Sports

Penix lifts Washington to wild win over Oregon

Published

2 years ago

October 15, 2023

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Associated Press

Oct 14, 2023, 08:09 PM ET

SEATTLE — Before Rome Odunze left the room, he wanted to share a message about his Washington teammate who was sitting behind the microphones.

“You’re looking at the Heisman Trophy winner right there,” Odunze shouted in the direction of his quarterback, Michael Penix Jr.

While voting is still months away, Penix’s Heisman moment might have come Saturday on the biggest stage for a pair of longtime Pacific Northwest rivals.

Penix hit Odunze on an 18-yard touchdown pass with 1:38 remaining after another debatable fourth-down decision by Oregon, and Camden Lewis missed a 43-yard field goal attempt on the final play as No. 7 Washington held off No. 8 Oregon 36-33 in another wild chapter in their heated rivalry.

The 115th matchup between the rivals was the first that featured both teams ranked in the top 10, along with a couple of quarterbacks in Penix and Bo Nix who should contend for honors as the best player in college football.

And the matchup lived up to the hype as perhaps the biggest ever between the foes. There were offensive fireworks, wild momentum swings, big plays from the two QBs and decisions that will be questioned by one fan base.

It was a perfect recipe for an afternoon that ended with Washington fans swarming the field and Prince’s “Purple Rain” blasting through the stadium speakers.

“That was an amazing football game. If there’s one that I’ve been a part of that was bigger and better, I can’t think of it right now,” Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said.

The final regular-season meeting before both programs move to the Big Ten next year could be the opening act to decide the last season of the Pac-12 as we know it.

A rematch in the conference title game in Las Vegas is possible. Part I was 60 minutes of intensity, excitement and intrigue.

Penix needed just two plays to go 53 yards in 33 seconds after Oregon was stopped on fourth-and-3 at the Washington 47 with 2:11 remaining. Penix threw a 35-yard strike to Ja’Lynn Polk between two defenders, then hit Odunze on a back-shoulder throw at the goal line to give Washington (6-0, 3-0 Pac-12) the lead.

“He kind of gave me the head nod to do what I needed to do. He threw it up, gave me a shot, believed in me,” Odunze said.

It was Penix’s fourth touchdown pass of the game and his second time connecting with Odunze, who had eight catches for 128 yards. Penix finished 22-of-37 for 302 yards. He threw 26-yard touchdowns to Polk and Giles Jackson during a wild first half in which the teams combined for five straight touchdown drives.

Nix did his part and at times was the better quarterback. He sparked Oregon’s rally from an 11-point deficit early in the second half and took a 33-29 lead on Jordan James‘ 10-yard TD run with 12:58 remaining.

Nix had one last chance to get the Ducks (5-1, 2-1) into field goal range and reached the Washington 25 with 17 seconds left. Nix missed with his next two passes, and on the final play, Lewis pushed the kick to the right, setting off a wild celebration of purple-clad fans pouring onto the field.

“We were a play away from this conversation being extremely different,” Nix said.

Oregon seemed in position midway through the fourth quarter to pull off a narrow victory in the same way the Huskies did last year in Eugene. Washington was stopped on three run plays inside the Oregon 2, with Tybo Rogers stuffed on fourth-and-goal from the Ducks’ 1 with 6:33 left, met by Taki Taimani and others short of the goal line.

But the Ducks were stopped on fourth-and-3 just inside midfield when Nix’s pass for Tez Johnson fell incomplete with 2:11 remaining. It was the third time in the game the Ducks failed on fourth down, the previous two coming inside the Washington 10-yard line.

“I knew that we would get the ball back and I knew we were going to go down there and make a play,” Penix said.

Nix finished 33-of-44 passing for 337 yards and threw touchdowns of 11 yards to Patrick Herbert in the first half and a 30-yarder to Troy Franklin in the third quarter. Bucky Irving added 127 yards rushing and a score.

Sports

D-backs star Marte’s home robbed during break

Published

3 hours ago

July 17, 2025

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D-backs star Marte's home robbed during break

Associated Press

Jul 17, 2025, 01:35 AM ET

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A home belonging to Arizona Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte was burglarized during the Major League Baseball All-Star break, according to police.

