Michael Brantley is either among the American Legaue's top three left-fielders, or among the three worst left-fielders -- take your pick.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Well, someone has it wrong.

Michael Brantley was nominated for a Gold Glove in left field. The other two American League candidates are Kansas City's Alex Gordon and Boston's Yoenis Cespedes.

Who picked them?

MLB's Lyle Spencer wrote: "Major League managers and coaches, voting only within their league and unable to vote for players on their own teams, account for 75 percent of the selection process. The other 25 percent goes to the sabermetrics community."

Ah yes ... the sabermetrics community.

I do like many of the advanced stats. Sabermetrics does help to evaluate players. For example, www.fangraphs.com rated second baseman Jason Kipnis and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall among the worst at their positions in the American League. That is close to what most of us watched this season.

But get this: they rated Brantley as the THIRD worst left fielder in the American League. Only Rajai Davis and Shin-Soo Choo were rated below Brantley.

Out of the 15 left-fielders rated by fangraphs, Brantley came in 13th. Yet, he is in the TOP three according to the vote of the managers and coaches.

Fangraphs and the manager/coaches agree that Gordon and Cespedes are the top two left fielders. The only conflict is Brantley -- and a major one.

He's either very good or very bad.

I know that my judgment on Brantley can be biased. I have loved his game for years, and believed that he'd one day hit for power. I never imagined that he'd put together a season like 2014 (.327, 20 HR, 97 RBI, .890 OPS). But I know that most Tribe fans agree with me that Brantley has been a good player for several seasons.

And that includes the outfield. In 339 games in left field, he has two errors. Last season, he made no errors in left field and threw out 12 runners trying to take an extra base.

Maybe that's not pure Gold, but how can anyone look at Brantley and consider him a brick in the outfield?

Baseball people will tell you that the fielding ratings are still the most debated and subjective.

When it comes to Brantley, I can only go by what most fans also see: A very good left fielder.

Yan Gomes also was nominated for a Gold Glove as a catcher. Fangraphs also has him among the top three defensive catchers in the American League. So the debate centers on Brantley.

Late in the season, Zach McAllister found success in the bullpen.AP 

ABOUT ZACH MCALLISTER

In their post-season meetings, Terry Francona and his coaching staff were very encouraged by the late-season performance of Zach McAllister.

He was put in the bullpen in September, and responded by having a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings with 14 strikeouts. He walked only two.

The Tribe is taking the same approach to McAllister that they did with Carlos Carrasco, who lost an early season spot in the rotation and then found his confidence in the bullpen.

Carrasco finished the season back in the rotation, where he was 5-3 with a 1.72 ERA in 10 starts after the All-Star break. The Indians don't think something that dramatic can happen with McAllister, who doesn't have the variety of pitches that Carrasco brings to the mound.

But they do believe that McAllister can help in the bullpen. Coaches Mickey Callaway and Kevin Cash told McAllister just to come into the game and throw hard. Use one other pitch. Don't think a lot.

Suddenly, McAllister's velocity rose from an average of 91-92 mph to the 95-97 mph. His fastball was even clocked at 98 mph several times, something that never happened before.

McAllister was 4-7 with a 5.23 ERA overall. He spent part of last season in the minors.

In 2015, McAllister is out of options. He'll be 27 on December 26. They don't want to take a chance on losing him to another team because they believe the right-hander can really help in relief. He can throw multiple innings, and even be a spot starter.

A decent spring will secure a roster spot. In 2013, McAllister was 9-9 with a 3.75 ERA as a starter. The Indians want depth in the rotation, and they think McAllister made major progress as a reliever at the end of the season.

ABOUT NICK HAGADONE

Another Tribe pitcher out of minor league options is Nick Hagadone, and he also received good reviews from the Tribe after the season.

The lefty went up and down three times from the minors in 2014, before arriving for good on July 8. He finished the season with a 1-0 record and 2.70 ERA in 23 1/3 innings. He had 27 strikeouts compared to six walks.

Hagadone will be 29 on New Years day. The lefty has battled control problems. He had 42 walks in 67 big league innings entering 2014.

His average fastball is nearly 95 mph. He throws an 80-mph slider about 25 percent of the time.

Terry Francona loves to use relievers. He set a Major League record for going to the bullpen in 2014.

The manager is excited about the idea of three lefties in relief -- Kyle Crockett, Marc Rzepczynski and Hagadone.

ABOUT JOSH TOMLIN

A third pitcher out of options is righthander Josh Tomlin. He turned 30 on October 19. Right now, he would be considered the No. 7 starter.

The rotation begins with Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, Danny Salazar and T.J. House. McAllister is the No. 6 starter.

Then comes Tomlin, who was 6-9 with a 4.76 ERA.

One theory on Tomlin is that he was still building arm strength after having elbow surgery in August of 2012.

Tomlin was 5-6 with a 4.21 ERA before the All-Star break, 1-3 with a 6.33 ERA after. Did he simply wear down? Will he be stronger next season?

The Indians don't know the answers, but they like the idea of keeping Tomlin around in some role. He has pitched in relief, too.

But of the three pitchers out of options -- McAllister, Hagadone and Tomlin -- it is Tomlin who needs to have the best spring to make the team.

• See Terry's Talkin' Browns.

• See Terry's Talkin' Cavs.

The Royals lead the Series 2-1 going into Game 4 tonight.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Even though Jason Vargas will be making his World Series debut for Kansas City in Game 4, the Fall Classic atmosphere in San Francisco will not be foreign to him.

Four years ago, while home for the offseason in Arizona, Vargas and his wife decided to fly to San Francisco to watch Game 1 of the World Series between the Giants and Texas Rangers.

The Giants won 11-7 on the way to their first World Series title in San Francisco. They followed with another championship in 2012 and are back in for a third time in five years against the Royals this season.

"It was just an electric atmosphere," Vargas recalled before the Royals beat the Giants 3-2 on Friday night to take a 2-1 series lead. "They were ready to go. The fans are here and they want to see their team win, and we're hoping to stop that."

Vargas will have a big part in that goal when he starts Saturday night against Ryan Vogelsong.

Vogelsong has experience on this big stage, getting the win in Game 3 against Detroit two years ago when he pitched 5 2-3 innings in a 2-0 victory that helped send San Francisco to a sweep.

Vogelsong is the only pitcher to yield no more than one run in his first five postseason starts. That run ended in the NL Championship Series when Vogelsong allowed four runs in three innings of a no-decision against St. Louis.

But Vogelsong has proven he has no problems dealing with the heightened intensity in October.

"The biggest thing is just the experience of curbing the emotions," he said. "It's definitely a situation where you have to be locked into the game and your thoughts need to be on the game, but you have to take a quick second to look around and take it all in."

Vogelsong's postseason success is partly attributable to an increase in velocity in those games, with his fastball going from the low 90 mph range to about 95 mph.

"It's definitely a different adrenaline when you're in this stadium in a postseason game," he said. "It's different than an everyday regular-season game."

Vargas has pitched well in his first two postseason starts, allowing two runs in six innings of a no-decision in the division series opener against the Angels and getting the win when he allowed one run of 5 1-3 innings in the ALCS finale against Baltimore.

Vargas had seven days off before his first postseason start, 12 before the second and nine before the Game 4 of the Series. He has used the time wisely, with the extra bullpen and side sessions helping to smooth out some mechanical issues that contributed to him going 1-5 with a 5.89 ERA in his final seven starts of the regular season.

"He's had two great starts," manager Ned Yost said. "He was a guy that was consistent for us all year. Struggled a little bit his last three or four starts in September, but, again, a lot of that was mechanical, and he's made the adjustment. Had a great start against Anaheim. Had a great start against Baltimore, and we look for him to do the same tomorrow."

The Indians acquired infielder Justin Sellers from the Dodgers in spring training.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have traded infielder Justin Sellers to Pittsburgh for cash considerations.

The Indians acquired Sellers on March 2 in a similar deal from the Dodgers. Sellers spent the majority of this season at Class AAA Columbus where he hit .254 (90-for-355) with 18 doubles, one triple, three homers and 40 RBI in 102 games.

