Monthly Archives: July 2022

The 2022 season begins with some fantastic non-conference games over the first quarter of the season.

By now, you likely know about the big ones. Notre Dame and Ohio State meet in Week 1 just an hour or so after Oregon and Georgia face off. And Alabama and Texas play in Week 2, of course. But there are a lot of other intriguing non-conference matchups, too, especially in Week 3, a Saturday that could be full of fascinating matchups.

Here's our look at the most intriguing non-conference matchups over the first three weeks of the 2022 college football season.

(All times ET)

This is a fantastic way to cap off the first full Saturday of the season and a huge test for Marcus Freeman in his first regular season game as Notre Dame's coach. Ohio State has become the favorite pick of bettors to win the national title and is more than a two-touchdown favorite over an Irish team that brings back 15 starters.

New Oregon coach Dan Lannings first game with the Ducks comes against his former employer. Lanning was the defensive coordinator for Georgias national title-winning team in 2021 and will likely get a nice ovation from Bulldog fans in Atlanta. How will his familiarity with Georgias defensive personnel help QB Bo Nix and an offense that returns its entire starting offensive line?

Georgia coach Kirby Smart faces off against former defensive coordinator Dan Lanning in Week 1. (Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Pac-12 champions travel to the Swamp and are currently favored over the Gators in Billy Napiers first game coaching Florida. Florida was one of the biggest underachievers in 2021 and enters this season with Anthony Richardson as the teams starting quarterback. Its a big chance for Richardson as he enters the season tied with others as the No. 5 favorite for the Heisman.

This is the Bearcats second consecutive game against an SEC opponent after losing to Alabama in the College Football Playoff. Ben Bryant is in line to replace Desmond Ridder as Cincinnatis starting quarterback while Arkansas needs to replace Treylon Burks and four of its five leading tacklers from a team that won nine games in 2021.

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This game may be more about the name brands involved than the quality of football from two programs trying to get back to the top. But were very intrigued for Brian Kellys first game with the Tigers and if Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels or Myles Brennan will be LSUs starting quarterback.

LSU opens the Brian Kelly era against Florida State. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

The Backyard Brawl is back for the first time since 2011. Pitt enters the game looking to beat the Mountaineers for the first time since 2008 as WVU has won three straight. Both teams will feature former USC quarterbacks, too. Kedon Slovis is in line to start for Pitt while former Trojan and Georgia QB JT Daniels is now at West Virginia.

Who knows, maybe this will be a matchup we see in the Pac-12 in the future? Oregon State returns nine starters on a defense that improved a lot from 2020 to 2021 on the way to a bowl berth for the first time since 2013. The Broncos are a favorite in the Mountain West again and are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 7-5 season.

Appalachian State is a perennial Sun Belt contender and won double-digit games for the third time in four seasons in 2021. North Carolina was a disappointment a season ago and QB Sam Howell is one of six departing starters on the Tar Heel offense.

Houston went 12-2 in 2021 as the play for the future strategy of coach Dana Holgorsen bore fruit in Year 3. UTSA was one of the best stories of 2021 as the Roadrunners also went 12-2 and got to No. 15 in the AP Top 25. QB Frank Harris is one of eight starters back on offense for UTSA and the Alamodome will be very loud for this one.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian (R) served as an offensive coordinator for Nick Saban before taking the Longhorns job after the 2020 season. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

The matchup of future SEC foes is the first between the two teams since Alabama beat Texas to win the national title in 2010. Former Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian will be hoping his offensive line can hold up against the Tides defensive front to let Quinn Ewers and Bijan Robinson make plays and that his defense can keep 2021 Heisman winner Bryce Young in check.

Baylor, the reigning Big 12 champion, beat the Cougars by 14 at home in 2021. BYU returns every starter on defense after taking a step back statistically in 2021 thanks to a much tougher schedule. The Cougars will need to replace RB Tyler Allgaier but QB Jaren Hall and WRs Puka Nacua and Gunner Romney return.

