LeBron James, Patrick Kane, Alex Morgan and Jamie McMurray film commercial in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's been a busy week for LeBron James on the media front. James attended the premiere of "Survivor's Remorse" at Capitol Theater in Cleveland on Thursday. The show is produced by Spring Hill Productions, which is owned by James and business partner Maverick Carter. According to a report, James spent the previous day filming a commercial with stars from across the sports world.

From Luis Gomez in the Chicago Tribune: 

"Kane and James -- along with U.S. women’s soccer star Alex Morgan and NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray -- were brought together Wednesday in Cleveland to film a commercial for McDonald’s Monopoly campaign, according to a McDonald's spokesperson. The spokesperson said the commercial will begin airing later this month."

Kane and James have been linked via Twitter previously, reports Gomez, and Kane noted his respect for James following a courtside photo opp in 2013:

"'I've just been a big LeBron fan ever since he came into the league, and got a great respect for what he's done throughout his career,' Kane told reporters following the encounter."

Check out Gomez's story for more details on the commercial and the relationship between James and Kane.

After Virginia Tech's success blitzing the Buckeyes' offense, J.T. Barrett should expect more blitzes this week from Kent State in Saturday's game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Welcome to this week's edition of Buckeye Chalk Talk with former Ohio State offensive lineman Andrew Moses.

Last week, we talked about Virginia Tech's blitzing and how it would be a challenge for the Buckeyes - which it was.

This week, we break down J.T. Barrett’s 53-yard touchdown pass to Michael Thomas late in the third quarter, one of the few bright spots in Ohio State’s 35-21 loss to Virginia Tech.

By simplifying the formation and presnap reads, the offensive line and Barrett were able to sort out Virginia Tech’s “Bear” defensive front and “Cover 0” blitz for a big play. The line picked up the blitz by using a “gap” protection scheme and Barrett was able to get the ball out of his hands before the all-out blitz could make an impact.

Don’t be surprised if Kent State and opponents the rest of this season roll the dice and blitz the Buckeye offense. This play shows the downside to a “Cover 0” scheme, as one broken tackle gave Thomas a clear path the end zone. However, seven sacks and countless hits on Barrett proved the worth of this scheme as the Hokies frustrated Ohio State’s offense most of the game.

Watch my breakdown above; and if you'd like to see the actual footage of this week's play, check out this video:

Andrew Moses was an offensive lineman for Ohio State from 2005-2009. He was named Academic All-Big Ten twice, played in 27 games, started one, lettered in 2008 and 2009, and served as a team captain for the New Mexico State game his senior year. He graduated from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2013 and currently is an associate attorney at Brouse McDowell in their Cleveland office.

To meet the demand, the team has adjusted its ticket policies, putting in a new online lottery process, which begins on Sept. 26.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the Cleveland Cavaliers are set to embark on an exciting season, tickets are in demand to see LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love and the rest of the team that is expected to challenge for Eastern Conference supremacy. To meet the demand, the team has adjusted its ticket policies, putting in a new online lottery process, which begins Sept. 26. 

The new process is intended to keep tickets away from brokers and individuals looking to purchase with the intention of reselling. 

Fans can also still buy guaranteed single-game tickets in advance by using Flash Seats, the team's secondary ticket market. That method will be available Sept. 26 as well. 

"The excitement for the upcoming Cavs season is off the charts and we can't wait to get started," said Cavaliers CEO Len Komoroski in a statement released by the team. "It's a fact that the high demand for tickets far exceeds the supply. We were committed to find a way to strategically help manage a ticket-buying process that would protect the integrity of the purchase for our true fans, and we believe a timed monthly lottery will help ensure that is the case."

In order to register for the lottery, fans must visit cavs.com, and then they will have the option to register for every month of the season or select months. The Cavaliers will push the tickets out on a monthly basis to the winners, who will be randomly selected during the first full week of each month. The winner can then purchase up to six tickets to a single game the upcoming month. Fans who win the lottery and purchase tickets can get back into the lottery again after 60 days.

However, according to the team's release, fans are not guaranteed a specific game date as availability to purchase is first come, first served. 

As for fans interested in seeing the Cavs in the preseason, those tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at any of the 58 Discount Drug Mart locations in the area.

There will be three preseason games at The Q. Coach David Blatt's former team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, comes to town on Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. The Milwaukee Bucks visit nine days later on Tuesday, Oct. 14. The final preseason game at The Q is against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Ari is the only one of us still undefeated two weeks into the season. So add your pick to ours - obviously, besting us isn't that difficult.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On Thursday we were outrageous, making some predictions about specific things we think we could see when Ohio State and Kent State take the field in Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

Now we'll be more traditionally wrong.

In this space last week, Bill, Livy and I, along with your reader picker for the week, John from Columbus, all predicted Ohio State to beat Virginia Tech. Only Ari hit the game with his pick of the Hokies.

If we stopped making picks just because we were wrong, I would have knocked it off seven or eight years ago. So we're back for Saturday's game, which opened as a 26.5-point spread, but now has the Buckeyes favored by 32.

Our guest picker this week is Bob Preusse of Cleveland, who made the best reader pick in the comments last week, when he predicted a 24-17 Virginia Tech win. So he gets a shot at picking with us this week.

Reader Bob Preusse picks Ohio State 38, Kent State 10

This Ohio State schedule may not have looked appealing this summer with a break coming already after Kent State, but it's going to be perfect for the Buckeyes to take their frustrations out on Kent and get some confidence back prior to the meat of their schedule.

Kent is the ideal "Get Well"" opponent for Ohio State. Kent is a weak team, with respectable defense but poor offense. The Golden Flashes started with a 17-14 loss to Ohio University and a 23-13 loss to South Alabama. Star running back Trayion Durham has been out since early in preseason camp because of a second surgery on a foot. Ohio State's angry front four will eat the Kent offense up. 

Kent's defense gave up 175 yards rushing to Ohio and 186 to South Alabama so Ohio State's RBs should have a field day. QB J.T. Barrett won't have to do much. Ohio State wins after a sluggish start, a hangover from the Virginia Tech game. 

