Futures
Tesla's Surge as Trump's Self-Driving Rules Shift
2024-11-18
Tesla, a renowned name in the electric vehicle industry, has been making waves recently. The company's shares, specifically those of Tesla (TSLA), witnessed a significant upward movement in premarket trading on Monday. This came after reports suggesting that President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is devising a federal framework for fully self-driving vehicles. Such a development has investors optimistic, as they anticipate easier regulations for the company's robotaxi project.

Elon Musk's Role and Benefits

Elon Musk, a key figure within Trump's inner circle, stands to gain immensely from this framework. He has placed great emphasis on the robotaxi, a vehicle capable of autonomous driving without human supervision. This has become a central focus for Tesla as it looks to shape the future of the automotive industry. With the potential for more lenient rules, Tesla can accelerate its efforts in developing and deploying these advanced vehicles.The report by Bloomberg indicates that Trump's transition team members have identified making a federal framework for fully self-driving vehicles a top priority for the Transportation Department. Currently, companies like Tesla, which are planning to sell vehicles without traditional steering wheels or foot pedals on a large scale, face substantial regulatory barriers. Additionally, the existing U.S. rules pose significant obstacles to Tesla's robotaxi plans, including limitations on their deployment.

Analysts' Perspectives

Wedbush analysts have reiterated their outperform call on Tesla. They believe that a federal framework would be highly beneficial for the company and a major step forward in easing U.S. rules for self-driving cars. Wedbush, which has set a $400 price target on Tesla, stated last week that Tesla, being less dependent on credits compared to smaller competitors, could even thrive in a scenario with less government support for electric vehicles. Investors have been expecting a Trump presidency to roll back the EV credits provided under the Biden administration.Since the election day, Tesla shares have already seen a gain of more than 30%. In recent premarket trading, they were up by 6%, further highlighting the positive impact of these developments on the company's stock.

Market Overview

Major index stock futures are showing a mixed trend. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average are down by 0.2%. S&P 500 futures have inched up fractionally. Nasdaq 100 futures, on the other hand, are up by 0.2%. These market indicators provide a snapshot of the overall market sentiment and the potential influence of Tesla's developments on the broader market.In conclusion, Tesla's journey in the self-driving vehicle space is being closely watched. The potential easing of regulations under a Trump administration could open up new opportunities for the company and reshape the future of the automotive industry. As Tesla continues to innovate and push the boundaries, it remains a key player in this evolving landscape.
The Crimson's Comeback: Harvard Football's Thrilling Victory
2024-11-18
In the 151-year history of Harvard football, there have been numerous players who have risen to the occasion and rescued the Crimson. One such name that must now be added to the annals is Charles P. DePrima ’25. On Saturday, at ancient Franklin Field in Philadelphia, it was bailout time for the Crimson. Their splendid starting quarterback, junior Jaden Craig, was knocked out in the first quarter, leaving the team trailing by two touchdowns with the shadows lengthening.

Harvard Football's Last-Second Victory Secures Ivy Title

Section 1: The Early Struggles

The Crimson started the game with a promising opening drive, with Craig completing his first four passes. However, they stalled at the Quaker 25 and freshman Kieran Corr missed a 43-yard field goal. On the next drive, Craig was sacked and knocked out of the game on fourth-and-three from the Penn 48. This was the "one play" that changed the course of the game, and DePrima took over as the quarterback.

Even while the Crimson saw Craig knocked out, they welcomed the return of senior caption running back Shane McLaughlin, who had missed several games with injury. Big Mac gained 33 of the 86 yards in Harvard’s ensuing drive, barreling through some cavernous holes made by the offensive line and scoring on a four-yard burst. Now, however, we saw a switch at placekicker: Fingersh in for Corr. Fingersh delivered the point after. Harvard 7, Penn 7.

Section 2: Penn's Early Lead

Penn broke through in the second quarter, with the running of marvelous Quaker back Malachi Hosley forcing the Crimson defense to tighten. Quarterback Liam O’Brien took over and opened up the attack, tossing a 31-yard touchdown to Bisi Owens. Sam Smith kicked the extra point. Penn 7, Harvard 0.

Even while the Crimson saw Craig knocked out, it welcomed the return of senior caption running back Shane McLaughlin, who had missed several games with injury. Big Mac gained 33 of the 86 yards in Harvard’s ensuing drive, barreling through some cavernous holes made by the offensive line and scoring on a four-yard burst. Now, however, we saw a switch at placekicker: Fingersh in for Corr. Fingersh delivered the point after. Harvard 7, Penn 7.

Section 3: Harvard's Comeback

DePrima and the offense responded magnificently. On the ensuing drive, DePrima used his legs for gains of 27 and 11 yards. He then hit sophomore running back Xavier Bascon in stride over the middle for a 23-yard score. Fingersh kicked the point. Penn 21, Harvard 14.

