On paper, the college football Week 2 slate of games didn’t look that juicy. There were only two games involving pairs of ranked teams. One of them (No. 12 Oregon at No. 3 Ohio State) figured to be a cruise for the Buckeyes—the Ducks were missing star defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux and linebacker Justin Flowe while playing on the road. The other (No. 10 Iowa at No. 9 Iowa State) is, well, not the most riveting of rivalries.
And yet, as college football often does, Week 2 delivered drama in surprising ways. Here’s who came out on top and who fell short during a busy weekend of games.
The Ducks didn’t just hang with the Buckeyes; they beat them by a touchdown, 35–28. C.J. Verdell ran for what looked like a way too easy 161 yards and two touchdowns, quarterback Anthony Brown threw for two more, and offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead seemed to have Kerry Coombs’ Buckeye defense chasing its tail all afternoon. The game’s defining play was Oregon’s last touchdown, which stood up as the game-winner. No fewer than six Buckeyes chased Brown and Verdell while the QB flicked an easy TD to his tight end, Moliki Matavao (check it out in the video above).
It’s not a stretch to say this game with Iowa was the biggest in the Cyclones’ history. The Hawkeyes are their biggest rival, and they were playing a ranked-versus-ranked game for the first time in the 68-game history of their rivalry. ESPN even brought College GameDay to Ames to celebrate the occasion.
But on the field, Iowa State couldn’t deliver. The Iowa defense nabbed four turnovers, including one Breece Hall fumble that the Hawkeyes’ Jack Campbell returned for a game-turning touchdown. Despite the hype, ISU’s 27–17 loss was deeply anticlimactic.
Back in Week 1, six teams from the Football Championship Subdivision, the lower half of Division 1, beat Bowl Subdivision teams (a significant uptick compared to the five combined FCS upsets over the past two seasons). And it included the first ranked FCS-over-FBS win since 2016, as No. 20 Washington fell to Montana. (More on the Huskies in a moment; things have not gotten better for them.)
In Week 2, two more FCS teams beat up on FBS foes. Duquesne beat Ohio, 28–26, for the first FBS win in school history. Then Jacksonville State stunned Florida State with a 59-yard Hail Mary on the last play of the game—inexplicably, FSU wasn’t lined up in a prevent defense to stop exactly that outcome.
Loser: Mike Norvell
That’s FSU’s head coach, who made the doomed call not to put his team in prevent defense to head off JSU’s upset. Norvell had an absurd explanation for the call (see below).
#FSU HC Mike Norvell on final play of game: “Ran a two deep man under, tried to get pressure on the quarterback. They still had one time out, so we didn’t go to immediate prevent.”
That explanation is very likely false, as it turns out. As Pro Football Focus’ Seth Galina explains, Florida State only had one deep safety on the play (not the two Norvell suggested), giving the Gamecocks all the real estate they needed to pull off an incredible upset.
The Wolverines haven’t played anyone of consequence yet, but they dominated Western Michigan in Week 1 and did the same to Washington in Week 2. They beat the Huskies 31–10 and didn’t allow UW’s offense to move the ball much at all––especially on the ground, where the Huskies were limited to a paltry 69 yards on 28 carries (not including four sacks for a loss of 19 more yards). Plus, the Big House in Ann Arbor looked great on TV.
Notre Dame beat Toledo, 32–29. It wasn’t a great day for the Irish, who fell behind with just over a minute left and needed a comeback in the nick of time to avoid their own upset. The game was broadcast exclusively on Peacock, as Notre Dame broadcast partner NBC used the Irish to beef up subscriptions to its new streaming service.
As the game went on, lots of people surely realized that in order to watch Notre Dame lose to a MAC team, they’d have no choice but to sign up for Peacock and thus let Comcast (NBC’s parent) have even more of their money. Congrats to the network suits, who remain unbeaten in college football.
Loser: USC
USC’s kicker just got disqualified for targeting on the very first play of the game 😅 pic.twitter.com/VxxM1nCSbM
The Trojans lost at home to Stanford, 42–28, in a game that wasn’t even as close as the two-touchdown margin suggests: USC trailed by 29 with six minutes left. Stanford, which took an ugly loss to a mediocre Kansas State the week prior, isn’t a great team. Yet the Cardinal were able to rout the Trojans on their own field, and now USC coach Clay Helton must contend with commentary in the Los Angeles Timescalling for his replacement. At this point, it’s hard to dispute that USC could find a better steward for its football program.
