By Robbie – Page 2 – The Bat Flip

College Football Rankings Check: Week 7

After each week of the college football season, a fresh set of rankings drop, highlighting the Top 25 teams in the nation. There are two major polls used in the college football, the AP Poll voted on by members of the media, and the Coaches Poll voted on by, well you can probably figure that one out. In October, the College Football Playoff rankings join the other two and take over as the base rankings for the rest of the season.

Conference play is starting to heat up which means we will see more and more movement in the rankings as more Top 25 matchups appear on the schedule. In Week 6, both Alabama and Clemson were on byes keeping the top two sides in place for at least one more week. Further down the rankings though, teams shuffled around after Saturday’s results.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-10-08 at 11.49.51 AM.png — via ESPN

Dropped from rankings: Washington 15, UCF 18, Oklahoma State 21, Michigan State 25

Others receiving votes: Minnesota 80, Missouri 64, Appalachian State 61, Washington 54, Tulane 25, California 20, Michigan State 17, Arizona 11, UCF 9, USC 5, Iowa State 5, Pittsburgh 2

Ohio State defeated a ranked Michigan State team at home, helping them garner a few more first place votes and enough to send them into a tie with Georgia for the No. 3 spot. Florida jumped up to No. 7 with a big time victory over SEC rival Auburn, and Penn State slides into the Top 10 for the first time this season.

With the loss to Florida, Auburn tumbles out of the Top 10, down to No. 12 and faces an uphill battle should they hope to make the College Football Playoffs. Michigan and Iowa both saw three spots of movement after the Wolverines slugged their way to a 10-3 victory over the Hawkeyes in Ann Arbor.

Washington, Central Florida, Oklahoma State, and Michigan State all tumbled from the rankings while Baylor, Memphis, and Cincinnati all hopped into the Top 25.

Sitting at No. 14 and No. 21 respectively, Boise State and Southern Methodist are the highest ranked Group of Five teams, positioning themselves for a shot at a New Year’s Six bowl game.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-10-08 at 11.50.12 AM.png — via ESPN

Dropped from rankings: Washington 16, UCF 19, Michigan State 23, Oklahoma State 25

Others receiving votes: Cincinnati 74, Washington 72, Appalachian State 49, Michigan State 41, Tulane 36, California 17, Hawai’i 13, Arizona 13, UCF 11, Washington State 9, Navy 8, TCU 5, Mississippi State 3, San Diego State 2, Army 1, Temple 1

Ohio State accumulated enough points to jump over Oklahoma on the Coaches side, making the Top 4 the same in both the AP and Coaches polls. Florida, Wisconsin, and Penn State all improve their positioning with wins.

Like the AP Poll, Auburn sits at the No. 12 spot after a their setback against Florida on Saturday. Iowa joined Auburn in sliding down the standings after falling to Michigan, a result which saw the Wolverines continue their climb back up the rankings.

Like the AP Poll, Washington, Central Florida, Michigan State, and Oklahoma State all fell from the rankings following losses. Replacing them are South Methodist, Baylor, Arizona State, and Minnesota.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 7

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 7

Screen Shot 2019-10-08 at 11.55.29 AM.png — via NCAA

There are four ranked matchups on the docket for Week 7, and a few other games you should keep an eye on. Alabama will play its first game as the No. 1 ranked team this season when they take on No. 24 Texas A&M in College Station.

Coming off their big win over Auburn, No. 7 Florida travels to Death Valley to meet up with No. 5 Louisiana State in what could be a playoff elimination game. It will be interesting to see what the Gators have left in the tank to take on a proven Tigers team on the road.

It’s Red River Rivalry week where No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 11 Texas go head-to-head at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Oklahoma has looked unstoppable through five games and the Longhorns cannot afford another loss if they hope to make the College Football Playoff.

Penn State heads on the road for their first real test of the season against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Kinnick Stadium has not always been kind to the Nittany Lions, so expect a tough road test coming for the No. 10 side in primetime.

Some other non-ranked matchups to keep an eye on that could change the landscape of the college football season. A rivalry showdown between No. 9 Notre Dame and Southern California does not carry its usual luster, but the Trojans have upset two ranked sides already this season and will be playing for pride against the Irish.

In the Mountain West, current Group of Five leader Boise State looks to keep their New Year’s Six hopes on track when they host a talented Hawaii side on the famous blue turf in the Idaho capital.

Each and every week throughout the college football season we will be checking in with the latest rankings and Top 25 schedule so make sure you are checking back to keep up to date on the latest from the college football world.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 6

Due to North Carolina pushing No. 1 Clemson to the brink of an upset on Saturday, we have a change atop the polls for the first time this season. Alabama takes over the top spot from Clemson as four teams get first place votes from the media and the coaches.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-10-01 at 3.46.11 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: California 141, Memphis 71, Appalachian State 50, Army 44, Missouri 26, Baylor 19, Colorado 19, Minnesota 15, USC 7, Kansas State 1, Tulane 1

Dropped from rankings: California 15, USC 21, Kansas State 24

Alabama jumps to No. 1 for the first time this season while Clemson, Georgia, and Ohio State all receive first place votes. The Buckeyes hop over Louisiana State into the No. 4 spot after crushing Nebraska in Lincoln on Saturday night.

Most of the major movement in this week’s AP Poll came in the bottom half of the rankings where Washington, Utah, Central Florida, and Michigan all moved up with victories.