The defense forced a Quaker punt. The Crimson reassumed the ball at their own 13 and began marching. On this drive, the most significant plays came consecutively: first, senior wideout Scott Woods diving and stretching out his entire five-foot-eight frame to snag a 23-yard pass from DePrima near the left sideline; then, DePrima bolting for 27 yards to the Penn nine. On the next play Bascon cantered into the end zone. Fingersh booted. Harvard 21, Penn 21.

Section 4: The Final Moments

There was no quit in the Quakers. O’Brien employed the running of Hosley and some timely passing to reach the Harvard four, from where he rushed untouched into the end zone. Smith kicked. Penn 28, Harvard 21.

Back on trotted the Crimson offense. DePrima engineered a 75-yard drive. He hit Woods for 15 yards. A little later, he connected with sophomore tight end Sean Gilmartin for 18. After using McLaughlin as a battering ram to get into touchdown position, DePrima on first and goal took the snap, ran left and sifted his way nine yards into the end zone. Fingersh again kicked. Harvard 28, Penn 28.

With just under two minutes left, the Quakers reached the Harvard 24. On fourth and six, Smith came on to kick a 41-yard field goal—just within his range. But before the ball was snapped, Penn was called for a false start. The ball was moved back five yards. Now the field goal would be from 46 yards. The ball was snapped…the kick was up and…it slid wide right. No good! From the original distance, it might well have snuck through the uprights.

Now the Crimson took over with a chance to win the game. To advance the ball DePrima cannily connected twice with Harvard’s best receiver, junior Cooper Barkate, for a total of 27 yards. Eventually the ball reached the Penn 30; Fingersh’s field-goal range was unknown. Here, on third-and-one, DePrima took the snap and made one of the damnedest runs in Harvard history, a winding jaunt which he began by going left, then stopping and circling back right. The official gain was 16 yards, to the Penn 14, but DePrima must have run a full field’s worth.

It took five plays to set up the denouement. Then, with the ball having reached the Quaker three and one second left, the Crimson signaled timeout. Fingersh was called on to try a field goal, essentially a glorified extra point. Back at Capistrano Valley (Calif.) High School, he had booted a walk-off field goal during a playoff game. But this was Ivy League football! Of course, a botched game-clinching field-goal try led to Harvard’s only loss this season, against Brown, but that was seven games ago.

The teams lined up. The ball was snapped…the kick was up…and soon Fingersh was being mobbed by his teammates. Harvard 31, Penn 28. Hello, Ivy champs. And the name of Dylan Fingersh ’28 was enrolled in the annals of Harvard football.

When it was over, DePrima had rushed for 122 yards and passed for 169, completing 13 of his 18 tosses. He was not intercepted. McLaughlin gained 83 yards on 16 carries. Barkate caught 11 passes for 129 yards (both game highs). Woods had six receptions for 65 yards. On defense, junior defensive back Ty Bartrum led with eight tackles, while senior linebacker Mitchell Gonser chimed in with seven.So congratulations to Coach Aurich on capturing an Ivy title in his first season. However, throw out the record books—Eli’s coming! Aurich displayed appropriate and admirable tunnel vision. “I literally grabbed the guys before we went in the locker room, and I told them that we did not come here to celebrate sharing a championship, and the only way we can ensure that’s the case is if we go take care of business next week,” he said.You are quite the party pooper, Coach! But we understand. After all…what have you done for us lately?TIDBITS: Harvard now leads the series 53-39-2.….The victory was the fourth straight for the Crimson over the Quakers….Penn last defeated Harvard at Franklin Field in 2016….Harvard’s seven-game winning streak is its longest since the 2015 team opened with eight straight victories….The consecutive titles are the first since the three straight from 2013-15.Weekly RoundupColumbia 21, Brown 12Cornell 39, Dartmouth 22Yale 42, Princeton 28Coming up: The 140th Playing of The Game! Harvard returns to the Stadium next Saturday for the annual finale against archrival Yale. Kickoff: Noon. TV: ESPNU. Radio: 92.9 FM WBOS, 1330 AM, 1450 AM. The Elis are 6-3 overall and 3-3 in Ivy play. In a series that began in 1875, Yale leads 70-61-8. The Bulldogs have won the last two, including last year’s 23-18 victory in New Haven.For coach Andrew Aurich, this will be his first Game day. Here are how his fellow Harvard head coach predecessors fared during their first Games in the Ivy League era, which began in 1956:COACH YEAR RESULTLloyd Jordan 1956 Yale 42, at Harvard 14*John Yovicsin 1957 at Yale 54, Harvard 0Joe Restic 1971 Harvard 35, at Yale 16Tim Murphy 1994 Yale 32, at Harvard 13*Pre-Ivy, Jordan’s first Game was a 14-6 loss at Harvard in 1950.THE SCORE BY QUARTERSHarvard071410—31Penn01477—28Attendance: 12, 286THE SEASON SO FAR: follow Dick Friedman’s dispatches.Football: Harvard 26-Columbia 6Football: Harvard 31-Dartmouth 27Football: Harvard 45-Princeton 13Football: Harvard 35-Holy Cross 34Football: Harvard 38-Cornell 20Football: Harvard 28-New Hampshire 23Football: Brown 31-Harvard 28Football: Harvard 35-Stetson 0Pre-season:Harvard Football: New Season, New CoachFive Questions with Captain Shane McLaughlin ’25
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The Shifting College Football Playoff Bracket After Week 12
2024-11-18
The projected College Football Playoff bracket witnessed significant changes following Week 12 of the season. BYU, which had been on a winning streak, suffered its first loss when it was defeated 16 - 13 by Kansas on Saturday night. This set off a chain reaction, as Georgia emerged victorious over Tennessee with a score of 31 - 17, reshuffling the race for the SEC Championship game.

