Getty Georgias Dominick Blaylock stiff arms Notre Dame defender Shaun Crawford.
Welcome to the roundup of must-see sports news from Saturday, highlighted by some exciting college football action, including Georgia scoring a tight win over Notre Dame in a matchup of top 10 squads, Pittsburgh ending UCF’s regular season winning streak that dated back to 2016 on a “Pitt Special” play and one of the wildest games of the seasons so far between Washington State and UCLA in Pullman.
We’ll also take a look at the Cardinals stunning the Cubs in a key game with postseason implications and the latest surrounding free agent wide receiver Antonio Brown.
All this and more as we get you up to speed with the sports world on this Sunday!
College Football Recap: Georgia Bolsters Resume With Big Win Over Notre Dame
GettyRodrigo Blankenship of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates a second half field goal.
It was the premier matchup of the weekend and the tilt between No. 3 Georgia and No. 7 Notre Dame lived up to the billing.
The Fighting Irish came out strong and hung with the Bulldogs despite being more than a two-touchdown underdog. But in the end, Georgia would prove too much, turning away a late a last-gasp effort from Notre Dame and coming away with a 23-17 victory.
“That’s what college football is all about, man,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said after the win. “I hate that somebody had to lose that game. I’ve got a lot of respect for the way they played, and all the negative things they’ve heard, and to come out and play the way they did. They played really physical as a team, and so did we. We persevered.”
Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm was 20 of 26 for 187 yards, while running back D’Andre Swift led Georgia on the ground with 98 yards and a touchdown.
“We knew we were close,” Fromm said. “It was the body blows, it was the physicality. We just kept hitting them, hitting them and hitting them, and it finally just started wearing on them and we started running the ball more and started making plays throwing the ball.”
Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book did his best to give his team a chance and finished 29 of 47 for 275 yards. According to the Associated Press, Note Dame dropped to 8-29 against Top 10 teams since Lou Holtz left after the 1996 season.
WATCH THIS: UCF Win Streak Ended By ‘Pitt Special’
Facing fourth-and-2 at the UCF 3, Pittsburgh called a play for the ages and were awarded for their bravery. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi and offensive coordinator Mark Whipple dialed up the “Pitt Special.”
The play featured a direct snap to running back AJ Davis, a handoff to wide receiver Aaron Matthews and finished with quarterback Kenny Pickett catching the game-winning score.
THE PITT SPECIAL
“We were all pumped up about (the call),” Pickett said. “I know Aaron was. I have a touchdown catch before him. He was a little (ticked) off about that. We switched roles for a play.”
The loss ended UCF’s 25-game regular-season winning streak.
GOOD OL’ FASHION SHOOTOUT: UCLA Rallies From 32 Down in Third Quarter to Beat Washington State
Washington State’s Anthony Gordon tossed nine touchdown passes Saturday night against UCLA, but it still wasn’t enough for the Cougars to overcome an inspired Bruins squad.
UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Demetric Felton with just over left for the go-ahead score and Gordon fumbled on the ensuing possession, allowing the Bruins to run out the clock for a 67-63 win.
Thompson-Robinson threw for 507 yards and five touchdowns to help UCLA record its first win of the season and also give head coach Chip Kelly a signature win that might help him keep his job a bit longer.
Gordon threw for 570 yards and the school-record nine scores for Washington State. But UCLA was able to flip six turnovers from the Cougars into 29 points.
Best of the rest: Top 25 roundup
- No. 1 Clemson (4-0) beat Charlotte 52-10
- No. 2 Alabama (4-0) beat Southern Miss. 49-7
- No. 4 LSU (4-0) beat Vanderbilt 66-38
- No. 6 Ohio State (4-0) beat Miami (Ohio) 76-5
- No. 8 Auburn (4-0) beat No. 17 Texas A&M 28-20
- No. 9 Florida (4-0) beat Tennessee 34-3
- No. 10 Utah (3-1) lost to Southern Cal 30-23
- No. 11 Michigan (2-2) lost to No. 13 Wisconsin 35-14
- No. 12 Texas (3-1) beat Oklahoma State 36-30
- No. 13 Wisconsin (4-0) beat No. 11 Michigan 35-14
- No. 15 UCF (3-1) lost to Pittsburgh 35-34
- No. 16 Oregon (3-1) beat Stanford 21-6
- No. 17 Texas A&M (2-2) lost to No. 8 Auburn 28-20
- No. 21 Virginia (4-0) beat Old Dominion 28-17
- No. 22 Washington (3-1) beat BYU 45-19
- No. 23 California (4-0) beat Mississippi 28-20
- No. 24 Arizona State (3-1) lost to Colorado 34-31
- No. 25 TCU (2-2) lost to SMU 41-38
DING-DONG: Late Homers Help Cardinals Stun Cubs in 9th
The Cardinals are trending upward at the right time. The Cubs are not.
Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong homered off Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel in the 9th inning as St. Louis handed the Cubs a fifth straight loss.
“We don’t give up,” Molina said. “Today was a perfect example, we’re never going to give up.”
Chicago is now three games back of Milwaukee for a Wild Card spot. The Cardinals are in the driver’s seat for the NL Central crown, winning five of their last six games.
“It’s really a difficult loss based on all the good things we did today,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.
Agent: Teams Interested in Antonio Brown, Want to Know Legal Issues
A day after being dropped by the New England Patriots, there is reportedly interest from teams to bring on mercurial wide receiver Antonio Brown.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus told him that he’s had contact “with a few teams that are interested” in his client and that they “want information regarding his legal situation and the NFL investigation.”
Brown’s short tenure wit the Patriots lasted just one game. The team announced they would be releasing the former All-Pro in a statement Friday.
The NFL released its own statement Friday saying Brown would not be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list while he is a free agent. However, the release from the league noted: “If he is signed by a club, such placement may become appropriate at any time depending on the status of the investigation.”
“The New England Patriots are releasing Antonio Brown. We appreciate the hard work of many people over the past 11 days, but we feel that it is best to move in a different direction at this time.”
Brown has totaled over 1,250 yards and 100 catches in each of his last six seasons. He has had double-digit touchdowns in all but two of those years.
In his nine-year career, Brown has collected 11,263 yards and 75 touchdowns.
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES: Rounding Up the Top Headlines
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WHAT’S ON TAP IN THE SPORTS WORLD ON SUNDAY
MLB: Cardinals vs. Cubs
The Cardinals and Cubs continue their key series. Yu Darvish will do his best to stop Chicago’s skid in the team’s final regular-season game at Wrigley Field.
WHEN: Today, 2 p.m. ET
TV: TBS
NFL: Sunday Night Football, Rams vs. Browns
The defending NFC champion Los Angeles Rams take on the heavily hyped Browns in prime time. Cleveland is banged up, but get home field for the matchup with the Rams.
WHEN: Tonight, 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Missed Yesterday’s Roundup? Click here for it.