07/04/2009 - Regina, SK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Darian Durant threw for 313 yards and had a rushing touchdown to help the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a 28-24 win over the British Columbia Lions in the season opener for both clubs.
Durant went 18-for-32 with three interceptions and added 35 yards on the ground for the Roughriders (1-0), who finished last season with a 12-6 record but lost to the Lions in the Western Semi-Final game. Hugh Charles had 14 carries for 34 yards and a score.
Buck Pierce threw for 186 yards on 17-for-33 passing with a touchdown and two interceptions and added a touchdown on the ground for the Lions (0-1), who went 11-7 last season and lost to Calgary in the West Final. Emmanuel Arceneaux had three catches for 40 yards and a score.
The Roughriders got the first score of the game as Durant's 10-yard touchdown run gave the team a 7-0 lead a bit over five minutes in, and Jamie Boreham got a single on the ensuing kickoff.
The Lions answered later in the first as Ryan Phillips stepped in front of a pass and took it into the end zone from 60 yards out to make it an 8-7 game.
A 37-yard field goal off the foot of Luca Congi late in the first quarter gave Saskatchewan an 11-7 lead.
A bit over four minutes into the second quarter, Charles took the ball into the end zone from two yards out and on the Lions' ensuing drive, Stuart Foord recovered a Paul McCallum fumble and took it into the end zone from 12 yards out for a 25-7 lead.
With close to two minutes left in the first half, British Columbia cut into its deficit as Arceneaux caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Pierce to make it a 25-14 game going into the break.
With under two minutes to play in the third quarter, Pierce ran the ball into the end zone from six yards out, but the two-point conversion failed and it was a 25-20 game heading into the final 15 minutes.
A single from British Columbia a bit over a minute into the four quarter made it a four-point game, but a 22-yard field goal off the foot of Congi with a bit over eight minutes to play gave the Roughriders a 28-21 lead.
The Lions had a golden opportunity to tie the game late in the fourth as a blocked punt gave the team the ball in Saskatchewan territory, but the Roughrider defense held tight and British Columbia was only able to get a 38- yard field goal from McCallum with 2:01 to play.
The British Columbia defense held Saskatchewan on the ensuing possession to give the offense one last chance, but the Roughriders defense stood tall to hang on for the win.
Game Notes
Martell Mallett had six carries for 63 yards for British Columbia...Weston Dressler caught seven passes for 156 yards for Saskatchewan...The Roughriders defense has nine sacks in the game.
<< Kings acquire F Smyth in multi-player deal
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Kings boosted their offense
on Friday, acquiring All-Star forward Ryan Smyth from the Colorado Avalanche
in a three-player deal.
Smyth, 33, tied for the Avalanche lead in points last seas
<< Report: NHL to investigate Blackhawks' qualifying offers
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Blackhawks are reportedly under
investigation by the NHL for failing to tender qualifying offers to several
restricted free agents by the league's set deadline.
According to TSN Canada, th
<< Late miscue forces 'Quakes to share points with RSL
Sandy, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Earthquakes and Real Salt Lake
battled to a 1-1 draw in Major League Soccer action at Rio Tinto Stadium on
Friday night.
Arturo Alvarez scored the game's first goal for San Jose before a Chr
<< Bowyer wins crash-filled Nationwide race at Daytona
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Clint Bowyer held off Kyle Busch and Carl
Edwards in a green-white-checkered finish to win Friday's Subway Jalapeno 250
and record his first victory at Daytona International Speedway.
Bowyer, the 2008
Ramirez quiet in return but Dodgers still double-up Padres >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manny Ramirez returned from a 50-game
suspension and played only 5 1/2 innings, going 0-for-3 with a walk, two
groundouts and a pop out, but the rest of his Dodger teammates picked up the
slack
Huff leads O's past Angels >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aubrey Huff went 2-for-4 with a three-run home
run, as the Baltimore Orioles hung on to edge the Los Angeles Angels of
Anaheim, 6-4, in the second test of a four-game series.
Luke Scott stroked a two-ru
Raburn, Tigers use three-run 16th to edge Twins >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Raburn's RBI single in the 16th
proved to be the game-winner as the Detroit Tigers took an 11-9 win over the
Minnesota Twins in a 16-inning contest to open a three-get set at the
Metrodo
Twins place Slowey on DL; recall Swarzak >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Following the Twins' 16-inning 11-9 loss to
the Tigers, Minnesota placed pitcher Kevin Slowey on the 15-day disabled list
with a strained right wrist.
Slowey started on the mound for the Twins Friday bu
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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Huskers' Lucky hospitalized for undisclosed reason
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky was hospitalized Monday for undisclosed reasons after Lincoln police responded to a call at his residence.
The Nebraska athletic department said in a release Monday that Lucky was admitted Sunday night.
MySportsbook.com has the Cornhuskers listed at +2500 to win the BCS National Championship odds.
A nursing supervisor at the hospital said all questions about Lucky were being referred to the athletic department. The athletic department said there would be no further comment from the department or Lucky's family.
A Lincoln Police spokesman said officers responded to a call at Lucky's residence 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The spokesman said he didn't know Lucky's condition at the time he was taken to the hospital.
Lucky, from North Hollywood, Calif., started six games last season as a sophomore and was the team's second-leading rusher, with 728 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 383 yards. He averaged 19.1 yards on eight kickoff returns.
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