Tag: college football
PCI:Should There Be College Football This Fall?
by The Cowl Editor on September 3, 2020
PCI
Yes, It Will Be Safe!
by Jack Belanger ’21
Sports Co-Editor
After colleges across the country canceled the end of their winter and spring sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many senior athletes missed out on what would have been their final season of collegiate competitive sports. Basketball players who were on their way to play in March Madness lost their last chance to win a national title; spring athletes lost the chance to celebrate their final home game. It was difficult for many athletes to face the cancellation of their season after putting in countless hours of work. The NCAA should not put the same burden on football players and allow them to play this fall.
College football is the most profitable sport at many universities and many schools need the revenue in order to pay for athletic scholarships. Even though stadiums would not be able to sell out their seating to fans, schools could still make money from broadcasting their games and fulfilling their TV deals. The pandemic has already tightened athletic department budgets across the country and many schools have had to cut sports that do not generate any revenue. By having football games this fall, universities would be able to help fund other sports that may have had their season canceled and support other athletes.
While there may be safety concerns about having players travel and face teams from other schools, teams have been testing their players on a consistent basis and the NCAA has laid out a plan for teams to follow in order to proceed with the season. If the athletes are truly committed to playing out their final collegiate season, then they would have to follow the rules laid out for them to avoid any unnecessary risks that could ruin the season. By participating in regular practices and games, players would create a bubble for themselves since they would essentially be interacting with the same people on a daily basis.
Playing out the season is just as important for underclassmen as it is for seniors. For the players who are eligible for the next NFL draft, playing games is really the only way for them to get noticed by NFL teams and have a chance to continue their careers at the next level. Without a season, NFL teams could only judge players based on their performances from last season and the draft combine, neither of which can solely represent a player’s abilities accurately.
There are multiple parties who would benefit from having a college football season for a variety of reasons. Not only do players want to compete in the sport they put so much work into, especially the seniors who may be playing their final season, but the athletics directors want to bring in any revenue they can to make up for the lost profits from the cancellation of March Madness and spring sports. Yes, there may be some risk involved, but with the proper rules put in place, college football teams should be able to play out their seasons safely.
No, It Is Irresponsible.
by Liam Tormey ’22
Sports Staff
In times such as these, it seems almost insensitive to believe the upcoming college football season should occur. The threat of COVID-19 is real, both to college campuses and the surrounding communities. College football should not happen this year for the safety of all.
To begin, one should look at the fact that many other college sports will not be competing for the remainder of the calendar year. Universities are going to be missing out on the likes of soccer, volleyball, cross country, and field hockey this semester. To give football the chance to play while other sports will not be given that same chance seems rather unfair.
Many of the other canceled sports are hoping to play in the spring semester, which begs the question: why are some schools in such a rush to be playing football at this moment? Athletic directors will say that postponing this football season to the spring, just a couple of months before next season’s restart, will not work. That may be true, but we find ourselves in a time when no one should be taking massive risks that can put people in danger, no matter how inconvenient it is.
College football, with a few exceptions, is currently set to be played across the country in one way or another this fall. The two major exceptions to this trend are the Big Ten and the Pac-12 conferences. Despite holding some of the most well-known college football teams in the country, these conferences have decided to suspend their seasons. Although they have received backlash, it is the right decision. The country has come a long way since the beginning of the pandemic, and any further setbacks should be avoided at all costs. The sheer number of players on a given football team should be reason enough for no college football this year.
A lot has been sacrificed to maintain some semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy. Some universities have already shifted to online learning. owever, these same schools want to be playing football soon. This is not only selfish, but a clear money grab. Essential workers have worked so hard to keep this country afloat. Can we really say that young college football players are essential workers right now? Maybe they could be considered as such for the universities where these players are generating millions of dollars, but not for a country that needs everyone to continue to make smart and safe choices.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018
PCI
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide will win the College Football Championship
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
With the college football season nearly over, all eyes will turn towards the four-team College Football Playoff which boasts no. 1 University of Alabama Crimson Tide, no. 2 Clemson University Tigers, no. 3 University of Notre Dame, and no. 4 University of Oklahoma Sooners. My pick to win this year’s playoffs is the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Why Alabama? The Crimson Tide has been one of the best college teams for the past decade, winning the College Football Playoffs last year. Alabama also has one of the best coaches in the country, Nick Saban, who owns a 5-2 overall CFP record. Alabama will square off against the No. 4 University of Oklahoma Sooners, a team that has been hyped around QB Kyler Murray and deservingly so. Murray, this past June, was drafted into the MLB by the Oakland A’s with the ninth overall selection in the first round.
Murray has carried his skills from the diamond to the gridiron with his elusive quickness and power of arm that she has shown as a centerfielder. Murray is the projected winner of the Heisman Trophy, which is awarded to the best College Football Player every year.
The opening game against the Sooners should be a great test for Alabama. There may not be a better coach in the offensive game than Lincoln Riley. The Sooners are averaging 49.5 PPG which is no. 1 in the country. The concern is going to be the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma did bring in former East Carolina University Head Coach Ruffin McNeill, who has pushed the Sooners defense to new levels, especially in the Big 12 Championship win against the University of Texas. The Sooners defense will have to hold off the no. 2 offense in PPG in Alabama, who averages 47.9 points. The Tide also holds a spoil of riches in the quarterback position with Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa. It was a reversal of the National Championship game when Hurts came in for the injured Tagovailoa and marched the Tide to victory over the University of Georgia in the SEC Championship game last weekend.
The Sooners may be the toughest opponent that the Tide will have to face, especially because Oklahoma has been playing better since the firing of defensive coordinator Bob Stoops. The Tide will have to face the Clemson Tigers or the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, both teams that Alabama has beaten in championship games before. The Tide will have their hands full with the Tigers since they arguably have the best defense in the country with a lot of speed on the defensive line. Either way, it should be an entertaining College Football Playoff, with Nick Saban hoisting the trophy once again.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018
PCI
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide will win the College Football Championship
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
With the college football season nearly over, all eyes will turn towards the four-team College Football Playoff which boasts no. 1 University of Alabama Crimson Tide, no. 2 Clemson University Tigers, no. 3 University of Notre Dame, and no. 4 University of Oklahoma Sooners. My pick to win this year’s playoffs is the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Why Alabama? The Crimson Tide has been one of the best college teams for the past decade, winning the College Football Playoffs last year. Alabama also has one of the best coaches in the country, Nick Saban, who owns a 5-2 overall CFP record. Alabama will square off against the No. 4 University of Oklahoma Sooners, a team that has been hyped around QB Kyler Murray and deservingly so. Murray, this past June, was drafted into the MLB by the Oakland A’s with the ninth overall selection in the first round.
Murray has carried his skills from the diamond to the gridiron with his elusive quickness and power of arm that she has shown as a centerfielder. Murray is the projected winner of the Heisman Trophy, which is awarded to the best College Football Player every year.
The opening game against the Sooners should be a great test for Alabama. There may not be a better coach in the offensive game than Lincoln Riley. The Sooners are averaging 49.5 PPG which is no. 1 in the country. The concern is going to be the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma did bring in former East Carolina University Head Coach Ruffin McNeill, who has pushed the Sooners defense to new levels, especially in the Big 12 Championship win against the University of Texas. The Sooners defense will have to hold off the no. 2 offense in PPG in Alabama, who averages 47.9 points. The Tide also holds a spoil of riches in the quarterback position with Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa. It was a reversal of the National Championship game when Hurts came in for the injured Tagovailoa and marched the Tide to victory over the University of Georgia in the SEC Championship game last weekend.
The Sooners may be the toughest opponent that the Tide will have to face, especially because Oklahoma has been playing better since the firing of defensive coordinator Bob Stoops. The Tide will have to face the Clemson Tigers or the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, both teams that Alabama has beaten in championship games before. The Tide will have their hands full with the Tigers since they arguably have the best defense in the country with a lot of speed on the defensive line. Either way, it should be an entertaining College Football Playoff, with Nick Saban hoisting the trophy once again.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018
PCI
The Clemson University Tigers will win the College Football Championship
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
This year in the 2019 College Football Playoffs, the no. 2 Clemson University Tigers (13-0) will win the National Championship in Santa Clara, California. While the road ahead may be tough, the Tigers have the tools and skills to be victorious at the end of the season.
In their first matchup of the playoffs at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, the Tigers will face the University of Notre Dame, who is the no. 3 seed at 12-0 this season. Meanwhile, on the other side at the Orange Bowl, the No. 1 seed University of Alabama will face the no. 4 seed University of Oklahoma.
