Connect with us

Published

on

CINCINNATI — Brendan Sorsby passed for 214 yards and two touchdowns, Evan Pryor ran for 111 yards and two TDs and Cincinnati used a 17-point first quarter to beat No. 14 Iowa State 38-30 on Saturday.

The Bearcats (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) beat a ranked opponent at home for the first time since beating No. 16 Houston 35-20 on Dec. 4, 2021.

The Cyclones (5-1, 2-1) trailed 31-7 with 1:08 left in the second quarter before rallying to get within eight with 1:56 left in the game. Cincinnati recovered an onside kick to end the threat.

“It’s a different team,” Bearcats coach Scott Satterfield said, simply, when asked the difference between last year’s 5-7 team and this year’s roster. “It’s different players.”

Rocco Becht passed for 314 yards and two touchdowns and ran another two in for the Cyclones.

Sorsby’s 82-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Goodie in the fourth quarter was the Bearcats’ longest pass play since 2015.

Iowa State, one of the least penalized teams in the country, had five penalties for 35 yards in the first half. The Cyclones jumped offside on third down to extend the Bearcats’ opening drive, which led to a 30-yard TD run from Pryor for the game’s first score.

The Cyclones went on to take a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Becht got the Cyclones on the board early in the second on a 14-yard run.

Becht scored on a 4-yard run on the final play of the half and then threw an 11-yard TD pass to Brett Eskildsen on the opening drive in the third quarter.

“Rocco Becht is a dang warrior. You keep looking up and he continues to make plays,” Bearcats coach Scott Satterfield said. “That is a huge win for us as we went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the Big 12 over the last few seasons.”

The Cyclones were without 16 injured players, including all-Big 12 defensive backs Jeremiah Cooper and Jontez Williams. They also were without their top two kickers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

Sports

UCLA stuns No. 7 Penn State for 1st win of year

Published

on

By

UCLA stuns No. 7 Penn State for 1st win of year

PASASDENA, Calif. — Nico Iamaleava threw for two touchdowns and ran for three more on Saturday as UCLA notched its first win of the season in stunning fashion, knocking off No. 7 Penn State 42-37 at the Rose Bowl.

The Nittany Lions, who lost to Oregon at home last week for their first loss of the season, have suddenly dropped two straight, and could fall out of the Associated Press Top 25 after a sluggish performance that saw the Bruins (1-4) take a 27-7 lead before holding off the visitors.

Penn State (3-2) allowed more than 400 yards to a team that hadn’t held a lead all season, and is being led by interim coach Tim Skipper after DeShaun Foster was fired Sept. 14.

“It feels great. That is a valiant team and our coaches, we stuck together. Everyone counted us out, we just needed to keep going to work,” Skipper said on the CBS game broadcast. “Every single play counted today. That is a top-notch Penn State team. We kept our minds right and just continued to execute.”

The Bruins became the first 0-4 team to defeat a top-10 team since 1985, when UTEP knocked off BYU.

“Ballers always ball out,” Skipper said of Iamaleava. “He shows up every single week. I’m glad he’s on my team, I will say that.”

Continue Reading

Sports

Belichick to stay course as UNC flounders again

Published

on

By

Belichick to stay course as UNC flounders again

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The stands at Kenan Stadium were nearly empty long before halftime, and the fervor that surrounded the hiring of Bill Belichick at North Carolina has, in the span of just five games, devolved into exasperation and frustration after the Tar Heels looked awful yet again in a 38-10 loss to Clemson.

UNC trailed 28-3 after the first quarter, giving up 14 points on Clemson’s first four plays. The Heels are now 0-3 against Power 4 teams, having been outscored by a combined total of 120-33.

Despite the struggles, Belichick shrugged off a need for structural changes so soon into his tenure.

“The main thing we need to do is to keep doing what we’re doing but do them better,” Belichick said. “Fundamentally we’re not doing the wrong things, we’re just not doing them well enough.”

Belichick chalked up Saturday’s defeat to self-inflicted wounds at “two or three critical times” and noted that execution and coaching are to blame.

“It’s a lack of concentration,” he said, “and part of that is coaching, too, so I’ll take my share of the responsibility.”

Saturday’s implosion comes just days after a letter from GM Mike Lombardi to donors was released publicly, in which Lombardi calls this a “rebuilding” campaign for the Tar Heels and explains in detail about a dearth of talent on this year’s team due to exits from past recruiting classes.

After the loss to Clemson, Belichick downplayed the branding of a rebuild, but when asked directly what he’s telling recruits about the status of the program, he appeared to acknowledge a long-term approach.

“We’re honest with them, honest that we’re building, and if you want to be a part of a program that’s being built, then we’re here for you,” Belichick said.

That’s not the notion UNC’s players seemed to embrace after a 2-3 start.

Quarterback Max Johnson, who got his first start Saturday in place of injured Gio Lopez, said he feels UNC has enough talent, and receiver Jordan Shipp strongly pushed back against the notion this program was in need of a rebuild.

“I’m not here to rebuild, I’m here to win football games,” Shipp said. “That’s why I’m here. Whatever they’re doing with the donors, that has nothing to do with me. I’m here to win football games and that’s what 100% of my focus is on.”

Belichick said he won’t make changes in personnel based on a long-term vision of the program, despite the poor results early on.

“The guys who deserve to play are going to play,” he said. “I’m not going to base it on how old they are or whatever. Guys that play the best deserve to play. We’ll see how that goes. My expectations are to come in and have a good week this week and get ready for Cal.”

Continue Reading

Sports

Dodgers vs. Phillies (Oct 4, 2025) Live Score – ESPN

Published

on

By

Dodgers vs. Phillies (Oct 4, 2025) Live Score - ESPN

— Alejandro Kirk hit two solo home runs, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also connected and the Toronto Blue Jays won a postseason game for the first time since 2016 by thumping the New York Yankees 10-1 in Game 1 of their AL Division Series on Saturday.

Continue Reading

Trending