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Jumat, 29 November 2019

Hill blocks punt, scores twice in Saints' victory - NFL.com

New Orleans' Swiss Army knife was as sharp as ever on Thursday night.

After weeks of relative inactivity, Taysom Hill was unleashed on the Atlanta Falcons in the Saints' division-clinching 26-18 victory.

In 35 total snaps, his most since Week 2, Hill blocked a first-quarter punt, "caught" a touchdown "pass" on the ensuing possession and added a rushing score in the second quarter. It was a first half for the ages for the third-year multi-purpose weapon, one Hill knew was coming and one he won't soon forget.

"It was one of those weeks I was really excited about," Hill said after the game. "I think when you have guys like Mike Thomas, Alvin Kamara, Jared Cook, the list goes on, it kind of creates opportunities for little old me because there's so much attention that's put on those guys. Coach (Sean Payton) is one of the best at being creative and putting guys in position to be successful. I got lucky because I was the guy tonight."

Hill's two-touchdown performance was the first of his short career, and his two scores were his first trips to the end zone since Week 8. The latter touchdown on which Kamara flexed out of the backfield and Hill sped 30 yards through the teeth of the Falcons' front for six was another first.

"That was the first time we ran that," Hill said, adding the call was added to the playbook for Thursday's game.

Hill became just the second QB since 1950 with a rushing TD and a receiving TD in the same game -- Jim McMahon pulled it off for the Bears in Week 10, 1983. But the secret weapon wishes he had one more score to add to the stat sheet.

"We were trying to get a touchdown throw in there too," Hill joked. "It wasn't aligned."

Hill attempted just one pass. It fell incomplete. Maybe next time.

After playing the role of Teddy Bridgewater's backup while Drew Brees was on the mend from thumb surgery, Hill is back to where he belongs on the Saints' roster, a gadget guy with X-factor capabilities, waiting his turn to turn the game on its head.

"I'm happy that Drew's back for multiple reasons," Hill said. "I love playing with him. He's one of the best leaders I've ever been around.

"But it also creates more opportunities for me."

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2019-11-29 06:14:00Z
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A teary-eyed Jerry Jones, a shouting Michael Bennett: Scenes after another disappointing Cowboys loss - The Athletic

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jerry Jones was the first one in the locker room. Closely behind him were his sons, Stephen and Jerry Jr. Dallas had just dropped to 6-6 after a 26-15 loss to the visiting Buffalo Bills. The Cowboys’ owner and general manager was certainly not having a happy Thanksgiving.

A few minutes later, coaches and players began making their way through the doors of the home team locker room at AT&T Stadium. There were blank expressions on their faces. No words were being said as they passed by reporters. After most of the team was inside, shouting began to be heard.

It was unclear at the time which player was speaking or what they were saying, but it was obvious that someone was very angry. Dak Prescott later revealed that it was veteran defensive end Michael Bennett, a former Super Bowl champion who was traded to the Cowboys last month.

Security guards attempted to quickly close the doors so media members couldn’t make out what was...

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2019-11-29 06:12:13Z
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Kamis, 28 November 2019

Today's Top Picks: Thanksgiving best bets for the entire NFL day, including one underdog to jump on - CBS Sports

CBS has granted me virtually limitless freedom to do what I will with this space. So long as three picks are presented, the lede belongs to me. That may well change after the following paragraph, but for now, I need to use this platform to share a food take that is near and dear to my heart.

Mac and cheese should be a universal Thanksgiving food. It shows up at something like 15 percent of tables, and those who deny it scoff at the mere concept. Every manner of potato under the sun makes its way onto Thanksgiving menus, but mac and cheese combines the relative inoffensiveness of mashed potatoes with the mix-in options of sweet potatoes. Throw some bacon in there, or even some seafood if you're so inclined. Cheese is the one area lacking on Thanksgiving tables. It's time to induct everyone's childhood staple into the holiday pantheon.

Okay, we can talk about football now. All lines via William Hill.

1. Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions: Under 37

I'm a professional sportswriter and I had never heard of David Blough until today. He is starting at quarterback for the Detroit Lions, and it's worth remembering that he was Detroit's third-string passer because he couldn't beat out Jeff Driskel, who is winless with four interceptions in three weeks, for the backup job. Mitch Trubisky isn't a third-string quarterback, but he probably will be some day. The last time these teams played, they combined for 33 points. Detroit taking another step back should lead to fewer points, not more of them.

SportsLine expert R.J. White is an amazing 25-12 in his last 37 ATS picks involving Bears games, and he's released a strong play for this matchup. While he's also leaning to the Under, you'll have to head to SportsLine to see his spread pick for the game.

2. Buffalo Bills at Dallas Cowboys: Under 46.5

The Cowboys have played only two top-10 defenses so far this season, the Patriots and Saints. All four teams combined to score 44 points in those two games. The Cowboys are not just playing a top-10 defense in the Bills here, but the No. 3 ranked unit in all of football. Amari Cooper is unlikely to be shut out two weeks in a row, but Tre'Davious White is perhaps the only cornerback in football as dangerous in coverage as Stephon Gilmore. The Bills have gone over this point total only twice in their 11 games this season. All indications point to a low-scoring game here.

SportsLine expert Emory Hunt is an impressive 24-13 in his last 37 ATS picks involving Cowboys games, and he's locked in another play for their Thanksgiving matchup. Head over to SportsLine to see which side of the spread Hunt loves.

3. New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons: Falcons +6.5

Virtually every factor that led to Atlanta's upset over New Orleans in their first matchup remains in place for this game. Drew Brees was sacked six times in Round 1. Andrus Peat and Terron Armstead remain out Thursday. Marshon Lattimore left the first game with injury and is questionable for this matchup. Atlanta has the sixth-best rushing defense in the NFL in terms of yards per carry, so once they built a lead, they were able to largely make New Orleans one-dimensional. The Saints could easily win this game, but predicting a wide margin of victory when the Falcons handled them so easily just weeks ago on the road just seems irresponsible.

The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up over $7,000 for $100 players on its top-rated NFL picks since its inception four years ago. It has one side of this spread cashing in over 60 percent of its simulations; head to SportsLine to see which team presents great value in the primetime matchup.

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2019-11-28 12:51:00Z
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Burning questions for NFL on Thanksgiving Day Sportsnaut - msnNOW

Replay Video

Video by NFL

The three-game Thanksgiving NFL slate offers a bunch of intrigue as multiple teams battle for their playoff lives and postseason positioning.

It starts with Mitchell Trubisky and the Chicago Bears looking to remain relevant in the NFC against an injury-plagued Lions team in Detroit.

Per usual, the first-place Dallas Cowboys will host a game on Turkey Day. This time, they take on an 8-3 Buffalo Bills team. Can Dak Prescott and Co. rebound after last week’s terrible outing?

The nightcap will see a three-win Atlanta Falcons squad look to complete a season sweep of the first-place New Orleans Saints. Can the Falcons prove that their Week 10 upset over New Orleans was not a fluke?

These are among the top 10 burning questions heading into Thanksgiving Day around the NFL.

Can Mitchell Trubisky keep it going?

a man holding a baseball bat in front of a crowd

Based on what we saw from this third-year quarterback earlier in the season, Trubisky seems to be on an upward trajectory. He’s thrown five touchdowns compared to three interceptions over the past three games, helping Chicago to a 2-1 record. Trubisky tallied just five touchdowns in his first seven starts.

These are not great numbers by any stretch of the imagination. Even then, all Trubisky has to do Thursday afternoon in Detroit is manage the game. His dominating Bears defense is set to take on a Lions offense that’s extremely limited with its quarterback situation.

Can the Lions get Kenny Golladay involved?

Needless to say, this star young receiver has struggled big time with Jeff Driskel in the mix over the past three games. Golladay has caught eight of 18 targets for 152 yards in those three games.

This comes on the heels of the third-year pass catcher hauling in 31 receptions for 508 yards and six touchdowns with Matthew Stafford tossing him the rock in the first seven games of the season.