Doug Lesmerises picks Ohio State 53, Kent State 7

Ohio State scored 50 points or more four times in 2012 and five times in 2013. You don't think the Buckeyes are going to hit 50 at all this season? Even once? If you think they will, this is the most logical game.

The offense is far from perfect. And I don't think this offense is ready to drive the ball consistently. I still have plenty of doubts about the Buckeyes' playmakers. There may be depth, but are any of them truly great right now?

They don't have to be great to make plays Saturday. Expect Ohio State to open it up offensively - Urban Meyer has said the Buckeyes must do that. Count on maybe 14 points from defense and/or special teams, and topping 50 certainly isn't out of the question. And it also won't mean that the OSU offense is fixed.

Ari Wasserman picks Ohio State 38, Kent State 3

Though Ohio State's weaknesses got exposed against Virginia Tech, Kent State simply doesn't have the athletes or the depth to compete with the Buckeyes on their home field. While I don't think Ohio State makes it into the 50s like Doug, the Buckeyes' should get things going offensively against the Flashes. That means getting it to skill position players that have no excuse not to win their 1-on-1 battles this week. 

This puts Ohio State in position to head into the bye week feeling more confident before it plays their next tricky nonconference game vs. Cincinnati in two weeks. 

Bill Landis picks Ohio State 41, Kent State 6

This is the week we see Ohio State open things up a bit on offense. J.T. Barrett won't be under constant fire, the run game should finally get going, and I think we'll see a couple big plays from the Buckeyes' offense.

KSU will struggle to move the ball against Ohio State's defense, maybe breaking through for a score or two late. Ohio State gets the chance to right some things and heads into the first bye week with a comfortable win.

Bill Livingston picks Ohio State 38, Kent State 7

The line is 32 as I write this, and it is hard to see this Ohio State team at this point covering anything except their heads from the criticism raining down.

This game should be a foregone conclusion, but there should be silent thanks that OSU, as it did in dodging Miami when Ben Roethlisberger was there, has again ducked the MAC's reigning power, Northern Illinois.

The bye week can't come soon enough for these guys. Blocking for QB J.T. Barrett was a big problem, but I wouldn't be averse to giving Glenville's Cardale Jones a decent look vs. the Flashes. He at least is more dynamic and can break more tackles than Barrett. The fact that Barrett leads in rushing after two games is also a very red - indeed, one might say scarlet - flag.

Season records

Straight up: Ari (2-0), Doug (1-1), Livy (1-1), Bill (0-1), Readers (0-1)

Against the spread: Bill (1-0), Readers (1-0), Doug (1-1), Ari (1-1), Livy (1-1)

A preview of Baldwin Wallace's season opener against Bluffton, and other local NCAA Division II and Division III football games Saturday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Imagine walking into class for the first day of school and the teacher hands out the final exam based on the summer reading list. Welcome to the Baldwin Wallace football team's world.

The Yellow Jackets have had nine months to fix a run defense that ended last season by giving up an NCAA all-divisions record 465 yards to Heidelberg junior Cartel Brooks. On Saturday, BW opens the season against visiting Bluffton and tailback Eric Fox, who rushed for 221 yards and two touchdowns last week in a loss to Ohio Wesleyan.

Fox, a senior from Brunswick, is the NCAA Division III rushing leader after one week.

As training camp began last month, Baldwin Wallace coach John Snell said the focus was getting back to playing "BW football.''

What does that mean?

"BW football has always been tough, physical, intelligent, hard-playing football,'' he said. "Every game, hopefully everybody who played Baldwin Wallace knew they were in a game. I'm not sure that's what was reflected in our last football game, so we've got a lot to prove.''

BW was 6-4 last season and returns 12 starters.

Here's a quick look at Northeast Ohio's Division II and Division III games Saturday:

• Bluffton ( 0-1) at Baldwin Wallace (0-0), 2 p.m.

What: Nonleague game

Radio: WBWC, 88.3 FM

Notable: Michael Slack, who shared QB duties with Kyle Ohradzanski last year, has moved to WR. BW might continue the two-QB system with Ohradzanski and junior Tyler Moeglin.

• Urbana (1-0, 1-0) at NDC (1-0, 1-0), 2 p.m.

What: Mountain East Conference game

Radio: WKNR2, 1540 AM

Notable: NDC forced seven turnovers in a 42-35 victory over Fairmont last week. Urbana sophomore QB Cale Burdyshaw (Perry) had 247 yards total offense and three TDs in a 24-13 victory over Virginia Wise.

• Hillsdale (0-1, 0-1) at Lake Erie College (0-1, 0-1), 1 p.m.

What: Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game

Radio: WFUN, 970 AM

Notable: LEC junior RB Anthony Bilal rushed for 200 yards last week, but the defense surrendered 671 yards in a 66-21 loss to Ashland. Hillsdale lost to Findlay, 56-38.

• Denison (1-0, 0-0) at Hiram (1-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.

What: North Coast Athletic Conference game

Notable: Hiram overcame a 27-3, third-quarter deficit to beat Westminster last week, 30-27. Senior QB Robert Partridge led a game-winning drive. Denison won at Earlham, 35-6.

• Oberlin (0-1, 0-0) at Kenyon (0-1, 0-0), 2 p.m

What: NCAC game

Radio: WOBL, 1320 AM

Notable: Oberlin sophomore safety Adrian Kelly made a career-high 11 tackles in a 45-10 loss at Brockport. Kenyon led Marietta at the half, 11-0, and lost 29-11.

The Orioles lead the AL East by 10 games with 17 left in the regular season, so the team will be without the 2013 home run champion deep into the playoffs.

BALTIMORE, Md. - Orioles slugger Chris Davis was suspended 25 games without pay on Friday for using amphetamines, a punishment that will extend into the postseason.

Baltimore started play Friday leading the AL East by 10 games with 17 left in the regular season, so the team will be without the 2013 home run champion deep into the playoffs.

