Penn State is 4-2 at the midway point of its season, and the Nittany Lions have seemingly turned a corner after enduring a run of hard luck in the early part of the year. The linebacker position has been ravaged by injuries to starters Nyeem Wartman-White, Brandon Bell and Jason Cabinda, in the process taking awaythree of coordinator Brent Pry"s best, most experienced players.
Offensively, quarterback Trace McSorley is coming into his own in the his first season as the Lions" starter. His pairing with Saquon Barkley and a talented group of skill players has potential to keep paying off. The installation of Joe Moorhead"s spread, tempo offense has been an ongoing process that most recently yielded its best results in a 38-14 win over Maryland.
Greg Pickel and I looked at both the offensive and defensive units and handed out grades for each position group in a podcast for the Keystone Sports Network. Check out audio from the show below.
Recap: Colorado football tops Stanford, becomes bowl eligible
Down 10-0 at the half, Stanford football looked to be on its way to a third straight blowout loss, this time at the hands of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
But then, a Cardinal defense which had given up 86 points to two Washington teams in the past two weeks finally came together, as a pick-six from sophomore Quenton Meeks kickstarted a second-half rally that would end in a 17-10 victory for the Cardinal (4-2, 2-2 Pac-12) over Notre Dame (2-5) in a turnover-laden game in South Bend, Indiana, on Saturday.
The Cardinal managed just one offensive touchdown with the absence of junior running back Christian McCaffrey, who was sidelined by injury. Sophomore running back Bryce Love stepped up in his stead, rushing for 129 yards on 23 carries in his first collegiate start.
Defense ruled the day as Stanford held Notre Dames offense to 10 points, the lowest in the series history, and 5-of-14 on third-down conversions. The return of starting cornerback Meeks proved vital as he plugged an ailing Stanford secondary, and his 50-yard interception return for a touchdown drastically shifted the games momentum in the Cardinals favor.
Quenton Meeks is a ball hawk. We saw that last year, head coach David Shaw said. Hes got great instincts on top of his physical tools. Hes long, hes physical, hes smart and hes got a feel for the ball.
Despite being effective in gaining yardage at the start of the game, the Cardinal offense was unable to close, squandering opportunities at every turn. Stanfords first five drives resulted in a missed field goal the third consecutive miss off the left upright for fifth-year senior Conrad Ukropina two punts and two turnovers.
Offensively, the inefficiency drives me nuts, Shaw said. We can be so much better. We moved the ball in the first half as well as we have all year probably better than we have all year and [had a] missed field goal and two turnovers. Thats unacceptable.
A third-quarter interception by fifth-year senior safety Dallas Lloyd led to Brian Kellys pulling quarterback DeShone Kizer in favor of Malik Zaire. The new Irish offensive leader proved just as ineffective as the Cardinal forced two three-and-outs and a safety.
Stanfords offense was unable to capitalize on the opportunities given to them in the second half, until their third fumble of the night ironically turned into a touchdown after sophomore receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside recovered a goal-line fumble by Love in the end zone. It marked Arcega-Whitesides fourth touchdown in as many games, an impressive streak for the young receiver.
With the Cardinal leading 15-10, Shaw elected to go for the two-point conversion. Offensive coordinator Mike Bloomgren sent out the ogre package, a personnel that typically screams a run up the middle. Following a fake to sophomore running back Cameron Scarlett that left no one not even Ken Bone uncommitted, senior quarterback Ryan Burns pitched the ball outside to Love, who pranced into a wide open end zone.
Burns, who went 10-for-19 passing for 120 yards and one interception, still lacked efficiency and consistency under center, although he took more control as backup Keller Chryst did not see additional action after his designated set in the third offensive drive.
As in previous years matchups between these two teams, the game came down to the last play, when junior defensive end Solomon Thomas provided the final stop to seal the win for the Cardinal. Coming in for a near-sack on fourth down in the red zone with time expiring, Thomas pummeled Kizer, whom Kelly reinstated for the Irishs final drive, as he attempted to get a pass off, securing a Stanford victory.
For Notre Dame, this marks another implosion in a season that has been disastrous for head coach Brian Kelly. Despite being ranked 10th in the nation to start the season, the team has now dropped to 2-5 and lost its third straight home game for the first time since 2007.
While the win saved the Cardinal from what would have been the first three-game losing streak in the David Shaw era, Stanford has a long way to go to return to the caliber of play it exhibited at the start of the season. Stanfords four turnovers in Irish territory do not bode well for the Cardinal, who face a stout Colorado defense next week.
