The Shotgun/Throwdown (9/10/18): Don’t look now, but West Virginia has a Top 30 defense

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

Football

Strengthening hurricane has ADs weighing options for WVU-N.C. State | WV MetroNews
Administrators from West Virginia University and N.C. State monitoring the progress of Hurricane Florence plan to talk Monday regarding contingencies about next weekend’s football game in Raleigh.

A success so far, WVU's defense now staring at N.C. State | Charleston Gazette-Mail
That beleaguered unit of 2017 is No. 29 nationally in total defense, allowing an average of 297 yards. And, more importantly, West Virginia is No. 31 in scoring defense at 15.5 points a game.

Award Winners for the Youngstown State Game | West Virginia Athletics
The West Virginia University football coaching staff has named its award winners for outstanding performances in the Mountaineers' 52-17 win vs. Youngstown State on Saturday, Sept. 8.

Freshman Brown Gives Run Game a Big Boost | West Virginia Athletics
West Virginia has spent the first two games using four different tailbacks, and veteran coach Dana Holgorsen has said repeatedly that he's going to need all four of them this year. However, the one who might end up getting the most carries this season is the youngest runner in the group – Leddie Brown.

HERTZEL COLUMN: Stewart makes up for lack of size with abundance of physicality | Times West Virginian
The saying is ageless, but proven time after time. Good things come in small packages.

Basketball

Top hoops recruits on hand for Youngstown State game | Charleston Gazette-Mail
Saturday marked the home opener for the West Virginia football team and, while there were some gridiron prospects in attendance, the men’s basketball team had the big-name recruits on hand.

West Virginia Athletics

Mountaineers Snag Big Road Win | West Virginia Athletics
The West Virginia University women's soccer team snagged its first road victory of the 2018 season with a 2-1 victory at Clemson Friday night at Riggs Field.

Tekesky Makes 10 Saves in 1-0 Loss | West Virginia Athletics
Sophomore goalkeeper Steven Tekesky made a career-best 10 saves for the West Virginia University men's soccer team in a 1-0 loss at UCF on Friday night.

WVU Faces Road Test at Maryland | West Virginia Athletics
The West Virginia University men's soccer team travels to perennial powerhouse Maryland on Monday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. ET.

Around the Big 12

Kansas Jayhawks Football: Road losing streak ends at Central Michigan | Rock Chalk Talk
Kansas' record breaking road losing streak ended at 46 games Saturday, as they went to Mount Pleasant and took down a Central Michigan team that beat them 45-27 last year in Lawrence.

Every Kansas Jayhawks football win of the last decade, ranked | SBNation
The Jayhawks have been in the wilderness for a while, but there have been bright spots — occasionally.

CYHawk Recap: Hawkeyes Out-Grit Cyclones | Wide Right & Natty Lite
El Assico at its finest.

Oklahoma Sooners roll past UCLA 49-21 | Crimson And Cream Machine
A key injury might have put a damper on the win

Oklahoma star RB Rodney Anderson is out for another season with a knee injury | SBNation
Anderson left the Sooners’ Week 2 game of UCLA in the first quarter.

Texas narrowly edges Tulsa, 28-21, after fourth-quarter scare | Burnt Orange Nation
The Longhorns were outscored 21-7 in the second half.

Tom Herman deserves a chance to build the Texas program | Burnt Orange Nation
Austin truly is a cesspool and it reflects poorly on all of us.

CRFF Recap: Oklahoma State Beats South Alabama 55-13 | Cowboys Ride For Free
The Cowboys go to 2-0 after a dominating victory

FINAL: Mississippi State Bulldogs 31, Kansas State Wildcats 10 | Bring On The Cats
Freight train plows through purple wall, bodies fly.

Baylor Beats UTSA 37-20; Bears Improve to 2-0! | Our Daily Bears
The Bears move to 2-0

Around the NCAA

THIS WEEK IN SCHADENFREUDE, Florida fans sniff out a pro-Kentucky plot | SBNation
Nebraska, Michigan State, and a surprising name also join your tour of the most infuriated in college football internet.

Show yourselves, cowards who laughed at Herm Edwards | SBNation
The Top Whatever ranks only the college football teams it feels like ranking, as of this exact second.

College football power rankings Georgia leads SEC competition for Alabama | ESPN
The Tide remain at the top of college football, but Georgia is one of several SEC teams worth watching.

College football bowl projections after Week 2 | ESPN
Oklahoma is off to a strong start, so ESPN's bowl experts see the Sooners in the playoff conversation after Week 2.

Full 2018 bowl projections, updated after Week 2 | SBNation
Yep, it’s super early. No reason we can’t look ahead, though!

130-team S&P+ rankings, in which Alabama’s got ... a top-5 offense? Oh god | SBNation
Freshly updated S&P+ rankings through the first week of the college football season.

College Football Empires Map 2018, updated after Week 2 | SBNation
Arizona State and Ohio State are the 2018 map’s current stars, with lots of land on the line in Week 3.

Aaron Rodgers proved he’s one of the best QBs ever after injury scare | SBNation
Aaron Rodgers leaving on a cart gave real reason to be worried he’d never be the same. But then he did a magic show.

NFL schedule and scores 2018: Results and highlights from Week 1 | SBNation
The first Sunday of the NFL season is here, with 13 games on the docket. Keep track of all the action here.

Monday Morning Pleighbook: The Browns validated our optimism with a tie | SBNation
Ryan Fitzpatrick torched the Saints, Denzel Ward has arrived, and many players were dripping sauce in Week 1’s Monday Morning Pleighbook.

Browns-Steelers ended in a tie, and it was stupid in every possible way | SBNation
This was the best and also the worst.

Khalil Mack is making the Bears look smart in their trade with Raiders | SBNation
Mack is making a case for defensive MVP one half into the NFL season.

Serena Williams fined $17,000 at U.S. Open for altercation with umpire | SBNation
The fallout continues from the unfortunate end to the U.S. Open final.

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