Viktor Hovland spoke with the media on Tuesday, and his improved short game was a noted topic of discussion.

At the 2021 Ryder Cup in Wisconsin, Viktor Hovland was the new kid on the block. He had an infectious smile, a charming personality, and a tee shot that could go for miles.

But he also had a poor short game, which helps explain why the Norwegian went 0-3-2 at Whistling Straits.

Yet, two years later, Hovland’s game around the greens is vastly improved, hence why he emerged as the FedEx Cup champion.

“I lacked the special things in the matches to where you really flip the momentum around, and you can build on a big putt or an up-and-down or maybe a chip-in or something like that,” Hovland said of his Ryder Cup debut. “That just wasn’t there.”

“I think this time around, with all the work that I’ve done on the short game and some of the accomplishments that I’ve made in the last few tournaments and throughout the year, I feel like I’m much more accomplished.”

Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Getty Images

Indeed, Hovland should feel more accomplished.

He decimated the PGA Tour’s top players at both Olympia Fields and East Lake to win the BMW and Tour Championships. In June, Hovland emerged victorious at the Memorial Tournament, defeating Denny McCarthy in a playoff for his maiden win.

He also played well in the majors.

“Even if I don’t have my game or I don’t hit it as well as I would have liked, I still feel like I can win or get up and down from a terrible spot,” Hovland added.

“It’s not like, oh, I have to be in the perfect spot to have a chance to win the match. There is a belief and a confidence that I can get myself out of any situation, and I think that’s a huge turnaround from last time.”

That confidence stems from renowned golf coach Joe Mayo, whom Hovland started working with at the beginning of the year.

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

“It’s no secret that I’ve never been great around the greens, and to play at the highest level, it’s very difficult to beat the best players in the world if you can’t get the ball up and down, especially when the courses get tough,” Hovland said.

Hovland then explained how he was getting too shallow when hitting chip shots and getting way behind the ball. That created inconsistencies and poor execution.

“Around the green, you want to slow the ball down, so you want to essentially do the opposite of what you do to hit a drive,” Hovland said. “When [Mayo] explained certain feelings that I have in my short game and just explained how to do that, it just clicked for me, and I was able to do it right away on the practice green.”

Slowing things down clearly clicked for Hovland, who is arguably the best player on the planet right now.

He should have all the confidence in the world with his renowned short game, which should spell trouble for Team USA in Rome.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

For the first time, the Ryder Cup heads to Italy, where Marco Simone Golf Club will host the biennial competition.

For the first time in history, the Ryder Cup pays a visit to Rome, Italy, where Marco Simone Golf Club awaits some of the best players in the world.

American players do not have much experience with this picturesque layout, but many on Team Europe do.

Marco Simone has hosted the DP World Tour’s DS Automobiles Italian Open for the past three years.

In 2021, Nicholai Højgaard, who will make his Ryder Cup debut this week, won the Italian Open by a stroke over Tommy Fleetwood and Adrian Meronk. Højgaard’s victory two years ago was his first DP World Tour victory.

Then, last year, Robert MacIntyre defeated Matthew Fitzpatrick in a playoff, which marked the second instance in which the Scotsman triumphed on the DP World Tour.

And most recently, Meronk, who was overlooked for this year’s Ryder Cup, won the Italian Open in early May.

The European team knows this course well, but it is undoubtedly foreign territory for Team USA and its fans.

Alas, let us look at four critical holes on the back nine at Marco Simone, where matches will be decided:

Hole 13 - Par 3, 150 Yards

Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

When standing on the tee at this little par-3, you are immediately reminded of being in the seven hills of Rome.

It is perhaps the most picturesque hole on the course.

The Italian countryside extends as far as the eye can see, but do not let the beauty take away from the fact that this is one of the toughest greens on the course.

A large knoll runs through the middle of this green, so players must hit their tee shots on the proper tier. If they miss, a three-putt lurks around the corner.

Considering match play always comes down to putting, this putting surface will undoubtedly have an impact throughout the Ryder Cup.

Hole 14 - Par 4, 509 Yards

Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Perhaps the most challenging tee shot on the course, players must hit a right-to-left tee ball to find the fairway on this dogleg left par-4.

Two devilish fairway bunkers will swallow any tee shot that misses left, while gnarly rough awaits those tee balls that miss right.

The landing area is quite narrow.

If players do not find the fairway on the 14th, they will have little to no chance of finding the putting surface, which is somewhat elevated and features a false front.

One bunker lurks to the right of the green, while another lies short and left.

The trap on the left should rarely come into play, but the deep bunker on the right will see some action.

This may prove to be the most difficult hole on the course.

Hole 16 - Par 4, 303 Yards

Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

A true risk-reward hole.

Every player in the Ryder Cup has the length to reach this green off the tee, but the question is, will they do so?

If someone finds themselves down in a match, perhaps they pull out the big stick and try to stick it on the green to spark some magic. Or in fourballs, maybe one player gives the green a go while the other lays up to the generously wide fairway in front of the pond.

The bunker in the middle of the fairway sticks out like a sore thumb, so players must avoid it should they choose to lay up.

But laying up could have a price. The fairway slopes downward towards the tributary that runs 50 yards short of the green, meaning players could face a downhill lie for their second shot. Those are always difficult to control from short range, considering the lower trajectory a downhill shot forces.

On the flip side, if a player decides to give the green a go, they must fit their tee shots between two bunkers and avoid the water that extends up the right side of the green.

Hole 17 - Par 3, 206 Yards

Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

The penultimate hole at Marco Simone is a gorgeous, uphill par-3 that will test the world’s best players.

The tributary that bisects the 16th fairway runs down the left side of the 17th. Any shot pulled or anything that caroms off the sidehill to the left of the green is at risk of finding the water.

But the right side of the green has numerous undulations, so accuracy will prove pivotal. The green is rather long, so do not be surprised to see players hit various clubs from the tee.

This difficult par-3 will likely decide numerous matches this week.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

Ahead of the Ryder Cup, Justin Thomas spoke with the media and detailed his approach to dealing with outside chatter.

Justin Thomas’ selection to the 2023 Ryder Cup was met with divisiveness from fans and media alike.

But Thomas, a two-time major champion and arguably Team USA’s best match play player, has not paid attention to his critics or negative comments online.

“I definitely haven’t kept the receipts,” Thomas said Tuesday.

“After I was picked for the team, it doesn’t matter what it is, especially when it comes to people and stuff online, everybody’s got an opinion, and theirs is right and everybody else’s is wrong... So for that exact reason, I stayed away from social media and stuff online because I knew nothing good would come from it.”

Thomas made the smart move of avoiding social media, as he needed to focus on his game instead.

It must have paid off.

The two-time major champion recently finished solo 5th at the Fortinet Championship, his first event since failing to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America via Getty Images

“I clearly am in a lot better place than I was at certain times in the summer,” Thomas admitted. “But I mean, it’s golf. That doesn’t mean that, you know, something — you just never know. I had plenty of signs of great golf this summer as well. I had quite a few less of them, and I had more signs of the other.”

Indeed, Thomas showed some flashes over the past few months.

He tied for 9th at the Travelers Championship.

Then, he finished in a tie for 12th at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.

But he missed the cut at both the U.S. Open and Open Championship. Thomas shot rounds in the 80s at both majors.

“I did not feel like I could win golf tournaments this past year with the state that I was in mentally,” Thomas added. “Yeah, a lot of that has to do with how I was playing, and one does generally feed off of the other, but I just feel like I’m in a lot better place [now].”

Thomas has not won since May 2022, when he captured his second PGA Championship victory at Southern Hills.

