Carlos Carrasco ends second-half revival with hard-luck loss.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – One night after being eliminated from the postseason race despite a 1-0 victory, the Indians lost 2-0 Saturday night to the Rays to underline a need for offense that has been more and more apparent since the All-Star break.

Carlos Carrasco took the loss, allowing two runs, as a season-long problem continued to hound the Indians with just one game left in the 2014 campaign. The problem? Defense, of course.

The Rays scored the only run they needed in the fourth and it was unearned due to Lonnie Chisenhall's throwing error from third base. It was Chisenhall's 18^th error of the season. He ranks second among AL third basemen when it comes to errors with Kansas City's Mike Moustakas leading the way with 19.

After David DeJesus reached on an infield single, Evan Longoria sent a grounder to Chisenhall. He threw the ball over Mike Aviles' head at second as DeJesus went to third. Carrasco (8-7, 2.55) struck out James Looney, but Wil Myers sent a broken-bat single into right field for a 1-0 lead.

The Rays made it 2-0 in the eighth when Ben Zobrist singled to left, stole second and scored on Looney's infield single to second with two out. Mike Aviles made a nice stop and throw on the play, but Carlos Santana couldn't handle the tough short hop at first.

What it means

In his last start of the season, Carrasco continued to prove he has resurrected his career. Perhaps the real proof won't come until he does it over the course of a full season in 2015, but his 10 starts since rejoining the rotation on Aug. 10 should be enough to assure him a spot in the opening day rotation next year.

Carrasco allowed one unearned run on four hits in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out 10, walked three and made an error.

He's 5-3 with a 1.39 ERA in those 10 starts.

It was Carrasco's third double-digit strikeout performance in his last six starts. He ends the season with a career-high 140 strikeouts in 133.2 innings.

Mr. 200

Michael Brantley singled through the middle with one out in the fourth for his 200^th hit. He is the first Indian to reach 200 hits since Kenny Lofton in 1996.

It's been done 28 times by 18 players in team history.

Brantley is the first Indian to have a season in which he totaled 200 hits, 40 or more doubles, 20 or more homers and 20 or more stolen bases. When Brantley reached first base, he raised both hands to the sky in celebration.

The Tribe's MVP candidate entered the game hitting .328 with 45 doubles, two triples, 20 homers and 97 RBI. He had 55 strikeouts, 52 walks and 23 steals in 24 attempts.

Marathon man

Right-hander Bryan Shaw set a new single-season appearance record for the Indians when he recorded the last out of the eighth inning. It was Shaw's 80^th appearance of the season.

Shaw had been tied with Bobby Howry at 79 appearances. Howry reached 79 appearances in 2005.

No chance

Alex Colome, in just his third start of the season, turned the Indians' hitters inside out with 6 1/3 scoreless innings on the combined five-hitter. He struck out six, walked one and allowed four hits.

In his last appearance Colome (2-0, 2.66) allowed four on four hits in one inning against the White Sox.

It was the eighth time this season the Indians have been shut out.

They said it

Brantley: "This is going to mean a lot on Monday when I sit back and reflect on what has gone on. I'll take more time to think about it and digest it."

Carrasco: "I feel good about everything thing I've accomplished this year. I started the season in the rotation and then got put in the bullpen. I feel good about the three months I spent in the bullpen. They put me back in the rotation in August and I hope I can doing that next year."

What's next?

LHP T.J. House (4-3, 3.43) will replace Danny Salazar to start Sunday's season finale at Progressive Field. The rookie lefty will face Tampa Bay's Alex Cobb (10-8, 2.75) at 1:05 p.m. SportsTime Ohio, WTAM and WMMS will carry the game.

House will be making his 18^th start and 19th appearance. It will be his first start since Sept. 20 when he beat the Twins at Target Field. The Tribe is 5-0 in House's last five start.

Cobb, who beat the Indians in last year's wild-card game, has a 1.49 ERA in 13 starts since the All-Star break.

He is 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA in four career starts against the Tribe.

Chris Crawford, Stephen Holt and Shane Edwards will round out the Cavs' roster for camp.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Free agent guards Stephen Holt and Chris Crawford along with forward Shane Edwards will sign with the Cavaliers to fill out the training camp roster.

Crawford, 21, out of Memphis whom the Cavaliers waived on Friday, cleared waivers on Sunday, opening the door for him to re-sign with the club.

He was waived in order for the first Keith Bogans trade to go through. The plan all along was for him to rejoin the team. He is expected to complete his contract on Sunday

Edwards, 27, played collegiate ball at St. Mary with Cavaliers backup point guard Matthews Dellavedova. He is a member of Canton Charge of the NBA Development League.

Holt, 22, played Summer League with the Atlanta Hawks this past summer and had an opportunity to join their camp. He instead opted to play professionally in Germany, where he will be coming from.

This brings the number of camp participants to 17, three shy of the league maximum allowed.

Now an assistant strength coach for the Buckeyes, Schlegel pounced on a fan who ran onto the field during Ohio State's game vs. Cincinnati on Saturday night. It was an epic body slam.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Maybe Anthony Schlegel wishes he was still an Ohio State linebacker. He looks like he could still suit up. 

Now an assistant strength coach for the Buckeyes, Schlegel pounced on a fan who ran onto the field during Ohio State's game vs. Cincinnati on Saturday night. It was an epic body slam.  

After it was over, former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce said in the press box that Schlegel was "the best tackler we've ever had." Schlegel concluded his playing career in 2005. 

Here's a video shot by a fan of the action: 

The No. 22 Buckeyes were forced to sweat for a few minutes before pulling away for a 50-28 win on Saturday night in front of a record crowd of 108,362 at Ohio Stadium.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State looked poised for a runaway victory, then the Buckeyes' pass defense made things interesting.

The Buckeyes' offense, though, was too much for Cincinnati to handle.

After opening a 23-point lead on the Bearcats, the No. 22 Buckeyes were forced to sweat for a few minutes before pulling away for a 50-28 win on Saturday night in front of a record crowd of 108,362 at Ohio Stadium.

Cincinnati (2-1), looking to become the first Ohio team to beat the Buckeyes since 1921, got within striking distance on Gunner Kiel's 78-yard touchdown pass to Chris Moore that made it 33-28 Buckeyes with 9:20 left in the third quarter.

Behind quarterback J.T. Barrett and running back Ezekiel Elliott, the Buckeyes (3-1) put the game away two possessions later. Barrett hit Dontre Wilson for a 24-yard touchdown to put Ohio State up 43-28 with 1:18 left in the third quarter.