It’s not going to be easy against a Bears pass defense that’s yielded less than 237 passing yards to go with 11 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions through 11 games. That’s magnified with Detroit’s quarterback situation up in the air.

Is Matt Nagy really the answer in Chicago?

Even after last season’s surprise NFC North title, the future of the head coach in Chicago remains up in the air. He’s had to cater his offense to a limited Mitchell Trubisky thus far on the 2019 season, and it’s led to major struggles.

Mitch Trubisky on a roll in hurry-up … again. It's almost like the less time there is for Trubisky to listen to Matt Nagy, the better he is.
— Mark Potash (@MarkPotash) November 24, 2019

Chicago heads into Thanksgiving ranked 28th in total offense, 29th in scoring and 30th in passing. It has also thrown the sixth-fewest touchdown passes on the season.

Despite this, Nagy has a way of abandoning the running game. Last week alone, Chicago dropped back to pass 47 times compared to 19 rush attempts from its backfield. This came in a 19-14 win over the Giants.

Will Nagy continue struggling calling plays Thursday, proving he’s in over his head in the process? It’s certainly something to keep an eye on.

Can the Cowboys get over the hump?

Dallas has yet to get up for big games this season. The team boasts an 0-4 record against squads that are currently .500 or better. For comparison’s sake, the Cowboys are 6-1 against teams that are under .500.

Something will need to change in this regard if the Cowboys are going to come out of the NFC East. Including Thursday afternoon, Dallas has two more games remaining against teams that are over .500. Of the other three games, two outings come against teams currently in the playoff race in that of the Eagles and Bears.

Just how good is Josh Allen?

It was an adventure for Allen as a rookie last season and during the early stages of the 2019 campaign. Seen by most as a major project, turnovers became a huge issue.

That’s changed a great deal with Buffalo currently amid its best run in decades. Allen has put up 14 total touchdowns compared to one interception over his past six starts, leading the Bills to a 4-2 mark during that span.

With Dallas likely to sell out against Frank Gore, Devin Singletary and the Bills’ rushing attack, we’re intrigued to see if Allen takes advantage through the air.

Will conservative game plan cost the Cowboys, again?

Jason Garrett standing in front of a crowd

We saw it firsthand in Dallas’ 13-9 loss to the Patriots last week. Down by seven with just over six minutes to go in horrible conditions, Garrett opted for a field goal. It came with Dallas facing 4th-and-7 from the Patriots’ 11. The Cowboys ultimately got one more opportunity to score before the game concluded in a narrow defeat.

Jason Garrett, when asked by @1053thefan if he uses win probability stats to help make decisions:
“We don’t use those stats within the game”
In an era where coaches are advised real-time by analytics assistants, the Cowboys prefer to find out what they did wrong afterwards. pic.twitter.com/4mTm35cvXv
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) November 25, 2019

It’s been a continual issue for Garrett this season: not trusting his players on offense and getting way too conservative at times.

That can’t happen Thursday in a game that will see scoring opportunities for both sides limited. Garrett needs to open up his game plan a lot more. If not, he’ll end up a turkey on Thanksgiving in Big D.

Can Dak Prescott rebound?

Much like the rest of his Cowboys team, Prescott is coming off a terrible performance. He completed 19-of-33 passes for just 212 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception against New England.

The contract-year quarterback has tallied five touchdowns and six interceptions in games against teams with winning records this season. That split stands at 16/4 against squads on the other side of the ledger.

Set to take on a Bills defense that’s yielded seven passing touchdowns for a 76.8 rating on the season, Prescott will have to be at the top of his game here.

Was Atlanta’s Week 10 win a fluke?

Losing six consecutive games heading into a matchup against a one-loss Saints team back on Nov. 10, most didn’t give Atlanta much of a chance in New Orleans. Dan Quinn’s squad responded with a resounding 26-9 victory over the Saints. It was among the biggest upsets of the season.

After blowing out Carolina 29-3 in Week 11, the Falcons fell back to Earth in a horrible showing against the Buccaneers this past Sunday.

