Articles by Sterling Bennett

Sports

Bears’ D’Andre Swift overcomes groin injury to return for Week 10 vs. Giants

The Chicago Bears offense is coming off a 47-point outing against the Cincinnati Bengals. The performance pushed the Bears to a 5-3 record this season and kept them afloat in a tight NFC Playoff picture. One of the bright spots from the Week 9 win was the production from rookie running back Kyle Monangai, who totaled 176 rushing yards and 22 receiving yards on 29 total touches. It was the third time in the last three weeks a Bears running back surpassed the 100-yard mark. Now entering Week 10 against the New York Giants, the Bears will get another boost to their backfield. Despite being questionable all week due to a groin injury and personal injuries, Bears running back D’Andre Swift is expected to play vs. the Giants, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Swift initially injured his groin in Week 6 against the Washington Commanders. Head coach Ben Johnson told the media that it was something that had been nagging Swift for a while, but was not serious. The injury forced the veteran running back to miss the Week 9 matchup against the Bengals. However, he was a full participant in Chicago’s practice report on Thursday. It is unclear if Swift will regain his starting role after Monangai’s breakout last week, but his return will at least deepen Chicago’s backfield. If anything, it will spare the Bears the need to elevate Brittain Brown from the practice squad. Through seven games in 2025, Swift has 464 rushing yards in 100 attempts and five total touchdowns. Before his injury, Swift finally hit his stride after a rough start to the year. To begin the season, Swift carried the ball 56 times for 187 yards and two touchdowns. In his last three games, Swift carried the ball 44 times, amassing 277 yards and three touchdowns. Swift joins tight end Cole Kmet, wide receiver Luther Burden Jr, and running back Roschon Johnson as Bears players returning this Sunday.

Sports

Indiana’s Curt Cignetti drops bold claim about Hoosiers’ thrilling win over Penn State

The Indiana Hoosiers avoided what could have been the upset of the college football Week 11 slate. After leading for the majority of Saturday’s game against the Penn State Nittany Lions, the No. 2 Hoosiers found themselves trailing 24-20 with just under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, after a Nick Singleton rushing touchdown. The Hoosiers did not blink in the face of adversity and, with 1:51 minutes remaining, made their way up the field. Ten plays into the drive, quarterback Fernando Mendoza found wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the end zone for a highlight of the season type touchdown catch. The toe-tapping reception pushed Indiana back in front with 35 seconds remaining and ultimately became the game-sealing play. Following the game, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti reflected on the finish. “The most improbable victory I’ve ever been a part of,” Cignetti said, courtesy of The Inside Zone’s Matt Fortuna. “And there couldn’t have been a better place to make it happen.” Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti, with a smile on his face: “The most improbable victory I’ve ever been a part of. And there couldn’t have been a better place to make it happen.” pic.twitter.com/gZfdl964NT — Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) November 8, 2025 The victory for Indiana pushes them to 10-0 on the season and will likely keep them as the No. 2-ranked team in the country. On a personal level, Cignetti gets a signature win in his own backyard, having been born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and having coaching stints at Temple, Pittsburgh, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania before taking over as the Hoosiers’ head coach. Indiana’s 27-24 win over Penn State snaps a 10-game losing streak on the road at Beaver Stadium and a 13-game road losing streak overall. The victory is the third time in team history the Hoosiers have beaten Penn State, and their first since 2020. For Penn State, the loss is their sixth straight and their fifth loss by one score over that span. Cignetti and the Hoosiers will look to follow up their performance against the Wisconsin Badgers next Saturday.

Technology

Georgia’s Kirby Smart reacts to Brian Kelly firing with crazy LSU story

The LSU football team sent shockwaves throughout college football when they decided to fire head coach Brian Kelly shortly after a 49-25 loss against the third-ranked Texas A&M Aggies. The loss dropped LSU to 5-3 on the season and was their third loss in a four-game stretch. Although the terms of separation are still being discussed, LSU could be on the hook for a $54 million buyout. The move has garnered plenty of opinions, but none more interesting than Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart. In an ever-changing landscape, universities are becoming more impatient. They expect to win from day one. Kelly finished his time at LSU with a 34-14 overall record and 19-10 in SEC play. While he never won an SEC championship, he did win 70% of his games, prompting Smart to address the high expectations placed on college coaches. “Let’s be honest, players are dealing with it. Fans dealing with it. Coaches dealing with it,” said Smart via SEC podcast host Michael Bratton. “At this time, in the middle of a season, there’s so much built around the Playoffs, everything’s boom or bust. You can’t have a normal season. People got to make decisions earlier based on how somebody does.” Kirby Smart on LSU firing Brian Kelly: "There's so much built around the Playoffs, everything's boom or bust." "I coached at LSU, guy once told me, 'That office you are in. That's not your office. You are borrowing it.' "I knew right then, if you didn't win, you wouldn't be… pic.twitter.com/ny6zzepa28 — SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) October 27, 2025 Smart continued by sharing a story from his time at LSU as an assistant coach under Nick Saban, highlighting the pressure placed on coaching the Tigers. “I know it’s high expectations. I coached at LSU, a guy once told me, ‘That office you are in. That’s not your office. You are borrowing it. I knew right then, if you didn’t win, you wouldn’t be there long.” While Smart was not fired from LSU, his comments are a reminder that being average or even above average is no longer accepted. It is a new world, and even though Kelly was statistically successful, being 5-3 is no longer good enough. Going to one SEC championship and losing is not good enough. Coaches can no longer win. They have to win and compete for championships. If they don’t, their future could equal that of Brian Kelly.