Despite that, Captain Zach Johnson felt obligated to pick Thomas because of his excellent match play record and experience of playing in the Ryder Cup on European soil.

Thomas was the lone bright spot in 2018, when the Europeans trounced the Americans in France. The former Alabama star went 4-1-0 that week.

“The only thing that mattered to me was that Zach and the vice captains and the, I guess, at that time, other six guys on the team wanted me on the team,” Thomas said.

“That’s been my thought the whole time, and I’m very glad that they did and do have faith in me. And now that I’m here, all of us hold the same weight as the other one. We are all one, and it’s just our job to go out there and try to win points.”

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

Åberg has never played in a major championship, and yet, Captain Luke Donald picked him to play for Team Europe at the Ryder Cup.

He just graduated from Texas Tech this past spring.

He has never played in a major championship.

And yet, Ludvig Åberg is ready to don the blue and gold of Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup.

“He seems very unfazed,” said Luke Donald, the Captain of the European team who selected Åberg.

“He’s a listener. He’s certainly not someone three or four months into his professional career who will be talking up and being a leader like that. That’s not his style. He seems very unfazed. Every time he’s sort of asked a question of trying to perform, he’s able to step up, and I’m excited to have him on the team.”

During those first few months of his professional career, the 23-year-old Swede has exceeded expectations.

In his PGA Tour debut as a pro, Åberg tied for 25th at the RBC Canadian Open.

Then, a month later, the young Swede fired rounds of 65 and 67 to open the Rocket Mortgage Classic while playing alongside Donald.

Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Getty Images

But Donald asserts that European leadership has kept a watchful eye on Åberg since January.

“He certainly came on to my radar at the beginning of the year in Dubai,” Donald said Monday.

“He was paired with Edoardo Molinari, one of my vice captains, and he was like, ‘We need to keep an eye on this guy.’ When you play with certain players, you can tell. They have a certain talent that you see them hit golf balls, and you’re blown away by the different strike, the sound, and the trajectory. How he can drive a golf ball is very, very impressive.”

Indeed, Åberg has already become one of the best drivers of the golf ball on the planet—taking after fellow European Rory McIlroy.

He even led the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee from early June through the end of the season in August, according to statistician Justin Ray.

“The driver is the most fun club to hit,” Åberg said Tuesday. “It goes the furthest. I felt that way since I was probably 10, and I still feel that way. I like hitting my driver, and luckily, it’s one of the better clubs in the bag, too.”

The Eslov, Sweden native also hits the ball dead straight, focusing on hitting it in the center of the face instead of working it from left to right or vice versa.

That will prove huge at Marco Simone, a course that puts a premium on finding fairways with its U.S. Open-like rough.

“The fairways are going to be important to be on,” Åberg said of Marco Simone. “It will be a lot easier to win points if you’re in the fairway. In general, we do that quite well as a group, and then we’ll take it from there.”

Photo by Andreas Solaro/Getty Images

Åberg found the fairway 61% of the time in his last three DP World Tour starts: the D+D Real Czech Masters, the Omega European Masters, and the BMW PGA Championship.

That number does not jump out, but his superior distance off the tee and his ability to find greens in regulation are incredible.

During those 12 rounds, the young Swede averaged 317.4 yards off the tee. Only two players hit the ball farther on the PGA Tour, one of them being McIlroy.

He then found the green a preposterous 77.2% of the time during that three-tournament stretch.

For perspective, Scottie Scheffler had a historic ball-striking season in 2023, and he hit 74.43% of greens to lead the PGA Tour.

Given these numbers, it is unsurprising that Åberg finished in the top 10 in each event, while winning the Omega European Masters outright.

“It’s pretty incredible what he’s done right out of the gates, having a great Sunday in Crans and a really strong performance in Wentworth,” Jon Rahm said of Åberg. “Clearly, he has the potential.”

Sure, these three tournaments are a small sample size, but it goes to show how talented Åberg is.

“His pedigree is just starting,” Donald said. “He’s just getting on his road. He’s just starting to write his history. I think he’s a generational talent.”

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

Beef is good for college football, so we need to add some Crisco and get it poppin’.

There is a saying around the hallowed hallways of SB Nation.

“Everything is pro wrestling.”

The latest evidence to support that axiom comes from the world of college football. Consider what we have seen in just the past few weeks: Coaches beefing with coaches, coaches beefing with retired coaches, band members beefing with teams, reality stars beefing with quarterbacks from prison, and even coaches beefing with networks.

It ... is a lot.

Consider this your early season CFB beef explainer.

Jay Norvell and Deion Sanders

One of the first examples from this year comes to us from the heated Colorado-Colorado State rivalry. This was touched off when Jay Norvell, the head coach at Colorado State, did this on a local show:

Beef, engaged.

First Coach Prime spoke to his players, outlining how now Coach Norvell had made it personal:

Then, the Colorado head coach had some gifts for his players.

Sunglasses:

Of course, there was still a game to be played, one which was perhaps the marquee matchup of Week 3, especially with all the fireworks before the game. Colorado pulled out the win in overtime, thanks in large part to a 98-yard touchdown drive orchestrated by quarterback Shedeur Sanders to force overtime.

The two shared a hug following the game, perhaps a nod to putting this beef behind them.

At least until next September.

Ryan Day and Lou Holtz

In the minutes after Ohio State topped Notre Dame in a thrilling game Saturday night, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day talked with NBC reporter Kathryn Tappen.

And all but challenged retired head coach Lou Holtz to meet him in Temecula.

Yeah let’s back up.

Earlier in the week, the retired coach sat down with Pat McAfee on The Pat McAfee show, live from South Bend, and talked about his expectations for Notre Dame not just against Ohio State, but all season long.

First, Holtz began by praising Notre Dame, their offensive line, and quarterback Sam Hartman.

“Notre Dame is a better football team than Ohio State. And let me tell you why: we have the best offensive line in the country. Sam Hartman won’t even get his jersey dirty all year. He has time to throw the football. We have great running backs, averaging 10 yards a carry. We have great receivers. Offensively, we’re set, and defensively, our defensive line is better.”

Then he turned to Ohio State.

“I coached under Woody Hayes at Ohio State. We won the national championship when I was there. I’m proud of that. However, he has lost to Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Michigan twice, and everybody that beats him does so because they’re more physical than Ohio State, and I think Notre Dame will take that same approach. I know our schedule hasn’t been the best. We’re 103rd in strength of schedule. However, that doesn’t bother me, because every day we get to practice against good. We get to practice covering good receivers, and it won’t be much different than covering the great receivers they have at Ohio State.

“Plus, we’re playing at home. It’ll be a close football game, but we will win because we believe. Forget who in the hell we’re playing. Just tell Ohio State this: you tell them they better bring their lunch, because it’s going to be a full day’s work.”

You can view his full comments here:

Well when the Buckeyes won — and the Fighting Irish had just ten defensive players on the field for the final few plays — Day spoke with Tappen, and did not hold back:

On the one hand, Day is going to bat for his players. Holtz called them out a bit, said Notre Dame was tougher, and Day had his players’ backs.

But ... this is Lou Holtz. He’s 86 years old. Beefin’ with an 86-year-old retired coach? Sure, Holtz did not hold back in his comments, and they clearly got under Day’s collar. Maybe we can just chalk this up to the heat of the moment.

The Texas State Trident Affair

This was a head-scratcher when it popped up Saturday night:

Now I must admit, my mind went exactly to where yours just did:

There’s a trident at this game?

Is this a Brick Tamland situation?

So as it turns out, Nevada introduced a “Turnover Trident” last season, and they even added a “Touchdown Trident” for the 2023 campaign. However, they lost track of the “Turnover Trident” on Saturday night.

And it somehow ended up in the Texas State student section:

Images of the Turnover Trident in the student section soon circulated on social media:

There’s something special about college football.

Joe Exotic and Jordan Travis

We will not spend too much time on this one because, well, it is one of those moments that almost speaks for itself. You outline the situation, and let the imagination take over.

Joe Exotic, who grew into a household name during the height of COVID when everyone who was cooped up inside and binging reality television grew addicted to the “Tiger King” docudrama on Netflix, has stated he is going to sue Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis, who is selling shirts referring to himself as the “Tiger King” thanks to wins over the LSU TIgers, and the Clemson Tigers.

Oh and Exotic, whose failed Presidential campaign in 2016 did not generate much traction, outlined his lawsuit against Travis from prison, where he is currently serving a sentence of over 20 years due to 17 federal charges of animal abuse, and two counts of attempted murder for a murder-for-hire plot he engineered against Carole Baskin, a rival in the animal exotic animal world.

Did you get all that? Good, because we are moving on.

Jake Dickert and ESPN

One of the more intriguing games this past weekend came in the battle of the “Pac-2.” Washington State and Oregon State, the two remaining teams in what was once the Pac-12, are in limbo after recent realignment moves, but entered Saturday with both teams ranked in the Top 25.

However, ahead of the game Lee Corso talked about this matchup, and his comments that did not sit well with Washington State head coach Jake Dickert following the Cougars’ win:

Former WSU quarterback Ryan Leaf also chimed in:

However, as outlets such as Awful Announcing soon clarified, Corso was not calling this game the “no one watches Bowl,” but he called it the “The Nobody Wants Us Bowl,” and went on to say regarding the situation at both schools: “Nobody wants them, poor guys.”

Which ... is a somewhat accurate assessment of the situation. After all, both Oregon State and Washington State remain in limbo, which is what Corso was referring to.

Something Kirk Herbstreit emphatically pointed out in response to Leaf:

So, why do we have all this beef in college football?

Could it be a drive for content and clicks? That is something Oregon head coach Dan Lanning used as part of his pregame speech before Oregon’s game against Colorado this weekend, which also drew A METRIC TON of attention on social media Saturday.

Could it be influenced in part by coaches wanting to go to bat for their players more and more, given the growth of the transfer portal? It is much easier to both keep players — and bring in players — if they believe you will have their backs in the future.

Could it be good old fashioned motivation? After all, the first time a college football coach used something from the outside to motivate their players was probably before the very college football game, so this is nothing new.

Could it be a mix of everything?

Or is the axiom true, especially for college football.

“Everything is pro wrestling.”

We have everything you need to know about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in this stream.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are America’s newest power couple. The superstar singer showed up at a Kansas City Chiefs game in Week 3 after rumors circulated that the two had been quietly hanging out. Swift and Kelce were shown exiting the stadium together in a viral video, and were seen driving away in Kelce’s car. Swift’s appearance at the game legitimately overshadowed everything else happening in the NFL, with images of her in Kelce’s skybox being plastered all over television and social media.

Will Taylor tell Kelce “You Belong with Me”, or will the veteran tight end eventually become an “Anti-Hero” to Swifties around the world? One thing is for sure: if Swift shows up at another Chiefs game this season, the eyes of the entire sports and pop culture landscape will be on her.

We are keeping track of every update on Swift and Kelce in this stream.

Let’s go undercover to find out what Swifties think.

It started three weeks ago, back when rumors of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift dating were a small, simmering chatter. I knew that the only way to get real information about what Swifties think of Kelce would be to go undercover to the source, to turn over every rock, to meet them on their own turf.

Joining wasn’t difficult, but ingratiating myself to the Swifties was going to be one of my most difficult assignments. It felt like that moment in a mob movie where the protagonist gets caught as he has to wear a wire. There’s always that tense scene in a restaurant where they’re terrified of being found out, and hyper-aware every time they scratch their chest or move awkwardly.

It was time to go in.

Step 1: Change my username and avatar

In order to start this process I knew I had to use my longstanding Discord username, rather than create a new account. A new account with no posting history would be problematic, and the Swifties are smart enough to see right through it.

After approximately 27 seconds of thought and Googling, I settled on my new persona.

I was a bubbly Swiftie. I had to pick my favorite Taylor album and chose 1989, which I would quickly learn was a kind of personality tell in the Swifty world.

Step 2: Breaking the ice

With my persona established I jumped into #taylor-discussion to get the ball rolling.

I was dismayed that in mid-September nobody knew who Travis Kelce was. He was an enigma in the world of Swift. That was when I learned I might be in the wrong place. No, not the wrong Discord, but the wrong channel. Silly me thought that #taylor-discussion was for discussing Taylor, when in reality it was for introducing yourself to other Swifties. Where you go to actually talk about Taylor is one of these three channels.

I had no idea what this meant. I needed a Taylor Swift-powered Rosetta Stone to undercover their bizarre language. Was I a Meredith, Olivia or a Benjamin? What secrets did these three channels hold?

Oh, nevermind it’s just the names of her cats.

It appeared that “Meredith” was for Taylor discussion, “Olivia” was for tour talk, and “Benjamin” was for photos or videos of Taylor. I can’t verify if this is true, but each of the cat channels had their own little sub-cliques inside them.

I went to “Meredith” and asked some more, and they thought I was talking about Travis Scott.

There was still a lot of confusion about who Travis Kelce was. I needed to reassess my plan.

Step 3: The waiting game

Over the course of the next week I’d occasionally drop into the SwiftCord. Just to say “lol” or agree with something someone said. I needed “shake it off” to be accepted by the hive before more information could be gleaned.

Step 4: Anarchy

When the news hit that Taylor was going to watch Travis play at Arrowhead the Discord lit up like a Christmas tree. A few days earlier they had no idea who this man was or thought he was Travis Scott, but now it was Kelce World in the Discord. A lot of people were in favor of the possible union, but others were wary.

For the most part people were just happy that Taylor was happy.

I also learned there’s a subset of gay Taylor fans called “Gaylors” who were particularly thrilled with Swift x Kelce.

When the blurry image emerged of Taylor leaving Arrowhead Stadium in Travis’ Chevelle it sent them over the edge with excitement.

This was something out of a fairytale.

Even the normally slow #taylor-theories was buzzing about Travis Kelce and whether there were secret messages behind their relationship.

What did I learn from the Swifties?

That nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to the passion of a Swifty. I don’t care if you spent thousands each year on season tickets, apparel and decor to rep your favorite team — Swifties invest damn near every second of their day listening to, discussing, or thinking about Taylor Swift.

When it comes to Travis Kelce they generally really like him. There’s a sense of anticipation that Taylor will make this relationship more public than those in the past, which in turn will allow the Swifties to better understand Taylor’s personal life.

Learning about Kelce meant digging up everything he had done in the past. Every big play, every person he dated. They ingested every headline. Swifties love that Travis kneeled during the anthem in 2017, because it shows a similar commitment to social justice as Taylor. They are obsessed that he has a good relationship with his mom. They think his commitment to football shows drive, and purpose, something good he can bring to the relationship.

The sage wisdom of “The Spice Girls” taught us that “If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends.” Well, for Travis Kelce if he wants to be with Taylor, he had to get with the Swifties — and so far he has their stamp of approval.

The 44th Ryder Cup is here, and the Playing Through staff has made their picks on who will hoist the Cup.

The Ryder Cup is here.

After months of buildup and intrigue, the American and European teams have arrived at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome for the 44th edition of this incredible competition.