While the game against the Fighting Irish will be tough, the Tigers will ultimately succeed. Clemson’s offense and defense have been unstoppable this season, with six potential NFL first round picks next year.
Though they were off to a slow start, the now-starting quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, has proven to be a threat one game at a time, adjusting quickly to any situation at hand, ultimately increasing their confidence. This season, Clemson has scored at least 27 points or more in all 13 of their games.
On the defensive side of the field, the Tigers are allowing the least amounts of yards per games in the country, at 2.40 yards. Their defensive backs have been nothing but quick in their strategy which allows them to beat their opponents. Clemson has managed to force nine interceptions this season.
The Tigers’ defensive line has been the best in all of college football. Clemson as a team is third in the country in sacks with 45.
Against a team like Notre Dame, who has no down field threats, Clemson’s front seven will be looking for them to run, which only plays into the Tigers’ strength. Teams have averaged 93 rushing yards per game against Clemson, which is third lowest in college football.
Notre Dame’s offensive line will need help against the strong pass rush, which will cause their tight ends to come in to block, freeing up the Tigers’ linebackers to make plays.
After defeating Notre Dame, the Tigers would look to take on Alabama for the third time in the last four years. In 2016, Alabama defeated Clemson 45-40 in the championship game, then one year later Clemson came back and won 35-31.
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, hurt his ankle against the University of Georgia in the Southeastern Conference Championship, allowing Jalen Hurts to return to the starting lineup and rally back from a 21-point Georgia lead.
Overall, these are two well-coached teams with good quarterbacks and defensive threats that can pressure offense. They both will prove to be extraordinary football teams, but Clemson will win for the second time in the last four years.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018
PCI
The Clemson University Tigers will win the College Football Championship
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
This year in the 2019 College Football Playoffs, the no. 2 Clemson University Tigers (13-0) will win the National Championship in Santa Clara, California. While the road ahead may be tough, the Tigers have the tools and skills to be victorious at the end of the season.
In their first matchup of the playoffs at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, the Tigers will face the University of Notre Dame, who is the no. 3 seed at 12-0 this season. Meanwhile, on the other side at the Orange Bowl, the No. 1 seed University of Alabama will face the no. 4 seed University of Oklahoma.
While the game against the Fighting Irish will be tough, the Tigers will ultimately succeed. Clemson’s offense and defense have been unstoppable this season, with six potential NFL first round picks next year.
Though they were off to a slow start, the now-starting quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, has proven to be a threat one game at a time, adjusting quickly to any situation at hand, ultimately increasing their confidence. This season, Clemson has scored at least 27 points or more in all 13 of their games.
On the defensive side of the field, the Tigers are allowing the least amounts of yards per games in the country, at 2.40 yards. Their defensive backs have been nothing but quick in their strategy which allows them to beat their opponents. Clemson has managed to force nine interceptions this season.
The Tigers’ defensive line has been the best in all of college football. Clemson as a team is third in the country in sacks with 45.
Against a team like Notre Dame, who has no down field threats, Clemson’s front seven will be looking for them to run, which only plays into the Tigers’ strength. Teams have averaged 93 rushing yards per game against Clemson, which is third lowest in college football.
Notre Dame’s offensive line will need help against the strong pass rush, which will cause their tight ends to come in to block, freeing up the Tigers’ linebackers to make plays.
After defeating Notre Dame, the Tigers would look to take on Alabama for the third time in the last four years. In 2016, Alabama defeated Clemson 45-40 in the championship game, then one year later Clemson came back and won 35-31.
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, hurt his ankle against the University of Georgia in the Southeastern Conference Championship, allowing Jalen Hurts to return to the starting lineup and rally back from a 21-point Georgia lead.
Overall, these are two well-coached teams with good quarterbacks and defensive threats that can pressure offense. They both will prove to be extraordinary football teams, but Clemson will win for the second time in the last four years.
College Football Season Heats Up
by The Cowl Editor on September 27, 2018
Professional Sports
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
It is officially a month into football season, and teams are settling in for what should be another exciting year on the gridiron. The University of Alabama once again finds themselves at the top of the polls and has set out to defend their National Title after their heroic comeback last year against the University of Georgia in the Championship game.