In a statement, Davis said: "I apologize to my teammates, coaches, the Orioles organization and especially the fans. I made a mistake by taking Adderall. I had permission to use it in the past, but do not have a therapeutic use exemption this year. I accept my punishment and will begin serving my suspension immediately."

Adderall is a drug often used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. It is, however, also known as a performance and cognitive enhancer.

The 28-year-old Davis informed manager Buck Showalter of the suspension on Thursday night. Davis is prohibited from entering the clubhouse during the ban.

The Orioles are already without catcher Matt Wieters and third baseman Manny Machado, both of whom sustained season-ending injuries. The loss of Davis further hampers Baltimore's chances of advancing in the playoffs.

"First of all, we got to get to the postseason," Showalter said. "Our goal right now is to get there. It just means we will be without him for the rest of the regular season."

Davis is batting .196 with 26 homers and 72 RBIs in 145 games, quite a dropoff from his numbers last year: .286 with 53 home runs and 138 RBIs.

"A lot of people would like to hit 25 to 30 home runs and drive in 80 runs," Showalter said, projecting what might have been Davis' final numbers for the season.

Although Davis' performance this year has tailed off significantly, he's still been a big part of Baltimore's surprising success.

He's contributed several clutch hits, played solidly at first base and often manned third base in the wake of Machado's departure.

"I'm disappointed," Showalter said. "I know Chris is too. It is what it is. We're going to try and deal with it and move on. The timing is never good. It's one of those challenges."

The Orioles immediately set out to make adjustments to cover his absence.

"I've got a lot of confidence in our guys," Showalter said. "I'm always looking at the what-ifs. We've had to plug some people in and they've done a nice job for us."

Having already been forced to cope with the loss of Wieters and Machado, Showalter didn't complain about the situation.

"You have to learn to deal with the problems and challenges along the way," he said. "If they are self-inflicted, there is no woe is me. And this is self-inflicted."

The suspension came as the Orioles were set to open a four-game series against the Yankees, who were 10 1/2 games back in the AL East.

"It's disappointing any time a guy is suspended. You hate to see it in our game," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "I don't think we'll ever get away from it unfortunately. I think people are always going to try and beat the system. We're going to have to do deal with it."

Bowling Green gets to host Indiana at home Saturday, giving the Falcons and the MAC a rare opportunity to pull a home field upset over a Big Ten team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The most wins the Mid-American Conference has earned over the Big Ten in one football season is four. The MAC already has two this season, and gets three more chances today.

Flight time: In the third game of the season, defending MAC champion Bowling Green (1-1) should be ready offensively to pull an upset in a rare home game vs. Indiana (1-0) from the Big Ten. Even with backup QB James Knapke  (237 yards, 1 TD) in only his second start, there are enough veteran weapons on this side of the ball for BG to more than hold its own against the Hoosiers, who only posted 28 points vs. Indiana State in its opener.

The big challenge (or question) will come with Bowling Green's defense, which has allowed more than a whopping 1,100 yards of total offense in its first two games vs. much less (Western Kentucky, VMI) talent than what the Hoosiers are expected to bring to Doyt-Perry Stadium. Game time: noon in Bowling Green, Ohio, ESPNU.

RedHawks can score: The Miami RedHawks (0-2) are winless, but have at least shown they are capable of putting points on the board in head coach Chuck Martin's first season. The RedHawks, however, have had problems running the football, gaining just 160 yards total in two games this season.

Michigan (1-1), coming off a shutout loss to Notre Dame, is a mystery considering that setback came one week after posting 52 points and 560 yards against Appalachian State. MAC upset chances here are slim. Game time: 3:30 p.m., Ann Arbor, Michigan, BTN.

The River Rivalry: This Ohio River feud is renewed between Ohio University (1-1) and Marshall (2-0) with no love lost between them. The Thundering Herd has posted 42 and 48 points in its first two games as QB Rakeem Cato continues his streak of 34 straight games with a TD pass.

The Bobcats' offense has sputtered so far, generating just 20 points total in its first two games of the season. The OU defense, however, has been stellar, allowing just 37 points combined in two games, led by linebacker Quentin Poling (15 tackles, 3 sacks). Game time: noon, Huntington, W. Va., CBS Sports Net.

Other MAC games:
Kent State (0-2) at Ohio State (1-1), noon, ABC-TV.
Akron (1-1) - bye this week.
Syracuse (1-0) at Central Michigan (2-0), noon, ESPNews.
UMass (0-2) at Vanderbilt (0-2), noon, Fox Sports Net
Indiana State (1-1) at Ball State (1-1), 3 p.m. ESPN3 (internet)
Western Michigan (0-1) at Idaho (0-1), 5 p.m. ESPN3 (internet)
Eastern Michigan (1-1) at Old Dominion (1-1), 6 p.m. Cox Sports
Northern Illinois (2-0) at UNLV (1-1), 7 p.m. Mountain West Network

Watch rookie offensive lineman Joel Bitonio talk about his first NFL experience and playing in the home opener this Sunday against the Saints.

BEREA, Ohio -- "I was nervous," Cleveland Browns rookie left guard Joel Bitonio said laughing Thursday when talking about his first official NFL game last Sunday against the Steelers.

"Once I get one run play in and one pass play in, I'm like alright I can play and I'm good to go, but every game I get a little nervous," he added.

Bitonio said he was pleased with his first effort.  Head coach Mike Pettine agreed.  "He didn't look like a rookie in the first game," Pettine said.  "He's got that spot locked down from here moving forward."

Drafted with the 35th pick in the second round out of Nevada, Bitonio said he is excited for the home opener and seeing the Dawg Pound in full force.  "It's going to be loud.  It's going to be exciting."  

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

The man who, perhaps more than any coach in college football, has taken the "SEC superiority" perception to task, will be put to the test Saturday.

No pressure, Bob Stoops.

The man who, perhaps more than any coach in college football, has taken the "SEC superiority" perception to task, will be put to the test Saturday when Tennessee comes to Norman to face Stoops' fourth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

Back in 2013, if you recall, he questioned the SEC's depth, conceding the league's recent national championships, but asking, "What are the bottom six (of the SEC) doing?"

