Alabama State, totaling 290 all-purpose yards and fou

TROON, Scotland -- Ten years ago this week, Patrick Reed fell in love with links golf.He won the 2006 Junior Open Championship in this corner of the world at Heswall Golf Club, quickly figuring out how to hit various shots in different conditions than hed been accustomed to back home in the United States.The ball never seemed to stop, he said with a laugh Thursday after posting an opening-round 5-under 66 to put himself in contention for the lead at The Open.But if that love for links golf was stoked while he played, it was set ablaze just days later.Before he returned home, Reed attended a practice round and the first round of The Open, held that week at Royal Liverpool. An unabashed Tiger Woods fan, Reed followed the eventual champion around the course, marveling at his ability to hit shots the 15-year-old had never before witnessed in person.I was in awe of how he was hitting golf shots, seeing this 2-iron somehow staying that low for 240 yards in the air, recalled Reed, who turns 26 next month. Im thinking, How is that ball going that far? And the kind of control he had, Im just like, Man, this guy is really good.Some players, especially some American players, have to learn to love this type of golf. First they endure it, then they embrace it. Thats when success usually happens.For Reed, there was no transition period. It was love at first sight.I always thought it would be fun because I love to create shots and hit the funny things, he said. At home, we cant do that. Its too soft. So you cant hit the stinger 2-iron and let it run, or the low hook chip shot and watch it bounce up a hill and kind of trickle over. Those arent things we can do at home. Its more thick rough, take the ball in the air and try to stop it. So I feel like my creative side has been able to come out.Reeds opening round consisted of an eagle hole-out on the third hole and five birdies against just two bogeys. It tied the lowest first-round score in Royal Troons tournament history (although that mark was bested later Thursday by?Phil Mickelsons 63).That wasnt the only thing that should have Reed confident about the next three days, though.He played the Scottish Open last week; five of the past six Open champions played that event the week before. Hes American; each of the previous six champions at Troon has been American. He posted a sub-70 score; 10 of the past 11 Open winners opened with rounds in the 60s.Reed doesnt just like playing golf here, though. He likes everything here.The simplicity, he said. Last week when I was over, when we were driving from the golf course to the hotel, theres just a lot of farmland, a lot of scenery. You see the water to the left, the farms to the right. Its just a two-lane road going in and out. So you literally just have that kind of relaxed feeling that you have golf and then relaxing time. At home, its golf, sit in traffic, traffic lights, a thousand cars, people honking at you, and then you get home and youre trying to go through a busy hotel, so its still stressful off the golf course. Here it seems like its just golf and then just kind of relax, have some fun.Its definitely a way different pace than back home. Its nice. Its a great change of pace.Perhaps this gives new meaning to the actions of a guy who two years ago playfully shushed the home crowd at the European-based Ryder Cup.Hed love to stay quiet this week, flying under the radar of the bigger names on the leaderboard. That might not be possible, but his attitude -- an attitude born a decade ago -- should serve him well.I think the key is just to have fun with it, he explained. You know youre going to get some bad breaks here and there, but at the same time youre going to get some good breaks, and you just have to know how to handle it mentally. Cheap Old Skool Sale . 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. Cheap Old Skool Free Shipping . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. http://www.cheapoldskool.com/ . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Discount Old Skool . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Old Skool Shoes From China . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. (STATS) -- As FCS juggernaut North Dakota State continues to find a way to beat nearly every team and challenge that stands in its way, another national title probably seems like a foregone conclusion.But the challenge will get tougher. Theres great pressure when the feeling of a national title or bust is hanging in the air.In last weeks STATS national rankings, the top-ranked Bison have defeated nine of the next 11 teams since the start of the 2014 season, and the only reason Chattanooga and James Madison probably arent included on the Bison hit list is that they hadnt played them. The Bison are an absurd 74-5 since beginning their run of five straight national championship seasons in 2011.Tomorrow isnt promised. Remember that this time last year, nobody suspected a home loss would occur against South Dakota or that a potentially crippling injury like the one suffered by then-quarterback Carson Wentz would threaten the season as well. A lot can go wrong just as so much goes right.The Bison play in the strongest FCS conference -- the Missouri Valley -- and their rivals know how to play them better than Charleston Southern, Eastern Washington and Iowa. That may be overlooked after a murderers row of a nonconference schedule, but coach Chris Kliemans team faces a number of physical, tough games ahead.Northern Iowa woke up today believing it will beat the Bison next month. Western Illinois must think it has a shot. Illinois State, well, the Redbirds are two-time defending conference co-champs as well and are up next on Oct. 1.Over the long regular season, NDSU appears to be the best team again. But the FCS playoffs dont provide a second chance and the Bison can be beaten in a one-game situation. An opposing team just has to find the right day against the greatest dynasty in FCS history.