With the up-and-coming Buffaloes headed to the Farm this weekend, the Cardinal will need to shore up holes defensively and find some stability on offense. McCaffreys status remains questionable for Saturdays game, and although Love has shown flashes of brilliance, it may take a tandem of backs to get Stanfords listless offense off the ground.
Contact Olivia Hummer at ohummer at stanford.edu andTristan Vanech at tvanech at stanford.edu.
ESPN First Take - Stephen A. Smith Rips Giants & NFL Over Josh Brown
LONDON The Giants" organization is under fire for the Josh Browndebacle, but they still have a game to play here in England against the Ramsat Twickenham Stadium.
Giants should be embarrassed for handling of Josh Brown
It"s a big contest for the Giants, who are 3-3 and could get above .500 once again before they head into their bye week and prepare for a three-game home stand.
Follow the links below for everything you need to know prior to kickoff:
Predictions: Will the Giants win their second straight? Or will they head into the bye week on a sour note? Here"s what our NJ.com staff sees happening Sunday in London.
OBJ is going to play: Odell Beckham Jr. struggled with a hip pointer during the week, but the Giants left no doubt he will play Sunday, even going as far as to dust up the now non-existent "probable" designation.
Jackrabbit in the spotlight: Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins wants his play on the field to do the talkingagainst his old team, but Rams coach Jeff Fisher says he"s playing like the best cornerin the NFL.
Snacks isn"t buying: Many folks have discussed the idea of a permanent team in London this week. But Damon Harrison expressed his doubts about the viability of such an endeavor.
Key matchups? Can Justin Pugh handle the Rams" all-world defensive tackle Aaron Donald? That is one of the key matchups that will help decide Sunday"s game.
World travelers: If the Giants could play an NFL game anywhere in the world, where would they? We asked some of them.
In London after all: Giants cornerback Coty Sensabaugh was always planning to be here for Sunday"s game. He just thought he"d play for the other team.
11 Rams the Giants need know
New kicker: The Giants have added veteran Robbie Gould to replace the embattled Josh Brown.Giants express confidence in Gould
Beat writer Q+A: Will the Rams try to bait Odell Beckham Jr. and cause him to have another meltdown?Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times says ...
THE JOSH BROWN SCANDAL:
Brown placed on commissioner exempt listJohn Mara"s stunning revelation: Brown told us he beat his wifeMcAdoo: We won"t turn our backs on himWATCH: Giants should be embarrassedHow we got to this pointSheriff mocks NFL"s investigatorAnnie Apple rips John MaraEli Manning responds, 2 years after PSA
James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.
Highlights: Stanford football extends winning streak over USC in Pac-12 opener
At the beginning of the 2016 college football season, Stanford vs. Colorado appeared destined to be a romp, a chance for the Cardinal to take a well-deserved break from facing more worthy competition like UCLA, Washington and Notre Dame. After all, Stanford has outscored the Buffaloes 138-17 in their only three meetings as members of the Pac-12, and the 4-9 Buffs of last season offered no reason to think differently.
But that was the old Colorado.
Now, in Week 8 of the season, Stanford (4-2, 2-2 Pac-12) finds itself in the surprising position of trying to play spoiler to the rising Buffaloes (5-2, 3-1), who rank fourth in the nation in total offense and are now the favorites to win the Pac-12 South, according to ESPNs Football Power Index.
This year, you see them playing with confidence. You see them making those plays to finish games and win games, said head coach David Shaw of Colorados newfound success. Theyre playing hard, theyre playing smart and theyre very well coached in all three phases.
The Buffs have every reason to be confident heading into Saturday after a 40-16 win over Arizona State. It was the first victory over the Sun Devils in the programs history, as they racked up 580 yards on offense and held the Sun Devils to a meager 199 in the process.
As for Stanford, Saturdays contest is about building on the momentum and confidence gained in a 10-point comeback and difficult road victory last week against Notre Dame. A defense that demonstrated its playmaking ability, such as sophomore Quenton Meeks 50-yard interception return for a touchdown, and an offense that showed promise in the second half by scoring its first meaningful touchdown since running over USC on Sept. 17, will try to build on their success over the course of a full game in front of the homecoming crowd.
