Sports

TCU acknowledges UGA’s higher ‘tier’ after loss

Published

2 years ago

January 10, 2023

admin

1:27 AM ET

Paolo UggettiESPN

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — As TCU players ripped their name decals off the top of their locker rooms inside SoFi Stadium to take home in the aftermath of a 65-7 loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff title game Monday, the emotions that hung in the air inside the quiet room were a mix of disappointment for what the lopsided nature of the game had shown, as well as a glimmer of optimism for what could come.

“We want to be on that tier where Alabama and Georgia are on,” backup quarterback Chandler Morris said, acknowledging that TCU had failed to do that Monday night. “We’re going to get away from it a little bit, but we’re going to use this as confidence.”

Unlike quarterback Max Duggan, who struggled in the face of a ferocious Georgia defense that sacked him five times, Morris will return next season and be in competition for the starting quarterback job in the Frogs’ second year under head coach Sonny Dykes. (Duggan is set to enter the NFL draft.) Despite the sour finishing note, Dykes’ 13-2 year at TCU has set a high bar.

“This doesn’t take away from the season we had coming from a year ago,” running back Emari Demercado said. “Being in the national championship, that’s like something nobody would’ve ever thought would happen here.”

All season long, the Horned Frogs found ways to win, to come back, to overcome and continue their magical season. But against Georgia, the magic ran out in nightmare fashion. From the game’s first snap — a bad omen where the Frogs were called for a false start — any chance TCU had of pulling off a second, and more improbable, playoff upset appeared to vanish.

“We just didn’t play our style of football,” tight end Jared Wylie said. “They had us on our heels.”

By the time the red and white confetti papered the field, Georgia had put up not just 65 points but also gained a whopping 589 yards to TCU’s 188. At one point, Georgia had nearly as many points (45) as it had plays (48).

“We got our ass kicked,” offensive lineman Wes Harris said.

“It will take some time for the sting to go away, I assure you,” Dykes said. “We will look back on this season and build on it from here.”

How the Horned Frogs do just that remains to be seen. After a demoralizing loss, both departing and returning players had some ideas, noting that despite the leap TCU made this season, most of the players on the team had only experienced losing seasons and a lack of development because of that. The foundation that Dykes and his new staff have set provides a perfect point from which to restart.

“Now, they’ll know what it takes to prepare for this moment,” an outgoing Demercado said. “A lot of these guys had never been to bowl games. Emotions might have gotten to them, but just understanding that and knowing how to be ready to go out there and do what you gotta do.”

Dykes said he told the team afterward that they had to “look in the mirror” after a result like that and figure out what they needed to do to improve in order to not let it happen again.

“I think that’s the best thing that happens when you face adversity like this,” Dykes said. “You make mistakes and you learn from them and you get better as a program, get better as a coach, you get better as players, and the next time you handle the situation better.”

It is unclear if TCU will get a “next time.” For teams that aren’t the powerhouses that Alabama and Georgia have become, success in college football is fickle. Moreover, next season is set to bring a different challenge. TCU won’t be the underdog that was picked seventh in the Big 12 anymore, but because of its surprising success this season, the expectations will now be a built-in feature of its season, not a bug.

Playing in garbage time, Morris threw only one pass Monday night. But as he spoke postgame, there was a sense that he was taking on the baton from Duggan heading into next season. As the Frogs’ Heisman finalist took off his pads for the final time, the freshman made his stance clear for next season and beyond.

“At the end of the day, we want to win championships,” Morris said. “We fell short in the conference championship, we fell short in the national championship. We just have got to build from there, and this is going to be motivation for us in the future.”

Sports

Panthers handle Leafs, seal 3rd ECF trip in row

Published

8 hours ago

May 19, 2025

admin

Panthers handle Leafs, seal 3rd ECF trip in row

ESPN News Services

May 18, 2025, 10:22 PM ET

TORONTO — A three-goal second period broke open a tight game, quieted a raucous crowd at Scotiabank Arena, and powered the Florida Panthers past the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 of this Eastern Conference semifinal series on Sunday night.