Sellers played 67 games at shortstop, 18 at second base, two at third base and 17 in left field at Columbus.

He made three tours with the Indians this year, the first coming from April 10 through April 12. He was recalled for a third time in September and finished the year with the Tribe.

Sellers appeared in 17 games with the Indians. He hit .188 (3-for-16). The Indians 40-man roster is currently at 38 players.

Is it time for the Indians to make a blockbuster trade in order to create some payroll space to sign free agent Victor Martinez?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Got a question for Paul Hoynes? Send it to Hey, Hoynsie! here.

Hey, Hoynsie: The Indians need hitting . . . bad. With the Dolans being prudent, what do you think of this idea? Trade Jason Kipnis and David Murphy for prospects to free up money. Then sign Victor Martinez. Put Francisco Lindor at short. Move Jose Ramirez to second with Mike Aviles as insurance to protect this young infield combo. The Indians have several young hot prospects in the outfield who can platoon in right field with Nick Swisher. Swisher can also fill in for Carlos Santana at first and Martinez at DH when they need a day off. – Steve Frumkin, Sarasota, Fla.

Hey, Steve: I can tell you've been doing your homework.

Two things, however, bother me. The Indians just signed Kipnis to an extension worth over $50 million. I can't see them giving up on him so quickly after one bad year. The second thing is this – Swisher is going to make $15 million in 2015 and another $15 million in 2016. Physically, if he's unable to play every day because of his two knee surgeries, your proposal makes some sense. But if he's able to DH every day, ownership is going to want him in the lineup to see if they can get some kind of return on his contract.

Hey, Hoynsie: No. 1, the Royals and Giants used good pitching, timely hitting and good defense to reach the World Series, something the Indians need in equal doses to get to the Fall Classic.  After reading through your free agent assessment, it seems that if the Indians can cut down on defensive miscues, they won't need to dip much into the open market.

No. 2. Do you think that T. J. House might develop into a good No. 3 starter?

No. 3. Will you be at spring training in 2015?  My wife and I are thinking of going this year and would like to say hello to you. – Brian Walsh, Euclid.

Hey, Brian: I think the Indians will improve defensively next year if for no other reason it would be hard for them to get worse. As for House, I think he can be an effective middle-of-the-rotation starter. He certainly looked like that going down the stretch this season.

Regarding spring training in 2015, unless I'm hit by a runaway beer truck – to steal a W.C. Fields line, "death where is thy stain?' – I believe I'll be in Goodyear, Ariz. in February. But you never know for sure.

Hey, Hoynsie:  Had a chance to take in a few Akron RubberDucks games this year. I'm always reading how the organization is thin in the outfield, but was quite impressed with the play of Anthony Gallas, but I never hear much about him. His stats are comparable, if not better, than thin crop of talent in the organization. – Steve Z., Independence.

Hey, Stevie: Gallas did have a good season at Class A Carolina and Class AA Akron, but he turns 27 in December, which means age is working against him in terms of his prospect status. Gallas, a Cleveland kid who played at Strongsville High School and Kent State, has quite a few outfield prospects in front of him: Tyler Holt, Tyler Naquin, Clint Frazier, Carlos Moncrief and Bradley Zimmer. Frazier and Zimmer were No.1 picks in 2013 and 2014, respectively, while Gallas was a non-drafted free agent.

Still, Galas hit .285 (143-for-501) with 37 doubles, 24 homers and 80 RBI at two levels this year. Here's hoping he puts together another strong season and forces the Indians or another team to bring him to the big leagues.

Hey, Hoynsie: When the Tribe drafted outfielder LeVon Washington, he was supposed to be a five-tool player and a steal for a non-first rounder.  The results have been underwhelming.

What happened?  Or is it too soon to make a judgment? – Lee Petersen, Akron.

Hey, Lee: The Indians selected Washingtonle with in the second round of the 2010 draft. They paid him a $1.2 million signing bonus, but he's been unable to stay on the field because of a series of injuries. He had right hip surgery in 2012 and played only 13 games. He was slowed by leg cramps in in 2013, which limited him to 51 games. This year he hit .294 (74-for-252) with 11 doubles, four homers and 28 RBI Carolina.

Washington was the Rays' No.1 pick in 2009, but did not sign.

The Tribe's first three picks in 2010 were Drew Pomeranz, Washington and Tony Wolters. Pomeranz was traded, Washington has been slowed by injuries and Wolters, an infielders by trade, has been switched to catcher.

Hey, Hoynsie: I read that the projected 2015 payroll for the Indians is about $72 million, which is really low. I remember lots of articles a couple of years ago about how much money the Dolans had spent. What gives? – James Romano, Cleveland.

Hey, James: The Indians payroll is expected to be about $84 million to $86 million for 2015. It was just under $85 million in 2014.

Hey, Hoynsie: Any indications about how upset ownership is about going backward this past year? What do they intend to do to correct the situation? – Peter Quinn, Bethesda, Md.

Hey, Peter: Since no one has been fired in the front office or coaching staff, I would imagine owner Paul Dolan's level of concern has not reached the boiling point. As for solutions, I'm pretty sure they'll try to win more games in 2015 than they did in 2014.

Hey, Hoynsie: Recently, when addressing the "progress" of the front office in 2014, you described it as "good", saying, "realistically, it would have been difficult to improve on the Indians' 92-win season from 2013 with the lack of help acquired during the offseason."

Why does that make anything the front office is doing good? The front office's main responsibility is to construct a competitive roster. When in September you are relying on JB Shuck, Chris Gimenez, Tyler Holt, and Zack Walters, you have failed at the task. The coaches made good progress in developing Bauer, Kluber, and the pitching staff. Francona gets credit for his managing of the team. But the coaching staff only can work with what they have. 

Attendance is an issue with the Indians. Personally, I don't know why I should support a team whose front office puts the team in a position where, "realistically, it would have been difficult to improve with the lack of help acquired during the offseason.'

The team needed to improve from 2013. They were dominated by the Tigers and most other winning AL teams, and were shut out in their brief playoff appearance. Without improving, their 2014 season was nothing special. Nothing to get the fans excited. 

Hopefully, the front office learned from its mistake last offseason, and won't sit on its hands for the next several months. – Gavin Potter, Shaker Heights.

Hey, Gavin: Your brevity is much appreciated.

One thing, just how do you think the players you said improved found their way to Cleveland?

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you think the Indians will keep Zach McAllister? He started out as a starter and ended the year in relief.  I wonder if he will come around and get better or stay the same? – Shan Roden, Hinckley.

Hey, Shan: McAllister is out of options, which means the Indians will have to keep him on the 25-man roster when they open next season or expose him to waivers when they try to send him down.

In September, he pitched well in a spot start against Houston and was effective coming out of the pen. I think he represents two things to the Tribe: a trade chip and depth in the rotation or bullpen if they can find a way to keep him in the organization.

Here are the Chris Fedor's five biggest questions in the game between Cleveland and Oakland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For the second straight week the Cleveland Browns will be playing a winless opponent.

Jacksonville went into last week's game against the Browns at 0-6, with very few reasons to be optimistic. But the Jaguars picked up their first win, limiting Cleveland to six points. It was a stunning result given the way the Browns played one week earlier against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Brian Hoyer played a disastrous game, completing 39 percent of his throws. The offensive line was dominated. The running game couldn't get any traction. There were mistakes and terrible coaching decisions. It all added up to an embarrassing and inexcusable loss.  

Now the Browns have to regroup as the Raiders come to town hungry for a win. Like Jacksonville, Oakland's offense is in the hands of a rookie quarterback, Derek Carr, who has had ups and downs during his first season.

There are few reasons to believe the winless Raiders can make the trip across the country and beat the Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns have the advantage in many areas and are the better team overall. Then again, that was the case last week and the Browns still lost. 

Here are the five questions in the game between Cleveland and Oakland:

Can the Browns pressure Derek Carr into mistakes?