Virginia and Texas A&M both took a tumble but remained ranked, while California, Southern California, and Kansas State all rejoined the unranked party following losses over the weekend.

Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Wake Forest, and Southern Methodist all came away from Week 5 with big wins that were enough to help propel them into the Top 25 heading into another weekend slate of games.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-10-01 at 3.46.33 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: California 125, SMU 118, Arizona State 96, Army 47, Minnesota 34, Baylor 34, Appalachian State 28, Colorado 18, Duke 17, Tulane 16, Utah State 15, Kansas State 13, Hawai’i 10, USC 9, TCU 6, Mississippi State 3, Air Force 3, Washington State 3, Wyoming 2

Dropped from rankings: California 16, Kansas State 22, USC 25

Like the AP Poll, Alabama jumps Clemson to take over the No. 1 spot, but they do so with less first place votes. Georgia and Ohio State also snag first place votes but sit third and fifth respectively.

Again, like the AP poll, most of the notable movement takes place in the bottom half of the rankings. Central Florida and Wake Forest are the big movers while Washington, Utah, and Michigan climb marginally. Virginia is the biggest loser, tumbling for spots after its loss to Notre Dame.

California, Kansas State, and Southern California all drop out of the rankings to be replaced by Memphis, Michigan State, and Oklahoma State.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 6

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 6

Screen Shot 2019-10-01 at 4.15.40 PM.png — via NCAA

Three Top 25 matchups on the docket this week, all with potential long term playoff implications depending on how things shake out. No. 4 Ohio State has been perhaps the most impressive team in the country through five weeks, but they will be facing their first ranked matchup against Michigan State on Saturday.

No. 7 Auburn takes a trip to the swamp to face No. 10 Florida in what could serve as a playoff elimination game. Both sides are undefeated, but a win will propel one side up the standings while the other may see their playoff hopes shattered.

Kicking off this week’s slate of ranked matchups is No. 14 Iowa traveling to Ann Arbor for a Big Ten showdown with No. 19 Michigan. Michigan rebounded from their drubbing against Wisconsin with a win over Rutgers, but another loss likely ends any hope of a conference title let alone any future playoff hopes. Iowa needs to remain undefeated as long as possible and pick up wins against any ranked opponents along the way to keep their name in the playoff discussion.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 5

Following a week of relative calm among the college football rankings, Week 4 injected a little chaos into the mix and some teams paid a high price for their performances. Upsets in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh along with a curb stomping in Madison reshaped the polls and possibly the entire outlook of the college football season.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-25 at 1.20.30 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Wake Forest 73, Oklahoma State 57, SMU 55, Army 46, Memphis 42, Iowa State 31, Appalachian State 24, Washington State 21, Mississippi State 14, Missouri 14, Pittsburgh 6, Minnesota 5, Arizona State 5, Colorado 5, Tulane 1

Dropped from rankings: Washington State 19, Arizona State 24, TCU 25

No change among the leading four teams besides Georgia snagging a single first place vote after its big victory over Notre Dame. Speaking of the Fighting Irish, they put up a good fight in Athens, but ultimately, the loss pushes them down to No. 10.

Wisconsin bursts into the Top 10 for the first time this season after a commanding and dominating performance over Michigan. In turn, the Wolverines, who were already on thin ice, take a major tumble to No. 20.

Utah matched the nine spot tumble of Michigan with a nine spot fall of their own to No. 19 after losing ugly to Southern California on Friday night. Central Florida dropped its first regular season game in nearly three years in a shock upset to Pitt at Heinz Field and paid the price. Washington State, Arizona State, and Texas Christian all lost and dropped out of the rankings.

With the victory over Utah, Southern Cal jumped back into the Top 25 after a week unranked. Joining the Trojans among the newly ranked are Kansas State and Michigan State.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-25 at 1.20.43 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Memphis 109, Washington State 83, Michigan State 82, SMU 63, Oklahoma State 51, Army 45, Mississippi State 34, Appalachian State 27, Colorado 12, Minnesota 9, Utah State 9, Tulane 8, Iowa State 7, Nebraska 7, Arizona State 6, TCU 5, Navy 4, Duke 3, Arizona 1, Hawai’i 1

Dropped from rankings: Washington State 19, Arizona State 24

A lot of similarities between the Coaches Poll and the AP Poll, especially in the Top 10. Georgia grabs a first place vote, but other than that the top six all remain the same from last week. Wisconsin is the big mover, jumping five spots and landing safely in the Top 10.

Notre Dame takes a minor hit after its loss to Georgia, while Utah, Michigan, and Central Florida were the big losers on the week. Those drops helped a handful of teams pick up a few spots, especially undefeated sides Virginia, California, Boise State, and Iowa, all of which now sit inside the Top 20.

Undefeated Wake Forest did not make the rankings on the AP side, but the coaches like what they have seen from the Demon Deacons through four games and rewarded them with a Top 25 spot. Southern Cal jumps back into the poll after upsetting Utah.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 5

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 5.

Screen Shot 2019-09-25 at 2.09.21 PM.png — via NCAA

Twenty of the AP Top 25 are in action this week as conference play starts to hit full stride. A pair of ranked matchups highlight the schedule, with No. 10 Notre Dame hosting No. 18 Virginia and No. 21 Southern Cal heading to Seattle to face No. 17 Washington.