It all starts Friday at 7:35 a.m. local time, when the first foursome tees off. But with the Eastern Time Zone six hours behind Italy, the Ryder Cup will begin a little after 1:30 a.m. ET. American television coverage begins at 1:30 a.m. ET Friday.

Both teams arrive desperate for a victory, as the Americans have not won on European soil since 1993.

Team Europe, meanwhile, is seeking revenge after the 2021 Ryder Cup, which saw the red, white, and blue win by a record of 10 points, 19-to-9.

Nevertheless, let’s get to our staff previews and predictions for this year’s Ryder Cup:

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Kendall Capps, Editor

Preview:

I am picking Europe in the smallest of margins in a very close and highly contentious Ryder Cup.

But I lean toward the Europeans for a couple of reasons. They are in form (Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Viktor Hovland might be playing better than anyone in the world right now), and all 12 team members have played numerous times in September.

Meanwhile, only three Americans have played competitively since the Tour Championship at the end of August.

Also, this course sets up nicely for Europe. All three par-5s are reachable. Plus, Marco Simone has three drivable par-4s. McIlroy is obviously the longest hitter in the world with Rahm not far behind. But rookie phenom Ludvig Åberg is also a bomber off the tee.

The quicker Team Europe can pull out their putter, the better their chances.

Statistically, the Americans are better around the greens, but the Europeans are better on the putting surface. As everyone knows, the Ryder Cup is all about making birdies. I’ll take the side that has proven it can make putts.

Key Players:

Team USA’s best player will once again be Patrick Cantlay. He was 3-0-1 in his lone Ryder Cup appearance, and his game suits well at Marco Simone. He is long enough off the tee—35th on Tour—to put himself in a position to score well. But Cantlay is also solid around the greens and can make putts when he needs to.

I actually like Tommy Fleetwood to perform the best for the Europeans. Not only has he been incredibly consistent this season, making 18-of-21 cuts with 13 top 25s and nine top 10s, but he has played incredibly well on this course. Fleetwood tied for second at the 2021 DS Automobiles Italian Open, and of the majors, the U.S. Open is clearly his best. Interestingly, this course has drawn comparisons to many U.S. Open layouts thanks to the thick rough and slick greens. He has three top 5s in America’s national Open over the last six years.

Score:

Europe: 14.5

United States: 13.5

Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images

Jack Milko, Writer

Preview:

The Americans feature five major champions, including five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, the only player from LIV Golf in the field.

Team Europe also dons five major champions, with Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm combining for six of those titles.

Regardless, both teams have four Ryder Cup rookies—although the American newcomers have much more experience than their European counterparts. Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman made their way to Rome via their major victories this past summer.

Meanwhile, for Europe, Ludvig Åberg has never played in a major, and Nicholai Højgaard is the youngest player in the competition. They are both under the age of 24.

Yet, something tells me the Europeans get the job done—in a nail-biter. Most of Team Europe knows its way around Marco Simone thanks to the DS Automobiles Italian Open. Having the home-field advantage will prove huge.

Key Players:

Patrick Cantlay has played in only one Ryder Cup before, in 2021 at Whistling Straits. That week, the former UCLA Bruin earned 3.5 points for Team USA. Cantlay has had a remarkable season too, as he now ranks 5th on DataGolf. His consistent play—and his elite short game—will be a highlight for Team USA.

Nobody is talking about Justin Rose, which makes him more dangerous. Over his five Ryder Cup appearances, Rose has earned 14 points for Team Europe. He has been a thorn in the Americans’ side for years. Plus, Captain Luke Donald has opted to go with Foursomes first, so watch out for Rose to make an impact on both Friday and Saturday mornings. He has an incredible 7-2-1 record in Alternate Shot.

Score:

Europe: 14.5

United States: 13.5

Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Savannah Richardson, Writer

Preview:

Team Europe is going to do some serious damage at Marco Simone.

A 30-year American drought on European soil will stay intact because the Europeans are rounding into form. On the flip side, Captain Zach Johnson did not make the right selections for his team—something the Americans have not figured out for years.

Team USA is incredibly talented. All 12 of their players rank within the top 25 of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR), but I think making this the ‘Boys Club’ was the wrong move.

Meanwhile, the Europeans’ talent is far greater than the Americans, in my opinion. Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Viktor Hovland are about to make the Americans look silly. Not to mention, the youthfulness of Ludvig Aberg could be a secret weapon.

Impact Players:

Viktor Hovland will redeem himself after a not-so-great Ryder Cup debut at Whistling Straits. He went 0-3-2 that week but has elevated his game to a new atmosphere this year.

Brooks Kopeka will have a really good week. He has accumulated 6.5 points in the last three Ryer Cups. His game is in good form, and despite his carefree attitude about the Ryder Cup, I think he finally knows what it means to be a part of this team. Plus, he has something to prove for LIV Golfers.

Score:

Europe: 16.5

United States: 11.5

Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Luke Robitaille, Producer

Preview:

Europe will win on their home soil, as they can set the course up to their advantage since they are hosting the competition. That will significantly impact who can score best, especially considering that the DP World Tour has staged the DS Automobiles Italian Open at this course over the past three years.

Funny enough, Nicholai Højgaard, the 22-year-old Dane, won the 2021 Italian Open on this course, so he knows how to win here. Perhaps that success continues for the Ryder Cup rookie.

Last year’s Italian Open saw Robert MacIntyre defeat Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff, as Rory McIlroy and Tyrell Hatton also finished in the top 10. The European team knows this course, whereas the Americans do not. That is a massive advantage.

Impact Players:

I, too, believe that Viktor Hovland will play well this week. I think he’s just one of the best players in the world right now. His performance in the FedEx Cup Playoffs was spectacular, and I think he brings that form to Italy.

Xander Schauffele has a very consistent game, which will prove crucial over three days at Marco Simone. Schauffele is coming off back-to-back top 10 finishes at the BMW and Tour Championships, so watch out for him to keep that momentum going.

Score:

Europe: 17

United States: 11

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Who do you think wins the Ryder Cup and why? Give us your predictions and the winning score in the comments below.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

It looks like a two-horse race among QBs for the Heisman Trophy.

With the college football season at least one-third of the way through, we can really get a good look at not only the best teams in the country, but the best players. The Heisman race is opening up, and we have a bevy of talented players who are in the mix for the sports’ most prestigious individual award.

Which means our Heisman ballots are back, baby! Every few weeks my colleague Mark Schofield and I will be bringing you fresh new Heisman ballots, updated as more games get played. It’s worth noting that neither of us have an actual Heisman vote, but Mark definitely should and we will work on getting that changed, indubitably.

So, lets get into the Officially Unofficial SB Nation Heisman Ballot (patent pending).

JP Acosta’s Ballot

First Place: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington

The Washington Huskies are just blasting every team they’ve played so far this season, and it’s behind an offense that’s playing like the best one in college football due to Penix. The sixth-year senior is putting up unbelievable stats in both the raw and advanced category. Penix leads the country in passing yards and passing touchdowns, while also leading the country in Positive Play Rate and Total EPA if you’re into that as well.

The only real knock on Penix’s Heisman case so far is the lack of Heisman moments vs. top competition, but with Pac-12 conference play beginning soon, look out for Penix and some signature Heisman moments.

Second Place: Caleb Williams, QB, USC

Look, it’s REALLY hard to win the Heisman twice in a college football career. Voter fatigue combined with other players dominating that year just kinda wash out previous winners, who may make it to New York but won’t win. Williams will for sure be headed to New York if he keeps his play up, however. He’s right behind Penix in passing touchdowns, 14th in passing yards and third in Total EPA and Positive Play Rate. Oh, he also hasn’t thrown an interception yet and does things like this on the regular:

Voter fatigue is a very real thing, but Williams is good enough and makes enough splash plays to work past that.