The rookie quarterback has been sacked just four times in six games this season. Part of it is Oakland's offensive line play. But Carr's elusiveness and ability to get the ball out quickly has helped. When pressured in college Carr had a tendency to fade back on his throws and trust his arm too much, leaving him vulnerable to mistakes. He has limited those mistakes in his first season, tossing eight touchdowns against five interceptions.

Getting pressure consistently has been a challenge for the Browns, who have 12 sacks, which rank 21st in the NFL. No player on defense has more than three and the Browns sacked Blake Bortles just twice last week despite Jacksonville's weak offensive line.

Can the Browns stop the run?

The answer to this question has been no. And last week was no exception. Denard Robinson had a career day against the Browns, rushing for 127 yards on 22 carries to go along with a backbreaking touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The Browns, despite allocating a number of resources and using numerous draft picks to shore up the defense, have been the worst in the league stopping the run, allowing 155.5 yards per game. The Browns have also given up seven touchdowns and five yards per carry.

The Raiders shouldn't provide much of a test. They are averaging 69.3 yards per game, the worst in the league. Darren McFadden, the Raiders leading rusher, hasn't had a 100-yard game since Sept. 15, 2013, a streak that spans 14 games. Then again, the Jaguars weren't supposed to have much of a running game going into last week's game either and they had their best rushing day of the season.

Will one Browns running back step up and take the featured back role?

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan implored one of his three running backs to step up and carry the load this week.

"If they want to be out there more, they need to separate themselves and show that they're obviously better than the other guy and we'll keep them out there more,'' Shanahan said Thursday.

He didn't stop there.

"I've always had a running back who really separates himself from the others,'' Shanahan said. "I think we've got three solid guys. We've even got a fourth guy (Glenn Winston) who I think does a good job who you guys haven't seen yet. But for one of those guys to just get the bulk of the carries and to take off, then that's up to them. They've got to show us that they're ahead of the other guys.''

The running game is vital for every team in the NFL, but Hoyer and the Browns' offense relies on it more than most. It sets up the play-action passing game. It creates passing lanes and open windows for Hoyer, whose accuracy is not always on point. And it keeps Hoyer from having to be the focal point of the offense.

Without the running game in Jacksonville last week (69 yards on 30 carries), Hoyer was a completely different quarterback and Shanahan didn't have the same success as a play caller. If the ground game doesn't get going, Hoyer will likely have those same struggles.

View full sizeAndre Holmes gives the Raiders a big target in the passing game. Ben Margot, Associated Press 

Will the Browns be able to handle the size of Andre Holmes?

The Raiders spent this off-season trying to improve the offense. Additions were made along the offensive line and at running back. They traded for Matt Schaub and drafted Carr to be the quarterback of the future. Another addition was James Jones, the go-to target in the passing game. Jones leads Oakland in catches (30), yards (363) and is tied for the team lead with three TD grabs.

But another receiver has emerged out of nowhere, and it's Holmes. The 6-foot-4 wideout has great speed and run-after-catch ability to go with his size. He's one of the biggest receivers the Browns have played against this season and Joe Haden (5-foot-11), Buster Skrine (5-foot-9), Justin Gilbert (6-foot-0) and K'Waun Williams (5-foot-9) will have their hands full. 

Will the offensive line play better?

It's no secret the Browns' offensive line played its worst game of the season without All Pro center Alex Mack last week. The Jaguars, a team that came into the game second in sacks, harassed Hoyer, forcing him to throw the ball sooner than he wanted on many occasions. The Jags finished with three sacks as miscommunication and missed blocks were part of the reason for the Browns' offensive struggles. The line wasn't much better run blocking, failing to open holes and getting pushed backwards too often.

The Browns might have Nick McDonald for this game, but it's hard to believe he will provide much of a boost given he was undrafted a few years ago and has made only two starts in his career at center. If anything, it will allow the Browns to shift John Greco back to right guard, a position where he is much more comfortable, and take disappointing Paul McQuistan out of the lineup.

The other benefit for the Browns: The Raiders don't have the same talent on the defensive line as the Jaguars. Oakland has six sacks this season, second fewest in the league. They are also allowing 26.6 points.

Trades are becoming more common in the NFL -- and a host of players are rumored to be involved in deals before next week's deadline

The midpoint of the NFL regular season arrives Sunday. Let's look at the week's top stories, chatter and headlines as the first half wraps up.

The Big Buzz: More trades on the way?

On Oct. 12, 1989, the Cowboys pulled off the most significant trade -- fans of the Vikings might call it larceny -- in NFL history. Dallas dealt Herschel Walker to Minnesota for an unimpressive cluster of players and draft picks. Through shrewd manipulation and sharp drafting, the Cowboys turned their most tradeable asset -- Walker -- into Emmitt Smith, Alvin Harper and Darren Woodson, and won three Super Bowls soon after with this fresh crop of young players.

In the 25 years that have passed, NFL general managers have been reluctant to swap players -- particularly in season. They don't want to make the wrong move, selling too much for not enough in return -- as the Vikings did -- even if a bold move might be just the jolt their team requires. 

There are signs, though, that trade relations are thawing. In fact, since 2012, on-field results have been very favorable for those NFL clubs that tend to trade most. ESPN.com's Greg Garber explains: 

Since January 2012, here are the teams with the most trades: 49ers (22), Eagles (21), Buccaneers (16), Seahawks (16), Colts (15) and Dolphins (15). While many of those were draft-day trades, it's striking that four of those teams made the playoffs last year and all but the Bucs are in the hunt this season.

The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport guesses that the new crop of young general managers in the NFL are no longer shy to make trades -- simply, they weren't around when the Walker deal went down. 

What I appreciate about Seattle GM John Schneider: He considers anything to help his team. New young GMs think similarly. Means more trades

-- Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 19, 2014

Already this season we have seen some significant movement. The Jets, desperate for threatening offensive players, dealt for Percy Harvin. He will debut Sunday against the Bills. The Patriots, seeking a replacement for injured linebacker Jerod Mayo, landed Akeem Ayers from the Titans.

With the deadline for trades this season arriving on Oct. 28, let's look at some players rumored to be on the move with one more weekend to audition.

• With Harvin off the market, Vincent Jackson's name has popped up on the radar of a handful of teams. Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith said this week that the team is not looking to restructure its roster now, but from Garber's piece we know that the Bucs tend to be active. The Bleacher Report eyes the Patriots and Seahawks as potential suitors for Jackson, and the Chiefs are another team rumored to be interested.

The Titans' Nate Washington is another receiver who could be on the move.Jeff Haynes 

• With Jermaine Gresham entering free agency at the end of the season, Rapoport has reported the Bengals would deal the tight end. Cincyjungle.com deduces that the Seahawks would be interested:

Seattle, who tried obtaining Jordan Cameron from Cleveland and Julius Thomas from Denver via Percy Harvin trade, seems like a logical spot based on reports this weekend. Right?

• With the Titans having already dealt Ayers, teams around the NFL are reportedly monitoring the availability of other players on Tennessee's roster. Nate Washington, a veteran wide receiver, is popular among teams looking for a wide receiver. Wesley Woodyard, a linebacker who aided the Broncos' Super Bowl push last year, is also rumored to be available. So is safety Michael Griffin.

• As well as the Titans, there is speculation that the Vikings are looking to sell. The DailyNorseman.com has bound a handful of trade rumors into one tidy post and the names are intriguing: Adrian Peterson, Greg Jennings and Chad Greenway are all mentioned.

Headlines

• The Colts will have to reshuffle their receiving corps this weekend against the Steelers because Reggie Wayne will sit out with an elbow injury. (via IndyStar.com)

• The Saints will be without running backs Khiry Robinson and Pierre Thomas against the Packers, as well as center Jonathan Goodwin. (via NOLA.com)

• Paul Allen, a co-founder of Microsoft and owner of the Seahawks, has donated $100 billion to help fight Ebola. (via ESPN.com)

• Should Florida fire football coach Will Muschamp, it will try to lure Eagles coach Chip Kelly back to college. (via NJ.com)

• Top receiver A.J. Green sat out the Bengals' final practice Friday before facing the Ravens and is unlikely to play Sunday. (via ProFootballTalk.com)

• Shane Vereen missed Friday's Patriots practice due to an illness and may also have to sit out Sunday against the Bears. (via MassLive.com)

• The Ravens will likely start a rookie at tight end for Sunday's key division clash against the Bengals because Owen Daniels had minor surgery this week on his left knee. (via ESPN.com)

• The Jets are the first 1-6 to be a betting favorite over an opponent with a winning record in 25 years. (via NJ.com)

• Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, looks set to make his NFL debut Sunday for the Texans.

