Football – Page 17 – North Platte Post Archive

Pierson-El Named Freshman All-American

Posted on January 14, 2015

De’Mornay Pierson-El received one final honor from a fantastic freshman season on Wednesday, when he was named the punt returner on the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-America team.

Pierson-El returned 34 punts for 596 yards in 2014, returning three punts for touchdowns while averaging 17.5 yards per return. Pierson-El led the nation with his 596 return yards, 194 more yards than any other returner. He also tied for the national lead with his three punt returns for touchdowns, while ranking second in punt return average. Pierson-El led all freshmen nationally in punt return yards, punt return average and punt return touchdowns. He boasted two of the nation’s eight-longest punt returns in 2014, and he was the only player in the country with a pair of 80-yard returns.

A native of Alexandria, Va., Pierson-El set Nebraska freshman records for longest punt return, most punt return yards, most punt return touchdowns and highest punt return average. Overall, Pierson-El’s 596 punt return yards ranked third in school history, while his three punt return touchdowns tied 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers for the second-highest total in Husker history.

Nebraska’s Special Teams MVP, Pierson-El broke out at Fresno State in the third game of the season, when he returned five punts for 150 yards. His 86-yard touchdown return in the second quarter was the longest return by a freshman in school history and the seventh-longest overall. Pierson-El was honored as the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts at Fresno State. He earned the honor again in the final week of the regular season, when Pierson-El sparked Nebraska’s comeback victory at Iowa. Against the Hawkeyes, Pierson-El set up the game-tying touchdown with a 41-yard return three plays into the fourth quarter. He then gave Nebraska the lead with an 80-yard touchdown return less than two minutes later.

In addition to his return game, Pierson-El emerged as a receiving threat for the Huskers in 2014. He caught 23 passes for 321 yards and four touchdowns, including a breakout performance against USC in the Holiday Bowl. In the bowl game, Pierson-El posted game-high totals of eight catches, 102 yards and one touchdown. In addition to setting career highs in all three categories, Pierson-El set a Husker bowl game record with his eight catches.

Pierson-El also rushed for 10 yards and threw a 16-yard touchdown pass in 2014. In addition to his freshman All-America honors, Pierson-El was recognized as a second-team All-American by the FWAA, USA Today and Sports Illustrated.

New Playoff Draws Larger TV Audience for Title Game

Posted on January 13, 2015

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The new College Football Playoff succeeded in drawing a larger television audience to the championship game.

Ohio State’s 42-20 victory over Oregon on Monday averaged nearly 33.4 million viewers on ESPN. The network said Tuesday that’s up 31 percent from the almost 25.6 million for Florida State’s win over Auburn last year in the final title game of the BCS era.

The biggest audience for the four championships that had aired on ESPN was 27.3 million for the 2011 matchup between Auburn and Oregon.

The 18.2 rating Monday was the second-highest for a title game, behind the massive 21.7 for the 2006 classic between Texas and Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl.

The two semifinals had already drawn more viewers than any of the four championships on ESPN, making for the largest audiences in cable TV history before Monday’s game.

Ratings represent the percentage of homes with TVs tuned to a program.

John Elway Still Wants Peyton Manning to be His Quarterback

Posted on January 13, 2015

If John Elway gets to choose, his quarterback next season will be Peyton Manning.

His coach: To be determined.

During a news conference Tuesday, Elway said he did not press Manning for a decision on his future when they met the day after Denver’s 24-13 loss to Indianapolis in the AFC divisional playoffs.

The Broncos executive vice president said he expects to reconvene with Manning in about a month to see where he stands.

Elway said he has not contacted anybody about his open head coaching job.

He described the parting with John Fox as the culmination of a disagreement over what it takes to win the Super Bowl.

Elway stuck to a statement that has lived with him since he signed Manning: “There is no Plan B. Plan A is still the same — to win a world championship.”

ESPN Scores Big in College Championship Game

Posted on January 13, 2015

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ohio State’s victory in the first championship game of the College Football Playoff produced ESPN’s highest overnight rating ever.

The network said Tuesday that according to Nielsen the Buckeyes’ 42-20 win over Oregon generated an 18.5 overnight rating.

That’s a 21 percent increase over the 2014 BCS national championship on ESPN between Florida State and Auburn, which drew a 15.3 rating.

Monday night’s title game also topped the 16.1 overnight rating for the 2011 BCS championship between Auburn and Oregon that had been the previous best in cable history.

Columbus, Ohio, was the No. 1 overall market at 51.2 while Portland, Oregon, was fourth at 37.6.

Overnight ratings measure the country’s largest markets. The rating is the percentage of all homes with TVs, whether or not they are in use. Final ratings are to come later Tuesday.

Ohio State is No. 1; TCU Finishes 3rd in Final AP Top 25, Nebraska drops Out

Posted on January 13, 2015

Ohio State is No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll and TCU finished third, in front of two teams that made the playoff ahead of the Horned Frogs.

The Buckeyes finished on top of the AP Top 25 for the fifth time in program history, matching Miami and Southern California for fourth most behind Alabama (nine), Notre Dame (eight) and Oklahoma (seven).

Ohio State beat Oregon 42-20 on Monday night in the first College Football Playoff national championship game and got all 59 first-place votes in the media poll.

The Ducks finished second in the rankings, matching their best finish.

