Charlotte, North Carolina, and cut back his partying lifestyle in favor of more time in the pool.W | Forum

This is the last Saturday to make a September statement. Custom College Jerseys Store .Week 4 features four games between ranked opponents, a lineup that can send teams into October with strong playoff hopes or spiraling into the shadows. The College Football Playoff selection committee takes into account the full body of work, so how teams fare now will resonate in November. The SEC takes center stage with the most meaningful matchups this week, but each Power 5 conference has at least one key game that will affect the playoff picture heading into the heart of conference play.Heres a look at whats at stake in Week 4, in order of importance to each Power 5 conferences playoff picture:SECNo. 19 Florida at No. 14 Tennessee What it means for the winner:?Welcome to the top of the SEC East, where playoff hopes survive. The winner emerges as the front-runner to win the division, with a chance to knock off a ranked West team -- most likely defending national champ Alabama -- in the SEC title game. The pressure is on Tennessee, which put together a complete performance against Virginia Tech but struggled in wins over Appalachian State and Ohio. Florida has been here before, winning 11 straight against the Vols. The Gators won the SEC East title last season and will legitimize their chances of doing so again if they extend that streak to 12.What it means for the loser: A loss to Florida likely isnt going to cost Butch Jones his job, but it would be the very definition of misery. Tennessee would enter October 0-1 in league play, facing back-to-back road games against Georgia and Texas A&M before coming home to play Alabama. Good luck. A Florida loss puts the Gators back to .500 at 1-1 in the SEC, and they slide out of the immediate playoff picture but certainly arent out of it, considering the Vols upcoming stretch.No. 17 Arkansas vs. No. 10 Texas A&M What it means for the winner:?The winner emerges as the No. 2 team in the conference and the SECs best hope at dethroning the Tide. Arkansas double-overtime win at TCU put the Razorbacks on the radar, but in order for it to mean anything, the team has to be a factor in the SEC West. A win in Arlington, and Arkansas should be 5-0 heading into a home game against Bama. The Aggies are no stranger to strong starts -- theyve started 3-0 for three straight seasons -- but they tend to unravel in October. This would help give them some momentum, with something still to prove next month.What it means for the loser:?It would be only the first loss of the season for each team, so its not a make-or-break game for playoff hopes. Both teams still have a shot at Alabama but would definitely need to win that game to get back into the SEC race. Dont forget: Alabama has been to the playoff twice -- despite holding one loss to Ole Miss each year.No. 12 Georgia at No. 23 Ole Miss: What it means for the winner:?A Georgia win would cement the Bulldogs as contenders in the East after pedestrian performances in wins over Nicholls and Missouri. Georgia has a solid Power 5 nonconference win against North Carolina, which the committee will like, and a road win against an SEC West opponent would only strengthen that résumé. If the Rebels win, they will keep their hopes alive for a 10-win season and a shot at a New Years Six bowl. Theyll need Alabama to lose twice, though, to get back into the SEC race.What it means for the loser: You can officially write off Ole Miss with a loss, which would drop the Rebels to 1-3 before we hit October. Georgia would be looking up at the winner of the Tennessee-Florida game in the SEC East standings and would fade into the background of the playoff conversation but not be eliminated entirely.Big TenNo. 11 Wisconsin at No. 8 Michigan State What it means for the winner:?The Big Ten goes deeper than Ohio State and Michigan, and one of these two teams will emerge as the leagues best shot to upend the front-runners. Wisconsin has been here before, in 2014, when it lost to the Buckeyes in the Big Ten title game. The Badgers can take another step in separating themselves from Nebraska in the West division. By surviving a tough crossover game,?Michigan State proves its upset of Notre Dame wasnt a one-hit wonder.What it means for the loser: The implications are huge for both, only because of their upcoming schedules. One loss certainly wont keep a team out of the playoff, but Michigan State still has to play Michigan and Ohio State. The Badgers have it even more difficult, as they go right from East Lansing into back-to-back games against Michigan and Ohio State, and they still have to play Nebraska.Big 12Oklahoma State at No. 16 Baylor What it means for the winner:?The Big 12 has been written off in the court of public opinion, but it still has a playoff pulse. The Cowboys only loss was due to a controversial call in a nonconference game -- a situation the selection committee will be aware of -- and they still have a shot to win the Big 12. This game is huge for undefeated Baylor, as a win could propel the Bears -- who have Iowa State and Kansas after the Cowboys -- to a 6-0 start heading into the Texas game on Oct. 29.What it means for the loser: A loss would likely unofficially eliminate Oklahoma State from the playoff race because it will be difficult for a two-loss Big 12 champ to crack the top four without an otherwise impeccable résumé and a conference championship game. Baylors margin for error of course would shrink drastically, and the Big 12s reputation would take another hit, as its highest-ranked teams would have lost in September.Pac-12No. 7 Stanford at UCLA What it means to the winner:?This is a chance for Stanford to show the selection committee it can win on the road and reassert itself as the team to beat in the conference and the state, after already defeating USC last week. Its the first of back-to-back road games for the Cardinal, who face No. 9 Washington next week. Why isnt UCLA ranked? The Bruins only loss came on the road in overtime to an undefeated A&M team in the hunt for the SEC West title. A win Saturday could get them back into the Top 25 and the playoff conversation.What it means to the loser: A two-loss conference champion cant be ruled out of the playoff, but Stanford can attest to the difficulty of getting into the top four after losing to Northwestern and Oregon last season. The Cardinal would still have hope after starting league play 1-1 but would be under tremendous pressure heading into a game against Washington. UCLA would have two losses and still the rest of the conference schedule to play, which would leave its playoff hopes on life