Magic strive to close out rough January with win at San Antonio • UCF gets road-trip reprieve in Year 2 of Big 12 schedule
 Sentinel Sports Final Wednesday, January 31, 2024 | | |
| | | | | Not having to travel to Lubbock, Texas, for a football game is an instant win for UCF with the Big 12 schedule release. A home game vs. Coach Prime and Colorado and then a trip to Gainesville? What a swing that'll be. No trip to Lubbock or Manhattan, Kan.? That's what it must feel like to get paroled. .... The Spurs game should be a layup for the Maigc. Five losses this month by 3 points or less? However this season ends, they're going to look back at this month and wonder "What if ..." a lot. ... Todd Golden can make a statement by doing the almost impossible and winning at Kentucky to boost the Gators' NCAA Tournament resume. Johnny Dawkins has a longer way to go at UCF, but he's got two home games vs. ranked teams this week that'll boost the Knights ' profile. ... I wonder if FSU had gotten a favorable deal with John Swofford's son in charge at Raycom Sports if they'd be suing the ACC now to give the extra money back? That's the question I need answered: did they know the ex-commish's son worked for Raycom in that capacity and then still chose to sign on thinking they had finger on the scale? Disclose the paperwork (emails, texts) regarding those discussions before signing the deal. And if they didn't know his son had influence, shouldn't they have done their homework to know that answer? It 's hard for me to believe they didn't know. | | | | Gus Malzahn is a play-caller and he'll always be a play-caller. It's who he is. It's what he does. I just wish he would make up his mind and quit waffling about it. If you're going to call the plays then, by all means, call the plays. If you're not then let somebody else do it. | | | | | Orlando is 5-10 this month, including five losses of 3 points of less, and the third quarter has been the culprit. | | | | | The Knights traveled more than 17,000 miles for six games in 2023, but that won't be the case in 2024 with a schedule that features five road contests and seven home games. | | | | | Among boys basketball winners were Evans, Foundation Academy, Windermere, The Master's Academy and Umatilla. Dr. Phillips added girls basketball win. Also, boys and girls soccer district tournament play is underway. | | | | | Eight of the 14 teams in the league were ranked in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll on Monday — the most of any conference and ESPN's Joe Lunardi has nine Big 12 teams making the NCAA Tournament in his latest Bracketology predictions. | | | | | The current Kentucky Wildcats are Hall of Fame coach John Calipari's best team in several years. Florida has won just 10 of 50 trips to Lexington since 1974, often when either the Gators are at their best or the Wildcats were not. | | | | | The school has personalized its legal battle with the ACC. The Seminoles have filed an amended complaint that alleges former commissioner John Swofford cost member schools millions of dollars by acting in the best interest of his son who worked at television partner Raycom Sports. | | | | | Former UCF players Doug Gabriel and Joe Burnett landed high school football head coaching jobs, as did former Bethune-Cookman players Dazzie Morris and Taron Mallard. In all, 12 area schools have made coaching changes. Innovation opens this fall with former TFA coach Leroy Kinard at the helm. | | | | | The Miami Hurricanes' James Williams practiced at outside linebacker at the Senior Bowl, and UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu stood out on first day of practice. | | | | | Kyle Shanahan emphasized the 49ers' need to finish the job when they return to Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs. | | | | | Miami is interviewing candidates ranging from in and out of the organization, young and old, as the Dolphins approach the one-week mark since parting ways with ex-defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. | | | | | For three weeks, the Lightning have been playing with confidence and commitment. The 6-3 victory against New Jersey on Saturday night gave them eight wins in their past nine games and put them righ… | | | |
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