The moral of the story here is that we have no idea what version of the Falcons will show up at home on Thanksgiving night. The best bet is Atlanta looking very much the part of the 3-8 team it is. Was Week 10 an outlier or something more? We’ll find out soon enough.

Can the Saints put together a complete game?

As other top Super Bowl contenders in the Ravens and 49ers continue to steamroll opponents, New Orleans has been a bit uneven in recent weeks. As mentioned above, Drew Brees and Co. were blown out by the last-place Falcons earlier in November. The Saints then got lucky in edging Carolina at home this past Sunday.

More so than this specific game, we want to see New Orleans put together a complete effort. With a Week 14 outing looming against the 10-1 San Francisco 49ers, how the Saints perform against a lesser Falcons squad on the road Thanksgiving night will be telling.

Where in the world is Alvin Kamara?

There’s a major question mark heading into Thursday’s game against the Falcons. Why haven’t the Saints utilized Kamara more on the ground since he returned from injury back in Week 10?

It's early but…
Alvin Kamara: 3 touches, 0 yards
Latavius Murray: 2 touches, 29 yards, TD
— M.G. (@MarcasG) November 24, 2019

The Pro Bowl running back has put up a combined 28 rush attempts for a robust 5.4 yards per attempt over the past three games. Is Sean Payton attempting to conserve Kamara for the stretch run? We honestly have no idea.

What we do know is that New Orleans will have to get Kamara more involved in the running game moving forward if the team wants to earn home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. Following Thursday’s outing, the Saints have three consecutive games against teams with winning records.

Related Slideshow: Best of the 2019 NFL season (provided by imagn)

a group of baseball players playing a football game: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Marquise Brown (not pictured) in the first quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

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2019-11-28 12:00:00Z
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Make Field Goals Worth 2 Points - Slate

Jason Garrett in a headset on the sidelines. — Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett looks on during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Oct. 20.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Late in Sunday’s game against the Patriots, the Dallas Cowboys found themselves in unfamiliar territory: near the New England end zone. It had been a slugfest played in weather befitting seafaring disaster poems, and the Cowboys were down 13–6. Facing fourth-and-7 at the Patriots’ 11-yard line, Dallas head coach Jason Garrett had a choice: Go for it with a chance to tie the game, or attempt a field goal that would cut the deficit to 4. With only six minutes remaining, there was no guarantee that the Cowboys would get the ball back, and they’d need to score a touchdown anyway if they did. Surely the time was nigh? Cometh the hour, cometh the man!

Garrett kicked the field goal and the Cowboys lost, 13–9.

Field goals continue to be a bizarre addiction for NFL coaches. Teams often elect to punt or “take the points” on fourth down when analytics favor aggressiveness. By some calculations, Garrett’s decision on Sunday actually increased New England’s chances of victory.

While Garrett took a lot of grief for his conservative play-calling, even the league’s young and “forward-thinking” coaches fall into the same trap. The Arizona Cardinals may have hired Kliff Kingsbury to be their new-age offensive guru, but the man loves himself a field goal attempt in the red zone while trailing. Likewise, Rams wunderkind Sean McVay sends out the special teams unit on fourth-and-short more than any other coach in the league.

Clearly the prospect of seeing 3 points flash on the scoreboard is too tempting to resist. It’s time to save coaches from themselves: The NFL should make field goals worth 2 points.

Because a field goal is worth half as much as a touchdown, coaches find themselves trapped inside Zeno’s paradoxes whenever their team is trailing. Scoring in incremental nibbles makes it feel like they’re catching up, when in fact they’re just giving the other team more opportunities to widen the gulf. Here’s how Garrett explained his decision to kick against New England: “Just to give us a chance coming back the other way, fourth-and-7, you know, make it a four-point game. They go ahead and kick a field goal coming back, you still have a chance to be in the game.” Kick a field goal and the carrot is forever within reach.

To the eyes of football men, the number 2 looks abnormal and measly. They’ve lived their entire lives in chunks of 7s and 3s, so a 2-point field goal would be the shock to the system we need to kill off their bad habits. (Among the worst of those habits: kicking a field goal on fourth-and-short when leading by a field goal.) Games would be a great deal more entertaining because teams would go for it more frequently. On second thought, teams should be doing this already, so the 2-point field goal would make games precisely as entertaining as they already should be.