support.Week 4 superlativesMost intriguing mascot battle: The West Virginia Mountaineer vs. BYUs Cosmo the Cougar. Youve seen the mountain man and his musket. Can cuddly Cosmo show hes a Big 12-caliber mascot? His team will certainly be auditioning for a spot in the league.Can-miss game: San Jose State at Iowa State. These programs are a combined 1-5, and the Cyclones have an FCS loss on their résumé.Player in the spotlight:?Florida QB Austin Appleby. Gators QB Luke Del Rio suffered a left knee sprain last week against North Texas, so Appleby, a graduate transfer out of Purdue, will start in his place. Appleby was 2-9 in 11 starts for the Boilermakers. He threw 19 touchdowns with 19 interceptions and ran for nine scores.Matchup to watch:?Texas A&M rushing defense vs. Arkansas ground game. The Aggies appear to have made significant improvements from last season, when they allowed Arkansas 232 rushing yards. After three games, the Aggies are allowing only 131 rushing yards per game (3.2 per carry), but the Razorbacks Rawleigh Williams ranks third in the SEC in rushing and has a Power 5-best 25 rushes on which he has gained at least 3 yards after contact.Under the radar: Florida State at South Florida. The Noles cant let their loss to Louisville beat them twice. The Bulls are currently 23rd in ESPNs Football Power Index, the highest FPI ranking by a Group of 5 school (Houston is No. 28).Must-win game: LSU at Auburn. The Tigers already have a loss to Wisconsin, and Auburn is trying to avoid a 1-3 start heading into October. Both of these teams should be feeling the heat.Dont forget about:?Michigans first Big Ten game. Expectations are soaring, but the Wolverines cant get to the playoff without first winning the Big Ten East, and it starts this weekend against Penn State. It certainly isnt a gimme, but the Wolverines are favored. Wholesale Custom College Jerseys .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at Boston Strong - a citys recovery from tragedy. Custom College Jerseys Outlet . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. http://www.customjerseyscollege.com/ .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Missy Franklin and Ryan Lochte will be busy in the pool at the Rio Olympics. Just not as busy as they wanted to be.The two popular stars from the U.S. swimming team four years ago in London have just three individual events between them in Rio, hardly the frenetic schedule theyve grown accustomed to over the years.Four years ago, Franklin swam four individual events and three relays, while Lochte had four individual events, plus two relays. Together, they won 10 medals.This time, neither will defend their Olympic titles in two events. Franklin failed to qualify for the 100-meter backstroke at the recent U.S. trials, while Lochte, bothered by a groin injury, didnt make the team in the 400 individual medley.The perpetually upbeat Franklin put a positive spin on her reduced schedule that will give her more time in the stands cheering on her teammates.Im still a second-time Olympian, I get to go to Rio, I get to be a part of this team, she said.Franklins seventh-place finish in the 100 back at trials had her in the unusual position of publicly working through major disappointment.You have this idea in your head that everyones careers are perfect all the time, and as soon as yours starts to waver a little bit you start wondering, `Oh my goodness, why is this happening? she said. You sort of start to realize no one has the perfect career, no one makes every team in every event that they want to.At 17, Franklin was one of the biggest stars at the London Olympics, competing in seven events and winning four gold medals and a bronze. Away from the pool, she didnt cash in right away since she wanted to compete collegiately.After two years at California, Franklin turned pro last year, setting up major endorsement deals heading into Rio. Shes found it challenging balancing training with accommodating sponsors demands for photo shoots, commercials and appearances.Its fun, absolutely, but that doesnt mean its not hard, she said. Its definitely more to juggle than what I had to in 2012. I definitely have some days when I wake up and Im more tired than normal.Also making it difficult is Franklins inclination to please others, sometimes at her expense. Shes had to learn to say no and not feel guilty.She will literally look at somebody and say, `Have you had enough pictures? Im going to start my practice now, her coach Todd Schmitz said. Custom College Jerseys Free Shipping. . I stand there and go, `Good, yes. Ive always told her I will be the bad guy every single time, but I cant always be there.Schmitz will be part of Franklins support team in Rio, although not as a member of the U.S. coaching staff as he was four years ago.But, while Franklin has more money in her pocket, its been a struggle to regain the form that made her the worlds most dominant female swimmer -- a title ceded to fellow American Katie Ledecky.One of the things Ive been trying to do this whole year is not compare myself to where I was in 2012, said Franklin, who returned home to Colorado to train with Schmitz. I came in here to be the best of who I am right now, not who I was four years ago.Franklin will try to better her fourth-place finish from London when she competes in the 200 freestyle and defends her gold in the 200 backstroke in Rio, while Lochte swims the 200 IM, where hes medaled in three straight Olympics. Both qualified to swim on the womens and mens 800 free relay.Lochte turns 32 on Aug. 3, two days before the games open. He has 11 career medals going into his fourth Olympics.Its a lot harder because Im older, he said. I cant put my body through certain practices or sets that I used to be able to do.In London, Lochte won the 400 IM on the first day of the eight-day competition, and then made what he called his biggest mistake of the games.I didnt do the right recovery process after that win because I was just like, `Screw this, Im happy, he recalled. I think that kind of hurt me throughout the meet. Now that Ive gotten more mature, Im listening to my body more.Hes also listening to coach Dave Marsh, who will oversee the U.S. womens team in Rio. After London, Lochte relocated his training base to Charlotte, North Carolina, and cut back his partying lifestyle in favor of more time in the pool.When hes in the water working hard, hes probably his most happy, Marsh said.After Rio, Franklin will return to college. Lochte is likely to keep swimming, as long as hes still having fun.I said the day you finish is the day youre going to meet up with a girl and have grandchildren, his mother Ike Lochte said. He just laughs at me. ' ' '