With one last stop, Bullis is too much and makes it three straight IAC titles
After tumbling to the court while fighting for a rebound on the final play of the Interstate Athletic Conference championship game, the Marquette-bound conference player of the year remained seated as Bullis students stormed from the bleachers to meet the Bulldogs at midcourt. When Stevens got to his feet, he avoided the scrum as he walked to the scorers' table to join a developing handshake line.
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USA Today
19 hours ago
- USA Today
Joel Klatt explains why he ranks Georgia football outside his top-5
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USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Iowa special teams shine in 'EA Sports College Football 26' ratings
For the entirety of Kirk Ferentz's tenure with the Hawkeyes, he's prided himself on his teams taking care of the ball, playing great defense, and having elite special teams. And no one can deny that more times than not, Iowa's special teams have been well, special, over the past 26 years. From punting, to kicking and to the return game, the Hawkeyes' special teams units have won Iowa more games than fans can count. And it seems like fans can expect more of the same this season. With sophomore punter Rhys Dakin, senior kicker Drew Stevens, and senior return specialist Kaden Wetjen all returning this season, Iowa's special teams units should remain elite in 2025. And it's those three players who have earned their rightful lofty ratings in "EA Sports College Football 26." College Football 26 is the second installment in the series after a decade without a college football game. While the game has its flaws, fans have found a lot of joy in being able to play with their favorite teams and players daily. College Football 26 released some graphics to X on Friday, showcasing the highest-rated special teams players in the game, and all three of Iowa's starters were featured. Wetjen rightfully earned the top kick return rating in the entire game, at a 99 overall. The 2024 Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year was a first-team All-American following a great junior season. Wetjen led the FBS in kick return yards and was second in punt return yards as he captured the 2024 Jet Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top return specialist. The 5-foot-9, 196-pound return man scored a pair of touchdowns in 2024, one on a kickoff and another on a punt. Dakin was given the honor of having the highest kick accuracy in the game, tied with Tennessee's Jackson Ross at 97 overall. Dakin was a second-team All-Big Ten player as a freshman, booting 64 punts with a 44.1 yard average per kick. The 6-foot-4 Aussie pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line 29 times and had only five touchbacks. His place at the top of the list is very deserving. Stevens is seventh in the game in kick accuracy, coming in at a 94 overall. Stevens made 20-of-23 field goals last season and was a perfect 40-for-40 on PAT tries. Coming off a rough 2023 season where he made just 18-of-26 kicks, Stevens rebounded with a strong 2024 campaign and looks poised to take another step forward in 2025. It's nice to see Iowa's special teams receive some accolades and the attention they deserve. They've been an elite unit for a long time now, and should be talked about more by Iowa fans and national pundits. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
a day ago
Ten Hag makes successful debut after Bayer Leverkusen wins 4-0 in German Cup
BERLIN -- Erik ten Hag made a winning start as Bayer Leverkusen coach with a 4-0 result at fourth-tier team Sonnenhof Großaspach in the first round of the German Cup on Friday. Patrik Schick, Brazilian wing back Arthur, debutant Christian Kofane and Álex Grimaldo all scored, but they assumed control only after Großaspach captain Volkan Celikwas was sent off in the 66th with two bookings in as many minutes. Leverkusen was forced to defend for long periods after Schick's 32nd-minute opener. The Czech forward also needed to clear the ball off the line. Arthur scored the second shortly after Celikwas' sending off and the other goals followed Mert Tasdelen's late sending off for a bad challenge on Leverkusen defender Axel Tape. Ten Hag, the former Manchester United manager, took over from the Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso and has had little time to work with a squad undergoing huge changes. Key players like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Granit Xhaka have left while Kofane, Tape, Ibrahim Maza, Jarell Quansah and goalkeeper Mark Flekken all made their debuts on Friday. The game was interrupted in the first half by a summer storm featuring hailstones. Referee Michael Bacher led the teams off the field. It resumed after a 40-minute break. Also, Union Berlin routed Gütersloh, another fourth-tier side, 5-0 away, and second-division Magdeburg enjoyed a 3-1 win at third-division Saarbrücken. Union used dead-ball situations to take a 3-0 halftime lead, with Robert Skov firing in a free kick, and Leopold Querfeld and Danilho Doekhi scoring after corners. Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow had to go off early in the second half after indicating he was feeling dizzy. Matheo Raab went on for his Union debut but had little to do as Andrej Ilić scored and then set up Jeong Woo-yeong to complete the rout.
