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Bill Connelly

@espnbillc.bsky.social

32K followers 600 following 2K posts

ESPN writer, professional nerd. SP+. Author of three books (Study Hall, 50 Best* and Forward Progress). College football, soccer, tennis. Puma addiction. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BKvo23DyGppxvRifqFgwkUoflPLQX5wabjUDIV4qUZA/edit?usp=sharing

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · Sep 2

Hello, friends. It's FORWARD PROGRESS DAY.

"A cinematic celebration of college football’s exploding influence and a rigorous look at how and why the sport may look totally new once again," according to whoever wrote the summary blurb on Amazon.

www.amazon.com/Forward-Prog...

Forward Progress: The Definitive Guide to the Future of College Football

Amazon.com: Forward Progress: The Definitive Guide to the Future of College Football: 9781637278703: Connelly, Bill: Books

www.amazon.com

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 7h

This quadbox is quadbox as HELL too.

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 12h

Me getting to that very last line:

a woman in a bathrobe is sitting on a couch with a netflix logo on the bottom right

ALT: a woman in a bathrobe is sitting on a couch with a netflix logo on the bottom right

media.tenor.com

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 13h

Did I put this game in the top section of tomorrow's preview (and call it the Pop Rocks Margarita of the Week)? Why yes! Yes I did!

Sickos Committee @sickoscommittee.org · 14h

For the first time in the stadium’s history, North Texas’s DATCU Stadium has sold out for their Friday night game against USF.

Go Mean Green!

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 14h

Yeah that marriage at Frankfurt went from brilliant to toxic ~overnight.

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 14h

I think my biggest concern is that this is about the point in the cycle when he starts getting very annoyed with his organization and they in turn start getting very annoyed with him, lol.

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 14h

Oh I definitely think they can maintain a 7th-place level, but right now it feels like they're playing at a higher level than even that (even if the table doesn't really say so)...

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 15h

If you could average more than 3 points per game, they would be right now.

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 15h

(The soccer content will continue until morale improves.)

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 15h

Bayern's summer was defined by failed transfer attempts for guys like Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade. So they had to settle for ... fielding the best team in Europe over the first two months of the season. The 20 HOTTEST TEAMS in the Big Five:
www.espn.com/soccer/story...

The best teams in Europe right now: Bayern, Kane setting the tone

Bayern Munich's start to the season has been astonishingly good, but where does the rest of Europe fall in Bill Connelly's rankings?

www.espn.com

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 17h

In which @jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social does real reporting and I compare Ricardo Pepi to Lautaro Martinez:
www.espn.com/soccer/story...

The race to be No. 9: Which strikers will the USMNT take to the World Cup?

The USMNT's history of productive strikers is limited, but ahead of the World Cup, several are in the form of their lives. So who will make the team?

www.espn.com

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 1d

a group of penguins are standing in a line with their eyes closed

ALT: a group of penguins are standing in a line with their eyes closed

media.tenor.com

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 1d

Mizzou's just had so many of them that it comes naturally!

Reposted by Bill Connelly

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 1d

25 years ago, Oklahoma crushed Texas on the way to one of college football's most unexpected national titles. But how unexpected was it? I ranked the 20 most surprising title runs, from Jimbo's Noles to Murray Warmath's 2-loss Gophers.

www.espn.com/college-foot...

The 2000 Sooners and 19 other unlikely champions

OU's 2000 title team came out of nowhere to win it all. Honoring their 25th anniversary, we look at other surprising champs.

www.espn.com

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 1d

which one

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 1d

The Jets making the playoffs at 4-13 would be the greatest moment in the history of the NFL.

Bryan Knowles @brykno.bsky.social · 1d

Mathematically, the Jets can still make the playoffs at 4-13, but it becomes more likely than not at about 9-8.

In this case, I spot the Jets losses at Baltimore and Buffalo, but have them otherwise run the table against the third-easiest remaining schedule.

Unlikely? Very. But again, 2.1%

A theoretical schedule for the Jets, having them beat everyone except for the Ravens and Bills.

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 1d

Ten years ago, Leicester City won the Premier League with a perfect combination of counterattacks, lineup stability and rivals who faltered in tight moments. Teamed up with @tomhamiltonespn.bsky.social to write about a special run that feels more special every year.

www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Leicester's Premier League win, 10 years later: How did they do it, and could a team repeat it?

Leicester's stunning title win remains one of the great underdog stories in sports. What do the players who made it happen think of their achievement today? And will we ever see a team match their fea...

www.espn.com

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 1d

Ha, they were literally 21st. I was surprised too.

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 1d

The 2000 Sooners and 19 other unlikely champions

OU's 2000 title team came out of nowhere to win it all. Honoring their 25th anniversary, we look at other surprising champs.

www.espn.com

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Reposted by Bill Connelly

Ryan O'Hanlon @rwohan.bsky.social · 2d

I wrote about Liverpool's biggest problem so far this season: the guy who led the Premier League in goals and assists last season. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Is it time to worry about Mohamed Salah at Liverpool?

There is a lot of uncertainty around this new-look Liverpool side right now, but one thing we know for sure: if Salah doesn't play like himself soon, nothing else matters.

www.espn.com

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 3d

UNC hired the wrong old title-winning coach.
bsky.app/profile/cvlr...

🦅🦉🐍 Charlie from Roxborough @cvlrox.bsky.social · 3d

98. Temple better UNC

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 3d

Harvard and Tarleton both adding a little something new to the top of the rankings. Well, the top of the non-NDSU rankings anyway.

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 3d

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SP+ TOP 766, WEEK 7

* No. 1 vs. No. 3 this week!
* LSU -121 Centenary
* Tenn Tech -2 UNC 😑
* West Florida -2 MTSU
* Your new No. 766 after a 62-7 loss to No. 595? The NEC Nor'easters! In 3 weeks: No. 766 vs. No. 765 for ALL THE TOP 766 MARBLES

docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

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Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 3d

I’m not in charge of FPI.

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 3d

The ~90 of you hanging out in the doc have already noticed, but I made a tweak to SP+ to account for it suddenly picking nothing but Unders. Scoring curve was off a bit on the defensive ratings. Will get the website updated soon, but The Spreadsheet's changed.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

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Reposted by Bill Connelly

Bill Connelly @espnbillc.bsky.social · 4d

* Penn State's all-in season is just about over
* Lagway outdueled Arch
* Turnovers wrecked the script in Tuscaloosa and Tallahassee
* Damn near Tech vs. the Field in the Big 12
* SP+ movers! This week's Heisman winner! MULTIPLE HAIL MARY-ISH ENDINGS!

WEEK 6 RECAP: www.espn.com/college-foot...

How shocking upsets and near misses of Week 6 impact conference, CFP races

How bleak are things for Penn State and Texas? What's next in the ACC and Big 12? Bill Connelly has answers.

www.espn.com

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