DieBruderschaft.com

Well find out a lot more about where things stand in the race for the College Football Playoff when the official rankings come out next week. Leading up to the big reveal, our college football experts narrowed the field to the 10 teams with the best shot at the national title.Heres a look at Alabamas title chances; to vote for who you think will win it all, go to our poll page or scroll to the bottom of this feature:The case for AlabamaAlabama ranks No. 1 in FPI, strength of record and game control metrics.An average Top 25 team would have had a 2 percent chance of getting Alabamas 8-0 record.The Crimson Tide have won seven of their eight games by at least 19 points, outscoring their opponents 100-23 in the third quarter.Alabamas defense has +21 EPA per game (expected points added), meaning the defense is adding about 21 points to the final score margin. That is the highest defensive EPA for any team this far into the season in the past decade.-- ESPN Stats & InfoThe case against AlabamaOne way that opponents have had moderate success against Alabama is on deep balls this season. The Tide have allowed 11 receptions on throws that traveled at least 25 yards downfield, tied for the fifth-most in the Power 5. And Alabama just lost starting safety Eddie Jackson for the season.-- ESPN Stats & InfoTalking pointsVegas odds: Alabama leads the pack with 8-5 odds to win the national title, according to Westgate SuperBook.What FPI says: According to ESPNs Football Power Index, the Crimson Tide have a 41.1 percent chance of winning out through the regular season and conference title game, the sixth-highest percentage in the nation, and a 67.7 percent chance of winning the SEC. Their remaining schedule -- which includes a road game against No. 19 LSU and a home game versus No. 15 Auburn in the annual Iron Bowl -- ranks as the 28th-most difficult.ESPN Senior Writer Mark Schlabach: I cant picture the Crimson Tide losing, at least not during the regular season. ... Alabamas defense and special teams mask its offenses mistakes. Whenever QB Jalen Hurts looks like a freshman who is only months removed from high school, the Crimson Tide do something on defense or special teams to make up for it.Alabama had five sacks and 11 tackles for loss against Texas A&M. Opponents cant run between the tackles against college footballs most formidable front, and there arent many who can throw over the top of the Crimson Tide defense, either.But Alabama might not roll over resurgent LSU and Auburn like we once thought it would. No. 25 LSU improved to 3-0 under interim coach Ed Orgeron with a 38-21 win over Ole Miss, and No. 21 Auburn crushed No. 17 Arkansas 56-3 for its fifth straight victory by running for 543 yards, a school record in SEC games.ESPN analytics writer Sharon Katz: There are six teams -- Michigan, Louisville, Ohio State, Clemson, Washington and Auburn -- that FPI would currently give at least a 25 percent chance to beat Alabama in a potential national championship game. Michigan is the most likely to take down the defending champs (47 percent likely), followed by Louisville (42 percent) and Ohio State (34 percent).Now that youre stuffed with numbers and analysis, are you convinced the Tide are going all the way? Cast your vote below. Elgin Baylor Lakers Jersey . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Vlade Divac Jersey .S. Open champion Justin Rose birdied the first hole with a blind shot he hit to a foot of the pin, and he stayed in front Tuesday until he completed a 4-under 67 for a two-shot lead over Jason Dufner in PGA Grand Slam of Golf. http://www.lakersteamofficial.com/Byron-Scott-Lakers-Jersey/ .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Dennis Rodman Jersey . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. Shaquille ONeal Jersey . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers rookies Ross Stripling and Grant Dayton got to face David Ortiz on Saturday when the Red Sox designated hitter made a rare start in the field in an NL park. It turned out to be a special experience for both pitchers.Stripling and three relievers combined on a five-hitter and held Ortiz hitless in three at-bats while Los Angeles beat Boston 3-0.Ortiz made his first start this season at first base and had two nice catches, but didnt do much at the plate.Stripling got Ortiz to ground out with two men on in the first inning, and then got him to fly out to end the third.That will be something I look back on and really remember, Stripling said. To think the legacy that he has and the year hes having, to get him out in a big jam in the first and to get him out again, thats pretty cool.Stripling (3-3) pitched five innings after being called up from the minors when pitcher Bud Norris was put on the disabled list.Making his first start for the Dodgers since May 19, he gave up hits to the first two batters and loaded the bases in the first inning. He retired Sandy Leon on a soft grounder back to the mound to end the inning.That was probably the biggest pitch I threw all day, looking back, Stripling said. I threw a 3-2 changeup after a 2-2 changeup ... and was lucky I fooled him a little bit.Stripling settled down after the rough start to retire 15 of the last 18 hitters he faced, allowing four hits and a walk and striking out four.Dayton, up from the minors on Thursday, followed with two scoreless innings, including a strikeout of Ortiz in the sixth.I was trying not to think about it, Dayton said when asked about facing Ortiz. Obviously, hes a legend, but I still had to do my job. I just tried to execute my pitches and trust (catcher) A.J. (Ellis).Kenley Jansen closed for his NL-leading 33rd save.Adrian Gonzalez added three hits and an RBI for Los Angeles. Hes batting .386 (22 for 57) since July 1 and has nine games with at least three hits this year.Eduardo Rodriguez (2-5) gave up three runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings.The first ball hit by the Dodgers, a soft liner off the bat of Howie Kendrick, forced Ortiz to move to his right to make a lunging catch. With runners on first and third in the fifth, Ortiz made a diving catch of Josh Reddicks liner to end the inning.Good hands never leave you. Remember that, Ortiz said.Ortiz left in the sixth inning and Traavis Shaw shifted from third to first.ddddddddddddI just didnt want to go three days without playing, but Im OK, Ortiz said. I got a little sore out there.Mookie Betts had two hits for Boston.Corey Seager set the Dodgers rookie record with his 31st double of the season, an RBI hit that made it 2-0 in the fifth. He had been tied with Eric Karros (1992).Ellis got his first RBI since June 27 with a two-out single in the second.DISH DECISIONThe Red Sox may put newly acquired C Bryan Holaday behind plate Sunday, manager John Farrell said. Holaday was a teammate of Sunday starter David Price in Detroit in 2014-15.Holaday was claimed off waivers from Texas on Friday.There would be no hesitation for Bryan to handle David tomorrow, Farrell said. David had a lot of history with Bryan back from Detroit. Theres a comfort level there.TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia, who left Friday nights game after fouling a pitch off his left ankle, was still sore Saturday and didnt play. Farrell said Pedroia would hopefully be back in the lineup Sunday. ... OF Chris Youngs rehab assignment date will depend upon a baserunning workout Sunday. ... 1B Hanley Ramirez, after sitting out two games with a jammed left wrist, came through Fridays game without incident. He struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning Saturday, and Farrell expected him back in the Red Sox lineup on Sunday.Dodgers: Norris is on the disabled list with a back strain. No timetable has been set for the right-handers return. ... LHP Brett Anderson (herniated disk) will make a rehab start at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, with a 75-pitch/five-inning limit. ... OF Trayce Thompson (lower back tightness) has scaled back his baseball activities. Manager Dave Roberts said the team took measures to stabilize his back and core. ... RHP Casey Fien (elbow tendinitis) will begin a rehab stint at Arizona on Monday.NEXT UPRed Sox: LHP David Price (9-7,4.30) enters Sundays start with a 3.15 ERA over his last five outings. He leads the American League with seven double-digit strikeout games.Dodgers: RHP Brandon McCarthy (2-2,2.76) has seen the team lose each of his last four starts, despite him allowing six runs in 17 1/3 innings ( 3.12 ERA). Current Red Sox are batting .328 against McCarthy (64 at-bats). ' ' '