Boise State's Ascent and the Impact on the Polls

Boise State managed to fend off a scare from San Jose State and climbed above BYU in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 poll on Sunday. This remarkable feat could potentially give them the fourth-highest ranked presumed conference champion status, putting them on the inside track to secure the No. 4 seed in the 12 - team bracket, provided the CFP committee aligns with the other polls.With two weeks remaining in the regular season and conference championship week, there is still much to be determined about who will make up the first expanded CFP. Let's take a closer look at the latest CFP projections after Week 12.

College Football Playoff Predictions After Week 12

Seedings for the CFP are based on the US LBM Coaches Poll and the CFP selection process. Here are the latest seedings after Week 12:1. Oregon (11 - 0)*2. Texas (9 - 1)*3. Miami (9 - 1)*4. Boise State (9 - 1)*5. Ohio State (9 - 1)6. Penn State (9 - 1)7. Indiana (10 - 0)8. Notre Dame (9 - 1)9. Alabama (8 - 2)10. Georgia (8 - 2)11. Ole Miss (8 - 2)12. BYU (9 - 1)***Receives first - round bye, automatic bid**Receives automatic bidAfter BYU's loss, Boise State leapfrogged the Cougars in the Coaches Poll. This would grant Boise State a first - round bye as the fourth - highest - ranked presumed conference champion. However, if the season were to end today, BYU would still receive an automatic bid but would be seeded as the No. 12 seed, outside the top 12.Tennessee's defeat to Georgia also excluded them from the projected field. As per the Coaches Poll, the Vols would be the first at - large team outside the 12 - team bracket. It will be intriguing to observe how the SEC unfolds in the remaining weeks, considering Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Tennessee each have two losses this season.

Projected CFP Bracket After Week 12

If the regular season were to end after Week 12, here's what the first - round matchups would look like:No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 BYUNo. 6 Penn State vs. No. 11 Ole MissNo. 7 Indiana vs. No. 10 GeorgiaNo. 8 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 AlabamaPenn State and Ole Miss are set to face off in a rematch from last season's Peach Bowl. Meanwhile, Georgia will travel to Bloomington, Indiana, to take on the surprising Hoosiers. Ohio State will host BYU in this scenario, and Alabama will travel to face Notre Dame in an iconic matchup between two college football powerhouses.The winner of Ohio State - BYU would advance to face No. 4 Boise State in the semifinals, while the winner of Penn State - Ole Miss would take on Miami. The Indiana - Georgia winner would then face Texas, and the Notre Dame - Alabama winner would face Oregon.

College Football Playoff Dates and Schedules

The College Football Playoff begins with first - round games on Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21. The quarterfinals kick off on Tuesday, Dec. 31, and Wednesday, Jan. 1. The semifinals are scheduled for Jan. 9 - 10, with the national championship on Monday, Jan. 20. Here is the full list of dates for CFP games this season:First round: Friday, Dec. 20 - Saturday, Dec. 21Quarterfinals: Tuesday, Dec. 31 - Wednesday, Jan. 1Semifinals: Thursday, Jan. 9 - Friday, Jan. 10National championship: Monday, Jan. 20

College Football Playoff Ranking Dates

All times are Eastern.The third of the six College Football Playoff rankings will be aired live at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 26, on ESPN. After Tuesday's selection show, there are only two more CFP rankings releases before the 12 - team bracket is announced. Here is the full list of CFP rankings release dates:Tuesday, Nov. 12: 8:30 p.m.Tuesday, Nov. 19: 7 p.m.Tuesday, Nov. 26: 8 p.m.Tuesday, Dec. 3: 7 p.m.Sunday, Dec. 8: Noon
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