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NBC Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Illinois 'worth a flyer' to make CFP in 2025
Drew Dinsick and Vaughn Dalzell examine the futures market for Illinois, sharing why they like the Fighting Illini to go over their projected win total of 7.5, and the chances of them making the College Football Playoff.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Every Big Ten team's best and worst-case scenario for 2025
There's just over a month before toe meets leather on the 2025 college football season, and teams across the country are gearing up for their 12-game regular season slates. This fall, teams across the Big Ten will battle for a national championship, playoff appearance, or simply to make a bowl game. Here's a look at the best- and worst-case scenario for every team in the conference entering the season. Illinois Nov 30, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini running back Aidan Laughery (21) runs for a touchdown against Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Best case scenario: 11-1 Worst case scenario: 6-6 The Fighting Illini have a wide range of possible outcomes in 2024, with several toss-ups throughout the year. Ohio State is seemingly the only guaranteed loss, while Western Illinois, Western Michigan and Purdue should be easy wins. Playing at Duke, at Indiana, vs. USC, at Washington and at Wisconsin will likely all be close games, and dropping a stinker against Rutgers, Maryland or Northwestern isn't out of the picture. If all goes well, Illinois will be in College Football Playoff contention, but several tricky road games could derail things. Advertisement Indiana Indiana's Mike Katic (56) and the Hoosiers hoist the bucket after the Indiana versus Purdue football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Best-case scenario: 10-2 Worst-case scenario: 7-5 The Hoosiers open with one of the softest nonconference slates in the country, hosting Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State, which should result in easy victories. After that, things get trickier with matchups against Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, Penn State and Wisconsin on the docket. Two or more losses against that group seems extremely likely, especially considering Indiana will be on the road against the Hawkeyes, Ducks and Nittany Lions, three of the toughest environments around. Iowa Dec 4, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Detailed view of Iowa Hawkeyes helmet on the sidelines in the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Best-case scenario: 9-3 Worst-case scenario: 6-6 The Hawkeyes have won eight or more games every season since 2015, but that streak is at risk in 2025. The annual CyHawk rivalry game could prove tougher than usual with Iowa State coming off a Big 12 conference championship appearance. Additionally, Iowa will be an underdog in conference games against Penn State, Oregon and USC, and games against Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska could be tricky. With one of Iowa's toughest schedules in recent history, achieving eight wins again would be a successful season. Advertisement Maryland Oct 19, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Mike Locksley during the second half Southern California Trojans at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 7-5 Worst-case scenario: 4-8 The Terrapins are in danger of the wheels falling off after a disappointing 4-8 season a year ago. The nonconference slate features three supposed cupcake games, but NIU could give Maryland a run for its money. In Big Ten play, the Terrapins received a relatively easy draw, with Michigan and Illinois as the two toughest opponents. Wisconsin, Washington, Nebraska and Indiana could be tricky, depending on how their rosters mesh, and Maryland isn't clearly above teams like UCLA and Michigan State. Finding wins in conference play will be tricky for the Terrapins in 2025. Advertisement Michigan State Aug 30, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Nate Carter (5) follows blocker Michigan State Spartans offensive lineman Kristian Phillips (71) during the game against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports Best-case scenario: 7-5 Worst-case scenario: 4-8 The Spartans should have free wins over Western Michigan and Youngstown State and will be favored over Boston College in nonconference play. Playing Michigan and Penn State pencils in two losses, and most of the toss-ups (Nebraska, Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa) are on the road. The Spartans should go undefeated through nonconference play and pick off a couple Big Ten opponents, but the conference slate is tough. Michigan Dec 31, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Ike Iwunnah (92) celebrates a sack with Michigan Wolverines linebacker Ernest Hausmann (15) against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 11-1 Worst-case scenario: 8-4 In addition to their annual rivalry against Ohio State, the Wolverines travel to USC and Oklahoma, but the rest of the schedule seems manageable for them. Michigan is riding momentum after beating the Buckeyes and Alabama in back-to-back games to close out last season, and should get a significant improvement in quarterback play from either 5-star Bryce Underwood or veteran transfer Mikey Keene. The Wolverines should compete for a playoff appearance and possibly a conference championship. Advertisement Minnesota Jan 3, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor (1) scores a touchdown