List of All Articles with Tag 'football'

Take a look at the 2023-24 college football bowl schedule with all of the matchups, dates, times and TV info for the postseason, including the College Football Playoff!

Luka Modric won the Ballon d’Or on this day in 2018, marking the first time since 2007 the award did not go to either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. The Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder broke the stranglehold placed on France Football’s prestigious award by Messi and Ronaldo in the previous decade at a ceremony in Paris. Argentina forward Messi and former Real team-mate Ronaldo and had each won the Ballon d’Or on five occasions since Brazilian Kaka did so in 2007. In his acceptance speech, Modric said: “It’s a unique feeling. I am happy, proud and honoured. I have sensational emotions at the moment that are really hard to describe in words. “First of all, I would like to thank my team-mates and coaches at Real Madrid and all the people who work for Real Madrid, all my coaches and team-mates with the national team, all those who voted for me and of course, my family, my wife and kids. “They are fulfilling me as a person and helping me in all aspects to be successful as a professional. “As a kid, we all have dreams. My dream was to play for a big club, to win important trophies. I dreamed about it, but the Ballon d’Or was more than a childhood dream for me and it’s a real honour and a privilege to hold this trophy.” Modric’s recognition was reward for a fine 12 months during which he helped his club lift the Champions League for the third successive season before playing a key role in Croatia’s surge to the 2018 World Cup final. He won the Golden Ball for his contribution in Russia and was named the Best FIFA Footballer of the Year, and was the first Croatian to claim the Ballon d’Or. Modric, now 38, is still playing for Real Madrid and helped his country to the World Cup semi-finals last year in Qatar. Read More Eddie Howe salutes performance as Newcastle end gruelling week with Man Utd win Ding Junhui beats Judd Trump to set up UK final showdown with Ronnie O’Sullivan Pep Guardiola knows Man City fans will be behind team if ‘bad moments’ arrive Win ‘blows belief into Everton’ after points deduction – Sean Dyche Dwight McNeil fires Everton to morale-boosting win at Nottingham Forest Paul Heckingbottom stands by his work as Sheffield United lose again

Which bowl game is likely for the Georgia Bulldogs after missing out on the College Football Playoff?

Find out which teams will make it into the College Football Playoff bracket as the Selection Committee faces tough decisions.

Despite the unbeaten record and ACC title, Florida State will need some favors from the College Football Playoff selection committee if they want to get in.

The Alabama Crimson Tide broke the internet (and the standings) with an SEC championship victory over Georgia. But, can they surpass Texas?

What are the chances of both Alabama and Georgia making it to the College Football Playoff?

Eddie Howe saluted one of Newcastle’s best performances of the season after watching them beat Manchester United to end a gruelling week on a high. Four days after suffering late heartache in a 1-1 Champions League draw with Paris St Germain, having dispatched Premier League rivals Chelsea 4-1 before heading for France, the Magpies secured a 1-0 league victory over the men from Old Trafford at St James’ Park. Asked if that represented the perfect ending to a testing week, head coach Howe said: “Yes it is. I think that’s one of our best performances of the season, for me. “I thought we were very, very good on and off the ball and when you consider the week we’ve had and the difficult games we’ve had, the end of the game in Paris, what a response from the group of players.” Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute strike from Kieran Trippier’s cross ultimately secured the points on a night when Newcastle largely dominated without reward until his intervention. Having been robbed of victory by a contentious stoppage-time penalty in Paris, they were spared further pain when Harry Maguire inadvertently turned Antony’s shot past substitute goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, but from an offside position. Gordon has now scored in each of his last four league games on Tyneside and taken his tally for the season to six goals to reap the rewards of his hard work on the training pitch. Howe said: “He himself has really worked on that. “I’m really pleased because I thought he played really well at the start of the season, but every attacker needs to score, needs to have that feeling and that confidence that that brings. “It elevates your game, not just the goals, but he’s getting assists as well. He’s involved in match-winning moments. “I thought he played really well again today. It was a really good cross from Kieran, a good team move and a good finish.” The only disappointment for Howe was that goalkeeper Nick Pope, who has played such a key role in the club’s recent success, suffered a dislocated shoulder late in the game and may now need surgery. Asked how long he might be sidelined, the 46-year-old said: “It’s too early to say. He was in pain when the shoulder was out of its joint. It’s been put back in now and he feels much more comfortable. “We’ll seek specialist opinion, but it doesn’t look good.” It proved a difficult night for the visitors, who have now lost to the Magpies in their last three encounters and rarely looked like avoiding that fate until a late flurry. Manager Erik ten Hag said: “Today we have to say ‘credit to Newcastle’. After the start, where we could have scored with (Alejandro) Garnacho, they were better than us, they were more proactive. “We had to go back, we had to defend and we did that. We allowed them one goal, but at the end, we fought back, we had two good opportunities, but unluckily we could not take a point from here.” England international Marcus Rashford in particular cut a frustrated figure and was replaced by Rasmus Hojlund with 29 minutes remaining. Asked about Rashford’s form, Ten Hag said: “He works hard and he is investing a lot. He will get back, he will recover and he’s got all our support.” Read More Ding Junhui beats Judd Trump to set up UK final showdown with Ronnie O’Sullivan Pep Guardiola knows Man City fans will be behind team if ‘bad moments’ arrive Win ‘blows belief into Everton’ after points deduction – Sean Dyche Dwight McNeil fires Everton to morale-boosting win at Nottingham Forest Paul Heckingbottom stands by his work as Sheffield United lose again Neal Maupay makes the right impression on his manager

