Photos via Getty Images Evansville stunned No. 1 Kentucky and LSU moved up to the top spot in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Welcome to the roundup of must-see sports news from Tuesday, highlighted by Evansville shocking the college basketball world by taking down No. 1 Kentucky at Rupp Arena and LSU jumping Ohio State in the new College Football Playoff rankings.
We’ll also take a look at a new bombshell cheating allegation against the Houston Astros and news regarding Collin Kaepernick set to work out for NFL teams this weekend.
All this and more as we get you up to speed with the sports world on this Wednesday.
UPSET CITY: Evansville Stuns No. 1 Kentucky on the Road
DOWN GOES NO. 1! 🚨
Evansville takes down No.1 Kentucky in Rupp Arena! #ForTheAces
Tuesday night’s date was Nov. 13, but it felt a bit like the month of March at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
It was there that a small school from Indiana authored a colossal-sized upset, as unranked Evansville stunned No. 1 Kentucky, 67-64.
Evansville, who was picked to finish eighth in the Missouri Vally Conference’s preseason poll after finishing 11-21 last season, led for the majority of the game.
The moment was made even more storybook, considering that the Purple Aces are coached by former Kentucky standout Walter McCarty, who was a key piece to the national championship-winning Wildcats team in 1996.
Incredible.
Evansville head coach Walter McCarty, who won a national championship as a player with Kentucky in 1996, just pulled off the upset against his alma mater.
“To be able to come back home and play against the No. 1 team in the country and be able to perform the way that we did, I don’t know if anything matches this other than winning a national championship,” McCarty said.
“It’s awesome, man. To be able to come here and play on this type of stage. My guys, I got a good group of guys, I really do. They love each other. They’re very connected. To bring this group in here and to be able to do that is just awesome, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
Going to do more than this. 💯
Evansville was led on Tuesday by K.J. Riley who scored 18 points and Sam Cunliffe who added 17.
The Purple Aces were 25-point underdogs coming into the game at Caesars Sportsbook, making them the third-largest underdog to pull an upset in the past 15 seasons in a game involving two Division I schools.
Kentucky had just jumped into the No. 1 spot this week after beating the preseason No. 1-ranked Michigan State last week at the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden.
With the loss, the Wildcats became the first AP No. 1-ranked team to lose to an unranked nonconference opponent at home.
LSU Leapfrogs Ohio State for No. 1 Spot in New College Football Playoff Rankings
@espn @BroncoSportsFB @CowboyFB @NavyFB @KStateFB @AppState_FB @NDFootball @GoBearcatsFB @MemphisFB @TexasFootball @HawkeyeFootball @GatorsFB @AuburnFootball @BUFootball @BadgerFootball @UMichFootball @Utah_Football @GopherFootball @PennStateFball @OU_Football November 1️⃣2️⃣ #CFBPlayoff Selection Committee Rankings:
1️⃣. LSU // @LSUfootball
The second edition of this season’s College Football Playoff Rankings was released on Tuesday and not one team stayed in the same position as last week.
Fresh off their huge statement win over Alabama, LSU jumped up to No. 1 for the first time in the CFP era, sliding by Ohio State who dropped down to the second spot.
Filling out the top four was Clemson at No. 3 and Georgia at No. 4.
Alabama, who suffered their first defeat of the season, fell just outside of the top four to No. 5.
Alabama slides to No. 5 in the CFP rankings following its loss to LSU.
The Crimson Tide are outside the Top 4 for the first time since Nov. 28, 2017 (also 5th).
Alabama won the National Championship that season.
Making the biggest leap this week was the undefeated Minnesota Golden Gophers who moved up nine spots to No. 8 after handing Penn State their first loss.
The top four teams in the rankings when the smoke clears from the regular season on Dec. 7 will face-off in the semifinals on Dec. 28 at the Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. The winners will then meet in the championship game on Jan. 13 in New Orleans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
@espn @BroncoSportsFB @CowboyFB @NavyFB @KStateFB @AppState_FB @NDFootball @GoBearcatsFB @MemphisFB @TexasFootball @HawkeyeFootball @GatorsFB @AuburnFootball @BUFootball @BadgerFootball @UMichFootball @Utah_Football @GopherFootball @PennStateFball @OU_Football @LSUfootball @OhioStateFB @ClemsonFB @GeorgiaFootball @AlabamaFTBL @oregonfootball Here’s the full #CFBPlayoff Top 25 rankings for games played through November 9.
Is your team in? 👀
🏈🏆
Here’s a look at the full Top 25 Playoff rankings as chosen by the College Football Playoff committee this week:
1. LSU (9-0)
2. Ohio State (9-0)
3. Clemson (10-0)
4. Georgia (8-1)
5. Alabama (8-1)
6. Oregon (8-1)
7. Utah (8-1)
8. Minnesota (9-0)
9. Penn State (8-1)
10. Oklahoma (8-1)
11. Florida (8-2)
12. Auburn (7-2)
13. Baylor (9-0)
14. Wisconsin (7-2)
15. Michigan (7-2)
16. Notre Dame (7-2)
17. Cincinnati (8-1)
18. Memphis (8-1)
19. Texas (6-3)
20. Iowa (6-3)
21. Boise State (8-1)
22. Oklahoma State (6-3)
23. Navy (7-1)
24. Kansas State (6-3)
25. Appalachian State (8-1)
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES: Rounding Up the Top Headlines
Former Houston Astros pitcher Mike Fiers told The Athletic that the team used a camera in center field during their championship season in 2017. t.co/aEv9Rvl4kZ
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- Former Astros pitcher claims team stole signs with center-field camera
- Colin Kaepernick to work out for NFL teams on Saturday
- Twins’ Rocco Baldelli, Cardinals’ Mike Shildt named Managers of the Year
- Rockets guard Eric Gordon will have knee surgery, miss six weeks
- San Francisco Giants hire Gabe Kapler as new manager
WHAT’S ON TAP IN THE SPORTS WORLD ON WEDNESDAY
NBA: Los Angeles Clippers (7-3) at Houston Rockets (7-3)
The Rockets put their four-game win streak on the line against the Clippers who have won four of their last five, in a marquee matchup that will feature three of the league’s biggest stars – Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
WHEN: Tonight, 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
NBA: Golden State Warriors (2-9) at Los Angeles Lakers (8-2)
Two teams that have opened up the season in polar opposite fashion meet tonight when LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers host the short-handed, five-time reigning Western Conference champion Warriors.
WHEN: Tonight, 10 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Missed Yesterday’s Roundup? Click here for it.