Thursday Sports 12/27/18
27 December 2018 Sports
Sports from Wayne Mausser
Wisconsin meets Miami later today in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.
The Badgers and Hurricanes are each trying to salvage seasons that have been two of the biggest disappointments in college football this year. The game is a rematch of last season’s Orange Bowl, a 34-24 victory by the Badgers. Wisconsin was ranked No. 6 in that game, Miami was No. 11 and both teams were ranked in the top 10 of this season’s preseason poll. Each team fell out of the poll long ago, with the Hurricanes even losing four straight games.
Badgers sophomore RB Jonathan Taylor is the nation’s leading rusher with 1,989 yards and 16 TDs. He rushed for at least 200 yards in four games and ran for 100 yards in 11 games. The Hurricanes have allowed only three running backs this season to top 100 yards. But Taylor ran for 130 yards on 26 carries against the Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl.
Wisconsin is 2-0 against Miami in the postseason. The Badgers will be making their 17th straight bowl appearance and are 15-14 overall in the postseason.
The Packers returned to the practice field on Wednesday in preparation for the regular season finale Sunday at Lambeau Field against the Detroit Lions. Green Bay is 6-8-1 going in while the Lions are 5-10. Green Bay will be trying to avenge an early season 31-23 loss at Detroit.
Meanwhile thePackers have placed DL Kenny Clark on injured reserve. Clark finishes the season with 6 sacks and 55 tackles.
Clark has been out of the line up since he sprained his elbow during the Dec. 9 Atlanta Falcons game. The Packers also activated T/G Alex Light has been activated from suspension.
The search for the Packers fifteenth head coach in team history started early after the team fired Mike McCarthy following its loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13.
According to Pro Football Talk, that search now includes interviews of two former NFL head coaches. Former Colts and Lions Head Coach Jim Caldwell reportedly interviewed with the Packers.
Caldwell, who was born in Beloit, Wis., was an NFL head coach for seven years. He took over the Colts in 2009 after previously serving as offensive coordinator, and led Indianapolis to the Super Bowl that season where they lost to the Saints. He and the Colts made one more postseason appearance. He led the Lions to the playoffs twice in his 4 years. He has also won two Super Bowls as an offensive coordinator, with the Colts in 2006, and the Ravens in 2012.
Pagano succeeded Caldwell in Indianapolis in 2012, making the playoffs his first 3 years. He was fired after the 2017 season when the Colts finished with a 4-12 record. He finished with a 53-43 record, and had just the one losing season.
Packers Interim Head Coach Joe Philbin will make his final impression for the permanent job on Sunday when the Packers host the Lions. A victory would give him a 3-1 record, including the team’s first road win and a narrow 7-point loss at division champion Chicago.
In the NBA tonight, the Knicks play the Bucks in Milwaukee.
Share |