Anthony Gordon’s sixth goal of the season handed Newcastle a sixth-successive Premier League victory at St James’ Park as Manchester United became their latest victims. The Magpies, who returned from Paris St Germain in midweek bitterly disappointed with a 1-1 Champions League draw, dominated for all but the final few minutes and perhaps should have secured the points in more emphatic fashion with Kieran Trippier seeing a first-half free-kick come back off the crossbar. However, Gordon’s 55th-minute finish – the fourth-successive home league game in which he has scored – proved sufficient to clinch a 1-0 win and send Eddie Howe’s side above the Red Devils in the table, although his joy was tempered by a potentially-serious injury to goalkeeper Nick Pope. Manchester United, who had thrown away a 3-1 lead at Galatasaray to draw 3-3 on Wednesday evening, created little of note – they saw a late goal ruled out after Antony’s shot had clipped Harry Maguire in an offside position – as their run of five wins in six league games came to an end in front of a crowd of 52,214. Under-fire goalkeeper Andre Onana and Diogo Dalot got themselves in a tangle as they attempted to deal with a Gordon cross, although opposite number Pope had to repel Alejandro Garnacho’s 11th-minute attempt with a well-placed foot after Bruno Fernandes’ superb pass had played him in behind Trippier. Garnacho became an increasing threat down the Magpies’ right as Manchester United started to impose themselves, but Luke Shaw had to block Alexander Isak’s 15th-minute effort after Trippier had fizzed the ball into his feet inside the penalty area. Onana saved from Miguel Almiron following a neat one-two between Joelinton and Trippier, while Guimaraes smashed an 18th-minute shot over from distance after Tino Livramento had surged forward down the left and cut the ball back. The visitors were creaking and Maguire had to be in the right place at the right time to deflect Isak’s goal-bound effort wide before Jamaal Lascelles headed over from the resulting corner. Playmaker Fernandes did his best to drag Erik ten Hag’s men into the game, but too often the men ahead of him were not equal to the task and they continued to look less than certain at the back with Isak firing wide 12 minutes before the break after Aaron Wan-Bissaka had headed Fabian Schar’s long ball straight to him. Almiron curled an attempt over the angle of post and crossbar after cutting inside Dalot from Trippier’s through-ball, but Onana enjoyed the kind of fortune which has eluded him in recent weeks when Trippier rattled the crossbar with a 39th-minute free-kick after Maguire had felled Schar 25 yards out. Livramento, whose scything run led to Isak’s goal at Paris St Germain, almost repeated the dose two minutes after the restart when he set up Almiron, but saw the Paraguay international’s shot half-blocked to allow Onana to save comfortably. The keeper was finally beaten seconds later when Guimaraes rolled the ball into Trippier’s path and he crossed low to the far post for Gordon to score. Schar whistled a shot from distance a foot over Onana’s crossbar as the home side looked to kill the game off, and Ten Hag responded by replacing Marcus Rashford and Martial with Antony and Rasmus Hojlund. Antony added vigour to a side in desperate need of inspiration, but to little real effect and Wan-Bissaka survived penalty appeals for handball after blocking Lewis Miley’s shot with 12 minutes remaining. Schar had to throw his body into the path of Sergio Reguilon’s well-struck 82nd-minute volley, although Pope’s evening ended in agony as he was led from the pitch having suffered an injury as he dived in anticipation behind the defender. Replacement Martin Dubravka was beaten with two minutes of normal time left on the clock, but an offside flag came to the tiring Magpies’ rescue and they safely negotiated nine minutes of stoppage-time to claim victory. Read More Pep Guardiola knows Man City fans will be behind team if ‘bad moments’ arrive Win ‘blows belief into Everton’ after points deduction – Sean Dyche Dwight McNeil fires Everton to morale-boosting win at Nottingham Forest Paul Heckingbottom stands by his work as Sheffield United lose again Neal Maupay makes the right impression on his manager Mikel Arteta heaps praise on players as Arsenal pull four points clear at summit

Pep Guardiola has no doubt Manchester City’s fans will be there to lift the team if they ever hit a poor run. City supporters have seen little but success during Guardiola’s reign as manager, winning five Premier League titles and a glorious treble last season. Yet Guardiola recognises that run may one day come to an end and it is then the City manager hopes the fans, so used to being entertained, will be able to inspire them. The Spaniard said: “We want the fans to enjoy and have fun, have one hour and 30 minutes in good moments. That depends on us. When we play good, always they are there. “It’s just sometimes the situation is not going well. In that moment it’s not because the players don’t want it – because they’ve proved over how many years their consistency – but it is in that moment we need them. “Of course we won a lot and, in the future, maybe you have to understand in the mind that this is an exception. It’s not normal to win the treble, it’s not normal to win five Premier Leagues in six years. “You have to understand that – OK, continue to enjoy – but if the bad moments are coming this season and the next one and the next one, you have to be there. “And I’m pretty sure they’ll be there because it’s a club that has come from Maine Road and from being in mid-table, not fighting for the titles. They were there all the time. “I was not here but the people talk to me. So if it’s coming back down a little, ‘Come on, let’s go.’ Do what you have to do to come back there on top of the league and don’t be down for a long time.” I'm pretty sure they'll be there because it's a club that has come from Maine Road and from being in mid-table, not fighting for the titles. They were there all the time Pep Guardiola on City's fans Guardiola, however, is confident the current crop of players would not allow a slump to occur. He said: “The players are the most important thing, and I know they know it, otherwise what we have done cannot be possible. “The players always are there, even losing 0-2, still we run, still we fight.” Guardiola’s own powers of motivation are well known, although he has downplayed the significance of his sharp comments after last season’s home clash against Tottenham as he prepares to host the same opponents on Sunday. City suffered a dip in form in the early part of 2023 and needed to come from 2-0 down against Spurs to avoid a third successive loss. Afterwards, Guardiola labelled his side the “Happy Flowers” team, essentially accusing them of lacking concentration. Observers later cited it as a turning point in their treble-winning campaign. But Guardiola said: “That was my feeling in that moment. I had to say something. Because we won we can believe it (worked) but it is not the truth. Because we won (people say), ‘How brilliant was Pep?’ but we could do it again and it might not work.” Read More Win ‘blows belief into Everton’ after points deduction – Sean Dyche Dwight McNeil fires Everton to morale-boosting win at Nottingham Forest Paul Heckingbottom stands by his work as Sheffield United lose again Neal Maupay makes the right impression on his manager Mikel Arteta heaps praise on players as Arsenal pull four points clear at summit Will Jacks looks at positives after England central contract snub

The No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs face the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game. Could Georgia miss out on the College Football Playoff with a loss to Alabama?

One spot in the College Football Playoff is locked up thanks to Michael Penix Jr and the Washington Huskies.