---=SECOND AND 10=Ten more observations from the FCS weekend:1.) After having FCS co-games of the week, co-teams of the week make sense. What Stony Brook did to No. 2 Richmond -- posting a 42-14 win -- was even more surprising than No. 1 North Dakota States 23-21 upset at No. 13 Iowa. Offense has been at a premium at Stony Brook, but quarterback Joe Carbone, running back Stacey Bedell and wide receiver Ray Bolen provided excellent balance. NDSU was the more physical team than the Hawkeyes -- posting a 239-34 advantage in rushing yards -- to push its amazing FBS win streak to six.2.) With Richmonds loss, Sam Houston State appears poised to move up one spot to No. 2 following a 44-31 road victory over Lamar in the Southland Conference. But consider Jacksonville State, which was fourth last week, thrashed Sam Houston 62-10 in last years national semifinals. And Eastern Washington, which was too low at No. 8 last week, has wins over Washington State and Northern Iowa and only an overtime loss to North Dakota State. Clearly, the debate over No. 2 is strong.3.) Terrific decision by the Eastern Washington coaches in the Big Sky teams 34-30 win against No. 10 Northern Iowa. Sophomore Gage Gubrud was all-world in the Eagles first two games (60 of 80, 924 yards, nine touchdowns), but he simply didnt have it during the home opener and they went to Reilly Hennessey in the second half. The redshirt sophomore completed 21 of 29 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner on a fake field goal in the final minute.4.) Ivy League teams opened their season to a rousing 5-3 start. Dartmouth rallied to a 22-21 win over No. 22 New Hampshire, ending a streak of 13 straight losses and 20 games without a win (18 losses, two ties) against its intrastate rival. Harvard routed Rhode Island 51-21 and two of the three 2015 champs won, with Penn lacking defensive answers in a 49-28 loss to Lehigh.dddddddddddd Brown, Princeton and Cornell also earned victories.5.) Taking the Ivy League out of the equation, 14 teams are unbeaten through two or three games. Six of them -- Albany (CAA), East Tennessee State (Southern), Georgetown (Patriot), Missouri State (Missouri Valley), Tennessee State (Ohio Valley) and Wagner (Northeast) -- are coming off losing seasons.6.) Speaking of East Tennessee State, the Buccaneers averaged 7,128 at home games when they returned to football last year after a 12-year hiatus, so drawing a school-record 13,863 to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Western Carolina matchup was significant. Even better for the Bucs (2-0), they gained a 34-31 Southern Conference win. Coach Carl Torbush continued to watch the maturation of sophomore QB Austin Herink, who threw for three touchdowns.7.) An FCS team has scored at least 80 points in each of the first three full weeks of the season. James Madison beat Morehead State 80-7, Fordham ripped Division II Elizabeth City State 83-21 and UT Martin became the latest in destroying NAIA Bacone 84-6 even though the second half was shortened to two 10-minute quarters. Last year, the FCS season high was Southern Illinois 73 points against Missouri State.8.) Eight FCS teams have beaten FBS programs, but South Carolina State isnt one of them despite having three attempts this season. Coach Buddy Poughs MEAC power was shut out by UCF and Clemson and fell to Louisiana Tech by a combined 150-24. Everybody has dreams of an upset, but financially strapped athletic programs, especially those from the historically black schools, are usually only scheduling losses.9.) As good as Saturdays action was in the FCS, dont overlook that the week opened Thursday night with Arkansas-Pine Bluff stunning Alcorn State 45-43 in two overtimes. UAPB went 2-9 overall and 1-8 in the SWAC last season and was coming off a loss to Division II Panhandle State, but two-time defending conference champ Alcorn State got caught overlooking the Golden Lions. The Braves surrendered less than 92 passing yards per game last year, yet Brandon Duncan riddled them for an FCS-season high 505 yards as well as four touchdowns. In the second OT, he had a game-tying 25-yard TD to Willie Young and then connected with John Hawkins for a winning two-point conversion.10.) The ultimate weapon in the FCS might be one of the smallest. Southern fifth-year senior Willie Quinn was at it again in a 64-6 trouncing of Alabama State, totaling 290 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, including a 73-yard punt return which gave him 10 TD returns in his career. Oh yes, the 5-foot-5 dynamo, the FCS leader in all-purpose yards, also threw a 30-yard touchdown.---=A LOOK AHEAD=Conference games begin to dominate the FCS schedule next weekend, although only four of the 10 teams in Missouri Valley Conference are in action.The Big Sky schedule gets rolling with marquee games: Eastern Washington at Northern Arizona, Montana at Cal Poly and Portland State at defending champion Southern Utah.Dayton visits San Diego in a matchup of the last years Pioneer Football League co-champs, while Alcorn State faces a must-win at Grambling State in a rematch of the 2015 SWAC Championship Game. Also, Samford is at Chattanooga in a key Southern Conference game and Harvard puts a 15-game road winning streak on the line at Ivy League rival Brown.The nonconference headliners are Jacksonville State at Liberty and Colgate at Richmond. Also, as FCS-FBS matchups continue to dwindle, Western Illinois heads to Northern Illinois and Central Arkansas visits Arkansas State. 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