Even with the lack of ranked matchups on the docket, there are a few ‘prove it’ games for ranked teams that will be facing their first real test of the season. Several teams are also facing a make or break game that could eliminate them from any playoff discussion should they lose.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 4

No ranked matchups and no major upsets means we saw very little movement in the polls this week, especially in the Top 10. There was some minor shuffling in the bottom half of the polls but nothing overly significant that should have any major impact on the playoff race. Here’s how everything stands as the college football season rolls into Week 4.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-18 at 7.30.30 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Kansas State 91, Oklahoma State 51, Army 50, Michigan State 37, Memphis 26, Wake Forest 14, BYU 12, Temple 7, Iowa State 7, Mississippi State 4, Appalachian State 2, Minnesota 1

Dropped from rankings: Michigan State 18, Maryland 21, USC 24

It was a quiet week mostly for AP Top 10 teams with one minor standout. Utah’s win was enough to push them past idle Michigan and into the Top 10 for the first time this season. As it stands, it looks like the Utes will be the best bet for the PAC-12 to reach the College Football Playoff, something the conference has not done since Washington in 2016.

There was more shuffling in the bottom half of this week’s AP Poll, with Central Florida cracking the Top 15 after schlakcing Stanford at home. Boise State and Virginia continue to be rewarded for their strong starts.

Upsets dropped Michigan State, Maryland, and Southern California from the Top 25, to be replaced by California, Arizona State, and Texas Christian.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-18 at 7.30.42 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Oklahoma State 100, Memphis 68, TCU 55, Michigan State 40, Wake Forest 33, Army 31, BYU 28, Kentucky 14, Appalachian State 12, Temple 7, Mississippi State 6, Minnesota 5, Duke 4, Nebraska 4, Navy 4, Tulane 3, Iowa State 3, Arizona 1, Wyoming 1, SMU 1

Dropped from rankings: Michigan State 19, Mississippi State 23, USC 24, Maryland 25

The only major changes from last week to this week in the Coaches Poll was the teams moving out and who replaced them. Once again, it was Michigan State, Southern California, and Maryland all dropping out, with Mississippi State joining them. Jumping into the Coaches Top 25 is Virginia, California, Arizona State, and Kansas State.

In the top half of the new Coaches Poll, the Top 10 all remains steady, while Utah and Penn State simply flip places while both remaining undefeated through three games.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 4

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 4.

Screen Shot 2019-09-18 at 7.50.38 PM.png — via NCAA

After a week of no Top 25 matchups, we are rewarded with three this week, two of which could serve as College Football Playoff elimination games.

First we have No. 11 Michigan traveling to Madison to take on No. 13 Wisconsin. Michigan entered the season as the Big Ten favorite but looked anything other than convincing through their opening two games. One loss would not necessarily end playoff hopes for either side, but a win will go a long way towards helping.

Then at night, No. 7 Notre Dame heads between the hedges for a primetime showdown with No. 3 Georgia in Athens. General consensus is Notre Dame must run the table to qualify for the playoffs so any loss could sink their season. There is a very real chance Georgia could lose this game and still be in the running for the playoff, but their margin for error would be razor thin.

Our final ranked matchup of the week features No. 8 Auburn going on the road to face No. 17 Texas A&M. Auburn started the season with a win over Oregon, so another victory over a Top 25 side will do wonder for their playoff hopes.

Other than that, it’s a rather run of the mill week for the Top 25, with 22 ranked teams in action throughout the weekend.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 3

Two weeks of college football are in the books and for the first time this season, there was some significant movement in the polls after a busy slate of games. Let’s take a peak at how the teams stack up heading into Week 3.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-11 at 8.13.58 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Iowa State 96, California 95, Mississippi State 73, TCU 66, North Carolina 48, Army 42, Colorado 21, Oklahoma State 20, Memphis 12, Arizona State 4, Appalachian State 2, Syracuse 2, Kentucky 2, Boston College 2, Minnesota 1

Dropped from rankings: Syracuse 21, Stanford 23, Iowa State 25, Nebraska 25

No change in the Top 3 as Clemson, Alabama, and Georgia all won decisively. Louisiana State is the big mover after their victory over Texas to vault all the way up to No. 4 and put three SEC teams in the Top 4.

Michigan scrapes by Army in overtime and falls three spots while Florida jumps into the Top 10. Texas put up a battle against LSU but the loss ultimately sends them down three spots. Same case for Texas A&M after falling to Clemson. Washington is the big loser on the week, dropping nine places after an ugly loss to California.

Maryland makes its Top 25 debut after thrashing previously ranked Syracuse by 43 points on Saturday. Southern California and Virginia join the Terrapins in climbing from the depths of the unranked.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-11 at 8.14.07 PM.png — via @ESPN

Others receiving votes: Virginia 64, Kentucky 62, California 51, Iowa State 48, Memphis 46, Oklahoma State 45, North Carolina 42, Army 31, Boston College 31, NC State 28, TCU 28, Colorado 16, Stanford 8, Hawai’i 7, Appalachian State 6, Minnesota 5, Wyoming 3, Troy 2, Arizona State 2, Wake Forest 2, Nebraska 1, Navy 1, Tulane 1

Dropped from rankings: Syracuse 22, Stanford 23, Nebraska 25

On the coaches side, the Top 4 remains steady as LSU only jumps a single spot to No. 5 in the poll. Michigan once again pays for its struggles with a three spot drop while rivals Texas and Texas A&M are both docked four places in the standings.