He may find out.

Tennessee, a team considered to be on the rise, though still not quite an SEC contender, presents an interesting challenge to Stoops' team in light of his past comments, which he has done anything but back away from. The Vols may indeed be a bottom six team in the SEC this year. But can they play with a Big 12 contender?

That game highlights a week that's lacking in big matchups. The only game pitting two Top 25 teams is the Georgia-South Carolina showdown in the SEC. Here's how the games might go:

Game of the Week

No. 6 Georgia at No. 24 South Carolina: Let's establish something before we start bashing South Carolina's defense: East Carolina is going to have a pretty good team this year.

So the fact that the Gamecocks had to battle a bit before subduing the Pirates 33-23 last week does not, in and of itself, reflect poorly on Steve Spurrier's team. What does is the fact that South Carolina gave up 453 yards to ECU after surrendering 680 in the season-opening loss to Texas A&M.

This South Carolina team was supposed to include a rugged defense as a big chunk of its identity. Those numbers aren't rugged, especially with a Georgia offense that might be, in its own way, as good as A&M's, coming to town.

UGA's Todd Gurley may be the best running back in college football, and may even be the nation's best player. He leads the deepest group of backs in the country at Georgia, with the possible exception of Alabama.

Without Jadeveon Clowney and Kelcy Quarles anchoring the South Carolina line, it doesn't look like the Gamecocks can stop that, even at home. ... Georgia, 41-27

Lock of the Week

No. 12 UCLA vs. Texas: This is one of those games where some may look for an upset.

UCLA, after all, hasn't looked good, struggling to beat below-average opponents Virginia and Memphis to start the season. The Bruins were supposed to be kingpins in the Pac-12 South, but they don't protect quarterback Brent Hundley (who has been sacked nine times) and have a tendency to self-destruct.

But don't worry, Bruins. This ain't vintage Texas, either.

Sure, there's a lot of excitement for the start of the Charlie Strong era. But last week's 41-7 home loss to BYU sort of proved what Strong had suggested to be true: The Longhorns are a long way from being a national title contender.

They are also depleted, with five starters expected to miss the game, including quarterback David Ash, and a sixth questionable. You may think UCLA is vulnerable, but the Longhorns are even more vulnerable. ... UCLA, 27-17

Upset alert

Backup quarterback Justin Holman almost rallied Central Florida over Penn State in the opener. He'll start at Missouri.Associated Press 

Central Florida at No. 20 Missouri: First, let's give credit to Missouri. There has been plenty of reason to be skeptical of the Tigers, who lost so much from last year's SEC East championship team, but they have been impressive, especially last week when they disposed of Toledo, a pretty good MAC team.

Having said that, this Mizzou team isn't as good as a year ago, which could make this one interesting. Central Florida opened against Penn State in Dublin, losing on a field goal on the game's last play.

In that game, the Knights fell behind early, but climbed back in after changing quarterbacks. Justin Holman rallied UCF in the second half and if he had played the entire game as effectively as he played the second half, the Golden Knights would have won.

UCF has had two weeks to prepare for the Tigers and they have a veteran defense. This could be the best team, along with BYU, from outside the power five conferences. ... UCF, 21-20

Big time

Tennessee at No. 4 Oklahoma: Tennessee is interesting in that in its 2-0 start it has looked pretty fair, but against middling competition. A young team expected to finish in the bottom half of the SEC East, the Volunteers are also a team that has stockpiled a couple of good recruiting classes and has more young talent than it has had in a while.

OU is also off to a 2-0 start against ho-hum competition, although the 48-16 win over Louisiana Tech to start the year looks much more impressive now, considering the Bulldogs turned around and blew out a pretty solid Louisiana-Lafayette squad last week.

Tennessee, the only team in the nation that had to replace its entire starting offensive and defensive lines, is still a year away. OU's time may be now. Stoops' team backed up his words against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. It'll do it again. ... Sooners, 42-17

Quick hits

No. 9 USC at Boston College: BC is coming off a loss to Pitt, while USC may have supplanted UCLA as the Pac-12 South favorite. Going cross-country could be dicey for the Trojans, but BC may not be good enough to take advantage. ... USC, 27-16

No. 21 Louisville at Virginia: These are the kinds of games Mike London needs to save his job at Virginia. It won't happen here. ... Cardinals, 28-21

East Carolina at No. 17 Virginia Tech: Again, East Carolina is pretty good and will contend for the American Athletic Conference title. But Virginia Tech is very good, maybe the sleeper team in the ACC. ... Hokies, 26-21

Louisiana-Lafayette at No. 14 Ole Miss: Some thought ULL might contend for the major bowl spot reserved for the non-power five leagues. Louisiana Tech spoiled that last week. Ole Miss, on the other hand, might be headed for one of the big six bowls. ... Rebels, 33-14

Army at No. 15 Stanford: Nobody likes playing service academy teams and their unusual option offenses. Stanford is smart enough to handle it. ... Cardinal, 34-10

Louisiana-Monroe at No. 10 LSU: Don't look now, but Todd Berry's Warhawks are 2-0, including a win over Wake Forest. But LSU ain't Wake Forest. ... Tigers, 45-7

Purdue at No. 11 Notre Dame: Purdue, on the other hand, is like Wake Forest. And Notre Dame is more like LSU. ... Irish, 42-3

Rice at No. 7 Texas A&M: Rice may contend for another Conference USA title, but after losing to Notre Dame, the Owls are headed for an 0-2 start. ... Aggies, 48-21

No. 16 Arizona State at Colorado: While the USC-UCLA debate rages in the Pac-12 South, Todd Graham's team will quietly move to 3-0. ... Sun Devils, 42-14

Top 25 gimmes: No. 8 Baylor over Buffalo; No. 22 Ohio State over Kent State; No. 2 Oregon over Wyoming.

