the hunt as well as the new encouters she will have in what has been a rich, fruitful journey of adventure.
When Miyuki and I first heard of the news that we had both won out respective races, all of us that I mentioned had a special videoconference meeting to discuss a plan that we needed to implement and enforce not just to Japan, but to the world. It was clear that the first item of business was to end the coronavirus pandemic, or at least manage it to a state where people could recover and go on with their lives.
And so I made it clear that the first item is to encourage all citizens, young and old: GO GET VACCINATED. The vaccines are out to help people get back to working, to get back to living the livelihoods they lost. So many people in this world have been lost to COVID-19, that I feel that we all need to come together and take the initiative in fighting this. Our turn will come, we will get out shots, and we will come back stronger than ever, and I believe all who vote in the International Saimoe League need to do the same. Do you part, get vaccinated, and get back to doing your thing. We will do ours.
Secondly, the great city of Tokyo is due to host the Olympics this summer. And I believe all who will be in the ISML, the Saimoe Parliament, this coming campaign need to get the word out that the Olympics must take place, that all need to play their role in being safe, taking precautions, not getting infected or at least getting vaccinated prior, and then putting on a show that is for the world to see. I love this city, and I am sure you do too. Miyuki does, my husband Hachiman (a former Deputy VP) does, everyone who is a part of this whole process defends the legacy of Tokyo, Japan to the grave. The Games must take place, and it will. So let's make it happen.
And finally, the third major issue I have is the current state of the United States of America. I have called Mrs. Caroline Kennedy on their current issue regarding one of their former leaders and have been in dialogue regarding the direction of America, who I still believe can find their way. We plan to work with our American voters in keeping the dream alive and keeping the fire burning because as they continue to heal, America will continue to recover and we here in Japan hope they will do just that.
In addition to the three main topics suggested, I plan to work the with new government on other issues pertaining to the Saimoe movement as well as do my obligations to assisting the Imperial household and the youth of the household. Her Royal Highness Aiko, Princess Toshi has been personally expecting my presence as well as Miyuki's so for the two of us, this will be a unique experience so we plan to do our best. We hope she looks forward to us being their for her.
To the whole world, it's time. We must face reality with eyes forward and no regrets, at the same time being cautiously optimistic that fortune shall smile on those who believe in us and what we can do to bring happiness to everyone we love. With your support in the Saimoe movement, we can bring an end to the pandemic, we will bring the Games to Tokyo and keep the fire burning, and we will see America be a realm reborn, and even further beyond.
So rise up, stand together, never be afraid and be ready to lead. As the French saying goes, "Ensemble on va le faire." Together, we will win.
Thank you, may God bless you, and may god bless Japan and the world. Good night.
-Yukino Yukinoshita
2021 Saimoe Prime Minister
2020 International Saimoe League
Heavenly Tiara Winner
Bayern Munich: 2020 FIFA Club World Cup Champions
Bayern Munich’s love affair with French players dates back to the mid-90s with the arrival of Jean-Pierre Papin. Nascent Franco-Bavarian ties were further strengthened during the 2000s, when Bixente Lizarazu, Willy Sagnol and Franck Ribery all followed in his footsteps.
Today, the relationship is at its zenith with no fewer than six Frenchmen plying their trade for the European champions.
On 11 February, the club’s Gallic flair was again in evidence in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020™. The UEFA Champions League winners saw off the challenge of Mexico’s Tigres UNAL with a goal from Benjamin Pavard, just one of five Franzosens on the Bavarians' team sheet. Bayern appear to be in seventh heaven with their Bleus, as these stats can attest.
Not content with picking winner’s medals at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, Frenchmen Corentin Tolisso, Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard can now add the title of club world champions to their resumes. That means the trio are current holders of seven titles, having also tasted success in the 2020 editions of the UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga, DFB Cup, UEFA Super Cup and DFL Supercup.
The record number of Frenchmen who have lined up for Bayern in this season’s Bundesliga. And while Michael Cuisance, who took part in their opening game against Schalke, subsequently moved to Marseille, that still leaves in order of arrival at the club: Kingsley Coman(2015),Corentin Tolisso (2017),Benjamin Pavard (2019), Lucas Hernandez (2019), Tanguy Kouassi (2020) and Bouna Sarr (2020).
In scoring the only goal of the Qatar 2020 final, Benjamin Pavard became the seventh French player to register a goal in this competition, after Nicolas Anelka, Jonathan Biabiany, Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema, Bafetimbi Gomis and Andre-Pierre Gignac.