Mimicking the AP poll, Washington takes a nine spot tumble for their inexplicable loss to California at home. On the flip side, Auburn, Penn State, and Utah were the big winners in the voting, moving upwards multiple spots.

Mississippi State, Southern Cal, and Maryland are the three new sides joining the party with the Bulldogs being the one difference between the Coaches and the AP.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 3

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 3.

Screen Shot 2019-09-11 at 8.27.28 PM.png — via NCAA

That is a pretty grim schedule with no AP Top 25 sides facing-off in Week 3. We came close to the first ever ranked showdown between Iowa and Iowa State, but the Cyclones were on a bye and fell out of the Top 25.

There are still some attractive matchups to watch this weekend with Pitt and Penn State meeting for the 100th time in their history while 2017 National Champions Central Florida play host to former ranked squad Stanford in Orlando.

College Football Rankings Check: Week 1

With the college football season underway and the first week of game complete, a new set of national polls have been released, ranking the Top 25 teams in the country. Let’s see how the teams stack up after Week 1.

AP Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-05 at 12.30.03 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Virginia 73, TCU 61, Mississippi State 50, Cincinnati 48, Army 31, Miami 10, Oklahoma State 8, Memphis 6, Appalachian State 4, Arizona State 4, Minnesota 2, North Carolina 1, USC 1, Boston College 1

Auburn and Oregon are the biggest movers after their thriller in Dallas on Saturday night. Auburn jumps into the Top 10 after their last second victory while the Ducks slide down to #16. Iowa State and Florida both fall even with victories. Boise State joins the rankings with their come from behind victory over Florida State. Clemson and Alabama hold onto the top two spots, picking up all 62 first place between themselves.

For a closer look on how media members voted individually, check the image below.

Coaches Poll

Screen Shot 2019-09-05 at 12.30.40 PM.png — via ESPN

Others receiving votes: Mississippi State 92, Cincinnati 49, Iowa State 41, Kentucky 40, Memphis 34, Oklahoma State 32, Virginia 28, TCU 26, Army 24, NC State 18, Miami 11, Boston College 10, USC 10, Northwestern 7, Appalachian State 4, Arizona State 4, Tulane 4, Fresno State 3, Hawai’i 3, Minnesota 3, North Carolina 2, Troy 2, Wyoming 1, Navy 1

Less movement in the Coaches Poll compared to the AP with Auburn being the biggest gainer and Oregon the biggest slider. Boise State and Nebraska make their first appearance in the coaches poll with victories. Iowa State and Northwestern both fell out of the Top 25 after Week 1.

Top 25 Schedule: Week 2

Let’s take a quick peek at who the Top 25 teams will be playing in Week 2.

Screen Shot 2019-09-05 at 1.13.31 PM — via NCAA

Nearly all of the AP Top 25 teams are in action this weekend, with No. 25 Iowa State being the only outlier. There will be two games featuring Top 25 teams squaring off with No. 1 Clemson hosting No. 12 Texas A&M and No. 6 LSU heading to Austin to take on No. 9 Texas.

Stupid People Say Stupid Things

If you are even remotely tuned into the NFL, you have likely heard the news about Andrew Luck’s shock decision to retire from the NFL after six playing seasons. The news comes on the heels of yet another injury setback from this offseason that was shrouded in mystery and saw Luck going through another rigorous rehab campaign.

Since being draft No. 1 overall by the Indianapolis Colts in 2012, Luck has been one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL, but that success came with a very steep cost.

Physical toll on Andrew Luck through 6 NFL seasons:
» Torn cartilage in 2 ribs
» partially torn abdomen
» a lacerated kidney that left him peeing blood
» at least 1 concussion
» a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder
» and this mysterious calf/ankle issue that led to this

— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) August 25, 2019

If you understand the NFL and the game of football as a whole, you know those were only the injuries divulged and there could have been many the general public does not even know about. The torn labrum required surgery that cost him the entire 2017 season, and most football fans are smart enough to know that concussion total is probably higher than the single one listed.

Every one of those injuries requires a lengthy recovery process full of rehab and therapy, all which took a toll on Luck’s mental state and washed away his love for the game of football. In the end, Luck decided it was no longer worth putting his body through the meat grinder that is the NFL, and made the smart decision to hang up his cleats for good.

When the news broke, the Colts were playing a preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium. According to Adam Schefter, who broke the news on Twitter, Luck was going to announce his retirement at a press conference on Sunday. Well once word started spreading about Luck decision plans changed and he held a press conference following the game. Leaving the Lucas Oil Stadium field for the final time on Saturday night, Colts fans in attendance rained boos down on their now former franchise quarterback.

You can really hear the booing by the #Colts fans during Andrew Luck’s last walkoff the field in this video. pic.twitter.com/un3RjnV4rQ

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 25, 2019

This was all very dumb but a very expected reaction from sports fans who carry a “what have you done for me lately?” type attitude at all times. Luck addressed the booing in his press conference after the game, and yeah, he heard them.

While the boo birds were stupid and short sighted from Colts fans, they will likely someday regret it when looking back on Luck’s career and what he meant to the Colts organization during his time in Indianapolis. The most idiotic statements surrounding Luck’s decision came from sports talking heads, on where else, Twitter.

First up was Fox Sports Radio host Doug Gottlieb, who brought the fire with a truly astounding Boomer-level take.