New video features FirstEnergy Stadium post-renovations as well as pregame and in-game elements of Browns games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns play the Saints on Sunday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium, and it's the first opportunity for fans to see their team in action (aside from preseason -- which doesn't really count). In honor of the home opener, the Browns released a video featuring their 100% Dawg Pound theme.

The video features shots of FirstEnergy Stadium following its offseason renovations as well as players, coaches and team owner Jimmy Haslam. Shots of fans tailgating are also included alongside other pregame and in-game presentation elements.

The Browns are encouraging fans to use the hashtags #DawgPound, #WeBarkTogether and #TimeToBark on game days.

Kelly Baerwaldt, the Asian carp/eDNA Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, sees western Lake Erie as a potential crime scene.

MONROE, Michigan -- Kelly Baerwaldt, the Asian carp/eDNA Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, sees western Lake Erie as a potential crime scene.

"The 'e' in eDNA is for environmental," said Baerwaldt. "What we're doing is sampling DNA from the environment, such as the waters of Lake Erie, looking for the genetic material of Asian carp. It might be tissue from a live or dead fish, or it could be feces or even the notorious slime that covers Asian carp."

The use of eDNA is a new science developed at the University of Notre Dame, and an important one for the fisheries crews trying to stop invasive Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. It is so important the USFWS took over the eDNA program from the U.S. Corps of Engineers and created the new Whitney Genetics Laboratory in Onalaska, Wisconsin in April 2013 to handle eDNA testing.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades, funded the Whitney facility.

"Positive eDNA water samples can only tell us if Asian carp could be in an area," said Baerwaldt. "It's still very hard to capture Asian carp, even with gill nets and electrofishing boats. The eDNA still can't tell us if the positive sample is from a live fish, a storm sewer or if a bird ate an Asian carp in one area and left traces in another area."

Baerwaldt said Asian carp eDNA can stay in the body of a fish-eating bird for a week or two. Cormorants thrive on diet of Lake Erie fish, and can travel as far as 800 miles in just a few weeks.

"We're using positive eDNA samples as a smoke alarm that Asian carp might be in an area," she said on Wednesday at Sterling State Park along the Western Lake Erie shoreline. "The eDNA sampling is our bloodhound. We can detect traces of genetic material from Asian carp from water samples, which would be like looking for a needle in a haystack with traditional gear."

Because of a positive eDNA sample for grass carp along the Michigan shoreline, a task force of more than 60 federal, state and provincial fisheries experts gathered at Steling State Park this week for a three-day field exercise to search for Asian carp using electrofishing equipment and gill nets. Positive eDNA samples for bighead and silver carp have also been found in the broader waters of nearby Maumee Bay and Sandusky Bay.

Whether it was because grass carp genetic material pinpointed the bays of Sterling State Park, or numbers of grass carp have been found around Lake Erie, the crews found some success. A grass carp was captured on Tuesday. The goal was to round up 50 grass carp and outfit them with transmitters to understand their behavior.

Grass carp are an invasive species, though legal in Ohio for weed control. Their cousins the bighead carp and silver carp strike fear into the hearts of fisheries managers. Grass carp dine on vegetation, competing with native waterfowl. Bighead carp grow to more than 100 pounds, silver carp jump from the water to endanger boaters and anglers, and both feast on plankton, the base of the Lake Erie food chain.

In the Illinois River, bighead and silver carp have become the dominant species, displacing native game fish. Positive eDNA samples of silver and bighead carp have been collected from the waters of Ohio's Maumee River and Maumee Bay.

The eDNA testing is a promising tool, one that is constantly being refined, said Baerwaldt. It can help to unlock the secrets of Asian carp behavior, and provide information about other wildlife, as well, although it still takes a year or two to develop the eDNA markers for a single species. USFWS researchers are developing markers for black carp, another species of Asian carp that can be just as destructive as silver or bighead carp, but are far less numerous in the wild.

"We're looking at using eDNA for feral swine research, Burmese pythons and we're developing a marker for the northern snakehead. That invasive fish is very nasty and expanding its range in the U.S."

Baerwaldt has seen silver carp jumping in the Illinois River.

"We don't want to see those fish here in Lake Erie, or anywhere in the country," she said. "We need to be proactive and to be prepared should make it into the Great Lakes."

Here's a look at the big matchups and top storylines from around the nation as we near kickoff on another Saturday of college football.

Here's a look at the big matchups and top storylines from around the nation as we near kickoff on another Saturday of college football:

The Big Buzz: Gurley vs. Gamecocks

No. 6 Georgia at No. 24 South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. ET

We're only two weeks into the college football season, yet South Carolina has gone from the favorite in the SEC East to a touchdown underdog at home to visiting Georgia. Week 3 is far too soon to be tossing around terms like "must-win," but this afternoon's tilt in Columbia is as close as it gets at this early stage of the season.

There is some good news for the Gamecocks: Their horrific pass defense, ranked third-worst in the nation after being torched by Texas A&M's Kenny Hill in the season opener, faces a Georgia aerial attack that managed only 131 yards two weeks ago against Clemson.

Now for the bad news: That number was largely depressed by the fact that a strong Tigers defense could do absolutely nothing to stop Georgia star Todd Gurley. The junior tailback ran all over Clemson, accumulating 198 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and adding a 100-yard kickoff return for a score for good measure. His 293 total yards set a school record.

Georgia's Todd Gurley runs the ball in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Clemson, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman)David Goldman 

It's hard to label Gurley's performance against Clemson an explosion. After all, this is a guy who cracked the 1,000-yard mark as a freshman and averaged six-plus yards per carry in each of his first two seasons in Athens. What has exploded since the Clemson game, however, is Gurley's national profile.

All of sudden, the Dawgs ballcarrier is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and has scouts wondering if he'll be the first running back to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft since Trent Richardson in 2012. On a slow Saturday that features only one matchup of ranked opponents and whole lot of 30-plus point spreads, all eyes will be on the Georgia backfield.

Given his size, speed and the program he plays in, Gurley has begun to garner comparisons to Georgia legend Herschel Walker. Ridiculous, right? Not so fast. Bleacher Report's Andrew Hall compared Gurley's stats to Walker's at the same point of his career in Athens: Gurley's yards-per-carry is nearly a yard higher, he has 30 touchdowns to Walker's 18, 103 first down runs to Walker's 87 and 92 rushes of 10-plus yards to Walker's 57. Heck, Gurley's even made a believer out of Buck Belue, Walker's former quarterback: (via Yahoo! Sports)

"Gurley, what he does out there just dazzles you. The combination of size and speed reminds you of Herschel.

"Gosh, I think the thing that's similar is there's nothing these two guys can't do in that running back spot. Great hands. Pass protection. Run inside, outside, run by you."

Walker was legendary for his combination of high-end speed and size, but it's not far-fetched to think that Gurley has him when it comes to shiftiness, pass-catching ability and vision. Even if you think that 30-year-old comparison has gone stale, how about a fresher one? ESPN and Scouts Inc.'s Kevin Weidl sees a lot of Super Bowl champion Marshawn Lynch in Gurley:

He and Lynch are both nightmares to tackle in the open field, rarely brought down by an arm tackle. Most importantly, though, Gurley shows flashes of his own version of "beast mode," running with a lot of anger and what coaches call "violence on the boundary," electing to lower his pads and deliver a blow to churn extra yards instead of stepping out of bounds.

All signs point to a big afternoon for the Bulldogs star, though it is worth noting that Columbia hasn't been kind to the Dawgs offense in recent history. Georgia hasn't eclipsed the 20-point mark at South Carolina in 20 years, a statistic that had even head coach Mark Richt baffled: (via Yahoo! Sports)

"To think that the last nine times, the most amount of points was 20 - that shocked me when I read that stat. I knew what it had been for us when I've been at Georgia, but I didn't realize it went back that far. Just a great atmosphere, great defense and Georgia not getting it done."

It's been a low-scoring series recently, but you have to think that Georgia will need more than 20 points to upend the desperate Gamecocks. If Gurley replicates his effort against Clemson -- when he accounted for 28 points by himself -- it shouldn't be a problem. In fact, at this point, it's hard to see anything that will for Georgia's emerging star.

Watch Bonnie Bernstein, Doug Chapman and Pete Flutak of Campus Insiders make their picks for Dawgs-Gamecocks and a few other of this week's biggest matchups:

Top games

Here's a look at some of Saturday's other can't-miss matchups involving teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25:

• East Carolina at No. 17 Virginia Tech, 12 p.m. ET

• UCF at No. 20 Missouri, 12 p.m. ET

• No. 21 Louisville at Virginia, 12:30 p.m. ET

• Purdue at No. 11 Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. ET

• Tennessee at No. 4 Oklahoma, 8 p.m. ET

• No. 12 UCLA at Texas, 8 p.m. ET

Headlines

• It would appear Texas A&M's Kenny Hill is following in the footsteps of his predecessor, as his parents filed for the trademark to the phrase "Kenny Trill" a day after the sophomore indicated he preferred it to "Kenny Football." (via ESPN.com)

Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill (7) looks to pass against South Carolina during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)Rainier Ehrhardt 

UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley passes the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Memphis, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)Mark J. Terrill 

Foster's exotic schemes have been a staple of Virginia Tech's success, and it has translated into one of the nation's top 20 defenses in nine of the past 10 years. The entire country got another reminder Saturday when the Hokies brought back a "double eagle" formation they hadn't used in 20 years to shut down [Urban] Meyer's high-powered rushing attack in a 35-21 upset of the Buckeyes.

Join Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Ari Wasserman in the comments during today's noon game between Ohio State and Kent State at the Horseshoe.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two short touchdown rushes from freshman Curtis Samuel has Ohio State up 66-0 with 12:38 remaining in the game. 

2:33 p.m. – Barrett picked up his sixth touchdown pass of the game, a shovel-pass to Jalin Marshall, who took it into the end zone from three yards out. It was Marshall's first career touchdown. 

Ohio State leads 52-0 with 9:20 remaining in the third quarter. 

2:14 p.m. – Make that five for Barrett. 

This time he found Devin Smith for a 50-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive to extend Ohio State's lead to 45-0 with 1:38 remaining in the first half. 

1:33 p.m. – Ohio State added yet another touchdown when Barrett found tight end Marcus Baugh for a 2-yard touchdown. The Buckeyes are up 38-0 with 4:34 remaining in the first half. 

1:21 p.m. – Ohio State keeps pouring it on. 

Barrett added his third touchdown of the game and his second to Thomas, who caught a pass, made a man miss and darted down the sideline for a 63-yard touchdown. 

The buckeyes lead 31-0 with 12:43 remaining in the first half. 

1:03 p.m. – Kicker Sean Nuernberger added a 41-yard field goal to extend Ohio State's lead to 24-0 with 14:16 remaining in the first half. 

12:58 p.m. – Ohio State leads 21-0 to at the end of the first quarter. 

The Buckeyes will begin the second quarter from Kent State's 24-yard line. 

12:48 p.m. – Smith got into the end zone for the second time in the first quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run. The Buckeyes jump ahead 21-0 with 1:49 remaining in the first quarter. 

12:24 p.m. – Barrett connected on his second touchdown pass of the game when he found Rod Smith on a swing route before the running back waltzed into the end zone for an eight-yard score. 

Ohio State with the 14-0 lead with 9:30 remaining in the first half. 

12:12 p.m. – Ohio State is off to a fast start, as a five-play, 58-yard drive was capped with a 14-yard touchdown strike from J.T. Barrett to Michael Thomas. 

Ohio State leads 7-0 with 13:16 remaining in the first quarter. 

12:01 p.m. – We're underway here in Columbus. 

Ohio State, coming off a 35-21 loss to Virginia Tech last week, has a chance to get off to a quick start as it begins the game with the ball. 

See reaction from Northeast Ohio's top high school football players following Friday night games from Week 3 of the 2014 season.