Who they're picking

• Despite playing on the road in Cincinnati this weekend, ESPN's roundtable of experts overwhelmingly likes the Ravens to beat the Bengals.

• Fox's crew can't decide on whether the Jets will snap a six-game losing streak or the Bills will improve to 5-3 at the Meadowlands Sunday.

Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis overslept and missed practice this week, according to a report.Chris Keane/Associated Press 

• Pete Prisco of CBS Sports eyes the Cardinals to beat the Eagles in a matchup of 5-1 clubs.

• Elliot Harrison from NFL.com thinks the Packers will be the first visiting team to win in the Superdome this season.

• Sports Illustrated's Don Banks sees the Lions having no problem in London against the Falcons -- even with Calvin Johnson's status uncertain.

What they're saying

• Darrelle Revis missed Patriots practice Tuesday. It has been reported that the cornerback overslept and the team told him to stay home rather than coming in late join his teammates. Asked whether Revis will miss portions of Sunday's game against the Bears as punishment, Patriots coach Bill Belichick was tight-lipped, then looked to change the subject:

"Anything between me and the player is between me and the players. ... I think the Bears are a really good team."

• After starter Brian Hoyer completed 16 of 41 passes against the Jaguars Sunday, some wondered if the Browns would eye rookie Johnny Manziel to step into a starting role. Manziel, however, is not one of those people wondering about his role:

Urban Meyer said the Buckeyes will take it after surviving 31-24 in double overtime against the Nittany Lions. Tell us how you view Saturday night's win after watching Bill, Doug and Ari discuss it

STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania -- There were issues for Ohio State on Saturday night, and Urban Meyer knew it.

"Credit to our opponent. They played their tails off. They outplayed us up front, I think," Meyer said, sitting down to begin his postgame news conference after Ohio State escaped Penn State with a 31-24 win in double overtime.

"I was a little upset with the way we played up front and we've got to get that fixed. That has always been a strength of Ohio State football and has been for quite a while," Meyer continued. "Without making too big a deal of it, we need to evaluate that and play better as we hit this stretch run here.

"J.T. Barrett had a sprained knee, but came in and continued to do what he did. Even on the drop-back passes, he was either covered, sacked or pressured, but he pulled through a couple plays and made some big plays for us. Much improved on defense against a very quality quarterback."

So the offensive line needs to be better. The quarterback was a bit hurt, though he said it wasn't a big deal. The defense, led by Joey Bosa, in the end won the game for the Buckeyes.

But then Meyer reminded himself how the game had ended. With a win.

"We'll take it," Meyer said. "A great win against a quality opponent in one of the toughest environments that you'll have. We'll certainly get on a plane tonight and re-group, but enjoy the win. Re-group as we continue on."

How should the No. 13 Buckeyes (6-1. 3-0 Big Ten) take Saturday night's game? Should they be upset about blowing a 17-point lead and nearly losing to a less talented team? Should they be happy to pull out the victory, the players talking afterward about the circumstances making them pull together?

Or is this just relief about surviving?

Doug, Bill and Ari talked about all this after the game, with a home game against Illinois next for the Buckeyes. Watch that and then give us your opinion in the comments and by voting in our poll about how you're viewing 31-24 in double overtime.

Until proven otherwise, Michigan State is the best team in the Big Ten. That and other observations from Wasserman inside.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – As Ohio State piled up four consecutive blowout victories over bad teams, it became hard to chalk up those Buckeyes wins to just facing inferior opponents. 

But when you look closely at those wins with the benefit of hindsight – Kent State, Cincinnati, Maryland and Rutgers – maybe we gave Ohio State a little too much credit. 

It's not that the Buckeyes don't deserve to be applauded for blowing out teams that aren't as good as them, but those wins shouldn't have been enough to be completely dumbfounded by how little Ohio State did offensively against Penn State. Yet, we were. 

And let's not pretend like Penn State is some sort of juggernaut. The Nittany Lions have a better defense than the previous four teams, but they lost to Michigan and barely struggled to beat a Rutgers team Ohio State embarrassed. 

So what am I saying here? I am saying that Ohio State is good, but not "back in the playoff conversation," good. And though I was thinking about picking the Buckeyes over Michigan State on Nov. 8 with the momentum they were building, there's nothing Ohio State can do to Illinois that'll make me change my mind. 

Until proven otherwise, Michigan State is the best team in the Big Ten. 

I think we learned more about Ohio State in the Penn State game than the previous four blowout wins. 

2. J.T. Barrett deserves all the credit in the world for rushing for two touchdowns in overtime and making sure the Buckeyes got out of State College with a win. But there was something that reminded me of the Virginia Tech game, a drive that will go unremembered. 

With about five minutes remaining in the game, Ohio State took over at its own 49 yardline clinging to a three-point lead. It was at that point when I expected Barrett and the Buckeyes to drive down the field and put the game away. Instead, Ohio State couldn't even manage a first down, and it brought back memories of the three drives the Buckeyes had in the fourth quarter against the Hokies with a chance to tie the game. 

3. Will the real Barrett please stand up? As the Buckeyes scored 50 points in four consecutive games coming into Penn State, they found a freshman quarterback that some felt was creeping into the Heisman Trophy conversation. But on the road against a Penn State team that had perhaps the best defense Ohio State has faced this year, Barrett played a rather average game. He had two second-half interceptions that almost cost his team. 

Granted, he lifted Ohio State up in overtime, and he deserves credit. But he looked like a freshman against the Nittany Lions. So who is the real Barrett? Probably something between Heisman Trophy candidate and rattled freshman who threw two crucial interceptions in the second half. 

4. Urban Meyer and his defensive assistants talk so much about making plays on defense, but Armani Reeves left a huge one on the table. Though he had a huge hit in the second half, Reeves could have ended the game in regulation with an interception with less than a minute remaining. Christian Hackenberg's pass hit him right in the hands – maybe even the face – and Reeves simply has to make that play. 

5. Ohio State was gaining steam in the College Football Playoff conversation, but it did itself a disservice by needing overtime to beat lowly Penn State. Sure, it was a tough environment, but the Buckeyes are dramatically deeper and more talented than the Nittany Lions. They had a chance to blow out its fifth consecutive opponent and gain more momentum heading into the committee's first poll on Tuesday evening. 

Instead, the last thing the committee will see when talking about Ohio State is almost losing to Penn State instead of saying something like, "Nobody could touch the Buckeyes the last five weeks." That's a profound difference. 

The full transcript of Ohio State coach Urban Meyer's postgame news conference following the Buckeyes' 31-24 win over Penn State in double overtime.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Everything Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said after the Buckeyes' 31-24 double-overtime win over Penn State on Saturday evening: 

Opening Statement: 

A: Credit to our opponent. They played their tails off. They outplayed us up front, I think. I was a little upset with the way we played up front and we've got to get that fixed. That has always been a strength of Ohio State football and has been for quite awhile. Without making too big a deal of it, we need to evaluate that and play better and we hit this stretch run here. J.T. Barrett had a sprained knee, but came in and continued to do what he did. Even on the drop-back passes, he was either covered, sacked or pressured, but he pulled through a couple plays and made some big plays for us. Much improved on defense against a very quality quarterback. Joe Bosa, kind of at the end ... The thing about Joey Bosa - you get a sack like that, there's also interior pressure and not allowing to step up. We'll take it. A great win against a quality opponent in one of the toughest environments that you'll have. We'll certainly get on a plane tonight and re-group, but enjoy the win. Re-group as we continue on.

Q: You have won by an average of over 40 points the last few games. Are you impressed with the resolve your kids showed? This was all Penn State in the second half and you guys found a way to pull it out in the end. 