7: Franck Ribery's shirt number at Bayern. He spent 12 years there and won nine league titles, setting a new record for a foreign player. A veritable club icon after racking up 119 goals and 185 assists in 425 games, the Boulogne native was even given a nickname steeped in Bayern history: Kaiser Franck – a reference to the legendary Bayern and West Germany defender Franz Beckenbauer.
7: The number of goals scored for the club by Bixente Lizarazu, another Bayern legend. The left-back enjoyed his best years in Bavaria, where he won absolutely everything. He stayed there for eight seasons in all, as did compatriot Willy Sagnol, another wingback and Bayern favourite. Such was the precision of Sagnol’s deliveries from out wide that he earned the nickname Flankengott, meaning ‘god of the crosses’.
7: The number of matches played in his maiden season by the first Frenchman to join the Bavarian club: Jean-Pierre Papin. A modest total unquestionably, but the striker had more than his share of injuries during this time. That said, JPP will always be the one who paved the way for his compatriots – 13 others to date – to don the famous red jersey.
7: The number of years that Valerien Ismael had to wait to become a naturalised German. Ignored by the France national team, he made the request in 2006 in the hope of participating in that year’s World Cup for Die Mannschaft. It was not to be, however. The former Bayern defender, who scored two goals in 46 appearances between 2005 and 2007, finally obtained German citizenship in 2013.
Alabama: 2020 College Football Playoff National Champions
No. 1 Alabama has returned to the top of the college football mountain, rolling to the 18th national title in program history with a dominant 52-24 win over No. 3 Ohio State in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship. Undefeated at 13-0 and unchallenged through much of the season, the Crimson Tide put themselves in a special light even among the program's six national championship-winning teams to play for Nick Saban.
The departures of multiple stars put the spotlight on an offense that had plenty to replace, but quarterback Mac Jones, running back Najee Harris and especially Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver Devonta Smith more than answered the call as they led one of the best offenses in Alabama history and showed out for the biggest game of the year with 621 yards of total offense. Their 52 points are the most ever scored by Alabama in a national title game and the most in a Crimson Tide bowl game since 1953.
Smith was nearly unstoppable, pulling in 12 catches on his first 13 targets for 215 yards and three touchdowns before leaving the game with a hand injury. Jones got banged up a little bit as well but still finished with 464 yards and five touchdowns on 36-of-45 passing.
Harris, who like Smith was one of the few current Alabama players to be on the team during its last national title run, was an all-purpose machine with 178 yards from scrimmage (79 rushing, 79 receiving) and three total touchdowns.
Ohio State entered the game with a chip on its shoulder fermented through weeks of doubt regarding its status as one of the best teams in the country. Playing less games than those in the ACC and SEC brought out plenty of criticism and nitpicking from the Buckeyes' body of work, but most of those questions were silenced in a dominant win against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl semifinal to book a spot in Monday night's title game. There were notable setbacks, like starting running back Trey Sermon leaving the game after one drive with an injury and having numerous players unavailable (some a result of COVID-19 protocol), but the lopsided result was more a reflection of Alabama's distance from the rest of the sport int his 2020 season.
Keep on reading for takeaways from the 2021 CFP National Championship.
1. Ohio State's absences were notable, not game-changing
Even prior to Sermon's injury, the Buckeyes had starting nose tackle Tommy Togiai, starting defensive end Tyreke Smith and starting kicker Blake Haubeil among the 13 players listed as out on their availability report. Having two starting defensive linemen wouldn't have helped the mismatches Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian drew up for Smith in the first half, but those are key pieces to what has been an elite run defense and important bodies in a rotation that was needed as Alabama's play count continued to tick up in the second half.
Sermon, who had set a school record with more than 500 rushing yards across two outings in the Big Ten Championship Game and the Sugar Bowl, suffering an injury in the first quarter and was unable to reenter the game. His replacement, Master Teague, was strong enough though, scoring two touchdowns.
The final total may not reflect it, but this was a two-score game midway through the third quarter and could have been a terrific comeback if the Buckeyes could get some stops. A couple Tide touchdowns later, the rout was back on and the result was not in doubt.
2. The 2020 Tide join the debate for best team ever
One year after Joe Burrow and LSU made all of college football wonder where the Tigers ranked among the best offenses and best teams in college football history, Alabama has immediately added an entry into that debate. The season totals won't match the Tigers with three less games, but the averages and accolades are comparable.
Smith has been unique in ways that may exceed a team-wide comparison, but so was Burrow during his similarly transcendent season. The two teams will be debated and compared for years to come, but what follows will be a tiebreaker for fans in the SEC West. Alabama may see an NFL Draft exodus on par with LSU's a year ago -- it is similarly losing a top offensive coach with Sarkisian off to Texas -- but it would be out of character to see a significant step back following this return to the top of the sport. Saban has embraced modern offense and winning by overwhelming your opponent with skill position talent. When the greatest coach in college football history has gone all in on innovation, that's a wrap for pretty much everyone else in the sport for a few years.