Retiring cause rehabbing is “too hard” is the most millennial thing ever #AndrewLuck

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) August 25, 2019

Ah yes, Andrew Luck retiring to save his body further abuse in attempt to live a normal life past 40 is just a sign that millennials are ruining the world. Gottlieb, who had to leave Notre Dame because he stole a teammate’s credit card, was rightfully ratioed for his terrible take by other users. Many of the responses included jabs about his past transgressions, but to his credit, he has not deleted the tweet as of this writing.

While Gottlieb’s take falls under the ‘Peak Boomer’ category, he is only 43 years old, making him a member of Gen-X. For some truly boomer level takes, we need to check in on BASKETBALL analyst Dan Dakich. Dakich, an Indiana native and former University of Indiana standout, had some thoughts about Luck’s decision.

Remember, Dakich is a basketball guy.

I’ve told you all for YEARS about this guy!!!! https://t.co/fdSoBq3uyK

— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) August 25, 2019

Luck…..Hate to say I told you about Luck but as all the local and national guys were making excuses for him I told you this guy was not real

— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) August 25, 2019

Luck has a freaking ankle and a freaking shoulder…just tell us I made a ton of $$$$ and don’t love the sport.. Luck is full of ish and always has been

— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) August 25, 2019

Blah blah blah https://t.co/U10Sn2mK6q

— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) August 25, 2019

I have family working in steel mills..cops..teachers making far less and this guy is “tired”….. my backside https://t.co/2zx5kutkSL

— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) August 25, 2019

Perhaps the best and most ‘Boomer’ take of all.

Gil Brandt and most scouts questioned his commitment when he was drafted..I told you this for years https://t.co/BuGDYzUT8i

— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) August 25, 2019

Andrew Luck having passions outside of football were apparently huge red flags for scouts because they questioned his commitment to the game. Truly astounding.

Apparently the mob is after me today!!! Hahahahaha

— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) August 25, 2019

**insert Dril corn cob tweet**

The Mob is free to call in today and discuss Lucks retirement …today 2-4 ..don’t hide behind a twitter account let’s discuss 317-239-1070

— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) August 25, 2019

“go ahead. keep screaming “Shut The F*** Up ” at me. it only makes my opinions Worse”

Kinda amazing..people say “you don’t know what’s on Lucks heart and mind” yet those same people are certain Luck is leaving because he’s “saving himself “
They know what’s on his heart and mind and no other explanation exists

— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) August 25, 2019

This rage tweeting went on for well over 12 hours and you can only imagine the fire spilling for his radio spot on Sunday. Reading through Dakich’s entire timeline, you get the feel he is tweeting more as a Colts fans than any kind of sports analyst he’s being paid to be. Obviously emotions are high in Colts land right now, but unloading on a guy for ensuring he can live a somewhat normal life post football is a truly insane stance to take.

Thankfully, Gottlieb and Dakich were among a minority of people tearing Luck down during what he admitted what the hardest decision of his life. For the most part, people from all corners of the sports world were supportive of Luck and expressed well wishes for whatever he may do in the future.

Very few of us will ever have the chance to be as blessed as Andrew Luck was to play quarterback in the NFL and been genuinely one of the best of his era. It’s sad to see such a promising career cut short, but knowing Luck is at peace with his decision and will hopefully have a normal life moving forward should be enough for fans to support his choice to step away.

Women’s World Cup Recap: Party in the USA

Now that everyone had the opportunity to digest the entirety of the Women’s World Cup tournament since its Final on Sunday, let’s take a quick look back at recap all of the happenings from France.

Group Stage

A short and sweet group-by-group breakdown to get our recap started before getting to the much more serious knockout stages

Group A

Host nation France won all three matches as expected to take the top spot in Group A. Following behind was Norway who showed why they were a popular dark horse pick before the tournament. Nigeria was able grab a single victory and a spot in the Round of 16 while South Korea fell flat, dropping all three matches.

Group B

Germany cruised to an easy group victory, winning all three matches with conviction on their end. Spain made history, winning their first ever Women’s World Cup match against South Africa and qualifying for the knockout rounds. China also bagged a win but had to settle for advancing as a third place side. South Africa made a lot of history in their maiden Women’s World Cup but could not advance.

Group C

Italy was back in the Women’s World Cup for the first time in 20 years and made it a memorable return by winning a difficult Group C. Australia lived up to their pre-tournament promise with a second place finish while Brazil slid into third place. Jamaica was making their World Cup debut but still go home with some history after scoring their first ever goal against Australia.

Group D

It took until the third group match, but England was able to best Japan for the top spot in Group C. Argentina only knew struggles at the Women’s World Cup, but they overcame all their past history to record their first ever points at the tournament. Scotland were on the brink of advancing in their first ever Women’s World Cup, but they had to settle for just a point.

Group E

Popular dark horse pick the Netherlands made an early statement by claiming Group E in only their second ever Women’s World Cup. Longtime stalwart Canada advanced comfortably in second place after two group wins. Cameroon left it late but advanced to the Round of 16 as a third place finisher. New Zealand held its own, but could not muster enough to climb out of last place.

Group F

Unless Sweden had some tricks up its sleeve, this group was always going to belong to the United States. That’s exactly how things played out as the United States won all three group matches and easily advanced to the knockouts. They were joined there by Sweden in second place. Chile did manage to win their final group match but fell just short of a third place advancement. Thailand had to settle for last but left France with a lot to build on.

Knockout Rounds

Once the group stage finished, it was on to the knockout rounds at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

Once the Round of 16 field was set, it started to become clear which sides had the best shot at winning the trophy in Lyon. There were no major upsets through the Round of 16, but the quarterfinals were a different story.