Barrett had his best game as a Buckeye, completing 26-of-36 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns. Elliott had his most productive game as well, rushing for 182 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries.

It was part of a stellar day for the Buckeyes' offense, which looked like it had two weeks to prepare for this game. Ohio State outgained Cincinnati 710-422.

Kiel was as advertised, leading the Bearcats' pass-happy offense to big numbers against an Ohio State defense that still has plenty to work on when it comes to stopping the pass. Coverage miscues led to a handful of big plays for the Bearcats that kept things interesting to the midway point of the third quarter.

Kiel finished 21-of-32 for 352 yards and four touchdowns.

Cincinnati opened the game with a four-play, 83-yard drive, taking an early lead on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Kiel to Moore. The Buckeyes responded with a quick-strike drive of their own, going 75 yards on eight plays and tying the game on a 3-yard run by Rod Smith.

Ohio State went on to control the game for the next 20 minutes, stretching its lead to 30-7 on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Barrett to Evan Spencer.

Buckeyes defensive end Joey Bosa had what looked like a potential game-swinging play during that span, sacking Kiel and forcing a fumble that led to a safety. Ohio State scored on the ensuing possession, but Cincinnati rallied with a pair of touchdowns before the half.

Ohio State led 30-21 at halftime.

What it means

Ohio State has big problems with its pass defense (stop me if you've heard this one before). This was the first real chance to see the Buckeyes' supposed improved pass defense, and Kiel shredded it.

The offense, though, looks like it might be for real. After finally seeming to hit its stride in a blowout win over Kent State two weeks ago, the Buckeyes' offense looked even better against Cincinnati.

When it was over

Cincinnati receiver Johnny Holton was called for a questionable offensive pass-interference penalty in the third quarter that stalled a Bearcat drive with Ohio State holding an eight-point lead.

The Buckeyes held on 3rd-and-25 four plays later, and went up 43-28 on the ensuing drive on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Barrett to Dontre Wilson.

Ezekiel Elliott breaks out

Elliott ran with a purpose against the Bearcats, finally breaking out for a huge game after three weeks of minimal productivity. His runs helped the Buckeyes bleed precious time off the clock.

Moore burns OSU secondary

Cincinnati receiver Chris Moore was the go-to man for big plays on Saturday. He had three catches for 221 yards and three touchdowns. His night included scoring grabs of 83, 78 and 60 yards. 

Buckeyes open the playbook

Urban Meyer said during the week that the offense was starting to get more comfortable, and Barrett had a firm grasp of the playbook. We saw some new wrinkles from the Buckeyes on Saturday, including a reverse to Dontre Wilson that went for 21 yards, and a few Wildcat-formation snaps with Jalin Marshall at quarterback.

Wilson finished with 92 total yards on 10 touches.

A big Bosa play leads to points again

Bosa's sack of Kiel that led to a fumble and a safety in the first quarter marked the second time this season that Bosa has caused a fumble that led directly to points.

He caused a fumble against Navy that was scooped up by Darron Lee and returned for a touchdown. He also caused a fumble against Virginia Tech that gave the Buckeyes good field position and an eventual touchdown.

Bosa's three caused fumbles this season have led to 23 points for the Buckeyes.

What's next

The Buckeyes open Big Ten play next Saturday on the road at Maryland. Kickoff is set for noon.

It was only Barrett's fourth career start, but it was by far his most productive performance. Inside is a breakdown of Barrett's play.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett completed 26-of-36 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 50-28 win over Cincinnati. 

It was only Barrett's fourth career start, but it was by far his most productive performance. Here is a breakdown of Barrett's play: 

• Barrett has been compared to Braxton Miller quite a bit, mostly because the freshman can't match what Miller did as a runner. But the one thing Barrett has seemingly caught on with – something Miller never really did – was having a presence in the pocket, a confident poise and a feel for when to stay and when to leave. 

Though Barrett is never going to make you drop your popcorn with a shifty move, he is just athletic enough to keep plays alive. When that happened against the Bearcats, it was either for positive gains off the scramble or an impromptu pass. 

The perfect example of that came on a second-and-10 with less than eight minutes left in the first half. Barrett avoided a sack – he would have been dropped on that play in the Virginia Tech loss – kept his eyes downfield and found Devin Smith for a 9-yard gain. That's the difference between an elusive pocket passer and a run-first quarterback – Barrett kept the passing game alive while using his legs. 

• It helps that Ohio State had a bye week to prepare for the game, but Barrett had something that can't only be gained on the practice field: comfort. This was his fourth start. Barrett didn't look like a scared freshman against the Bearcats, but rather more like a weapon himself. That takes Ohio State to another level. 

• There aren't nearly as many designed runs for Barrett, but he got out into the open field a lot and took some big hits, one that came from behind him late in the second half. Barrett's decision making was on point, but there's an aspect to running that is so huge, but gets overlooked: Know when to slide. There were times when Barrett took unnecessary hits after positive gains. Quarterbacks are fragile, so he needs to avoid the hits when he can.  

• With Ohio State clinging to only an eight-point lead late in the third quarter, Barrett led Ohio State on a touchdown drive, one that was extended by a few plays the quarterback kept alive with his legs. Then the touchdown that put the game away – a 24-yard pass to Dontre Wilson – was delivered right on the money from inside the pocket. That was as close as the game ever got, and Barrett didn't let it get closer. 

• Barrett only severely missed one throw – the crossing route to Evan Spencer with 11 minutes remaining in the game with the Buckeyes threatening. The quarterback made up for it a few plays later, finding Devin Smith on a 34-yard touchdown pass that was perfectly placed in the receiver's arms in the back of the end zone. 

• Perhaps the most impressive thing about Barrett's start is that he didn't turn the ball over. No fumbles, no interceptions, and, most importantly, no blatantly bad decisions. 

Running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback J.T. Barrett looked like a duo the offense could rely on as the offense piled up yards and points.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- First thoughts from Ohio State's 50-28 win over Cincinnati on Saturday night, as the Buckeyes moved to 3-1.

• Running back Ezekiel Elliott looked more than a bit like Carlos Hyde at times Saturday night. Like a guy you could lean on when the offense needs to move the ball. The Cincinnati defense had a lot of issues, obviously, but that was a good sign for the offense.

• Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett's decision-making was on point all night. He made the right throws. He made the right calls on when to escape the pocket and not take a sack and when to hang in and make a throw. It seemed like the redshirt freshman used his off week well.