This matchup of former Big 12 rivals is sneakily significant. Missouri could need this win to make a bowl for the second consecutive season while Kansas State is going for its third eight-win season in Chris Kliemans four seasons with the school.

Cardinals QB Malik Cunningham is one of the best dual-threat QBs in college football and this is a second straight road game for Louisville to start the season. Well see if Mikey Keene or Ole Miss transfer John Rhys Plumlee is the starting QB for the Knights as they bring back 17 starters from a team that went 9-4 in Gus Malzahns first season.

Louisville QB Malik Cunningham scored nearly 40 TDs in 2021. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Pitt got the best of Tennessee last year and its easy to see Tennessee returning the favor in 2022. Hendon Hooker was phenomenal in 2021 and a win against the Panthers sets Tennessee up to be 3-0 before consecutive games against Florida, LSU and Alabama.

WSU went 6-3 in the Pac-12 in 2021 and blew out rival Washington to end the regular season. The Cougars also bring in FCS star Cameron Ward at QB with his offensive coordinator at Incarnate Word, Eric Morris, now in charge of the play-calling in Pullman. Wisconsin has to replace 14 starters but is the favorite in the Big Ten West and returns RB Braelon Allen. He rushed for nearly seven yards a carry as a freshman.

Oklahoma State should be in the thick of the Big 12 race once again but needs to replace seven starters on a defense that also has a new coordinator after Jim Knowles went to Ohio State. Arizona State has to replace 15 starters including QB Jayden Daniels as the program is in the midst of an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations.

The annual rivalry game isnt higher up on the Week 2 list because ISU only brings back eight starters from a team that underachieved in 2021. Matt Campbell needs to replace Brock Purdy, Breece Hall and Charlie Kolar on offense and the teams four leading tacklers are also gone. ISU hasn't beaten Iowa since 2014.

This game gets even more interesting if Appalachian State gets a win over North Carolina in Week 1. A&M will be a significant favorite and this is a potential look-ahead spot for the Aggies ahead of a massive Week 3 showdown with Miami.

This is another tough Mountain West test for the Beavers before a game against FCS opponent Montana State ahead of Pac-12 play. Fresno State and QB Jake Haener took down UCLA in a thriller in 2021.

Miami and new coach Mario Cristobal head to College Station to play Texas A&M in Week 3. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

This is a huge spot for the Hurricanes and new coach Mario Cristobal. Tyler Van Dyke has been mentioned as a possible first-round QB in the 2023 NFL draft and a big game against the Aggies will heighten that draft buzz. A&M is the fourth SEC opponent Miami has faced in the last five seasons and only one of its previous three losses a 24-20 loss to Florida in 2019 was within 14 points.

The Huskers hung around against Oklahoma a season ago before proceeding to lose seven of their final eight games of the season on the way to a 3-9 record. Expectations in Lincoln will be for nothing short of a win, even if Oklahoma will be favored in this one.

Oregon isnt skimping on its non-conference scheduling this season. Given the Ducks game against Georgia in Week 1 and BYUs game against Baylor in Week 2, its entirely possible that the loser of this game will be 1-2.

Auburn went 6-7 in Bryan Harsin's first season. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

It may be a stretch to say this is a must-win game for Auburn coach Bryan Harsin, but a win over Penn State would do wonders for a program that went 6-7 and had a tumultuous offseason. This will also be Penn States second road game of the season after a Week 1 visit to Purdue and the Nittany Lions first game at an SEC opponent since visiting Alabama in 2010.

MSU went to Miami and won by three touchdowns in Week 3 a season ago in what was a surprising result at the time. This is the first big test for Washington and new coach Kalen DeBoer after the Huskies were 4-8 in 2021. Improving the offense is a huge priority for DeBoer and Washington brought in former Indiana QB Michael Penix during the offseason.

