Connect with us

Published

on

FORT WORTH, Texas — Deion Sanders spent the past nine months flipping Colorado‘s roster and the vibe around a once-elite program, telling everyone who would listen: “We comin’.”

Sanders finally got a chance to change the results on the field Saturday, and his revamped roster delivered with a significant statement. The Buffaloes, who came to No. 17 TCU as 21-point underdogs after a 1-11 season, stunned the defending national runner-up, rallying for a 45-42 win before a stunned crowd at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Colorado got its first road win since 2021 and snapped a streak of 24 consecutive losses as an underdog of 21 points or more. The Buffaloes also notched their first win over a ranked team since 2019 and hadn’t beaten a team ranked this high since 2009.

Although the attention leading into Saturday’s game focused on Deion Sanders, his son Shedeur Sanders, two-way star Travis Hunter and other Colorado newcomers stole the spotlight with their performances. Shedeur Sanders, the team’s starting quarterback, set a single-game team passing record with 510 yards, becoming the first Buffaloes QB to eclipse the 500-yard mark. He completed 38 of 47 passes with four touchdowns and no interceptions, and four Colorado players eclipsed 100 receiving yards.

The Buffaloes led for most of the first three quarters, then erased three deficits down the stretch. They took the lead for good on a fourth-and-2 play, as Sanders found Dylan Edwards in the flat for a 46-yard touchdown.

Hunter, who was ESPN’s No. 2 recruit in the 2022 class and spurned Florida State to play for Deion Sanders at Jackson State, shined on both sides of the ball in his Colorado debut. He stepped in front of a Chandler Morris pass on third-and-1 from the Colorado 4-yard line for an interception. Hunter had 11 receptions for 119 yards and nearly had more on two acrobatic dives but couldn’t hold on to the ball.

He became the first FBS player in at least 20 seasons to record more than 100 receiving yards and an interception in the same game.

Other offensive standouts included Edwards, a running back who had a team-high 135 receiving yards and three touchdown catches as well as a rushing touchdown, and wide receivers Jimmy Horn Jr. and Xavier Weaver, who combined for 235 receiving yards on 17 catches. Saturday was the first time in program history that four Colorado players had 100-yard receiving days in the same game.

After three strong seasons at Jackson State, Deion Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback, made his Colorado debut with a team that featured 86 new players, including his sons Shedeur and Shilo as well as Hunter.

Before Saturday, Colorado had been held to fewer than 400 yards in 26 straight games, the longest active streak in the FBS, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The Buffaloes had been one of three FBS teams without a 300-yard passer in the past two seasons.

Even after TCU took its first lead with 2 minutes, 32 seconds left in the third quarter, Colorado immediately responded behind Shedeur Sanders, who found Weaver for a 44-yard gain down the sideline, setting up Edwards’ touchdown run.

TCU, which lost a number of stars to the NFL draft, had no answers for Colorado’s productive offense and received erratic play from Morris at quarterback and others.

Continue Reading

Sports

MLB: Iassogna crew chief, plate umpire for ASG

Published

on

By

MLB: Iassogna crew chief, plate umpire for ASG

NEW YORK — Dan Iassogna will be the umpire crew chief and work the plate during Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.

His crew will include Marvin Hudson at first, Chris Segal at second, Jansen Visconti at third, Jeremie Rehak in left and Erich Bacchus in right, Major League Baseball said Thursday.

Iassogna, 56, will work his second All-Star Game. He was at third base for the 2011 game at Arizona.

He worked his first big league game in 1999, was hired to the major league staff in 2004 and appointed a crew chief ahead of the 2020 season. Iassogna umpired the World Series in 2012, ’17 and ’22 along with eight League Championship Series and seven Division Series.

Segal, Visconti, Rehak and Bacchus will work their first All-Star Games and Hudson his second after being in left field in 2004 at Houston.

Tony Randazzo will be the replay umpire in New York.

Continue Reading

Sports

A’s Rooker joins list of HR Derby participants

Published

on

By

A's Rooker joins list of HR Derby participants

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics slugger Brent Rooker is adding his name to the list of Home Run Derby participants.

Rooker announced Thursday that he’s participating in the event, which takes place Monday in Atlanta. He will become the first Athletics player in the Home Run Derby since Matt Olson in 2021.

“Competing in the Home Run Derby has always been a dream of mine,” Rooker said in an Instagram post. “Can’t wait to make it happen next week in Atlanta! See ya there!”

Rooker, 30, entered Thursday with a .270 batting average, 19 homers and 50 RBIs, putting him on pace for a third straight season of at least 30 homers. He went deep 30 times in 2023 and had 39 homers in 2024.

His 58 homers since the start of the 2024 season rank him third among all American League players.

The only A’s to win the Derby were Mark McGwire in 1992 and Yoenis Céspedes in 2013 and 2014.

Other announced participants include Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr., Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and Washington’s James Wood.

Continue Reading

Sports

Mets recall Acuna from Triple-A, DFA Jankowski

Published

on

By

Mets recall Acuna from Triple-A, DFA Jankowski

BALTIMORE — The New York Mets recalled 23-year-old utility man Luisangel Acuna from Triple-A Syracuse before Thursday’s split doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles.

The brother of Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr., Luisangel Acuña went 13-for-45 (.286) for Syracuse after the Mets optioned him in late June.

Capable of playing second base, shortstop or the outfield, Acuna had batted .241 in 65 games before going to the minors.

“He was a big part of this team the first couple of months,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters. “We got to a point where we felt like, ‘Hey, let’s get him some everyday playing time. ‘And now it’s time for him to be back up here, continuing to help us win baseball games.”

In a corresponding move, the Mets designated outfielder Travis Jankowski for assignment.

Acuna was on the bench for New York’s first game of the doubleheader.

Continue Reading

Trending