CNN
 — 

Two US Navy pilots ejected safely after their fighter jet was shot down over the Crimson Sea on Saturday in an obvious pleasant hearth incident, US Central Command mentioned in an announcement.

The pilots had been recovered, and one of many crew members sustained minor accidents, in keeping with preliminary assessments.

The plane, an F/A-18, was working from the USS Harry S. Truman when it was “mistakenly fired” upon by the USS Gettysburg, CENTCOM mentioned. The USS Gettysburg, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, is a part of the Truman service strike group, which entered the waters of the Center East one week in the past.

A full investigation is underway. CENTCOM burdened the incident was not the results of hostile hearth. The Iran-backed Houthi militant group in Yemen has repeatedly made false claims of hanging US warships working within the Crimson Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The US has maintained a near-constant presence of main Navy warships within the area for the reason that begin of the battle in Gaza, because the Houthis have focused ships within the Crimson Sea, one of many world’s busiest waterways, calling the assaults a response to Israel’s battle in opposition to Hamas.

The obvious pleasant hearth incident comes the identical day the US carried out airstrikes in opposition to Houthi targets in Yemen, hitting a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility within the capital of Sana’a. The US additionally shot down one-way assault drones and an anti-ship cruise missile, in keeping with CENTCOM.

The strikes on the Iran-backed insurgent group concerned using Navy F/A-18 fighter jets, in addition to US Air Pressure property, CENTCOM mentioned.

In keeping with two US army officers, the downed fighter jet was not a part of the strikes in Yemen.

The Houthis, who management Yemen’s most populous areas, say they gained’t cease hanging Israel and its allies till a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

The F/A-18 incident additionally got here the identical day Houthi forces in Yemen mentioned they fired a hypersonic ballistic missile at an Israeli army goal in Tel Aviv’s Jaffa space. The missile fired from Yemen hit Tel Aviv in a single day into Saturday, Israeli authorities mentioned, in a uncommon occasion of a failed interception over town.

Greater than a dozen individuals sustained minor accidents, in keeping with emergency providers, however no fatalities had been reported.

CNN’s Lauren Izso, Edward Szekeres and Kareem El Damanhoury contributed to this report.

In Might, Oleksandr Usyk accomplished his mission, defeating Tyson Fury by break up determination to turn into the primary undisputed heavyweight champion of the trendy four-belt period. On Saturday in Saudi Arabia, Usyk will search for a repeat efficiency when he rematches Fury, this time with three world titles on the road.

Usyk was stripped of the IBF championship for transferring forward together with his contractually obligated rematch with Fury, although the shortage of one of many 4 world titles from the primary assembly has completed nothing to decrease the joy or significance of this rematch.

The primary assembly was the primary time Fury had suffered defeat as an expert, having gone undefeated throughout 35 earlier bouts that additionally noticed him twice reign as world champion. Fury began that battle properly, utilizing his measurement and attain to maintain the a lot smaller Usyk at vary. Fury was so snug within the early rounds that he repeatedly danced and showboated, seemingly feeling he had the battle in hand.

Usyk was in a position to make the required changes because the battle wore on and never solely began to efficiently use his boxing expertise, but additionally scored a knockdown in Spherical 9. An ideal left hook landed on Fury and the next flurry from Usyk despatched Fury’s 6-foot-9 body stumbling into the nook the place it was dominated the ropes had held him up and thus counted as a knockdown.

That knockdown was the distinction between a break up determination win for Usyk and a break up draw, with one decide scoring the battle 114-113 Fury and two delivering Usyk scores of 115-112 and 114-113. With out the knockdown making for a 10-8 Usyk ninth spherical, that third card would have been 114-114.

“I’ve bought nothing to say aside from there’s going to be a complete lot of harm and ache on this battle, you watch,” Fury stated. “The speaking’s been completed. The primary battle, I talked, I joked, all my profession. This time I am severe, I will do some harm right here on Saturday night time. Watch me go to work.”

Usyk’s win ran his profession report to 22-0. Extra spectacular than his spotless report, Usyk has managed to go undisputed at two completely different weight courses.