For the first time in over two decades, Sweden was able to defeat Germany in a major tournament and book a spot in the semifinals. This was not the strongest team in Germany history, but it was a watershed moment for Sweden who came up short so many times before. The quarterfinals also gave us the much anticipated matchup between the United States and France, a match many considered to be the de facto Final.

In the semifinal round, it was the United States doing just enough to prevail over longtime rival England and advance to the Women’s World Cup Final for a third straight tournament. In the other match, the Netherlands fully announced its arrival on the international stage with a victory over Sweden to book a spot in their first ever Women’s World Cup Final.

They do play a mostly needless third place match in the Women’s World Cup, and it was Sweden using two early goals to defeat England and claim the bronze medal.

As for the Final itself, keep reading below to find out how that match played out between the United States and the Netherlands.

The Final

It wasn’t always the prettiest soccer, but the United States capped off another dominating tournament with probably their best performance of the knockout rounds to defeat the Netherlands and complete the successful defense of their title from four years ago.

Four years after lifting the Women’s World Cup trophy in Canada, the United States put on a repeat performance in France with a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands to claim the country’s fourth Women’s World Cup title.

It was clear from the very beginning that the United States was the superior of the two sides on the pitch in Lyon, but Dutch goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal played the game of her life in the first half to keep the match scoreless at halftime, giving her side hope of a second half breakthrough.

That breakthrough never arrived for the Netherlands, but it did arrive for the United States after nearly 60 minutes of constant pressure on the Dutch defense. It wouldn’t have been a true final if VAR had not been involved, and it made its impact in the second half, awarding a penalty kick to the United States after a dangerous tackle in the box. Megan Rapinoe stepped to the spot and dispatched the ball into the back of the net with ease to send the United States in front 1-0 in the 61st minute.

Eight minutes later, the United States effectively put the game away when they doubled their lead in the 69th minute. Rose Lavelle took a pass in the middle of the pitch then did the rest of the work herself to get open and hammer a shot past van Veenendaal to make it 2-0 with 20 minutes remaining.

There was nothing the Dutch could do claw their way back into the game at this point as everything they did to push forward was met with heavy resistance from the American defense. In fact, it was the United States still creating offensive pressure as the Dutch had to further open themselves up to attack.

There would be no further scoring for the United States, but in the end it didn’t matter as they closed at the victory and staked claim as the greatest women’s soccer team to ever exist.

Goals

Megan Rapinoe | USA (61′ PEN)
Rose Lavelle | USA (69′)

Highlights

The USA are world champions AGAIN! 🇺🇸🏆

See how the @USWNT got their 4th star in our 90’ in 90” highlights. #BelieveWithUS pic.twitter.com/gXEOwA75zE

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 7, 2019

Tournament Awards

Here’s the list of winners of the overall tournament awards handed out on Sunday.

Golden Ball (Best Player)

Megan Rapinoe (USA)
Silver Ball: Lucy Bronze (England), Bronze Ball: Rose Lavelle (USA)

Golden Boot (Top Scorer)

Megan Rapinoe (USA)
Silver Boot: Alex Morgan (USA), Bronze Boot: Ellen White (England)

Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper)

Sari van Veenendaal (Netherlands)

Best Young Player (Best player 21 & Under)

Giulia Gwinn (Germany)

FIFA Fair Play Award (Sportsmanship)

France

Golden Boot Race

The Golden Boot Award goes to the top goal scorer at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Megan Rapinoe scores the game winner on Sunday and jumps from third to first and wins the Golden Ball on tiebreakers over teammate Alex Morgan and Ellen White of England. Morgan takes home the Silver Ball and White gets the Bronze.

Overall, eight different nations were represented in the final Top-10 and 83 different players recorded at least one goal at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

That officially puts a cap on our 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup coverage. We genuinely enjoyed our coverage of the tournament from start to finish, and we hope you keep checking back for more content covering a variety of different topics and interests.

With football right around the corner, you can expect a lot more great coverage coming from everyone here at The Bat Flip. As for our precap/cupdate series, we have the Men’s European Championships and the Summer Olympics on tap next year, so keep an eye out for that feature returning in the future.

Women’s World Cupdate: Still the champs; USA wins Women’s World Cup

Welcome to your daily 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup update, or Women’s World Cupdate, where we recap the past day’s proceedings from France while previewing what is still to come. These features will run every morning throughout the duration of the tournament and feature highlights, major news, and much more from France.

Here’s What Happened: Sunday, July 7th

United States 2-0 Netherlands

There would be no further scoring for the United States, but in the end it didn’t matter as they closed at the victory and staked claim as the greatest women’s soccer team to ever exist.

Goals

Megan Rapinoe | USA (61′ PEN)
Rose Lavelle | USA (69′)

Highlights

The USA are world champions AGAIN! 🇺🇸🏆

See how the @USWNT got their 4th star in our 90’ in 90” highlights. #BelieveWithUS pic.twitter.com/gXEOwA75zE

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 7, 2019

Tournament Awards

Here’s the list of winners of the overall tournament awards handed out on Sunday.