Staff predictions for the Cleveland Browns-New Orleans Saints game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Staffers from The Plain Dealer and Northeast Ohio Media Group weigh in on the Browns-Saints game on Sunday at 1 p.m. in FirstEnergy Stadium:

Browns vs. Saints
(Saints favored by 6 1/2 points)

Mary Kay Cabot
Record: 1-0
Saints 28, Browns 24: There's a strong Brees blowing on the lakefront.

Dan Labbe
Record: 1-0
Browns 31, Saints 28: Browns found their running game last week and Saints have tackling issues. Browns win for fifth time in last six games against New Orleans.

Bill Livingston
Record: 1-0
Saints 20, Browns 13: Still don't see why Browns shouldn't run hurry-up more. Fits Hoyer, perfect for Manziel.

Dennis Manoloff
Record: 1-0
Saints 31, Browns 27: Brian Hoyer's offense puts up good numbers, but it can't quite keep pace with what Drew Brees generates.

Terry Pluto
Record: 1-0
Saints 27, Browns 20: Another rough day for the defense causes the Browns to drop to 0-2.

Tom Reed
Record: 1-0
Saints 27, Browns 20: Rob Ryan gets a win in his return to Cleveland.

Bud Shaw
Record: 1-0
Saints 24, Browns 17: It's simple really. One of these teams is a far more believable 0-2. The other is New Orleans.

Branson Wright
Record: 1-0
Browns 31, Saints 17: The Saints come marching in but walk out in defeat.

"It's been a long journey," Waters told cleveland.com "It's a journey that's not over. But to be here with my family and friends is incredible. I'm honored to be a part of it."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Former Ohio State marching band director Jon Waters was back on the field at Ohio Stadium on Saturday afternoon and he broke down in tears during the playing of the Ohio State alma mater, Carmen Ohio.

Waters was fired in July because an Ohio State investigation determined there was a "sexualized culture" within the band. Since that time, Waters has been fighting for his old job and for his reputation, claiming that he was trying to fix any band problems.

The alumni band has supported Waters through much of that effort, including in a report of its own.

"Evidence of cited historic events does not demonstrate the existence of a "band culture" as we move forward," the report said. "They are not evidence of any general misconduct, cultural problems or failure of leadership or control by Jonathan Waters."

So when the alumni band took the field before Saturday's game against Kent State as part of its annual alumni band weekend, Waters was invited to join. Waters played in the band and dotted the "i" in Script Ohio before the Michigan game in 1998. The alumni band members also wore black buttons with the initials "JW" on them.

Playing the sousaphone, Waters marched with the band onto the field, and then held his place as the band stopped to play Carmen Ohio.

Waters spent the song in tears, unable to play.

View full sizeFormer Ohio State marching band director Jon Waters on the sideline Saturday after playing with the alumni band.Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland.com 

Asked by cleveland.com immediately after the performance about his reaction, Waters on the sideline, his sousaphone still around his waist, said, "It's incredible to be out here with my family," referring to the band.

"It's been a long journey," Waters said. "It's a journey that's not over. But to be here with my family and friends is incredible. I'm honored to be a part of it."

Watch Johnny Manziel talk about being on the sidelines and his relationship with LeBron James and Maverick Carter.

BEREA, Ohio --  Johnny Manziel said Friday in the Cleveland Browns  locker room that he is staying in his lane and playing his role as he watches from the sidelines as starter Brian Hoyer plays.

"Obviously I'm not on the field, can't see everything from behind like Brian can, but still at the same time I'm going though the play like I would go through the progression, what the coverage is, what our scheme is on the play, what we are trying to do," Manziel said.  "If Brian looks the opposite way or doesn't really see something I'm trying to help him out as much as possible and get a bead on the defense."

"I feel every day that passes, every week that goes by is only a positive thing for me," he added.

Manziel also reflected on his friendship with LeBron James and business partner Maverick Carter, who represent him.  "I feel very lucky and very blessed and I think that helps my transition here.  They're familiar faces and guys that have nothing but good intensions for my life.  I't awesome for me," Manziel said.

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

Ray Rice F

BEREA, Ohio – As the NFL and its players association finalize a comprehensive new drug policy they should implement penalties for being drunk with power.

How many NFL executives, including commissioner Roger Goodell, would pass that field sobriety test?

It's also too bad they didn't lower the nanogram threshold for arrogance, ignorance and incompetence. The first thing that should be suspended is Roddy White's Twitter account.

The NFL is enduring one of its darkest weeks since the late Pete Rozelle elected to play games on the Sunday following President Kennedy's assassination in 1963. Among the events:

--- The release of the chilling videotape showing Ray Rice knocking out his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City casino.

--- A report that law enforcement sent the tape of the attack to the league in April while the NFL says it had "no knowledge" of anyone receiving it.

--- The questions surrounding Goodell's future and whether he and other NFL officials chose to ignore the evidence.

--- The indictment of Adrian Peterson, one of the league's biggest stars, on charges of beating his 4-year-old son with a "switch."

View full sizeA screen grab of a deleted Tweet from Atlanta Falcons receiver Roddy White.Photo from NESN 

And just as it appeared the week couldn't get any worse, White took to social media and wrote: "I'm probably going to lose my fantasy football matchup this week cause (Peterson) can't play Sunday for disciplining his child Jesus help us." The Falcons receiver deleted the Tweet and apologized to followers for making light of "a very serious situation."

The most popular sports league in North America seems out of control from the top down. The shield is tarnished, the scandals are high profile and the code-of-conduct commissioner under fire from politicians and pundits alike. Whether Goodell survives falls in the hands of the owners, advertisers and the "independent" investigator probing the handling of the Rice case.

For those who love the league, and the overwhelming majority of good players and people in it, these are difficult days. We're barely a year removed from the Aaron Hernandez homicide charges. The litigation against the NFL over player safety is ongoing and its long-term impact on youth football remains uncertain.

That's not to say the league is any peril. Its revenues ($9 billion in 2012) are the envy of almost every corporation and the television ratings make it hard for advertisers to bail despite what their conscience or angry consumers might tell them.