“Now we simply have the efficiency. Talks, cameras, lights, sort of present. All the pieces goes to be happening Saturday night time on the twenty first,” Usyk stated on the remaining press convention. “Do not be afraid. I can’t depart you alone. See you on Saturday.”

Usyk ran by way of the cruiserweight division earlier than successful the World Boxing Tremendous Sequence in 2018 to unify all 4 world titles at 200 kilos. In October 2019, Usyk made the transfer to heavyweight with a win over Chazz Witherspoon. Two fights later, he’d defeated Anthony Joshua to seize the IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles.

“Relating to the principle occasion, I’ve bought loads of historical past with Oleksandr Usyk, however I’m backing Tyson Fury. In fact, he is the Brit. Individuals ask me on a regular basis, “who’s going to win this battle?” and I’ve stated this: Oleksandr Usyk is an unbelievable fighter and it’ll take one thing extraordinary to beat him on Saturday night time. However, and I do know we have had our variations, Tyson Fury is able to extraordinary issues,” Matchroom Boxing CEO Eddie Hearn stated. 

“His victory in opposition to Wladimir Klitschko in Germany, I watched that on a laptop computer in a resort in America, I assumed he had completely no likelihood. He gained each single spherical. When he fought Deontay Wilder in America, I assumed he had completely no likelihood. He was robbed within the first battle, he smashed him to items within the second battle. Two generational nice heavyweights, two credit to the game. Might God bless you each on Saturday night time, however most of all, I am unable to consider I am saying it, might Tyson Fury be victorious on Saturday night time for Britain and get the championship again.”

Now the 2 meet once more with legacy on the road. Can Fury make the required changes to take care of his early momentum from the primary battle or will Usyk once more conquer the enormous and show his place atop the heavyweight division?

The undercard was set to function a strong matchup between Serhii Bohachuk and Israil Madrimov at junior middleweight. Sadly, Madrimov was pressured to withdraw from the bout after affected by bronchitis throughout coaching camp. His subsequent look is predicted to be on the Feb. 22 card that includes Artur Beterbev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 in the principle occasion the place he’ll face one other high contender in Vergil Ortiz. As a substitute, Bohachuk will tackle Ismael Davis. 

Elsewhere on the cardboard, extra heavyweights give assist to the principle occasion. Rising teenage phenom Moses Itauma is again in motion when he takes on veteran Demsey McKean. The 19-year-old has thrilled in his early profession, scoring eight knockouts in 10 skilled fights. His final was most spectacular when he stopped veteran Mariusz Wach within the second spherical in July. He will get a sturdy veteran in McKean, who’s coming off the primary defeat of his professional profession when he was stopped by Filip Hrgovic in August.

Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at the remainder of the undercard earlier than attending to a prediction and skilled choose on the principle occasion.

Usyk vs. Fury 2 battle card, odds

• Oleksandr Usyk (c) -140 vs. Tyson Fury +110, unified heavyweight titles
• Serhii Bohachuk -950 vs. Ismael Davis +600, junior middleweight
• Moses Itauma -1400 vs. Demsey McKean +750, heavyweights
• Johnny Fisher -1400 vs. Dave Allen +700, heavyweights
• Peter McGrail -450 vs. Rhys Edwards +320, junior featherweights
• Lee McGregor -190 vs. Isaac Lowe +150, featherweights

The place to observe Usyk vs. Fury 2

• Date: Dec. 21
• Location: Kingdom Area — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Begin time: 10 a.m. ET  (fundamental occasion ring walks round 5 p.m. ET)
• Easy methods to watch: DAZN PPV (Worth: $39.99)

Prediction

The picture of Fury reeling alongside the ropes as Usyk was on the verge of scoring a stoppage is difficult to shake from one’s thoughts. Usyk was so good over the second half of the battle that it erased what was an amazing early displaying from Fury. What Fury must handle is to construct that momentum with out letting Usyk ever get snug. The largest query heading into Saturday is whether or not Fury has developed a gameplan that may throw Usyk off, since Usyk discovered Fury halfway by way of the primary battle and by no means appeared again.