And then when Barrett made up his mind, he also made the throws. That fourth-quarter touchdown to Devin Smith in the back of the end zone was right on the receiver's fingertips.

• Did everyone know Cincinnati had defensive issues after two games against Toledo and Miami? Yes. Did I think the defense was that bad? No.

• Blown assignments and missed coverages in the Ohio State secondary? Can't be a surprise. This is still a relatively inexperienced group working in a new system, and when they face quarterbacks and receivers who can exploit that, it will be an issue until they all get this scheme down.

• Cincinnati was called for a brutal offensive pass-interference call in the third quarter. Bearcats receiver Johnny Holton was running past OSU corner Eli Apple, and Apple reached out and grabbed Holton's jersey. Holton pushed back to get Apple to let go, and the official saw the second push and called offensive pass interference. That was a 15-yard penalty on Cincinnati instead of what should have been a 15-yard penalty on Ohio State.

The Bearcats were pushed back to their own 25-yard line instead of getting the ball at Ohio State's 45-yard line. That's a 30-yard swing. Stuck with first and 25, Cincinnati was forced to punt. With a first and 10 across midfield, the Bearcats have may driven for what could have been the tying score in an 8-point game.

• Freshman Curtis Samuel fumbled in the first half, the first time the Buckeyes were stopped in the game. Urban Meyer had a message for Samuel when he got off the field, and that's not the kind of thing that's going to make the boss happy. After a 100-yard game against Kent State, Samuel's night basically ended with that turnover.

• Anthony Schlegel made his first tackle in Ohio Stadium since 2005 last in the first half. A fan ran on the field in the midst of an OSU play, and Schlegel, now on the OSU strength staff, stepped from the sideline immediately and flipped the fan down, Schlegel's arm around his neck.

I originally called it a perfect form tackle, but that was wrong. It looked more like Schegel was taking down one of the wild boars he likes to hunt in Texas. Fellow linebackers Bobby Carpenter and A.J. Hawk were almost certainly jealous Schlegel got to make one more tackle in the Shoe.

That was quite a linebacker crew in 2005.

• Some of you may have noticed I picked Cincinnati to win 28-27. Among those who did was a doctor from the Cleveland Clinic who sent me a note on Twitter during the game to ask what I was smoking.

With the big plays Ohio State allowed, 60-, 78- and 83-yard touchdowns, you saw what I thought would be a problem for Ohio State.

With an OSU offense that hit on every level against a defense with no hope of stopping it, you saw a virtually game-long mismatch that I underestimated.

See how the cleveland.com Top 25 high school football teams fared on Friday and Saturday in Week 5.

See how the cleveland.com Top 25 high school football teams fared on Friday and Saturday in Week 5.

Mark Myers threw five TD passes and JCU's defense was dominant against crosstown rival Baldwin Wallace.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – One has to wonder what Pitt was thinking.

On a day when Pittsburgh was upset by Akron, John Carroll senior Mark Myers was carving up Baldwin Wallace for a 45-7 homecoming win in the 26^th annual Cuyahoga Gold Bowl rivalry at Don Shula Stadium.

Two years ago, Myers was a casualty of a coaching carousel at Pitt, left the team and nearly quit football until being lured to John Carroll by Coach Tom Arth weeks before the 2012 season.

Myers and JCU lost to BW, 32-28, in Myers' first Ohio Athletic Conference game that year.

"It's a huge turnaround from two years ago to now. We're on top now. We're going to be hard to beat this year if we keep executing,'' Myers said.

Myers (6-5, 220) has matured into an elite NCAA Division III quarterback attracting NFL scouts to South Belvoir Boulevard, and his performance Saturday was a good indication as any that Myers could be another in a long line of JCU-to-the-NFL connections that also includes Arth, a former Indianapolis backup QB.

Myers, a lefty from Pepper Pike and St. Ignatius, completed 22 of 34 passes (64 percent) for 374 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions in three quarters of action.

It wasn't just the stats, impressive as they were. Myers repeatedly hit receivers with almost perfectly placed balls, where defenders had no shot, and where yards after the catch quickly were gobbled up.

"I take a lot of pride in getting the as perfect a ball as I possibly can to them,'' Myers said. "It's good to see them catch the ball and make big plays after the catch.''

Only a pass interference play prevented Myers and Amaris Greenwood from connecting on a deep ball on the first play of the game. No matter, the next play saw Myers hit Marshall Howell in stride for a 60-yard touchdown, and the Blue Streaks were off to the races.

JCU's second drive ended with Myers rolling around in the pocked and firing a 23-yard TD pass to Howell, who finished with five catches for 105 yards. Tight ends  Strippy and Brendon Carozzoni combined for nine catches and 114 yards, and each caught a touchdown pass from Myers.

On one of the rare cases Myers received pressure behind an impressive offensive line, Myers threw a 17-yard dart off his back foot and across his body to Zach Strippy on the right sideline.

"He made some really, really incredible throws,'' Arth said. "I can't wait to see that one on film because I don't how it got completed. Not a whole lot of people can make that throw.''

Myers had 305 yards passing at halftime, and the Blue Streaks led, 31-0, having scored on five of six possessions with one lost fumble.

"He's one of the best I've seen at our level,'' BW coach John Snell said. "He gets rid of it pretty quick, which makes it tough to get to him, and he puts it right on the money.''

On a roll: John Carroll (3-0, 2-0 Ohio Athletic Conference) has outscored its opponents, 132-23. BW fell to 1-2, 0-2.

Series deadlocked: John Carroll tied the all-time series, 25-25-4, and has won the last two meetings. The margin of victory was JCU's largest in the series, which dates to 1923.

Dominant defense: Led by defensive linemen Frank Pines, Nick Lasko and David Porter -- each with five tackles -- John Carroll's defense was dominant. Defensive end Choe Samba had two sacks and linebacker Jimmy King also had five tackles

Baldwin Wallace had 57 yards offense at halftime and finished with 215. Quarterback Tyler Moeglin, under constant pressure from an active blitzing and stunting front seven, was sacked five times and threw two interceptions. He was 11-of-28 of for 113 yards.

"It's awesome to watch,'' Arth said "I'm glad we don't have to play against our defense.''

The Yellow Jackets' night was summed up in a second-quarter scoring opportunity gone wrong. After recovering a fumbled punt return at the JCU 30. Moeglin's first pass was tipped, David Porter sacked Moeglin on second down, third down was an incomplete pass, and BW's punt was blocked.