Golden Ball (Best Player)

Megan Rapinoe (USA)
Silver Ball: Lucy Bronze (England), Bronze Ball: Rose Lavelle (USA)

Golden Boot (Top Scorer)

Megan Rapinoe (USA)
Silver Boot: Alex Morgan (USA), Bronze Boot: Ellen White (England)

Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper)

Sari van Veenendaal (Netherlands)

Best Young Player (Best player 21 & Under)

Giulia Gwinn (Germany)

FIFA Fair Play Award (Sportsmanship)

France

Plays of the Day

INTRO

Megan Rapinoe (United States)

NERVES OF STEEL 💪🇺🇸

Megan Rapinoe scores her 50th international goal from the penalty spot and gives USA the lead in the #FIFAWWC final! pic.twitter.com/gjPpYOrcyl

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 7, 2019

Game winner. Golden Boot winner. Championship winner. Megan Rapinoe’s penalty in the 61st minute gave the United States a lead they never surrendered on the way to a fourth Women’s World Cup title.

Rose Lavelle (United States)

ROSE. LAVELLE. 🌹🇺🇸

A beautiful solo effort doubles the @USWNT‘s lead in the #FIFAWWC final! pic.twitter.com/ToznvQiuxb

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 7, 2019

There were doubts about Rose Lavelle’s status for this game after leaving with an injury against England in the semifinal. Based on her performance on Sunday, everything seemed quite alright as she delivered a standout solo goal to give the United States some insurance.

Sari van Veenendaal (Netherlands)

ERTZ! Second corner for the @USWNT falls to @JulieErtz, who takes it on the half volley but it’s right at Van Veenendaal.

Best chance of the final so far! #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/lmEAAgUMih

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 7, 2019

WHAT A SAVE! 😱

Van Veenendaal denies Ertz again from point blank range, then moments later Alex Morgan hits the post! #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/7GPTIccJ2B

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 7, 2019

Van Veenendaal is putting on a show! 🇳🇱

The Netherlands goalkeeper makes another fine save on Morgan, and this #FIFAWWC final is goalless going into halftime. pic.twitter.com/5DDVyVjZQH

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 7, 2019

If it wasn’t for Sari van Veenendaal in the first half, the United States could have blown this thing wide open and had everything under wraps before halftime. She kept the American goal scorers at bay for as long as she could to keep her side alive.

Final Bracket

A look at how the bracket looks following the conclusion of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

There you have it, the final bracket of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. It’s the United States rolling through four European sides on the way to their fourth Women’s World Cup title in France.

Final Standings

1st: United States

2nd: Netherlands

3rd: Sweden

4th: England

Here’s What’s Next: Looking Forward

Just because the 2019 Women’s World Cup is over doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of good soccer to look forward too. Besides domestic leagues and tournament resuming in August, there is an already loaded schedule of international soccer on the horizon, beginning as soon as next summer. Both the men and women have a multitude of future tournament on the schedule with the European Championships and Summer Olympics on tap for 2020.

UEFA Euro 2020 (Europe)

This has been a women’s soccer centric content site for the last month, but the men’s game will make a few appearances as we look towards the future. The next major international tournament on the docket is set for next summer as nations from across Europe will bounce around the continent to determine the confederation champion. Play begins on June 12th, 2020 in Rome.

2020 Summer Olympics (Tokyo, Japan)

via wikipedia.com

Next to the Women’s World Cup, the Summer Olympics is the biggest international soccer tournament on the schedule. This tournament consists of only 12 teams compared to 24, but the prize at the end of the road is just as meaningful. Play will begin on July 22nd, 2020 in Japan.

2022 FIFA World Cup (Qatar)

via FIFA.com

Similar to Russia in 2018, Qatar will become the latest controversial host of of the FIFA World Cup in 2022. Due to Qatar’s desert climate, the tournament will be moved to winter to avoid extreme heat conditions. Play is scheduled to begin on November 21st, 2022.

2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup (TBD)

As of right now, no host has been selected for the next iteration of the Women’s World Cup set for summer of 2023. Host selection will be announced on March 20th, 2020 with nine countries submitting bids to host the tournament. Those countries include: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, and South Korea.

UEFA Euro 2024 (Germany)

Another European championship is slated for the summer of 2024 with Germany playing host. Unless UEFA decides to expand the competition, 24 teams will once again fight for continental supremacy.

2024 & 2026 Summer Olympics (Paris, France & Los Angeles, USA)

International soccer returns to France for the Summer Olympics in 2024 then heads to the United States for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

2026 FIFA World Cup (USA, Mexico, Canada)

Prior to hosting the summer games in 2028, the United States (with Canada and Mexico) will host the world for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The joint bid between the three nations was awarded the tournament in June 2018. This tournament will see the field of teams expand from 32 to 48 for the first time.

2027 Women’s World Cup (TBD)

FIFA has announced plans for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but the bidding process to host the tournament has not yet been opened. As of this writing the United States, the Netherlands, and a handful of Nordic nations have expressed interest in potentially playing host.

Golden Boot Results

The Golden Boot Award goes to the top goal scorer at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Screen Shot 2019-07-07 at 2.43.45 PM.png — via FIFA.com

Overall, eight different nations were represented in the final Top-10 and 83 different players recorded at least one goal at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Thus concludes our daily Women’s World Cup content. Congratulations to TEAM on a hard earned and historic victory. We sincerely hope you enjoyed our coverage of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and make sure to check out what else our site offers from sports to pop culture and everything in between. If you enjoy podcasts, consider downloading our show “The FlipCast” with new episodes coming out every week.

We will have a full tournament recap coming later in the week, but until then, au revoir pour le moment. Thanks for reading.