A: I was very impressed. This team puts in a lot of work. I knew they were going to pick that side. Down when we play defense first and then they go score, and then we had to come back. That was one of the toughest - you know, to see your freshmen quarterback do that. I actually pulled my ear[phone] off a couple times to hear how loud it was. It can't get louder. To nut it up like that and get it done. He did a nice job. 

Q: When did J.T. [Barrett] sprain his knee? 

A: Right at the end of the first half.

Q: Did it change the way you would call plays? 

A: Yeah, we tried to manage the game. I liked the way we went about business in the second half. When you're not moving people and then they start teeing off on you, that's kind of what it felt like was happening. We have good skill, but we could get to the ball. We've got to reevaluate a bunch of stuff we're doing.

Q: Do you feel lucky to get out of here with a win? 

A: We don't use that term luck. I never call someone and say good luck because why do you work. Good luck and go home early tonight with a rabbit in your pocket and hope things work out. You don't do that. It's not luck. It was a tough game. Penn State is a very rugged defensive unit. They play hard. If we would have not turned the ball over and took care of business, then we'd see what would happen. But that's part of the game.

Q: How gratifying is it to see J.T. [Barrett] come full circle? Some may fault him for the pick-six, but then in the overtime, he's the one to get it done. 

A: I remember when I went on his home visit. To see the quality of people: his best friend, his family. To see the way that kid was raised. He's a tough guy, man, who does things right. Usually people who do things right get rewarded.

Q: How pleased are you with the growth of J.T. Barrett's confidence, especially in this environment? 

A: The confidence got a little rattled there in the second quarter and then obviously the third quarter. The opening drive was, I think, a pick-six. In that kind of environment ... He was walking around like an extremely confident quarterback in the third quarter, that wasn't the case. Once again, the way this kid was raised. I just have so much admiration for people like that ... He's wasn't overly confident in the third quarter, but I tell you, at the end of the game, when he needed to go make a play, he did it for us.

Q: Was the play calling in the second half too conservative to try to put it away? 

A: There were some throws in there. We had some shots; we just couldn't get it done. I have to watch the film. I'll have more answers for you Monday or Tuesday, whenever I talk to you guys. I didn't like the operation of the offense in the second half. We've got to get that fixed.

The Ohio State offensive line finally saw a defensive front comparable to Virginia Tech's and some of the same problems emerged.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Even with the numbers Ohio State's offense put up over the four-game stretch leading up to Saturday night's game against Penn State, Urban Meyer seemed uncomfortable with his offensive line.

Meyer offered concerns over whether or not that group had actually been tested since losing to Virginia Tech in week two. Kent State and Cincinnati didn't do it. Maryland and Rutgers were better, but still nowhere near the Hokies.

Penn State was, and some of the same problems that plagued the Buckeyes' offensive line in week two showed up again in Ohio State's 31-24 overtime win against the Nittany Lions.

"They outplayed us up front, I think," Meyer said. "I was a little upset with the way we played up front and we've got to get that fixed. That has always been a  strength of Ohio State football and has been for quite a while. Without making too big of a deal of it, we need to evaluate that and play better as we hit the stretch run here."

It wasn't as bad as the Virginia Tech game, when the Buckeyes looked completely overwhelmed up front, but communication issues on Saturday led to protection breakdowns and three sacks of quarterback J.T. Barrett.

As was the case in week two, the Buckeyes' issues up front seem born out of inexperience. But there's a point when that stops becoming an excuse.

They struggled in their first big home game, but rebounded nicely.

They struggled in their first big road game. How they respond will be known in two weeks when Ohio State travels to Michigan State.

2. Was this just a bad game for J.T. Barrett? Or was a portrait of who he actually is? I think Barrett is somewhere in the middle. He's not the quarterback who was throwing four touchdown passes per game and running wild against Kent State, Cincinnati, Maryland and Rutgers. Not yet. But he's also not as bad as the stats show against Penn State. There's clearly room for Barrett to go (and can we finally stop with the Heisman talk?). Even with his struggles, Barrett still won the game with some strong runs in overtime. I chalk up Saturday night as not Barrett's best night, but a valuable learning experience.

3. What happened to Ohio State's run game? The Buckeyes ran for 84 yards in the opening quarter against the nation's best rushing defense, but only managed 98 yards over the last three quarters of regulation. With a chance to put the game away in the fourth quarter, Ohio State ran eight times for 11 yards.

Barrett was dealing with a knee issue, but where was Curtis Samuel? Ohio State started to gain some traction running to the outside in the third quarter, but Samuel never got a carry. Jalin Marshall (6.3 yards per carry) got one touch in the fourth quarter. Dontre Wilson (4 yards per carry) had two touches in the fourth quarter.

With Penn State looking for anyway to get back into the game, Ohio State couldn't run the clock down after looking dominant in the running game in the first quarter.

4. Joshua Perry continues to be all over the place for Ohio State. Joey Bosa has been getting a lot of the defensive headlines for the Buckeyes' defense, but Perry has maybe been that unit's most consistent player. He had a career-high 18 tackles against Penn State.

5. I have concerns about kicker Sean Nuernberger. He's just a freshman, but Nuernberger has already missed missed four field goals this year, and most of them have come in big moments. His missed 41-yarder in Saturday's third quarter helped leave the door open for Penn State.

 

Join us for a live pregame show at 3:15 p.m. from FirstEnergy Stadium.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns take on the Raiders on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m.

Watch our live Browns pregame show from FirstEnergy Stadium. cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, Tom Reed, Dan Labbe and The Plain Dealer's Branson Wright will get you ready for the game. The show starts at 3:15 p.m.

On today's show we discuss:

• What happens if Brian Hoyer struggles again?
• Will the Browns focus on two running backs instead of three?
• What's the fallout if the Browns lose to a winless team again?
• Predictions.

Former Ohio State target and Penn State commit Sterling Jenkins went to Beaver Stadium for the Buckeyes' 31-24 double overtime win over the Nittany Lions on Saturday night. Jenkins was there with Ohio State target Matthew Burrell.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – There was a time when Ohio State was in the thick of the recruitment of four-star offensive lineman Sterling Jenkins of Pittsburgh (Pa.) Baldwin. Then he committed to Penn State. 

Ohio State is still in the thick of the recruitment of four-star offensive lineman Matthew Burrell of Woodbridge (Va.) C.D. Hylton. Urban Meyer would like for Burrell's recruitment to end differently than Sterling's. 

Sterling and Burrell attended Ohio State's 31-24 double overtime win over Penn State on Saturday night. The Buckeyes redeemed themselves in front of Burrell – who was at Ohio State in early September for the team's loss to Virginia Tech – but Jenkins seemed to be a good Penn State visiting partner. 

Here are some pictures that Jenkins posted on his public Twitter profile of the time he spent with Burrell. 

WE WERE SQUADDED UP ON THE FIELD @HeaftyLefty @TS3_ERA @coavacoffee #WEARE pic.twitter.com/ot7zMYU22E

— Sterling Jenkins[?]™ (@S_Jenkins72) October 26, 2014

Me and the dude @HeaftyLefty #107kStrong #WeAre pic.twitter.com/aF43HazAlr

— Sterling Jenkins[?]™ (@S_Jenkins72) October 26, 2014

MT @blreeger: Baldwin's @S_Jenkins72 takes a selfie w/ @PennStateFball James Franklin,Tommy Stevens & Matthew Burrell pic.twitter.com/hTTmeqjTdx

— Stephanie Hacke (@StephOnRecord) October 26, 2014

Burrell is rated by 247Sports the No. 5 offensive guard in the 2015 recruiting class, though he projects as an offensive tackle at the next level. He's most considering Ohio State, Penn State, Florida State, Florida and Tennessee. 

Ole Miss and Mississippi State both found life outside their state lines treacherous, while Auburn had a tough time at home

The state of Mississippi has been the toast of college football this year.

The problem Saturday was that neither of this season's darling teams, Ole Miss or Mississippi State, were in Mississippi.