Third Place: Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State

The year of the senior QB is here, and with two super seniors in the top three of the Heisman ballot, it’s a testament to the effectiveness of both NIL and the transfer portal. Travis was a preseason dark horse Heisman pick, and there’s been nothing that changes that at all. The Seminoles are undefeated, and Travis has thrown ten touchdowns while adding two on the ground as the Noles march their way through the ACC. Travis also has the signature wins on deck, guiding the Noles to wins over both LSU and Clemson.

He hasn’t had the gaudy stat performances of the two in front of him yet, but with the success of the Seminoles continuing deep into the season, he’ll find his way to New York.

Honorable Mention: Oregon QB Bo Nix, Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, Kansas QB Jalon Daniels, Duke QB Riley Leonard

Riley Leonard is an interesting case as a dark horse Heisman candidate. He’s leading the Duke Blue Devils to an undefeated record so far and has put up numbers in both the run and passing game, but it still feels like he’s being underrated. The Blue Devils took out Clemson on their home field to open the season and Leonard was good, but it feels like the Blue Devils have been somewhat forgotten. They have three big games left on the schedule however, starting this Saturday with a home game against Notre Dame, so if Leonard can impress there, his Heisman stock will rise even quicker.

Mark Schofield’s Ballot

First Place: Caleb Williams, QB, USC

My dear friend JP makes a number of brilliant points above, as he always does (except for htat part about me receiving a real Heisman Trophy ballot because ... yeah that is not happening anytime soon) but perhaps the wisest point he makes involves Williams.

Voter fatigue is a real thing. We have not seen a repeat winner of the Heisman since Archie Griffin. Yes, some players have come close, such as Glenn “Mr. Outside” Davis for Army, as well as Tim Tebow. But winning a pair of Heismans, let alone repeating, is a difficult feat.

Williams has the best shot in recent memory. He will also have some big stage moments coming up, starting this weekend against Colorado. Over the next month-pluss USC plays not just Colorado, but Notre Dame, Utah, and Washington. That game against the Huskies, at least looking at it right now, might actually determine who ends up holding this trophy.

Second Place: Michael Penix, Jr, QB, Washington

See, this is why that Washington-USC game might determine who ends up holding college football’s most prestigious trophy aloft.

While Williams has been good, as JP points out, Penis has been just as good, if not better.

In some ways, you can view Washington’s offense in a similar light to what the Miami Dolphins are doing on Sundays. This Huskies offense is dynamic, explosive, and led by a QB in Penix who is pushing all the right buttons. Yes, his Heisman resume lacks a “Heisman Moment,” but with games against Oregon, USC, and Utah coming up, those can come.

As an aside, if this year’s Oregon-Washington tilt is half as good as last year’s, we are in for a treat.

Third Place: Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton, DT, Illinois

Part of the reason I will never receive an official Heisman ballot? My ongoing campaign on behalf of defensive players.

A few years ago I made a strong case for Will Anderson Jr., one that continued into last season.

That continues with Newton.

Remember, the Heisman is awared to the player deemed the “most outstanding college football player” in the nation each season. For my money? Newton has a strong argument in his favor. Go beyond the 17 tackles and 2 sacks he has posted this year as a defensive lineman.

Against Penn State Pro Football Focus charted him with seven pressures. The rest of the Illinois defense accounted for five. Combined.

Watch him on these two plays against the Nittany Lions:

Newton is a tremendous football player. Will he win the Heisman? Absolutely not. But if I had a vote, he would certainly get one.

Honorable Mention: Oregon QB Bo Nix, Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, Kansas QB Jalon Daniels, Duke QB Riley Leonard, Texas QB Quinn Ewers, Colorado DB/WR Travis Hunter

Compelling cases can be made for all six of these players to receive votes.

The game this weekend between Kansas and Texas might be one of the best games of the week, and the QB of whichever team emerges victorious will generate some buzz going forward. Also, Notre Dame has to bounce back from their loss to Ohio State and take on a Duke team that has one big win to their credit already this season, and Riley Leonard is making his own case for QB3.

Then there is the Colorado duo. Both Sanders and Hunter have been amazing this season — as they were last year at Jackson State — and what Hunter has done on both sides of the ball this year is worthy of mention.

Jordan Spieth spoke with the media on Tuesday morning, and discussed what its like to play in front of rowdy Ryder Cup crowds.

The Ryder Cup is known for its passion among players and fans.

It’s also known for its pressure and, sometimes, some inebriated heckling, too.

But Jordan Spieth has learned to tune out the rowdiness, especially when he is playing in Ryder Cups on European soil.

“I try and just throw it out of my head and just stick to what I’m doing because I think blocking out the noise is the healthiest thing to do,” Spieth said when asked about playing in front of a rowdy gallery.

“I have played a lot of matches with Patrick Reed. When he felt insulted, he turned the notch up. When I feel insulted, I don't turn it up or down. I’m just like, okay, they are drunk, move on.”

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Spieth’s ‘drunk’ comment drew plenty of laughs from within the media center, but he does have a valid point.

Ryder Cups are difficult to watch for those on the property, especially on Friday and Saturday, when only four matches are being played at a time.

So, often, fans will find a spot, sit on a particular hole, and wait for the matches to come to them. That is usually when the beverages start flowing.

Nevertheless, Spieth has played in enough Ryder Cups to know what is happening. He also has empathy too.

“I’ve also shouted plenty of things at sporting events at people that I have no reason to do, so I also try to say, pot and kettle, and recognize that it’s all just sport and move on,” Spieth added.

“Everyone approaches it differently, and how I get up and get going normally is not affected by that. But for some guys, it is. I could be jealous of that in certain cases.”

Spieth will undoubtedly get fired up because his passion for the Ryder Cup is second to none. But that fire will likely not arise from the fans; instead, it will come from within himself and his team.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

Dating Taylor Swift is good for business

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have gone from “quietly hanging out” to what the kids call ‘hard launching’ their relationship during Sunday’s Kansas City Chiefs vs. Chicago Bears game. The superstar singer was at the game sitting next to Kelce’s mom in a skybox. She left the stadium with Kelce, drove away in his car, and two reportedly shared a private dinner in KC.

Swift’s appearance in Kansas City got more attention than anything that actually happened on the field in Week 3. Now her fans are lining up to buy Kelce’s apparel.

Kelce’s jersey is suddenly one of the hottest sellers at Fanatics, according to TMZ.

“Yesterday, Travis Kelce was one of the top 5 selling NFL players and saw a nearly 400% spike in sales throughout the Fanatics network of sites, including NFLShop.com,” Fanatics tells us.

Kelce has also seen a huge increase in social media followers, while Chiefs viewership skyrocketed with younger women.

It’s not just Kelce’s jersey that Swift fans are rushing to buy. My friend Claire texted me yesterday that she bought this shirt.

Kelce is No. 87 and Swift loves the number 13. Get it? And yes, I know I have way too many unread texts.

Swifties around the world are having a hard time not spending their money on Kelce apparel.

The Swift/Kelce romance is going to be a huge storyline. We can’t wait for the eventual breakup song, because you just know it’s going to be a hit.

This is art.

Oregon heard for a full week about how Coach Prime was going to come into Eugene with his team of self-professed “dogs” and kick the crap out of them. They kept the receipts, and when the dust settled on Oregon’s 42-6 win over Colorado, the Ducks dropped this.