The Horned Frogs, who were left out of the playoff but beat Mississippi 42-3 in the Peach Bowl, were ranked ahead of No. 4 Alabama and No. 5 Florida State. The Tide and Seminoles lost playoff semifinals.

Michigan State tied Florida State for fifth.

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:

	Record	Pts	Pv
1. Ohio St. (59)	14-1	1,475	5
2. Oregon	13-2	1,402	3
3. TCU	12-1	1,349	6
4. Alabama	12-2	1,297	1
5. Florida St.	13-1	1,212	2
5. Michigan St.	11-2	1,212	7
7. Baylor	11-2	1,098	4
8. Georgia Tech	11-3	1,071	10
9. Georgia	10-3	925	13
10. UCLA	10-3	908	14
11. Mississippi St.	10-3	767	8
12. Arizona St.	10-3	756	15
13. Wisconsin	11-3	724	17
14. Missouri	11-3	710	16
15. Clemson	10-3	683	18
16. Boise St.	12-2	653	21
17. Mississippi	9-4	543	9
18. Kansas St.	9-4	509	11
19. Arizona	10-4	499	12
20. Southern Cal	9-4	315	24
21. Utah	9-4	302	23
22. Auburn	8-5	216	19
23. Marshall	13-1	161	NR
24. Louisville	9-4	116	20
25. Memphis	10-3	94	NR

Others receiving votes: Notre Dame 28, Stanford 27, Nebraska 22, Air Force 21, Duke 18, LSU 12, Utah St. 11, Arkansas 10, Minnesota 9, Oklahoma 7, Texas A&M 7, N. Illinois 4, Colorado St. 2.

4th to 1st: Ohio State beats Oregon 42-20

Posted on January 12, 2015

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns and Ohio State won the first national title in college football’s playoff era, running over Oregon 42-20 Monday night.

Elliott scored three straight times in the second half for the Buckeyes, seeded fourth in the four-team bracket, after the Ducks pulled within a point in the third quarter.

The Buckeyes overcame four turnovers to give Urban Meyer his first title in his third season at Ohio State after he won two championships at Florida under the old BCS system.

Cardale Jones, who started the season as Ohio State’s third-string quarterback, accounted for two scores as the Buckeyes won their fifth national championship.

Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota threw a touchdown pass on the opening drive, but couldn’t lead the second-seeded Ducks to their first national title.

John Fox Out after 4 AFC West Titles, 4 Playoff Nosedives

Posted on January 12, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Coach John Fox and the Denver Broncos are parting ways following the team’s latest playoff meltdown.

Fox won the AFC West all four of his years in Denver, but each of those seasons ended in ugly fashion in the playoffs, including Sunday’s stunning 24-13 loss to Indianapolis.

Fox was 49-22 in Denver after going 73-71 in nine years with the Carolina Panthers.

In three seasons with Peyton Manning, the Broncos went 38-10 in the regular season but were upset twice at home in the divisional round and got upended by the Seahawks 43-8 in last year’s Super Bowl.

The Broncos went 8-8 in Fox’s first year, when Tebowmania was in full pitch. The stakes were raised when Manning replaced Tim Tebow in 2012.

AP Source: Jack Del Rio to get 2nd Interview with Raiders

Posted on January 12, 2015

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio will have a second interview with the Oakland Raiders for their head coaching job.

A person with knowledge of the plans said Monday that Del Rio will interview with Oakland on Tuesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not releasing details on interviews.

Del Rio met with Raiders owner Mark Davis during the Broncos’ bye week. With Denver being eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday, Del Rio is available for a second interview and will be able to sit down with general manager Reggie McKenzie as well.

Del Rio was head coach in Jacksonville for nine seasons before spending the past three as defensive coordinator in Denver.

Manning’s Future Murky after Another Playoff Disappointment

Posted on January 11, 2015

DENVER (AP) — Peyton Manning hedged on returning next year to play for the Denver Broncos.

Following a 24-13 loss to Indianapolis in the AFC divisional playoffs on Sunday, the 38-year-old, five-time MVP was asked if he planned to return for the 2015 season.

“I guess I just can’t give that simple answer, I’m processing it,” Manning said. “So, I can’t say that.”

As recently as Christmas Eve, Manning said he planned on being back next season if the Broncos wanted him.

Manning went 26 for 46 for 211 yards and a touchdown against the Colts. He struggled to find his rhythm, as has been the case since mid-November, when the Broncos started running the ball more.

He said he’s been dealing with a thigh bruise since the Dec. 14 game against the Chargers, but said it felt good enough to play with coming into the playoffs.

Luck leads Colts to Upset of Manning and Broncos 24-13

Posted on January 11, 2015

DENVER (AP) — Andrew Luck threw two touchdown passes and the Indianapolis Colts upset Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos 24-13 Sunday in the AFC playoffs.

The Colts (13-5) advanced to the AFC conference championship next weekend in New England. The Patriots (13-4) rallied past Baltimore 35-31 Saturday in the other AFC divisional playoff.

The Broncos (12-5) were left to deal with the hangover of yet another playoff debacle — and maybe questions about Manning’s future and that of coach John Fox, as well.

Manning, who joined the Broncos in 2012 after his release from Indy, has gone one-and-done in the playoffs a record nine times in his otherwise stellar career. That includes twice in Denver, where he’s 38-10 in the regular season but just 2-3 in the playoffs.

Overall, Manning is 11-13 in the postseason and this was one of his worst playoff performances ever.