against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second quarter at the Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 10-2 Worst-case scenario: 6-6 The Golden Gophers should go 3-0 in nonconference play, with a trip to Cal as the toughest test. Conference games against Rutgers, Purdue and Northwestern should be comfortable wins, giving Minnesota bowl eligibility, but there are also some likely losses, including at Ohio State and at Oregon. Nebraska Dec 28, 2024; Bronx, NY, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson (21) celebrates with teammates after a touchdown during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 8-4 Worst-case scenario: 6-6 The Cornhuskers have a relatively easy nonconference slate, but playing Michigan, USC, Penn State and Iowa make for uphill battles. Maryland, Northwestern and UCLA should provide easy wins in conference play, giving Nebraska bowl eligibility for the second consecutive season if it takes care of business. Advertisement Northwestern Nov 30, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats wide receiver A.J. Henning (8) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second half at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 6-6 Worst-case scenario: 3-9 A nonconference road trip to Tulane won't be easy for a team of Northwestern's caliber, though Western Michigan and UL Monroe are all but guaranteed victories. Hosting UCLA and Purdue gives the Wildcats a good shot of beating some of the conference's bottom-dwellers, but wins outside of that will be hard to come by. The schedule-makers did Northwestern no favors by including Oregon, Michigan, Penn State, USC and Illinois, which will all be heavy favorites over the Wildcats. Ohio State Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate their 34-23 win over Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. Best-case scenario: 12-0 Worst-case scenario: 9-3 Fresh off a national championship, the Buckeyes have a chance to be the best team in the country once again, but their schedule features some elite opponents. A nonconference matchup with Texas and Big Ten games against Penn State and Michigan make for three major hurdles, and road trips to Washington, Wisconsin and Illinois could be trap games. Still, it's hard to see Ohio State dropping more than three contests. Advertisement Oregon The Oregon Ducks mascot walks the sideline during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. Best-case scenario: 12-0 Worst-case scenario: 9-3 Nonconference games against Oregon State and Oklahoma State are interesting but should result in multiple-score victories for the Ducks. Oregon can't play itself and also avoids Ohio State and Michigan, so the only major tests should come at Penn State and at USC. Traveling to Iowa could be tricky, and dropping a rivalry game against Washington isn't out of the picture, so it's possible the Ducks regress to 9-3. Penn State Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) celebrates a touch down in the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 12-0 Worst-case scenario: 9-3 The Nittany Lions benefit from an extremely weak nonconference schedule but have tough games at Ohio State and vs. Oregon, which should be close contest. Penn State may also be tested at Iowa or vs. Indiana, but the Nittany Lions have historically handled business when favored. Advertisement Purdue Purdue Boilermakers running back Devin Mockobee (45) celebrates with Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Hudson Card (1) and Purdue Boilermakers offensive lineman Jalen Grant (75) after scoring Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, during the NCAA football game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Northwestern Wildcats won 26-20. Best-case scenario: 5-7 Worst-case scenario: 2-10 The Boilermakers should be able to pick up wins against Ball State and Southern Illinois but likely won't take down Notre Dame. In conference play, Ohio State, Michigan, USC and Illinois look to be losses, while games against Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington and Indiana won't be easy either. Purdue's best chance for a Big Ten win will come at Northwestern or vs. Rutgers, but neither are a given. Rutgers Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver Ian Strong (9) against the Kansas State Wildcats during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 6-6 Worst-case scenario: 3-9 The Scarlet Knights benefit from a soft nonconference schedule and games against Purdue and Maryland, but the rest of the schedule is a murderer's row featuring most of the top teams in the conference. Picking up conference wins will be difficult, and reaching bowl eligibility will likely require an upset or two. Advertisement UCLA Oct 5, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Jaylin Davies (6) gestures at the line of scrimmage during the second quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 6-6 Worst-case scenario: 3-9 The Bruins have a tough nonconference draw with Utah, UNLV and New Mexico State, plus Penn State, Ohio State and USC in conference play. Games against Northwestern and Maryland should lead to conference wins, but the rest will be tough. USC Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Best-case scenario: 10-2 Worst-case scenario: 6-6 The Trojans have a tough nonconference battle against Notre Dame but should also rack up two easy victories against Missouri State and Georgia Southern. In Big Ten action, USC takes on Oregon, Michigan, Illinois and Iowa, which should prove