The Rebels were at the stadium where, as LSU coach Les Miles once put it, "dreams go to die." And while Commonwealth Stadium in Kentucky is no Death Valley, it's certainly become a tougher place to visit this season, as Mississippi State found out.

At the end, No. 1 Mississippi State survived and No. 3 Ole Miss did not. The Bulldogs' 45-31 win over Kentucky may not impress unless one appreciates the improvement the Wildcats have made this year. And while the Rebels' unbeaten dream ended (leaving us with just three unbeaten teams in the country) with a 10-7 loss at No. 24 LSU, the 7-1 Rebels still have a favorable schedule, including a home game next week against Auburn, and will still be a factor in the College Football Playoff picture.

And speaking of Auburn, like the Mississippi schools, the fifth-ranked Tigers were on full upset alert Saturday.

There was plenty of other football Saturday, but it wound up being all about the upsets, or near upsets, in the SEC West. Let's look back at what it all means.

Best Game

LSU turned back the clock against Ole Miss, which could mean a lot of things. It could reference the epic battles between the Tigers and Rebels, like the Billy Cannon Halloween punt return that still brings chills to LSU fans, even though you'll only see it on grainy black-and-white film. Or a more recent history, as the Tigers returned to relevancy nationally, a place they had grown accustomed to before an 0-2 SEC start this year.

But Miles had another throwback in mind, specifically when talking about the 95-yard touchdown drive that resulted in Anthony Jennings' game-winning, 3-yard touchdown pass to Logan Stokes with 5:07 left against perhaps the nation's best defense.

"That was a 1970s drive," said Miles of the punishing 13-play march. "How many runs did we have in a row? A bunch."

Indeed, it was 12 runs before Jennings faked a run to his left, then found Stokes -- usually a blocker Miles jokingly called a "secret weapon" -- open for the senior's first career catch.

Before that, in this age of spread football, it was six runs by senior Kenny Hilliard, four for fast-improving freshman Leonard Fournette, who had his third 100-yard rushing game, with 113 yards on 23 carries, and two for fullback Melvin Jones.

"That was the best offensive line we've played," Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. "And the running backs are very, very good."

There was one other throwback for the Tigers: a defense that gave up 570 yards to Mississippi State and 566 to Auburn held the Rebels to a mere 313 yards, bringing back the dominating style we're accustomed to seeing from LSU.

What's scary for the rest of the Tigers' opponents is how close this came to being a one-sided affair. LSU dropped several interceptions and two lost fumbles by the Tigers -- one by Fournette at the goalline -- kept the game close.

Instead, Ole Miss had a chance to tie it at the end end, but took a delay of game penalty prior to a 42-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds. Then, after a timeout, the Rebels decided to put the offense back on the field and quarterback Bo Wallace was picked off by Ronald Martin on a bomb to the 2-yard line.

But this was no case of an underdog hanging on for dear life. LSU had more yards (406 to 313) and first downs (22-15). And that's the scary thing for the SEC: LSU (7-2, 3-2), a team written off for dead after an 0-2 SEC start, looks capable of knocking off Alabama at home on Nov. 8.

With Alabama and Ole Miss both hosting Mississippi State and Auburn, there stands a good chance of a cluster on top of college football's toughest division. What would happen if nobody in the SEC West finishes with fewer than two losses? LSU's sudden resurgence makes that possibility a bit more likely.

Hanging On

Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott passed for 216 yards and a touchdown and added two rushing touchdowns and 88 yards. Running back Josh Robinson added 198 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles, right, is tackled by Mississippi State's Christian Holmes, but it was a special team play by Holmes, a kickoff return for a touchdown, that put Kentucky away.Timothy D. Easley/Associated Press 

But it wasn't until Christian Holmes returned a squib kickoff 61 yards for a touchdown with 2:22 left that No. 1 Mississippi State could breathe a sigh of relief against Kentucky.

The Wildcats, looking like a completely different team than the one that was trounced at LSU, 41-3 the week before, rode a 390-yard passing performance by rising star quarterback Patrick Towles, who also ran for 76 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown run with 2:31 left that pulled UK within 38-31.

Holmes answered with his touchdown return and 8-0 MSU survived an upset bid from a game Kentucky team that dropped to 5-3.

It was the second SEC road win of the year for MSU, both against young teams a year away from being a contender. The first was a 34-29 win over LSU on Sept 20.

That will change after Saturday. MSU's last two road games are against No. 4 Alabama (Nov. 15) and No. 3 Ole Miss (Nov. 29), two places where surviving close games will be more difficult.

Hanging On, Part II

No. 5 Auburn's defense had looked improved before Saturday.

Sure, Mississippi State beat the Tigers, 38-23, but besides that, Auburn was rugged in a 20-14 win at Kansas State and dominant in a 41-7 embarrassment of LSU. Its defense has been improved this season, better than the unit that was shaky at times last season during a run to the BCS title game.

Maybe that was all a mirage.

The Tigers' needed every bit of the 551 yards quarterback Nick Marshall and company generated in holding off South Carolina, 42-35 because the defense was too busy getting sliced and diced by the Gamecocks' Dylan Thompson to the tune of 402 passing yards and five touchdowns.

Marshall's 9-yard touchdown run with 11:22 left proved the game winner for Auburn, which stopped South Carolina twice inside the 20 in the fourth quarter to hold on.

Hanging On, Part III

J.T. Barrett went from looking like a confused freshman in an Ohio State loss to Virginia Tech to one of the best freshmen in college football.

Against Penn State, the Buckeyes' young quarterback looked like a confused freshman again ... until the end. Barrett scored on a 4-yard touchdown run in the second overtime, as No. 13 Ohio State survived Penn State's upset bid, 31-24.

Barrett had a mere 74 yards passing and was intercepted twice, but he scored both of his rushing touchdowns in the overtimes, then was helped by a defensive stop. Joey Bosa sacked Christian Hackenberg to end the game on 4th-and-5 at the 20 on PSU's second OT possession.

Where it leaves us

With the upheaval -- or near upheaval -- in the SEC West, we end up with a playoff picture that hasn't changed much as Auburn and Ohio State remained in a pile up of 1-loss teams that's now at 16 teams in the power five conferences (plus Notre Dame).

Mississippi State and idle Florida State figure to remain ranked No. 1 and No. 2 as the last major unbeaten teams (Marshall is also unbeaten but won't be a factor in the playoff race).

Here are the one-loss teams left, by conference:

ACC: Duke (6-1)

Big Ten: Michigan State (7-1), Ohio State (6-1), Nebraska (7-1)

Big 12: Kansas State (6-1), TCU (6-1), Baylor (6-1)

Pac-12: Oregon (7-1), Arizona (6-1), Arizona State (6-1), Utah (6-1)

SEC: Georgia (6-1), Alabama (7-1), Ole Miss (7-1), Auburn (6-1)

Independents: Notre Dame (6-1)

Which two do you like from that bunch?

Heroes

• Trevone Boykin of TCU threw for seven touchdowns and 433 yards, completing 22 of 39 passes in the Horned Frogs' 82-27 thumping of Texas Tech.

• Jonathan Truman, Kansas State's senior linebacker, spearheaded Kansas State's defensive effort with eight tackles in a 23-0 shutout of Texas, the first shutout of the Longhorns since 2004.

• Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries in Wisconsin's 52-7 rout of Maryland.

Arkansas offensive tackle Sebastian Tretola (73) walks off the field with a big smile following a 45-17 win over UAB where he had a rare chance to do something offensive linemen never do: throw a touchdown pass.Danny Johnston/Associated Press 

• Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah set a school record with 341 total yards -- 225 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 19 yards, two kickoff returns for 90 yards (including a 76 yarder) and two receptions for 26 yards -- in the Cornhuskers' 42-24 win over Rutgers.

• Sebastian Tretola, a 350-pound offensive guard, thew a 6-yard touchdown pass to Alan D'Appollonio in Arkansas' 45-17 win over UAB. Tretola was lined up as an end in a swinging gate formation, then shifted to quarterback, where he found D'Appollonio open in the left flat.

