Twistity Sports Exclusive WEEKEND IN REVIEW: ‘NOLES NO. 1, MORE …

 
The Florida State Seminoles won the national college football championship last season and the Associated Press poll released over the weekend indicates they could well repeat.

The ‘Noles received 57 of 60 votes for the top spot from the media electorate, with No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Oregon and No. 4 Oklahoma each receiving one. The Seminoles boast not only the returning Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Jameis Winston but an outstanding defense. Florida State had not topped the preseason poll since 1999, when the Seminoles held the No. 1 spot for the entire season.

FUTBOL:Manchester United is also accustomed to being No. 1, but it wasn’t last season and changed managers, hiring Louis van Gaal, who piloted the Netherlands to third place in the World Cup. Man U kicked off the 2014-15 Premier League season at home on Saturday and absorbed a 2-1 defeat at the hands (well, the feet) of Swansea. It was Man U’s first loss in a home opener at Old Trafford since 1972.

GOLF: Inbee Park won her second consecutive LPGA Championship by defeating Brittany Lincicome on the first playoff hole at Monroe Golf Club in Pittsford, N.Y. Park, of South Korea, parred the extra hole to win her fifth major title. … Bernard Langer won the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open on the Champions tour without a single bogey in the tournament. Kevin Sutherland, who blazed to a Tour record 59 on Saturday, shot 74 in the final round and finished seventh. He bogeyed four of the first 10 holes on Sunday.

ELSEWHERE: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo made his first appearance of the preseason and threw a touchdown pass in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Romo had been recovering from back surgery. … New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning played poorly again as he continues to struggle with his team’s new offensive scheme. He has completed one of nine passes for seven yards in his two games. … Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel will get his chance to unseat Brian Hoyer on Monday night in a preseason game against the Washington Redskins. … Jeff Gordon won his third NASCAR Sprint Cup title of the season, defeating Kevin Harvick at Michigan International Speedway.

Today’s question: Will Johnny Manziel be able to do enough against Washington to win Cleveland’s starting job? If not now, when? Answers in the comment box, please.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .