(Wikimedia Commons)
Here’s a look at what’s been happening in the sports world:
The College Football National Championship is set, with Ohio State taking on Notre Dame next Monday, January 20, in Atlanta.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish faced off against The Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl on Thursday of last week. They evaded the Nittany Lions on a last second field goal 27-24, advancing to the national championship when they will face the Ohio State Buckeyes. The stellar defense for the Irish along with a game changing special teams unit have coupled together and proved to be a force the whole season. The Irish also look to rely on sensational running back Jerimiyah Love, senior captain Xavier Watts, and defensive tackle, Howard Cross to carry them to the victory. Their secondary will have their hands full as they face the most talented receiving core in the country, headlined by freshman phenom, Jeremiah Smith. Although Notre Dame may have less talent than the Buckeyes, I believe Marcus Freeman will rally the Irish to take the victory.
Ohio State has had an awakening ever since its devastating loss to Michigan to conclude the regular season. Since then, the Buckeyes have won three straight, including beating Oregon, the number one team in the nation, 41-21 in the Rose Bowl. They have outscored their opponents 111-52 in these three games. Key players include freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith, who has shown he is the best receiver in college football, and Jack Sawyer, whose 83 yard strip-6 to send the Bucks to the championship game cemented his legacy as a Buckeye great. Looking ahead to next weeks championship game, the Buckeyes need to capitalize on their offensive firepower and try to get off to a quick start. Notre Dame’s defense will provide a tough challenge for the Bucks, but I don’t believe any team in the country can keep up with Ohio State’s offensive attack of Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, Quinshon Judkins, and more.
Wild Card weekend has concluded and we look back on which teams earned their spot in the divisional round. These first two games began on Saturday, January 11, when the Houston Texans prevailed against the Los Angeles Chargers in a 32-12 contest, and the Baltimore Ravens cruised to a 28-14 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The following Sunday, the Denver Broncos traveled to Highmark Stadium in Buffalo to face the Buffalo Bills, which saw the Buffalo wallop Denver 31-7. Following this game, the Philadelphia Eagles trounced the Green Bay Packers in a 22-10 game which saw a non-existent Green Bay pass game. The divisional round commences with the Texans and Chiefs on Saturday, January 18.
Just under halfway through the NBA season, two teams have emerged as obvious title favorites: The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers, as both are on pace for 70 wins and both fresh off of 10+ game win streaks, faced off last week, with the Cavs winning 129-122. They are set to play again Thursday, January 16. The Celtics have also looked dominant, sitting 7 games back with a 27-11 record. Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are top two in MVP odds right now, with Jokic slightly ahead. This would be his fourth time winning the award in five years, a feat only accomplished by Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Pretty good company for the Serbian star.
