2020 Big 12 Championship Preview
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2020 Big 12 Championship Preview Dec. 18- Dec. 24, 2020 Vol. 19, Issue 17 www.sportspagdfw.com FREE 2 December 18, 2020 - December 24, 2020 | The Sports Page Weekly | Volume 19 Issue 17 | www.sportspagedfw.com | follow us on twitter @sportspagdfw.com Follow us on twitter @sportspagedfw | www.sportspagedfw.com | The Sports Page Weekly | Volume 19 - Issue 17 | December 18, 2020 - December 24, 2020 3 Dec.18, 2020 - Dec.24, 2020 AROUND THE AREA Vol. 19, Issue 17 LOCAL NEWS OF INTEREST sportspagedfw.com Established 2002 Mustangs cancel Frisco Bowl Cover Photo: 4 AROUND THE AREA at least twice during that time frame to will continue to work with Dallas County provide them confidence that they are leadership and public health officials to 5 RANGER REPORT going home to enjoy the holidays with determine the best possible scenario closer BY DIC HUMPHREY their families in a safe and healthy manner. to the start of the regular season. 6 TOM’S TIP "While I wish our guys had been able to The Mavs preseason schedule began on BY TOM WARD finish the year in the celebratory manner December 12th vs the Bucks. They tip off PNC CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW SMU Withdraws From Tropical they deserved, the health and safety of our the 2020-21 regular season on the road 7 BY PGATOUR.COM Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl student-athletes and staff remain our top against Phoenix on Dec. 23, at 9:30 p.m. 8 ALL CANADIAN COLLEGE BASE- Due to the results of COVID testing priority and this is a tough, but necessary, on ESPN and FSSW. Following their BALL TEAM decision that had to be made," said SMU opener against the Suns, the Mavs will BY BOB ELLIOTT and contact tracing, SMU will be unable to play in the 2020 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Head Coach Sonny Dykes. "I'm proud of travel to L.A for a Christmas matchup with SEC WEEK 13 PREDICTIONS our players and staff for being ready to the defending NBA champion L.A. Lakers 9 BY ROBERT CORTINEZ Frisco Bowl. SMU identified a number of play for 13 straight weeks during the regu- positive cases of COVID-19 involving a CFP Rankings lar season. That was a monumental accom- BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP number of football student-athletes were Games Played through December 12 10 PREDICTIONS plishment and took an incredible amount identified as close contacts via the contact Rank Team Overall Record BY JOHN MOSS of discipline and commitment to each tracing process and would not be able to 1 Alabama 10-0 SMU REPORT other and our football program. 11 practice and play in the bowl game. 2 Notre Dame 10-0 BY DIC HUMPHREY "As I said last week, this senior class "Since the beginning of this pandemic, 3 Clemson 9-1 COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL will be forever remembered for helping to 12 many student-athletes across the country 4 Ohio State 5-0 SCHEDULE usher in a new era of Mustang Football. BY COLLEGEFOOTBALLNEWS.COM have had the unfortunate experience of 5 Texas A&M 7-1 They won 17 games over the last two sea- missing out on opportunities to compete in 6 Iowa State 8-2 COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS AND sons and have been the winningest team in 13 NOTES any number of athletic events, with many 7 Florida 8-2 the state of Texas over that time. I'm appre- BY BO CARTER missing out on entire seasons," said SMU 8 Georgia 7-2 ciative and so proud of their accomplish- NFL WEEK 15 PREDICTIONS A.D. Rick Hart. "Our team deserved to 9 Cincinnati 8-0 15 BY NFL.COM ments. We all owe them a great debt of play another game. I'm disappointed for 10 Oklahoma 7-2 gratitude." AUTO REVIEW our fans, and even more disappointed for 11 Indiana 6-1 17 BY KBB.COM our players, that we will be unable to play 12 Coastal Carolina 11-0 DALLAS MAVERICKS STATEMENT THE TICKET WINDOW in a bowl game this season. I'm also sad 13 USC 5-1 18 ON FANS IN THE ARENA that many of our seniors played their final 14 Northwestern 6-1 The health and safety of Dallas collegiate games, not knowing at the time 15 North Carolina 8-3 Mavericks fans, players and employees that that was their last time on the field. I 16 Iowa 6-2 remains the organization’s top priority. Follow us on want to applaud our team for their efforts 17 BYU 10-1 After careful consideration and in collabo- this season and to acknowledge the person- 18 Miami 8-2 Twitter & Facebook ration with the NBA, American Airlines al sacrifices they all made to make this 19 Louisiana 9-1 Center and Dallas County public health season possible. 20 Texas 6-3 twitter.com/sportspagedfw officials, the Mavs plan to start the 2020- "As has been the case all season, our 21 Oklahoma State 7-3 21 preseason without fans. The Mavs’ only focus is the health, safety and well-being 22 NC State 8-3 facebook.com/sportspageweek- home preseason game is scheduled for of our team and staff. Student-athletes will 23 Tulsa 6-1 Thursday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. be able to quarantine for the next seven 24 San Jose State 6-0 Publisher Contact Us No definitive timetable has been set for Sports Page Publishing Group, Main Number (214) 683-1469 days here in Dallas and we will test them 25 Colorado 4-1 LLC P.O. Box 820813 fans returning to the arena and the Mavs [email protected] Dallas, Tx. 75382 www.sportspagedfw.com NCAA Basketball - Top 25 Coaches (Week 4) AP Dic Humphrey, Tom Ward, Bo WEEKLY CALENDAR Carter, Richard Pollak, Robert 1. Gonzaga 1. Gonzaga Cortinez. James McAnally 2. Baylor 2. Baylor 3. Iowa 3. Iowa DECEMBER DECEMBER DECEMBER DECEMBER DECEMBER DECEMBER DECEMBER 4. Michigan State 4. Michigan State 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 5. Kansas 5. Kansas FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY 6. 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Clemson SportsPage Weekly, take more than one copy of each SportsPage Weekly issue. 25. Richmond 25. Michigan 4 December 18, 2020 - December 24, 2020 | The Sports Page Weekly | Volume 19 Issue 17 | www.sportspagedfw.com | follow us on twitter @sportspagdfw.com RANGERS WITH DIC HUMPHREY Impactful free agent signing for Rangers to be advanced enough to be ranked that like. Without that money, paying the play- highly. He will work as a starting pitcher. ers their full salaries is a problem. Montero led the Rangers last season in One rumor has the owners wanting a saves. However, the bullpen was the one 140 game season beginning May 1. By area of strength for the Rangers last year. May, the Coronavirus vaccines should have Jonathan Hernandez was outstanding as the inoculated enough people to stem the eighth inning set-up man. He could easily spread of the disease and make it feasible take over the closer job in 2021, and for- for fans to sit in the stands. There are mer closer Jose Leclerc will be back from many other scenarios being kicked around, injury. The Rangers could afford to move but it is disappointing for fans to learn the Montero with the bullpen arms they same old arguments are being bandied already have, and there are more good about. It made the owners and players alike arms on the way. look stupid last summer and has all the With the acquisition of Dahl, the makings of doing the same this winter. Rangers did not have room for Scott Another key point being discussed is Heineman. This week, they sent him to the use of the designated hitter in both Cincinnati for infielder Jose Acosta.