Though it wasn’t the typical marquee names you see on the Florida scoresheet, Seth Jones, Anton Lundell and Jonah Gadjovich combined for those tallies, giving the Stanley Cup-champion Panthers a 3-0 lead headed into the third period. It was plenty of room for Florida to shut the door in the third period and seal a berth in the Eastern Conference finals for the third consecutive season. Florida will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 3 beginning Tuesday.

The Maple Leafs, 2-0 winners in Game 6 Friday night in Sunrise, Florida, could not find enough time and space to operate in the Panthers’ zone. With 10 minutes left in regulation, Toronto had just 14 shots on net, with its season on the line, as boos rained down from the capacity crowd.

Eetu Luostarinen and Sam Reinhart chipped in with third-period goals for Florida, giving the champions a 5-1 lead after Toronto’s Max Domi scored at 2:07 of the final frame to briefly give the home team hope. Florida’s Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal to conclude the scoring.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” Marchand said during the game broadcast on SportsNet. “We’re having fun, enjoying the moment, that’s all you can do. You don’t get a second chance at these opportunities. You just have to embrace and enjoy it.”

Goaltender Joseph Woll, who authored the shutout in Sunrise on Friday, struggled at home, looking out of position on several Florida goals. Anthony Stolarz, Toronto’s regular starter who had been sidelined since Game 1 with an undisclosed injury, was active and on the bench as Toronto’s backup for Game 7, but he was not called upon.

Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was much sharper on the other end of the ice, allowing only Domi’s goal off a wrist shot on a clean entry into the zone. Bobrovsky, who has started every postseason game for the Panthers this season, was playing in his first Game 7 since he led the Panthers to the Stanley Cup last June with a victory over the Edmonton Oilers in the series’ last game.

Jones, in his first season with Florida and seeking his first shot at the Stanley Cup, opened the scoring with his third goal of the postseason.

“I’m just happy with the situation I’m in,” Jones said on TNT’s postgame show. “Hopefully, my game can grow, and I’m just trying to bring what I can to the table with this team. I’m playing with a lot of great players, and these guys know what it takes to win.”

The game was delayed in the second period, just before Florida’s goal-scoring spree, after referee Chris Rooney, widely considered to be one of the top officials in the NHL, was bloodied and had to leave. The longtime referee was hit by an inadvertent stick to the face.

The play happened 13 seconds into the second period, when Florida’s Niko Mikkola was jousting for the puck and his stick went into Rooney’s face. Rooney skated off with some assistance and with a towel covering much of his face as he was brought to the locker room area for further evaluation and treatment.

The NHL has stand-by officials at playoff games, and Garrett Rank took over as one of the two referees following Rooney’s injury, joining a crew that also included referee Jean Hebert and linespersons Devin Berg and Jonny Murray.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sports

Referee Rooney leaves Game 7 after stick to face

Published

8 hours ago

May 19, 2025

admin

Referee Rooney leaves Game 7 after stick to face

Associated Press

May 18, 2025, 09:12 PM ET

TORONTO — Referee Chris Rooney, widely considered to be one of the top officials in the NHL, was bloodied and had to leave Game 7 of the Florida Panthers–Toronto Maple Leafs playoff matchup Sunday night after taking an inadvertent stick above one of his eyes.

The play happened 13 seconds into the second period of the Panthers’ 6-1 win when Florida’s Niko Mikkola was jousting for the puck and his stick hit Rooney’s face.

The game was stopped for several minutes and a stretcher was brought onto the ice, but Rooney skated off with some assistance and with a towel covering much of his face as he was brought to the locker room area for further evaluation and treatment.

Rooney got stitches and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

The NHL has standby officials at playoff games, and Garrett Rank took over as one of the two referees following Rooney’s injury, joining a crew that also included referee Jean Hebert and linesmen Devin Berg and Jonny Murray.