Sure, there would be some changes we’d all need to get used to. The most common scoreline in NFL history is 20–17, and that spread would become nearly nonexistent. (Games that follow that arithmetic would instead end 18–16, a score that’s been tallied in only eight games in NFL history.) Gambling lines would require some realignment, but it’s not like the betting public has anything to lose. And consider the fate of Scott Norwood, as Super Bowl XXV would have been tied 18–8 when he went wide right of the uprights, not 20–19. He could have rectified his mistake in overtime … or compounded it with another missed field goal. Either way, Scott Norwood would have had one more chance not to become Scott Norwood.

We’ve now reached the part of the article where I’d usually try to knock holes in my own argument and then debunk them to demonstrate my intellectual honesty. The problem is that I can’t find any problems with this argument. Instead, I’ll use this space to address the concerns of any professional kickers reading this.

Hello, kickers! Let me assure you that this proposal is in no way an attempt to make you extinct or even reduce your importance. There will still be opportunities for you to tie or win games; it’s just that the score will have to be slightly narrower to do so. Converting field goals is remarkably difficult and nerve-racking, and devaluing their worth only increases the importance—and frequency—of extra point attempts. Kickers, your jobs are safe.

Speaking of kickers, one of the all-time greats has proposed a scoring tweak of his own. In 2014, Adam Vinatieri suggested that kicks longer than 50 yards should be worth 4 points, citing the fact that kickers were becoming “too good.” As someone who plays (at least) half of his games in a dome, the Colts’ Vinatieri would stand to benefit tremendously from this adjustment. And, as the all-time NFL leader in points, he’d add a comfortable cushion to his lead. Nice try, pal.

Handing certain kickers an advantage would go against the NFL’s attempts to foster true parity. The league claims to strive for this ideal, and commissioner Roger Goodell told the Wall Street Journal that making the game competitive was his “core responsibility.” That quote came during collective bargaining agreement negotiations in 2011, but the key to keeping things fair lies not in salary caps. If coaches like Jason Garrett continue to make bad toe-related decisions (against a Bill Belichick–led squad, no less), then some teams will forever be at a disadvantage. The Garretts of the world will never be able to quit 3-pointers cold turkey. But at 2 points a pop, they’ll at last look at field goals with the appropriate level of disdain.

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2019-11-28 10:50:00Z
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Everything you need to know for NFL's Thanksgiving games: Breaking down 3 matchups - USA TODAY

Lorenzo Reyes USA TODAY

Published 1:01 AM EST Nov 28, 2019

Thanksgiving signifies the return of a host of traditions — including a healthy serving of football.

Here's everything you need to know about Thursday's three NFL games:

Chicago Bears (5-6) at Detroit Lions (3-7-1)

Time: 12:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: Fox

Stream: NFL Game Pass, FuboTV

Line: Bears -2.5

Three keys to the game:

1. Trubisky taking care of the ball: The Bears are at their best when quarterback Mitchell Trubisky makes smart decisions and avoids forcing throws into tight windows. The problem is that Trubisky has been susceptible to stretches of carelessness. It has often led to turnovers or drives stalling out and has hampered Trubisky from moving the chains or generating big plays. Trubisky’s season-high for passing yards was 278 and was reached Sunday against the Giants. But the Lions rank 30th in the NFL in passing defense, allowing 275.5 yards per game. This presents a chance for Trubisky to put up big numbers.

2. Lions' rushing attack: Undrafted rookie QB David Blough will make his first career start for Detroit, so the ground game will be critical for the Lions. With starting running back Kerryon Johnson recovering from a knee injury on injured reserve, Detroit’s rushing game had been struggling. Then the team signed Bo Scarbrough to the active roster. In two games, Scarbrough has 153 yards and one score on 32 carries for a solid 4.8 yards-per-carry average. His production has helped Detroit sustain drives and possess the ball for longer. Chicago has a stout rushing defense, however, allowing just 96.8 yards per game.

