NEWS » the finish.We were a little bit too far back at the first one

With Mark Schlabachs most recent Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings as our guide, we have ranked everything from the weakest position groups to stand-up comedians. This week, we look at which players would get the call with the game on the line and the ball on the 1-yard line.1.?Alabama Crimson Tide Bo ScarbroughOf course you want the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Bo Scarbrough?going over the top, but the real question for Alabama is who will be his lead blocker? Continuing what has become a tradition of unique goal-line fullbacks that includes Jesse Williams and AShawn Robinson, dont be surprised if defensive tackle DaRon Payne, who is a rather nimble 319 pounds, takes the field in the Tides jumbo package. -- Alex Scarborough2. Clemson Tigers Jordan LeggettOdds are Dabo Swinney would make the call for Deshaun Watson. After all, how do you put the game in the hands of anyone other than your Heisman contender? But who would Watson look to if he decides to throw? Chalk this one up for tight end Jordan Leggett, who had a touchdown in five straight games at one point last season, finished the year with eight scores and was a finalist for the Mackey Award. --?David M. Hale3.?Michigan WolverinesJake ButtMaybe its a bit unorthodox, but since when has that bothered Jim Harbaugh? The big, strong, athletic senior is one of the most valuable players on the roster, and Butt is surely more than capable of shifting from tight end, taking a handoff and bulldozing his way to the end zone. -- Austin Ward4.?Florida State Seminoles Dalvin CookFlorida State was poor in short-yardage situations but through no fault of Cook. The junior has the wiggle and power to score at the goal line. A quarterback sneak might be effective with the bigger Sean Maguire, but with that position unsettled, its best just to turn it over to the Heisman candidate. --?Jared Shanker5. Oklahoma SoonersSamaje Perine Nobody in crimson and cream would think twice about putting the ball in the hands of Baker Mayfield in this situation. But that didnt work out so well for Pete Carroll. So its pretty simple: Tell Mayfield to put the ball in the arms of Perine, and let the 235-pound running back do the rest. -- Brandon Chatmon6. LSU TigersLeonard FournetteFor all his impressive stats last season, Fournette struggled in short-yardage situations. On runs on which he needed between 1 and 3 yards to convert, Fournette was successful just 52.9 percent of the time -- well below the Power 5 average of 66.9 -- according to ESPN Stats & Information. However, when you have the countrys most dynamic running back in your backfield, you give him the ball and take your chances. -- David Ching7. Stanford Cardinal Daniel Marx David Shaw had a favorite for this job last season, and it wasnt Christian McCaffrey. Remound Wright earned a heavy load at the goal line, so the Cardinal must replace his short yardage wizardry that led to 13 touchdowns. At 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, Marx is a throwback fullback built like a bowling ball. -- David Lombardi8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Malik ZaireIn limited action, the world has gotten a glimpse of what Zaire is capable of. He is a unique, dual-threat lefty who might be as strong as he is speedy. Its no wonder the 225-pounder is the ultimate Irish trump card come red zone scenarios, and he is a great option to have at the goal line. -- Matt Fortuna9.?Ohio State Buckeyes J.T. BarrettThe junior quarterback started winning his job back last season, thanks in part to his willingness to come in as a red zone finisher. Even if Mike Weber and the young Buckeyes taking over in the backfield emerge to fill Ezekiel Elliotts shoes, with the game on the line, Barrett isnt likely to be denied. -- Ward10. Tennessee Volunteers Kahlil McKenzieYeah, Joshua Dobbs or Jalen Hurd would be the obvious offensive options at the 1-yard line, but if the game is on the line and you need a big body to plow through two lines, Tennessee should go with sophomore defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie. Hes Tennessees largest player at 6-foot-3, 344 pounds, and though he is still a work in progress as Tennessees man in the middle, he would be a no-brainer for a goal-line score with the girth he carries. -- Edward Aschoff11. USC Trojans Ronald Jones IILast season, Tre Maddens 220-pound frame made him a nice option to bull toward hard-earned yardage. He is gone, though, so the Trojans will have to sift through their stable of running backs for a short-yardage replacement cut from a smaller cloth. The natural choice is likely Ronald Jones II, but USC should be creative with its play call, as Jones 195 pounds might not be best-suited for a simple plunge up the middle. -- Lombardi12. Georgia Bulldogs Nick ChubbIt doesnt matter how healthy Chubb is -- you want him on that line in crunch time. One of the strongest players in the league, Chubb could run through Superman if a touchdown were on the line. People might want to opt for a heavier option at the 1-yard line, but besides?Leonard Fournette, there is no running back better suited for a goal-line plunge. --?Aschoff13. Ole