Hunting the Perfect Season

01/29/2021

By: Jeff Yoder

Happy Friday!

We’re spinning into February like 52-year-old Tony Hawk on a half-pipe. He’s still got it. And we’ve still got a big sports weekend ahead. Let’s get to it.

Letter Rip!

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NCAA

Hunting the Perfect Season

Could Multiple Teams Run the Table in Men’s College Hoops? (By Connor Groel)

We’re just over six weeks away from Selection Sunday. If you’ve been busy with the NFL playoffs, it’s about time to tune in. It’s a rarity to have five teams with a zero in the loss column this deep in the season. The idea of “running the table” starts to become more and more of a possibility, and these teams are still perfect.

Gonzaga (16-0) and Baylor (15-0)

First, the heavyweights. The Bulldogs and Bears are the two best teams in the country, although it’s anyone’s guess as to who deserves that top spot. Positive COVID-19 tests in the Gonzaga program robbed us of a matchup between these squads in December, leaving us to only hope that they meet in the NCAA Tournament. An undefeated title game, perhaps?

#1 Gonzaga is probably the likeliest team to be perfect on Selection Sunday. This is a battle-tested team, whose victims so far include top-ten teams in Iowa, Virginia, and Kansas. For the Bulldogs, the quest for an undefeated regular season could come down to their season finale; a tough road game at BYU.

#2 Baylor has been tearing through the Big 12, but they still face challenges. A game at #5 Texas on Tuesday will be a huge test, as will visits to #24 Oklahoma, #11 West Virginia, and #15 Kansas.

Other Undefeated Teams

– Drake (15-0)

– Winthrop (16-0)

– Alabama A&M (4-0)

Alabama A&M had played just two games prior to SWAC play starting on Jan. 16. I wouldn’t count on them to stay undefeated much longer, but why not root for a miracle?

Additional Storylines

Washington Post: Undefeated Gonzaga Is Staring Down History, But Its Final Exam Won’t Arrive Until March

CBS Sports: College Basketball Rankings: It’s Time to Start Talking About No. 2 Baylor Possibly Going Undefeated

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NFL

A Virtual Pro Bowl Weekend

Pro Bowl Celebration Takes Place on Sunday

The year of unordinary circumstances continues with another unique celebration this weekend — the NFL Pro Bowl. This year’s game is a digital affair using the Madden 2021 video game. The league will hold a celebratory event at 3:00 pm ET on Sunday before a live-streamed competition involving two current players and two celebrities on each team. The AFC team features Deshaun Watson, Derrick Henry, Keyshawn Johnson and Snoop Dogg. The NFC team features Kyler Murray, Jamal Adams, Marshawn Lynch and Bubba Wallace.

Notable Pro Bowl Starters

AFC: QB Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), RB Derrick Henry (Titans), WR Tyreek Hill (Chiefs), WR Stefan Diggs (Bills), TE Travis Kelce (Chiefs), DE Myles Garrett (Browns), Joey Bosa (Chargers), LB T.J. Watt (Steelers), CB Xavien Howard (Dolphins), SS Tyrann Mathieu (Chiefs)

NFC: QB Aaron Rodgers (Packers), RB Dalvin Cook (Vikings), WR Davante Adams (Packers), WR DeAndre Hopkins (Cardinals), DT Aaron Donald, DT Fletcher Cox (Eagles), LB Khalil Mack (Bears), LB Bobby Wagner (Seahawks), CB Jalen Ramsey (Rams)

Full Pro Bowl Rosters

Additional Storylines

Sporting News: Everything to Know About the Virtual Madden Pro Bowl

B/R: Biggest Snubs & Surprises of 2021 Pro Bowl Selections

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NHL

Lafreniere’s 1st Goal Makes History

No. 1 Pick Alexis Lafreniere’s First NHL Goal Gives Rangers OT Win

The New York Rangers won on Thursday for the first time in five games, and how it happened was nothing short of NHL history. Alexis Lafreniere, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, scored his first NHL goal in overtime to secure the win (3-2). Lafreniere beat Sabres’ goaltender Colin Blackwell just 2:47 into the extra period, and he became the first No. 1 pick to have his first goal go down as an OT-winner.

“It’s pretty crazy. Overtime, game-winning goal. It was really special. I’ll never forget this moment, for sure.” — Alexis Lafreniere

Watch: Lafreniere’s 1st Goal Game-Winner

Other NHL Highlights

Stars Stay Undefeated: Dallas stayed unbeaten (4-0-0) with a 7-3 shellacking of the Red Wings on Thursday. The Stars’ seven goals came from seven different sticks, and they’re 4-0-0 for the first time in a over a decade.

Leafs Leap Ahead: Toronto edged out Edmonton on Thursday (4-3) to claim their seventh win of the season and take a big leap ahead of the field due to scheduling conflicts. No one else in the NHL has more than five wins.

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