It’s been largely misrepresented that this is a new thing for Oregon football. In fact, the team have been doing their post-game cinematic recap videos “Ducks vs. Them” all season long. It’s just that this is the first one people really took notice of, because of the Sanders and Colorado hype.

Ludicrous credit to the team that puts this together, because they managed to tell a movie-length story in under six minutes. Oregon’s perspective on the game was that this was story of talk vs. walk. Style vs. substance. Individuals vs. togetherness. It’s a little cliched, sure, but the video manages to back it all up.

We get every piece of trash talk Colorado players were saying prior to the game, including dragging their cleats over the Oregon “O” at center field, only to have all the talk vanish between the whistles. Deion’s “dogs” got walked by the Ducks, and it came after a full week of them hearing that “Coach Prime” was going to embarrass them.

Victory doesn’t get much sweeter than this.

The 2023 Ryder Cup is in Rome and the packages are steep. These are things that fans could purchase instead of a package to Italy.

A trip to the Ryder Cup is expensive, but just how much does it cost? Maybe not quite an arm and a leg, but how about an arm or a leg.

This year, the Ryder Cup is just outside of Rome at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club Sept. 29- Oct. 1, 2023.

There are so many things people can buy for what it'll cost to go to Italy for five nights to see the Ryder Cup. Of course, an event like the Ryder Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime experience worth the expensive prices.

Fans can buy single tickets, but package options exist for those traveling.

There are hotels that feature five-day rates with transportation and tickets included. The only thing not included is the flight.

There are also ticket upgrades that can be added as well, depending on the size of the party going and what kind of amenities they want.

The 2023 Ryder Cup is quickly approaching, so let’s first dive into costs.

The cost of a Ryder Cup trip

The average round-trip price is around $1,800 per person. Of course, this is dependent on where you live in the United States. If you are on the west coast, you likely are paying a bit more, as you need to fly cross country to switch flights. Yes, you can get slightly cheaper flights if you fly certain airlines. But let’s be real. Are you really going to go cheap on your crazy long flight.

It’s also unlikely you are just traveling alone. So, we are building in two round trip tickets at $3,600.

There are six hotels that the Ryder Cup travel packages listed. They are the Augusta Lucilla Palace, Roma Lifestyle Hotel, Sheraton Parco De Medici Rome Hotel, Ibis Roma Fiera and the Marriott Rome Park.

Photo by Stefano Montesi - Corbis/Getty Images

Each hotel varies in price, but they all have the five-night package with standard Ryder Cup tickets to the final practice day, the opening ceremony, the three Ryder Cup match days and the trophy presentation.

The average price among those six hotels is $4,142 for a room. That brings our total for travel, hotel and tickets to $7,742.

Then, it would be more to budget food and random purchases like merchandise at the Ryder Cup or gifts to take home. Let's say the budget is around $2,000 for food and gifts.

You know the saying, ‘When in Rome.’ Well, you are in Rome.

Now your total is $9,742.

It'll be even more if someone wants to upgrade those tickets. There are quite a few options from seats at the Garden, a spot positioned between the Fan Village and the 9th fairway. It includes a grounds pass and access to two indoor spaces with private facilities. The average price for that ticket is $500 per person.

Going up a level to the Vista Terrace will include a grounds pass and access to the Vista Fanzone, featuring live entertainment, DJs, private bars and food stands. The average price for that ticket is $565 per person.

So, if the couple taking this trip wants to upgrade to the Vista Terrace, it'll add $1,130, bringing the total to $10,872. Go big or go home, right?

That will be our ballpark price for the rest of this piece.

What clothing could you buy for the cost of a Ryder Cup trip?

So, $10,872 is a large chunk of change. That's a nice used vehicle or a hefty down payment on a dream car. However, let's get into some things golfers can buy instead of a Ryder Cup trip.

Nike is an extremely popular clothing brand, and their shoes are what people love. While their prices range from under $100 to well over $300, let's go with an even $200. At $200 a piece, someone could buy 54 pairs of shoes.

Are shoes not your thing? At $85 a polo, someone could buy 127 of them. A pair of pants with Nike costs around $100, so 108 pairs of pants. However, no one buys 108 pairs of pants or 127 polos. Of course this just puts things into perspective.

Next, Peter Millar is another brand a lot of players love. Those shirts start at $110 a piece and go up to $140, depending on the type of fabric they want. So let's say $120 for now. At that price, someone could buy 90 shirts.

So, suffice it to say you could your entire family a brand new wardrobe with some of the swankiest clothing out there.

What equipment could someone buy for the cost of a Ryder Cup trip

Alright, enough with the clothing, let's talk golf clubs.

Most players know that clubs are one of the most expensive pieces of equipment you can buy. So we’ll take a gander at a set of clubs from three top brands — Titleist, TaylorMade and PING.

First, let's look without the fitting, just the basic prices of the clubs with a bag.

Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

A complete set of Titleist clubs with a TSR4 driver, a TSR3 fairway wood, a TSR3 hybrid, a full set of T100 irons and a Scotty Cameron Newport Plus putter will run a player about $3,496 before taxes. Adding a Players 4 StaDry stand bag costs $295, so $3,791 before any sales tax is added.

A complete set of TaylorMade clubs with a Stealth driver, a Stealth 2 Plus Tour wood and Stealth 2 plus rescue hybrid, a new set of P790 irons and a TP reserve B11 putter will be around $3,379 before taxes. With a FlexTech stand bag, it would be $3,668.

A PING hoofer lite bag with a G425 Max driver, Max Fairway, Hybrid, G425 irons and PING Anser 2 putter will run around $2,770 before taxes.

With a club fitting, it would cost, on average, $275 a bag. That still leaves a little over $5000 in the bank account.

How many balls could you buy? Well, the Prov V1 from Titleist costs $60 a dozen, so someone could purchase 237 dozen balls for the price of a Ryder Cup trip. That’s more than enough to lose in the woods for a lifetime.

While the Ryder Cup trip would be more memorable than all this materialistic stuff, it's still interesting to see just what someone could buy for a trip.

As a golf fan, what big-ticket purchase would you rather have than going to the Ryder Cup? Let us know in the comments below.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

Rookie DT Jalen Carter is off to an incredible start in the NFL

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nicholas Morrow made one of the biggest plays in his team’s 25-11 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, and speaking with reporters after the game, he knew exactly who he needed to thank.

Rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter.

Following an interception thrown by quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Buccaneers took over on their own one-yard line late in the third quarter. Trailing 20-3, Tampa Bay needed to get some offense going immediately, but starting the drive pinned deep, they first needed to get some breathing room.

The Eagles defense, however, had other ideas. And when Baker Mayfield turned to hand off to running back Rachaad White, Philadelphia’s defense was ready, with Morrow slicing through the line to lead the charge and create the safety.

After the game, Morrow praised both defensive coordinator Sean Desai and Carter’s “intentional violence:”

Looking at the play, you can see what Morrow is talking about when praising both Carter and Desai. The rookie defensive tackle aligns in the B-Gap, between the right guard and the right tackle. Tampa Bay tries to double-team Carter, with the right tackle and an extra offensive lineman aligned at tight end, but at the snap Carter slants between those two players into the C-Gap, using a quick and violent swim move.

As that unfolds, the tackle tumbles to the turf. While the extra offensive lineman manages a block on Carter, Tampa Bay cannot get the double-team block they wanted on the rookie. The quick penetration and violence from the rookie have opened up a hole for Morrow, a hole which the linebacker slices through and gets to White for the safety:

The safety was not the only big play that Carter created Monday night. His awareness, and hustle, forced a fumble early in the game:

Philadelphia would take on a field goal on their ensuing possession to take a 13-3 lead into halftime.

