oyd (2-2, 4.71) facing New Yorks Logan Verr | Forum
Mitglied jcy123
Jan 13 '20
AUBURN, Ala. Chris Carpenter . -- Clemsons Dabo Swinney kept his kicker on the sideline and put the game in star quarterback Deshaun Watsons hands.The decision worked in the second-ranked Tigers 19-13 win over Auburn on Saturday night, but not without a few more anxious moments in an opener filled with them.Swinney opted to go for it on fourth-and-4 from the 17 instead of kicking a field goal, and Wayne Gallman was stopped short by Tray Matthews -- a failed call that could have backfired.We just didnt want to take a shot at the field goal right there, he said. We felt like as good as we had played defensively, with them having no timeouts, it was going to be very difficult for them to go score.Greg Huegels extra-point attempt earlier in the quarter had hit the upright. Gallman had been knocked out of bounds on the previous play, stopping the clock to help leave Auburn more time.Unbelievable, Swinney said. And now were fighting for our life there at the end.Watson passed for 248 yards, including 174 to Mike Williams in his return from a neck injury in last seasons opener. Gallman carried 30 times for 123 yards.Clemson dominated the stat sheet in the first half -- with a 233-38 advantage in total yards -- but led only 10-3 and both scores came after defensive penalties on third-down plays.That is one of the best teams in college football, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. Holding those guys to 19 points was really unbelievable as far as the effort.Clemson struggled to put the opener away even though Auburn produced little offense for much of the game while swapping three quarterbacks in and out. Finally, Watson hit former walk-on receiver Hunter Renfrow in the back of the end zone on third and goal from the 16 with 9:59 left in the fourth quarter.That was a lifetime in this game.Ben Boulwares subsequent goal line interception only provided a temporary reprieve for a team that made the national championship game last season and is among the favorites to win it this time. Auburn finally got a touchdown with 3:22 left on a 9-yard direct snap run by Kerryon Johnson, and Clemsons failed fourth-down try deep in Auburn territory set up another shot with 40 seconds and 85 yards to go.Sean White drove the offense to the Clemson 40, but two desperation heaves into the end zone fell incomplete, with the second getting batted around.THE TAKEAWAYCLEMSON: If Watson didnt exactly pick right up from his 478-yard bonanza in the national championship game against Alabama, he was still good enough. And Williams provides Clemsons offense with yet another threat.AUBURN: Auburns offensive problems continued from last season, with three quarterbacks attempting passes on the first six plays. The defense made some big stops and held Clemson to 6 of 17 on third downs. Daniel Carlsons 53-yard field goal was the Auburn-record sixth of 50-plus yards.POLL IMPLICATIONSBarring a dominant win by No. 4 Florida State over No. 11 Mississippi on Monday night, Clemson seems likely to stay put right behind Alabama. No. 3 Oklahoma was upset by 15th-ranked Houston earlier in the day. The close score does make it a question mark, though.QUOTABLEWatson: We knew they were going to be good. We knew we werent going to come in here and blow these guys out.UP NEXTAuburn: hosts Arkansas State, where Malzahn was head coach in 2012, on Saturday.Clemson: like Auburn, hosts a Sun Belt Conference team on Saturday when Troy visits.---Online: AP college football website: http://collegefootball.ap.org Tony Cingrani .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Genesis Cabrera .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. http:///...sey-large-1391q.html . The injury bothered Bledsoe in the Suns victory over the Clippers on Monday and he sat out the teams home loss to Memphis on Thursday night. DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers cant explain exactly what happened when they went to Boston in late July.They dont want to think too much about it and ruin the magic.Starting with a three-game sweep of the Red Sox at Fenway Park, the Tigers have won nine of their last 10 games. On Friday night, they beat the New York Mets 4-3 to move within two games of first-place Cleveland in the American League Central.I hope people are excited about this team, because were playing really good baseball, and having a lot of fun, said Ian Kinsler, who manufactured a key first-inning run. We want everyone to join us -- theres a lot of room on the bandwagon.Tigers ace Justin Verlander was the star once again, holding the Mets to four hits in six innings. Since July 1, he is 5-0 in seven starts with a 1.85 ERA.Obviously, being in the race adds some excitement, Verlander said. Obviously, everyone knows where we are at, and weve been around long enough that were doing some scoreboard watching, but it all comes down to how we finish.Verlander (12-6) allowed only two runs and struck out nine, but the Mets ran his pitch count up to 103 to force him out of the game. Three relievers finished, with Francisco Rodriguez pitching the ninth for his 31st save.James Loney drove in a ninth-inning run with a groundout, and Rodriguez retired Kelly Johnson to end the game. Johnson homered in the fourth for the Mets, who are now two games out of the second National League wild-card spot.We had some chances, but that guy on the mound for the Tigers is awfully good, Mets manager Terry Collins said. Verlanders one of those guys that can get himself out of just about any jam, so you have to get him fast.Noah Syndergaard (9-6) also ran into pitch-count trouble, needing 112 to get through his six innings. He gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out seven.Im trying to be too fine with my pitches instead of just trusting my stuff and letting it go, he said. I know I have the stuff to go out there and be dominant, but Ive got to let myself do it.The Tigers took advantage of Syndergaards weakness holding runners in the first. Ian Kinsler led off with a single, stole second and third and scored on Miguel Cabreras groundout. John Gant. Opponents are 32 of 36 on steal attempts in Syndergaards 22 starts this season.We had an idea about running today, but you cant do anything until Ian gets himself on first base, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. He got on base and got himself to third, so while Miggy gets the RBI, Kins basically created that run.Verlander was cruising until he walked Jay Bruce on a 3-2 pitch in the fourth. He retired Loney for the second out of the inning, but Johnson hit his second homer in two nights to give the Mets a 2-1 lead.Martinez got the lead back in the bottom of the inning, lining Syndergaards changeup deep into the right-field stands for a two-run homer. James McCann added an RBI single in the inning to make it 4-2.After we got the lead, I went out to the mound telling myself that, no matter what, I couldnt blow it, Syndergaard said. Well, thats like telling someone not to think about a pink elephant. I think every major mistake I made tonight was in that inning.TRAINERS ROOMMets: OF Yoenis Cespedes (quadriceps) is on the disabled list, costing him his first visit back to Detroit since he was traded at last years deadline. Cespedes was popular with Tigers fans.Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermanns MRI showed no damage to the lat muscle that bothered him in Thursdays poor start. Zimmermann will throw a bullpen session on Sunday before the Tigers decide if he will make his next start. .... CF Cameron Maybin sat out his second straight game with a bruised thumb.INTERLEAGUE STARSThe Mets have the best interleague record (.518) of any National League team since games began in 1996, but the Tigers are significantly better at .546. Since 2006, the Tigers are second in the majors at .620 (124-76).UP NEXTThe teams play the second game in their weekend series Saturday evening, with Matt Boyd (2-2, 4.71) facing New Yorks Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.20). Boyd will be making his first interleague start, while Verrett made his first on Monday, getting a no-decision against the Yankees. ' ' '