difficult, but playing UCLA, Northwestern and Purdue balances it out with some supposedly easy wins. Advertisement Washington Oct 5, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) celebrates after rushing for a touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the fourth quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 9-3 Worst-case scenario: 6-6 The Huskies should pick up a trio of easy nonconference victories, plus wins over Maryland, Rutgers and Purdue. Playing Ohio State and Oregon will be tough, but those games come at home. The toughest road trips are at Michigan and Wisconsin, which are tough but winnable. Washington should have no trouble reaching bowl eligibility, but there are several expected losses against top conference foes. Wisconsin Nov 29, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Tawee Walker (3) during the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Best-case scenario: 7-5 Worst-case scenario: 3-9 The Badgers have two cupcakes to open the season followed by a trip to Alabama, meaning a likely 2-1 start. Wisconsin has a brutal stretch in conference play featuring games at Michigan, vs. Iowa, vs. Ohio State, at Oregon, vs. Washington, at Indiana, vs. Illinois and at Minnesota, in which the Badgers may be underdogs in every game. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Best and worst-case scenarios for every Big Ten team in 2025
Forbes
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
EA College Football 26 Review: The Good, The Bad And The Bottom Line
EA College Football 26 EA College Football 26 dropped this past week on early access and full retail. I've been putting the game through the paces as much as time would allow for the past three days, and I'm mostly pleased with what I see, feel, and hear. There are 10 key points about the new title. Here's what EA has presented, along with my thoughts on each new or improved feature and a few takes. Here's the good, the bad, and the bottom line on EA College Football Football 25 captured the vibe of its sport better than any sports game ever created, and this year's game tops that. CF 26 brings deeper immersion with 34 new mascots, 88 band songs, unique runouts, and stadium traditions like the Sooner Schooner and Cockaboose. The pageantry and detail are augmented by the overall beauty of the game. I'm not overselling here—College Football 26 is the most visually attractive sports video game ever made. Player models, grass, crowd, the dynamic lighting (it's a real thing), you name it. All of it is real coaches takes this team/school authenticity thing to another level. I think EA did a solid job with most of the coach likenesses, though there are a few that still need to be updated over the course of the season. As for the signature playcalling styles, I need to see a few more games vs. the CPU to give a definitive statement, but so far, I've had Michigan try to cram the ball down my Illinois Fighting Illini's throat with the run game and seen a bit of an aerial assault from the Texas Tech Red Raiders, so that checks out. I love the new depth with recruiting pipelines and unlockable abilities that affect Dynasty outcomes. Having the recruiting interactions happen with real coaches deepens the playbooks are bottomless. There are 2,800+ plays and 45 new formations. Each team's handcrafted playbooks lean into the concept of real-life tendencies. I've only used three teams so far, but I can see the difference in playbooks. While I see the larger playbooks, I'll say this is one of the features that was a bit oversold. Maybe it'll be a quality-of-life feature, but over the course of the review period, it was more of a slight nod than a true head bop.I felt like I could see some differences in the way older quarterbacks played compared to freshmen and other underclassmen. I cannot vouch for shorter QBs struggling with sightlines, but that's likely going to take some time to compare and was trying to do away with the INTs that come from defenders who seemingly have their eyes away from the ball, only to snap into awareness in time to snag a pass out of the sky. In this year's game, defenders won't make INTs unless they're looking at the ball. The idea was to reduce cheap turnovers and to increase fairness. What I've seen through my time with the game is defenders behaving blindly and dropping a ton of balls that should have been picks. This is a fixable issue that doesn't ruin the experience, but I'm not sure this is working as Wear and Tear concept was one of my favorite additions to sports video games in 2024. I love to see EA building on it and also seeing the concept making its way to Madden this year. This year, the damage is supposed to be based on physics. I am enjoying this, and I can see as my Dynasty moves along it will become a bigger factor in my there was a primary criticism of College Football 25, it was that it was nearly impossible to defend in the wide-open game. It made for some exciting plays and contests, but EA is right to try and level the playing field. This year, route commits, zone depth changes, block steering, and stunts/twists now give defenders real-time tools to counter spam tactics. Also, ballhandlers aren't as impossible to line up for a tackle or hit. However, the stiff arm for some running backs has the power of Mjölnir. That's already been a topic of discussion in the game's community. This YouTube Short highlights it. I think it'll get nerfed in an upcoming patch. Once that happens, we may have a bit more features include formation subs, 160 trophies to chase, protected