Last week in the world of sports: 11/23 through 11/29

L.G. Patterson | Associated Press

Vanderbilt’s Sarah Fuller, right, kicks off as Ryan McCord (27) holds to start the second half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020, in Columbia, Mo. With the kick, Fuller became the first female to play in a Southeastern Conference football game. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

By Kyle Mathas
November 30, 2020

DeKALB — With the Lions firing their coach, the NBA fan base waiting on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s free agency decision, and the college basketball season beginning, there has been a lot of sports news this past week. 

 

NFL News

The Detroit Lions lost to the Houston Texans on Thanksgiving day, which put their record at f4-7. On Saturday, the Lions fired Head Coach Matt Patricia and their General Manager Bob Quinn. Now the Lions are searching for a new coach. 

Also, the Denver Broncos had all three of their quarterbacks on the injury list for COVID-19. They were forced to start wide receiver Kendall Hinton from the practice squad on Sunday. Hinton threw 1-9 and had two interceptions. The Broncos lost to the Saints, 31-3.

Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia adjusts his face mask during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020, in Detroit. (Paul Sancya | Associated Press)

Also, the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers was postponed from Thanksgiving day to the next Tuesday due to multiple Raven players testing positive for COVID-19. 

 

NFL

On Thanksgiving day, the Washington Football Team defeated the Dallas Cowboys. 

On Sunday, the Tennessee Titans defeated the Indianapolis Colts to take the number one spot in the AFC South division, the New England Patriots defeated the Arizona Cardinals on a game-winning 50-yard field goal and the Kansas City Chiefs defeated Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road in a close three-point win. 

On Sunday Night Football, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears. Aaron Rodgers threw for four touchdowns and Mitchell Trubisky threw for three touchdowns and two interceptions. 

 

NBA News

Over the last week, there has not been much NBA free agency. Reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is still deciding whether he wants to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks or go to a different team. He has until Dec. 21 to sign an extension.

On Wednesday, former Trail Blazers center Hassan Whiteside signed with the Sacramento Kings, the team that drafted him in 2010. 

The NBA announced that there will not be an All-Star Game this season. The 2021 NBA All-Star Game was supposed to be held in Indianapolis but will not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indianapolis’ game is rescheduled for Feb. 18, 2024. The next scheduled All-Star Game is for Feb. 20, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio.

 

MAC Football

This week in the MAC, the Huskies fell just short against Western Michigan University Saturday, losing 30 to 27. Ross Bowers threw for 230 yards, but it was just not enough to stop the Western Michigan comeback. 

Jaret Patterson, running back for the University at Buffalo, ran the ball for 409 yards on 36 carries. Buffalo remained undefeated after his performance.

Buffalo running back Jaret Patterson, left, carries the ball while Bowling Green linebacker Darren Anders (37) and defensive lineman Ja’von Lyons (56) close in during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Bowling Green, Ohio, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. (Scott W. Grau | Associated Press)

Western Michigan and Buffalo are the only remaining undefeated teams in the MAC conference after four games have been played. 

 

MAC Basketball

In the first week of the MAC basketball season, Bowling Green State University almost upset the 25th-ranked University of Michigan Wolverines, the University of Ohio came close to upsetting eighth-ranked University of Illinois,and the Huskies blew a 20- point lead to the University of Illinois–Chicago. 

In women’s basketball, the Huskies lost their opener to the Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis in DeKalb and Ohio University upset the 22nd-ranked University of Notre Dame. 

 

NCAA Football

In college football, Iowa State University defeated the University of Texas on a game-winning field goal, Notre Dame remained undefeated with a win over the University of North Carolina, and Oregon State University upset the 15th-ranked University of Oregon. 

Coastal Carolina University remained undefeated with a win over Texas State University, the University of Alabama defeated the University of Auburn in the Iron Bowl and Michigan State upset eighth-ranked University of Northwestern. 

On Saturday, senior kicker Sarah Fuller started for the University of Vanderbilt and was the third female college football player to start a game in history. She was the first in a Power 5 game. She plays goalkeeper for Vanderbilt’s women’s soccer team.

Vanderbilt place kicker Sarah Fuller (32) gets a fist-bump from Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz after warming up before an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020, in Columbia, Mo. (L.G. Patterson | Associated Press)

 

NCAA Basketball

Some of the key upsets in the opening week of the college basketball season were the University of San Francisco upsetting fourth-ranked University of Virginia, Virginia Tech University upsetting third-ranked University of Villanova and the University of Richmond upsetting the University of Kentucky who was ranked 10th in the country.