Orange you glad it’s bowl season?
From The GIST College Sports (hi@thegistsports.com)
Hi there!
ICYMI: Bevo, Texas football’s live Longhorn steer mascot, is officially allowed to attend Friday’s Cotton Bowl after being barred from the team’s quarter-final matchup. And with that news, let’s giddy up into today’s newsletter.
— North Dakota State football head coach (HC) Tim Polasek, referencing the transfer portal after his team’s 35–32 win over Montana State in Monday’s FCS National Championship — the program’s 10th title since 2011. Mic drop.
College Football Playoff
🍊🏈 Orange you glad it’s bowl season?
The GIST: And then there were four. The College Football Playoff (CFP) semis are officially here, with the Orange Bowl, featuring No. 6 Penn State and No. 7 Notre Dame, kicking off tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET and the Cotton Bowl set for Friday.
- We’ll preview Friday's matchup between No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State in our next newsletter, but for now, read on for all the juicy details about tomorrow’s showdown. Hike!
🦁 No. 6 Penn State leans on the ground game: The Nittany Lions have been running all over their opponents this season, thanks to junior running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. Both have eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark, helping Penn State average over five yards per carry in their first two postseason games. Truly running away with it.
- Defensively, all eyes will be on the health of junior defensive end and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Abdul Carter.
- HC James Franklin indicated that Carter might play despite a lingering shoulder injury, which could be a game-changer given his 11 sacks this season.
🍀 No. 7 Notre Dame relying on the luck of the Irish quarterback (QB) Riley Leonard: Notre Dame’s offensive success will rest on the shoulders (and legs) of its dual-threat QB. Leonard’s thrown for 2,383 yards and 18 touchdowns, plus he’s basically a track star — ranking second on the team in rushing yards. Get you a player who can do it all.
- As for the Fighting Irish defense, they’ll have their hands full containing Penn State’s loaded offense, including dynamic playmaker Tyler Warren.
- That said, Notre Dame is coming off a strong defensive showing against No. 2 Georgia, holding the Bulldogs to just 10 points in the quarters.
Women’s basketball
🏀 Sporty and spicy
The GIST: It’s only January, but the women’s basketball space is already buzzing with madness usually reserved for March. Here’s what you need to know:
Five teams remain unbeaten: After No. 10 Oklahoma edged out then-undefeated No. 16 Tennessee 87–86 on Sunday, only five unbeaten teams remain in women’s college hoops: No. 1 UCLA (who routed unranked Purdue 83–49 last night), No. 6 LSU, No. 8 Maryland, No. 9 Ohio State, and No. 13 Georgia Tech.
- Keep an eye on the Terps, who’ll be put to the test when they host sophomore sensation and Wooden Award Top 25 nominee JuJu Watkins and No. 4 USC tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET.
UConn’s Paige Bueckers to miss tonight’s game against Xavier: The Huskies’ star guard suffered a knee injury on Sunday, and while HC Geno Auriemma remains optimistic about her recovery, she’ll miss tonight’s Big East clash. That said, have no fear, Huskies faithful, Auriemma expects her back next week.
- In other injury news, South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins will miss the remainder of the season after tearing her ACL in her team’s Sunday win over Mississippi State.
Florida State junior Ta’Niya Latson receives AP Player of the Week honors: The guard is on fire after two incredible ACC play performances, posting 40 points (!!!) in last week’s win over Virginia Tech and following it up with 25 points, seven assists, and six steals in a Sunday win over Syracuse. Stuffing that stat sheet.
🏀 No. 8 Florida men’s basketball hands No. 1 Tennessee its first loss of the season
The last undefeated team in men’s hoops is unbeaten no more — Florida throttled Tennessee 73–43 in an SEC stunner last night. The Gators were led by senior guard Alijah Martin, who scored 18 points, and junior guard Denzel Aberdeen, who came off the bench to add 16 points. Chomp chomp.
🤸 Gymnastics’ Perfect 10 streak comes to an end
For the first time in nearly four years, no perfect 10s were awarded during a week of NCAA women’s college gymnastics competition. The last time this happened? February 2021.
- Perfect 10s have become increasingly common in recent years, nearly doubling in 2022 compared to previous seasons, but this opening-week outlier could signal a shift in judging moving forward. Way harsh.
🏐 Top college volleyball players preparing for the pros
The college volleyball season may be over, but two pro leagues — League One Volleyball (LOVB, pronounced “love”) and the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) — are about to serve and feature a boatload of recent NCAA graduates.
- LOVB, which debuts tonight, features players like recently crowned natty champion Jess Mruzik of Penn State and Madisen Skinner of Texas.
- PVF also boasts a stacked rookie class headlined by Nebraska opposite Merritt Beason and Louisville star Anna DeBeer. Bump, set, slay.
Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
💊 How to tackle tummy trouble
With Alaya Naturals’ Advanced Synbiotic, which provides three-in-one gut support, helping you to feel your best. Oh yeah, and it’s 40% off. Regularity, incoming.*
🏀 Who to know
The iconic sister duos of NCAA basketball, like the Cavinder twins and the Burges, who dominated courts and captured hearts. “Double Teamed,” IRL.
🏈 How to watch the Super Bowl
Verizon’s FanFest. Live watch parties in 30 cities are planned to bring fans together with food, music, and interactive experiences. All the game-day vibes without the high ticket price. Check if your city made the list.
*P.S. This is a sponsored post. Feelin' good.Today’s email was brought to you by Eden Laase and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Lindsay Jost. Fact checking by Mikaela Perez. Ops by Marga Sison and Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of Content Ellen Hyslop.