BW ended the shutout when backup quarterback Robbie Plagens led a late scoring drive against John Carroll backups and scored on one-yard plunge with 3:08 remaining.

Big crowd: The crowd of 5,100 was the largest at John Carroll since 2007, also against BW.

"It was an awesome atmosphere,'' Myers said.

Up next: John Carroll plays its first road game next Saturday at Ohio Northern (2-1, 1-1). ONU beat BW on a last-minute touchdown last week, but the Polar Bears surrendered 729 yards in a 69-52 loss to Heidelberg on Saturday

BW's homecoming is next Saturday against Muskingum (1-2, 1-1), which beat Capital, 36-20.

Indians batters are a combined 8-for-57 (.140) in the first two games of a series against Tampa Bay.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians played the Tampa Bay Rays in the second of a three-game series Saturday. Here is a capsule look from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff:

Game: 161.

Opponent: Rays.

Location: Progressive Field, Cleveland.

Time of day: Night.

Time elapsed:  2 hours, 55 minutes.

Attendance: 33,025.

Result: Rays 2, Indians 0.

Records: Rays 77-84, Indians 84-77.

Plenty of goose eggs: The Rays have posted 22 shutouts.

Bottom line, up front: An Indians starting pitcher performed superbly again, but it didn't matter because the offense was afflicted by #zombiebaseball and the defense faltered.

Don't blame Cookie: Tribe right-hander Carlos Carrasco allowed two runs -- one earned -- on four hits in 7 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out 10.

Carrasco was nasty, as he had been for the vast majority of innings since rejoining the rotation Aug. 10. In 10 starts in that span, he allowed a combined 10 earned runs in 69 innings.

Barring any additions to the rotation, Carrasco will be the Tribe's No. 2 starter behind Corey Kluber next spring.

Carrasco (8-7, 2.55 ERA) handled the Rays with a combination of fastball/slider/curve/changeup. Everything was crisp. He easily could have authored a scoreless outing.

The Rays made it 1-0 in the fourth. With a runner on first and none out, Tribe third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall bobbled Evan Longoria's grounder, then fired it into right field. What should have been a routine double play turned into first and third, none out.

After Carrasco struck out James Loney, Wil Myers shattered his bat and sent the ball into right field for an RBI single.

Tampa Bay's other run came in the eighth. Ben Zobrist led off with a single and stole second (on a 3-0 count to David DeJesus). Zobrist advanced to third on DeJesus'  grounder but held on Longoria's grounder. Lefty Marc Rzepczynski relieved and got lefty James Loney to chop over the middle. Second baseman Mike Aviles ranged far to his right and threw off-balance to first. The ball arrived low but in time to erase the slow-footed Loney; first baseman Carlos Santana was unable to scoop it.

Support needed: The Indians scored zero runs in each of Carrasco's final two starts. They scored a total of 12 runs in his final eight.

Nothing doing: The Indians were held to five hits the night after being held to three. In the series opener, they got away with 3-for-26 because one of hits was a Jose Ramirez homer and because Kluber was pitching; the Indians won, 1-0.

Ramirez homered in the first inning Friday, meaning the Tribe has been shut out for 16 consecutive innings.

On Friday, the Indians had zero at-bats with runners in scoring position. On Saturday, they were 0-for-3 with RISP as part of 5-for-31 overall.

Donut: Santana and catcher Yan Gomes, the Tribe's Nos. 4-5 batters, combined to go 0-for-8 with six strikeouts.

Gomes went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. Defensively, he was 0-for-2 against runners attempting to steal.

Dr. Smooth chronicles: Indians left fielder Michael Brantley notched his 200th hit of the season, a single to center with one out in the fourth inning against Rays right-hander Alex Colome (6 1/3 IP, 4 H). Brantley received a standing ovation.

Brantley is the 18th player in franchise history with 200 hits, the first since Kenny Lofton had 210 in 1996.

Brantley's teammate, Kluber, struck out 269 in 34 starts. Kluber and Brantley are the first 250K/200H duo in franchise history, the first in the majors since lefty Randy Johnson (364K) and Luis Gonzalez (206H) with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1999.

Brantley entered the final weekend of the regular season batting .329 with 20 homers, 45 doubles, 97 RBI, 94 runs and 23 steals. He was the only MLB player with a .300 average and 20+ homers, 40+ doubles, 90+ RBI, 90+ runs and 20+ steals.

Brantley is the only player in franchise history with 200+ hits, 20+ homers, 40+ doubles and 20+ steals. He is the 11th player in MLB history with those numbers. 

Brantley is the ninth player in franchise history with 20+ homers and 20+ steals -- the first since Shin-Soo Choo (2009-2010).

Brantley opened the series against Tampa Bay on Friday at 0-for-3, snapping his hitting streak at 15 games. He finished 1-for-4 on Saturday.

LeBron James declared his intentions to finish his career in Cleveland to CNN.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – LeBron James said Cavaliers fans "shouldn't be nervous at all, I plan on finishing my career back home."

James made the remark during an interview on CNN's Unguarded with Rachel Nichols, which aired Friday night. Nichols asked James if Cavaliers fans should be nervous about his short contract, a two-year, $42.1 million deal with a player option after one season – meaning James could theoretically leave via free agency in the summer of 2015.

"It was a business decision," James told Nichols. "They (Cavaliers fans) just got to get excited about this year, which is, I don't even need to say that."

James has made similar statements about potentially finishing his career in Cleveland – he's only 29 – but perhaps none more pronounced than what he said to Nichols.

In his July 11 letter in Sports Illustrated announcing his decision to return to the Cavaliers as a free agent, James said "I always believed that I'd return to Cleveland and finish my career there," but it was in a different context.

At a homecoming rally for James at the University of Akron on August 8, he told a crowd of thousands that "I don't plan on going nowhere."

As for James' contract, short deals with player options give James the ability to increase his salary more often, including in 2016 when a new NBA television deal is expected to significantly raise the league's maximum salary.

Europe won the Ryder Cup on Sunday for the third straight time.

GLENEAGLES, Scotland (AP) -- Europe added another chapter of Ryder Cup dominance on Sunday behind Rory McIlroy, two big rallies and a rookie who hit the shot of his life to give this week a finish it deserved.

Jamie Donaldson, unaware he already had done enough to retain the Ryder Cup, hit a 9-iron that settled 3 feet from the cup on the 15th hole. Keegan Bradley walked onto the green, saw Donaldson's ball next to the hole, removed his cap and conceded the birdie.