• UCLA's Brett Hundley completed 24 of 39 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown and added 110 rushing yards on 12 carries, including a game-winning 8-yard run in double overtime that gave the Bruins a 40-37 win over Colorado.

• Devon Johnson rushed 24 times for 272 yards and four touchdowns as Marshall improved to 8-0 with a 35-16 win over Florida Atlantic.

• Michigan State's Jeremy Langford rushed for 177 yards on 35 carries with three touchdowns as Michigan State dominated Michigan, 35-11.

• Clint Trickett passed for 238 yards and two touchdowns, completing 21 of 30 attempts in West Virginia's 34-10 win over Oklahoma State.

• Anu Solomon passed for five touchdowns and 294 yards, completing 26 of 38 attempts in Arizona's 59-37 win over Washington State.

• Garrett Grayson completed 18 of 21 passes for 390 yards and five touchdowns as Colorado State improved to 7-1 with a 45-31 win over Wyoming.

• Alabama's Amari Cooper caught nine passes for 224 yards, including first-quarter touchdowns of 41 and 80 yards, in the Crimson Tide's 34-20 win over Tennessee.

• Utah's Travis Wilson hit Kaelin Clay for a 1-yard touchdown pass with eight seconds left, giving the Utes a 28-24 win over USC.

Ohio State LB Joshua Perry has a big night, plus other notes quotes and nuggets from the Buckeyes' win over Penn State.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Ohio State linebacker Joshua Perry has been the Buckeyes' leading tackler all season, and arguably it's most consistent defensive player.

In Saturday night's 31-24 overtime win over Penn State, Perry had the best game of his career.

Perry finished with a game-high and career-high 18 tackles, the most by any Buckeye this season. He's had at least six tackles in every game this season.

"We came in prepared," Perry said. "We talk about brotherhood and trust, and that was an example of it with there. You see the effort from some of the guys. We got close together on the sideline and said no matter what happens, we're gonna come out victorious in this one."

Perry and freshman Raekwon McMillan stopped Penn State running back Akeel Lynch on the Lions' first play of the second overtime, throwing the drive off-kilter and setting the stage for Joey Bosa's game-clinching sack three plays later.

Here are more notes, quotes and nuggets from the Buckeyes' win:

• Though the offense sputtered on Saturday, and failed to put up at least 50 points and 500 yards of total offense for the fifth-straight game, Ohio State managed to keep one streak alive: The Buckeyes have scored on their opening drive in five straight games.

• Penn State defensive tackle Anthony Zettel got the Lions on the board with a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half.

Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, who was pressured on the play, said he never saw Zettel. That was by design.

"The quarterback didn't see me, it was a good cover up by the other blitzers, and he threw the ball right to me," Zettel said. "It was more the play call than anything else. I was just in the right spot.

• Ohio State has now won 11 straight road games, the longest streak in the nation.

• Saturday night was the first big-time atmosphere Ohio State has played in since losing to Virginia Tech in week two.

"It was a good test," Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee said. "It felt a little like Virginia Tech in certain situations. It's going to be useful later in the season because there's going to be some close games. We've got to be ready."

• Penn State's 16 rushing yards were a season-low. The Nittany Lions had 60 gained rushing yards, but sacks helped set the total back.

• Ohio State punter Cameron Johnston pinned Penn State inside its own 20-yard line four times on six punts.

• After running for 84 yards in the first quarter, Ohio State managed just 98 yards over the last three quarters of regulation.

"We took the crowd out of it in the first half," Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott said. "In the second half, we just didn't have any momentum at all and the crowd got back into it, and we started making some mistakes."

Elliott finished with 109 rushing yards, his third 100-yard performance in the last four games.

The only poll that matters will have its first edition on Tuesday evening when the College Football Playoff committee gives us the first window into its thinking. Ohio State fell from No. 12 to No. 13 after a close win at Penn State.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The only poll that matters will have its first edition on Tuesday evening when the College Football Playoff committee gives us the first window into its thinking. 

Until then, we'll settle with looking at the flawed, meaningless coaches poll. 

Ohio State fell a spot to No. 13 in this week's edition after a 31-24 double-overtime win at Penn State. Baylor hopped over the Buckeyes into the No. 12 spot. 

We didn't really learn much on Saturday, as no one-loss team ahead of Ohio State lost. The only team that fell from grace was Mississippi, who fell from No. 2 to No. 9 after losing to LSU in Baton Rouge, 10-7. 

Because of it, LSU was the poll's highest riser. It went up from No. 23 to No. 17 after beating the Rebels. 

No. 24 Duke and No. 25 UCLA entered the poll, replacing USC and Minnesota. 

The Week 9 Coaches Poll Top 25:

1. Mississippi State (41)

2. Florida State (21)

3. Alabama

4. Michigan State

5. Auburn

6. Oregon

7. Notre Dame

8. Georgia

9. Ole Miss

10. TCU

11. Kansas State

12. Baylor

13. Ohio State

14. Arizona State

15. Arizona

16. Nebraska

17. LSU

18. Utah

19. East Carolina

20. Oklahoma

21. Clemson

22. West Virginia

23. Marshall

24. Duke

25. UCLA

Former NFL players have a difference of opinion when it comes to today's battle.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sunday Showdown is a weekly feature that examines a key matchup between a Cleveland Browns player and the opponent. Today's matchup comes with a twist: Instead of the usual one-on-one pairing, it's the Browns' running game (Isaiah Crowell, Ben Tate and Terrance West) vs. Raiders rookie linebacker Khalil Mack.

Mack, out of the University of Buffalo, is rated as the top run stopping linebacker in the NFL.

Check back during the game as we break down the matchup each quarter and wrap up the battle with locker room reaction after the final whistle.

SCOUTING REPORT

The Browns are sixth in the league in rushing (133.5 per game) and that running game dominated in the first five games of the season, but fell off last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The fall off is related to quarterback Brian Hoyer's poor showing because so much of his success is off the play-action pass. The running game was so bad last week (69 yards) that offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan called out the running backs and basically asked for one of them to step up.

It will take more than Shanahan's plea to fix what ailed the Browns last week. Today, the offensive line will have to prevent what happened last week, and that's a push by the defensive line. Patience by the line and by the running backs could also become a virtue.

"The offensive line can't allow Mack to play sideline to sideline," said a former NFL player. "If they can't, he'll pile up the tackles. The zone blocking scheme is about patience but it could hurt you against an aggressive linebacker like Mack."

A former NFL linebacker sees it another way. He said the running game will return today.

"The running backs had an off game last week, and it's not going to happen again," said the former player. "They're going to run all over the Raiders."

TALE OF THE TAPE:

Browns running backs

Numbers: The Browns are sixth in the league in rushing (133.5 yards per game) because of their trio of backs in Ben Tate, Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell.

Raiders linebacker Khalil Mack

School: Buffalo
Ht/Wt: 6-3, 247
Numbers: Mack is second in tackles for the Raiders with 37.  He collected 11 tackles last week against Arizona.

Giants outfielder with topsy-turvy swing has knocked in five runs and is hitting .467 in World Series

SAN FRANCISCO -- His throwing motion is weird, his swing is awkward, his tongue hangs out when he chases flyballs.

Whatever he's doing, wide-eyed Hunter Pence often looks out of whack.

Which makes the San Francisco right fielder a perfect fit for the quirky ballpark and spirited crowds at home in the World Series. His personality and production make him real popular on the Giants, too.

"I mean, he's the guy that's a vocal leader on the team, and he gets guys fired up," rookie second baseman Joe Panik said.

"And with his play, he's all-out and gives everything he's got. It's spectacular to watch. He's fun to watch. He's really big to this team. He's in the middle of a lot of things, offensively and defensively," he said.

Pence came through again Saturday, getting three hits and driving in three runs as the Giants surged past the Kansas City Royals 11-4, tying the Series at two games apiece. Game 5 was set for Sunday at AT&T Park.

Pence certainly isn't the model for how a Little League coach would teach a youngster to play. Yet there is no contesting his results.