Carter’s first three NFL games have been drawing praise around the locker room and with good reason. The rookie defensive tackle has five tackles and 1.5 sacks on the year, but his presence up front for the Eagles goes beyond the numbers. He has been a disruptive force for Philadelphia through just three games, against both the run, and the pass.

Take this tackle for a loss against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2, where he beats the center to the inside and is in the backfield before Alexander Mattison even takes the handoff:

Or take this play from Week 1, where Carter’s quick and violent hands beat the right guard, allowing the rookie to put immediate pressure on Mac Jones and force a quick throw:

Intentional violence.

Carter has been everything the Eagles hoped for through three games, and that is drawing the attention of his teammates. Beyond Morrow’s praise, defensive back Darius Slay had this to say Monday night:

A grown man, indeed.

Zach Wilson has to get out of town, according to the most visible Jets fans

Expectations were so high surrounding the New York Jets entering this season, and with good reason. A young and talented team that was still in the playoff mix a season ago, despite uneven play at the quarterback position, traded for four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers in the offseason. Adding Rodgers to that roster had Jets fans dreaming of a Super Bowl run.

Those dreams turned to nightmares just four plays into the season as Rodgers was lost for the year with an Achilles injury, forcing the Jets to turn back to Zach Wilson. Their former first-round pick, who was a large part of their quarterback struggles a season ago, now had the weight of those expectations on his shoulders.

After two-straight losses — including a three-interception performance against the Dallas Cowboys and a narrow loss to the hated New England Patriots at home — some of the biggest names in the fanbase have seen enough.

One such name? Fireman Ed. The long-time Jets fan who has become a national figure recorded this video following the loss to New England, imploring the organization to make a change at quarterback:

Fireman Ed was not the only one making such declarations. As the only quarterback to win a Super Bowl with the Jets, Joe Namath’s opinion carries some weight around New York.

The former quarterback joined The Michael Kay Show and did not hold back, arguing for Wilson to be sent to Kansas City where maybe he could “learn something” from Patrick Mahomes:

Then there is perhaps the most well-known Jets fan there is, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg. Speaking on Monday after the loss to the Patriots, Greenberg made the case for Tim Boyle to start against the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend, saying “nothing is a worse option” than Wilson.

He added “[t]hey have to get that kid off the field:”

The problem for these Jets fans? It does not seem, at least at the moment, that their cries for change will be granted. It goes beyond head coach Robert Salah continuing to declare Wilson the starter, but it goes to their options, or better yet, the lack thereof. When Rodgers went down Jerry Jones was asked if the Dallas Cowboys would entertain a trade with the Jets, given the presence of both Cooper Rush and Trey Lance behind Dak Prescott, and the Dallas owner brushed aside the notion, pointing out that the Rodgers injury makes it clear the need for another option (or two) behind your starter.

This is something Jones would know, given how the transition from Tony Romo to Prescott unfolded in the first place.

Teams that have good options behind their starter do not want to move that option, given that you are just one play away from needing them in the huddle.

That leads us to reports like the one from Jay Glazer from FOX Sports on Sunday, where the insider pointed out that both Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz have reached out to the Jets about playing for them. One quarterback would come out of the announcing booth — and retirement — and the other is a QB that three teams have already moved on from.

Yet it seems, at least in the minds of many in Jetsland, they would still be better options than the one they have.

The 2024 LIV Golf schedule isn’t official yet, but there seemed to be no Donald Trump courses among the 14 venues listed.

LIV Golf hasn’t officially announced its full 2024 schedule yet, but it seems the 14-event season will feature some major changes.

While it’ll be the Saudi-backed league’s third season, some of the venues will be brand new, and the timing of some events are suspiciously convenient, per Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated.

There seem to be only three confirmed locations for next year — the opener at Mayakoba in Mexico, the Greenbrier in West Virginia, and Valderrama in Spain. The other 11 venues have not been made it official.

Photo by MB Media/Getty Images

However, of the 14 events, eight of them will be outside the United States in Mexico, Jeddah, Hong Kong, Adelaide, Valderrama, England, Singapore and South Korea.

The league will also see events in Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Oklahoma City.

Interestingly, their schedule will compete alongside some of the PGA Tour’s new Signature events.

LIV Golf competing with PGA Tour on key dates

Right now, the opening weekend for LIV Golf will be Feb. 2-4 in Mexico. That tournament in Mayakoba will coincide with the PGA Tour’s Pebble Beach tournament.

The following week, LIV Golf heads to Las Vegas at the same time as the WM Phoenix Open. Although not a Signature Event, the Phoenix Open is obviously a fan favorite.

LIV Golf’s Los Angeles tournament will be the week before the U.S. Open, which happens to be the same week as The Memorial.

Their Oklahoma City event will be at the same time as the Travelers Championship, the week after the U.S. Open at Pinehurst.

The Pebble Beach tournament, The Memorial and The Travelers are all Signature events.

The Greenbrier event for LIV Golf will also likely overlap the FedEx Cup playoff event in Memphis.

It appears that the rival league to the PGA Tour is trying to compete for attention at key times.

It also seems as though LIV will not visit any of former President Donald Trump’s courses. Nothing is official yet, but the preliminary schedule doesn’t have any of his properties listed.

President Trump’s courses hosted two tournaments last year, two this year and LIV Golf is set to play at Trump National Doral outside of Miami for its Team Championship in October. After that, though, it’s unclear if they’ll return to any of his courses.

The temporary schedule has “South Florida” listed as the venue for 2024’s Team Championship.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

Kopeka dropped some knowledge about how many majors he could win in his career but threw a dig Tiger along the way.

Brooks Koepka has opened his mouth again and made some audacious claims.

Koepka joined the Barstool's Pardon My Take podcast to talk about the upcoming Ryder Cup. But it was comments about both Tiger Woods and major championships as a whole that caught everyone’s attention.

The five-time major winner listed some very lofty, improbable goals which shocked Big Cat.

"I feel like I can get to 12, [major titles]” Koepka said. "Well, you think about how many I've already blown. Like, I blew one to Phil, so that would be six. Tiger — that's seven. Jon Rahm — so that's eight. Gary Woodland — lost to Gary, so that's nine. I feel like I should have nine right now."

After dropping the number, the hosts asked him if he felt he could catch Woods. He could have responded with a number. Instead, Koepka had to throw a dig at Woods.

"I hope so. That'd be great, right? That was the benchmark," Koepka said. "14 till I gave him 15."

Did the 33-year-old give Woods his 15th, or did the legendary golfer just play better than the former Seminole?

Woods entered the final round of the 2019 Masters at 11-under, one shot ahead of Koepka. Both players carded a 2-under 70. Francesco Molinari actually led that tournament after 54 holes, but posted a final-round 74.

Koepka finished tied for second with Xander Schauffele and Dustin Johnson, while Woods strolled the 18th fairway with his 15th major in his pocket.

Meanwhile, Koepka won his fifth major this year at Oak Hill for his third PGA Championship title.

Koepka is elite in major championships and is arguably the best player of this generation. But his numbers pale in comparison to Woods.

It’s well and fine if he wants to claim he will win 12. Good luck sir, that would move you well up the leaderboard of greatest to ever play. But saying you gifted Tiger his 15th major is hyperbole at its finest.

Koepka arrived in Rome Monday and will play in his fourth Ryder Cup this week.

The 9-time PGA Tour winner has gotten his confidence back, but he shouldn't forget how lost his game was after the 2019 Masters Championship for three years.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

Adidas has filed a lawsuit against LIV Golf because of its logo, which Adidas sees as similar to its own.