Fury has supposedly devoted himself to the craft in new and intense methods forward of his second shot at Usyk. Nonetheless, it is laborious to suppose that Fury can develop wrinkles a fighter of Usyk’s expertise cannot regulate to. Anticipate a battle which may not be as thrilling as the primary assembly, however that also produces some drama earlier than Usyk once more pulls away within the second half to retain his titles. Decide: Oleksandr Usyk through UD

Who wins Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury, and which methodology of victory prop may carry an enormous return? Be a part of SportsLine right here to see which bets it’s worthwhile to make for the battle, all from the achieved veteran fight sports activities analyst who has constantly delivered winners.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two U.S. Navy pilots have been shot down Sunday over the Purple Sea in an obvious “pleasant hearth” incident, the united statesmilitary mentioned, marking probably the most severe incident to threaten troops in over a yr of America focusing on Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Each pilots have been recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken plane, with one struggling minor accidents. However the shootdown underlines simply how harmful the Purple Sea hall has turn out to be over the continued assaults on transport by the Iranian-backed Houthis regardless of U.S. and European navy coalitions patrolling the world.

The U.S. navy had performed airstrikes focusing on Yemen’s Houthi rebels on the time, although the U.S. navy’s Central Command didn’t elaborate on what their mission was and didn’t instantly reply to questions from The Related Press.

The F/A-18 shot down had simply flown off the deck of the united statesHarry S. Truman plane service, Central Command mentioned. On Dec. 15, Central Command acknowledged the Truman had entered the Mideast, however hadn’t specified that the service and its battle group was within the Purple Sea.

“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is a part of the united statesHarry S. Truman Provider Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18,” Central Command mentioned in a press release.

From the navy’s description, the plane shot down was a two-seat F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet fighter jet assigned to the “Purple Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.

It wasn’t instantly clear how the Gettysburg may mistake an F/A-18 for an enemy plane or missile, significantly as ships in a battle group stay linked by each radar and radio communication.

Nonetheless, Central Command mentioned that warships and plane earlier shot down a number of Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile launched by the rebels. Incoming hostile hearth from the Houthis has given sailors simply seconds to make selections up to now.

Because the Truman’s arrival, the U.S. has stepped up its airstrikes focusing on the Houthis and their missile hearth into the Purple Sea and the encircling space. Nonetheless, the presence of an American warship group could spark renewed assaults from the rebels, like what the united statesDwight D. Eisenhower noticed earlier this yr. That deployment marked what the Navy described as its most intense fight since World Warfare II.

On Saturday evening and early Sunday, U.S. warplanes performed airstrikes that shook Sanaa, the capital of Yemen that the Houthis have held since 2014. Central Command described the strikes as focusing on a “missile storage facility” and a “command-and-control facility,” with out elaborating.

Houthi-controlled media reported strikes in each Sanaa and across the port metropolis of Hodeida, with out providing any casualty or harm data. In Sanaa, strikes appeared significantly focused at a mountainside recognized to be house to navy installations. The Houthis later acknowledged the plane being shot down within the Purple Sea.

The Houthis have focused about 100 service provider vessels with missiles and drones for the reason that Israel-Hamas warfare within the Gaza Strip began in October 2023 after Hamas’ shock assault on Israel that killed 1,200 folks and noticed 250 others taken hostage.

Israel’s grinding offensive in Gaza has killed greater than 45,000 Palestinians, native well being officers say. The tally doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.

The Houthis have seized one vessel and sunk two in a marketing campaign that has additionally killed 4 sailors. Different missiles and drones have both been intercepted by separate U.S.- and European-led coalitions within the Purple Sea or failed to succeed in their targets, which have additionally included Western navy vessels.

The rebels keep that they aim ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the UK to pressure an finish to Israel’s marketing campaign in opposition to Hamas in Gaza. Nonetheless, lots of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the battle, together with some sure for Iran.

The Houthis even have more and more focused Israel itself with drones and missiles, leading to retaliatory Israeli airstrikes.

Story Continues

British heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley: “As a boxer and as an individual, Fury is able to making the changes to beat Usyk however do I feel he’ll really have the ability to and whether or not the ambition remains to be there? With out being offensive, it might be missing slightly. With Usyk, he’s so stoic and stalwart and 100% centered on getting the job performed. I feel it is going to be a tough activity to tear the belts away from him.”

