Goff helps surging Lions stun division-leading Vikings 34-23
DETROIT — (AP) — Jared Goff threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, leading the surging Detroit Lions to a 34-23 win over the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Kirk Cousins threw for 425 yards, inluding a franchise-record 223 to Justin Jefferson on 11 catches. But Dalvin Cook ran for just 23 yards on 15 carries, and Minnesota couldn't stop Goff. The Lions invested a lot to give Goff deep-play threats this season, signing DJ Chark in free agency and trading up to draft Jameson Williams 12th overall. He threw a 48-yard, tiebreaking touchdown to Chark, who signed a $10 million, one-year deal after an injury-shortened season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
wftv.comNFL Winners and Losers: Frauds? Maybe not, but Vikings loss will fuel the detractors
There was a curiosity this week over the Minnesota Vikings being underdogs this week at a 5-7 Detroit Lions team. But the Vikings didn't do much to slow them down, either. That set the tone for another miserable game from the Vikings defense. The Lions weren't going to let the Vikings back in the game to win it, like they did early this season. The Ravens played good defense, ran the ball, Justin Tucker provided most of the points and they won a physical 16-14 duel with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
wftv.comBateman back for Minnesota, but no Parsons for Penn State
Minnesota is getting its star wide receiver back for an abbreviated Big Ten season. Minnesota announced Wednesday that Rashod Bateman was cleared to play this season by the NCAA and Big Ten after opting out in August. At Penn State, coach James Franklin closed the door on All-America linebacker Micah Parsons returning to the Nittany Lions. Both Bateman and Parsons opted out of the 2020 season before the Big Ten postponed amid concerns about the pandemic. Purdue All-America receiver Rondale Moore, who opted out early like Parsons and Bateman, was cleared to play for the Boilermakers last week.
Spring college football: When? How much? Who plays?
Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said before a spring football season is planned, there has to be a discussion about fall 2021. He said conversations about a spring football season have been minimal, but there has been a theme. If the NFL does nothing to accommodate spring college football some of the sure-things are almost certain to leave. There is so much to sort out, including the NCAA signing off on a spring football season. At this point in time, we'll see.__Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
Next in summer of player empowerment: Pac-12 players unite
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)As college football leaders work to rescue a football season worth billions in revenue from the threat of COVID-19, the players have become emboldened. A group of Pac-12 players Sunday presented a list of demands on issues ranging from healthy and safety to racial justice to economic rights. The players claim more than 400 of their Pac-12 peers have been communicating through a group chat app about a possible boycott. I think its all attainable, said attorney Tim Nevius, a former NCAA investigator who has now represents college players in cases involving NCAA issues. These recent events have put a spotlight on critical issues in college sports.___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25