Getting that last drive in and scoring was big for our confidence, said sophomore wide receiver Trenton Irwin about last week. I think we just have to try to progress in every little bit of the game we can. I felt like the offense was clicking. We still had a couple mishaps, but we were clicking like we were at the start of the year.
The bad news for the Cardinal is they might have to do so without some key players for yet another week.
Although junior running back Christian McCaffrey might practice harder late in the week, he is still questionable for Saturday, according to Shaw, and his availability mayend up being another game-time decision. Junior cornerback Alijah Holder is said to be better than last week, but is also labeled as questionable. In addition, senior offensive lineman David Bright is doubtful, and junior fullback Daniel Marx has been ruled out for the fourth straight week.
But regardless of who is on the field for Stanford, the focus will be on limiting errors like the ones that sometimes killed Stanfords momentum against the Fighting Irish.
Im confident in the guys we have. Its just those one or two plays that kill a drive that we cant have, Shaw said. The thing for us in the last two games has been shooting ourselves in the foot with fumbles, penalties and missed field goals. Those are things we dont have here and dont accept here.
Limiting mistakes, especially on the offensive line, will be vital this week as a Stanford offense that is worst in the Pac-12 in sacks allowed will be pitted against the Colorado defense, led by Pac-12 sack leader Jimmie Gilbert.
The thing for us is to try to keep our quarterback in rhythm, get the ball out on time and make sure we give every pass rusher the long road to the quarterback, Shaw said.
On the other side, junior defensive end Solomon Thomas will look to continue improving upon his stellar performance after a self-described all right game at Notre Dame. Thomas recorded a career-high 12 total tackles and 1.5 sacks and forced the fumble that closed out the Fighting Irish last week.
Solomon is that rare combination of athletic ability, speed, mentality and technique, Shaw said. The funny thing to me is he has only played a year-and-a-half of football. Hes only going to get better, and Im excited to watch that.
The Cardinal will need Thomas as well as the rest of the defense to be at their best on Saturday in order to slow down Colorados balanced attack.
The Buffaloes have put up more than 40 points in five of their seven games this season, with junior running back Phillip Lindsay, who sprinted his way to a career-high 219 yards and three touchdowns against Arizona State last week, leading a potent ground game.
Stanford will have to hold off Colorados air attack as well, led by senior quarterback Sefo Liufau, who has tallied over 1,000 yards passing on the season despite missing two games.
Even more concerning yet for the Stanford defense is the fact that it must respect Liufaus legs too, as he has added 164 yards and two touchdowns this season after taking it into the end zone five times on the ground last season for the Buffs.
Hes just a good football player. Hes got really good instincts, said Shaw of Liufau. Hes just one of those guys who plays hard every snap. All of the coaches in the conference really respect him.
Stanford will look to get one win closer to bowl eligibility and grab an unexpectedly difficult Pac-12 win with a noon kickoff on Saturday at Stanford Stadium. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
Updated: Saturday, October 22, 2016 @ 3:33 AMPublished: Saturday, October 22, 2016 @ 3:21 AM
Rick Astley exiled himself from music for a good part of the last three decades, but he never really left pop"s consciousness.
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For one, hits like Never Gonna Give You Up and It Would Take A Strong Strong Man, derided by critics as cheesy at the time, have endured. Then there"s the whole rick-rolling phenomenon when a promised link on a website turns out instead to be an Astley video.
At first, Astley was annoyed by rick-rolling. Then his daughter helped him realize that it was cool and that it helped boost his profile during his fallow years by keeping his boyish face in ours.
He"s even more appreciative now as he releases "50," his first album of new music in 23 years.
"The idea of me releasing a new record now I need every bit of help I can get," he quipped.
He may not have needed it as much as he thought: The album debuted at the top of the charts in his native United Kingdom, and when he performed his first U.S. shows in New York and Los Angeles over the summer, they sold out. He wrapped up a short U.S. tour earlier this month.
The still boyish-looking Astley recently sat down with The Associated Press to talk about life after his "80s pop success, rick-rolling and what music means to him now.
AP: During your break, did you ever long to get back to music?
Astley: I think you never lose that feeling of "cause you know I still got an ego whether you retire or not. I mean, it"s still there and there is a little voice on your shoulder sort of saying, "You"re better than him."... I think that is one the lucky things about what I chose to do and what I love to do, you know ... it is a young person"s world really, but you know an old boy like me can still make a record and can still make a bit of a splash.
AP: You think the whole "rick-roll" thing was good for you?