Former undisputed heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis: “Tyson Fury wins this as a result of he’s the larger man. He’ll use his jab and must throw extra punches than the primary struggle. He cannot muck round and must be completely critical. I all the time say the larger man all the time wins if they’ve the identical abilities.”

Welterweight world champion Natasha Jonas: “I feel Fury can be extra on it and he can do it this time.”

Heavyweight Lawrence Okolie: “I’ll again Fury, which sounds insane as a result of we have seen Usyk do it numerous instances and has even beat Fury already. It was such an in depth struggle and Fury nonetheless has one other type to strive. He has a possibility to not attempt to outbox the boxer as he did and attempt to be extra aggressive. He generally is a massive sturdy man and again it up with boxing ability. At instances when he was stepping off, possibly he’ll now step ahead. Possibly it makes it extra ugly, messy and gritty. What I’ll say is that one among them will win extra convincingly than final time and that is also Usyk if he stays constant like his final struggle. If he is in even higher form than Fury, he may win by an even bigger margin than final time.”

Heavyweight Frazer Clarke: “Fury could make amends and you may by no means doubt him, however I do assume Usyk will win.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jeremiah Fears buried a 3-pointer with 11.5 seconds left and drew a foul, then calmly sank the following free throw for a four-point play as No. 14 Oklahoma edged Twenty fourth-ranked Michigan 87-86 on Wednesday evening in a wild end on the Jumpman Invitational.

Fears completed with 30 factors on 8-of-12 capturing because the Sooners (11-0) remained unbeaten. Duke Miles had 17 factors, together with two massive 3s within the second half.

Vladislav Goldin completed with 26 factors and 10 rebounds, whereas Danny Wolf had 15 factors and 10 rebounds for the Wolverines (8-3).

The Wolverines had been in management many of the sport and had a three-point lead and the ball with 30 seconds left earlier than a turnover gave the Sooners an opportunity.

After a number of passes across the perimeter, Fears broke free and made a 30-footer from the left wing and fell again as he was fouled by Roddy Gayle Jr. The Wolverines nonetheless had an opportunity to win the sport on their ultimate possession, however Tre Donaldson missed a 3-pointer and Wolf could not get the offensive rebound off earlier than the clock expired.

TAKEAWAY

Oklahoma: Exterior of a win over then-No. 24 Arizona, the Sooners hadn’t been examined a lot this season. However they confirmed their mettle by battling again towards one in every of tallest groups within the nation. Fears proved he is a gamer with an enormous shot to win it.

KEY STAT

The Sooners had been 12 of 25 from past the arc, whereas the Wolverines had been simply 4 of 28.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma hosts Central Arkansas on Sunday, Dec. 22 at midday inside Lloyd Noble Heart.

Alexandre Provider performed 18:37 in his Canadiens debut, together with 3:10 on the penalty kill, in the future after being acquired from the Nashville Predators for Justin Barron.

“He was simply so good tonight,” stated Guhle, his defensive associate. “I didn’t know that a lot about him, however he’s a very good skater and he makes fast performs with the puck.

“Clearly, he has to get used to our system stuff, however it’s enjoyable to play with him.”

Montreal completed with two even-strength targets, one on the ability play and one shorthanded.

“We went 0-fer on the ability play, they scored a shortie and clearly, they obtained the power-play aim on the finish,” Lalonde stated. “That was an enormous a part of the sport – our incapacity to execute on particular groups.”

NOTES: Evans suffered a facial lower in a third-period collision with Kane, however returned to the sport while not having stitches. … With protection associate Simon Edvinsson out with an upper-body harm, Seider performed 27:17, together with 4:46 on the ability play and three:01 shorthanded. He was a plus-1 with two photographs.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The No. 24-ranked College of Michigan males’s basketball staff fell within the ultimate seconds to No. 14 Oklahoma, 87-86, on Wednesday (Dec. 18) within the Jumpman Invitational on the Spectrum Heart. 

The Turning Level

With 11 seconds to play and trailing by three, Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears hit a three-pointer and the following free throw to provide Oklahoma an 87-86 lead. U-M’s Tre Donaldson could not join on a three-pointer with seconds left on the clock. And an offensive rebound and heave by Danny Wolf on the buzzer additionally fell brief.