And the celebration was on.

Europe won the Ryder Cup for the third straight time, and the eighth time in the last 10 tries.

"It came down to me to close it out, but it's all about the team," Donaldson said. "Everyone played their heart out to retain the Ryder Cup. And that's what it's all about."

McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Justin Rose made sure the Americans would not get their redemption from the meltdown at Medinah two years ago as the first team to blow a four-point lead at home.

McIlroy was 6-under par on his first six holes and trounced Rickie Fowler to set the tone. The Americans put plenty of red on the board early, just not for long. McDowell was 3-down after five holes and Rose was four behind after six holes. McDowell rallied to beat Jordan Spieth, while Rose earned a halve against Hunter Mahan.

Martin Kaymer, who holed the winning point at Medinah, put Europe on the cusp of victory when he chipped in for eagle on the 16th to beat Bubba Watson.

That set the stage for Donaldson.

"The shot of my life," he called it.

Europe captain Paul McGinley, who spoke all week about a template for success, stood by the 15th green with the rest of the players who had finished their matches. Donaldson was mobbed by his teammates, another happy occasion for Europe.

Asked for the highlight of the week, McGinley turned to Donaldson and said, "When you look at a face like that." He put both hands on Donaldson's face and hugged him.

The Americans still can't figure out this exhibition of team play.

They even brought back Tom Watson, at 65 the oldest captain in Ryder Cup history and the last American captain to win on European soil. Watson made a series of questionable moves during team play and the Americans didn't have much hope on Sunday.

Watson attributed the loss to foursomes -- Europe was unbeaten in both sessions and collected seven of the eight points -- though McGinley wrote that off as a fluke. Asked what he would tell his team in a final meeting, Watson said, "You played your best, but it wasn't enough. You've got to find out what it takes a little better."

Watson sure didn't find it.

Except for a victory at Valhalla behind captain Paul Azinger in 2008, the Americans haven't solved this Ryder Cup puzzle.

And this one wasn't particularly close.

Europe already was assured of at least 16 points with one match still on the course. It was the fourth time in the last seven Ryder Cup matches that Europe won by at least three points.

What happened on those three big pass plays Cincinnati hit against Ohio State? Buckeyes' co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash broke down each play after Saturday's win.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Chris Ash isn't worried.

Ohio State's co-defensive coordinator saw correctable issues that led to the three big pass plays Cincinnati hit during the Buckeyes' 50-28 win on Saturday in Ohio Stadium.

All three of the Bearcats big scoring plays went to receiver Chris Moore. How was Moore able to torch the Buckeyes' defense? Ash broke down each play after Saturday's game:

The play: Moore runs by Ohio State safety Von Bell, adjusts to an underthrown ball and makes a circus catch over Bell, who never turned around to find the ball. The play went for a 60-yard touchdown that gave the Bearcats a 7-0 lead on the game's opening drive.

Ash's take: "The first with Von Bell, the guy made a play. He was there and didn't get the ball out. The quarterback threw it up and the guy made the play. He let the guy get behind him a little bit. I have to watch the film to find out why the guy got behind him."

The play: Nothing too fancy here. Moore just runs by Buckeyes' corner Eli Apple for an 83-yard score that cut Ohio State's lead to 30-21 just before the half.

Ash's take: "The next one with Eli Apple, the guy ran away from him. The guy got down behind him and got away from him."

The play: Cincinnati caught Doran Grant cheating. Grant stepped up to defend a fake bubble screen, and Moore ran by him, going 78 yards untouched to make it 33-28 Buckeyes in the third quarter.

Ash's take: "The last one they were running bubbles, bubbles, bubbles and then they ran a bubble-and-go. Doran Grant bit on the bubble."

Ash was adamant that all three plays were mental errors, and not the result of holes in Ohio State's new pass defense. The new defense puts more pressure on the Buckeyes' defensive backs to win in one-on-one coverage.

Moore won those battles Saturday.

"They knew everything Cincinnati was going to do tonight, there's no issues with the calls or rotation," Ash said. "Football is a game of one-on-one battles, and in each one of those situations we lost those one-on-one battles. We won won some, but we lost some, and unfortunately the ones we lost turned into big plays."

Kyrie Irving thinks too much is being made out of LeBron James' statement that the Cavaliers' offense is Irving's "show."

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – Kyrie Irving insists he only needs to be himself now that the Cleveland Cavaliers have added LeBron James and Kevin Love.

Irving reiterated the point Sunday following the Cavaliers' second practice of the season – which came a day after James shifted a little more of the spotlight onto Irving by saying "this is Kyrie's show."

James' statement came within a discussion of Irving's role – and James' role, too – handling the ball and initiating the offense. Irving is the Cavaliers' point guard but was also the team's leading scorer until James arrived.

James, a wing player by nature who often takes on the role of point-forward, especially late in games, said "I've never played with a point guard like Kyrie Irving, a guy that can kind of take over a game for himself."

"You try to just put it in perspective, that I'm the point guard of this team," Irving said Sunday at Cleveland Clinic Courts, responding to a question about James' statements. "I've got to get us into our offense and lead our defense, just continue to be myself.

"I don't think (James) could've said it any better, honestly," Irving said. "You guys were going to make what you wanted out of that, but for us it's just about making plays. All of us have the ability to make plays out there and I think our offense will be designed around that."

Irving, 22, averaged 20.8 points and 5.8 assists in an All-Star season last year. He was the Cavaliers' first option on offense – unusual for a point guard – and that will undoubtedly change with James and Love on the floor.

Starting with Cavaliers media day on Friday, Irving has repeatedly said he won't have to change his game much with the influx of talent on the roster – role players/shooters Shawn Marion, Mike Miller, and James Jones were also added during the offseason.

Toward the end of his session with reporters Sunday, Irving showed a smidgeon of exasperation when he said, "I don't know how many times I gotta reiterate it" as he was asked how he was preparing himself for the upcoming season with the addition of James and Love.

Irving's point: "Just being myself out there and making plays."

James did not speak to reporters Sunday. The past four years in Miami, James' ball-handling duties were a little lighter than they were his first seven seasons in Cleveland, primarily because Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade also handled the ball.

James said on Saturday that both he and Wade "had to move off the ball" and "it was something we weren't comfortable with going into it." To the extent that Irving has to share handling the ball with James, James said "it'll be more of an adjustment for" Irving only because James had already been through it in Miami.

But James made clear that he sees Irving as the one who will initiate the offense.