And, that's all part of the problem.

Too often the league seems more intent on maximizing profits than maintaining integrity. It's too busy managing its image to get at the root of some serious problems. In the past two years, 14 players have been arrested for violence against women. One of them, Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Greg Hardy, continues to play while appealing a bench trial verdict.

It took national outrage over Rice's initial two-game suspension for Goodell to admit he erred in the ruling and enact tougher domestic-violence penalties. Why the league was unable to obtain or unwilling to watch the sickening tape remains a contentious topic. Imagine how Goodell would have been hailed had his office doggedly pursued the evidence and levied an indefinite suspension.

Perhaps it was too busy plotting expansion to Los Angeles or reportedly telling potential Super Bowl halftime acts they'd have pay for the right to perform.

Is the NFL putting greed over virtue? Outspoken Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said as much in March after the league announced a one-year deal to broadcast Thursday night games on CBS and the NFL Network.

"I think the NFL is 10 years away from an implosion," Cuban told reporters. "I'm just telling you: Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. And they're getting hoggy."

For now, the NFL's run continues unabated. The sight of women wearing Rice's jersey to Thursday night's game in support of the Ravens' former star presents a sad commentary on a sports-crazed nation.

The NFL has been in need of a good humbling. It's a pity it took the distressing events of the past week to provide it.

Domestic Violence. Allegations of child abuse.

It's time for the NFL to take something seriously – other than itself.    

Let us know in the comments how you feel about Adrian Peterson's method of disciplining his son.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – Adrian Peterson, indicted on child injury charges Thursday, was disciplining his misbehaving son, the NFL star's lawyer said in a statement.

The attorney said injuries to the small child were unintentional, but a Montgomery County, Texas grand jury decided the Minnesota Vikings running back went too far.

Peterson turned himself in early Saturday and was released after posting bond. He will not play Sunday.

According to a police report on the incident, obtained by CBS Houston, Peterson took a tree branch – which he referred to as a "switch" – and repeatedly struck his son, leaving him with cuts and bruises all over his body.

The report said Peterson was punishing his son for pushing another one of his children off a motorbike video game.

The boy had scratches on his hands that police labeled as defensive wounds, CBS Houston reported.

Rusty Hardin, an attorney representing Peterson, said the football player was disciplined the same way by his father when he was a child.

Do you think the punishment was appropriate, or did Peterson go too far? Let us know in the comments section.

Ohio State bounces back from loss to Virginia Tech with convincing win over outmatched Kent State.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — All of Ohio State's problems are solved.

Well, not really. But the No. 22 Buckeyes looked improved on both sides of the ball in a 66-0 win over an outmanned Kent State team on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.

The Buckeyes (2-1) controlled things from the first possession of the game, going 58 yards on five plays and scoring on a 14-yard touchdown pass from J.T. Barrett to Michael Thomas.

Barrett, whose day was done midway through the third quarter, finished 23-for-30 for 312 yards, six touchdowns and one interception.

Six different players scored for Ohio State. Thomas had two touchdowns, including a 63-yard scamper after making a catch and slipping a tackle in the second quarter.

Kent State (0-3), meanwhile, struggled to get on Ohio State's side of the field. Quarterback Colin Reardon was intercepted three times, twice on a pair of tipped passes and the Golden Flashes sputtered to 126 yards of total offense.

What it means

What do you take from a win over a clearly outmatched team? For one it can be a confidence booster for a team that needed one after last week's loss to Virginia Tech.

The Buckeyes looked better on offense, but there were still some of the same dropped passes that plagued them last week. The defense shut down a Kent State offense that's been held to 13 points or fewer in its first three games.

Does it mean all of Ohio State's problems are suddenly solved? No. But a lot of the things Urban Meyer said his team needed — a fast start, some big plays, shut-down defense — all happened on Saturday.

When it was over

Less than two minutes into the game, when Barrett completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Michael Thomas. The Buckeyes scored on seven of their eight possessions in the first half, including six touchdowns and led 45-0 at the half.

Spreading it around

Barrett completed passes to 11 different receivers Saturday, 10 in the first half. Barret's first eight completions went to five different receivers.

His six touchdown passes went to five different receivers.

McMillan plays well in extended time

Freshman linebacker Raekwon McMillan saw a couple snaps against Virginia Tech, but he was out there a lot on Saturday, and made the most of his time.

McMillan finished with a team-high seven tackles and led the Buckeyes with two sacks. The Buckeyes brought down the quarterback four times, and had seven tackles for loss.

Tyvis Powell, Josh Perry and freshman Erick Smith each had interceptions.

Curtis Samuel breaks out

Meyer has touted freshman running back Curtis Samuel since the beginning of the season, Samuel finally had a breakout game Saturday, rushing for 100 yards on 15 carries, catching four passes for 40 yards and scoring two touchdowns.

Wrestling the Bear

Kent State came out in the same Bear defense Virginia Tech used effectively last week, but the Golden Flashes didn't have the personnel to keep the Buckeyes offense in check.

The Flashes switched out of the defense later in the first half, but to no avail. The Buckeyes had their way on offense all afternoon against whatever defense the Flashes threw at them.

Baugh finds the end zone

Redshirt freshman tight end Marcus Baugh, who was suspended for the first two games of the season for what Meyer called "stuff", caught a touchdown pass in his first game back.

He caught a 2-yard pass from Barrett to put the Buckeyes up 38-0 late in the second quarter. It was part of a good day for the Buckeyes' tight ends, despite Jeff Heuerman not being in the lineup. Redshirt junior Nick Vannett had four catches for 40 yards.

Waters breaks down during pregame

Former Ohio State marching band director John Waters was back in Ohio Stadium on Saturday to perform with and conduct the the alumni band. Waters broke down in tears during the pregame playing of Carmen Ohio.

Waters was fired in July after a university investigation determined there was a "sexualized culture" within the band.

What's next

The Buckeyes are off next weekend, their first of two bye weeks this season. Ohio State will host Cincinnati at 6 p.m. on Sept. 27.