Leaders and Finest

Vladislav Goldin led all scorers with a career-high 26 factors together with 10 rebounds. Wolf additionally had a double-double with 15 factors and 10 rebounds. Roddy Gayle Jr. had 15 factors and three assists, whereas Donaldson added 14 factors.

First Half

Michigan dominated within the paint early within the contest, with 16 of its first 21 factors coming within the paint. After Oklahoma jumped to an early 10-6 lead, Michigan mounted a 15-3 run over three-and-a-half minutes to pressure an Oklahoma timeout. U-M’s large man duo of Goldin and Wolf had eight and 7 factors, respectively, by means of the primary eight minutes to provide the Wolverines a 21-13 lead.

Over the subsequent eight minutes, U-M had extra success down low whereas struggling from three-point vary. With 3:56 to go, 26 of Michigan’s 35 factors have been within the paint. Goldin added one other eight factors to keep up U-M’s five-point lead. He completed his robust half with 16 factors and 7 rebounds.

To shut the half, Oklahoma went greater than six minutes with no discipline purpose, whereas the Wolverines suffered their very own three-minute drought earlier than Sam Walters ended it with a three-pointer. On the break, U-M led, 43-38.

Second Half

After Oklahoma tied the sport at 43 inside the opening minute of the second half, the Wolverines spurred an 11-0 run — taking a 54-43 benefit with 15:13 remaining, together with seven factors from Gayle alone.

Oklahoma responded with a 9-2 run of its personal, however the Wolverines rapidly responded with a 7-0 run in only one minute — to reclaim a double-digit lead at 68-57 with 9:54 to play. The Sooners responded with one other 9-2 run as U-M maintained its lead, 70-66, on the 7:25 mark.

Oklahoma answered once more with a 9-0 run to assert its second lead of the sport, 78-74. With below three minutes to play, Nimari Burnett grabbed a key offensive rebound — one among Michigan’s 14 — and scored to chop Oklahoma’s result in 82-80 with 2:26 to go.

What’s Subsequent

Michigan will return to Ann Arbor when it hosts Purdue Fort Wayne at Crisler Heart on Sunday (Dec. 22). The sport can be broadcast stay on Huge Ten Plus. Tip is slated for 1 p.m.

Notes

• Michigan’s matchup with No. 14 Oklahoma within the Jumpman Invitational is the third ranked opponent in 11 video games. U-M defeated No. 22 Xavier (78-53) within the championship sport of the Fort Myers Tip-Off and had a street win at No. 11 Wisconsin (67-64).

• Michigan is now 0-3 on the Jumpman Invitational.

• Goldin set a brand new profession greatest with 26 factors, surpassing his 25-point efficiency at Wisconsin earlier this season. This was Goldin’s fifth straight sport with 15 factors or extra, and his third straight sport with 20-plus factors.

• Goldin has scored double figures in 5 straight video games and 6 of his final seven. He reached double figures within the first half, scoring 16 factors on 7-for-9 capturing and a pair of free throws.

• Goldin’s 26 factors and 10 rebounds mark his second double-double this season — the twelfth of his profession.

• Wolf recorded his 18th profession double-double and fifth on the season.

• Wolf snapped a two-game drought from lengthy vary with a three-pointer within the first half. He was 0-for-4 in opposition to Iowa (0-for-2) and Arkansas (0-for-2).

• Rubin Jones made his first three-pointer within the second half since Thanksgiving (Virginia Tech, Nov. 25). It was his fifth of the season.

Indiana was no match for Notre Dame.

The No. 7 Combating Irish cruised to a 27-17 win over the No. 10 Hoosiers within the inaugural sport of the 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff on Friday night time. The sport was successfully over when Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love tied a faculty report and set a Faculty Soccer Playoff report when he ran 98 yards for a TD within the first quarter.

In fact, no one watching knew on the time that Love had ended the sport. However because it went on, it turned clearer that Love’s run was the nice instance of how the night time was going to go for Indiana.