"He's our point guard," James said. "He's our floor general, and we need him to put us in position to succeed offensively. He has to demand that and command that from us with him handling the ball."

Kyrie Irving says LeBron James can't lead by himself, vows to assist in leadership role.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – LeBron James made it clear when he said he was the leader of this Cavaliers team and that he would take full responsibility for any shortcomings.

The expectation that was placed on this organization once James and Kevin Love stepped onto the scene has skyrocketed.

Spending the past four years in Miami has shaped and developed his leadership skills.

With the group of young players the Cavs will have to rely on to be successful, his leadership skills will surely be put to the test. He's ready.

But it sounds like Kyrie Irving is ready, too. As the point guard, it's usually his job to be vocal, direct and to guide.

Even though Irving is the youngest player on the roster, he plans to assist James in leading this team.

"I'm going to give input when I need to. When it needs to be said," Irving said. "Like I said, it's just [out] of respect for one another. LeBron, like he said, he is going to be the voice of the team, take responsibility. But we all have to take responsibility.

"It's all up to us. We all have to take accountability in order for us to be successful. Not one guy is going to be the ultimate guy. We all have a responsibility to lead this team."

A summer of helping Team USA win the gold in the FIBA World Cup games in Spain is where Irving became aware that even when playing amongst some of the greats, there's a time and place when something needs to be addressed.

That experience will only help him and his team in their quest to bring a title to the city of Cleveland.

"For me it's about not being afraid to tell people where to go or put my input where it's needed," Irving said.

"Obviously, we all know the game and we all have input. Just respecting each others opinion and making adjustments when we can."

For the time being, at the early stages of training camp, it's all about learning coach David Blatt's philosophy and system, and getting acclimated to sets and assignments. This is where it finally hit Irving: He realized this wasn't last year's team.

"I mean, when you're walking through, it starts to hit you a little bit. That surreal moment came yesterday," he said. "When we first started, I'm passing to the wing, I'm passing to LeBron.

"I'm running a one-four pick-and-roll or the one-five pick-and-roll with K-Love, and he's picking and popping. It's just something you watched him do in Minnesota and LeBron did [it] in Miami. It's a surreal moment."

A ton of talent with big goals attached means communication and the willingness to listen will be essential. That time will come for "the talk." It's inevitable. It's important how the team handles it.

The opportunity is right there for the taking and it is imperative that they take full advantage. But in order to do so, like James said, everyone will have to be held accountable.

It appears these guys get it. Not only is it a talented bunch, but also a group filled with high-character individuals. It has the potential to be a special year. That's why they're treating camp as the launching pad to greater heights.

"There's a lot more talent on the floor," Irving said. "There's a lot of quick learning out there. We're just trying to put in a few plays here and there. I feel like these days have been great, efficient. That's the way a practice should be run."

Jason Giambi has yet to give his future much thought. Will he transition into a coaching role? Will he attempt to extend his big league career to a 21st season?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jason Giambi has yet to give his future much thought. Will he transition into a coaching role? Will he attempt to extend his big league career to a 21st season?

"Maybe someone's looking for a broken-down 44-year-old to come take a few extra hacks," Giambi said. "We'll see."

Giambi played in only 26 games this year, as he spent the majority of his time on the disabled list, often for convenience sake so the club could manipulate the active roster.

"I don't feel like he cared to talk about the future before it's time," said manager Terry Francona.

Giambi surmised that teams have contacted his agent to ask about his plans. He said he didn't care to know which teams reached out.

"I don't care right now," he said. "I just want to go home and enjoy my kids and have fun."

Kids day: The Indians' lineup for the final game of the season included five rookies. Jose Ramirez started at shortstop. Jesus Aguilar played first. Zach Walters played second. Tyler Holt started in center. Roberto Perez caught.

"Some guys need rest," Francona said. "It's the last day of the season, so there's a little bit of making sure everyone gets out of here healthy, things like that. You try to balance. We have people coming to a game that expect to see guys play. I think you try to strike a balance. You put a lineup out there that you hope can be one run better than Tampa. I don't care what our record is."

Aguilar entered Sunday's action with just four hits in 29 at-bats with the Tribe. The 24-year-old compiled a .304/.395/.511 slash line at Triple-A, with 19 home runs and 77 RBIs in 118 games.

"Everywhere he's been, he's put up pretty dynamic numbers," Francona said. "The big test will be when he gets a chance to play in the major leagues. I don't know when that's going to be. It's very difficult when you're used sparingly.

"He's a big right-handed kid with power. There is not a lot of that in the major leagues."

Walters made his third start at second base with Cleveland. He made a nice play up the middle in the first inning and clubbed his seventh home run in 30 games in the second.

"There's a lot of sock in the bat," Francona said. "There's some swing and miss. He came as advertised. He can play multiple positions. If we had fallen out, we probably would've played him more."

Clark, a four-star prospect of Avon (Conn.) Old Farms, posted on his public Twitter account on Sunday afternoon that everything would change if Michigan fires head coach Brady Hoke.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State fans haven't heard Chris Clark's name in a while because he has been solidly committed to Michigan. But Clark, once the Buckeyes' top tight end target in the 2015 recruiting class, has become relevant again. 

That's because Clark, a four-star prospect of Avon (Conn.) Old Farms, posted on his public Twitter account on Sunday afternoon that everything would change if Michigan fires head coach Brady Hoke. 

If coach hoke gets fired that changes everything

— Chris Clark (@Clark8Chris) September 28, 2014

It's unclear whether Ohio State would get back into the hunt for Clark – maybe even before anything happens with Hoke – but the 6-foot-6, 247-pound prospect has taken multiple visits to Columbus and is the perfect prospect for what Urban Meyer wants to do at the tight end position. 

Rated by 247Sports the No. 2 tight end in the 2015 recruiting class, Clark picked up roughly 50 scholarship offers, including ones from Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami (Fla.), Michigan State, Notre Dame, Penn State and others. 

Clark chose Michigan over Ohio State and Michigan State. 

Michigan is going through a tumultuous season under Hoke, most recently losing to Minnesota in Ann Arbor on Saturday. The Wolverines have lost three of their last four games, including a 31-0 loss to Notre Dame and a 26-10 home loss to Utah. 

Jeter tacked one last hit onto his remarkable career, then waved his helmet in a final farewell to the major leagues.

BOSTON (AP) -- Derek Jeter tacked one last hit onto his remarkable career, then waved his helmet in a final farewell to the major leagues.