3. Ohio State leaving points on the board may have cost it
Of the many "what-ifs" for Ohio State fans will be a few situational decisions by the Buckeyes during the Alabama onslaught that was the first half. Ohio State punted from the Alabama 44-yard line down 14-7 early in the second quarter, but it was bailed out by Jones' subsequent fumble, giving the Buckeyes an opportunity to score anyway. Later, they settled for a field goal from the 6-yard line at the end of a nine-play drive instead of going for a game-tying touchdown. Following that, Ohio State had back-to-back three-and-outs before finishing the half by running out the clock.
The lack of stops by the Buckeyes defense combined with Smith's incredible first-half stat line dominated the conversation, but there were points where it seemed like Ohio State could have taken a few more risks offensively and been in a better position when it mounted a comeback effort in the third quarter.
4. A record-setting evening
Alabama finished out the season averaging 48.5 points per game, the most in SEC history, and Smith rounded out SEC records for the most receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in a single season along with the SEC career receiving yards record. Jones not only holds several Alabama records already but after the game he solidified a new FBS record for completion percentage (77.4%) and his 464 passing yards are the most in a championship game in the BCS/CFP era. Adding to the ridiculous records to either be extended or fall tonight was Najee Harris tying the SEC record for most career touchdowns (57) and setting the new single-season touchdowns mark (30).
Perhaps even more impressive is that Nick Saban now holds the solo record for most national championships in the poll era, and the fact that of those seven title-winning teams only two were undefeated at the end of the year. The first was 2009, his first title with the Tide, and the other is the 2020 team that re-claimed the crown Monday night. This was a special team and its mark will be left on Alabama, and college football, forever.
DeVonta Smith: 2020 Heisman Trophy Winner
DeVonta Smith became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard in 1991. The 6-1, 175-pounder is the first non-quarterback-or-running back to win the Heisman since cornerback Charles Woodson won in 1997.
Smith, a fourth-year senior, was named the 2020 SEC Offensive Player of the Year while joining teammate Mac Jones in leading Alabama to the SEC title and the top seed in the College Football Playoff.
Smith led the country with 98 receptions and 1,511 receiving yards while his 17 TD catches and 137.4 receiving yards per game were both second-best. His 8.9 receptions per game tied for second best. He posted four games with 11 or more receptions, including a career-best and SEC title-game record 15 against Florida, 13 at Mississippi and 11 each against Georgia and Mississippi State. He recorded seven games with over 100 yards receiving (all with at least 144 yards), including 231 yards on eight catches at LSU, 203 against the Bulldogs (which included a season-high four TDs) and 184 yards against the Gators. He had six games with at least two TD receptions, three coming at LSU and two in the SEC title game. Smith also returned a punt for a TD for the first time in his career, going 84 yards at Arkansas in the regular-season finale. He holds the SEC and Alabama career record for receiving touchdowns with 40 and has the most 200-plus yard receiving performances in Alabama history with four.
Born on Smith hails from Amite City, Louisiana, where he starred at Amite High Magnet School .
Number of electors: 927 - Announced: January 5, 2021.
Player Class Position School 1st 2nd 3rd Total Points
1 DeVonta Smith SR WR Alabama 447 221 73 1,856
2 Trevor Lawrence JR QB Clemson 222 176 169 1,187
3 Mac Jones JR QB Alabama 138 248 220 1,130
4 Kyle Trask SR QB Florida 61 164 226 737
5 Najee Harris JR RB Alabama 16 47 74 216
6 Breece Hall SO RB Iowa State 6 10 26 64
7 Justin Fields JR QB Ohio State 5 6 21 48
8 Zach Wilson JR QB Brigham Young 3 6 21 42
9 Ian Book SR QB Notre Dame 5 5 13 38
10 Kyle Pitts JR TE Florida 0 7 10 24
Three points are awarded for first place on a ballot, with two points for second place and one point for third place. Finalists in bold.
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HEISMAN VOTING BY REGION
Heisman voters are spread out across six regions, with roughly 145 per region.
Far West
Player Points
1 Smith 292
2 Lawrence 200
3 Jones 195
4 Trask 122
Southwest
Player Points
1 Smith 355
2 Lawrence 181
3 Jones 169
4 Trask 143
Midwest
Player Points
1 Smith 308
2 Lawrence 199
3 Jones 178
4 Trask 104
South
Player Points
1 Smith 324
2 Jones 232
3 Lawrence 167
4 Trask 155
Northeast
Player Points
1 Smith 293
2 Lawrence 188
3 Jones 184
4 Trask 104
Mid-Atlantic
Player Points
1 Smith 284
2 Lawrence 252
3 Jones 172
4 Trask 109
West Virginia: 2020 Liberty Bowl Champions
Costly offensive mistakes left West Virginia trailing Army 14-10 at halftime in Thursday’s AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
Desperate to get things turned around, the Mountaineer coaches decided to make a change at quarterback.