3. Kickstart: Another issue the Bears have faced this season – it’s a carryover from last season, really – is inconsistency in the kicking game. Eddy Piñeiro has been better than previous kickers Chicago has used, but he still hasn’t been consistent. Over the past five games, Piñeiro has missed four of his nine field goal attempts and has missed two of seven extra points. Four of Chicago’s last five games – three of which have been losses – have been decided by one score. And in close games, accuracy in the kicking game could prove to be the difference.

Buffalo Bills (8-3) at Dallas Cowboys (6-5)

Time: 4:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: CBS

Stream: NFL Game Pass, FuboTV

Line: Cowboys -6.5

Three keys to the game:

1. Strength on strength: Dak Prescott must be happy he’s not facing Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore again, but the Bills are still a very challenging secondary. They rank third in the league in passing defense, allowing just 184.3 passing yards per game. The Cowboys, though, lead the NFL in passing offense (303.5) and passing yards per play (8.37). Look for Amari Cooper to try to have a bounce-back game after he was held without a reception on two targets against the Patriots. If he doesn’t, Dallas may be in trouble.

2. Checkdown Charlie: Bills quarterback Josh Allen has steadily improved in his second season as Buffalo’s starter. From his rookie season last year, Allen’s completion rate is up to 60.2% from 52.8%, his passer rating is 18 points higher (85.9 to 67.9), he has five more touchdowns and four fewer interceptions, and he has already surpassed last season’s passing yardage total (2,074) by 286 yards after starting 11 games both this season and last. Allen is still running the ball quite a bit, but perhaps the biggest reason for his development has been a smart and calculated approach to taking advantage of checkdown passes that have helped keep the chains moving. Adding Cole Beasley has helped in this respect, and the former Cowboys slot receiver could be pivotal against a defense that can be overly aggressive at times.

3. Situational smarts: The Cowboys have been plagued by conservative approaches in several critical situations. Coach Jason Garrett has come under criticism for kicking a field goal against the Patriots last week when they faced a fourth-and-7 from the Patriots' 11-yard line. Against a Bills team that has a stout defense and an offense that has fared well rushing the ball and operating inside the red zone, the game may come down to the final minutes — and another critical decision.

New Orleans Saints (9-2) at Atlanta Falcons (3-8)

Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

TV channel: NBC

Stream: NBC Sports app, NFL Game Pass, fuboTV

Line: Saints -6.5

Three keys to the game:

1. Ground game: In the Saints' two losses this season – Week 2 against the Rams and Week 10 against the Falcons – they averaged just 54.5 rushing yards. In their nine victories, they’re averaging 120.4 rushing yards per game. While that’s not among the league’s best totals, New Orleans relies on the ground game to sustain possession and keep drives moving. The Saints rank third in time of possession (32:33). Wearing defenses down is a trademark of New Orleans’, and in the Week 10 loss against Atlanta, the Saints possessed the ball for just 26:14. In that game, the Falcons limited the Saints to just three conversions on 12 third-down attempts. That, in large part, was because the Falcons stuffed the Saints on early downs, resulting in third-and-longs.

2. Red zone: Another area Atlanta dominated New Orleans in was red zone defense. The Saints had three trips inside the 20-yard line, but New Orleans didn’t score one touchdown and had to settle for three field goals. That, too, was a similar trend from the Week 2 loss, when New Orleans didn’t convert its only trip into the red zone. The Saints have been surprisingly weak in the red zone this season, ranking 22nd in the league by converting just a little more than half (51.22%) of trips. For the Saints to become more dangerous as the playoffs near – New Orleans can clinch the NFC South with a win and become the first team this season to secure a postseason spot – improving in this area is essential. Going up against a Falcons team that ranks 25th in stopping teams (60.98%) inside the 20, New Orleans has a good opportunity to work on it.