Scottsdale, Arizona, police confirmed that the department is investigating a “high-dollar residential burglary” that is believed to have happened on Tuesday night, which is when Marte was playing for the National League in its All-Star game win in Atlanta.

Numerous personal items and jewelry were stolen. No one was at home when the burglary occurred.

Police said the home is “reportedly” owned by Marte. Maricopa County Assessor’s Office records show Marte owns a home on the block near the investigation.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.

Marte hit a two-run double in the first inning of the NL’s win, which was secured after a home run contest at the end of the game after the score was tied after nine innings.

The burglary is the latest in a series of thefts from the homes of high-profile athletes across the country this year. Players have been targeted because of the high-end products believed to be in their homes and sometimes the thefts occur when they are away with their teams for road games.

The FBI has warned sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes. The NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to athletes.

A Seattle man was charged last month in connection with a string of burglaries at the homes of prominent active and retired professional athletes in the area.

Sports

Cubs icon Sandberg ‘continuing to fight’ cancer

Published

3 hours ago

July 17, 2025

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Cubs icon Sandberg 'continuing to fight' cancer

Field Level Media

Jul 16, 2025, 01:09 PM ET

Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg said Wednesday he is “continuing to fight” cancer and is prioritizing time with those closest to him.

He posted a letter addressed to his fans and extended baseball family on Instagram.

“I wanted to share an update regarding my health,” wrote Sandberg, 65. “It’s been a challenging few months as I have been going through treatment on a regular basis.

“While I am continuing to fight, I’m looking forward to making the most of every day with my loving family and friends.

“I haven’t been to Wrigley Field as much as I hoped in the first half but I’m watching every game and am excited for the second half.”

He threw out the first pitch, surrounded by fellow Cubs greats, before the home opener on April 4.

In January 2024, Sandberg announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, then last August announced he was cancer-free. In December, he said the cancer had recurred and spread. He vowed to “continue to be positive, strong, and fight to beat this.”

Sandberg spent 15 of his 16 major league seasons with the Cubs, along with 13 games at the start of his career for the Philadelphia Phillies (1981).

Sandberg was the 1984 National League MVP, when he batted a career-high .314 with a major-league-leading 19 triples and 114 runs scored as well as 19 home runs, 84 RBIs and 32 stolen bases.

The second baseman also earned the second of his nine career Gold Glove awards that year. He was a 10-time All-Star selection and a seven-time Silver Slugger honoree, batting .285 with 282 home runs and 1,061 RBIs in his 2,164-game career.

Sandberg, who was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, also spent parts of three seasons (2013-15) as the Phillies’ manager.

Sports

Rangers give All-Star bonus to snubbed Eovaldi

Published

3 hours ago

July 17, 2025

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Rangers give All-Star bonus to snubbed Eovaldi

Jul 16, 2025, 02:10 PM ET

Despite an excellent first half to the season, Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi wasn’t selected as an All-Star this year, but the team made sure that he’ll be paid like one.

Despite the snub, Eovaldi was given the $100,000 All-Star bonus in his contract by the Rangers after he posted a 1.58 ERA with 94 strikeouts over 91 innings. Teammate Jacob deGrom, who was selected as an All-Star, also received a $100,000 bonus.

Eovaldi, in his 15th major league season, would lead the majors in ERA, but after missing a month due to a triceps injury, he fell six innings short of the necessary 97 innings to qualify among leaders for individual statistical categories.

Eovaldi, a two-time All-Star, won his third straight game on Sunday to improve to 7-3, giving up five hits and a run with eight strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings against the Houston Astros.

The right-hander ranks second only to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal among MLB starting pitchers in WHIP (0.85) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.71). Opposing batters are hitting a paltry .194 with a .237 on-base percentage, .286 slugging percentage and .523 OPS against Eovaldi.

Eovaldi is scheduled to make his first start of the second half at home on Sunday against Skubal and the Tigers at Globe Life Field.