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There’s no doubt when the weather turns colder as we settle into winter, stouts take center stage. And while we enjoy all its iterations: standard stout, imperial stout, and robust barrel-aged stouts, we think this malty, chocolate-filled beer’s close cousin deserves a little respect as well. Of course, we’re talking about the oft-overlooked porter. And the best porters, oh buddy, they’ll have you rethinking your seasonal bevvie of choice.
For those uninitiated, the porter style had its genesis in England like many other iconic beer styles. It first appeared in the 1700s and is (you guessed it) named after porters—individuals tasked with transporting luggage.
A confusing origin story
“Stout is the direct descendant of porter. In the 1700s, it was common to use the word ‘stout’ to refer to a bolder, higher-alcohol version of any beer style, much in the same way we use the word ‘imperial’ today,” says Zach Fowle, advanced cicerone and head of marketing for Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, AZ. “Porter was the most popular beer of the day, and over time, “stout porter” became a popular variant. But by the late 1800s, demand for regular porters evaporated, and stout porter shortened simply to stout.”
But more has changed between the 1800s and today than just our penchant for wearing top hats. “Today, most brewers seem to market beers as either stout or porter based on vibes, rather than on any notable stylistic differences,” he says.
Specifically, porters are known for their dark, almost pitch-black color and rich, sweet flavor profile. If you were to drink a porter and a stout side by side, you might even have difficulty discerning the differences between the two.
Stout versus porter is an enduring topic of discussion in the brewing industry. “While there’s no debating the porter came first—and stout used to be called stout porter, so it was a stronger version of a porter—the lines have become very blurred over the years,” says Rob Lightner, co-founder of East Brother Brewing in Richmond, CA.
“I would venture that even among professionals, a blind taste test would often yield inconclusive results,” says Lightner.
The difference between porters and stouts
Porters tend to be on the milder, more chocolatey end of the spectrum, Lightner says, whereas stouts are typically a little stronger and more roasty. Of course, this isn’t a hard and fast rule
Fowle agrees, “Porters tend to be fruitier, sweeter, and less bitter than stouts, with cocoa and caramel flavors in balance with dark malt bitterness. And stouts are usually hoppier, drier, maltier, and more coffee-forward—and may even have a touch of acidity.”
Whether or not they fit neatly into boxes, one thing’s for sure: both make for incredible cold-weather brews.
“As the nights grow longer, drinking a light, summery beer just doesn’t seem right,” says Fowle. “Porter is the perfect style for the transition to winter: warming and toasty yet not too heavy, with flavors of coffee, chocolate, and pie crust that correspond with autumn weather and holidays.”
It’s the perfect time to broaden your repretoire. Sweet, robust, warming, and well-suited to the season, here are the best porters to drink now.
1. Deschutes Black Butte Porter
There are few porters more well-respected than Deschutes’ iconic Black Butte Porter. It’s brewed with Cascade and Tettnang hops as well as 2-row, Chocolate, Crystal, and Carapils malts as well as wheat. This 5.5% ABV year-round offering is great for cold-weather drinking because of its mix of roasted malts, coffee, and chocolate. It’s a robust, subtly sweet beer perfect for imbibing on a crisp fall night.
The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top. Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
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If you haven’t picked up a jump rope since elementary school, you’re missing out on a fantastic cardio workout. Not only will you burn a ton of calories in a short amount of time—200 to 300 calories in 15 minutes—but jump ropes can also improve your coordination and agility. Better yet, jumping rope doesn’t require much space, so it’s easy to do at home, and it’s often more mentally stimulating than jogging or swimming.
Choosing a Jump Rope
When deciding which jump rope is best for you, it’s important to determine what your goals are. While lightweight speed ropes are popular for cardio-focused training, weighted or drag ropes will be best for those focused on strength training.
No matter what your training goals are, we’ve got you covered with this roundup of 10 jump ropes from top brands including Crossrope, TRX, Rogue, and more.
The Best Jump Ropes of 2022
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