Alabama and Georgia are both favorites to get back to the college football playoffs but, there are a few new faces that fans should look out for. A team that is red hot to start and has worked themselves to College Football Playoff contention is the #5 Louisiana State University Tigers. They knocked off #8 University of Miami (FL) at a neutral site and have beat #7 Auburn University on the road, two solid wins for Coach Ed Orgeron’s squad. Additionally, #1 Alabama, #2 Georgia, and #18 Mississippi State will head to Death Valley to face the Tigers.
In the New England area, Boston College jumped into the AP rankings for the first time since 2008 as the 23rd best team in the country. Boston College has seen exceptional play from their offense, speared by Heisman trophy hopeful, running back AJ Dillon and quarterback Anthony Brown. Dillon has shown flashes of former Eagles tailback Andre Williams who finished fourth in Heisman voting in 2013. BC has always played well on the defensive side of the ball under their head coach Steve Addazio. Unfortunately, this past Saturday, the Eagles fame in the AP polls did not last long, as they fell to the Purdue University Boilermakers on the road with a final score of 30-13.
Boston College will have more opportunities to climb back into the rankings as they host #16 Miami Hurricanes and #3 Clemson Tigers. The Eagles will also head down to Blacksburg, Virginia to play Virginia Tech. BC will have to capitalize on these games in order to make a return to the Top 25.
Another team making some noise is the University of Rhode Island Rams. Yes, they may be a rival school of Providence College in basketball, but URI seems to be finding winning ways on the football field. Despite the face that in the past four seasons the Rams are just 7-38, finishing 11th of 12 teams in the Colonial Athletic Conference, URI started off this season defeating University of Delaware 21-19 on the road and then trouncing University of Albany 45-26. URI then took on their only football bowl subdivision opponent and one of their old rivals: the University of Connecticut Huskies. It was a high-scoring game where URI fell by just one touchdown, 56-49. Because of their success this year, the Rams have cracked into the Top 25 of the Football Championship Subdivision rankings at 23.
Favorites for Heisman:
The race for the Heisman trophy should be as exciting as it has been in the last couple of years. There was not a clear-cut favorite coming into the season ,as there are several players with the opportunity to win the award.
A few players to keep an eye on this year are QBs Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), Kyler Murray (Oklahoma), and Will Grier (West Virginia). Each of these QBs has had a unique journey in their rise to fame. Tagovailoa was thrusted into the championship game in the second half and led a heroic comeback to secure the win for the Crimson Tide last year. Kyler Murray, who was the 9th overall pick in this past June’s MLB Draft, will head to spring training in March for the Oakland A’s after this football season has concluded. Grier started his career at the University of Florida, where he started six games before he was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs. He then transferred to West Virginia University.
This past weekend each player solidified themselves on why they should win. Tagovailoa threw for 387 yards and 4 TDs in a 45-23 win against #22 Texas A&M. Grier threw for 356 yards and 5 TDs and 2 INT in the 35-6 win against Kansas State.
PCI: College Athletes Should be Paid
by The Cowl Editor on November 30, 2017
PCI
By Chris McCormack ’18
Sports Staff
The NCAA has a severe money problem. In 2016, the collegiate sports organization posted a revenue of $995.9 million. Meanwhile, the athletes, who are to thank for this revenue, do not see a dime of this.
Many argue that they get paid with a free tuition, which should be enough. However, many of the athletes are not there for the education. As disappointing as this may sound to some, this is the sad truth.
For example, many of the top athletes in college basketball are there for one year and leave for the NBA, either because they have the skills necessary or they are in desperate need of the money. Plenty of athletes come from lower-income areas and families which makes the money that much more appealing. If the NCAA paid their athletes, more players may stay longer because they no longer have the desperate need for the money the NBA has to offer.
Both college football and basketball are multi-billion dollar industries and possess the ability to pay the coaches large million-dollar contracts. Why does it make sense for the coaches to bring in large sums of money to support their families and lifestyles but the athletes, who are the ones drawing the attention to the sport, do not have this benefit?
A study came out this year that put a value on the athletes of many Division I schools. Texas had the highest value per player at $670,000, and Alabama came in second with a value of $536,485. The Division I-A average came in at a substantial $163,689. None of these amounts are small to the average athlete.
However, the NCAA thinks paying players is unethical because the athletes are there for the education. At the end of the day, it is not going to be easy for the current rules to change. The people running the NCAA love the paychecks they get from the money that is brought in by the players, and the head coaches are not going to complain about the millions of dollars they get from the institutions. However, until changes are made, I would not be surprised to see more corruption scandals pop up like the one we saw earlier in the year.