Can Fresno take down another team from Los Angeles? This game gets the late-night treatment on Fox as all attention will be on Lincoln Riley and the offensive skill players that transferred to USC. The biggest question for the Trojans may be on defense, however. USC needs to replace eight starters after giving up 32 points per game in 2021.

USC hosts Fresno State in Week 3 after playing Stanford in Week 2. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

SDSU beat Utah in three overtimes in 2021 and also plays Arizona and Boise State over the first five weeks of the 2022 season. SDSU has given up fewer than 20 points per game in each of the last three seasons.

This is a game NC State needs to win to assert itself as one of the best teams in the ACC. A season ago, the Wolfpack lost 24-10 at Mississippi State in Week 2.

The Longhorns will likely win this one but 2022 is UTSAs chance to establish itself as a power player in the state after its run in 2021. Wins over Houston and Texas will give UTSA bragging rights itll retain forever.

The Wildcats are the first Power Five opponent for the FCS powerhouse Bison since NDSU took down Iowa in 2016. Dont be surprised when NDSU is favored ahead of the game as Arizona went 1-11 in 2021 and was outscored by two touchdowns per game.

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The best non-conference games of the 2022 college football season - Yahoo Sports

Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. In light of that, when we looked at CLPS Incorporation (NASDAQ:CLPS) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for CLPS Incorporation:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.16 = US$11m (US$102m - US$33m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2021).

Therefore, CLPS Incorporation has an ROCE of 16%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the IT industry average of 12% it's much better.

View our latest analysis for CLPS Incorporation

roce

While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you'd like to look at how CLPS Incorporation has performed in the past in other metrics, you can view this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

In terms of CLPS Incorporation's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 16% from 23% five years ago. However, given capital employed and revenue have both increased it appears that the business is currently pursuing growth, at the consequence of short term returns. And if the increased capital generates additional returns, the business, and thus shareholders, will benefit in the long run.

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On a side note, CLPS Incorporation has done well to pay down its current liabilities to 32% of total assets. That could partly explain why the ROCE has dropped. Effectively this means their suppliers or short-term creditors are funding less of the business, which reduces some elements of risk. Since the business is basically funding more of its operations with it's own money, you could argue this has made the business less efficient at generating ROCE.

While returns have fallen for CLPS Incorporation in recent times, we're encouraged to see that sales are growing and that the business is reinvesting in its operations. Despite these promising trends, the stock has collapsed 72% over the last three years, so there could be other factors hurting the company's prospects. Therefore, we'd suggest researching the stock further to uncover more about the business.

Like most companies, CLPS Incorporation does come with some risks, and we've found 2 warning signs that you should be aware of.

While CLPS Incorporation may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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CLPS Incorporation (NASDAQ:CLPS) Is Reinvesting At Lower Rates Of Return - Yahoo Finance

LAS VEGAS The NBA transition take foul during games will result in a stricter penalty starting with the 2022-23 season, the league announced after a Board of Governors meeting. The board approved the measure during its meeting Tuesday.

The NBAs Competition Committee moved forward with a proposal to grant the team on offense with one free throw and possession of the ball if the team on defense employs the take foul, sources said.

The take foul was overly used by teams on defense to eliminate fast-break opportunities in which the defending team was at a numbers disadvantage. After the foul, the offensive team was previously given the ball out of bounds. The tactic also led to a disruption of game flow and it bogged the game down.

Another modification the committee will submit to the BOG for approval will be enforcing proper bench decorum by issuing stiffer penalties, sources said. One of a few principal matters on decorum are players standing up at the bench for extended portions of the game, obstructing the view of fans sitting behind the bench, sources said. There was no immediate announcement to a change in policy after the BOG meeting.

Fans have lobbed complaints at the league, expressing how theyre purchasing expensive seats with a blocked vantage point, sources said.

The Dallas Mavericks were fined a total of $175,000 throughout the 2022 playoffs for violation of bench decorum.

