Wendell Smallwood Finding Plenty To Be Thankful For

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions.

Football:

Smallwood finding plenty to be thankful for | The Exponent Telegram
There was a time, in the middle of the summer of 2014, when it had to be hard for Wendell Smallwood to picture where his life would lead.

WVU’s Gibson tries to secure ball, add more production | Charleston Gazette-Mail
Shelton Gibson caught a pass Saturday against Kansas, the first time a rather ordinary thing that had happened in three games for West Virginia’s most dangerous receiver.

West Virginia football team finds late-season mean streak | Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Marquis Lucas listened as West Virginia's starting quarterback, Skyler Howard, challenged the Mountaineers to get meaner, especially up front, at practices during the midpoint of this season.

Football and family the focus for WVU, ISU | Beckley Register-Herald
For those on the field, there’s just something a little different about Thanksgiving football, and the final game week of November will be anything but normal for the West Virginia University football team.

Basketball:

WVU Defeats Grand Canyon for Carey's 300th WIn | WVU Athletics
The West Virginia University women’s basketball team cruised to a 68-50 victory over Grand Canyon at the McCarthey Athletic Center in the third day of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Challenge. Tuesday’s victory gave coach Mike Carey his 300th career win at WVU.

West Virginia Athletics:

Elliott Earns Academic All-America Honors | WVU Athletics
West Virginia University men’s soccer junior defender Jack Elliott was named to the 2015 Academic All-America Second Team today, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Around The Big 12:

Big 12 bowl projections: Oklahoma Sooners expected to be in playoff | ESPN
Oklahoma is projected to be in the College Football Playoff after the release of the CFP rankings, while West Virginia joined the bowl-eligible crowd.

Bill Snyder to coach Kansas State at age 77 in 2016, according to report | SBNation
One of the greatest coaches in the game's history will reportedly return.

Oklahoma leapfrogs Iowa, Notre Dame to No. 3 in playoff rankings | ESPN
The Sooners, after defeating ranked opponents in consecutive weeks, jumped two key playoff contenders to land in the top four.

TCU Horned Frogs' Aaron Green ended up in right place at right time | ESPN
Senior running back Aaron Green's career didn't follow the path he envisioned, but it brought exactly where he needed to be.

Around The NCAA:

College Football Playoff rankings: Oklahoma leaps to No. 3 in new top 25 | SBNation
We're now only one more set of rankings away from the one that really, really matters.

Les Miles' biggest problem is obvious: he isn't Nick Saban. | SBNation
What do the numbers say? Not about the excellent job Miles has done in his entire time at LSU, but the job he is doing now?

Ohio State's solution against Michigan State wasn't more Ezekiel Elliott. It was more Cardale Jones | SBNation
Elliot was right ... kind of.

WVU football commitments march through high school playoffs | Charleston Gazette-Mail
As college football hits the home stretch of the regular season, many high school teams have already seen their seasons come to an end. A select few, though, are in hot pursuit of a state championship as they battle through the playoffs. Several future Mountaineers fall into the latter category and, not surprisingly, are heavily involved in their teams’ successes.

Former WVU star Stedman Bailey in critical condition after shooting | Charleston Gazette-Mail
Suspended St. Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey is in critical but stable condition after being shot Tuesday night, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

Bears' Kevin White practicing, but still unlikely to play this season | Chicago Tribune
Kevin White cracked that wide, toothy smile of his Tuesday in the Lake Forest sunshine. It was a sight long overdue. And for a moment during his disrupted rookie season, everything seemed right.

Today's Miss Throwdown is a gorgeous model from Califormia that has been in FHM and numerous other publications. CLICK HERE for Katelynn Ansari's Instagram.