HS Football
Three area teams will be in action this Friday night in the semifinal round of the Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl.
Class 4-A: Madisonville travels to Johnson Central for a 6 pm Central time kickoff.
Class 5-A: Bowling Green visits Covington Catholic in a rematch of the 1994 Class 4-A title game and Owensboro plays at Frederick Douglass. Both games begin at 6 pm Central time.
College Football
Both Austin Peay and Southeast Missouri-headed to the FCS playoffs-moved up in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 rankings this week. The Governors are ranked 17th and will host 16th ranked Furman at noon Saturday at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville. Southeast Missouri is ranked 13th and plays at 14th ranked Illinois State on Saturday.
Two University of Tennessee players received Southeastern Conference weekly honors today. Quarterback Jared Guarantano was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week. Guarantano tallied a career-high 415 passing yards and two touchdowns on the SEC’s No. 1 pass defense in a 24-20 victory at Missouri to give the Vols six wins and secure a bowl berth for the first time since 2016.
Vols’ offensive lineman Trey Smith received the Lineman of the Week honor. Smith had Tennessee’s highest offensive line grade and totaled six knockdowns as the Vols totaled a season-best 526 yards of total offense, including 415 passing yards, at Missouri. The Vols conclude the regular season against Vanderbilt Saturday.
College Basketball
Duke remains number one this week in the Associated Press Top 25 poll with Louisville ranked second again this week and Kentucky is ranked ninth. Tennessee is ranked 17th in the poll.
NFL
The Baltimore Ravens will look to keep rolling when they visit the Los Angeles Rams tonight. Baltimore has won six straight games and are 8-and-2 on the season while the Rams are 6-and-4. Ravens quarterback and MVP candidate Lamar Jackson has 25 total touchdowns on the season.
NHL
Nashville Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson is expected to be out four to six weeks after suffering a lower body injury when cross-checked by the St. Louis Blues Robert Bortuzzo in Saturday’s victory by the Predators in St. Louis. Bortuzzo has been suspended for four games without pay by the NHL for the hit. The teams close out the home and home series this evening at Bridgestone Arena. First puck drops at 7 pm.