Love’s TD gave Notre Dame a 7-0 lead and the Combating Irish led 17-3 at halftime. Indiana’s three factors got here when the Hoosiers determined to kick a area purpose with lower than 5 minutes to go within the second quarter after spending a timeout to make the choice. You can perceive why Indiana would have chosen to go for it; the distinction between 11 and 14 factors remains to be a two-possession sport. Had Indiana by some means reduce the result in seven, there might need been a believable path to a win.

As a substitute, Indiana kicked the sphere purpose. Notre Dame responded with a area purpose of its personal earlier than halftime.

Any likelihood of an Indiana upset disappeared within the third quarter. Notre Dame obtained the ball first and returned the kickoff previous midfield. The Hoosiers have been in a position to rapidly drive a punt, however went three-and-out as soon as they obtained the ball again.

Indiana appeared to have Notre Dame stopped on the Irish’s subsequent drive, however James Carpenter obtained flagged for hitting Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard as Leonard went out of bounds. The third-down penalty gave Notre Dame a free first down and the Irish prolonged their result in 17 factors and three possessions.

It was undoubtedly over from there. And if that wasn’t sufficient of a clue, Indiana’s resolution to punt the ball whereas trailing by 17 with lower than 11 minutes to go ought to have given many impartial observers sufficient of an incentive to vary the channel earlier than Indiana obtained two late touchdowns to make the ultimate scoreline respectable.

Notre Dame will get Georgia

The win provides the Combating Irish a matchup in opposition to No. 2 Georgia within the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. It’ll be the fifth Sugar Bowl look for Notre Dame and the college’s first since 2007, when Notre Dame misplaced 41-14 to an LSU staff led by JaMarcus Russell. In 1981, Georgia beat Notre Dame within the Sugar Bowl to (unofficially) declare a nationwide title.

This Notre Dame staff is able to beating Georgia on the primary day of 2025, particularly with the questions surrounding the Bulldogs at quarterback. Gunner Stockton appears to be like set to start out for the Bulldogs after Carson Beck’s elbow harm within the SEC title sport. Beck may miss the whole thing of the Faculty Soccer Playoff.

Nevertheless, Notre Dame will have to be higher on offense than it was on Saturday night time. Riley Leonard threw an interception on the Irish’s first drive and the run sport didn’t do a lot exterior of Love’s 98-yard run. Notre Dame was clearly the higher staff on Friday night time, however it could have been a a lot nearer sport if not for Love’s huge play.

The Irish may even have an harm concern on the defensive position. Rylie Moss limped off the sphere following a sack of Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke when his proper leg whipped right into a teammate within the second half.

Don’t name Indiana a fraud

Blowouts occur. Particularly within the Faculty Soccer Playoff. Indiana is much from the primary staff to not have an opportunity within the postseason. And the entire earlier blowouts got here in a four-team playoff.

But it surely’s truthful to have a look at Indiana’s season and think about it lucky. In actual fact, it’s completely acceptable and fairly correct.

After years of being in the identical Massive Ten division as Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State, the Hoosiers didn’t get the Nittany Lions on their schedule in 2024. In trade, they obtained Washington, the staff that misplaced to Michigan within the nationwide title sport practically a 12 months in the past.

Sure, each Michigan and Washington have been far worse than they have been in 2023 because of participant departures and training adjustments. However that’s not Indiana’s fault. The Hoosiers beat each of them in addition to everybody else on their common season schedule exterior of Ohio State. That sport didn’t go nicely. The Buckeyes gained, 38-15.

Ohio State overwhelmed Indiana’s offensive line in that sport and the mismatch was clear once more on Friday as Notre Dame was by far the higher staff in opposition to Indiana’s offensive line. The Hoosiers have been one of many highest-scoring groups within the nation, however it’s clear from its video games in opposition to Ohio State and Notre Dame that they occupied an area in school soccer above most groups however beneath the very best.

That’s OK. Not each staff that makes the 12-team playoff goes to be nice and there are myriad groups all through the historical past of school soccer who posted double-digit win seasons because of lucky schedules. And at 11-1 within the Massive Ten, Indiana greater than deserved an opportunity to play for the nationwide title. In contrast to a sure staff within the SEC, it didn’t have two regular-season losses to .500 groups.