NEU » e him 768 for the season and an outside chance

Two of the most storied programs in the history of the womens game are absent from espnWs latest Bracketology projection, even though both teams were ranked among the top 15 in the preseason.They were also on opposite sides Sunday, Texas beating Tennessee 72-67 in Austin in what was an entertaining and well-played game (the second half, at least). It was a win the Longhorns desperately needed and an opportunity lost for the Lady Vols, who erased a 15-point deficit to lead at one point in the second half but still fell to 4-4.So how does a game that features two teams with a combined 13 McDonalds All Americans on the rosters fail to include at least one that is considered tournament-worthy at this point?The easy answer: record. These two nearly annual postseason participants are just a combined 7-8. The schedules the two programs play during the nonconference season are always tough -- but this season they have taken their toll more than usual, as have some injuries.In Austin, at least, there isnt too much need to worry. The current outside-looking-in status should change for the Longhorns. Texas is surely one of the 32 best teams in the country, which would normally put the team in line for an at-large berth.However, Bracketology is a snapshot of the season today. The committee doesnt offer at-large selections to teams with losing records. That would be unprecedented. So at 3-4, Texas simply cant be in the field at this point. Sure, three of those four losses are to teams in the top 10 (UConn, Mississippi State and South Carolina), but sub-.500 is sub-.500, even though Texas was considered a No. 2 seed in the preseason.With four home games -- theyll be heavily favored in each -- to finish the calendar year, the Longhorns will be well on the way to being included in our first projection of 2017. If they live up to the preseason billing as the second-best team in the Big 12 behind Baylor, the Longhorns could wind up hosting NCAA tournament games as a top-four seed. With the win over Tennessee, they also have a solid nonconference feather.The Lady Vols situation doesnt come with the same level of confidence. The fears that floated over Knoxville when Tennessees NCAA tournament prospects looked bleak at one point last spring should be returning.Even as Holly Warlicks club fought chemistry issues and stumbled through the meat of the SEC schedule in 2015-16, it still had big nonleague wins over Syracuse and Oregon State, two eventual Final Four teams, as a foundation. The Lady Vols dont have that this year -- and they wont. They lost four of their last five games, falling to every quality foe they encountered (Penn State, Virginia Tech, Baylor and Texas).Tennesees schedule wasnt even as tough this year, and with only Sundays matchup with Stanford at Thompson-Bolling and a mid-January Big Monday game against Notre Dame, the opportunity for quality wins might have to come in the SEC. If Tennessee goes 8-8 with a win at Missouri being its best -- like in 2016 -- the Lady Vols likely wont make the NCAA tournament this time. That would be a program first. (They were a No. 7 seed last season.)In Sundays loss to Texas, Diamond DeShields was efficient and Jaime Nared played what was perhaps her best game in a Tennessee uniform. But the Lady Vols really needed to finish off the comeback.That makes Sundays visit from the Cardinal as big as any mid-December game can be. Los Angeles Clippers Gear . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. Loy Vaught Jersey . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. https://www.cheapclippersonline.com/120h-austin-rivers-jersey-clippers.html . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. Montrezl Harrell Jersey . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Stitched Clippers Jerseys . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. HOUSTON -- Last season, Houston outlasted Louisville 34-31 thanks in part to miscues by Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson in his first career start.Things have changed.Jackson is now the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and has No. 3 Louisville (9-1) in the hunt for a spot in the College Football Playoff as the Cardinals visit Houston on Thursday night .Jackson threw for 168 yards and a touchdown against the Cougars last season. But also tossed two interceptions, and a late touchdown pass by Greg Ward helped Houston to the victory.Were a much different team than we were last year, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said. Right then we were trying to even find out who we are and what we were doing and everything was new to Lamar when he was out there ... just understanding the difference between high school football and college football. So I dont think last years game will play into this game at all.This season, Jackson has thrown for 2,898 yards and 27 touchdowns. He has added 1,334 yards rushing and leads the nation with 19 rushing touchdowns.His performance has helped the Cardinals rise to No. 5 in the CFP rankings with two games remaining. But Petrino insists that they arent overly concerned with the rankings and are instead focused on the Cougars.They just have to understand that they need to go out and play well, and play the type of football we are capable of playing, Petrino said. Really, thats what we need to do our last two games, and then whatever happens, happens. We cant control any of that.The Cougars (8-2) will counter with Ward, their dual-threat quarterback. He has 2,608 yards passing with 16 touchdowns and 429 yards rushing and nine more scores. Coach Tom Herman said hell play on Thursday despite leaving Saturdays game against Tulane after aggravating a shoulder injury hes been dealing with for several weeks and being bothered by an ankle injury.He is pretty banged up, as he has been most of the year, Herman said. He still gets treatment threee times a day on his ankle that really slowed him down in the SMU game and in that stretch in October .dddddddddddd.. (but) hes going to play.Some things to know about the Louisville-Houston game:STREAKINGThe Cougars have the second-longest home winning streak in the nation at 14 games. They havent lost at home since a 31-24 defeat by Tulane on Nov. 8, 2014. They have won five straight games over Top 25 teams and opened their 2016 campaign with a 33-23 win over then-No. 3 Oklahoma.THE `OTHER BACKSomewhat overshadowed by Jacksons running success is senior RB Brandon Radcliff, whose 141-yard, three-TD effort helped ignite Louisvilles comeback over Wake Forest last week. His first 100-yard performance in six games gave him 768 for the season and an outside chance at giving the Cardinals their first pair of 1,000-yard rushers.BACKING UP WARDWard will have a new backup on Thursday after Kyle Postma broke his arm last week. Postma had surgery to insert a plate and screws in his arm on Monday, leaving DEriq King to back up Ward for the rest of the season. The freshman was a high school quarterback, but has appeared in 10 games with four starts at receiver this season. He has 228 yards receiving and a touchdown.NOTHING DOINGLouisvilles defense has stiffened since losing to Clemson, yielding of average of just 14.2 points and under 246.4 yards in five games. The Cardinals held Wake Forest to 214 yards -- just 37 in the second half -- and rank sixth nationally in total defense at 285.2 yards per contest.BACK AND FEELING GOODHouston LB Tyus Bowser had a career-high 11 tackles, included a career-best three sacks last week against Tulane in his return from injury. Bowser had missed the previous five games after a scuffle with teammate Matthew Adams left Bowser with a facial fracture.---AP Sports Writer Gary B. Graves contributed to this report. ' ' '