Successful to the very end, the New York Yankees captain hit a high chop in the third inning that bounced off the right hand of leaping Red Sox third baseman Garin Cecchini. Jeter reached first without drawing a throw, and after a few seconds Brian McCann trotted from the dugout to pinch run.

Jeter got a standing ovation as he slowly ran off the field to complete his 20th big league season, pointed to the Boston dugout and embraced pitcher Clay Buchholz.

Approaching the Yankees dugout after the team's last at-bat by a player with single-digit uniform number, the 40-year-old who has worn No. 2 since his rookie season lifted his helmet to recognize the cheers and was hugged on the warning track by Mark Teixeira and Brett Gardner. Boston players stood in their dugout and applauded.

The ovation continued as others in his dugout congratulated their leader. Jeter's parents watched from the stands.

The final hit, Jeter's 3,465th, left him with a .310 career batting average, raising it from 30945 to .30951. And it came at Fenway Park, the same field where Mickey Mantle played his finale exactly 46 years earlier.

Jeter had lined out to shortstop Jemile Weeks in the first inning.

The last active member of the Core Four that included Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte, Jeter led the Yankees to 13 AL East titles, seven AL pennants and five World Series championships. He broke an ankle in the 2012 AL championship series opener and was limited to 17 games the following season. He dropped off this year to a .256 average with four homers and 50 RBIs.

Before the game, Jeter was congratulated by former captains of local pro teams. During a half-hour ceremony, Carl Yastrzemski and Jason Varitek of the Red Sox, Bobby Orr of the Bruins, Troy Brown of the New England Patriots and Paul Pierce of the Celtics came out of the Boston dugout, one after the other.

They shook hands with Jeter, standing on the grass just behind the dirt at shortstop.

At the start of the ceremony, the date "SEPTEMBER 28 2014" was removed, one character at a time, from the hand-operated scoreboard on the left-field wall and replaced by "WITH RESPECT 2 DEREK JETER." Then the "S'' in "RESPECT" was replaced by the No. 2.

Jeter waved his cap as he left the dugout for his 153rd game at Fenway, including the playoffs, breaking a tie with Lou Gehrig and Mantle for most by a Yankee.

Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia presented a base with a No. 2 and blue pinstripes on it to Jeter. He also received a green sign with white characters like those on the Green Monster scoreboard saying "RE2PECT."

A video was shown of Jeter being doused in the Yankees clubhouse as part of the "Ice Bucket Challenge" inspired by former Boston College baseball captain Pete Frates to raise awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. or Lou Gehrig's disease, a condition Frates is afflicted with. Then Frates rode onto the infield grass in his wheelchair and Jeter came in to greet him.

Michelle Brooks Thompson, a Massachusetts native from the Voice TV show, sang "Respect" on the infield dirt then Jeter shook hands and hugged her.

Jeter sat out Friday's series opener to recover from his emotionally draining final home game when his single in the ninth inning gave the Yankees a 6-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles and unleashed a wild celebration as teammates poured from the dugout to embrace him between first and second base.

The 14-time All-Star returned to the lineup as designated hitter on Saturday and went 1 for 2.

"The hard thing for me about this game is the relationships and how you get used to seeing people every day," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, "and how abruptly it ends.

"Since (he was) a young man signing, really a teenager, it's really what he's known. It's what we've known him to be, the Yankees' shortstop, and it's hard to believe that it's coming to an end."

Before the game, Boston manager John Farrell praised Jeter for "a grace and a dignity, an integrity that probably is unmatched by others."

Girardi had expected Jeter to receive a warm reception in enemy territory.

"Boston understands what Derek has meant to the Yankees playing him all these times," Girardi said. "I think it will be done right."

Jeter was cheered when he took batting practice and when he ran into his dugout when it was over.

MORE COVERAGE FROM NJ.COM:

• Derek Jeter's last game: Yankees 9, Red Sox 5
• Derek Jeter's career, by the numbers
• Derek Jeter retires: After final at-bat vs. Red Sox, Twitter users pay tribute

The Indians won the last seven games started by lefty T.J. House.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians played the Tampa Bay Rays in the finale of a three-game series Sunday. Here is a capsule look from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff:

Game: 162.

Opponent: Rays.

Location: Progressive Field, Cleveland.

Time of day: Afternoon.

Time elapsed: 2 hours, 28 minutes.

Attendance: 21,400.

Result: Indians 7, Rays 2.

Records: Indians 85-77, Rays 77-85.

That's a wrap: The Indians played their final game of the season.

Centrally located: The Indians finished third in the AL Central. The division champion Detroit Tigers went 90-72.

Home front: The Indians were 48-33 at Progressive Field, with a paid attendance of 1,437,393.

Tito time: Terry Francona is 177-147 in two seasons as Cleveland manager. In 2013, the Tribe went 92-70 and secured a wildcard berth.   

Francona's fun bunch: The Tribe's watered-down lineup for the finale featured six players with a combined 34 RBI with Cleveland in 2014. Those given the day off included Michael Brantley, Yan Gomes and Michael Bourn.

Given that right-hander Alex Cobb was pitching for the Rays, the matchup did not appear promising for the hosts. Cobb entered at 10-8 with a 2.75 ERA in 22 starts. His 1.49 ERA since the All-Star break led the majors.

The previous time Cobb faced the Indians, Oct. 2, 2013, he pitched 6 2/3 innings in a 4-0 victory in the wildcard game.

Cobb was nowhere near as good Sunday. He gave up four runs on 10 hits -- including two homers -- in six innings.

The Indians finished with 14 hits. Eight players had at least one. Jose Ramirez went 3-for-4 with a double, David Murphy was 2-for-4 with a homer and Zach Walters was 2-for-4 with a homer.

Murphy led off the second by lining an 0-2 pitch over the wall in right to tie the score, 1-1. It snapped Cobb's franchise-record homerless streak at 82 1/3 innings. After Jesus Aguilar struck out, Walters shot the first pitch over the right-field wall to give the Tribe the lead for good.

House party: Indians left-hander T.J. House allowed one run on five hits in five innings. He walked none and struck out two. He threw 34 of 49 pitches for strikes.

Think about that: A starting pitcher won a game in which he used 49 pitches.

House, who made his MLB debut May 17 in a relief appearance, finished at 5-3 with a 3.35 ERA in 19 games (18 starts). He allowed three or fewer earned runs in 15 starts.

House is the only lefty to start for Cleveland this season. 

Just win, baby: The Indians won the final seven games started by House. They were 13-5 overall in his starts.

Whiff kings: House and relievers C.C. Lee, Kyle Crockett and Zach McAllister combined for eight strikeouts. The Tribe staff ended the season with an MLB-record 1,450 strikeouts.

Z-Mac locked in: McAllister, who opened the season in the rotation, closed with five straight scoreless relief appearances (combined 7 2/3 IP, 4 H).   

Dr. Smooth chronicles: Brantley batted .327 (200-for-611) with two triples, 45 doubles, 20 homers, 97 RBI, 94 runs and 23 steals in 154 games.

Brantley is the only MLB player with a .300 average, 40+ doubles, 20+ homers, 90+ RBI, 90+ runs and 20+ steals.

Brantley ranked second in the majors in hits.

Finally: The Indians went 11-17 in March/April, 15-13 in May, 13-13 in June, 14-12 in July, 18-9 in August and 14-13 in September.

Florida State's comeback in Raleigh ultimately resulted in status quo among the top seven teams. The same cannot be said for the distribution of first-place votes.

It figured that during a week in which three of the top four and four of the top seven teams in the AP Top 25 were idle that there would not be much movement. However, given how things were playing out in Raleigh, it looked as though there might be a change at the top. Florida State's comeback, though, ultimately resulted in status quo among the top seven. The same cannot be said for the distribution of first-place votes.

Hanging by a thread
Never mind that the No. 1 Seminoles applied the afterburners in defeating North Carolina State by 15 points in a venue where they had lost their last two visits. What mattered more is that Jimbo Fisher's team trailed by 17 early. Voters did not like that and Florida State lost seven first-place votes and now leads No. 2 Oregon, which was idle, by all of 12 voting points. Guess the 'Noles better beat Wake Forest by 60 on Saturday.

Three's company
The team that benefitted most from FSU losing those seven first-place votes? Guess how many idle Alabama picked up? Sure there were other factors involved, including No. 6 Texas A&M losing all four of its first-place votes after getting past unranked Arkansas by only a touchdown. But it was the third-ranked Tide that picked up seven votes for No. 1, resulting in FSU, Oregon and 'Bama separated by a mere 29 points.

South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier talks with umpire Tom Quick, right, during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)Mark Humphrey 

Down and out
I guess the voters do not think much of the Head Ball Coach's team, either. Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks lost by a point at home to defending SEC East champ Missouri. The punishment was a free fall from No. 13 to being nowhere to be found in the top 25. Meanwhile, because they fell apart in the second half of a loss to UCLA, the Sun Devils of Arizona State plummeted almost as badly, dropping out of the rankings after entering the weekend at No. 15.

What to make of Mizzou?
Apparently, the voters are not sure how to answer that question as the Tigers yo-yo in and out the rankings. What we do know is that with the win at South Carolina, Missouri took the biggest overall leap of the week, going from the 39th-most votes with a paltry five, two ahead of FCS member North Dakota State, to No. 24. That's an eye-opening climb of 15 places one week after having suffered a last-minute loss to visiting Indiana and being deposed from the rankings. It also means the SEC still has eight ranked teams.

Bruins back in top 10
Among ranked teams coming into the week, UCLA, along with No. 21 Oklahoma State, had the largest positive movement. Despite yielding more than 600 yards, the Bruins pulled away in their 35-point win over Arizona State on the road Thursday evening. Their reward is ascending three spots to No. 8 and within one spot of where they opened the season. UCLA had dropped to No. 12 two weeks ago thanks to three "unimpressive" victories. It is amazing what putting up 62 points in Tempe can do.

The Associated Press Top 25 Poll, Week 5 -- Sept. 28, 2014
*First-place votes in parentheses
1. Florida State (27)
2. Oregon (13)
3. Alabama (13)
4. Oklahoma (7)
5. Auburn
6. Texas A&M
7. Baylor
8. UCLA
9. Notre Dame
10. Michigan State
11. Ole Miss
12. Mississippi State
13. Georgia
14. Stanford
15. LSU
16. USC
17. Wisconsin
18. BYU
19. Nebraska
20. Ohio State
21. Oklahoma State
22. East Carolina
23. Kansas State
24. Missouri
25. TCU

"I am still committed to Florida. That's where I want to go," Baker said. "But of course I am still thinking about Ohio State. I always thought about Ohio State, even up to when I decided to commit to Florida."

COLUMBUS, Ohio – About 45 minutes before Ohio State's 50-28 win over Cincinnati, Benedictine linebacker Jerome Baker stood in front of Ohio Stadium's South Stands with his Ohio State hat flipped to the back. 

To Baker's right was Ohio State player personnel director Mark Pantoni, to his left athletic director Gene Smith. They shared a five-minute conversation, one that was intense enough to feel Ohio State trying to keep Baker at home. 

"It felt really good," Baker told cleveland.com on Sunday afternoon. "It feels really good to know that Ohio State still wants me that bad." 

Rated by 247Sports a four-star prospect and the No. 4 athlete in the 2015 recruiting class, Baker is committed to Florida. But Ohio State isn't ready to come to terms that one of the best players in the state, who happens to be from the Cleveland area, is going way farther south than two hours on I-71. 

Baker said he's still firmly committed to Florida, but he is still flirting with the Buckeyes. And as long as Urban Meyer still has an audience, still has a voice to sell Ohio State, the program is still alive in Baker's recruitment. 

"I am still committed to Florida. That's where I want to go," Baker said. "But of course I am still thinking about Ohio State. I always thought about Ohio State, even up to when I decided to commit to Florida." 

Though Meyer was unsuccessful in flipping Baker on Saturday, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker isn't done visiting Ohio State. He said he still plans to officially visit the Buckeyes, as well as Michigan State and Tennessee. 

"Florida is fine with it," Baker said. "I am just having fun with the process." 

View full sizeBenedictine linebacker and Florida commit Jerome Baker wore an Ohio State for his visit for the Buckeyes' 50-28 win over Cincinnati on Saturday. Ari Wasserman, cleveland.com 

Before Baker committed to Florida, he earned more than 20 offers, including ones from Arkansas, Florida State, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State and others. 

Why did Baker wear an Ohio State hat to the game? 

"I knew I had one, and I thought, 'Why not?' " he said. 

Kind of like how he's going to finish out the recruiting process. 

Baker feels secure with his commitment to Florida, but he's going to turn over every rock to ensure the Gators are the perfect fit. 

Ohio State welcomes that approach.