Astley: Absolutely it was because I think if you"re doing anything like music or movies, there is so much competition. ... And also there have been some really, really clever things done with that song. It has not just been rick-roll. There have been so many different things. One of my favorites is they got (President Barack) Obama to sing "Never Gonna Give You Up" (in a mash-up video) or say it at least, which I thought was brilliant. I mean, it"s obviously somebody with too much time on their hands, but they also did that with "Mad Men" as well.
AP:There are some artists who only want to perform their new songs. What"s your take?
Astley:I"m not really in that camp, to be honest, because I had a long break from it, so it"s not like I have been singing those tunes for 30 years. You know, I am fully aware of the fact that the only reason you know we had a No. 1 album in the U.K. with this record it"s like the reason it got played on the radio with the first couple of tunes and stuff. ... When we play live and stuff, there is a part of me thinking, "Great, we are going to finish "Never Gonna Give You Up," and I know every single person in this room or in this field knows that tune." They might not all like it, but I know they all know it.
AP:What do you think of your music legacy? Are you resentful that some dismissed your music at the time?
Astley:No. I mean if I"d been a journalist and I had been reviewing my records ... you know I"m not so sure what I would think of it either. I mean, I think there are some really great strong pop songs ... but just looking at it you kind of think. "Well yeah, but it"s a bit manufactured. " ... I don"t hold any grudges for people who had a go at me, you know what I mean? That"s for sure.
Creator Charlie Brooker Explains… | Black Mirror: White Christmas | Channel 4
Sophie Gilbert and David Sims will be discussing the new season of Netflixs Black Mirror, considering alternate episodes. The reviews contain spoilers; dont read further than youve watched. See all of their coverage here.
What a relief San Junipero was after the actually nightmare-provoking Shut Up and Dance. (I really did have a dream about a bugged bottle of wine that was sending videos to Russian hackers, because thats just the kind of week its been.) It isnt often Black Mirror takes such a heartwarming, optimistic view of things, although naturally the episode had sharp undertones about the dangers of perpetual pleasure seeking (the Quagmire was as apt a portrait of the dark underbelly of the internet as youll ever find) and the allure of nostalgia.
I loved the narrative freedom offered by a new location, though, and now that were almost through all six episodes, I wanted to take a minute to think about how season three of Black Mirror has been different. The shift to Netflix from the U.K.s Channel 4 has opened the show up to different locations, yes, but also different environments. In its first two seasons the show seemed to be set in Britaineven the more unrecognizable worlds of 15 Million Merits and White Christmas. But in expanding its geographical horizons, Black Mirror is also able to expand its scope with storytelling, exploring themes that might not have made sense before. Like falling in love. And going to war.
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Black Mirrors San Junipero is the Standout of the Season
Men Against Fire is one of the better episodes of the series, I think, because it actually featured a sharp twist with a message, and one that wasnt as obvious as the shows usual sermons (technology: bad, mob mentality: bad, brain implants: v. v. bad). Stripe (Malachi Kirby) is a soldier fighting in what appears to be Eastern Europe, only the enemy forces hes targeting are zombie-like mutants known as roaches. After a band of roaches raid a nearby village in search of food, the American soldiers pay a visit to a local eccentric whos believed to be helping the mutants out of a belief that all life is sacred. Searching through some hidden rooms in his house, Stripe encounters several aggressive roaches and kills two, but not before one of them shines a mysterious light in his face that causes his brain implant, or mass (a device that allows his commanding officer to transfer visual information to him instantaneously), to start acting peculiarly.
After the ringing in his head affects his performance at a shooting range, Stripe reports to medical, and is sent to a unit psychiatrist (Michael Kelly), who quizzes him on what it felt like to kill the roaches, and how hes coping. The next day, while infiltrating a roach compound, Stripe is shocked when he sees his fellow soldiers murdering civilians, all of whom seem to be pleading for their lives. He helps a woman escape with her young son, and learns the truth: the implant in his head causes him to see ordinary people as gruesome mutants, and to interpret their peaceable actions as violent ones that threaten his life.
Its a terrific, unexpected twist, mostly because it seems so plausible: What could be more enticing to an advanced military power than a device that allows soldiers to kill without suffering any guilt or emotional repercussions? In a horrifying conversation in Stripes cell after hes recaptured, the psychiatrist reveals that the technology was pioneered because humans are genuinely empathetic as a species. We dont want to kill each other, which is a good thing, until your future depends on wiping out the enemy. The blood sickness the soldiers were taught to believe was the reason for eliminating the roaches is actually their genetic differentiation, the doctor explains: higher rates of cancer and muscular dystrophy, substandard IQ, higher criminal tendencies and sexual deviance.