rivalries, and the ability to break NCAA records dating back to 1869. CFB 26 also introduces 'Dynamic Dealbreakers' that evolve player needs, 2,000 annual transfers, and revamped recruiting with proximity-based visit costs. The recruiting should be the benchmark for all forthcoming recruiting and free-agency engines in sports video games. To put it plain, Dynasty Mode is mostly fantastic as EA even expanded the already strong Team Builder feature to improve team creation. That said, you still can't create or edit players on existing schools. I understand the caution and limitation, but it doesn't change the fact that this reality creates a lesser experience for true sandbox players.I applaud EA's approach to gamify the high school portion without having users play through full prep games. It's more mission-based, and the quick feedback you get from schools makes it move at a solid pace. You can even recreate your high school while you traverse through the journey of being signed on National Signing Day. I enjoyed RTG a lot, including the varying has done decently well with CUT, but there are two major issues. I like sports collector modes that don't break their sport in the name of increasing power. When that happens, it creates a no-rules, all-out dash for power cards that ultimately gets ridiculous about six months after release. I'm not a microtransaction hater. Like it or not, it's how developer studios stay afloat, devs keep their jobs, and it funds new projects. Gamers benefit from them, even though they don't realize it. So this isn't a slap at the spending aspect of CUT. It's more about the mode needing a safe space that is more governed by rules that keeps things from always being about pure power. The second issue is EA's insistence on keeping legends locked exclusively in Ultimate Team. I cannot tell you how irrational that is from a holistic standpoint. Perhaps higher-ups believe that allowing fans to unlock—or even purchase—the legends will cost them money. I contend it will open up a new revenue stream that they're not currently collecting. Some franchise mode fans would love to simply buy a legends pack that unlocks them for use in the base game. They would happily fork over $19.99 for the legends. If we're talking about a hardcore franchise mode gamer, chances are they aren't setting foot in Ultimate Team anyway. So as it is, you're not getting anything from them beyond the base price for the Standard Edition. If the MVP and Digital Deluxe Editions also included legends unlocked for base game and franchise mode, I believe EA would see an increase in pre-orders above their already strong total—and it wouldn't negatively impact spend in Ultimate Team. But I digress. It's a philosophical pattern that EA Sports games follow, and I believe it's an annual misstep that also creates unnecessary hostility toward Ultimate Team. The RTCF flow is quick and exciting. Opponent tendencies are now visible before the game, and away games apply pressure that affects performance and point totals. It all flows into the pageantry and presentation, but the impact on gameplay is a nice addition. EA College Football 26 won't be judged as softly as last year's game because fans aren't simply fired up to have college football back. That said, EA's dev team hasn't rested on its success, and they've delivered a strong follow-up with noteworthy improvements. The issues are mostly out of the dev's hands and based on the handling of legends or legalities that limit in-game customization.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Heat president Pat Riley 'sincerely' believes Illinois star Kasparas Jakucionis is one of a kind
The Illinois basketball team made it to the Round of 32 last season before losing to Kentucky. The Fighting Illini were led by Kasparas Jakucionis, who at times seemed to be in a league of his own on the court. In the NBA Draft, he slipped all the way to No. 20, where the Miami Heat selected him. He was considered the steal of the draft, but his start to the Summer League has not lived up to that expectation. Advertisement 'In three Summer League games, it would be an understatement to say that Jakucionis has struggled. He's been extremely underwhelming and a near disaster, especially considering the hype he arrived with when the Heat selected him. So far, he's had more turnovers than field goals made in every game,' Michael Saenz wrote. Jakucionis isn't putting up the numbers expected of him in the Summer League. 'Through three games of Summer League, Jakucionis is averaging 4.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. The Heat point guard is 1/15 from the field,' Space City Scoops' James Piercey wrote. Jakucionis recently spoke about his slow start, attributing it to a rhythm issue. Advertisement Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp 'I think I'm just not in a rhythm. I'm just trying to get back in a rhythm after all the process I had. So I'm just trying to get back to myself and just trying to execute as hard as I can. When I go to the court, I just give 100%. Even if I don't do the best on offense, I try to give 100% on defense and just try to help the team to win,' Jakucionis said. Heat president Pat Riley had some inspiring words for Jakucionis when they first met after the draft. '30 years we've been able to do this but we have not had many like you. I'm saying that sincerely,' Riley said. Jakucionis' ceiling is very high, but right now he is experiencing some early lows. However, with Riley fully bought into him, he should feel at ease whether he is playing well or not.