Through four games, he'd gone 7 for 15 and was hitting .467, best among Series regulars. He led with five RBI, too, and had scored four runs.

Overall, Pence has reached base safely in 17 straight postseason games, dating to when the Giants won the 2012 championship.

"If I was to say the keys to my success, trying not to do too much sometimes," he said. "I think I had struggles when I was younger, and I still have a lot to learn and get better."

Wherever he goes, be it to and from the ballpark on his favorite motor scooter or otherwise, he attracts attention. With a face full of hair, he's hard to miss.

Fans at every ballpark where he plays come with signs. Unusual ones.

In Game 1 at Kansas City, Pence's homer almost landed between two of them -- "Hunter Pence is a Gatherer" and "Hunter Pence Thinks He's in Kansas."

Giants postseason ace Madison Bumgarner said he's glad Pence is on his side.

"It would be hard to imagine him being a better teammate," the pitcher said.

Pence was busy in Game 4. Batting cleanup, the bushy-haired Texan scored twice and punctuated his big plays with whoops. In the ninth inning, he made a fine grab to take away a hit from Lorenzo Cain.

Moments later, the game was over.

His swings, shouts and sliding catch all done, Pence shuttled from one postgame TV interview to another outside the San Francisco dugout, bumping through a crush of people with every step.

Eventually, he wound up standing smack in the middle of a giant World Series logo. A fitting spot, for sure.

Getting to play deep into October wasn't the plan Pence drew up in February. Back then, and now, he said he takes a more basic approach.

"I even go back to just my goals in spring training, literally my goals are to play each game as hard as I can to win," he said. "That's what I write down when I'm writing down my goals for the season."

"I want to give every single game everything I have to win. And the rest, the numbers will take care of themselves. So I try to focus that simplified."

LeBron James is averaging 39.5 minutes per game for his career, a number Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt suggested would be too high as the 2014-15 season begins.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt suggested the 39.5 minutes per game LeBron James is averaging for his career would be too many for the team's superstar this season, at least in the early going.

"I don't have a number but I am cognizant of the fact and we are conscious of the fact that, certainly early on 39 minutes a game is a lot," Blatt said following practice Sunday. "We gotta keep our wits about us in terms of thinking long term with LeBron."

James is the NBA's active leader in minutes per game and ranks 6^th all time. He averaged about 38 minutes per night in his four seasons with the Miami Heat and last year logged 37.7 minutes – sixth-most in the league.

James' chief running mate in Miami, Dwyane Wade, played about 1,200 fewer minutes than James last season, placing even more stress on him while he was on the floor. James also nursed a sore back at times this preseason and early last year, attributed to miles on his body after 11 pro seasons and 158 playoff games.

James and the Cavaliers open the 2014-15 season Thursday at The Q against the New York Knicks. Cleveland's in a bit of a lull, having played its last preseason game (without James) Wednesday and idling for eight days before the season begins.

These are relatively quiet times at Cleveland Clinic Courts, where the Cavaliers practice, after an offseason and preseason of relative bliss.

After the Cavaliers hired Blatt in June, they resigned Kyrie Irving, landed James, traded for Kevin Love, and added veterans like Shawn Marion and Mike Miller. The team then went 5-2 in the preseason with no serious injuries. Expectations on the Cavaliers are sky high.

Visiting practice Sunday was former Bowling Green State University coach and NBA veteran Louis Orr, who preaches "one day at a time" to players and reporters alike. Asked Sunday what was one thing he was trying to warn himself about as the season approaches, Blatt said it is "just not to get ahead of ourselves."

"We are honestly a new team," James said. "There's gonna be highs, there's gonna be lows. We've got to keep ourselves in proportion and improve on a daily basis. Just play the day in front of you."

The Q is expected to be at fever pitch all season and certainly Thursday night, in no small part because of James. On Sunday he said his personal anticipation for Thursday hasn't yet begun to rise, even if the fans' excitement is already there.

"It always rises, from a scrimmage to a preseason game to the regular season to the playoffs," James said. "The excitement continues to grow, and I'm looking forward to getting out there Thursday. It will be a fun time."

Coming Monday: Part I of the Northeast Ohio Media Group's look at LeBron James' expanding empire.

"I didn't like the operation of the offense in the second half," Urban Meyer said. "We need to get that fixed."

STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania -- Urban Meyer wants balance on offense. When it mattered Saturday night, Ohio State's plan was basically a single win battering ram attack, taking the snap and running.

Quarterback J.T. Barrett ran 20 times and gained 94 yards, but he also absorbed three sacks so his final rushing total read 20 carries for 75 yards.

H-backs Dontre Wilson and Jalin Marshall each took some direct snaps and combined overall for 39 yards on eight carries.

And the Buckeyes leaned on running back Ezekiel Elliott for much of the game, as he put up his third 100-yard game of the season, carrying the ball 26 times for 109 yards.

But that run game didn't set up anything else. It just served as barely enough to allow the Buckeyes to plow to a 31-24 win over Penn State in double overtime.

"We definitely didn't play our best," Elliott said after the win. "We played pretty bad in the pass game. We didn't protect at all. J.T. wasn't able to be at ease in the pocket. Our offense is at its best when we're balanced and we didn't have that balanced attack today."

No, this was tilted.

Meyer would like a pretty even division to the play calls between run and pass and he's looking for 250 yards in each part of the game. Saturday night saw 57 runs for 219 yards. And just 19 throws, 12 of them completions, for 74 yards.

It worked against the Nittany Lions, but 57-12 is not a balance that will get the Buckeyes where they need to go.

Meyer talked about wanting to "manage the game" after taking a 17-0 lead into halftime, but the Buckeyes were so one-dimensional after halftime, it helped Penn State get back in the game.

In the second half and overtime, the Buckeyes completed 5 of 10 passes for 22 yards, while running the ball 29 times for 100 yards.

"There were some throws in there," Meyer said when asked if the plan was too conservative. "We were trying to take some shots. We just couldn't get it done."

The pass protection was a problem. And the outcome was an offense that stagnated and didn't score in the final 33 minutes of regulation.

"I didn't like the operation of the offense in the second half," Meyer said. "We need to get that fixed."

In Ohio State's only loss this season, to Virginia Tech, the offensive plan wound up being Barrett runs and Barrett deep passes. That didn't work. As the offense rolled through the previous four games, scoring more than 50 points per game, the short passing game and spreading the ball to various playmakers was the key.

Nothing was there Saturday. Ohio State's longest completion was for 14 yards, as Barrett underthrew a couple deep opportunities. But the playmakers in the quick passing game weren't there either. Only two receivers, tight end Jeff Heuerman and Marshall, caught more than one pass.

The offense found a way to win the game in double overtime, scoring touchdowns on both possessions. But it was just straight running over people. The six play calls in overtime were four Barrett runs and two Elliott runs.

It worked, yes. But will it work again if that's what the Buckeyes have to resort to?

Barrett averaged 292 passing yards against Cincinnati, Kent State, Maryland and Rutgers. He hadn't thrown for fewer than 219 yards in a game before Saturday night.

He sprained his knee at the end of the first half, but said he was OK. He also thought the Buckeyes kept trying to put the game away.

"I feel like were just trying to find what was going to work for us," Barrett said. "In the second half, there were a lot of things we were trying to do. I don't feel we were playing conservative at all. We're an aggressive offense. That's what we do, we attack."

In previous games, teams attacked Penn State through the air, as the Nittany Lions had the best run defense in the nation, allowing fewer than 70 yards per game. Ohio State ran for 219, though that worked out to only 3.8 yards per carry.

Every other Penn State opponent had thrown for at least 192 yards. The Buckeyes didn't get close to that with a passing game that didn't work on every level.

Maybe they tried to attack. But in the end they had to settle for escaping.

Get updates from Mike Pettine's press conference from Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed this afternoon in Berea.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns fell to previously winless Jacksonville on Sunday. Head coach Mike Pettine will have his Monday press conference today at 4 p.m. Get live updates from Berea as he talks about the team's win over the Steelers.

Pettine will discuss the loss, give injury updates and more. Follow along in the comments below for tweets from Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed.