Welcome to The Epoch Times Sports Brief for Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, we’ve got some really dynamic stories to share with you right now, and here’s what’s happening in the thrilling world of sports.
A pair of college football powerhouses clash in a battle with enormous playoff ramifications, we still don’t know who’s healthy enough to step in at quarterback in a couple of consequential NFL battles, and a few baseball wildcard spots are still up for grabs—but the real wild card is the weather.
Also, a basketball legend says he’s thrown down his last dunk, and lace up your shoulder pads as we bring you into the huddle for a brand new Epoch Times ranking.
Alabama Takes On Georgia in SEC Battle of Champions
Georgia and Alabama have both dominated the college football landscape for the last decade, and tomorrow night in Tuscaloosa, these bitter rivals are going to collide in an early season free-for-all packed with enormous long-term implications.You should know that Georgia has won 42 straight regular season games, and that both of their last two losses have come against Alabama in the SEC title game. Last season, the Crimson Tide knocked the defending champion Dawgs out of the playoffs entirely. The Dawgs moved over to let the big dogs eat.
You should also know that combined, these regional neighbors have won half of the last 10 college football championships.
New Bama head coach Kalen DeBoer and his high-flying offense revolves around one-man wrecking crew Jalen Milroe and his favorite wide receiver, the phenomenal freshman Ryan Williams. They’ll both be looking to take advantage of a banged-up Georgia D-line and a stingy Dawg defense that simply refuses to surrender the big play.
A couple of weeks ago, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and his Bulldogs barely squeaked by conference foe Kentucky, and quarterback Carson Beck must avoid yet another slow start if his team hopes to have any chance at all of knocking off the stubborn Crimson Tide.
Interesting to note, since last year’s meeting, Alabama coach Nick Saban has left the sidelines, Texas and Oklahoma have both joined the SEC, and this year’s college playoff field has expanded, just like my waistline, to 12 teams.
The road to the college football championship likely passes through one of these perennial contenders, and whoever wins tomorrow night’s showdown has a huge advantage moving forward.
Injuries Hover Over NFL Division Showdowns
On Sunday, the undefeated Vikings are heading to the frozen tundra of Green Bay’s legendary Lambeau Field, and we still don’t know who will be lining up behind center for the Pack.You may recall that Packers starting quarterback Jordan Love injured his knee in the team’s opening game, and the budding superstar has yet to suit up again. Head coach Matt LaFleur says he’s been keeping close tabs on Love’s condition, and that whether or not Love starts is going to be a game-time decision.
You should know that backup QB Malik Willis threw down a brilliant performance last weekend against his former team, the Tennessee Titans, and if called upon again, the dual threat appears very capable of leading the Pack to a third straight win.
For the undefeated Vikings, journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold is off to a blazing start, and All-World wide receiver Justin Jefferson will be a colossal challenge for the Green Bay defense.
Interesting to note: former Packers running back Aaron Jones now plays for the Vikings, and he says he’ll still do the world famous “Lambeau Leap” into the end-zone stands if he scores a touchdown for the visitors. It’ll be very interesting to see if any of the hometown cheeseheads give him a traditional pat on the back when he performs his legendary leap.
Another contest worth keeping a close eye on this weekend takes place in the land of sunshine and movie stars—Southern California. There’s sure to be a sea of red jerseys and a whole lot of messy barbecue in the stands when the world champion Chiefs take a trip to Hollywood for a good old-fashioned rock ‘em-sock ’em AFC West brawl with coach Jim Harbaugh’s hard-nosed L.A. Chargers.
You should know that QB Justin Herbert has been hobbled by a nasty ankle injury, but Herbert says he’s good to go on Sunday, and we’ll see if the team’s doctor agrees. Offensive tackle Joe Alt and pass rusher Joey Bosa are both injured and they might not be able to play. Also, hard-hitting safety Derwin James has been suspended for some questionable helmet-to-helmet contact last week against the Steelers.
It’s always an uphill climb to defeat the two-time defending champs, even with a full crew. If the Chargers win this one, it’s all about the coaching.
Baseball’s Biggest Wild Card is Weather
Heading into tonight’s big games, the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals are both tied for the final two American League playoff spots, and if either team wins just one more game, they’re in.This weekend, the Tigers will host one of the very worst baseball teams to ever take the field, the Chicago White Sox, who have already lost a bewildering 120 games. The only team that’s racked up more losses is my great grandfather’s shuffleboard squad.
Their division rival, the KC Royals, are heating up at just the right time. They’ve won three in a row, and this weekend, they’re scheduled to play three crucial games in Atlanta against another desperate wildcard hopeful.
The Braves are in a neck-and-neck battle for one of the two remaining NL wildcard spots. They’re competing against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Mets, and all three of these contenders are separated by just one single game.