3. MVP candidate Michael Thomas? If there’s one word to describe Thomas’ game, it’s consistency. He leads the NFL in receiving yards (1,242) by 171. He leads in receptions (104) by 23. He’s tied for seventh in touchdowns with six. Despite frequently drawing the opposition’s top cornerback, Thomas simply produces, and especially in big moments. Just go back to Sunday’s 34-31 victory against the Panthers. With the game tied New Orleans facing a third-and-6, Brees found Thomas for a 24-yard, back-shoulder completion down the right sideline that helped set up the game-winning field goal. Thomas did have a big day when the Falcons upset the Saints a couple of weeks back, but they kept him out of the end zone. Their chances for another upset increase significantly if they can replicate that.

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2019-11-28 05:57:30Z
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Rabu, 27 November 2019

Powerhouse Duke Falls To Stephen F. Austin University With Buzzer-Beating Layup - NPR

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Stephen F. Austin forward Nathan Bain (No. 23) and guard David Kachelries (No. 4) celebrate Bain's game-winning shot against Duke in overtime Tuesday in Durham, N.C. Gerry Broome/AP hide caption

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Gerry Broome/AP

There were two sure bets heading into Tuesday night's basketball matchup between perennial powerhouse Duke University and Stephen F. Austin State University. One: Duke would dominate. Two: Few people outside of Nacodoches, Tex., could confidently say where the smaller school's campus is located.

But after a stunning overtime buzzer-beating layup, not only did the unranked Lumberjacks shock the No.1 Blue Devils in a nail biting 85-83 finish, but Stephen F. Austin did something no other college basketball program outside the Atlantic Coast Conference has done in nearly two decades — beat Duke on its home floor.

The final sequence unfolded in dramatic fashion. With the game tied at 83 and 14 seconds left in overtime, Duke corralled a rebound after missed shot from the wing. Duke swung the ball out to top of the three-point line to set up for the final shot.

🚨 UPSET ALERT 🚨
Stephen F. Austin ends No. 1 Duke’s 150-straight non-conference home game win streak! #AxeEm pic.twitter.com/6HkBavqEB0
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) November 27, 2019

Duke drove toward the basket and a bounce pass got deflected. Players scrambled for the loose ball.

The Lumberjacks' Gavin Kensmil dove for the ball, wrested control and, from the seat of his pants, flipped the ball to his teammate Nathan Bain. With 3.1 seconds left, Bain sprinted the three quarters of the court toward his hoop with nothing but open floor in front of him.

With .07 seconds left, Bain elevated with Duke's Jack White leaping virtually simultaneously to try to swat away his layup from behind. By the time the two men came crashing down to the floor, it was over. Bain's layup was good and the Lumberjacks had a win for the ages.

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Stephen F. Austin forward Nathan Bain (23) watches the game winning basket fall as Duke forward Jack White (41) defends during overtime in an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday. Gerry Broome/AP hide caption

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The faces of Duke fans crumpled in unison.

The Blue Devils were projected to win by more than 27 points, ESPN reports. The sports network also adds that Stephen F. Austin was at one point trailing by 15 points, when it fought back and tied the game with under 20 seconds remaining in regulation. After the game Bain explained how the final seconds of overtime unfolded from his vantage point, according to ESPN:

"I saw my teammate grab it, and I looked up at the clock. We had about 2.6 seconds," Bain told the network. "I was like, 'I have to get on my horse.' I went as fast as I can to try to lay it up. It's like a layup drill. I could feel the dude on my back, and I just prayed it [would] go in."

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Duke forward Matthew Hurt (21) and guard Cassius Stanley (2) react following the team's loss to Stephen F. Austin in overtime. Gerry Broome/AP hide caption

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Gerry Broome/AP

The win over Duke is easily the most significant win in Stephen F. Austin's history, according to The Associated Press. It adds:

"This Duke team didn't have the feeling of invincibility that some of its predecessors had, in part because it committed at least 16 turnovers in three of its first six games. The Blue Devils' offense was completely flummoxed at times by the Lumberjacks' unrelenting pressure, and as a result, their run at No. 1 will end after two weeks."

With Tuesday' loss, Duke is the third top-ranked team to lose this season and it's not even Thanksgiving.

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2019-11-27 15:45:00Z
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