LIV Golf is facing another lawsuit, and it is not from the PGA Tour nor a subpoena from Congress.

Instead, Adidas has sued LIV Golf because of its logo.

According to a Front Office Sports report, Adidas filed a Notice of Opposition with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The German apparel company filed this suit on Sept. 18.

Adidas feels that LIV Golf’s logo “incorporates three stripes in a manner that is confusingly similar to the Adidas Marks in appearance and overall commercial impression.”

Photo by Ben Hsu/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

According to the USPTO website, LIV Golf has until Oct. 28, 2023, to respond to the motion.

Yet, Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney, noted that Adidas faces an uphill battle.

“In my opinion, Adidas is unlikely to win this case,” Gerben posted on X, the website formerly known as Twitter.

“The most likely outcome is a settlement agreement in which LIV Golf agrees to some limitations on how its ‘L’ logo might appear on products, thus limiting the chances it would look like Adidas’ stripes.”

In addition to facilitating 54-hole tournaments, LIV Golf hosts thousands of fans at each event while creating a ‘party-like’ atmosphere on some holes. The circuit also sells plenty of wardrobe and memorabilia, many of which include the ‘L’ logo featured within the suit.

But whether LIV Golf will continue beyond 2024 remains to be seen, thanks to the pending deal between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF)—the beneficiary of LIV.

Still, LIV Golf executives are planning on a full 2024 schedule, which will include events all over the world.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

How can fans watch the 2023 Ryder Cup? Here is the one-stop shop for fans to watch the European and American men battle it out in Rome.

Golf fans, the wait is finally over and it’s time to rejoice.

The Ryder Cup is here as the Americans look to end a 30-year drought and the Europeans look to take back the Ryder Cup after a disastrous 2021 loss.

Ryder Cup Information

Where: Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome, Italy

When: Sept. 29th-Oct. 1, 2023

Defending Champ: Team USA (19-9 at Whistling Straits)

Ryder Cup Format

The 44th Ryder Cup will be played across three days.

Both Friday and Saturday will feature four foursome matches and four four-ball matches. Each match will feature two Americans and two Europeans.

The Foursome matches will take place in the morning each day. They consist of a team-play scenario where each player alternates shots. They will also alternate hitting tee shots with one player teeing off on all odd holes and the other on all even holes. The side that wins the most holes wins the match and earns their team one point.

Four-ball matches are a bit different. Under this format, each of the four players in the match will play their own ball through the hole. The best score from each side is compared to the opponents best score, with the lowest score winning the hole.

Once again, the side that wins the most holes wins a point for their team.

If the sides are tied after 18 holes, each team earns a half point.

On Sunday, all 12 players will play a singles match. An American will take on one of the Europeans with one point up for grabs in each match.

It will take 14.5 points to win the Ryder Cup. If it finishes tied 14-14, Team USA retains the trophy as defending champions.

Ryder Cup Teams

Team USA

Leadership:

Captain: Zach Johnson

Vice Captain: Steve Stricker

Vice Captain: Davis Love III

Vice Captain: Jim Furyk

Vice Captain: Fred Couples

Vice Captain: Stewart Cink

Players:

Scottie Scheffler

Jordan Spieth

Justin Thomas

Brooks Koepka

Collin Morikawa

Xander Schauffele

Sam Burns (Rookie)

Patrick Cantlay

Wyndham Clark (Rookie)

Rickie Fowler

Brian Harman (Rookie)

Max Homa (Rookie)

Ryder Cup Records for Team USA

Team Europe:

Leadership:

Captain: Luke Donald

Vice Captain: Thomas Bjørn

Vice Captain: Nicolas Colsaerts

Vice Captain: Edoardo Molinari

Vice Captain: Francesco Molinari

Vice Captain: José María Olazábal

Players:

Brooks Koepka

Collin Morikawa

Xander Schauffele

Matt Fitzpatrick

Tommy Fleetwood

Tyrrell Hatton

Nicolai Højgaard (Rookie)

Viktor Hovland

Shane Lowry

Ludvig Aberg (Rookie)

Robert Macintyre (Rookie)

Sepp Straka (Rookie)

Ryder Cup Records for Team Europe

How to Watch the Ryder Cup

Americans can watch the Ryder Cup on NBC, USA, Golf Channel and Peacock beginning on Wednesday. The Ryder Cup All-Star Match will air Wednesday on Peacock from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. EDT.

Thursday will feature the Junior Ryder Cup on Golf Channel and on Peacock from 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. EDT. The opening ceremonies will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT.

Here is the full schedule of play:

Friday, September 29: 1:30 a.m.- 12 p.m. EDT (USA/Peacock)

Saturday, September 30: 1:30 a.m.- 3 a.m. EDT (USA/Peacock) and 3 a.m.-12 p.m. ET (NBC/Peacock)

Sunday, September 24: 5:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. EDT (NBC/Peacock)

How to Stream the Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup can be streamed on Peacock throughout all three days of competition, along with the Wednesday and Thursday events.

Stream the 2023 Ryder Cup here.

Ryder Cup Preview/History

The Americans are looking to win overseas for the first time in 30 years. They’re also looking to go back-to-back for the first time since they won in 1991 and 1993.

Team USA won by 10 points at Whistling Straits in 2021, which marks the largest margin of victory in the modern era of the Ryder Cup.

The last time the event was on home soil for the Europeans in 2018, they won 17.5 to 10.5 in France. That left a sour taste in the Americans’ mouths, prompting the 2021 demolition.

Right now the Americans come in as the favorite to win this year’s Cup, but the players on Team Europe are tough. Leading the pack are Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, who both have ample amounts of experience. They also have Tour Championship winner Viktor Hovland who has completely revamped his short game and might be the hottest player on the planet.

Their entire team played in the BMW PGA Championship earlier this month and all 12 made the cut.

Five of them finished inside the top 10 at that event. This group is coming into form at the right time. Despite missing the stalwarts of Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter, this Blue and Gold team has grit.

It’s a new generation of Europeans ready to battle an extremely talented American team. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and more are ready to defend their Cup.

Some question Zach Johnson’s captain’s picks, but this group has a lot going for them on what will be an extremely tough test. This week will come down to who putts better because the Europeans have made Marco Simone brutally tough.

Who do you think will win the Ryder Cup this year? Let us know in the comments below.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and on Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.

Before you ask, no, Jesus cannot be your 11th man.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were en route to the first monumental victory of the Marcus Freeman era, leading the Ohio State Buckeyes 14-10 with less than five seconds left. The victory wouldn’t be, however, as Buckeye RB Chip Trayanum scored as the clock hit zero to give the Buckeyes the victory.

However, we have to go to the film of the snap to really understand how Notre Dame bottled the end of that game, because for the last TWO PLAYS of the game, the Fighting Irish lined up with only 10 players on the field.

Yes, you’re seeing that correctly. The Fighting Irish lined up with only ten players on the field for the final two plays of the game. Keep in mind, this is also after a timeout. Notre Dame came OUT OF TIMEOUT with ten players on the field for the biggest moments of the game. Jesus might be with you, but you can’t count on him to set the edge.

Freeman spoke about the play and only having 10 players on the field after the game, but I’m not sure if it made things better.

Ohio State was on the one yard line and it was a first down with three seconds left. It’s fine to eat the penalty there and have all 11 players on the field because the ball is only moving up an inch or two.

If Notre Dame ends up missing out on a major opportunity to crash the CFP this year, we can point back to this game, and that moment, as why. An inexcusably dumb thing to happen.