Women’s World Cup: Final Preview

Four weeks of almost endless soccer all comes down to this, the final of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup between defending champions the United States and reigning European champions the Netherlands.

For the United States, everything has led to this moment as they go for a second straight World Cup title and fourth in their illustrious women’s soccer history. On the other end, this all new ground for a Netherlands side who never played in a Women’s World Cup tournament as early as five years ago.

Now the two sides will meet in Lyon to determine who leaves France as champions and with a new star above their crest.

The Teams

Two team. One trophy. It’s the old guard of the United States taking on the newcomers in the Netherlands for the right to be crowned World Cup champions on Sunday in Lyon. Here’s a quick rundown of both sides, what to expect from each, and how we expect them to lineup on the pitch.

United States

If you had to place money on one team to make the Final before the tournament, the United States would have been your best bet. This marks the third straight tournament that the United States will be making an appearance in the Final, a Women’s World Cup record. They also came into France as the defending champions and now are one win away from putting a fourth star above on their jerseys.

How they got here: def. England 2-1 in the semifinals

Projected Lineup: (4-3-3) Naeher; O’Hara, Dahlkemper, Sauerbrunn, Dunn; Horan, Ertz, Lavelle; Heath, Morgan, Rapinoe

Netherlands

There isn’t much women’s soccer history to write home about for the Netherlands, at least not before this tournament. After making their Women’s World Cup debut in 2015, the Dutch were crowned European champions in 2017 and now will play on the game’s biggest stage for the first time. They bring a talented attacking front into Lyon that will surely test the United States back line. It remains to be seen how they will stack up against the powerhouse American midfield.

How they got here: def. Sweden 1-0 in extra time in the semifinals

Projected Lineup: (4-3-3) Van Veenendaal; Van Lunteren, Van der Gragt, Bloodworth, Van Dongen; Groenen, Van de Donk, Spitse; Beerensteyn, Miedema, Martens

Third Place Match Recap

It’s not a match either side wanted to play, but like the men’s version, the Women’s World Cup also features a Third Place Match and it was England taking on Sweden for the bronze medal. A fast start then steady defense and timely saves sent Sweden home on a high with a 2-1 victory over the Lionesses.

England 1-2 Sweden

From the start, Sweden were playing on the front foot against and England side that looked completely disinterested in the early going. Goals by Kosovare Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson in the opening 22 minutes pushed Sweden out to an early 2-0 lead, but England settled and found its game as the first half went on.

In a sign they would not go quietly, England cut the lead in half off a great solo run and finish from Fran Kirby in the 31st minute. Two minutes later England seemed to level the game when Ellen White scored her tournament leading 7th goal. Unfortunately for the English, VAR stepped in and overruled the goal as the result of a handball by White.

England continued to push for an equalizer in the second half and were clearly the better side as time ticked away. Lucy Bronze had a wide open look at goal off a rebound but her volley shot was cleared off the line by a Swedish defender. Sweden held on the rest of the wy and secured a third place finish at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Goals

Kosovare Asllani | SWE (11′)
Sofia Jakobsson | SWE (22′)
Fran Kirby | ENG (31′)

Highlights

Sweden claimed 3rd place at the #FIFAWWC as England failed to defend the bronze from 4 years ago.

Check out all the highlights in our 90 in 90 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/FmQx1emQPs

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 6, 2019

Women’s World Cup Final

It all comes down to this, the United States versus the Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon with the Women’s World Cup title on the line. It’s the odds on favorite who has been here before against the popular dark horse on the biggest stage for the first time. Both sides bring elite attacking units into the match, but the midfield is where the match, and the title, could be decided.

United States v. Netherlands

Make no mistake, these are two very good teams who both have earned their right to play for a World Cup championship. The United States battled their way through an incredibly difficult slate of knockout matches while the Netherlands did the same on their side of the bracket. Both sides have elite attacking talent up front that can pour in the goals, but the midfield is where this match could very well be won or lost. That is a huge advantage for the United States who have the best midfield in the world regardless of who they put on the field. If the Netherlands is to win this game, they will need their attackers to exploit a vulnerable United States back line on the counter attack.

Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Stade de Lyon (Lyon)
How to Watch: FOX

You can watch the Women’s World Cup Final live on FOX or by streaming online at FoxSports.com with a cable sign in.

If highlights are more your style, check out @FOXSoccer on Twitter where goals and game recaps are posted throughout the day.

All game times are listed in Eastern Standard Time

Final Prediction

There is a clear favorite in this match and a clear underdog, but that means very little once the ball is kicked. Netherlands likes to play an open style that allows them to get looks at goal, but it also presents a precarious situation when facing the United States. Playing such an open style can make them vulnerable to attack going the other way and that’s where the United States shines the brightest. Whoever they play in midfield will have plenty of time and space to make plays and get the ball to one of Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath, or Megan Rapinoe. That is a deadly combination and should be what propels the United States to a fourth Women’s World Cup title.

Our Pick

United States 3, Netherlands 1

Golden Boot Outlook

The Golden Boot Award goes to the top goal scorer at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Screen Shot 2019-07-06 at 4.54.08 PM.png — via FIFA.com

No goals for Ellen White on Saturday meaning she is eliminated from the Golden Boot race. It all comes down to Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe on Sunday.

Once the Women’s World Cup Final is over we will have one last World Cupdate post on Monday morning recapping the action and that will bring an end to our daily coverage of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. There will be a full tournament recap running later in the week so keep checking back so you don’t miss out.