The BOG on Tuesday also approved the adoption of the play-in tournament before the postseason on a permanent basis after one-year runs in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum fouls Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry in transition during the 2022 NBA Finals. The NBA is on the verge of stiffer penalties for transition "take fouls." (Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)

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NBA's transition 'take foul' to be penalized in 2022-23 season; play-in tournament made permanent - Yahoo Sports

Coaching matters in the National Football League. The quarterback is the most important player on the field, but without a strong coaching staff, even the most talented ones can struggle. The successful combination of the two is a very significant driver of your franchise's long-term success.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, under Mike Tomlin, are a perfect example. Tomlin joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007, the fourth year of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger's illustrious 18-year career with Pittsburgh. During the fifteen years Tomlin and Roethlisberger led Pittsburgh into battle, Roethlisberger became only the fifth player in history to throw for over 64,000 career yards. They won a Super Bowl together, while Tomlin set one of the most impressive records a coach can earn by registering 15 consecutive non-losing seasons.

Now with Roethlisberger retired, Tomlin marches the Steelers into a new era. But can he continue his streak with Mitch Trubisky under center?

Mike Tomlin has done a masterful job getting the most of his players during his career. However, coaches need players, and there are enough red flags on this roster to signal this is the season the bottom falls out for Pittsburgh. Here are three key metrics where Pittsburgh ranked at the bottom of the league that I think will highlight the challenges they will face this season.

Pittsburgh's an auto-fade if you believe games are won in the trenches. Last season, the Steelers defense allowed a league-leading 143.8 yards rushing per game, and they didn't do much to improve in the offseason. They have gradually moved away from being the tough, physical team that will impose their will on their opponents and spent their top two draft picks on offensive skill position players for the second straight season.

Unfortunately, without a strong offensive line, those skill position players will have a tough time succeeding. Last season, RB Najee Harris was one of the league's leaders in broken tackles and was still held to only 29 yards in Pittsburgh's 42-21 playoff loss to Kansas City. The Steelers' free-agent signings of Mason Cole and James Daniels do little to improve the outlook of one of the worst offensive lines in football. The Steelers unit was recently ranked 30th by Sharp Football for this upcoming season.

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PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 24: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (10), running back Najee Harris (22), quarterback Kenny Pickett (8), and quarterback Chris Oladokun (5) take part in a drill during the team's OTA practice, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

That leads me to the most critical position on the field, the quarterback. Ben Roethlisberger had his limitations last season, but they will miss his experience. Putting Trubisky, a quarterback who has struggled with decision-making, behind this offensive line will be a problem. Even if Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada looks to roll Trubisky out of the pocket, it won't be easy with two tackles that rank outside the top 60 at their position. It's also not ideal for a rookie quarterback, so I don't expect the Steelers to move to Pickett early in an attempt to save the season.

Typically, when a team comes off a year where they ranked 28th in yards per play, the only way to go is up. But I am not sold that's going to be the case this season with the Steelers offense under either quarterback. In his rookie year, Pickett will likely have the same challenges as Trubisky.

It's a good bet this season marks the end of an incredible run by Mike Tomlin. Based on projected win totals, the Steelers have the fourth-most difficult schedule. They open the season as 6.5-point dogs against the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals. They also face the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first six weeks. The Steelers are -200 to finish last in the AFC North and -375 to miss the playoffs.

The betting market is telling us this isn't a good football team, and I am willing to listen. Pittsburgh is the projected favorite in only four games the entire year, so having the total win set at 7.5 creates value on the under. I have watched Andy Reid go 4-12 in his last season in Philadelphia and also saw how a below-average quarterback room can make Bill Belichick look human. You can only coach them up so much. Betting against Mike Tomlin hasn't paid off in the past, but it's a new era in Pittsburgh. Mitch Trubisky, behind a poor offensive line, sounds like a good bet to go 7-10 or worse.

Stats provided by Clevanalytics, Sharp Football, PFF.com, Football Outsiders

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NFL betting, odds: Why fading the Steelers is a must this season - Yahoo Sports