With this unexpected lurch toward the subject of eugenics, Man Against Fire alludes to a wealth of different prejudices still rife among humankind, particularly institutionalized racism, tribalism, and fear of refugees (the villagers dont see the roaches as other, its worth notingtheyve simply been taught to see them that way). And it veers into darker territory still toward the end, when Stripe is adamant he doesnt want his mass reset, and the doctor informs him that if he refuses, h**l be forced to relive his murder of the two roaches on a permanent loop via the implant while he sits in a jail cell. Its the kind of particularly inconceivable psychological torture Black Mirror likes to throw out once in a while, like being stuck in a log cabin alone listening to Christmas music for what feels like several million years. And it persuades Stripe: At the end of the episode, hes shown returning home in uniform to a ramshackle house and a woman who most likely is an illusion created by his device.
The episode made me think about augmented reality, and the ethical boundaries that dont yet exist when it comes to showing people things that arent there. It was also a persuasive and nuanced exploration of military valor, and the potential might of an army that could fight without morality getting in the way. But it also seemed to point toward the drone technology that exists now, and how much easier it makes eliminating large groups of people remotely at the flick of a switch, without the smell or the sound of warfare. Without the implant, the doctor tells Stripe, you will see and smell and feel it all. Is that what you want?
Praise to Malachi Kirby, fresh off his performance in the Roots remake, who was similarly stellar in this, and to Kelly, who always imbues every performance with extraordinary menace. What did you make of it, David? Should we note that when Stripes fellow soldier sang Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand), thats the third time this fairly obscure track has been featured in the series? Whats up with that?
Read David Simss review of the final episode, Hated in the Nation.
The Republic | azcentral.com 5:22 p.m. MST October 21, 2016
Here"s what you need to know about voting in the November election in Arizona.
Tori Jensen, 18, rides her long board to Parkway Community Church in Phoenix to cast her ballot in Arizona"s primary election on August 30 -- her first time voting.(Photo: Michael Chow/The Republic)
It"s almost here the Nov. 8 election.
The presidential race has gotten the most attention, but there are lots of equallyimportant races in Arizona. Here"s how to vote with confidence:
VOTER INFORMATION
Early voting is underway and continues until Nov. 4. You can vote in person at various Maricopa County locations. Bring an accepted form of ID with you, such as a driver"s license.You also can request an early ballot before Oct. 28, fill it out at home and mail it in. Just make sure the county elections folks have it in hand by Election Day.
If you wait until Nov. 8, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Enter your address to find your Maricopa Countypolling place.
VOTER GUIDE
The Arizona Republic sent candidates questionnairesin congressional, state legislative, state, county and municipal racesto capture where they stand on key issues. There also are questionnairesabouttwo statewide ballot initiatives and four municipal questions.
You can search by the state"s 99 racesor210 candidates. Oryou canfill out a sample ballot that you can print and take with you to the polls. Pretty cool, huh?
ENDORSEMENTS
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The Arizona Republic"s editorial board is making recommendations in several key races. Follow the links belowto read the full endorsements (and stay tuned - there are more to come).
PRESIDENT: Hillary Clinton. We endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate over a Republican for the first time in the newspaper"s history because Donald Trump is unqualified for office, and Clinton has the experience and temperament to lead.
U.S. SENATE: John McCain.Arizona"s senior senator is a voice of reason and experience, particularly on issues like national security and immigration. Washington needs his leadership now more than ever.
CONGRESS, DISTRICT 1: Tom O"Halleran.Unlike his opponent, Democrat O"Halleran"s talk about the border and coal matches his work when he was a Republican in the Arizona Legislature.
CONGRESS, DISTRICT 2: Martha McSally.The freshman Republican has done yeoman"s work of representing this ideologically split district. She accomplished things that matter for constituents, and she deserves another two years to keep up the good work.
SHERIFF: Paul Penzone.Penzone has promised to clean house, something Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, now facing criminal charges for balking a judge"s orders, has proven he cannot (or will not) do. Penzone deserves the chance.
PROPOSITION205: Vote no. There is merit in legalizing marijuana, but Prop. 205 goes about it in the wrong way. The initiative is a money grab that puts kids" health at risk, among other problems.