USA Today
07-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Brian Campbell defeats Emiliano Grillo in a playoff to win the 2025 John Deere Classic
SILVIS, Ill. — A former Fighting Illini was victorious in Illinois on Sunday. Brian Campbell needed just one extra hole to dispatch Argentina's Emiliano Grillo in a sudden death playoff to win the 2025 John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run on a Sunday that saw off-and-on rain showers all afternoon. It's his second career PGA Tour victory and his second this season. Campbell, a 32-year-old from Newport Beach, California, played his college golf at the University of Illinois, less than 200 miles from TPC Deere Run. He made his first PGA Tour start at the John Deere Classic as an amateur in 2015. He missed the cut that year, but a decade later, Campbell hoisted the trophy. He was feeling the love from the locals all week. 'It's awesome. I've never had this much support at any golf tournament, and so I never knew it would be this awesome to feel the crowd out there and get it done in this fashion.' Campbell and Grillo each shot 4-under 67 on Sunday to finish at 18 under — the worst winning number at the John Deere Classic since Bryson Dechambeau won with the same score in 2017. Campbell's drive on the playoff hole – the par-4 18th – found the fairway, and he hit a textbook 7-iron from 193 yards to set up a prime birdie chance. He didn't end up needing it, though, as Grillo hit his tee shot into the treeline on the right side of the fairway before going over the green with his second and duffing a pitch shot on his third to hand the win to Campbell, who two-putted for par. Before that, Campbell — who moved up from 59th to 28th in the FedEx Cup Standings this week — appeared as if he might run away with the victory when he took a two-shot lead on the back nine, but a double bogey at the par-4 15th set him back into a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard. '[It was a] horrible feeling in the moment. Just made a bad swing. I think the humidity made me slip just a little bit, and I knew it was in the hazard from the start. So I just kind of accepted it and I was like, 'You know what, we're still in this. There are a lot of holes left that I actually really like.'' He's become accustomed to the pressure of a playoff. His first career win on Tour came just four months ago at the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld, where he defeated 20-year-old Aldrich Potgieter in two extra holes. Potgieter won the Rocket Classic in Detroit last week. This week, it was Campbell's turn again. "It's a little bit familiar from Mexico, but oh, man, just so over the moon to be in that position and to come back and finish it off. A lot of nerves that's for sure, but I can't believe we're here. What a special event.' In an age where distance is a priority and long bombers tend to rule, Campbell has earned his second victory of the season as the shortest hitter on Tour according to the official stats, with an average driving distance of 276.6. 'It just goes to show that there is so many different games out here and so many different ways to play the game. There is not one way to get it done, and that was something that I proved to myself earlier this season, and it's paid off.' Campbell first earned his PGA Tour card in 2015, but lost it in 2017. After spending being relegated to the Korn Ferry Tour and battling several bouts with injury and illness, Campbell made his way back onto the PGA Tour this season. Now, he's a two-time winner. 'I've worked my entire life to be in this position, and unfortunately we had a couple years there where it wasn't looking so good… it really was all second stage Q-School about two, three years ago. I made like a quintuple bogey on a par-3 and I thought my career was over in that moment. That night, I just kind of had a self-talk with myself. Said, 'You know what, whatever happens is okay. Trust yourself.' The next round I went out there and shot 8-under and got myself right back in there. "I guess I was like, maybe golf is not over for me. That moment was when everything changed.' Grillo walks away on the other side of the emotional spectrum, experiencing the agony of defeat. 'I feel like I hit some great putts," Grillo said. I gave my 100 percent. I played really well. I think I hit every fairway today, except for that first in the playoff. Unlucky, but it is what it is. It's golf. Sometimes you've got to take what you get.' Max Homa entered the final round just one shot off the lead. After making three straight birdies on holes 2-4, Homa stumbled with bogeys on Nos. 5, 9 and 15, keeping him out of striking distance down the stretch. He finished 16 under, in a six-way tie for fifth with Lucas Glover, Jacob Bridgeman, Matt Kuchar, Kurt Kitayama and Carson Young. David Lipsky had a rollercoaster finish to his final round. He made eagle on the par-5 17th after an incredible second shot with a fairway wood, joining a tie with Campbell and Grillo at 18 under. But a wayward tee shot on the 18th forced him to lay up in front of the green. His 15-foot par putt, which he needed to make in order to join the playoff, caught the edge of the hole and lipped out. Lipsky finished at 17 under, in a tie for third with Kevin Roy.