Just a friendly reminder, the wildcard round is a best-of-three series that starts on Tuesday, and all four of these games will be played in the home ballpark of the higher seed.
The Houston Astros and the Baltimore Orioles await the playoff clinchers in the American League, and the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres are already set to host the National League wildcard games.
You should know that the Dodgers, the Phillies, the Yankees, and the Guardians have all clinched first-round byes.
You should also know that the remnants of the hurricane which recently thrashed the Gulf Coast could potentially disrupt the entire schedule.
Earlier this week, horrible weather in Atlanta resulted in the postponement of a couple of highly anticipated contests between the Mets and the Braves. They’re scheduled to make up those games with a critical doubleheader on Monday—the day after the season ends—and we’ll have to wait till the final out to see who’s advancing to the playoffs the very next day.
NBA Legend Retires After 16 Seasons
Basketball legend Derrick Rose announced his retirement yesterday, after playing in the pros for 16 seasons.You may recall that the 35-year-old point guard took the league by storm before a very severe knee injury from a dozen years ago derailed his meteoric career.
Rose played one sensational year of college hoops at Memphis, and the phenomenal freshman led his team all the way to the NCAA championship game before being picked No. 1 overall in the 2008 NBA draft by his hometown Chicago Bulls.
The versatile point guard immediately blossomed in the pros, winning Rookie of the Year in 2009 and making three consecutive All-Star teams. The 22-year-old went on to snag the league’s prestigious MVP award in 2011, becoming the youngest recipient of the prize in NBA history while leading the Bulls to the very best record in the league.
A year later, Rose tore up his knee in the first round of the 2012 playoffs, and was simply never the same player moving forward. Rose struggled through another dozen years in the league, suiting up for a number of different franchises before finally calling it quits yesterday.
Announcing his retirement on social media, Rose said he gave all that he had to give to the game of basketball, and he says that he’s looking forward to spending more time now with his family.
The Best Quarterbacks in the NFL
We have just enough time left for one more story, and it’s another legendary Epoch Times ranking. This week, we’re giving you a dozen NFL players we’d want to see leading our team with two minutes on the clock, no timeouts remaining, and the concession stands shut down for the night.DISCLAIMER: The 12 names you’re about to hear have been hand-picked by the writer of this program, David Q. Ross. Mr. Ross’s opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host of this program, our advertisers, or our sponsors.
No. 12, Jayden Daniels; No. 11, Dak Prescott; No. 10, Captain Kirk Cousins; No. 9, Joe Burrow; No. 8, Geno Smith; No. 7, Matthew Stafford; No. 6, C.J. Stroud; No. 5, Lamar Jackson.
And now for our Fantastic Four, the clutch passers with nerves of steel and ice water running through their veins. No. 4, Brock Purdy; No. 3, Aaron Rodgers; No. 2, Josh Allen.
And the very best clutch QB right now ... is there any debate? It’s the sensational Patrick Mahomes.
If you think we called this all wrong, and that your favorite quarterback has somehow been shortchanged, passed over, summarily ignored, or unceremoniously benched, now’s your chance to tell us exactly how you feel. Leave your comments with us at [email protected].
For a little added incentive, this week we’re giving away a world-class, highly sought-after Epoch Times coffee mug to the person who most accurately predicts which NFL quarterback will have the most passing yards in a single game this weekend.
You can leave your predictions in our Sports Brief comments thread. Just tell us the name of the quarterback, along with your estimate of how many yards he’ll throw for this weekend. Whoever is closest wins this week’s bragging rights, along with a great mug that you can use to sip a cup of joe or spot of tea.
Before we go, we’d like to tip our caps to the U.S. Olympic baseball team, which won the USA’s only gold medal in the sport on this very day back in the year 2000.
The Americans were guided to victory in Sydney, Australia, by the legendary Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda, and the scrappy minor leaguers shocked the heavily favored Cubans 4–0 to bring home the top prize in a game that became known worldwide as the “Miracle on Grass.” They didn’t bring home any of those famous Cuban cigars, but a Gold Medal is one heck of a consolation prize.
Looks like we’re out of time, so we’re going to call it a wrap for this edition of the Epoch Times Sports Brief.
Thanks for checking in and we’ll see you next time for another insightful and up-to-date look at the exciting world of sports.
If you have any thoughts about the Sports Brief program, we’d love to hear from you, and you can find us at [email protected].
For all of us here at The Epoch Times Sports Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.
The Epoch Times Sports Brief program is written by the All-Pro David Ross.
Thank you for making us your one-stop source for a concise, accurate, and engaging rundown of the sports stories you absolutely need to know about.
Enjoy another great weekend of sports, stay safe, and please join us again next time for another edition of The Epoch Times Sports Brief.
Till then, let’s all continue to watch out for one another, have a superb day today, and remember to keep your eyes on the game. Bye for now.