Out went Jarret Doege, who had started the past 13 games for WVU, and in came Austin Kendall, the man Doege had replaced late in the 2019 season.
“The decision was kind of a combined decision between Sean Reagan, our quarterbacks coach, and Gerad Parker, our offense coordinator, and myself,” explained West Virginia head coach Neal Brown of the choice at halftime to make the change at QB. “Jarret has played very, very well all year, but for whatever reason, he didn’t see it (against Army).”
Doege completed 15 of 25 passes for 159 yards in the first half, but threw a bad interception when West Virginia was moving into Army territory in the first quarter. Then shortly before halftime, with the Mountaineers in front 10-7 and looking for more, the junior quarterback took a sack deep in his own end that also resulted in a fumble. The Black Knights turned that turnover into a TD and a 14-10 advantage two plays and seven yards later.
“Army did a really nice job of mixing it up, and we had two uncharacteristically bad turnovers,” noted Brown. “The interception was a play that really hurt us. And then we got the ball back after the fumble, and I didn’t think our response was very good there.”
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Kendall came on in relief of Doege but not until the Black Knights had built a 21-10 lead by taking the first possession of the second half 73 yards in 13 plays for another touchdown.
“We decided we were going to start Austin in the second half,” stated Brown. “I think it should be noted he had practiced really well during bowl prep. Really for about the last six weeks, he has practiced well and we have confidence in him.
“I thought he came in in relief and did a nice job,’ WVU’s second-year coach said. “We had some drops, and that’s kind of plagued us throughout the year, but we made the plays we needed to.”
Those plays included a couple of lengthy Mountaineer marches that wound up in end zone via Kendall passes.
“Honestly, we work with both quarterbacks, so whoever is in the game, we don’t really take offense to whoever’s in the game,” said WVU senior receiver T.J. Simmons, who had a TD catch from each QB on Thursday. “We just want, as receivers, to do a good job and be where we are supposed to be and on time. If we do that, we know the quarterback is going to get to us things that they can do.”
Kendall’s 20-yard throw to Simmons with 5:10 left to play proved to be the game winner in West Virginia’s 24-21 victory Thursday in Memphis.
“He does a good job, and he knows when to use his feet. That just comes with experience,” Simmons said of the senior quarterback, who transferred to WVU in 2019 from Oklahoma. “There was one play where he pulled it. It was supposed to be a screen pass, but he took off and picked up a yard or two, and one play he was scrambling in the backfield and, and got back to the line of scrimmage. He does a good job of just using his feet and using his instincts to make plays on the field.”
Though Kendall had previously played in just one game during the 2020 season, completing three of six passes for 43 yards in WVU’s blowout of Eastern Kentucky in the opener, he certainly isn’t new to the quarterback position. He was West Virginia’s starting QB for the first nine games of 2019, completing 187 of 304 passes for 1,989 yards along the way.
Doege ultimately moved in front of Kendall on the quarterback depth chart, at least until Thursday when WVU was desperate for a spark. That’s when the Mountaineers turned to the Waxhaw, North Carolina, native who coolly, calmly came to the rescue.
“I really think I’m more excited for Austin than he is,” smiled Simmons. “He does a good job of just being a good man, a good teammate.
“He comes to work every day. He puts in extra work, regardless if he’s the starting quarterback or not.
“When (the coaches) came through and told us that (Kendall) was going to be the one leading us through the game in the second half, I was excited,” added Simmons. “I felt like with this man in his last game, he should get some time on the field. When he got in there and made some plays, it felt like last year. It was just natural with us. He was just making plays again.”
Kendall completed eight of his 17 passes in the second half for 121 yards. Two of them went for touchdowns, and none wound up in the hands of the Black Knights. That allowed the Mountaineers to leave Memphis with the AutoZone Liberty Bowl championship trophy.
Ball State: 2020 Arizona Bowl Champions
TUCSON, Ariz. -- In a memorable football season that almost didn't happen, Ball State finished it by making history. The Cardinals scored 27 first-quarter points and cruised the rest of the afternoon to capture the first bowl victory in school history, a 34-13 win over AP No. 19 San Jose State in the Arizona Bowl.