Miss Rebels Breeland SpeaksThe Rebels are still trying to figure out who is going to be their consistent ground-and-pound running back. That said, Ole Miss should opt for an athletic, versatile, big body to carry the rock in this short-yard situation. Step on down, Breeland Speaks. The hefty (313 pounds) defensive tackle has resembled Robert Nkemdiche with his athleticism inside and could easily carry the ball in from a yard away. He has solid speed for a big guy and a little wiggle. Plus, he plays angry, and thats what you need this close to the end zone. --?Aschoff14. Oklahoma State CowboysMason RudolphTemptation to go with Barry J. Sanders exists, simply because his father scored 37 touchdowns in 1988. That must be good for something. The Stanford transfer rushed for four touchdowns last season, equal to the total of Chris Carson,?the Cowboys top returning rusher. Neither is an inspiring pick, though. OSU struggled mightily in the run game in 2015 and might not be improved enough this year to rely on a back in this spot. That means give it to Rudolph, the junior QB whos adequate on his feet and can find receivers James Washington or Marcell Ateman in tight spaces. -- Mitch Sherman15.?Michigan State SpartansLJ ScottThere is no need to mess around in East Lansing. Just give it to the big guy. The 6-foot, 238-pounder needed only one season to prove he has a nose for the end zone, as he led the Spartans with 11 touchdowns and promised even brighter things to come in his career. -- Ward16. Washington Huskies Lavon ColemanMyles Gaskin was the Huskies breakout star in 2010, but at 220 pounds, Coleman sports about 25 extra pounds of beef. Wed be comfortable with him throwing that size into a crowded goal-line situation, especially because Gaskin will likely shoulder a heavy workload between the 20s this season. A two-headed monster can be effective for Washington. -- Lombardi17. Houston Cougars Greg Ward Jr. You want the ball in the quarterbacks hands on the goal line. The running back group is unproven at this point, but in Ward, you have a known quantity. The senior quarterback rushed for 1,108 yards and 21 touchdowns while passing for 2,828 and 17 scores last season. Being able to rely on a quarterback who is dangerous both rushing and passing is what would make him so dangerous on the goal line. Let him do his thing and ring up six more points. --?Ching18. North Carolina Tar HeelsElijah HoodThis is an easy one, even if Larry Fedora made the wrong call in Week 1 last season. In that game against South Carolina, Hood ran for 138 yards but got just 13 carries, while QB Marquise Williams tossed three interceptions inside the Gamecocks 25. Hood wouldnt be ignored again, however, and he finished the year with 17 touchdowns after serving as one of the most punishing backs in the country. --?Hale19. Oregon Ducks Royce Freeman When it comes to this exercise, we can get creative with some teams -- but not with Oregon. The Ducks have their main man in Freeman, and his specialty -- despite his speed -- is bruising all over opponents. Freemans 230-pound frame is not likely to be denied on the goal line. Give him the ball. -- Lombardi20. TCU Horned FrogsKyle HicksThe Frogs had a game-on-the-line scenario from the 2-yard line last season against Oklahoma and went to the air. It didnt work out. If that happens again this season, running back Kyle Hicks is likely getting the ball. Or maybe its a QB keeper. Or perhaps Gary Patterson knows the D expects a run and fools them with a pass. Its a tough call. This is why hes the successful head coach and Im not. -- Max Olson21. Texas A&M Aggies Daylon MackThe Aggies have plenty of traditional choices, such as stout running back Keith Ford, dual-threat quarterback Trevor Knight and electric wideouts Christian Kirk, Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones. But my coworker Sam Khan Jr. offered an outside-the-box idea that might have some promise: What about defensive tackle Daylon Mack doing his best Refrigerator Perry impression? Even if he has never been a short-yardage back in college, the 335-pound Mack was in high school, and he was productive, with a total of 262 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. --?Ching22. UCLA Bruins Soso JamaboFor the first time in several years, someone other than Paul Perkins will be the Bruins featured man here. Jamabo is an exceptionally tall back -- he checks in at 6-foot-3 -- who is projected to step into Perkins void after emerging from Texas as one of the nations most prized recruits. If leveraged correctly, Jamabos height can become an asset in a pressure-packed goal-line situation, especially if a score is a dive or reach away. -- Lombardi23.?Iowa HawkeyesLeShun Daniels Jr.Behind another stout offensive line that continues the programs rich blocking tradition, perhaps it doesnt make much difference who touches the football, as long as he is working behind those beefy Hawkeyes. But Daniels boasts some size and strength himself, and hes coming off an eight-touchdown season that qualifies him as a closer for Iowa. -- Ward24. Miami HurricanesGus Edwards Theres a reason Edwards has the nickname The Bus. At 6-2, 240 pounds, Edwards has the ability to bull rush through a stacked line with defenders on his back. After missing last season with injury, there is little doubt he will be eager to get the ball in such a crucial situation and score. --?Andrea Adelson25. Louisville CardinalsLamar Jackson The sophomore proved to be a threat with both his arms and his legs last season, and he is only more dangerous now. The former track star will make defenders miss and will keep them guessing, as he is one of the nations most valuable red zone commodities. --?FortunaCarli Lloyd Jersey . Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The 26-year-old finished last season with Clevelands Triple-A affiliate in Columbus after signing with the Indians in August. Lynn Williams USA Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. http://www.officialsocceruswntshop.com/blank-usa-jersey/ . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Ashlyn Harris USA Jersey . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. Casey Short USA Jersey . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before.MONTAUBAN, France - Mark Cavendish continues to astound as he extends his career tally of Tour de France stage wins that now has him as the stand-alone second-highest winner.However, it is not just those who watch from the outside who are so impressed by the Briton who surged away from French legend Bernard Hinault as having the equal second-highest number of wins when he claimed stage six of this years Tour in a bunch sprint on Thursday.Those closest to him in the race -- his Dimension Data teammates, such as his long-standing Australian lead-out rider Mark Renshaw, who is in his sixth year racing by the Manxmans side - are also astounded. Renshaw was Cavendishs key lead-out rider for three years at the Colombia-Highroad team, from 2009 to 2011, and for two years at Omega Pharma-QuickStep, from 2014 and 2015; this is now his sixth year with Cavendish, with the pair having joined Dimension Data together.Cavendish, 31, is now just five stages shy of matching the all-time highest number of 34 Tour wins, held by long-retired Belgian legend Eddy Merckx, after saluting in the 190.5km run from Arpajon-sur-Cère to Montauban on Thursday, and Renshaw believes he has never seen the Manx Missile as motivated as on this Tour.As far as his motivation, he has probably got the most he has ever had, 11-year professional Renshaw, 33, told ESPN on Thursday minutes after Cavendish had won stage six -- his third for this years Tour after victories in stage one and three.I have never seen him away from home [and] so much committed to training, committed to his diet ... [with] all the little thing. It shows ... he is in incredible form.Adding lustre to the quality of Cavendishs latest stage win was the manner in which he pulled it off, with Renshaw saying he did not get the lead-out the team is used to providing.Cavendish, who will compete after the Tour in the Rio Olympics on the track for Team GB -- in the omnium and as fifth rider for the team pursuit -- appeared to go early In the finale to the stage raced in hot, sticky conditions, and he looked likely to be passed near the line until he found an extra kick to cross the line first.That sprint, he would havee had to commit early because he was probably a long way back out of that last corner, Renshaw told ESPN.dddddddddddd think he was somewhere behind [Marcel] Kittel.Pressed on the sprint that had no bearing on the overall classification, led by Greg Van Avermaet by 5min 11sec from Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe, and 5:13 from Spaniard Alejandro Valverde, Renshaw replied: That was a messy finish, really messy. We never really got to the front and we never really got together.I had a last-ditch effort to put Cav into the front there, [at] the last corner, 500 or 600 [metres] to go. I would like to see the sprint because he must have done an incredible sprint. He saved it all for the final there and with good legs he got himself out of trouble.Cavendish, who leads the points competition for the green jersey, was nonetheless grateful to his teammates for all their work in helping him win the stage.Daniel Teklehaimanot did an incredible job to control the [early] breakaway, Cavendish said. He was riding super strong actually and he was up there for a long, long time.The guys are getting more and more confident as the race goes on.Steve Cummings was up there fighting with us until the end which was phenomenal. He is a strong guy to keep us there in the final.There were essentially two finish lines; one was at 12km to go and one was at the finish.We were a little bit too far back at the first one, but Mark Renshaw did a great job at [the] four kilometres to go [mark] to get me just there and out of a sticky situation.I thought the best wheel to follow in the final was Kittel.It was a fast finish and with the finish line not appearing until late I knew the guys would leave it late because your instincts are not to go before you see the line.I knew Kittels wheel was the one to get the biggest slingshot from and with the speed of the finish.I knew if I got a good slingshot I could be going three to four kilometres per hour faster than him before he had time to react.So thats what I did and I was happy to hang on for the win. ' ' '