The bowl win caps a seven-game winning streak for the Cardinals that featured a conference title and put this team among the greatest in school history. In the strangest of years, Ball State was at its best. And the Cardinals brought their best effort on the biggest stage of the season, a nationally-televised bowl appearance against an undefeated, ranked team.
"I'm so proud of our football team and the effort that's been put in week in and week out," head coach Mike Neu said. "It's high-character men doing things the right way. We got here because of hard work. We embraced the underdog role, and we came out with a purpose. We wanted to seize the moment, and we've done that. Playing on this stage, on CBS, we wanted to put our best brand of football on the field, and our guys earned it."
The Cardinals (7-1) jumped on the Mountain West champ SJSU (7-1) early, scoring twice in the first five minutes of the game and four touchdowns in the opening 14 minutes. Cornerback Antonio Phillips started the scoring in the game's first possession, taking an interception 53 yards for a touchdown. The lead grew to 13-0 after the Cardinals capitalized on a short punt. BSU took over at the 50 and scored again quickly, with Will Jones punching it into the end zone on a 3-yard run. Tye Evans later added a 3-yard TD run of his own to make it a 20-0 game. On another short field after a Nic Jones blocked punt, Drew Plitt scored on a quarterback sneak to give the Cards a 27-0 lead in the first quarter.
The Cardinals defensive unit turned in its greatest effort, picking off four passes and nearly a fifth on a play that was overturned. San Jose State managed just 69 yards on the ground and was 1-for-11 on third downs, as Ball State protected its early lead with swarming defense.
"The defense was unbelievable from start to finish," Neu said.
Yo'Heinz Tyler caught four passes for 113 yards and scored BSU's fifth and final touchdown, a 48-yard catch from Plitt. Jones led the Cards with 89 yards rushing on 22 carries, as the Cardinals pounded the ball for 189 yards on the ground before kneeling in victory formation. Plitt finished with an efficient 12-for-19 day for 217 yards and touchdowns passing and rushing.
The Arizona Bowl defensive player of the game was safety Bryce Cosby who had one interception, and nearly another one, plus a team-high nine tackles. Brett Anderson II and Jimmy Daw had the other two picks. Plitt was named offensive player of the game.
"We knew we had the opportunity to do something special here. We bought in as a team," Cosby said. "We could've gotten complacent after the conference championship win, but the coaches did a great job keeping us locked in. We came out and executed. I love these guys, and I'm proud of the way we played."
"All season we kept saying, 'The job's not finished.' Well, the job is now finished," Neu said. "We are so excited to bring a bowl win back to Muncie, Indiana."
Mississippi State: 2020 Armed Forces Bowl Champions
While Mississippi State defeated No. 24 Tulsa, 28–26, on Thursday afternoon, the final seconds of the Armed Forces Bowl saw a violent brawl take place between the two teams.
The teams met on the field following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Mississippi State, which came during a late onside kick from Tulsa. Players from both teams congregated on two distinct sides when a Mississippi State player punched a Tulsa player.
That punch led to a spiral of players from both sides scrapping with each other, and Bulldogs wide receiver Malik Heath kicked Tulsa senior safety Tieneal Martin.
Tyler Horka of The Clarion Ledger reported that Heath posted an Instagram video praising himself for the act and joked about it with his teammates in the locker room.
Then, according to a tweet posted by Heath, he felt like he was defending himself during the brawl.
As the brawl continued down the field, players continued to punch and hit each other.
Tulsa sophomore safety Kendarin Ray was helped off the field after being injured during the postgame brawl. It is not certain what started the brawl.
Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach said in a postgame interview on ESPN that he was not exactly sure what caused the brawl.
"There was something before the game, too," Leach said.
When asked what Leach would say to his players following the brawl, Leach said, "don't do it anymore".
"It is dumb and the root of it's dumb no matter what the root of it is," Leach said. "The root of it is dumb and the continuation of it is dumb. Now where the dumb started, I'm not entirely sure. It was some of that going back and forth in the game. This is a football game, we are not going to tear cloth and I am not going to lose my mind over it."
Tulsa and its conference, the AAC, later said they would review the incident.
"We take this incident very seriously and will respond appropriately after the review is complete," Tulsa said in a statement.
AAC commissioner Mike Aresco added: "We will work with the University of Tulsa to conduct a thorough review of the altercation pursuant to our Conference Code of Sportsmanship process and expect that the university will respond accordingly."
The incident marks the biggest postgame bowl fight since the infamous Miami Beach Bowl brawl that took place in 2014 when Memphis and BYU played against each other.
With the victory, Mississippi State (4-7) earned its fourth win of the 2020 season and its 14th bowl win in school history.
FFXIV: Heavensturn 2021 With Izumi Hashima. December 31 at 0630 UTC-8!
#FFXIV #saekano #heavensturn #HappyNewYear
Don't Stop.
tonight, I feel it by the look in your eyes.
you've got that fire inside
just like a magical night.
i lose my senses, i got you in your eyes.
the passion's burning inside.
there's only you in my mind.
don't let the moment slip away from your life,
cause now i'm ready to start.
it's always something you've been waiting for.
you know i see it by the look in your eyes,
emotions you can't deny,
i'm sure i'm gonna make you feel all right.
don't stop. get into the music and dance.
don't stop. get up on your feet and keep moving.
don't stop. i'm sending love in a trance.
don't stop. i won't let you wait any longer.
don't stop. get into the music and dance.
don't stop. get up on your feet and keep moving.
don't stop. i'm sending love in a trance.
don't stop. i won't let you wait any longer.
tonight, I feel it by the look in your eyes.
let's get away from this crowd.
they'll never notice we're gone.
you know the only thing we need is a spark.
sometimes you put up a fight,
but let me stay by your side.
i have no secrets,
but it's you who thought i was.
i'm getting out of my mind,
you know you're driving me crazy.
tonight, you feel it by the beat of my heart.
the car is ready to start,
so come along, it's gonna be all right.
don't stop. get into the music and dance.
don't stop. get up on your feet and keep moving.
don't stop. i'm sending love in a trance.
don't stop. i won't let you wait any longer.
don't stop. get into the music and dance.
don't stop. get up on your feet and keep moving.
don't stop. i'm sending love in a trance.
don't stop. i won't let you wait any longer.
tonight, I feel it by the look in your eyes.
you've got that fire inside
just like a magical night.
i lose my senses, i got you in your eyes.
the passion's burning inside.
there's only you in my mind.
don't let the moment slip away from your life,
cause now i'm ready to start.
it's always something you've been waiting for.
you know i see it by the look in your eyes,
emotions you can't deny,
i'm sure i'm gonna make you feel all right.
don't stop. get into the music and dance.
don't stop. get up on your feet and keep moving.
don't stop. i'm sending love in a trance.
don't stop. i won't let you wait any longer.
don't stop. get into the music and dance.
don't stop. get up on your feet and keep moving.
don't stop. i'm sending love in a trance.
don't stop. i won't let you wait any longer.
ISML 2020: Diamond Match Day 2 Roundup
ISML 2020: Diamond Match Day 2 Roundup
By Jo-Ryan Salazar
The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue
December 30, 2020
Match Day 2 of the 2020 International Saimoe League Diamond Period is in the books. In the Female Division, Yukino Yukinoshita routed Nao Tomori 5103-2837, Mashiro Shiina smashed Eriri Spencer Sawamura 4512-2606, Chika Fujiwara thumped Utaha Kasumigaoka 3948-2972, Kurumi Tokisaki shot down Rikka Takanashi 5080-2772, Emilia flew past Index Prohibitorum 4569-2935, Yui Yuigahama hammered Hina Amano 4526-2501, Nanami Aoyama prevailed over Shouko Nishimiya 3540-3442 and Megumin exploded past Misaki Shokuhou 3878=3315.
Wrapping up Female Division play, Mikoto Misaka drubbed Schwi Dola 4601-2800, Asuna Yuuki slashed past Mio Akiyama 4737-2935, Mai Sakurajima romped past Kurisu Makise 4700-2639, Kaguya Shinomiya crushed Rin Tohsaka 5121-2794, Ai Hayasaka eased past Shiro 3948-3065, Iroha Isshiki whipped past Chino Kafuuu 4132-3423, Sagiri Izumi defeated Saber 3986-3628 and Kuroko Shirai got past Ruiko Saten 3540-2958.
In the Male Division, Sakuta Azusagawa impaled Lancer 4562-2317, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji roared past Ryuuji Takasu 3494-3112, Taki Tachibana eased past Eugeo 3496-2701, Yuu Ishigami thumped Yuuta Togashi 3849-2961, Tanjiro Kamado won the closest race of the round, a 3332-3310 barnburner over Yuzuru Otonashi, Archer dominated Masamune Izumi 3733-2798, Tomoya Okazaki clobbered Willem Kmetsch 3661-2563 and Riku Dola rocked Rintarou Okabe 3597-2987.
Wrapping up Male Division action, Touma Kamijou broke Kiritsugu Emiya 3656-3099, Levi leveled Takashi Natsume 3884-2594, Miyuki Shirogane routed Subaru Natsuki 4276-2694, Sorata Kanda punched Saitama 3496-3238, Shirou Emiya defeated Shidou Itsuka 3366-3014, Yuu Otosaka prevailed over Ytao 3150-3055 and Kazuma Satou torched Edward Elric 3804-2960.
Finally, in Couples Tournament action, Nasa and Tsukasa Yuzaki routed Arata Kaizaki and Chizuru Hishiro 4378-2210, Shinka Nibutani and Sanae Dekomori defeated Rize Tedeza and Sharo Kirima 3719-3030, Heiji Hattori and Kazuha Touyama dominated the pair of Ruka Sarashina and Kazuya Kinoshita 3556-2724 while the pair of Kinoshita and Chizuru Ichinose thumped Haruki Shiga and Sakura Yamauchi 3480-2535.
Match Day 3 of the 2020 International Saimoe League, the first with Violet Evergarden and Rimuru Tempest having left their offices of Saimoe and Deputy Saimoe Prime Minister, is scheduled for January 1, 2020. Vote for your favorite characters at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ongoing debate.
Oklahoma: 2020 Cotton Bowl Champions
Three months ago, Oklahoma was 1-2 with its streak of five straight Big 12 championships appearing to be in jeopardy. Fast forward to the 2020 Cotton Bowl, and the now-No. 6 Sooners have won eight straight games after blowing the doors off of No. 7 Florida 55-20. With the victory, there's a good possibility that Oklahoma will end the year as a top-five team, if not a top-four team as it has been playing its best football at the right time.
From the start, this was Oklahoma's night. The Sooners defense picked off Gators star quarterback Kyle Trask three times in the first quarter, helping them jump out to a 17-0 lead thanks to a pick six. Of course, Florida was without its top four receiving targets -- Kyle Pitts, Kadarius Toney, Trevon Grimes and Jacob Copeland -- and Trask, try as he might, never quite got into a rhythm with his new-look receiving corps, many of whom spent the season on the scout team. In his defense, that was going to be near-impossible. Florida had three practices after Christmas to get ready for the game, and it showed.
Despite the obstacles, Florida actually responded well to the early deficit and at one point rallied with 13 unanswered points of its own to make it 17-13 in the second quarter. But then Oklahoma answered with two quick touchdowns in the final five minutes of the first half to go up 31-13 and never looked back.
The second half is when the overall depth started to show. Oklahoma's running game, anchored by Rhamondre Stevenson, put up a whopping 435 yards -- a Cotton Bowl record. Stevenson led the way with 186 yards rushing, while Marcus Majors and Seth McGowan had big moments as well. The result was a school record for points by the Sooners in a bowl game.
The Gators were never able to catch up. Oklahoma's defense took over in the second half and kept Florida's normal big-play offense from getting loose. After starting 4 of 5 on third downs, the Gators went 0 for their next 8. And while the offense did put up 521 yards, it was at 6.4 yards per play after garbage time. For most of the second half, the Gators hovered around 5.5 yards per play.
This was Florida's worst bowl loss since the 1996 Fiesta Bowl and the most points allowed by any Florida team since that game. Even though Dan Mullen's team won the SEC East and gave Alabama a run in the SEC Championship Game, it will finish 8-4 and likely outside the top 10.
Here's what else we learned from this year's Cotton Bowl.
1. Oklahoma would make a fun eight-team playoff case
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee had a harder job than normal this year justifying two of the four teams that made the field. The amount of discontent with the current format indicates that, at some point, the field is going to expand -- likely to eight teams. One thing that allows for is the hot-hand team to make an end-of-season run. Oklahoma would be that team this year.
After starting 1-2, a lot of people counted out the Sooners. And to be fair, that's easy to do in this format. Picking the four best teams leaves some but not a lot of room for error. But after winning seven straight games coming into the Cotton Bowl, Oklahoma was playing like a top-five team even if it wasn't ranked there.
How would Oklahoma perform against, for example, No. 3 Ohio State in an eight-team playoff? It's a fun thought exercise. It's not one we'll get to see play out any time soon, but if/when it does happen, it could give credence that teams peaking at the right time are every bit as capable of winning a national championship as the top-ranked team.
2. Florida was previewing its future
One of the most exhausting #embracedebate takes from this game will be Florida's position of playing the Cotton Bowl so shorthanded. As mentioned above, a lot of key players on both sides of the ball either opted out or weren't able to play due to COVID-19. That's the story of college football in 2020. Rarely have we seen teams at their full strength for good stretches of time. In fact, Mullen said the Gators were so short-handed at certain positions they could have simply not played the game but chose to forge on, using numerous players who were on the scout team this season.
"That wasn't the 2020 football team you saw. There were about 25 guys missing from the 2020 football team out there tonight,
he said after the Cotton Bowl. "That was kind of a kick-start for us [to 2021]."
Mullen did a good job of giving other players opportunities out of necessity. QB Emory Jones got a lot more playing time than he has in any game this season and showed off some nice moments running and throwing. In fact, finished tied for first on the team with 60 yards on 10 rushing attempts and a touchdown while throwing for 86 yards. And with Pitts, Grimes, Toney and Copeland out, Florida had a new-look wide receiver group. In all, 12 different players caught at least a pass for 271 total yards.
The results were a mixed bag -- there were a lot of drops -- but Mullen knew what he was up against and chose to lean into preparing guys for next year. That's not to excuse the Gators' performance or to say that they didn't care about being there or to diminish what Oklahoma did. That's just the reality of the situation.
3. Oklahoma's defense lived up to the hype
For most of the second half of the season, there's been chatter about how improved Oklahoma's defense has been under coordinator Alex Grinch. That showed up in this game. Yes, Florida was depleted of its best players. Yes, the Gators still racked up more than 500 yards of offense by the time the final whistle blew. But you have to look deeper. The Sooners started hot with three takeaways and then were lights out in the second half. Florida was unable to convert a first down after getting four of its first five. Four of its six second-half drives went for 22 yards or fewer.
Oklahoma's defensive front played a huge role in its success. Defensive end Ronnie Perkins and linebackers David Ugwoegbu and Nik Bonitto were everywhere in the trenches, stopping plays before they started. That disruption was key in making Florida's normally potent offense far less efficient.
This was never a shut down defense and the season-long numbers were inflated a bit because of some poor Big 12 offenses, but this group was playing well together down the stretch. That strong defense effort helped the Sooners pull away in the second half.
Wisconsin: 2020 Duke's Mayo Bowl Champions
The first ever Duke’s Mayo Bowl, at least the first sponsored by the mayonnaise brand, was a wild ride. Wisconsin ultimately came out unscathed with a 42-28 victory over ACC opponent Wake Forest. A 28-14 second half margin in favor of UW, four second half interceptions by Demon Deacon QB Sam Hartman, and taking care of the football ultimately propelled Paul Chryst to a victory bath of “mayonnaise” that was definitely just water or clear Gatorade.
The pace of play was the story coming in, with Wake Forest wanting to speed things up against a methodical Wisconsin squad. Early on, the Deacs controlled the pace, and on their first two drives of the game used third down conversions to score in just 3:39 and 1:59 respectively. Hartman looked like the QB that had only thrown one interception all year long. He found junior Jaquarii Roberson for a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter.
Wisconsin’s defense was uncharacteristic early, allowing long third-down conversions and looking like a secondary that was ready to be torched all afternoon long. All of a sudden, Wisconsin was down 14-0 after the first quarter and reeling.
A long, Wisconsin-like drive got the Badgers back to feeling like themselves. A drive that lasted over six minutes ended shortly after the second quarter began with a John Chenal 2-yard TD run to make cut the Wake Forest lead in half. A fitting fullback-led end to a vintage Badger scoring drive.
Graham Mertz once again looked comfortably under center on the late first/early second quarter drive, and had his best series since week one at home against Illinois.
From there, Wake Forest mistakes and lockdown Badger defense gave Wisconsin control. A blocked punt late in the first half by Jaylan Franklin set up a game-tying Badger QB sneak TD by Mertz. The score was knotted at 14 headed to the break.
A quick Wake Forest TD saw Hartman looking like himself to begin the third quarter. Then disaster struck for the sophomore. The next six Wake Forest drives? Two turnover’s on downs and four, yes four, Hartman interceptions. Not only did the Wake Forest signal caller make critical mistakes on the turnovers, he missed numerous big plays by underthrowing his receivers deep.
With the interceptions, the credit to Wisconsin and blame on Hartman is a mixed bag, but there is no questioning the activity of the Badger LB’s in the second half. Duke’s Mayo Bowl MVP Jack Sanborn was everywhere, and led a key 4th down stop near midfield in the third quarter. He finished with a team-high 11 tackles, and came up with an interception.
The Wisconsin offense cashed in on excellent field position in the final 30 minutes. The Badgers had 176 return yards off of their four interceptions compared to just 144 passing yards all afternoon long. Despite Chase Wolf throwing an interception after strangely coming in for the final drive of the half, Mertz valued the ball and finished with a zero in the turnover column.
Six second half Wake Forest turnovers, three of which set up Wisconsin in the red zone, allowed the Badgers to score 28 points in the final 30 minutes. The Badgers capitalized on Demon Deacon mistakes and took home a 42-28 win.
Wisconsin improved to 4-3 to close out this strange 2020 season, while Wake Forest dropped to 4-5. Momentum is on the Badgers’ side headed into a 2021 year where expectations will be rightfully high in Madison.
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